EP0268538A1 - Cap for a container, initially closed by a pierceable membrane - Google Patents

Abstract

The cap covers a container, the opening (8) of which is initially closed by a sealed cover (9). On a bottom (2) of this plug is provided a deformable part (3), provided with a perforation means (18). The deformable part (3) initially occupies a position in which the perforation means (18) is kept at a distance from the cover (9). When the container is used for the first time, the deformable part (3) is pushed into another position in which the perforation means (18) crosses the plane of the cover (9). The invention applies as well to screw caps, in particular with guarantee belt (5), as to hinged caps.

Description

The present invention, relating to the field of packaging of products in particular liquid, viscous or pasty, such as food or medical products, relates to a cap intended for a container receiving this type of product and having an opening which, initially, is hermetically closed. by a seal sealed on the edge of the opening, the seal must be punctured or torn during the first use.

Such containers, made of plastic, are currently used in the dairy industry, more particularly for packaging sterilized milk.

Containers of this kind, currently commercially available, have drawbacks on various points:

In particular, the protection of the cover against the risks of deterioration or accidental perforation is insufficient. These risks obviously exist during the various manipulations which lead the container from its place of filling to the consumer's table, via the point of sale. This results in a poor guarantee of the product packaged in the container.

Furthermore, the opening of the container must be done using a cutting or puncturing object, used to strike and / or tear the cover in order to clear the opening or a pouring orifice. The cut thus produced remains very imprecise and irregular, and it does not facilitate the use of the container.

Finally, if the contents of the container are not used all at once, there is, after tearing the lid, no protection of the product remaining in the container, the latter remaining open since there is no possibility of recapping. is offered to the user.

The present invention aims to remedy all these drawbacks, by providing for containers of the type considered here, and for other similar containers, a closure system which provides initial protection before the first use of the container, which allows a clean and precise opening by perforation of the cover without the aid of any external tool, and which allows a tight sealing of this container after the first use if its content is not used all at once, the proposed system being simple to use structure, therefore being economical, and applicable to plugs of various types since it is suitable both screw caps and hinged caps.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a stopper for a container initially closed by a perforable cover, in particular a seal sealed on the edge of an opening of the container, with a deformable part provided with means on a bottom of this stopper. of perforation directed towards the container, plugs in which the deformable part, provided with a perforation means, is provided on the one hand to initially occupy a stable position in which it is raised relative to the rest of the abovementioned bottom and in which the perforation means is kept at a distance from the cover while the stopper is in the closed position, and on the other hand be brought, at the time of the first use of the container, to another stable position in which this part deformable is pressed lower than the rest of the aforementioned bottom and in which the means of perforation being lowered, crosses the plane of the cover.

There is thus, until the time of use of the container, an overcap which covers and protects the cover, the perforation means being maintained above the plane of this cover. At the time of use, a push exerted by the finger on the deformable part of the bottom of the stopper causes the perforation of the seal.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the deformable part of the circular bottom of the plug comprises a relatively rigid plate, the edge of which is attached, by a thin veil forming a hinge, to a relatively rigid inclined side wall itself attached , by another thin veil forming a hinge, to the remainder of the bottom, the perforation means being formed under the plate which, initially, is raised relative to the remainder of the bottom and which, after being pressed, is located lower than the remainder the bottom. The difference in level between the two thin webs forming hinges is determined so as to correspond to half of the stroke necessary by means of perforation, starting from its initial position, to cross the plane of the seal.

The deformable part constituting before use of the container an elevation above the bottom, the stopper according to the invention also advantageously comprises protective means which protrude above this bottom and which surround the deformable part, these means having an equal height or greater than the protrusion of the deformable part above the remainder of the bottom in the initial position. There are thus means of protection which prevent any accidental and premature sinking of the part. deformable, especially when stacking containers. These protection means can be constituted by a flange formed at the periphery of the bottom and having a height equal to or greater than the protrusion of the deformable part above the bottom in the initial position.

In the case where the stopper which is the subject of the invention forms a screwable stopper, the deformable part provided with the perforation means is preferably provided in an eccentric position on a bottom secured to a cylindrical outer skirt with an internal thread for its screwing on the neck of the container, the opening of which is initially closed off by the lid, said outer skirt comprising at its base a guarantee belt held by sectionable fasteners and internally provided with non-return notches, so that after the portion has been pushed in deformable and tearing of the guarantee belt, unscrewing the cap allows the lid to be cut along an arc of a circle by the eccentric perforation means.

