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
  • B65D45/00—Clamping or other pressure-applying devices for securing or retaining closure members
  • B65D45/32—Clamping or other pressure-applying devices for securing or retaining closure members for applying radial or radial and axial pressure, e.g. contractible bands encircling closure member
  • B65D45/322—Clamping or other pressure-applying devices for securing or retaining closure members for applying radial or radial and axial pressure, e.g. contractible bands encircling closure member the clamping device being an annular member moved axially to clamp the closure by using radial pressure
• • 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
  • B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
  • B65D41/02—Caps or cap-like covers without lines of weakness, tearing strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices
  • B65D41/10—Caps or cap-like covers adapted to be secured in position by permanent deformation of the wall-engaging parts
  • B65D41/12—Caps or cap-like covers adapted to be secured in position by permanent deformation of the wall-engaging parts made of relatively stiff metallic materials, e.g. crown caps

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a beverage bottle having a re-sealable closure and a method of applying and interlocking a re-sealable closure for a beverage bottle.
• crown corks Metallic caps, generally known as crown corks, have been frequently used for sealing glass beverage bottles ever since their introduction in the late 19 th century.
• Crown corks comprise a metallic cap having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck, or wall of the beverage bottle.
• crown corks are applied onto standard glass bottles having an outwardly oriented bulge near the mouth of the bottle. The crown cork is damped securely onto the bu!ge in order to withstand and seal the pressure within the bottle.
• the generally known crown corks are made of thin metal sheet and have the advantage of being easy to manufacture, require a very small amount of material and they are easy to appiy onto the mouth of the beverage bottle..
• Crown corks are also tamper evident, since once the crown cork is removed, it cannot easily be re-applied onto the bottle.
• the original crown corks are described in US 468,226 and US 468,258.
• the pull collar concept may be defined as a closure comprising a cap encircled by a collar.
• the cap has a skirt for encircling and engaging a flange on the neck of a bottle for retaining the closure to the bottle, and the collar is slidable along the axis of the cap from a first position, in which it allows the cap to be mounted on the bottle, to a second position in which the collar forces the skirt to engage the flange.
• the skirt may engage an upper or a lower flange on the bottle neck.
• the skirt it is understood that it may be constituted by a single piece or may comprise multiple axially directed tabs.
• a more cap-like closure is known from US 1 ,758,696, published in 1930, in which a collar is axially moveable from a first "open” position, to a second "locked” position.
• a simple implementation is shown in GB 44 66 12, published in 1936, in. which a collar is mountable on the cap to force the sides of the skirt to engage the flange on the bottle neck.
• Similar closures are also known from US 2,659,51 1 , published in 1953, and US 2,814,405, published in 1954.
• a closure comprising several components is disclosed in US 2,576,580, published in 1951 , wherein a. collar is axially moveable in relation to a cap structure for selectively causing the legs to engage the flange of a bottle neck.
• a. collar is axially moveable in relation to a cap structure for selectively causing the legs to engage the flange of a bottle neck.
• further variants include features related to the collar or outer cap being initially attached to the cap in an "open” position, allowing the closure to be easily applied to the container before the attachment is broken, when the collar is forced into the "locked position", see for the closure disclosed by US 5,085,332, published in 1992.
• EP 1 121 300 discloses a bottle security device comprising an outer cap and an inner cap and a mechanism for preventing the inner cap from being removed from the outer cap.
• EP 747 293 discloses a vial and a crimp top sea!. A collar may be mounted on the crimp top seal to further increase the contact between the crimp top seal and the neck of the vial along contact lines.
• EP 655 042 discloses a two-piece all plastic seal having an inner cap and an outer cap, the inner cap having a slit skirt.
• EP 2 051 912 discloses a bottle closure for high pressure liquids, the closure comprising a first part for engaging the neck of the bottle, and a second part moveable from a locked to an open position for selectively influencing the first part.
• the second part further includes a lower section 48 for further engaging the bottle neck.
• EP 1 186 546 discloses a device for closing bottles, in which device a sleeve is axially moveable to force tabs into engagement with the flange of a bottle neck.
• EP 696 994 discloses a bottle cap in which a collar is moved axially upwards as the cap is pressed down, the collar thus causing the tabs to engage the flange of the bottle neck.
• WO 201 1/022756 discloses a closure which comprises an outer cap and an inner cap having tabs, the outer tab having cams allowing the outer cap to be moved axially in relation to the inner cap by application of an axial force, or by turning the out- er cap.
