EA046024B1 - CAPING DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to closure devices with an opening indication element for bottles with a threaded neck, intended primarily for liquid products, for example alcoholic beverages.

To prevent unauthorized opening by means of an opening indication, various types of caps use a strip that remains on the bottle when the main part of the cap is unscrewed. Such a closure is disclosed, for example, in French patent FR 2217231 B1 and is a cap for closing a bottle, equipped with a threaded element for installation on the neck of the bottle and containing an indication means, which is the lower part of the cap, separated from the main part by perforations forming destructible bridges. When the cap is unscrewed, the fragile bridges break and the strip separated from the cap falls down onto the neck of the bottle, preventing the cap from returning to its original shape, thus signaling the opening of the bottle.

The disadvantage of this known closure is that with this design, you can try to hide the strip under the main cap or remove it from the neck by tearing the strip.

This drawback is partially eliminated in the technical solution according to the RF patent RU 2223209 C2, in which, to seal a container with an alcoholic drink, usually a bottle with a neck having a thread and an annular flange, a capping cap is used, equipped with a closure means and a tamper-evident indicator and containing two assembled together parts that are rigidly connected both in the direction of rotation and in the axial direction. An indicator belt is used as a means of indication, made in the form of a separate annular part located in the lower part of the cap and connected to the screw cap by jumpers. The indicator belt contains an internal rim equipped with engagement means, which are legs facing the inside of the cap, which are fixed under the annular flange of the bottle neck. In the process of opening the cap, the bridges are destroyed, the indicator belt becomes visible, and the possibility of its snapping under the annular flange of the bottle prevents its ability to be reconnected to the cap and makes it difficult to easily remove it from the neck. The disadvantage of this known technical solution is the weak protection of the cap from accidental opening, since the connection of the indicator element with the cap lid by jumpers is not reliable enough and can be destroyed before the first opening of the bottle, both at the capping stage and during transportation of products with such a cap to the consumer, which reduces the reliability of such indication.

From the publication of the Eurasian patent application EA 2005/01334 A1, a capping cap for a bottle with a neck having a thread and an annular flange is known, containing a screw cap, a shell covering the lid and made with the possibility of its lower part extending beyond the annular flange, as well as an indicator belt, made along the lower contour of the lid with the possibility of release from under the ruptures of the shell. When the cap is unscrewed, the belt is destroyed, and its visible parts appear, signaling the first opening, and when the cap is screwed onto the neck again, the indicator belt released from under the shell remains outside between the connected edges of the cap shell. The disadvantage of this known technical solution is that when the bottle is re-capped, the cap moves upward by the amount of the released indicator belt, which does not ensure the tightness of the bottle when re-closing, and also that the destruction of the belt by the rolled edges of the shell does not always occur, since it is part of the cap , and the radial force does not lead to its rupture, but to the fact that the belt remains firmly attached to the lid.

The closest analogue of the present invention is a sealing cap for a bottle with a threaded neck, disclosed in RF patent RU 191981, which contains a screw cap, a shell, an indicator belt made along the lower contour of the cap with the possibility of its release from under the shell. According to the said patent, the indicator belt is installed between the inner part of the shell and the outer surface of the ring-shaped element located in the lower inner part of the shell, while a line of weakened strength is made on the outer surface of the shell at the location of the indicator belt. The disadvantage of such a sealing cap is that the release of the belt from under the bottom of the shell signals the opening of the bottle, but does not guarantee protection against reuse, since it is possible, by removing the cap from the bottle, to replace its contents and again hide the indicator belt under the lower edge shells.

The objective of the present invention is to improve the means of visually indicating the opening of a bottle closure by adding to the design of the device an additional element that can be released upon first opening and prevents the indicator ring from returning to its original position when the bottle is closed again.

The technical result that is achieved in this case is to increase the reliability and security of the closure device by indicating opening due to improved visual information

- 1 046024 diction of opening the bottle and strengthening protection against its repeated unfair use.

The stated problem is solved, and the specified technical result is achieved by the fact that the capping device for a bottle having a neck contains a drain sleeve configured to be installed on the neck, a closed sleeve with a means of fixing on the drain sleeve, a sealing means, an open sleeve and an indicator ring, with in this case, the closed sleeve and the open sleeve form a cavity, and the indicator ring is equipped with an annular belt placed in the said cavity before the first opening, designed to be released from the said cavity upon the first opening and preventing the indicator ring from returning to its original position when the bottle is closed again.

Making the indicator ring with an annular belt as a separate element, as well as its placement in the cavity between the closed sleeve and the open sleeve, promotes reliable release of the indicator belt upon first opening and prevents the indicator ring from returning to its original position when the bottle is closed again. This eliminates unintentional or intentional movement of the indicator ring after the first opening of the closure to a position corresponding to the position of the indicator ring before the first opening of the closure, providing increased reliability and security of the closure in comparison with known analogues, including the closest analogue. In this case, the presence of a sealing means ensures the tightness of the bottle when it is closed again, which is a prerequisite for the use of the claimed closure device and similar devices.

The stated problem is solved, and the specified technical result is also achieved in private embodiments of the closure device according to the present invention.

Preferably, the sealing means is in the form of a base placed in the neck of the bottle.