Thus, after tearing off the guarantee belt and in a first phase of unscrewing the cap, the eccentric perforation means acts like a cutting blade, to cut the cover in an arc of circle before going back over the plane of the cover. When the cap is completely unscrewed, the lid can be torn off to allow the contents of the container to be poured. If the container is to be reused, simply screw the cap back on the container neck to close the container. The combination of the guarantee belt and the irreversibility of the penetration of the deformable part constitutes an excellent guarantee of the consumer not using the container beforehand.

The stopper which is the subject of the invention can also form a hinged stopper with a body adaptable to the neck of a container, the body having a bottom provided with a pouring or dispensing orifice, and with a cap connected in an articulated manner to the body. by a hinge so as to be able to occupy a closed or open position, the cap comprising a skirt connected to a bottom; in this case, the deformable part provided with the perforation means belongs to the bottom of the cap and is placed, on this bottom, in a position corresponding to that of the pouring or distributor orifice of the body of the stopper. In this embodiment, the deformation of the deformable part is carried out while the cap is in the closed position, and it causes the perforation of the cover opposite the pouring or distributor orifice. Then, the opening of the cap allowed by the hinge releases this orifice and allows the pouring or distribution of the contents of the container. Yes this container must be reused, it is enough to close the cap to reseal the pouring orifice.

Advantageously, the perforation means has a contour corresponding to that of the pouring orifice of the body, and it is provided in such a way that, when the cap is in the closed position and after the deformable part has been inserted, this perforation means applies tightly against the edge of the pouring orifice. The perforation means comprises, at its end facing the container, an edge with cutting parts, preferably inclined. There is thus obtained, on the one hand, a perforation of the cover which is clear and which precisely follows the contour of the pouring orifice and on the other hand, a sealed closure of this orifice during recapping. According to an additional characteristic, the pouring or dispensing orifice is surrounded by a rim against which the perforation means is applied when the cap is in the closed position and after the deformable part has been pressed; the edge of the orifice contributes not only to sealing, but also to the use of the container, by serving to spread the product dispensed, this in the case of a viscous or pasty product.

In all cases, the stopper which is the subject of the invention can be produced in one piece, from molded plastic, with its deformable part provided with the perforation means. This stopper is in particular made of polypropylene, which is a sufficiently rigid material for the elements ensuring the perforation of the cover while having excellent elastic properties essential for the proper functioning of the thin webs of the deformable part, forming hinges. The elasticity of the deformable part contributes to good perforation, creating a percussion effect on the cover. In addition, this embodiment allows easy application of the invention to a hinged plug, the hinge of which comprises, in a manner known per se, a spring-effect part.

• Figure 1 est une vue générale, en perspective, d'un bouchon de protection vissable conforme à la présente invention ;
• Figure 2 est une vue en coupe passant par l'axe du bouchon vissable de figure 1, représenté mis en place sur le col d'une bouteille, avec la partie déformable occupant sa position initiale ;
• Figure 3 est une vue en coupe similaire à figure 2, mais illustrant la perforation de l'opercule, la partie déformable ayant été enfoncée ;
• Figure 4 est une autre vue en coupe, similaire aux précédentes, montrant le bouchon au cours de son dévissage, après découpe de l'opercule ;
• Figure 5 est une vue en plan par dessus du bouchon, indiquant la forme de la découpe réalisée sur l'opercule au cours du dévissage ;
• Figure 6 est une vue en perspective d'un bouchon à charnière conforme à la présente invention, en position fermée ;
• Figure 7 est une vue en perspective du bouchon de figure 6, en position ouverte ;
• Figure 8 est une vue en coupe passant par l'axe de ce bouchon à charnière, mis en place sur le col d'un récipient, et représenté dans sa position fermée initiale c'est-à-dire avant perforation de l'opercule ;
• Figure 9 est une vue coupe similaire à figure 8, mais montrant le bouchon en position fermée après perforation de l'opercule, et indiquant aussi sommairement la position ouverte de ce bouchon.

