EP0984889A1

EP0984889A1 - Closure cap for drink can

Info

Publication number: EP0984889A1
Application number: EP98928358A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alain Savino; Nicolas Pernikoff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-05-26
Filing date: 1998-05-26
Publication date: 2000-03-15
Also published as: WO1998054061A1; JP2002500601A; FR2763564B1; EA001350B1; AU8022298A; CA2290672A1; BR9809133A; US6241114B1; AU737034B2; FR2763564A1; PL336984A1; EA199901078A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a closure cap (2) for a cylindrical drink can (1), said can (1) comprising a top surface (4) provided with a tear-off or collapsible opening lid (5) surrounded by a top ring (6) with circular cross-section projecting outside the can (1), a base comprising a bottom ring (8) with circular cross-section for stacking similar cans (1, 1'), said bottom ring (8) enclosing a surface (7) curved inwards relative to the can (1). The invention is characterised in that it comprises a peripheral skirt (9) capable of being clipped on the can (1) top ring (6) external periphery, and a central surface (100) bordered with a shoulder (101) linked to said peripheral skirt (9) top edge, said shoulder (101) being arranged to co-operate with the inner and/or outer edge of another can (1') bottom ring (8'). The invention is applicable to drink cans.

Description

0

5

Closing cap for metal can for drinks.

The present invention relates to a closure capsule for a cylindrical metal box for drinks, said box comprising a top face provided with a tear-off or push-in opening cap surrounded by an upper crown with circular section projecting from the outside of the box, a bottom comprising a lower ring with circular section allowing stacking of 5 identical boxes, said lower ring surrounding a curved surface towards the inside of the box.

The boxes can have upper and lower crowns of the same diameter or of different diameters. 0

Metal beverage cans, made of steel or aluminum, have undergone significant development because of the qualities they present for the preservation and marketing of the drinks they contain. ._>

However, they have certain drawbacks or defects which should be remedied. The main drawback of these boxes is related to the opening mode, namely the use of a detachable cover or, more recently, push-in. This seal, which can not be replaced, does not allow to consume part of the content, then to transport the partially full box at the risk of spilling the remaining content. This is particularly disadvantageous during the practice of sports or leisure, such as skiing, walking, boating, etc. or during transport in a vehicle (automobile, motorcycle, bicycle, train, plane, etc.), so that the consumer is obliged to consume the entire contents of the box at once or to throw away the partially full box, with in the latter case pollution of the environment by this content.

Another drawback of metal cans is that, while they are filled under very strict hygienic conditions, they are then subjected to atmospheric pollution during their storage and transport, so that the consumption of their content is far from satisfying the most basic hygienic conditions.

In DE-U-7 723 959, a cover has been proposed for closing a tear-off opening box after partial consumption of the contents of this box. This cover has either a completely flat surface or a totally curved surface. Such a cover therefore allows the box to be closed while it is still partially full, but it is not possible to stack it by nesting the boxes for storage.

In addition, this type of cover is offered in a form where it is connected to other covers by a tear-off tab. The presence of such a tear-off tab between at least two covers entails a risk of destruction of the cover during their separation by tearing and is not very easy to handle. A seller would rather tend to separate the box from the lid to sell it rather than selling it with the lid.

FR-A-1 365 481 discloses lids for a container, such as a jar of cream, of the type comprising a skirt extending at the periphery of a flat surface and allowing said containers to be stacked, the flat surface of the cover having on its upper face a raised rib which ensures the centering of another container placed on said container provided with the cover. However, such a cover does not allow a real nesting of the containers aimed in particular at preventing lateral movement of one container stacked on another.

The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks and defects of known metal cans by providing a means for closing said cans when they are open but also allowing stacking by nesting of said cans in a limited space.

To this end, the capsule according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a peripheral skirt capable of clipping onto the external periphery of the upper crown of a box, as well as a central surface bordered by a shoulder connected to the upper edge of said peripheral skirt, said shoulder being arranged to cooperate with the inner and / or outer edge of the lower ring of another box.

Thus, advantageously, with a capsule according to the invention, said other box is laterally locked in a stack of stacked boxes.

The capsule according to the invention therefore makes it possible to close the box during use, without interfering with the stacking by nesting of the boxes as well in a package as in a refrigerator or a cabinet. refrigerated display, while ensuring the protection of the areas of the box intended to come into contact with the mouth of the consumer.