• the outer cap further includes a frangible component for further engaging the bottle neck.
• EP 2 344 397 discloses a closure for a bottle, the closure having an inner part having tabs for engaging the bottle neck and an outer part axialiy moveable with respect to the inner part for selectively forcing the tabs of the inner part to engage a flange on the bottie neck.
• the parts further include raised portions for preventing rotating of the parts in relation to each other.
• EP 1 632 439 discloses a cap having an outer cap comprising a sleeve and tabs for engaging a flange on a bottle neck to retain a stopper in the opening of the bottle.
• caps with slit skirts are known from US 5,960,972, published in 1999.
• An outer part having a bottom edge for engaging a lower edge of an inner cap is found in US 2003/0168456, published in 2003, wherein a partly tapered outer cap has a bottom edge for engaging the lower edge of an inner cap having tabs.
• WO 2011/039400A1 published in 201 1 , discloses a cap having a skirt with an inner projection, the outer surface of the skirt having a corresponding external depression.
• the reasoning behind this feature, according to the patent publication, is that the amount of material needed for the manufacture of the cap is reduced.
• US 5,615,788, published in 1997 discloses a pull collar styled closure having a paper seal provided on the top, i.e. connected to both the collar and the cap, see the figure below. The paper seal is perforated.
• the closure may be applied by a simple downwardly oriented pressure force, i.e. no clamping action is required.
• the opening may consequently be performed by a simple upwardly oriented force with- out the use of a bottle opener.
• a beverage bottle having a re-sealable closure comprising a body, a cylindrical neck connected to the body and a mouth connected to the neck opposite the body and defining an opening, the mouth comprising an outwardly oriented bulge at a fist axia! distance from the opening, the bulge defining a first outer periphery at the first axial distance, the closure compris- ing:
• a cap comprising a disc defining a second periphery, the disc being adapted to cover the opening of the mouth, the cap further comprises a circumferential skirt extending a second axial distance from the second periphery of the disc, the second axial distance being larger than the first axial distance, the skirt being corrugated and defining a third periphery constituting an inner periphery and a fourth periphery constituting an outer periphery, the skirt, having a plurality of axial slots and being resilient in a radial direction between an uncompressed state in which the third periphery is equal to or larger than the first periphery of the outwardly oriented bulge of the mouth and the fourth periphery being larger than the second periphery of the disc, and, a compressed state in which the third periphery is smaller than the first periphery of the outwardly oriented bulge of the mouth while the fourth periphery of the skirt is equal to or larger than the second periphery of the
• a collar comprising an upper section, a lower section and an intermediate section, the sections defining an inner space accommodating the cap and allow- ing the cap to be axially movable within the inner space, the upper section defining an inner surface for contacting the disc opposite the skirt, the lower section circum- ferentially enclosing the skirt opposite the disc, the intermediate section being substantially cylindrical and interconnecting the upper section and the lower section and defining an inwardly oriented surface and an outwardly oriented surface, the out- wardly oriented surface of the intermediate section defining a groove and the inwardly oriented surface of the intermediate section defining an inwardly oriented protrusion corresponding to the groove of the outwardly oriented surface,
• the beverage bottle is a standard bottle having a body intended to accommodate the beverage, typically in an amount of between 25cl and 1 litre, and a neck leading to the mouth and the opening of the bottle.
• the outwardly oriented bulge is typically rounded and defines a circumference larger than the neck and defines a "saddle" between the bulge and the neck.
• the first outer periphery is understood to be the largest periphery of the bulge and is located at an axial distance from the opening.
• the neck may optionally define further bulges below the bulge closest to the opening, which bulges may be used for other purposes such as fastening a tamper evident ring.
• the cap covers the opening and seals the opening in relation to the outside environment.
• the circumferential skirt extends the second axial distance from the opening to a location below the first periphery such that the skirt may interlock with the outwardly oriented bulge at the "saddle" between the outwardly oriented bulge and the neck.
• the corrugation of the skirt typically extends in an axial direction and the third periphery corresponds to the innermost periphery, i.e.. the innermost extreme points of the corrugation, and the fourth periphery corresponds to the outermost periphery, i.e. the outermost extreme points of the corrugation.
• the number of corrugations is typically between 10 and 40, such as 20.
• the number of axial slots typically coincides with the number of corrugations.
• each slot should be sufficient for allowing the skirt to be bent between the uncompressed state and the compressed state without plastically or permanently deforming the skirt.
• the skirt In the uncompressed state the skirt is capable of being pressed over the bulge.
