CN115867495A

CN115867495A - Closure for a container

Info

Publication number: CN115867495A
Application number: CN202180038106.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 何塞·弗朗西斯科·冈萨雷斯·桑切斯
Original assignee: He SaiFulangxisikeGangsaleisiSangqiesi
Current assignee: He SaiFulangxisikeGangsaleisiSangqiesi
Priority date: 2020-03-27
Filing date: 2021-03-25
Publication date: 2023-03-28
Also published as: WO2021191486A1; BR112022019405A2; EP4129853A1; ES1247151Y2; ES1247151U; US20230142631A1; ES1247151Y

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure for a container, in particular intended for a container having an opening at a neck (100) provided with an external threaded portion (101), comprising a lower ring (1) intended for coupling to the neck (100) of the container and an upper cap (2) having an internal threaded zone (20) configured for coupling to the external threaded portion (101) of the container neck (100), the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being mutually hinged by means of a hinge (3) so that the lower ring (1) is formed by an annular body. The lower ring (1) has a portion with a diameter larger than the remainder of the ring-shaped body, wherein the hinge (3) is located at the portion (10) with the larger diameter.

Description

Closure for a container

Technical Field

It is an object of the present application to provide a closure for a container and more particularly the present application proposes the development of a closure for a container which has environmental advantages with respect to recycling of lidded containers and advantages with respect to the manufacturing process.

Background

In the food (solid, liquid, viscous substances, etc.) packaging sector, closures made of plastic have been used for many years, provided with an internal thread that can be screwed into a notch formed in the neck of the container itself, so that the content inside the container remains airtight, for example, in the case of bottles of the type used for bottled beverages such as mineral water, soft drinks.

While this system currently available is practical for the user and relatively inexpensive for container and beverage manufacture, it is not so attractive from an environmental point of view, in many cases the user disposes of the bottle independently of the lid, which means that the lid is not properly recycled, thus generating waste that is not degradable and harmful to the environment. Document No. ES 1217541 is known in the art and describes a closure for a container that satisfactorily addresses the above-mentioned problems.

However, in practice it has been found that it is complicated to manufacture as it requires more complex tooling, for example, the incorporation of slides in the injection mould to form the closure, which also means an increase in manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Moreover, applicants are not presently aware of the existence of an invention having all of the features described in this specification.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a closure configured to be novel in the field of application and to address the previously mentioned drawbacks, thereby contributing to other additional advantages that will be apparent from the following description.

To this end the invention provides a closure for a container intended for a container having an opening at a neck provided with an external thread, comprising a lower ring intended for coupling to the container neck and an upper cap having an internal threaded zone configured for coupling to the external thread of the container neck, the upper cap and the lower ring being hinged to each other by a hinge, such that the lower ring is formed by an annular body, characterized in that the lower ring has a portion with a diameter larger than the remainder of the annular body, wherein the hinge is located at the portion with the larger diameter.

Thanks to these features, the present design facilitates the manufacturing process, since it is implemented by using an injection mold without slides, which reduces investment, maintenance costs and manufacturing costs, since the arrangement of these two areas with different diameters simplifies the design of the articulation.

In addition, the closure includes a tamper-evident seal between the upper cap and the lower ring, which ensures that the container has not been manipulated prior to use by the user.

Preferably, the tamper-evident seal is comprised of a plurality of breaking points located on a rim of the lower ring that protrudes outwardly and is connected to a lower rim of the upper lid.

Still preferably, the rim of the lower ring projecting outwardly is located at a smaller diameter portion thereof.

Advantageously, said hinge is formed by an expansion of substantially rectangular shape, connected at its upper end to said upper lid and at its lower end to said lower ring, the expansion being free of fold lines.

Said closure thus represents an innovative structure with structural and constructive characteristics heretofore unknown to its intended purpose, which, together with its use, provide it with adequate grounds for obtaining the exclusive privilege requested.

Further characteristics and advantages of the closure for containers of the invention will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a closure according to the present invention mounted to a container and in a closed state.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a closure according to the present invention mounted to a container in a raised position prior to its open condition.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the upper cover shown in the previous figures in a raised position.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the upper cover in a partially opened state.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the upper cover in a fully open state.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the closure of the present invention from another angle in a partially open state.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a closure according to the present invention mounted on a container neck in an open state.

Fig. 8 is a lower perspective detail view of the lid shown in fig. 7 in a closed state.

Detailed Description

In view of the above drawings, and in accordance with the numbering adopted therein, one may observe preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, including the components and elements as specifically indicated and described below.

As shown in the figures, the closure for a container, in particular intended for containers having an opening at a neck (100) provided with an external threaded portion (101), comprises a lower ring (1) intended for coupling to the container neck (100) and an upper cap (2) having an internal threaded zone (20) (see fig. 6) configured for coupling to the external threaded portion (101) of the container neck.