In any case, the invention will be better understood, and other characteristics will be highlighted, with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting examples, some forms of execution of this protective cap for a container closed with a perforable seal:

• Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a screwable protective cap according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a sectional view passing through the axis of the screw cap of Figure 1, shown in place on the neck of a bottle, with the deformable part occupying its initial position;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2, but illustrating the perforation of the cover, the deformable part having been pressed;
• Figure 4 is another sectional view, similar to the previous ones, showing the plug during its unscrewing, after cutting the cover;
• Figure 5 is a plan view from above of the plug, indicating the shape of the cutout made on the cover during unscrewing;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a hinged plug according to the present invention, in the closed position;
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of the cap of Figure 6, in the open position;
• Figure 8 is a sectional view passing through the axis of this hinged plug, placed on the neck of a container, and shown in its initial closed position, that is to say before perforation of the lid;
• Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 8, but showing the plug in the closed position after perforation of the cover, and also briefly indicating the open position of this plug.

The closure plug which is the subject of the invention, a first embodiment of which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, mainly comprises a cylindrical outer skirt 1, at the top of which is connected a circular bottom 2 provided with a deformable part 3. The outer skirt 1 is extended along, at its top, by a collar 4 and, at its base, by a guarantee belt 5.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cylindrical outer skirt 1 has an internal thread 6, allowing the plug to be screwed onto the neck 7 of a plastic container, the opening 8 of which is initially closed by a cover 9, produced in an aluminum - polyethylene complex, which is heat-sealed on the edge of the opening 8. The guarantee belt 5 has internally non-return notches 10, which are hung on a toothing 11 of the neck 7 of the container; this guarantee belt 5 is linked to the base of the skirt 1 by sectionable fasteners 12.

The deformable part 3 of the circular bottom 2, also visible in FIG. 5, occupies an eccentric position relative to the general axis 13 of the plug. This deformable part 3 comprises a relatively rigid plate 14, of circular shape and parallel to the rest of the bottom 2. The circular edge of the plate 14 is attached, by a thin flywheel 15 forming hinge, to a relatively rigid frustoconical side wall 16. The frustoconical side wall 16 is itself connected, by another thin veil 17 forming a hinge, to the rest of the bottom 2.

Under the plate 14 protrudes a perforation and cutting blade 18, facing the interior of the container. The blade 18 may have a slightly curved profile in an arc, the center of curvature of which is substantially on the general axis 13 of the plug. The height H of the blade 18 is slightly less than the pitch P of the internal thread 6 of the external skirt 1.

Initially, the plate 14 is raised relative to the remainder of the bottom 2, the thin veil 15 being located higher than the other thin veil 17, the difference in level between these two veils 15 and 17 being indicated in h in the figure 2. Note that the collar 4 has a height such that its upper edge is located at the upper face of the plate 14, or slightly higher than this upper face. The collar 4 thus provides protection, avoiding any undesirable thrust on the wafer 14 in particular in the event of stacking of the containers. In this initial position, the blade 18 remains distant from the cover 9, the lower edge of the blade 18 being located a little above the plane of the cover 9.

When the container is used for the first time, a thrust directed from top to bottom is exerted using the finger on the plate 14, as indicated by an arrow F1 in FIG. 3. Thanks to the flexibility of the two thin veils 15 and 17 , the whole deformable part 3 is then "inverted", that is to say that starting from a convex shape it becomes concave, the plate 14 finally finding itself lowered relative to the rest of the bottom 2, the thin veil 15 coming lower than the other thin veil 17. The blade 18, accompanying the wafer 14 in its downward movement, then comes to perforate the cover 9, the stroke of the blade 18 being equal to twice the height h, which is it -Even determined in such a way that the perforation of the cover 9 by the blade 18 is obtained.

The cap being unscrewed as indicated by an arrow F2 in Figures 4 and 5, after rupture of the fasteners 12 connecting it to the guarantee belt, the blade 18 performs on the cover 9, during the first turn of the cap, a cut 19 in an arc, centered on the general axis 13.

The plug lifting up at the same time as it turns, the blade 18 continues to cut the cover 9 during unscrewing, until the moment when this blade 18 passes entirely above the plane of the cover 9. Taking into account the relationship between the height H of the blade 18 and the pitch P of the thread 6, the blade performs a cut 19 on approximately 19 3/4 of a turn, thus leaving an uncut area, as shown in Figure 5, so that the central part of the cover 9 remains attached to its sealed peripheral part. After completion of the cutout 19, the unscrewing of the plug is completed without intervention of the blade 18, as shown in FIG. 4, until the plug can be removed.

The central cut part of the cover 9 is then torn off entirely, and the container can be used, its contents being poured through the opening 8. The cap can then be screwed back on the neck 7, and be used as long as it is desire to close the container.

FIGS. 6 to 9 show another plug mainly composed of a body 21, a cap 22, and a hinge 23 connecting the cap 22 in an articulated manner to the body 21.