The protection of the box against pollution can be further improved by applying an adhesive plastic film or maintained under vacuum. Such a film can be transparent, opaque, provided with an advertising message or a decoration.

Preferably, the central surface extends at least in the plane defined by the upper edge of said shoulder or is situated above said plane. This improves the stacking of the boxes.

Advantageously, the upper edge of the shoulder fits at least in the plane defined by the upper edge of the peripheral skirt, edge of the skirt opposite its free edge, or is located above said plane.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the central surface can be a curved surface, therefore above the upper edge of the shoulder, but it can also be reversed when it is desired, for example, to limit the size.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the connection between the shoulder bordering the central surface and the upper edge of the peripheral skirt, opposite the free edge of said skirt, comprises a flat annular flange on either side of which extend the peripheral skirt and the shoulder bordering the central surface.

Thus, this embodiment advantageously makes it possible to provide an annular surface on which the lower crown of another box rests while the shoulder comes to lodge against the inner edge of said lower crown of said other box. The central surface bordered by the shoulder can be curved and is thus situated above the plane defined by the upper edge of the shoulder. This curved surface can be used to be housed under the lower curved surface of another box which promotes lateral locking of the stacked boxes and the last box of the stack can have a capsule whose central surface is inverted to limit the overall height of said capsule.

K)

According to an alternative embodiment, the central surface is curved and extends above the plane defined by the upper edge of the shoulder, this curved surface then being able to be reversed so that the shoulder forms a crown which can be accommodated. against the outer peripheral edge of the lower crown of another box.

Advantageously, the capsule according to the invention thus comprises a projection formed by the central surface bordered by the shoulder, said projection being arranged to be housed inside the lower crown of another box or to surround said lower crown.

According to a second embodiment, the connection between the shoulder bordering the central surface and the upper edge of the peripheral skirt comprises a concentric shoulder opposite to the shoulder bordering the central surface, said shoulders defining a groove

3 () adjacent to the peripheral skirt.

A capsule according to this embodiment is therefore provided with a groove in which the lower crown of another box can fit. And, even if this groove is shallow, the two opposite shoulders enclose the lower crown of said other box so that said other box is prevented against a lateral displacement relative to the box on which it is fitted.

Preferably, the central surface is flat and fits in the plane defined by the upper edge of the shoulder bordering said central surface so that a stacking by reliable nesting is obtained using a capsule having a limited overall dimensions.

H) In a variant of this embodiment, the central surface, the ^one shoulder bordering said central surface and one shoulder opposite and concentric defining therebetween the groove adjacent to the peripheral wall are formed at the time of stacking by interlocking

15 boxes, by the deformation of the bottom of the capsule, under the effect of the pressure exerted during the engagement of the lower ring of a box inside the upper ring of the box carrying the capsule.

20 Thus, the capsule comprises a peripheral skirt capable of clipping onto the external periphery of the upper crown and delimiting a surface, preferably planar, forming the bottom of the capsule covering the upper surface of the box, the bottom being made up of a

25 material deformable so that, during stacking, the lower ring of another box with a diameter less than the diameter of the upper ring of the box containing the capsule, is housed concentrically inside the upper crown of the

3 () box comprising the capsule, said lower crown deforming, under the pressure exerted, the bottom of the capsule which forms a central surface which is housed inside the lower crown, bordered by a shoulder, and a groove adjacent to the skirt

35 peripheral.

Preferably, the capsule then also includes an inner peripheral skirt concentric with the peripheral skirt of said capsule and which extends along the _^ inner periphery of the upper rim of the box. This gives better positioning of the capsule on said box.

In this way, use is made of the play which exists in certain boxes, between the outside diameter of the lower crown and the inside diameter of the upper crown to form the shoulder and the central surface of the capsule.

Another drawback of the cover is its unsightly appearance. To overcome this drawback, the capsule can be opaque.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention is that it can serve as a decorative, informative, promotional and / or advertising medium. To this end, provision may be made for the capsule to be coated externally or internally with a decoration which can be printed, transferred or glued to said external face. It is thus also possible to hide the closure system even if the capsule is transparent or translucent.

In addition, the capsule can be used to retain an advertising and / or promotional message, such as a print, a sample, an object, etc. in the upper crown.

To facilitate the installation and removal of the capsule according to the invention, it can be provided that, in a manner known per se, it comprises at least one external peripheral projection and / or at least one radial tongue.

