EP0824465B1 - Dispositif de fermeture pour recipients - Google Patents

Dispositif de fermeture pour recipients Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0824465B1
EP0824465B1 EP96912151A EP96912151A EP0824465B1 EP 0824465 B1 EP0824465 B1 EP 0824465B1 EP 96912151 A EP96912151 A EP 96912151A EP 96912151 A EP96912151 A EP 96912151A EP 0824465 B1 EP0824465 B1 EP 0824465B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
closure device
container
expanded polystyrene
moulding
closure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP96912151A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0824465A1 (fr
Inventor
David Graham Taylor
David Beanland
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Betacorque Ltd
Original Assignee
Betacorque Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB9508972.8A external-priority patent/GB9508972D0/en
Application filed by Betacorque Ltd filed Critical Betacorque Ltd
Publication of EP0824465A1 publication Critical patent/EP0824465A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0824465B1 publication Critical patent/EP0824465B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D39/00—Closures arranged within necks or pouring openings or in discharge apertures, e.g. stoppers
    • B65D39/0005—Closures arranged within necks or pouring openings or in discharge apertures, e.g. stoppers made in one piece
    • B65D39/0011—Closures arranged within necks or pouring openings or in discharge apertures, e.g. stoppers made in one piece from natural or synthetic cork, e.g. for wine bottles or the like
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D39/00—Closures arranged within necks or pouring openings or in discharge apertures, e.g. stoppers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
    • B41M1/00—Inking and printing with a printer's forme
    • B41M1/40—Printing on bodies of particular shapes, e.g. golf balls, candles, wine corks

