EP2855287A1

EP2855287A1 - Bottle promoting the preservation of the gas in gaseous beverages

Info

Publication number: EP2855287A1
Application number: EP13725960.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guy-Claude Burger
Original assignee: IM Production
Current assignee: IM Production
Priority date: 2012-06-01
Filing date: 2013-05-29
Publication date: 2015-04-08
Also published as: FR2991303A1; FR2991303B1; WO2013178665A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a bottle (1) including a container (2) comprising a bottleneck (3) defining an opening (35); a cap (4) comprising an opening (41) and including: a first wall (48) surrounding the bottleneck (3); a second wall (42) forming a seal at the top of the cap; a third wall (44) extending axially from the second wall; the cap being mounted so as to be axially movable relative to the bottleneck (35), between a sealing position and a flow position at the opening (3), a sealing position in which the bottleneck is in contact with the third wall (44), and a flow position in which a passage is provided between the bottleneck and the third wall (44); a washer (32) providing the seal between the bottleneck and the cap in the stroke between the sealing position and the flow position, the through-opening (41) being provided between the washer and the third wall (44).

Description

BOTTLE PROMOTING THE CONSERVATION OF

GAS OF DRY BEVERAGES

The invention relates to containers for storing carbonated beverages, and in particular single-use cork bottles intended to maintain the taste qualities of the beverage.

Many sparkling drinks are stored in single-use containers. The sparkling drink comes from gases such as carbon dioxide dissolved in the liquid of the drink. The dissolved gas can be obtained by fermentation or artificially added. When the user wants to consume the drink, he opens a bottle cap by breaking a seal. After opening, the dissolved gas is gradually released by the liquid. To maintain the organoleptic qualities (sparkle and flavor) of the drink, it is important to minimize the release of the dissolved gas in the drink. To promote the preservation of the carbonated beverage after opening the bottle, many types of bottles have an airtight stopper which, when closed, makes it possible to restrict the gas released inside the bottle, and thus to limit the phenomenon. The liberated gas accumulates in the free volume of the bottle, whose pressure increases gradually until stopping the continuation of the gas release phenomenon. However, at each opening of the cap to consume the carbonated beverage, the pressurized gas, accumulated in the free volume, escapes through the neck. Thus, at the next closing, a part of the gas remained in the liquid volatilizes again, which gradually deteriorates the organoleptic qualities.

The invention aims to solve one or more of these disadvantages.

The invention thus relates to a bottle as defined in the appended claims.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given hereinafter, by way of indication and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG 1 is a side view of a first bottle variant according to the invention;

FIG 2 is a side view of a second bottle variant according to the invention;

FIG 3 is a side sectional view of an example of external mold for obtaining a plug according to the first and second variants;

FIG 4 is a side sectional view of a plug for a third bottle variant;

FIG. 5 is a view from above of a plug for a fourth bottle variant; FIG. 6 illustrates the stopper of FIG. 5 with a sealing cap;

FIG 7 is a side sectional view of a plug for a fifth bottle variant;

FIG. 8 illustrates the operation of the bottle when the stopper is in the flow position;

FIG. 9 illustrates the operation of the bottle when the cap is in the closed position;

FIG 10 is a side sectional view of a plug for a sixth variant of the bottle;

FIG. 11 is a view from above of the plug of FIG.

The invention provides a bottle provided with a single-use cap to prevent the release of gas at each opening. The bottle comprises in a manner known per se a container having a neck defining an opening. The bottle also includes a plug having a first wall extending axially between a base and a top and surrounding the neck, a second wall forming a shutter at the top of the plug, and a third wall extending axially from the second wall. . The plug has a through hole. The plug is mounted axially movable relative to the neck between a sealing position and a flow position at the opening. In the sealing position, the neck is in contact with the third wall and in the flow position, a passage is formed between the neck and the third wall. A seal seals between the neck and the plug at the base of the plug on the stroke between the sealing position and the flow position. The through hole of the plug is formed between the seal and the third wall.

The invention makes it possible to preserve the taste qualities of the carbonated beverage present in the bottle, while presenting only a particularly simple structure and being able to be manufactured at an extremely reduced cost.

