EP2424787B1

EP2424787B1 - Tamper-proof insert for liquid containers

Info

Publication number: EP2424787B1
Application number: EP09787719A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Viale
Original assignee: Guala Closures SpA
Current assignee: Guala Closures SpA
Priority date: 2009-04-30
Filing date: 2009-04-30
Publication date: 2013-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2029-04-30
Also published as: ES2412404T3; WO2010125595A1; CN102421676B; UA100946C2; EP2424787A1; KR20120027261A; CN102421676A; KR101528960B1

Description

The present invention refers to an innovative closure for liquid containers, in particular for liquor bottles or similar.
In the field it is known to make closures to be applied to the mouth of a neck of a bottle, for example a liquor bottle.
A closure of this type is known from EP1585684 .
This document describes a closure provided with a non-refill device to be inserted inside the neck of the bottle. The device comprises a ball valve to prevent the bottle from being able to be emptied and then refilled, for example inside a supermarket or a shop.
The closure also comprises a pouring element provided with an outlet opening for the liquid and a cap (or closure element) screwed onto the pouring element to close the bottle. The closure also comprises an outer sleeve equipped with means for fastening to the neck of the bottle.
In addition, the closure comprises a tamper-evident element, made with a disc suitable for being positioned inside the neck of the bottle. The disc is able to move between a raised initial position and a lowered position, after the first time it is opened, in which it indicates that the bottle has been opened at least once. The disc is connected through an arm to the ball of the valve of the non-refill device. Before the first time of opening, the ball is held in a raised position through means for holding the closure. When the cap is removed from the bottle, the ball is freed from the holding means and can fall to occupy the seat of the valve on the bottom of the non-refill device, keeping the tamper-evident disc in the lowered operative position, when the bottle is in the normal vertical position. This prior art allows a reliable indication of whether the bottle has been opened for the first time, since the tamper-evident element is arranged inside the bottle, and cannot easily be tampered with since it is inaccessible to the user. This prior art does, however, involve a series of problems.
In particular, the ball of the valve is made in one piece with the tamper-evident element. Such a piece has a certain degree of complexity and is made from plastic. The quality of the non-refill device is therefore low, for example compared to a conventional valve with a glass ball that has a certain weight and ensures greater and more reliable functionality.
The plastic non-refill device can also be easily tampered with. The closure also has a certain bulk in the axial direction of the bottle, since the tamper-evident element projects under the non-refill device.
In order to keep the tamper-evident disc in a position hidden from view before it is opened for the first time, it is necessary to have an outer sleeve having a certain extension over the neck of the bottle.
A closure of the above type is also disclosed in WO 2009/22892 .
In view of the described state of the art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a closure for liquid containers that has a simple structure that is easy to make.
A further purpose of the invention is to provide a closure that allows a safe and reliable non-refill function to be obtained.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a closure that has a limited bulk in the axial direction with respect to the bottle. A further purpose of the invention is to provide a closure that allows an effective and reliable tamper-evident function to be made, which cannot be easily tampered with. Another purpose of the invention is to provide an in-bore insert that allows a closure to be obtained with the advantages outlined above, and that can be used in closures of various types and sizes.
In accordance with the present invention, in view of such purposes it has been thought of to provide an in-bore insert suitable for being applied to the mouth of a neck of a liquid container, characterised in that it comprises a substantially cylindrical portion suitable for being inserted in the neck of the container and a tamper-evident element suitable for being inserted inside the neck of the container, said tamper-evident element being able to move with respect to the substantially cylindrical portion between an initial position before the first time the container is opened and an operative position to indicate that the container has been opened for a first time. The characteristics and advantages of the present invention shall become clearer from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment, given as a non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows an exploded view of a closure according to the invention,
figure 2 shows a second exploded view of a closure of the previous figure,
figure 3 shows a section view of the closure applied to the mouth of a bottle before the first time that the closure is opened,
figure 4 shows a second section view of the closure applied to the mouth of a bottle before the first time that the closure is opened,
figure 5 shows a section view of the closure applied to the mouth of a bottle after the first time that the closure has been opened,
figure 6 shows a second section view of the closure applied to the mouth of a bottle after the first time that the closure has been opened.