• the skirt thereby flexes in an outwardly direction, i.e. the uncompressed state may imply some outwardly oriented flexing of the skirt, in other embodiments, the "neutral" state of the skirt is having a larger inner periphery than the outwardly oriented bulge.
• the cap is applied onto the mouth of the bottle without the collar, the cap is easily removable by hand and not capable of withstanding the pressure of a carbonated beverage.
• the outer periphery of the skirt should be larger than the periphery of the disc.
• the cap is accommodated in the inner space of the collar.
• the disc of the cap When the collar is applied onto the mouth of the beverage bottle, the disc of the cap will cover the opening of the mouth and the skirt of the cap will enclose the third periphery of the out- wardly oriented bulge of the mouth in the uncompressed state.
• the collar may thereafter be pushed downwardly towards the bottle.
• the inner surface of the upper section is defining a circumference which is smaller than the disc such that when pressure is applied onto the upper section, thereby limiting the distance which the collar may travel in the downwardly direction, thereby preventing the collar from slipping off the cap.
• the inwardly oriented protrusion compresses the skirt to the compressed state in which the skirt, interlocks with the bulge.
• the inwardly oriented protrusion should define a periphery being larger than the second periphery of the disc in order to be able to encircle the cap, but smaller than the fourth periphery of the skirt in order to be able to compress the skirt such that the skirt interlocks with the bulge.
• the groove and protrusion are corresponding which is understood to mean that they are of substantially identical geometrical configuration.
• such identical geometri- cal configuration has the advantage of being very simple to manufacture, e.g. by using a material sheet of uniform thickness and establishing a dent in the material.
• the user may grip around the circumferential groove and lift the coliar upwards, i.e. away from the bottle.
• the protrusion will then move upwardly and rest around the disc and the skirt will reassume its uncompressed state.
• the user may then remove the closure from the mouth of the bottle.
• the closure is in the open state, i.e. when the skirt is in the uncompressed state, the lower section of the collar bears against the skirt from below in order to list the cap off the mouth of the beverage container. In this way the cap is contained within the inner space.
• the lower section may thus define a periphery being larger than the second periphery of the disc, but smaller than the fourth periphery in the uncompressed state such that the collar fits over the mouth of the beverage bottle.
• the groove constitutes a circumferential groove and the protrusion constitutes a circumferential protrusion corresponding to the circumferential groove.
• the circumferential groove constitutes a rolled groove.
• a circumferential groove may advantageously be made by rolling.
• the groove constitutes one or more detents.
• Detents may be used as an alternative to the circumferential groove.
• the detents may be flexible in order to adjust the level of compression.
• the detents are preferably punched out of the intermediate section and form a taper away from ' the upper section.
• the one or more detents define a fifth periphery being smaller than the second periphery of the disk, the collar being capable of assuming an initial state, in which the fifth periphery is bearing against the disc.
• the detents may have a lower end which is slightly tapered towards the upper section in order to be able to pass the disc.
• the cap is made of metal.
• Metal is preferred in order to achieve a sufficiently strong corrugation which is not deformed or at !east not critically deformed during closing of the seal.
• the collar is made of metal. Metal is preferred in order to obtain a minimum of creeping.
• the inwardly oriented surface and the outwardly oriented surface are tapered in a direction towards the disc. A taper towards the disc or upper section will make the closure easier to apply and will allow for an even larger tolerance of the first periphery of the bulge.
• the taper is between 1 and 10 degrees, preferably between 2 and 7 degrees, more preferably between 3 and 5 degrees, such as 4 degrees, 4 degrees will allow a difference in the first periphery of 1.75 mm.
• the cap without the collar, the cap is exhibiting the mouth to a pressure of about 0.1-1 bar, such as 0.5 bar, and, with the collar, the cap is exhibiting the mouth to a pressure of between 5 and 10 bar, such as 8 bar.
• the pressure of the skirt against the mouth in the dosed position is suffi- cient to keep the closure sealed to the pressurised beverage bottle. When the collar is lifted to the open position, the pressure within the bottle will typically escape.
• the bottle is made of glass.
• Glass is a rigid material which is recyclable and thereby environmentally friendly. Glass is alos very rigid and capable of holding pressurized beverages.
• the friction force between the cap and said collar amounts to between 5 and SON, preferably 10-40N, more preferably between 20 and 30N, such as 25N.
• the friction force between the collar and the cap should be sufficient to avoid the collar from being lifted accidentally when the bottle is handled, and sufficiently small for allowing elderly people to open the closure without too much effort.