The upper lid (2) and the lower ring (1) are hinged to each other by means of a hinge (3), which makes it easier for the user to handle the lid and prevents the two parts from separating, since the entire set is made of a single piece of injectable plastic material.

The outer surface of the side of the upper cover body has a non-smooth surface (21), for example, a knurled surface formed by ribs extending from the upper portion to the lower portion of the upper cover body.

The lower ring (1) of the closure is constituted by an annular body and has a first portion (10) with a diameter greater than a second portion (11), the second portion (11) corresponding to the remainder of the annular body, the hinge (3) being located in the portion (10) with the greater diameter. As can be seen clearly from fig. 1 and 2, the two portions (10) and (11) are connected by two diametrically opposed curved portions (12).

It should be noted that the portion with the smaller diameter has such a diameter that it is located in the region (104) defined by the two circumferential rims (102, 103) provided at the lower part of the neck of the container, so that the ring remains in this region at all times during the operation of raising the cap to separate the cap (2) from the upper opening of the container.

Thus, the two portions with different diameters enable a controlled stretching and then a return to their initial position, which allows the lower ring (1) to be easily stretched, remaining from the upper lid (2), once the latter is unscrewed, to accommodate the portion with larger diameter (10) and the hinge (3) located below the lowermost circumferential rim (103) of the container, as shown in fig. 5. In this way, the upper lid (2) is fully locked, since the inner face of the hinge (3) abuts the lower part of the circumferential rim (103).

Returning again to the hinge (3), as seen in fig. 1 and 2, it is formed by an extension of substantially rectangular shape, connected at its upper end to the upper lid (2) and at its lower end to the lower ring (1), such extension being free of folding lines, unlike other closure systems known in the art.

Furthermore, the closure is provided with a tamper-proof seal between the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1). It can be seen that the tamper-evident seal consists of a plurality of breaking points (4) on a rim (5) of the lower ring (1), the rim (5) projecting outwards, and the plurality of breaking points (4) being connected to the lower edge of the upper lid (2).

As can be seen from the figures, the outwardly projecting rim (5) is located only in the smaller diameter portion (11).

Fig. 7 and 8 show a second preferred embodiment of the closure, in which like parts or features are indicated by like reference numerals as in the above examples. In this second embodiment, the upper lid (2) advantageously comprises abutment means configured to come into contact with the circumferential rim (103) of the neck (100) in its open position with respect to the lower ring, so as to ensure that the upper lid (2) does not rotate in an undesired manner to return to its rest position when it is in the open position, due to the action of the hinge (3), i.e. the lid (2) is located above the lower ring (1).

It can be seen that the abutment means comprise a flange (22) extending outwardly from the inside of the body constituting the upper lid (2) and parallel to the hinge (3). As can be seen in fig. 7, said flange (22) is in a position practically or completely parallel to the longitudinal axis of the neck itself (100) and the hinge (3) is housed under the circumferential rim (103).

Finally, it should be mentioned that the smaller diameter portion (11) of the lower ring comprises a circumferential projection (13) projecting outwards.

The details, shape, dimensions and other auxiliary elements used for manufacturing the closure of the invention may be appropriately substituted for other elements without departing from the scope defined by the claims included below.

Claims

1. A closure for a container, intended for a container having an opening at a neck provided with an external thread, comprising a lower ring (1) for coupling to the neck of the container and an upper cap (2) having an internal threaded zone configured for coupling to the external thread of the container neck, the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being mutually hinged by a hinge (3) so that the lower ring (1) is formed by an annular body, characterized in that the lower ring (1) has a portion (10) with a diameter greater than the remainder of the annular body, wherein the hinge (3) is located at the portion with the larger diameter.

2. A closure for a container according to claim 1,

the closure comprises a tamper-evident seal between the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1).

3. A closure for a container according to claim 2,

the tamper-proof seal consists of a plurality of breaking points (4) at a rim (5) of the lower ring (1), the rim (5) protruding outwards, and the plurality of breaking points (4) being connected to a lower edge of the upper lid (2).

4. A closure for a container according to claim 3,

the outwardly projecting rim is located in the smaller diameter portion.

5. A closure for a container according to any of claims 1 to 4,

the hinge (3) is formed by a substantially rectangular shaped extension, the upper end of the hinge (3) being connected to the upper lid (2) and the lower end of the hinge (3) being connected to the lower ring (1), the extension being free of folding lines.

6. A closure for a container according to any of claims 1 to 5,

the upper cap (2) comprises abutment means configured to come into contact with the region of the neck of the container in the open position of the upper cap (2) with respect to the lower ring (1).

7. A closure for a container as claimed in claim 6,

the abutment means comprise a flange extending outwardly from the inside of the body constituting the upper cover (2) and parallel to the hinge.

8. A closure for a container according to any of claims 1 to 7,

the closure is made from a single piece of injection moulded plastics material.