EP0751075B1

EP0751075B1 - Reclosable plastic material stopper, particularly for wine bottles

Info

Publication number: EP0751075B1
Application number: EP96830364A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luciano Liberati
Original assignee: GIELLE-PLAST Srl
Current assignee: GIELLE-PLAST S.R.L.
Priority date: 1995-06-28
Filing date: 1996-06-26
Publication date: 1999-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-26
Also published as: EP0751075A1; DE69603919T2; ATE183708T1; ITRM950156U1; IT235658Y1; ITRM950156V0; DE69603919D1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a reclosable stopper (1) for bottles, realised by plastic material approved for containment of foods, and comprised of a substantially cylindrical body, closed at the top and provided with a thickened portion coupling with a corresponding thickened portion (5) on the neck of the bottle (6), said substantially cylindrical body being divided in two parts, respectively upper (3) and lower (2) part, joined by a pre-established breaking or fracturation line (4), said upper part (3), removable and applicable again on the bottle (6) after the fracturation of said line, internally providing an engagement projecting element (7) having a substantially cylindrical cross-section coupling with the opening provided on the top of the bottle (6) neck. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a reclosable plastic material stopper, particularly for wine bottles.
More particularly, the invention relates to a stopper of the above kind that can be safely used with any kind of wine, even the most valued, or with other kind of wine, and solving all the problems relevant to the plugging of the bottle and to the following reclosure after its first opening and a partial use of its contents.
As it is known, at present, mostly the bottles and particularly the bottles containing liquid, such as wine or other beverages, are plugged using cork stoppers or, less often and for less important cases, screwed aluminium stoppers.
The latter solution is the one less used either for practical reasons and for reasons connected with the guarantee of maintaining the organoleptic properties of the bottle contents.
The system surely more used is the one providing the use of cork stoppers.
As it is well known, this kind of closure has three specific problems.
First, their application on the bottle is rather problematic, requiring a particular apparatus for its application.
Furthermore, very often, particularly in case of a long preservation of the bottle full, its contents take an unpleasant stopper taste.
This kind of drawback is absolutely unacceptable for the consumer, particularly in case of very valued wines, so that the contents of the bottle can no more be drunk.
Finally, the cork stopper, after having been removed for the first time, does not allow an easy reclosure of the bottle, so that often it is compulsory to cut its contour to try to introduce it again into the neck of the bottle, or to find out different solutions.
In view of the above, the Applicant has realised and set an innovative solution allowing to obviate to all the above drawbacks.
First, it is the object of the present invention to provide a stopper for the closure of bottles allowing to reclose the bottle after the first opening and a partial utilisation of the contents.
Another object of the present invention is that of providing a stopper that can be applied on the bottle by a single simple operation.
Still another object of the present invention is that of providing a bottle stopper that can be used in a very simple and cheap way.
A further object of the present invention is that of realising a stopper for the closure of bottles made up of cheap material that does not modify the organoleptic properties of the contents.
FR-A-1385457 describes a reclosable plastic material stopper according to the preamble of claim 1.
US-A-3109547 describes bottle closures moulded in one piece from a resilient plastic material and in which the capsule portion is provided with means whereby it may manually torn open or torn away.
These and other objects of the present invention are obtained by the realisation of a reclosable plastic material stopper, substantially divided into two parts, coupled by a pre-established breaking line, one of said parts remaining fixed coupled with the neck of the bottle and the other one, after the separation of the first one can be applied on and removed from the bottle for the use of the contents of the same bottle.
It is therefore specific object of the present invention a reclosable stopper for bottles realised by plastic material approved for containment of foods, and comprising a substantially cylindrical body, closed at the top and provided with a thickened portion coupling with a corresponding thickened portion on the neck of the bottle, said substantially cylindrical body being divided in two parts, respectively upper and lower part, joined by a pre-established breaking or fracturation line, said upper part, removable and applicable again on the bottle after the fracturation of said line, internally providing an engagement projecting element having a substantially cylindrical cross-section coupling with the opening provided on the top of the bottle neck, characterized in that said engaging projecting portion is realised separated with respect to said upper part, a pending element being provided on said upper part for the coupling with said projecting element, the coupling between said pending element and said projecting element being obtained before placing the stopper on the bottle, and said elements being so shaped to realise between them, when coupled, a space to compensate the tolerances of the glass of the bottle.
Preferably said pre-established breaking line is provided above said thickened portion of said body.
Still said pre-established breaking line can be provided in correspondence of said thickened portion of said body.
Preferably said projecting element is made up of plastic material approved for containment of food, particularly polyethylene, and said fixed joint coupling element is made up of a plastic material identical or different with respect to the one used for said projecting element.
Above said projecting element, anti-rotation means can be provided interacting with corresponding means provided inside said upper part.
Furthermore, said lower part of the body may slightly be flared in correspondence of its lower end.
At least one sealing projection, preferably two or three, can be provided on said coupling element.
Said stopper is made up of polyethylene, polythene or other plastic material approved for containment of food.
The stopper according to the invention can provide on the outside a smooth surface or an embossed surface to obtain a better grip, e.g. splined or knurled.
The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:
figure 1 is a front view of the stopper of the known type ;
figure 2 is a view of the stopper of figure 1 with the two parts separated;
figure 3 is a top view of the stopper of figure 1;
figure 4 is a section view taken along line IV-IV of figure 1;
figure 5 is a section view taken along line V-V of figure 2;
figure 6 is a partially broken front view of the stopper of figure 1 applied on a bottle; and
figure 7 is a partially sectioned view of a first embodiment of the stopper according to the invention.
Making now reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, it is shown a stopper 1 of the known type providing a lower part 2 and an upper part 3 (see figure 2).
Initially, the stopper 1 provides the two parts 2 and 3 joined along the pre-established breaking line 4, well shown in figure 3.
Even if it is not shown in the figures, the lower part 2, fixed on the bottle, can have its lower part flared for a better introduction of the stopper 1 on the bottle 6.
Furthermore, the stopper 1 can be , as already said , splined or knurled on the outside in order to obtain a better grip.
Said pre-established breaking line 4 is provided on the stopper 1 in correspondence of a widening 5, corresponding to a similar widening 5 provided on the neck of the bottle 6.
Within said upper part 3 of the stopper 1 a substantially cylindrical element 7 is provided, said element fitting within the opening of the neck of bottle 6.
As it can be noted, said element 7 provides two projections 8 useful to obtain a better coupling with said bottle neck opening.
The stopper 1 is made up as a sole part using plastic material approved for containment of food and then is applied on the bottle 6 by upward pressure, forcing the passage behind said widening, up to the element 7 with the two projections is introduced within said bottle neck opening.
When the bottle 6 must be opened, it will be sufficient to grasp by one hand one of the parts 2 or 3 and then turning the other up to obtaining the breaking of the pre-established breaking line 4.
The upper part 3 is separated and can be removed and applied again at will.
In fact, when it is applied again, due to element 7 and the projections 8, it perfectly couples with the opening of the bottle 6 neck, thus hermetically closing the same bottle.
In the embodiment shown in figure 7, the stopper 11 according to the invention has some modifications with respect to the stopper 1 of figures 1 - 6.
In this case, the separation between the lower part 12 and the upper part 13 is realised, always by a pre-established breaking line, in correspondence of the widening 15.
Furthermore, differently with respect to the preceding solution, in this case the substantially cylindrical element 17 is realised separated from the stopper 11 and is coupled to the same, within the upper part 13, before the introduction of the stopper 11 on the bottle 16, by fixed joint with an element 19 pending from the upper part 13 of the stopper 11.
Said element 19 has a projection 20 engaging with an inner circumferential projection 18 of the cylindrical element 17.
The element 19 and the cylindrical element 17 are realised in such a way to create, between them, when coupled, a space 21 useful to compensate the glass tolerances.
Further, above said cylindrical element, tabs 22 are provided, said tabs during the rotation of the stopper 11 interacting with similar elements 23 provided within the upper part 13 so as to prevent the relative rotation of the various elements.
It is important that the element 17 is made up of food approved material, preferably polyethylene, while it is not important that the cylindrical element 19 is realised with this kind of material. Said element 19 could be realised even by polypropylene, so that they could even be of different materials.
It can be thus clearly understood that the solution suggested according to the present invention allows to obviate to all the drawbacks of the solutions according to the prior art, maintaining at the same time all the positive features.
The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