Preferably, the closure device comprises an outer casing at least partially enclosing the closed sleeve.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the closure device contains an outer casing made of polymer material. In another particular case of the invention, the outer casing is made of metal.

Below, with reference to the attached figures, possible embodiments of the claimed closure device are described in detail, to which, however, the invention is not limited.

The figures show:

in fig. 1 is a general view with a partial section of an embodiment of the closure device in the closed state before the first opening;

in fig. 2 is a general view with partial section of an embodiment of the closure device according to FIG. 1 in the closed state after the first opening.

The following elements are marked by positions in the figures:

- drain sleeve;

- closed sleeve;

- annular projection;

- pouring hole;

- base;

- open sleeve;

- cavity;

- indicator ring;

- ring belt;

- outer casing.

The closing device contains a drain sleeve 1, installed on the neck of the bottle by means of axial and radial fixation, a closed sleeve 2 made with a means of fixation on the drain sleeve 1, for example in the form of a thread, and interacting with the outer surface and/or thread of the specified drain sleeve 1. Additionally the device contains a means for sealing the neck of the bottle, made in the form of a base 5. The base 5 contains an annular cavity for placing the inner wall of the drain sleeve 1 to form a labyrinth seal. Additionally, the device may contain a sealing means in the form of an annular protrusion 3 on the inner end surface of the drain sleeve 1, placed in the pouring hole 4 of the drain sleeve 1 to form a labyrinth seal. It is possible to make the sealing means in the form of a gasket, the diameter of which is sufficient to cover the rim of the bottle and preferably made of foamed polymer material as a separate part or in the form of a gasket made of elastic polymer material with an annular collar placed in the pouring hole 4 of the drain sleeve 1.

The device also contains an open sleeve 6, which forms a cavity 7 with the closed sleeve, and an indicator ring 8 with an elastic annular belt 9 bent outward along the upper contour.

The annular belt 9 can be made continuous or intermittent and, before the first opening of the closure device, is placed in the cavity 7 between the closed sleeve 2 and the open sleeve 6 such

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Claims (5)

in such a way as to keep it from falling out during capping. The indicator ring 8 can be made to rest against the annular flange of the drain sleeve 1, for which purpose stops are made on its inner surface, for example, in the form of a solid protrusion or stop tabs. The device may also include an outer casing 10 that at least partially encloses the closed sleeve 2. This provides increased rigidity of the closed sleeve 2, which improves the reliability and security of the closure. The ends of the outer casing 10, when made of metal, can be bent under the lower end surface of the open sleeve 6. The outer casing 10 can be made of metal, for example aluminum, steel foil, etc., in particular by stamping or a polymer material, in particular by injection molding. During the manufacturing process, coatings and identification means can be applied to the side and end surfaces of the outer casing 10 by methods, for example, hot stamping, offset, screen or pad printing, white, colored, transparent or metallized varnishes. The coating can also be applied by spray or vacuum coating. The drain sleeve 1, the closed sleeve 2, the open sleeve 6 and the indicator ring 8 are made by injection molding from polymer materials, for example, polypropylene or polyethylene. The assembly of the finished closure device is carried out by mutually fixing the indicator ring 8 and the drain sleeve 1, after which a closed sleeve 2 is installed, fixing it relative to the drain sleeve 1, then an open sleeve 6 is installed on the closed sleeve 2, while forming a cavity 7 to accommodate the annular belt 9 of the indicator ring 8. At the next stage, the base 5 is installed inside the drain sleeve 1. The proposed capping device is made with all parts as one unit, can be transported separately and is intended for installation on the neck of a bottle. The bottle is capped by pressing from top to bottom using a capping machine. The claimed closure device operates as follows. When the closure is first unscrewed, the outer casing 10, together with the closed sleeve 2, together with the open sleeve 6, is separated by a threaded connection from the drain sleeve 1. In this case, the indicator ring 8 with an annular belt 9 is released and remains on the drain sleeve 1, signaling the first opening. When closing the bottle again, the annular belt 9 prevents the indicator ring 8 from returning to its original position by resting on the lower end surface of the open sleeve 6. The proposed technical solution opens up wide possibilities for providing greater options for the appearance of caps, and also makes it possible to increase the degree of protection of finished products from counterfeiting and improve the sealing of closures while maintaining the high manufacturability of caps in large-scale factory production. CLAIM 1. A capping device for a bottle having a neck, containing a drain sleeve (1) configured to be installed on the neck, a closed sleeve (2) with a means of fixing on the drain sleeve, a sealing means (5), an open sleeve (6) and an indicator ring (8), characterized in that the closed sleeve (2) and the open sleeve (6) form a cavity (7), and the indicator ring (8) is equipped with an annular belt (9) placed in the specified cavity (7) before the first opening, made with the possibility of release from the specified cavity (7) upon first opening and preventing the return of the indicator ring (8) to its original position when closing the bottle again due to the annular belt resting on the lower end surface of the open sleeve (6). 2. Closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing means is made in the form of a base (5) placed in the neck of the bottle. 3. The closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains an outer casing (10) at least partially enclosing the closed sleeve (2). 4. Closure device according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer casing (10) is made of a polymer material. 5. Closure device according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer casing (10) is made of metal. -