Figure 1 is a side view of a first variant of bottle 1 according to the invention. The bottle 1 comprises a container 2 and a plug 4 for single use. The bottle 1 may be disposable, that is to say intended to be discarded or recycled after use. For the sake of readability, the cap 4 is shown in section and separated from the neck 3. The container 2 is intended to contain a soft drink. The container has a neck 3 at one end. The neck 3 has an opening 35 at an end edge 34, to allow the flow of the drink out of the container 2. The neck is substantially cylindrical in shape, and its axis is considered as the axis of the bottle 1. The neck 3 has a stop 31, forming a projection radial outward and ensuring the rupture of a sealed plug during the first opening. The cap 4 is therefore disposable since the seal of the cap is irremediably broken after the first opening. The outer diameter of the abutment 31 is greater than the inside diameter of a sealing plug ring (not shown).

The plug 4 has a first substantially cylindrical wall 48 which extends axially between a base and an apex. The wall 48 surrounds the neck 3. The cap 4 has a second wall 42, disposed at the top of the cap. This wall 42 forms a shutter against the flow of drink passing through the opening 35. The plug 4 has a third wall 44. This wall 44 extends axially from the wall 42 towards the base. The wall 44 is surrounded by the wall 48. The wall 44 can be made in the form of a bead protruding axially from the wall 42.

The plug 4 is mounted axially movable with respect to the neck 3, between a sealing position at the opening 35 and a flow position at the opening 35.

In the sealing position, the edge 34 of the neck 3 comes into contact with the third wall 44, in order to prevent a passage of liquid between the wall 44 and the neck 3. The contact can be provided by the axial end of the border 34, its edge or its inner face. Although not illustrated, it can also be envisaged that an additional wall, parallel to the wall 44, is in contact with the outer face of the edge 34. The seal can be provided by an elastic deformation of the wall 44 due to contact of the neck 3. In the flow position, a passage is provided between the edge 34 and the wall 44, allowing a flow of liquid.

In the variant shown, the plug 4 is mounted helically relative to the neck 3. The plug 4 comprises for this purpose a thread 43 formed on the inner face of the wall 48. This thread cooperates with a thread 33 formed on the face external neck 3.

Furthermore, the bottle 1 has a seal 32. The seal 32 ensures, at the base of the cap 4, the seal between the cap 4 and the neck 3. This sealing is provided on the stroke of the cap 4 between the position sealing and flow position. In the variant illustrated, the seal 32 is formed in one piece with the neck 3. The seal 32 forms a radially outward projection in the form of a flange. The seal 32 has an outside diameter that is slightly greater than the inside diameter of the wall 48, in order to be in permanent contact with the wall 48 and thus to ensure a seal between the base of the cap 4 and the neck 3. The cap 4 comprises a through hole 41. The through orifice 41 is formed between the seal 32 and the third wall 44. More specifically, the orifice 41 is arranged radially at the outside of the perimeter defined by the wall 44, and axially above the seal 32. The through orifice 41 opens out of the bottle 1.

In this variant, the orifice 41 is oriented obliquely, at the junction between the walls 42 and 48, so as to limit any splashing during the flow of the beverage. A protruding channel may also be formed at the orifice 41 so as to orient the flow of liquid in a desired direction.

Figure 2 is a side view of a second alternative bottle 1 according to the invention. This variant differs from the first variant by the structure of the seal 32. The seal 32 is here formed by a compressible ring. The compressible ring is arranged around the neck 3, in contact with the stop 31. The ring has an outer diameter greater than the inside diameter of the wall 48. During the stroke of the plug 4 between the sealing position and the flow position, the ring is held compressed between the base of the wall 48 and the stop 31. The seal between the base of the cap 4 and the neck 3 is ensured by the contact of the seal 32 with the cap 4 and the stop 31 of the neck 3, because of its deformation due to its compressibility, and also by contact of the seal 32 with the outer wall of the neck 3.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of an example of an outer mold 5 for forming the plug 4 with the orifice 41 by molding. The outer mold comprises a die 51 defining the shape of the wall 42 and the wall 48. The mold 5 further comprises a tubular guide 52. A slider 53 is slidably mounted in the inner bore of the tubular guide 52. The slider 53 is held protruding inside the die 51 during the molding of the plug 4. For the extraction of the plug 4 out of the mold 5, the slider 53 is moved out of the die 51 by sliding in the tubular guide 52.