The capsule can also be connected to the box, for example by articulation on a ring fixed to the box, preferably in one piece with the capsule. In order to promote secure clipping of the peripheral skirt of the capsule onto said upper crown, said peripheral skirt may have, projecting inwards, a continuous or interrupted return so that, when the capsule is placed on the box, said return comes to be housed under the edge of the upper crown thus ensuring the clipping of the peripheral skirt.

According to one embodiment, the return consists of the frustoconical shape of the peripheral skirt, the large base of the truncated cone corresponding to the diameter of the capsule and the small base of the truncated cone corresponding to the free end of the peripheral skirt being clean to be housed under the edge of the upper crown of the box.

The invention will be clearly understood on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in vertical section of a capsule according to a first embodiment mounted on a metal box,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 for a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 for a variant of the second embodiment, and

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a capsule according to the invention.

The boxes 1 on which the capsules 2 are intended to be mounted according to the invention are metal boxes with peripheral cylindrical wall 3 of revolution, the upper face of which has a central circular flat surface 4 in the example equipped with a removable cover 5 or push-in. The central surface 4 is surrounded by an upper crown 6 of circular shape. The bottom of the box 1 has a central surface 7 curved towards the inside of the box and surrounded by a lower ring 8 whose diameter, in the example shown, is slightly less than that of the upper ring 6 so as to allow stacking by nesting boxes one on top of the other with lateral support.

o The capsule 2 according to the invention consists of a piece of injected or thermoformed plastic material comprising a peripheral skirt 9 surrounding a body 10 or the bottom of the capsule.

5 The skirt 9 is slightly frustoconical to form a return allowing continuous or interrupted clipping on the edge of the upper crown 6 of the box 1 and can be extended by a radial flange 11 facilitating the unclipping of the capsule. 0

One can also provide one or more tabs 12 to assist in the clipping and unclipping of the capsule.

The body 10 or bottom of the capsule 2 comprises a central surface 100 bordered by a shoulder 101 connected to the peripheral skirt 9. This shoulder 101 is concentric with the peripheral skirt and slightly frustoconical.

The connection between said shoulder 101 and the upper edge o of the peripheral skirt 9 is constituted by a flat annular flange 102 on either side of which extend the peripheral skirt 9 and the shoulder 101, substantially perpendicular to said flange 102.

ι When setting up another box on the box 1, the lower ring 8 'of said box comes to rest on said flange 102 while l ¹ shoulder 101 rests against the inner edge of said ring 8 '. The central surface 100 which, in the example, is curved (shown in dotted lines) and is located above the plane P defined by the upper edge of the shoulder 101, is housed 5 under the curved central surface 7 'of the 'other box'.

This ensures lateral locking of the boxes 1, stacked on top of each other.

H ⁾ Due to the plastic nature of the material constituting the capsule 2, the curved central surface 100 can be inverted to occupy the recessed position shown in solid lines so as to limit the size of the capsule 2 in height, for example for the last box

15 of a stack.

If the surface 100 is flat, it constitutes with the shoulder 101 a central projection capable of being housed in the central surface 7 ′ of the box that is convex. ()

According to a variant of this embodiment, the convex central surface 100 is reversed and the shoulder 101 then forms a crown 13 on the capsule 2 which can be housed inside the lower crown 8 'of a

25 the same box.

The crown 13 thus formed can also have a diameter substantially equal to that of the upper crown of the box so as to surround the lower crown 8 'of the box 1a.

In the case where the lower 8 and upper 6 crowns of the boxes are of the same diameter or when the lower crown 8 is of larger diameter than the upper crown 6, the crown 13 of the capsule will of course have a diameter greater than that of the lower crown. Depending on the diameter of the crown lower 8, the crown 13 of the capsule 2 will have an adequate diameter to surround it or be housed therein.

In the convex position, shown in dotted lines, of the central surface 100, a body or an object can be held by said central convex surface 100. The positioning of this curved surface 100 (shown in dotted lines) makes it possible to accommodate an object of relatively large dimensions while improving the lateral support of the boxes 1, l 'when they are stacked.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the capsule 2 comprises a peripheral skirt 9 and a capsule body or bottom 30. The capsule body 30 has a central surface 300 bordered by a shoulder 301 connected to the peripheral skirt 9 .