• the upper section comprises an annular ring or a disc.
• the upper section may preferably be constituted by an annular ring or disc in order to establish the inner surface which is able to contact the disc and an outer surface which is capable of showing a commercial message such as a brand name.
• a second aspect of the present invention obtained by a method of applying and interlocking a re- sealable closure for a beverage bottle
• the beverage bottle comprising a body, a cylindrical neck connected to the body and a mouth connected to the neck opposite the body and defining an opening, the mouth comprising an outwardly oriented bulge at a fist axial distance from the opening, the bulge defining a first outer periphery at the first axial distance
• the closure comprising: a cap comprising a disc defining a second periphery, the disc being adapted to cover the opening of the mouth, the cap further comprises a circumferential skirt extending a second axial distance from the second periphery of the disc, the second axial distance being larger than the first axial distance, the skirt being corrugated and defining a third periphery constituting an inner periphery and an fourth
• the closure being in an open state in which the upper section of the collar is spaced apart from the disc, the lower section of the collar bearing against the skirt and the inwardly oriented protrusion being located adjacent the second periphery of the disc such that the skirt assumes the uncompressed state,
• the above method according to the second aspect may be used to manufacture the beverage bottle according to the first aspect.
• a re-sealable closure for a beverage bottle comprising a body, a cylindrical neck connected to the body and a mouth connected to the neck opposite the body and defining an opening, the mouth comprising an outwardly oriented buige at a fist axial distance from the opening, the bulge defining a first outer periphery at the first axial distance, the closure comprising:
• a cap comprising a disc defining a second periphery, the disc being adapted to cover the opening of the mouth, the cap further comprises a circumferential skirt extending a second axial distance from the second periphery of the disc, the second axial distance being larger than the first axial distance, the skirt being corrugated and defining a third periphery constituting an inner periphery and an fourth periphery constituting an outer periphery, the skirt having a plurality of axial slots and being resilient in a radial direction between an uncompressed state in which the third periphery is equal to or larger than the first periphery of the outwardly oriented bulge of the mouth and the fourth periphery being larger than the second periphery of the disc, and, a compressed state in which the third periphery is smaller than the first periphery of the outwardly oriented bulge of the mouth while the fourth periphery of the skirt is equal to or larger than the second periphery of the disc,
• the closure being in an open state in which the upper section of the collar being spaced apart from the disc, the lower section of the collar bearing against the skirt and the inwardly oriented protrusion being located adjacent the second periphery of the disc such that the skirt assumes the uncompressed state
• the above method according to the third aspect may be used as an alternative mode to manufacture the beverage bottle according to the first aspect.
• the collar is rolled after the closure has been applied.
• the inwardly oriented protrusion may be formed to optimally fit each bottle thereby overcoming any differences between the first peripheries of the outwardly oriented bulges of different bottles.
• closure which is applied and interlocked onto a beverage bottle as defined by the third aspect may be removed from the beverage bottle by allowing the closure to be opened by lifting the collar away from the bottle causing the protrusion to move upwardly and rest around the disc and the skirt to reassume its uncompressed state. It is further understood that any of the further embodiments defined in connection with the first aspect may be equally applicable to the second aspect and/or the third aspect, Brief description of the drawings
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a closure having a cap and a skirt with a rolled groove.
• Fig. 2 is a perspective cut out view of a first embodiment of a closure having a cap and a skirt with a rolled groove.
• Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a closure applied onto a bottle in an open state and in a closed state.
• Fig. 4 is a perspective cut out view of a first embodiment of a closure applied onto a bottle.
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a closure having a cap and a skirt with detents.
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a closure having a cap and a skirt with a rolled groove and detents. Detailed description of the drawings
• Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a closure 10 according to the present invention.
• the closure comprise a collar 12 and a cap 14.
• the cap 14 comprise a disc 16 and a skirt 18.
• the skirt 18 is corrugated and has a number of slots 20, such as between ten and forty slots, or preferably twenty to ' twenty five slots. The number of slots coincides with the number of corrugations.
• the slots 20 are located at the outer periphery of the skirt 18.
• the corrugations of the skirt define an inner periphery and an outer periphery.
• the present skirt is divided into an upper skirt part 22 adjacent the disc 16 and a. lower skirt part 24 and only the lower skirt part 24 is corrugated.
• the skirt is resilient between a compressed, state and an uncompressed state.
• the coliar 12. defines an upper section 26, an intermediate section 28 and a lower section 30, which together are adapted to form an inner space to enclose the cap 14 while still allowing the cap 14 to move axial!y within the collar 12.