Figure 4 is a side sectional view of a cap of a third bottle variant according to the invention. The plug 4 of this variant differs from the plug of the first and second variants by the shape of the orifice 41. The orifice 41 is here arranged vertically in the wall 42 so as to facilitate demolding

Figure 5 is a top view of a cap of a fourth bottle variant according to the invention. The plug 4 of this variant differs from the plug of the third variant by the presence of an excess thickness 45 in the first wall 48, at the orifice 41. This extra thickness 45 advantageously makes it possible to reinforce the plug 4, the orifice 41 having a tendency to 4. Advantageously, the plug 4 also comprises two diametrically opposite thicknesses of the wall 48, which facilitate the manual rotation of the cap 4 around the neck 3. These diametrically opposite overthicknesses are advantageously arranged with a radial gap. about 90 ° to orifice 41. These extra thicknesses can make it possible to apply a greater torque, for example to overcome the greater friction torque that can be induced by the presence of certain configurations of the seal 32.

FIG. 6 illustrates the plug 4 provided with a sealing cap 46. The sealing cap 46 is arranged to close the through orifice 41. The seal 46 thus makes it possible to prevent an entry of foreign bodies between the stopper and the bottle before it is opened by the user. The lid 46 is detachable and may have a projecting gripping tab. It can also remain attached to the cap by one of its sides or its base then acting as a hinge.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a cap according to a fifth variant of bottle 1. This plug 4 differs from the plugs illustrated above by the fact that the orifice 41 is formed in the wall 48. When the bottle 1 is elongated, such an orifice 41 advantageously allows a flow of the beverage downwards. Its configuration simplifies the design of the mold and also promotes demolding.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the operation of a bottle according to the invention to prevent the evacuation of the gas contained in the container 2. The operation is illustrated based on the cap shown in Figure 7 but the other variants described have a similar function. The bottle is in the flow position in FIG. 8 and in the sealing position in FIG. 9. The bottle 1 is placed in a horizontal position or inclined towards the front to allow the beverage to reach the stopper 4.

When the cap 4 is in the flow position as illustrated in FIG. 8, the drink can flow between the third wall 44 and the edge 34 of the neck 3. The drink can therefore reach the orifice 41 and flow towards outside through this orifice 41. The drink is blocked against by the seal 32 and can not flow at the base of the plug 4. The outward flow is located at the orifice 41.

The drink present in the container 2 leaves through the orifice 41, under the pressure of the residual gas. When the pressure of the residual gas is relatively low, for example with natural carbonated water, the user can press on the sides of the container 2 when the container 2 is flexible. When the cap 4 is in the sealing position as shown in FIG. 9, the beverage can no longer pass between the third wall 44 and the edge 34 of the neck 3. The seal 32 avoids a residual flow at the base of the stopper 4. Bottle 1 can be stored horizontally or vertically without generating a gas leak.

Before proceeding from the sealing position to the flow position, in order to benefit from the integral conservation function of the residual gas and to preserve the sparkle of the beverage, the bottle 1 is kept sufficiently inclined or horizontal so that the beverage is in contact with the wall 42 of the cap 4. The residual gas is then pushed towards the bottom or to the upper part of the container 2. Thus, when opening the cap, only liquid will flow between the wall 44 and the edge 34 of the neck 3, thus avoiding a new loss of gas. The passage back to the sealing position is achieved by keeping the beverage in contact with the wall 42, to avoid a loss of gas. It can be straightened without loss of gas in order to facilitate the screwing of the plug when the internal pressure is below atmospheric pressure, so as to allow a volume of air to enter, balancing the pressures and avoiding a release of the gas still dissolved in the liquid . The bottle 1 can be stored in a vertical position without the risk of loss of gas.