The body 21 of the stopper, designed to fit on the neck 24 of a flexible or rigid container such as a bottle (see FIGS. 8 and 9), itself comprises a cylindrical skirt 25 the top of which is connected to a circular bottom 26 The skirt 25 has internally a thread 27 allowing the cap to be retained by screwing onto the neck 24 of the container. The bottom 26 has an elongated rectangular pouring orifice 28, of eccentric position, which is surrounded by a rim 29 facing outwards, allowing the product contained in the container to be spread. The outer face of the cylindrical skirt 25 may have knurling.

A perforable cover 9, produced in an aluminum-polyethylene complex, is placed at the top of the neck 24 of the container, the cover being pressed by its edge between the bottom 26 of the body 21 of the stopper and the top of the neck 24, at the when the cap is screwed on. An induction weld immobilizes the body 21 and the cover 9 relative to the neck 24.

The cap 22 of the cap also has a cylindrical skirt 31 connected to a circular bottom 32. The hinge 23, connecting the skirt 31 of the cap 22 to the body 21, is formed here by two lateral connecting lugs 33, arranged on the other side of a connecting tongue 34. Each of the lateral tabs 33 has a thinned central part forming a film hinge, while the connecting tongue 34, also provided with thinned zones, provides a spring effect. The bottom edge of the skirt 31 is designed to snap slightly onto the top of the body 21 of the plug, in order to retain the cover 22 in the closed position. The skirt 31 also comprises, in a position diametrically opposite to the hinge 33, a small spout 35 making it possible to lift the cover 22 by a finger to bring it into the open position.

According to the invention, the bottom 32 of the cap 22 comprises, in a position corresponding to that of the pouring orifice 28, a deformable part 3 serving for the perforation of the cover. The deformable part 3 comprises a relatively thick and rigid plate 14, of elongated rectangular shape, the edge of which is attached by a first thin veil 15 forming a hinge to an inclined side wall 16, relatively thick and rigid. The side wall 16 is itself connected, by a second thin veil 17 forming a hinge, to the remainder of the bottom 32 of the cap 22.

Under the plate 14 protrudes a hollow member 18 for perforation and cutting, the position and contour of which correspond to those of the pouring orifice 28, the lower edge 42 of this perforation member 18 being cutting and preferably having parts inclined.

Two tabs 43, forming abutments, further project under the bottom 32 of the cap 22, behind the deformable part 3.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 8, the cap 22 of the plug is in the closed position, and the plate 14 of the deformable part 3 is raised relative to the rest of the bottom 32, the first thin veil 15 being located higher than the second thin web 17. The perforating member 18 is then partially engaged in the pouring orifice 28, the lower edge 42 of this member 18 being located a few tenths of a millimeter above the cover 9. The legs 43 , resting on the bottom 26 of the body 21, prevent any undesirable depression of the bottom 32 of the cap 22. An additional security is further obtained by extending the skirt 31 above the bottom 32 of the cap 22, over a height at least equal to the initial protrusion of the deformable part 3 above the bottom 32.

When the container is used for the first time, a thrust F oriented from top to bottom is exerted using the finger on the plate 14. Thanks to the flexibility of the two thin webs 15 and 17, the entire deformable part 3 is then "reversed" ", that is to say that starting from an initial convex shape it becomes concave.

As shown in Figure 9, the plate 14 is finally lowered relative to the rest of the bottom 32, the first veil thin 15 coming lower than the second thin veil 17. The perforating member 18, accompanying the wafer 14 in its downward movement, is pressed into the orifice 28 and it comes, by its lower edge 42, to several millimeters in below the plane of the cover 9 after having struck and perforated this cover 9.

After perforation of the cover 9, the opening of the cap 22 (as indicated by the dashed line in Figure 9) allows the container to be used, the contents of which can now exit through the pouring orifice 28.

The closure of the cap 22 brings the deformable part 3 and the perforating member 18 towards the pouring orifice 28, and more particularly against the flange 29 of this orifice 28, in a position such that this orifice 28 is closed so waterproof.

In all cases, the plug can be produced in one piece by molding, in a suitable synthetic material such as polypropylene. In general, this protective cap is applicable to various containers: bottles, flasks, cans, boxes, etc., initially closed by a perforable cover, and which may contain any liquid or any other product, especially in the field from the food and pharmaceutical industry. The hinged plug according to FIGS. 6 to 9 is more particularly adaptable to the neck 24 of a flexible container, the walls of which can be pressed so as to release its contents through the orifice 8, this hinged plug applying in particular for sealing flexible containers for viscous or pasty products, used for example in the field of packaging of food products or household cleaning products, the rim 29 of the pouring orifice 28 serving to spread the product to distribute.