Reclosable stopper for bottles realised by plastic material approved for containment of foods and comprising an outer substantially cylindrical body, closed at the top and provided with a widened portion (15) coupling with a corresponding thickened portion on the neck of the bottle, said substantially cylindrical body being divided into two parts, respectively upper (13) and lower (12) part, joined by a pre-established breaking or fracture line (14), said upper part (13), being removable and applicable again on the bottle after fracture of said line (14) and internally providing an engagement cylindrical element (17) having a substantially cylindrical shape coupling with the opening provided on the top of the bottle neck, characterized in that said engaging element (17) is realised separated from said upper part (13), a pending cylindrical element (19) being provided on said upper part (13) for coupling with said engaging element (17), and said engaging and said pending elements (17, 19) being so shaped as to realise between them, when coupled, a space (21) to compensate the tolerances of the glass of the bottle (16).
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to claim 1, characterized in that said pre-established breaking line (14) is provided above said thickened portion (15) of said body.
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to claim 1, characterized in that said pre-established breaking line (14) is provided in correspondence of said thickened portion (15) of said body.
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to claim 1, characterized in that said engaging element (17) is made up of plastic material approved for containment of food, particularly polyethylene, and said pending element (19) is made up of a plastic material identical or different with respect to the one used for said engaging element (17)
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to claim 1, characterized in that a top said engaging element (17), anti-rotation means (22) are provided interacting with corresponding means (23) provided inside said upper part (13).
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lower part (12) of the body is slightly flared at its lower end.
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one sealing projection is provided on said coupling element.
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to claim 7, characterized in that two or three sealing projections are provided on said coupling element.
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stopper (11) is made up of polyethylene, polythene or other plastic material approved for containment of food.
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it provides a smooth outer surface.
Reclosable stopper for bottles according to one of the preceding claims 1-10, characterized in that it provides an embossed outer surface to obtain a better grip, e.g. splined or knurled.