In the figures, a closure 11 is shown that is intended to be applied to the mouth of a neck of a liquid container, for example a glass liquor bottle.
The closure 11 comprises a closure element 12, a pouring element 13, an element 14, an in-bore insert 15 and a tamper-evident element 16.
The closure element 12 is suitable for being removably fixed to the pouring element 13. Preferably, the closure element 12 can be fixed to the pouring element by screwing through the internal threading 33, which can be engaged on the external threading 19 of the pouring element 13.
The closure element 12 can advantageously have a knurling 17 on the outer side surface to make it easier for the user to grip.
The pouring element 13 preferably has a pouring lip 18, which extends over the upper circumferential perimeter of the element. The pouring element 13 forms an outlet opening 80 for the liquid from the bottle.
Moreover, the pouring element 13 preferably comprises a lower flange 19 needed to achieve the attachment of the element to the neck 60 of the bottle (figs. 3-6).
The flange 19, on the bottom side, has radial ribs 35 suitable for engaging with corresponding radial grooves formed on the upper flange 25 of the in-bore insert 15, to prevent reciprocal rotations of the two pieces when the closure is applied to the mouth of the bottle.
The pouring element 13 preferably also comprises an axial hole 21a, intended to allow the passage of the pin 34, projecting from inside the closure element 12 onto the axis of such an element.
The in-bore insert 15 comprises a substantially cylindrical portion 26 suitable for being inserted inside the neck 60 of the bottle. In particular, the substantially cylindrical portion 26 is received in the neck 60 leaving an annular gap 62 (fig. 3) between the outer wall of the portion 26 and the inner wall of the neck 60.
Preferably, the in-bore insert 15 realizes a non-refill device, equipped with valve means suitable for preventing undesired refilling of the container after it has been opened at least once.
The substantially cylindrical portion 26 is preferably a tubular portion, with a longitudinal cavity inside of it that forms the seat of a non-refill valve.
The tamper-evident element 16 is able to move from an initial position, before it has been opened for the first time, in which it is close to the mouth of the bottle, and an operative position, after the bottle has been opened at least once, in which it is in a position farther from the mouth of the bottle to indicate that the bottle has been opened at least once.
In the initial position, the tamper-evident element 16 is not very visible or completely invisible from the outside. In this position the element 16 is actually just behind the other parts of the closure. Preferably, in the initial position the element 16 is inside the outer sleeve 50, shown in figures 3-6, whereas in the operative position it is outside of this sleeve 50.
The in-bore insert 15 preferably has first holding means 29 to hold the tamper-evident element 16 in the initial position.
The in-bore insert 15 preferably also has second holding means 30 for holding the tamper-evident element in the operative position.
The holding means 29, 30 are means that act to hold the tamper-evident element in a certain position at least when the bottle is in the normal vertical position. Such means 29-30 could also not hold the tamper-evident element 15 in a certain fixed position when the bottle is tipped over.
Preferably, the first and second holding means comprise constraining means 29, 30 between the outer wall of the tubular portion 26 and the tamper-evident element 16.
Preferably, the first holding means are made from projections 29 suitable for receiving respective abutment surfaces of the tamper-evident element 16 resting against them. There are advantageously four of such projections 29, arranged regularly spaced along the circumference of the tubular portion 26. The projections 29 are formed at raised portions 28 that extend longitudinally on the outer side wall of the portion 26. The portions 29 are arranged near to the flange 25 of the in-bore insert 15 intended to rest on the upper edge of the mouth of the container, so as to support the element 16 in raised position during use when the bottle is in the normal vertical position.
The second holding means are formed from the projections 30, formed on the outer surface of the tubular portion 26 of the device 15, in a position farther from the flange 25 with respect to the projections 29. There are advantageously four projections 30, and they are made between the raised portions 28. The projections 30 are suitable for receiving corresponding abutment surfaces of the tamper-evident element 16 resting on them.
Advantageously, the portions 30 are near to the lower end 64 of the device 15.
On top, the insert 15 forms a seat 70 for housing the element 14 with possibility of rotation around the axis of the device 15. The lower end 64 of the device 15 forms a seat of the non-refill valve (fig. 4). Preferably, the lower end 64 forms the seat of the ball 63 of the valve.
Preferably, the valve means of the in-bore insert 15 comprise a ball valve with a glass ball. In an alternative embodiment of the closure, two balls could also be arranged inside the tubular cavity of the portion 26, so as to make it more difficult to tamper with the non-refill system.
The tamper-evident element 16 comprises an annular portion 31 suitable for wrapping around the tubular portion 26 of the device 15. The ring 31 carries four projections 32. Such projections 32 are regularly spaced along the circumference of the annular portion 31. The projections 32 project both in the radial direction, inwards, and in the axial direction, at the top, with respect to the ring 31. Such projections 32 insert into the grooves formed on the outer surface of the portion 26 between the raised portions 28 so as to rest on the projections 30 after the closure has been opened for the first time.
On top, the projections 32 are suitable for making contact with the cams 36 formed on the element 14.
Preferably, before the closure has been opened for the first time the projections 32 of the tamper-evident element 16 are inserted in four respective holes 27 formed in the body of the insert 15, so as to be accessible to the element 14.
The closure 11 comprises means for freeing the tamper-evident element 16 from the first holding means 29 in the initial position. Such freeing means comprise the element 14, which is fastened to the closure element 12 to control the passage of the tamper-evident element 16 into the operative position when the closure element 12 is opened for the first time.