Of course, the cap 4 can also be opened as usual when the bottle 1 is in a vertical position, the user then not benefiting from the retention effect of the residual gas. Figure 10 illustrates a sectional side view of a cap 4 of a sixth bottle variant. FIG. 11 is a view from above of this plug 4. This plug 4 differs from that of the fifth variant by the presence of a flexible tongue 47, selectively closing the orifice 41. The flexible tongue 47 is formed in the wall 48. The tongue 47 prevents the penetration of foreign bodies and improve the presentation of the bottle, the presence of the orifice 41 passing unnoticed. The flexible tongue 47 further channels the flow of the beverage slightly forward into the flow position.

The tongue 47 can be obtained by three incisions made by molding or during a subsequent operation (two vertical incisions in the wall 48, joined by a horizontal incision in the wall 42). These incisions act as precursors, so that the user can easily undo the tongue with the nail or a knife tip to rotate it relative to the wall 48. The tongue 47 can form a vertical projection relative to the wall 42 to facilitate its grip by the user. Tab 47 can be nested in the wall 48 during its closure, by clipping in vertical grooves whose faces form a slightly pinched angle.

The passage from the sealing position to the flow position is here obtained by rotation of the plug 4. It is possible for the passage from the sealing position to the flow position to be obtained by an opening rotation. about a quarter turn to 3/8 ^th turn, relative to the maximum tightening position of the cap 4. Different parameters will enable to optimize the sizing of the bottle 1. It may be envisaged that the ring used as a seal has a height at least 1.5 times equal to the axial stroke between the sealing position and the flow position. A ring with a thickness of 2.5 mm (and a width of 1.6 mm with an outer diameter of 27.2 mm) may for example be envisaged, or also a ring in the form of a torus.

For a seal 32 in the form of flange, it may have a thickness of about 0.2 mm. The collar may have for example an outer diameter of 27 mm for an inside diameter of 26.8 mm of the wall 48.

The length of the wall 44 will also be defined to provide contact on the desired stroke between the sealing position and the flow position. For an orifice 41 of circular section, the diameter may be of the order of 4 to 5 mm, ensuring a sufficiently large flow without unduly reducing the structure of the plug 4. The dimensions of a rectangular orifice 41, especially in the case of the tongue 47, can measure about 5 mm in height and 4 mm in width.

In the variants shown, the cap has a general shape close to the shape of a mineral water bottle cap according to the state of the art. Therefore, the adaptation of the invention can be done cheaply and on a large scale by modifying a very limited number of characteristics of existing molds.

Claims

1. Bottle (1), characterized in that it comprises:

a container (2) containing a carbonated beverage.

having a neck (3) defining an opening (35);

a disposable cap (4) having a through orifice (41) and comprising:

a first wall (48) extending axially between a base and an apex of the stopper and surrounding the neck (3);

a second wall (42) forming a shutter at the top of the stopper;

a third wall (44) extending axially from the second wall; the plug being mounted axially movable with respect to the neck (3) between a sealing position and a flow position at the opening (35), sealing position in which the neck is in contact with the third wall; (44), and flow position in which a passage is provided between the neck and the third wall (44); a seal (32) ensuring, at the base of the stopper, the seal between the neck and the stopper, on the path between the sealing position and the flow position, the through orifice (41) being formed between the seal and the third wall (44).

2. Bottle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the seal (32) is a flange formed integrally with the neck (3) and forming a projection extending radially in contact with an inner face of the first wall ( 48).

3. Bottle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the neck comprises a stop (31) forming a radially extending collar, and wherein the seal (32) is a compressible ring compressed axially between the first wall (48). and the stop on the stroke between the sealing position and the flow position.

4. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (4) is mounted helically on the neck.

5. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the through hole (41) is formed in the second wall (42).

6. Bottle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the through hole (41) is formed at the junction between the first and second walls.

7. Bottle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a flexible tongue (47) formed in the first wall (48) and selectively closing the through hole (41).

8. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a detachable lid (46) closing the through hole (41).

9. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, having an extra thickness (45) in the first wall (48) at the through hole (41).