Claims (13)

1. Cap for container closed intially by a perforable cover, in particular a cover (9) sealed on the edge of an opening (8) of the container, with a deformable part (3) on a bottom (2; 32) provided with a perforation means (18) directed towards the container, characterized in that the deformable part (3), provided with a perforation means (18), is designed to on the one hand initially occupy a stable position in which it is raised relative to the rest of the bottom (2; 32) above and in which the perforation means (18) is kept away from the cover (9) while the cap is in the closed position, and for on the other hand be brought, at the time of the first use of the container, to another stable position in which this deformable part (3) is pressed lower than the rest of the bottom (2; 32) above and in which the means of perforation (18), being lowered, crosses the plane of the cover (9). 2. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable part (3) of the circular bottom (2; 32) comprises a relatively rigid plate (14), the edge of which is attached, by a thin veil (15) forming a hinge , to a relatively thick inclined side wall (16) itself attached, by another thin veil (17) forming a hinge, to the remainder of the bottom (2; 32), the perforation means (18) being formed under the plate ( 14) that i is initially raised relative to the rest of the bottom (2; 32) and which, after being pushed in, is lower than the rest of the bottom (2; 32). 3. Stopper according to claim 2, characterized in that the difference in level (h) between the two thin webs (15,17) forming hinges is determined so as to correspond to half the travel required by the perforation means (18 ), starting from its initial position, to cross the plane of the cover (9). 4. Stopper according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it also comprises protective means (4; 31) which protrude above the bottom (2; 32) and which surround the deformable part ( 3), these means (4; 31) having a height equal to or greater than the protrusion of the deformable part (3) above the rest of the bottom (2; 32) in the initial position. 5. Stopper according to claim 4, characterized in that the protection means consist of a flange (4) formed on the periphery of the bottom (2) and having a height equal to or greater than protrusion of the deformable part (3) above the rest of the bottom (2) in the initial position. 6. Stopper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, forming a screwable stopper, characterized in that the deformable part (3) provided with the perforation means (18) is provided in an eccentric position on a bottom (2) integral with '' a cylindrical outer skirt (1) with an internal thread (6) for its screwing on the neck (7) of the container whose opening (8) is initially closed by the cover (9), said outer skirt (1) comprising at its base a guarantee belt (5) held by sectionable fasteners (12) and internally provided with non-return notches (10), so that after having depressed the deformable part (3) and tearing off the belt guarantee (5), unscrewing the cap allows cutting of the cover (9) in an arc (19) by the eccentric perforation means (18). 7. Stopper according to claim 6, characterized in that the height (H) of the eccentric perforation means (18) is slightly less than the pitch (P) of the internal thread (6) of the external skirt (1). 8. Stopper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, forming a hinged stopper with a body (21) adaptable on the neck (24) of a container initially closed by a cover (9), the body (21) having a bottom (26) provided with a pouring or dispensing orifice (28), and with a cover (22) hingedly connected to the body (21) by a hinge (23) so as to be able to occupy a closed or open position the cover (22) comprising a skirt (31) connected to a bottom (32), characterized in that the deformable part (3) provided with perforation means (18) belongs to the bottom (32) of the cover (22) and is placed, on this bottom (32), in a position corresponding to that of the pouring or distributor orifice (28) of the body (21) of the plug. 9. Cap according to claim 8, characterized in that the perforation means (18) has a contour corresponding to that of the pouring orifice (28) of the body (21), and is provided so that, when the cap (22) is in the closed position and after pressing the deformable part (3), this perforation means (18) is applied in a sealed manner against the edge (29) of the pouring orifice (28). 10. Stopper according to claim 9, characterized in that the perforation means (18) comprises, at its end facing the container, an edge (42) with cutting parts, preferably inclined. 11. Hinged plug according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the pouring or dispensing orifice (28) is surrounded by a flange (29) against which the perforation means (18) is applied when the cap (22 ) is in the closed position and after pressing the deformable part (3). 12. Hinged plug according to any one of claims 8 to 11, c aractérisé in that lugs (43), forming stops in the closed position of the cap (22), are formed under the bottom (32) of this cap (22). 13. Hinged plug according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it is made in one piece, in molded plastic, with its deformable part (3) provided with the perforation means (18) .

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