The element 14 is provided with a projecting portion 21 that extends along the axis of the closure and with a disc-shaped portion 23.
The projecting portion 21 is equipped with an axial hole 22 in which the pin 34 of the closure element 12 is inserted in use. The hole 22 and the pin 34 couple together so as to transmit torque around an axis of the closure. For this purpose, for example, there can be four ribs on the sides of the pin 34 that insert into corresponding grooves formed on the inner side wall of the hole 22.
The disc-shaped portion 23 is suitable for being received in the seat 70 formed in the body of the in-bore insert 15, so as to be able to rotate with its axis coinciding with the axis of the closure.
The cams 36 suitable for acting upon the projections 32 of the tamper-evident element 16 are formed on the part of the disc 23 facing towards the in-bore insert 15. There are preferably four cams (one for each projection 32) and they extend in the circumferential direction, being shaped so as to push the element 16 downwards when they are rotated the same way as the opening rotation of the closure element 12.
The element 14 also comprises, on the side facing towards the in-bore insert 15, means for centring and positioning the ball 63 when the liquid is being poured.
The outer sleeve 50 is suitable for being fixed to the neck of the bottle. The sleeve 50 has the function of fastening the pouring element 13 and the pouring device 15 to the neck of the bottle.
The sleeve 50 has a generically C-shaped cross section, to fix the flanges 19 and 25 of the pouring element and of the in-bore insert to the neck of the bottle 60. In particular, the sleeve 50 can be made with a sheet of bent metal, for example aluminium. The sleeve 50 preferably has a lower bend 51 that makes the attachment of the sleeve to the neck of the bottle. The bend 51 acts upon the flange 61 formed on the neck 60 of the bottle at the mouth.
The flanges 19 and 25 lay on top of one another. Both of them lay on top of the upper edge of the mouth of the neck 60 of the bottle.
Figures 3 and 4 show the closure applied to the bottle before it has been opened for the first time.
The tamper-evident element 16 is in the initial position, closer to the mouth of the bottle, i.e. in the raised position when the bottle is in the normal vertical position.
The projections 32 are inserted in the holes 27 of the body of the non-refill device 15, in contact with the cams 36 of the element 14 (fig. 3).
The element 14 is preferably arranged substantially without axial clearance between the pouring element 13 and the in-bore insert 15.
Figure 4 shows the projections 29, which hold the ring 31 in the initial position, preventing it from falling down, when the bottle is in the normal vertical position.
The ring 31 is near to the other elements of the closure and is hardly visible from the outside, or even is totally invisible, due to the presence of the sleeve 50 that covers it.
The closure element 12 is screwed onto the pouring element 13.
Figures 5-6 show the closure after it has been opened for the first time. The rotation of the closure element 12 forces the element 14 rotate due to the engagement between the pin 34 and the hole 22. The cams 36 of the element 14 are thus rotated, pushing the tamper-evident element away from the element 14, in particular downwards when the bottle is in the normal vertical position.
The pushing of the cams 36 on the projections 32 of the tamper-evident element 16 is sufficient to ensure that the ring 31 goes past the holding projections 29. The tamper-evident element 16 and the projections 29, made from plastic, are equipped with a certain amount of elasticity, so that the tamper-evident element can snap out of the constriction provided by the projections 29. The element 16 can thus move towards the operative position, by the force of gravity, as depicted in figures 5-6. In such a position, the ring 31 is supported by the projections 30 (fig. 5), outside of the sleeve 50 and thus clearly visible from the outside.
While the bottle is being opened for the first time, the engagement of the element 14 in the seat 70 of the non-refill device 15 allows a correct positioning and movement of the cams 36 to be maintained with respect to the projections 32 of the tamper-evident element 16, ensuring with certainty that the ring 31 goes from the initial position to the operative position to indicate that it has indeed been opened. The passage of the tamper-evident element 16 from the initial position to the operative position takes place by snapping across.
The ring 31 can have visual indications (writing or special colouring that attracts the user's attention) on its outer side surface that make it clear that the bottle has been opened beforehand.
The in-bore insert, the pouring element, the closure element and the element 14 can advantageously be made from plastic.
At this point it is clear how the purposes of the present invention have been accomplished.
In particular, a closure has been provided with a relatively simple and cost-effective structure, which allows the tamper-evident function and the non-refill function to be reliably obtained.
The valve can be made with a conventional glass ball, of a certain weight, which reliably ensures that the passage is blocked when the bottle is in the normal vertical position. Moreover, the in-bore insert is made relatively short, limiting the bulk in the axial direction.
It is also possible to use outer sleeves that are not excessively long to cover the tamper-evident element in the initial position, since the tamper-evident element in the initial position is very close to the mouth of the bottle. Moreover, the tamper-evident element is inside the bottle, inaccessible from the outside and therefore it cannot be easily tampered with.
Of course, a man skilled in the art can bring numerous modifications and variants to the configurations described above, in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, all of which are in any case covered by the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the following claims.
For example, the second holding means of the tamper-evident element could also be left out.
Moreover, according to a further variant embodiment, there could also be a film of material that closes the holes 27, whilst still allowing the pushing action by the cams 36 on the projections 32 of the tamper-evident element. This allows it to be made even more difficult to refill the bottle after it has been opened for the first time.
It should be understood that any circular geometry of the pieces described above according to the invention can be replaced by an equivalent interrupted circular geometry formed from many circular segments.