The connection of said shoulder 301 with the upper edge of the peripheral skirt 9 comprises a shoulder 302 concentric and opposite to the shoulder 301 and defining therewith a groove 303 adjacent to the peripheral skirt 9. This groove 303 is suitable for receiving the 8 'lower crown from another box.

The shoulders 301 and 302 are defined by walls that are substantially frustoconical and concentric with the peripheral skirt 9.

Preferably, the central surface 300 fits in the plane P defined by the upper edge of the shoulder 301 and, preferably, said upper edge of the shoulder 301 fits at least in the plane P 'defined by the upper edge of the peripheral skirt 9 or above said plane P '. The planes P and P 'are here confused.

The peripheral skirt 9 has on its lower edge, a return consisting of a bead 18 projecting inwardly so that, when the positioning of the capsule on the box 1, said bead 18 is housed under the edge of the upper crown 6.

An advertising and / or promotional medium, such as a printout 15 or a sample or an object, can be enclosed inside the upper crown 6 of the box 1 and retained by the capsule 2.

When a printout 15 is put in place, it is advantageous to provide that the capsule 2 comprises a peripheral retaining lip 19 of a printout 15 in the form of a disc for example, arranged to allow release of said printout 15 by pressing on the upper side of the capsule 2.

In FIG. 2, this peripheral retaining lip 19 is formed at the level of the internal face of the shoulder 301 and makes it possible to retain the advertising disc 15.

FIG. 3 illustrates a variant of the second embodiment of a capsule 2 according to the invention in which the shoulders defining the central surface and the groove adjacent to the peripheral skirt are obtained during stacking by nesting of the boxes.

Thus, the capsule 2 comprises a peripheral skirt 9 surrounding a body or bottom of the capsule which here consists of a flat surface 20 (shown in solid lines).

The central surface 200, the shoulder 201 bordering said central surface 200 and the second shoulder 202 defining with the shoulder 201 the groove 203 adjacent to the peripheral skirt 9 are defined later during the stacking by nesting of the boxes, at least the material constituting the bottom of the capsule 2 being deformable.

This embodiment can be used in the case of a box 1 where the lower ring 8 has a diameter outside smaller than the inside diameter of the upper ring 6 so as to allow the stacking of the boxes. In this way, when a box 1 is stacked on a box 1 provided with the capsule 2 having a deformable flat surface 20, the pressure exerted during stacking deforms said flat surface 20 which is pushed back along the inner wall of the upper crown 6 of the box 1 and which then forms the central surface 200 bordered by a shoulder 201 and defining with the second shoulder 202 a groove 203 adjacent to the peripheral skirt 9.

Preferably, the capsule 2 further comprises an inner skirt 16 concentric with the peripheral skirt 9 and suitable for extending along the inner wall of the upper ring 6 when the capsule 2 is placed on the box 1 , said skirts 9 and 16 not undergoing deformations during stacking. In particular, these skirts can be made of the same material as the flat surface 20 but thicker or else of another non-deformable material.

The capsule 2 may include a right peripheral skirt 9 projecting inwardly a return 17, continuous or interrupted, suitable for being housed under the edge of the upper crown 6. The clipping of the capsule 2 is thus perfectly guaranteed.

As indicated above, the capsule 2 according to the invention makes it possible to close the box 1, after opening the cover 5, and to consume part of the contents of the box, without interfering with stacking by nesting the boxes 1 , the, etc. originally.

The capsule 2 can be opaque, in which case it improves the aesthetics of the box 1 by masking the lid 5.

The opaque capsule 2, transparent or translucent, can be coated externally or internally with a decoration which can for example be printed, transferred or pasted, so as to overcome the difficulty of affixing such a decoration directly on the central surface 4, provided with the cover 5, of the upper face of the box 1. Such a decoration can be for promotional, advertising, informative and / or simply decorative purposes.

Usually, the capsule according to the invention, when it is in place on an open box, ensures sufficient tightness, due to the clipping of the skirt on the upper crown of the box, to avoid leakage of liquid.

In the case where the liquid contained is a carbonated or carbonated drink, however, the escaping gas tends to leak when lifting the capsule.

To overcome this drawback, provision can be made for the capsule 2 to have at least one radial gas leakage passage, preferably formed by a groove opposite the front face of the upper crown of the box.