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a closure device for containers.
  • Closure devices for containers are commonly made of natural materials such as cork. These are used for temporarily sealing containers in order to prevent spillage and to preserve the contents of the container. They have a traditional appeal and are effective. Very large quantities are used in wine bottling and they are also used for other foodstuffs and for other substances such as cosmetics. However, they have the disadvantage of being relatively expensive, are labour intensive to produce, are subject to quality variations and can introduce microorganisms and other impurities to the stored substance. These disadvantages have been recognised for some time and synthetic substitutes have been developed using synthetic rubbers and plastics. These, however, have the disadvantages of being more expensive than natural materials, of not being readily reusable, of not looking and feeling like natural materials and of behaving differently to the natural materials.
  • EP-A-0 496 194 there is described and claimed a sealing closure for containers of liquids characterised in that it comprises a substantially cylindrical plastic element, which may be made of foamed polystyrene, in which an also substantially cylindrical elastic insert, which may be of cork, is axially embedded.
  • a substantially cylindrical plastic element which may be made of foamed polystyrene
  • an also substantially cylindrical elastic insert which may be of cork
  • closure appears potentially to have serious drawbacks from the point of view of lack of sterility due to the presence of the natural cork; from the point of view of structural integrity; and from the point of view of inadequate elastic behaviour.
  • the production cost will be low, the complex structure of the product would indicate the contrary.
  • closure device of the invention does not contain an insert of any other material in its body.
  • Expanded polystyrene is well known for its very low density and it is extensively employed, for example, in packaging applications in which the expanded polystyrene used may typically have a density of 0.016 g/cc. It is important to note, however, that an essential novel feature of the present invention is that the polymeric material used has a density of at least 0.03 g/cc so that it is more comparable in density to cork which typically has a density of around 0.1 g/cc although varying depending its source. Also the increased density of the material renders it more impermeable to gases and liquids. Thus, the process conditions used for the production of moulded expanded polystyrene closure devices of the present invention are controlled, in known conventional manner, to produce a final density of at least 0.03 g/cc.
  • the preferred shape of the body of closure device in accord with the invention is substantially cylindrical it may for example be of other shapes having a circular cross-section, for example frustoconical.
  • the closure device may have an enlarged end, that is an end which has a larger diameter than the body of the closure device, similar to that of the types of cork which are used for sealing wines of the "Champagne" type in which the enlarged end serves to provide an anchorage for a wire fastening attached to the neck of the bottle to secure the closure device against being forced out of the mouth of the bottle by the internal pressure of the gas in the bottle.
  • the closure device of the invention is inserted into the opening of a container to prevent the material held in the container escaping through the container's opening when the closure is in place. It also prevents outside contaminants such as gases, moisture, bacteria or fungi from entering the container through the opening. Through achieving an air-tight seal, it maintains the material stored in the container in as near perfect a condition as possible.
  • the polymeric material of the closure is desirably coloured to look like the natural material that it replaces and is also desirably surface-textured or otherwise physically surface-treated with the same end in view. It can also be painted and/or be printed with information on its surface if required.
  • the closure may be pressure treated in its manufacture for example by rolling. It was originally thought that this pressure treatment increased both the elasticity and the density of only a surface layer of the material. However it is now believed that the pressure treatment increases the elasticity and density of the whole body of the closure but that there is no significant resulting change in the uniformity of its density. This pressure treatment enhances the closure's ability to press against the walls of the container opening and thereby to seal it.
  • the closure may also be coated with a flexible impervious coating such as polyurethane if an additional degree of impermeability is required.
  • the closure may also be waxed. Additionally, any coating composition used may contain colour so as to render the closure device of similar colour to that of natural cork.
  • the closure device comprises a cylinder of expanded polystyrene 1 of substantially uniform density greater than 0.03 g/cc.
  • the expanded polystyrene exhibits a greatly reduced permeability to gases and water vapour, and to other fluids.
  • Expanded polystyrene is resistant to alcohol and is an approved material for contact with foodstuffs. It is biologically inert and acts as a barrier to the ingress of bacteria and moulds.
  • at higher densities such as above 0.03 g/cc it also compares favourably to cork in density and also has a microstructure of similar appearance to that of cork.
  • the texture of its external surface 2 is already very cork-like and this is desirably enhanced by colouring and/or by physically treating the surface, for example by shaving, sanding or texturing.
  • the frictional properties between high density expanded polystyrene and glass compare favourably to those between cork and glass. It should be noted however that cork relies to some extent on absorption of liquid from the contents of the container in order to achieve its effectiveness in sealing whereas the closure device of the present invention does not absorb liquids to any significant degree.
  • expanded polystyrene is conventionally produced by a bead process using a suspension polymerisation technique.
  • a blowing agent such as for example about 6% of a low boiling petroleum ether fraction, e.g. n-pentane, is either incorporated before polymerisation, or after polymerisation the beads are impregnated under heat and pressure.
  • the beads are then processed by steam moulding.
  • the beads are first pre-foamed by heating in a steam bath. This causes the beads to expand and the expansion is continued until they reach an appropriate level in the mould corresponding to the desired density. This may be determined by a suitably positioned thermocouple which is arranged to cause the steam to be switched off when this point is reached.
  • the expanded beads are then allowed to stand for 24 hours to allow them to cool to room temperature and to allow air to diffuse into the cells so that the cells equilibrate with outside conditions.
  • the mould itself may be in the form of a plurality of cylinders which may be interlinked each of which cylinders may be several times the length of the closure devices to be produced.
  • the mouldings are taken out of the moulds, trimmed, cut to length, printed, textured, coated and waxed with paraffin wax, as appropriate.
  • the resulting closure devices can be inserted directly into a container such as a bottle at this stage if the mouldings are of sufficiently small diameter.
  • a container such as a bottle
  • larger diameter mouldings are used which are reduced in size by compression, e.g. by rolling, before being put into a conventional cork inserter.
  • the closure device may be pressure treated, for example by rolling, to improve the elasticity of the polystyrene.
  • the closure device is compressed as it is pushed into a bottle 3 and provides a seal against the glass.
  • On withdrawal the elasticity of the closure device creates a good simulation of the sensation of a real cork being removed from a bottle and allows the closure device to be reinserted if required.
  • the closure device retains rigidity thus providing mechanical strength to prevent the closure device from distorting through bending when it is pushed into a bottle 4 and to provide purchase for extraction devices.
  • the high density expanded polystyrene is practically impervious to gases and fluid of the nature likely to be encountered in wine. Additional protection can be given by treating the ends and/or sides with a colourless impermeable coating such as polyurethane 5.
  • the closure device of the invention thus consists essentially solely of an expanded closed-cell polymer, preferably expanded polystyrene, which has a substantially constant density of greater than 0.03 g/cc throughout, and which can be partially or wholly surface coated with an impermeable sealing material for example with polyurethane and/or a wax to prevent moisture and gaseous movement through and around the closure device.
  • expanded polystyrene preferably expanded polystyrene
  • an impermeable sealing material for example with polyurethane and/or a wax to prevent moisture and gaseous movement through and around the closure device.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
  • Package Closures (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Dispositif d'obturation pour un conteneur comprenant un corps de section transversale circulaire qui est conçu pour s'adapter dans une ouverture du conteneur afin de sceller ledit conteneur, ledit corps étant principalement constitué en une mousse de polymère à cellules fermées moulée qui est du polystyrène expansé présentant une densité sensiblement uniforme au moins égale à 0,03 g/cm3.
  2. Dispositif d'obturation selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit corps est traité sous pression afin d'améliorer son élasticité.
  3. Dispositif d'obturation selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel ledit corps est sensiblement cylindrique.
  4. Dispositif d'obturation selon la revendication 1, 2 ou 3, dans lequel le polystyrène expansé est tenté de manière à rendre le dispositif d'obturation d'une couleur similaire à celle du bouchon naturel.
  5. Dispositif d'obturation selon la revendication 1, 2 ou 3, présentant une surface qui est partiellement ou totalement revêtue par un matériau de scellement, par exemple, une résine polyuréthanne et/ou de la cire, qui peut recevoir une teinte de manière à rendre le dispositif d'obturation d'une couleur similaire à celle du bouchon naturel.
  6. Dispositif d'obturation selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dont la surface a été traitée physiquement, par exemple, par arasage, sablage ou texturation , afin que son apparence ressemble au plus près à celle du bouchon naturel.
  7. Dispositif d'obturation selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, qui est imprimé et/ou recouvert par un matériau imprimé sur sa surface.
  8. Dispositif d'obturation selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, qui est destiné à être utilisé dans des bouteilles de vin.
  9. Procédé de réalisation d'un dispositif d'obturation pour un conteneur, lequel procédé comprend le moulage à la vapeur de perles de polystyrène expansé dans un ou plusieurs moules cylindriques afin de produire un moulage constitué principalement de polystyrène expansé présentant une densité sensiblement uniforme au moins égale à 0,03 g/cm3, les moulages étant, après cela, retirés des moules et ensuite, si nécessaire, les moulages étant ajustés et coupés à la longueur désirée du dispositif d'obturation, et, si désiré, les moulages étant partiellement ou totalement recouvert par un matériau de scellement, par exemple une résine de polyuréthanne, et/ou de la cire, soit avant, soit après le découpage optionnel à la dimension.
  10. Procédé selon la revendication 9, dans lequel le moulage est traité sous pression afin d'améliorer son élasticité.
  11. Procédé selon la revendication 9 ou 10, dans lequel le moulage est soumis à une compression par roulage sous pression dans le but de réduire son diamètre.
  12. Conteneur, vide ou contenant un liquide ou un solide comportant un dispositif d'obturation selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 8, ou réalisé avec le procédé selon l'une des revendications 9 à 11.
EP96912151A 1995-05-03 1996-05-03 Dispositif de fermeture pour recipients Expired - Lifetime EP0824465B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9508972 1995-05-03
GBGB9508972.8A GB9508972D0 (en) 1995-05-03 1995-05-03 Synthetic closure device for containers
GBGB9607815.9A GB9607815D0 (en) 1995-05-03 1996-01-10 Synthetic closure device for containers
GB9607815 1996-01-10
PCT/GB1996/001065 WO1996034806A1 (fr) 1995-05-03 1996-05-03 Dispositif de fermeture pour recipients