Claims

In-bore insert suitable for being applied to the mouth of a neck (60) of a liquid container, comprising a substantially cylindrical portion (26) suitable for being inserted in the neck (60) of the container and a tamper-evident element (16) suitable for being inserted inside the neck of the container, said tamper-evident element being able to move with respect to the substantially cylindrical portion (26) between an initial position before the first time the container is opened and an operative position to indicate that the container has been opened for a first time, said in-bore insert comprising first holding means (29) to hold the tamper-evident element (16) in the initial position, at least when the container is in the normal vertical position,
characterised in that:
- said in-bore insert comprises second holding means (30) to hold the tamper-evident element (16) in the operative position, at least when the container is in the normal vertical position, and

- said first (29) and/or second (30) holding means comprise constraining means between the outer surface of the substantially cylindrical portion (26) of the in-bore insert and the tamper-evident element (16).
In-bore insert according to claim 1, characterised in that said tamper-evident element (16) is arranged at least in part at the height of the substantially cylindrical portion (26), beside said portion outside of it at least in the initial position.
In-bore insert according to one or more of the previous claims, characterised in that the tamper-evident element (16) comprises a ring (31) that wraps around the substantially cylindrical portion (26) at least in the initial position.
In-bore insert according to one or more of the previous claims, characterised in that said in-bore insert comprises means (14, 36) for freeing the tamper-evident element (16) from the first holding means (29) and allowing it to move from the initial position to the operative position.
In-bore insert according to claim 4, characterised in that the freeing means (14, 36) comprise a body (14) provided with cams (36) acting upon the tamper-evident element (16) through openings (27) formed in a body of the in-bore insert (15) that forms the substantially cylindrical portion (26).
In-bore insert according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the freeing means (14, 36) comprise a body (14) provided with cams (36) acting upon the tamper-evident element (16) and able to be actuated into rotation around an axis of the in-bore insert.
In-bore insert according to one or more of the previous claims, characterised in that the substantially cylindrical portion (26) forms valve means to prevent filling of the container.
Closure for liquid containers suitable for being applied to the mouth of a neck (60) of a liquid container, comprising an insert according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and also comprising:
- a pouring element (13) provided with an outlet opening (80) for the liquid suitable for being fixed to the neck of the bottle,

- an element (12) for closing the bottle able to be removably fixed to said pouring element (13).
Closure according to claim 8, characterised in that it comprises an outer sleeve (50) suitable for wrapping around an end of the neck (60) of the container and for being fixed to said neck, the tamper-evident element (16) in the initial position being inside said outer sleeve (50) and in the operative position being outside of said sleeve (50) to provide an indication of the closure having been opened at least once.
Closure according to claim 9, characterised in that the outer sleeve (50) has a generically C-shaped cross section to fix a flange (25) of the in-bore insert (15) and a flange (19) of the pouring element (14) to an outer flange (61) of the neck (60) of the container.
Closure according to one or more of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that said means (14) for freeing the tamper-evident element (16) from engagement with the first holding means (29) are constrained together with the closure element (12) so that the tamper-evident element (16) is freed from the first holding means (29) upon the first opening of the closure element.
Closure according to one or more of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the body (14) that forms the cams (36) of the freeing means is arranged between the pouring element (13) and the in-bore insert (15) with the possibility of rotation around an axis of the closure and substantially without axial clearance.