"COMPACT TAMPER-PROOF CLOSURE"

The present invention relates to a compact tamper- proof closure. Tamper-proof closures are already known in the art, for example from EP 1511677 Bl in the name of Guala Closures Patents BV.

This type of closure comprises an externally threaded pourer onto which the cap is screwed. The drip-stop lip of the threaded pourer is, however, formed on a longitudinal cylindrical structure of the pourer itself, which extends above the upper edge of the mouth of the container, resulting, however, in large longitudinal dimensions of the closure as a whole. For some types of liqueurs (for example for some types of vodka) it is desirable, however, for example for marketing reasons, to provide a closure which is as compact as possible in the longitudinal direction. The results obtained hitherto, however, have not been satisfactory.

In view of the state of the art described, the object of the present invention is to provide a closure which overcomes at least partly the disadvantages mentioned above, by providing a closure which is an alternative to the known closures, while being more compact

longitudinally.

In accordance with the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a closure according to Claim 1. The characteristic features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment provided by way of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a closure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the closed configuration;

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the closure according to Figure 1, in the open configuration. In the drawings all the parts are conventionally shown in their undeformed configuration so that it is possible to identify also the points where there are joints with an interference fit. The person skilled in the art will be able to easily find out such points. With reference to the drawings, the closure 1 comprises a removable cap 2 and a body 3 designed to be firmly fastened to the mouth 101 of a container 100, for example a bottle. X-X denotes the main longitudinal axis which extends conventionally in the vertical direction. Advantageously, the closure 1 has, before initial opening, a longitudinal extension less than a diameter,

advantageously less than 0.5 of a diameter, for example less than 15 mm.

The cap 2 comprises a threaded undercap 4 which may be lined externally by a capsule 5 which can be made of metallic material, for example aluminum.

The undercap 4 comprises a cylindrical side wall 6 which is closed at the top by a closing wall 7. The bottom end 8 of wall 6 may advantageously have a smaller thickness (for example less than 0.8 mm) so as to allow capsule 5 to be folded back internally, as shown in Figure 1.

Internally, wall 6 comprises a lower longitudinal section 9 which is adjacent to bottom end 8 and on which thread 10 is formed, and an upper longitudinal section 11 which is substantially smooth, namely without threading.

Advantageously, inner diameter Dl of upper longitudinal section 11 is substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the minimum diameter D2 of lower longitudinal section 9, namely the diameter defined by the crests of thread 10.

Closing wall 7 has the function of preventing the liquid from coming out of container 100 when closure 1 is closed. It may therefore be substantially flat and/or may comprise a cylindrical part 12 designed to sealingly engage with the inner wall of mouth 101 of container 100 or with an inner wall 13 of the body 3 of closure 1.

Body 3 of closure 1 comprises a pourer 14 which can be firmly fastened to mouth 101 of container 100 via fastening means, for example a substantially annular inner tooth 15 which engages in a corresponding outer groove 102 formed on said mouth 101. Pourer 14 may also comprise anti-rotation means, for example longitudinal ribs 16 which engage with corresponding ribs 103 formed on mouth 101 of container 100.

Pourer 14 therefore comprises an upper structure with a cross-section substantially in the form of a U (shown upside-down in the figures) where the vertical parts of the "U" are formed by an outer portion 17 and an inner portion 20 which are both cylindrical, and the horizontal part of the "U" is formed by an upper portion 18 which joins outer portion 17 to inner portion 20.

Pourer 14 may or may not have a drip-stop lip 19, which if present, is formed directly on the outer end of the upper portion, without need for any cylindrical part projecting upwards, namely it projects radially outwards as a continuation of upper portion 18 (like the sloping surface of a roof) .

The anti-rotation means and the fastening means are advantageously formed on outer portion 17, while inner portion 20 is seated inside mouth 101 of container 100. Threaded portion 21 of body 3 is advantageously formed in the vicinity of bottom end 22 of outer portion

17 and is connected to upper portion 18 by means of a connecting section 23 with a smaller diameter D3, advantageously smaller than D4.

The drip-stop lip 19 projects outside section 23 and has a maximum diameter D4, greater than D3, for example by a few tenths of a mm. In the preferred embodiment shown, this difference is about 0.7 mm. Preferably D4 is linked to D3 by means of a substantially horizontal surface which may be aligned with the lower surface of upper portion 18.

Viewed in cross-section, as in Figures 1 and 2, the upper surface of upper portion 18 is preferably convex: from the inside outwards there is a first ascending section (conical in the figures) and a second descending section (convex in the figures), the outer part of which coincides with the upper surface of drip-stop lip 19.

Advantageously, the first ascending section has a radial extension greater than that of the second descending section, namely the crest of the convex portion is arranged along the radially outermost half of upper portion 18. With regard to diameters D1-D5, in a closure according to the preferred embodiment all the conditions below exist; in less advantageous embodiments, on the other hand, it is possible that there may be only some (or even none) of them.

The diameter D4 may be substantially the same as or

slightly smaller than diameter D2 such that thread 10 may easily pass over drip-stop lip 19 both during opening and during closing; diameter D4 may be substantially the same as or slightly smaller than diameter Dl; inner diameter D5 of the valleys of threads 21 of pourer 14 may be substantially the same as outer diameter D4 of drip-stop lip 19 such that drip-stop lip 19 may perform a guiding function for cylindrical portion 11, facilitating (also during manufacture of closure 1) screwing of cap 2 onto body 3 of closure 1, which is otherwise made difficult by the small longitudinal extension of threads 10, 21.

The closure 1 may comprises anti-refilling means, for example a washer 24 with an outer flange 25 resting on the upper edge of mouth 101 of container 100. Washer 24 may in turn comprise a seat for a ball valve 26 or for a siphon system (not shown) . A second part of the filling-prevention system, for example the system for retaining the ball valve at the top, may be incorporated in pourer 14. Inner wall 13 mentioned above may therefore be formed directly by washer 24.

Advantageously, undercap 4, pourer 14 and washer 24 are made of polymer material, by injection moulding; pourer 14 may be made of polymer material which is preferably rigid, such as HIPS (high-impact polystyrene) , PP (polypropylene) or PC (polycarbonate) .

Obviously, a person skilled in the art, in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, may make numerous modifications and variations to the configurations described above, for example the diameters indicated as being slightly different may differ by up to 3-4% with respect to each other.

These variations and modifications are, moreover, all contained within the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the following claims.