• the upper section 26 defines a periphery which is smaller than the periphery of the disc 16 such that the disc 16 cannot pass through the upper section 26.
• the intermediate section 28 is generally cylindrical and has an inner periphery larger than the outer periphery of the skirt when in uncompressed state, but comprises a rolled groove 32 which defines a periphery which is smaller than the outer periphery of the skirt 18 when in uncompressed state, but larger than the outer periphery of the disc 16 such that the rolled groove 32 may compress and uncompress the skirt 28 when the collar is moved axiaily towards and away, respectively, in relation to the skirt 16.
• the collar further comprise a lower section 30 which defines a periphery which is smaller than the outer periphery of the skirt 18 when in uncompressed state but larger than the bulge of the beverage bottle (not shown) such that the collar 12 fits outside the mouth of the beverage bottle (not shown), but the cap 14 may be removed together with the collar 12.
• Fig. 2 shows a perspective cut out view of the closure 10 according to the present invention.
• the cap 14 is made of a thin metal sheet.
• Fig. 3A shows the closure 10 applied in an open state onto an outwardly oriented bulge 34 of a beverage bottle neck 36.
• the upper section 26 of the collar is separated from the disc 16 of the cap 14.
• Fig. 3B shows the closure 10 applied in an closed state onto the outwardly oriented bulge 34 of the beverage bottle neck 36.
• Fig. 4A shows the first step in applying the closure 10 onto the bottle neck 36.
• the left side of the figure shows the inner periphery of the corrugated skirt 18, whereas the right side shows the outer periphery of the corrugated skirt 18.
• the cap being in its uncompressed state, is applied loosely onto the bulge 34.
• the bottle neck 38 defines a second bulge 40 and a saddle 38 between the first and second bulge 34, 40.
• the skirt 18 covers the outer periphery of the bulge 34 and ends adjacent the saddle 38.
• the intermediate section 28 of the collar 18 is slightly tapered towards the upper section 26 and may or may not define the groove 32 as indicated by the dashed Sine 42.
• Fig. 4B shows the second step in applying the closure 10 onto the bottle neck 36.
• the lower section 30 has just passed the corrugated and resilient skirt. 18 and thus locks the cap 18 within the inner space established by the upper section 26, intermediate section 28 and lower section 30.
• the rolled groove 32 if present, is located adjacent the periphery of the disc 16.
• the present state is known as the open state since the complete closure 10 including collar 14 and cap 12 is only loosely at- tached to the bulge 32 and may be easily removed from the bulge 34 by hand.
• Fig. 4C shows the third step in applying the closure 10 onto the bottle neck 36.
• the rolled groove 32 may be established in the third step by rolling the collar 14 as indicated by the arrows.
• the rolled groove 32 compresses the skirt 18 such that the skirt 18 interlocks the bulge 34 at the saddle 38.
• the closure may be removed by lifting the collar 12.
• Fig. 5 shows a closure 10' having a collar 12' according to an alternative embodi- ment.
• the collar 12' defines detents 32' replacing the rolled groove of the previous embodiment.
• the detents 32' are currently six but in principle any number of detents may be used.
• the detents 32' are punched out of the intermediate section 28 either before or after applying the closure 10' onto the bottle, in a similar way as described above in connection with the previous embodiment.
• the detents 32' are fastened adjacent the upper section 26 and establishes an inwardly oriented flexible tap oriented towards the lower section 30.
• the lowermost part 44 of the detents 32' are bent slightly outwards, such that in the first step the lowermost part 44 may rest against the upward oriented face of the disc 16 until a sufficient amount of pressure has been generated to bend the detents 32' outwardly allowing the collar to pass. In this way, it may be ensured that sufficient pressure is applied onto the enclosure for proper sealing.
• the detents 32' fulfil the function of the rolled groove and compress the skirt 18 to interlock with the bulge.
• Fig. 6 shows a further alternative embodiment, in which the detents 32' and the rolled groove 32 are combined.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-11-09 EP EP11188427.6A patent/EP2592015A1/de not_active Ceased
• 2012
  • 2012-11-08 EP EP12781338.4A patent/EP2776333A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-11-08 IN IN4190CHN2014 patent/IN2014CN04190A/en unknown
  • 2012-11-08 WO PCT/EP2012/072122 patent/WO2013068454A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2012-11-08 EA EA201490950A patent/EA201490950A1/ru unknown
  • 2012-11-08 CN CN201280065724.3A patent/CN104039658A/zh active Pending

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