In Figures 4a and 4b is shown an alternative embodiment of a capsule 2 according to the invention. The capsule 2 is here connected to the box 1, preferably articulated by a tongue 26 on a ring 25 fixed to the said box 1. This ring 25 is preferably made in one piece with the capsule 2. Preferably, the internal diameter of the ring 25 corresponds to the diameter of the box 1 under the upper ring 6 and it is placed below said upper ring 6.

Once the ring 25 is in place, the capsule 2 is folded over the upper part of the box and the peripheral skirt 9 of said capsule 2 is clipped onto the outer periphery of the upper crown of the box 1. Thus, a capsule 2 which always allows the qerbage of the box and which forms a lid to said box when it is opened while offering better hygiene insofar as the capsule 2 being attached to the box by the ring 25, there is no risk of it being lost or of being soiled.

Claims

1. Capsule (2) for closing a cylindrical metallic box (1) for beverages, said box (1) comprising an upper face (4) provided with an opening cap (5) which can be torn off or inserted and surrounded by a upper ring (6) with circular section projecting outside the box (1), a base comprising a lower ring (8) with circular section allowing stacking of identical boxes (1, l '), said lower ring ( 8) surrounding a surface (7) curved towards the inside of the box, characterized in that it comprises a peripheral skirt (9) capable of being clipped onto the external periphery of the upper crown (6) of a box ( 1), as well as a central surface (100, 200, 300) bordered by a shoulder (101, 201, 301) connected to the upper edge of said peripheral skirt (9), said shoulder (101, 201, 301) being arranged to cooperate with the inner and / or outer edge of the lower ring (8 ') of another b box (1 ').

2. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the central surface (100, 200, 300) extends at least in the plane (P) defined by the upper edge of said shoulder (101, 201, 301) or is located above said plane (P).

3. Capsule according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the upper edge of the shoulder (101, 201, 301) fits at least in the plane (P ') defined by the upper edge of the peripheral skirt (9) or is located above said plane (P ¹ ) -

4. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection between one shoulder (101) bordering the central surface (100) and the upper edge of the peripheral skirt (9) comprises an annular flange plane (102) on either side of which extend said shoulder (101) and said peripheral skirt (9).

5. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection between the shoulder (201, 301) bordering the central surface (200, 300) and the upper edge of the peripheral skirt (9) comprises a shoulder (202, 302) concentric and opposite to said shoulder (301) bordering the central surface (300), said shoulders (201, 202; 301, 302) defining a groove (203, 303) adjacent to the peripheral skirt (9).

6. Capsule according to claim 5, characterized in that the central surface (200), the shoulder (201) bordering said central surface (200) and

1 shoulder (202) opposite and concentric defining therebetween the groove (203) adjacent to the peripheral skirt (9) are formed, at the time of stacking by nesting boxes (1, l) by the deformation of the bottom of the capsule (2), made of a deformable material, under the effect of the pressure exerted during the engagement of the lower ring (8 ') of a box (1') inside the upper ring (6) of the box (1) carrying the capsule

(2).

7. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the central surface (100, 300) is a curved reversible surface.

8. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises at least one external peripheral projection (11) and / or at least one radial tongue (2).

9. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is connected to a box (1) by articulation on a ring (25) fixed to the box (1), preferably in one piece with the capsule (2).

10. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the peripheral skirt (9) has, projecting inward, a return (17) continuous or interrupted suitable for being housed under the edge of the crown upper (6) when placing the capsule (2) on a box (1).

11. Capsule (2) according to claim 10, characterized in that the return (17) consists of the frustoconical shape of the peripheral skirt (9), the large base of the truncated cone corresponding to the diameter of the capsule (2) and the small base of the truncated cone corresponding to the free end of the peripheral skirt (9).

12. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it has at least one radial gas leakage passage, preferably formed by a groove opposite the front face of the upper crown (6) of the box (1).

13. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a peripheral retaining lip (19) of an advertising medium (15) in the form of a disc, arranged to allow release of said medium (15 ) by pressing on the upper face of the capsule (2).

14. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it is opaque.

15. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it is transparent or translucent.

16. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that its external or internal face is coated with a decoration which can be printed, transferred or glued on said face.

17. Capsule according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it consists of a piece of injected or thermoformed plastic material.

18. Use of a capsule according to one of claims 1 to 17 for the maintenance of an advertising and / or promotional medium, such as a print and / or a sample and / or an object inside the upper crown (6) of a metal box (1) for drinks.