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0824465A1 EP0824465A1 (fr) 1998-02-25
EP0824465B1 true EP0824465B1 (fr) 1999-07-28

Family

ID=26306973

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96912151A Expired - Lifetime EP0824465B1 (fr) 1995-05-03 1996-05-03 Dispositif de fermeture pour recipients

Country Status (15)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0824465B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH11505494A (fr)
CN (1) CN1071252C (fr)
AT (1) ATE182546T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU697116B2 (fr)
BG (1) BG63718B1 (fr)
BR (1) BR9608212A (fr)
CA (1) CA2219085A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69603474T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2135225T3 (fr)
GB (1) GB9607815D0 (fr)
GR (1) GR3031300T3 (fr)
NZ (1) NZ306517A (fr)
RU (1) RU2175937C2 (fr)
WO (1) WO1996034806A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT406476B (de) * 1999-01-25 2000-05-25 P1 Handels Gmbh Pfropfen aus geschäumtem thermoplastischem kunststoff
GB9904784D0 (en) * 1999-03-02 1999-04-28 Betacorque Limited Closure device for containers
BG63773B1 (bg) * 1999-07-29 2002-12-29 "Кортек" Оод Метод и машина за отпечатване на многоцветни изображения върху некалибрирани цилиндрични повърхности и коркова тапа, изработена по метода
EP1487710B1 (fr) 2002-03-06 2010-04-21 Bacchus Technologies Limited Bouchons
CN103230669A (zh) * 2012-11-30 2013-08-07 戴见霖 人造材料颗粒
CN107098052B (zh) * 2017-06-06 2018-08-21 南通白蒲黄酒有限公司 一种黄酒密封罐
CN110406788A (zh) * 2018-04-28 2019-11-05 吴小娜 一种轻木制作的葡萄酒瓶塞

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2284534A1 (fr) * 1974-09-12 1976-04-09 Bouchage Mecanique Perfectionnements aux obturateurs pour recipients a goulot
US4091136A (en) * 1976-05-17 1978-05-23 Shaw Plastics Corporation Synthetic cork-like material and method of making same
US4668557A (en) * 1986-07-18 1987-05-26 The University Of Iowa Research Foundation Polyhedron cell structure and method of making same
IT1247147B (it) * 1991-01-09 1994-12-12 Lino Fantin Tappo di tenuta per contenitori di liquidi
US5496862A (en) * 1993-05-05 1996-03-05 Supreme Corq Molded styrene block copolymer closure for a wine container

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NZ306517A (en) 1998-07-28
RU2175937C2 (ru) 2001-11-20
WO1996034806A1 (fr) 1996-11-07
BR9608212A (pt) 1999-12-07
AU5509196A (en) 1996-11-21
BG63718B1 (bg) 2002-10-31
EP0824465A1 (fr) 1998-02-25
GB9607815D0 (en) 1996-06-19
CN1071252C (zh) 2001-09-19
AU697116B2 (en) 1998-09-24
DE69603474T2 (de) 1999-11-25
DE69603474D1 (de) 1999-09-02
CA2219085A1 (fr) 1996-11-07
BG101991A (en) 1999-01-29
JPH11505494A (ja) 1999-05-21
ATE182546T1 (de) 1999-08-15
ES2135225T3 (es) 1999-10-16
GR3031300T3 (en) 1999-12-31
CN1183085A (zh) 1998-05-27

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