EP3369674B1 - Wire closure device for closing a cap of a bottle of champagne or another effervescent beverage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a muselet device intended for closing a stopper of a bottle of champagne or of another sparkling drink.

The muselet device is intended to hold the stopper on the bottle of champagne (or another sparkling drink), in order to guarantee the seal despite the pressure exerted by the gas pressure.

Generally, a muselet device comprises an assembly made of metal wire and provided with two parts, namely on the one hand a cage comprising a ring intended to cover the top of the stopper (in cork) and from which extend radially four lugs intended to be folded over the stopper and the neck of the bottle, and on the other hand a belt which connects the free ends of said lugs and which is clamped under a ring of said neck. The muselet device further comprises a metal plate which forms the interface with the stopper, being interposed between the latter and the ring, and which has the function from a technical point of view of distributing the forces pressure and avoid encrustation of the metal wire in the cork, and from an aesthetic point of view to give a curved shape.

Such a muselet device, the cage of which comprises four legs, is described in the document. FR - 2 836 456 .

However, a muselet device of this type has the drawback of requiring a long length of metal wire for its production.

To at least overcome this drawback, the document FR - 2 918 042 provides a muselet device comprising three legs joining at the top of the cage, Y-shaped.

However, the latter muselet device also has drawbacks. First of all, the distribution of the forces exerted is not homogeneous, which tends to generate a lateral force on the plate which can be set aside and therefore presents a stability problem, with in particular a risk of deformation of the plate.

The document US - 3,339,775 describes a muselet device, the cage of which comprises two diametrically opposite legs. The document US - 445 803 and the document DE - 254,653 describe a muselet device whose cage has three legs. However, these muselet devices do not offer entirely satisfactory solutions.

The object of the present invention is to remedy all of these drawbacks. It relates to a muselet device intended for closing a stopper of a bottle of champagne or other effervescent drink, said muselet device comprising an assembly made of metal wire and provided with two parts, namely on the one hand a cage comprising three legs, and on the other hand a belt linked to a free end of each of said legs, as well as a plate associated with said cage to constitute an interface.

According to the invention, said muselet device is remarkable in that the three legs meet at their end opposite their free end, forming a loop, and in that the plate comprises three exclusively lateral grooves, each of said lateral grooves being associated with one of said tabs and being intended to receive a part of the associated tab, located between the free end and the loop.

Thus, a muselet device is obtained which, while using a reduced length of wire, in particular since it has only three legs, makes it possible to remedy the abovementioned drawbacks of a muselet with three Y-shaped legs. Indeed, thanks to said loop, a very stable positioning of the cage and therefore of the wire mesh device is obtained. This stability is, moreover, reinforced by the three grooves provided exclusively in a side wall receiving parts of the legs.

In addition, due in particular to the absence of grooves in the upper part of the plate, associated with a balanced distribution of forces generated by the circular loop, the risk of deformation of the plate is reduced, in particular on its upper face.

In a particular embodiment, the plate includes an annular housing for receiving said loop, which makes it possible to strengthen the stability in position. Preferably, said annular housing is delimited radially inside, on a so-called external face of the plate, by a peripheral rim, a central dome, convex towards the outside, being formed in said plate inside said peripheral rim. This peripheral rim participates in centering and maintaining the loop of the muselet device.

Furthermore, advantageously, said tabs are substantially rectilinear and are oriented radially towards the center of the buckle, between the belt and the buckle.

In a first (preferred) embodiment, said legs are distributed around the periphery of the loop, forming between them, respectively, two angles of 135 ° and an angle of 90 °, the angle of 90 ° being located angularly , relative to the circumference, at a drain ring formed in the belt. This preferred embodiment allows in particular a simplified embodiment of the muselet device.

Furthermore, in a second embodiment, said legs which are substantially rectilinear are uniformly distributed around the periphery of the loop.

In the context of the present invention, the plate associated with the cage to form an interface with the plug, can be made of metal or plastic.

• Les figures 1A, 1B et 1C sont, respectivement, des vues en perspective, en vue de dessous et en vue de dessus d'un dispositif de muselet conforme à un premier mode de réalisation.
• Les figures 2A, 2B et 2C sont, respectivement, une vue en plan de dessus, une vue latérale et une vue en perspective de dessus d'une plaque du dispositif de muselet conforme au premier mode de réalisation.
• Les figures 3A, 3B et 3C sont, respectivement, des vues en perspective, en vue de dessous et en vue de dessus d'un dispositif de muselet conforme à un second mode de réalisation.
• Les figures 4A, 4B et 4C sont, respectivement, une vue en plan de dessus, une vue latérale et une vue en perspective de dessus d'une plaque du dispositif de muselet conforme au second mode de réalisation.

The figures of the appended drawing will make it clear how the invention can be implemented. In these figures, identical references designate similar elements.

• The Figures 1A, 1B and 1C are, respectively, perspective views, in bottom view and in top view of a wire device according to a first embodiment.
• The Figures 2A, 2B and 2C are, respectively, a top plan view, a side view and a perspective view from above of a plate of the muzzle device according to the first embodiment.
• The Figures 3A, 3B and 3C are, respectively, perspective views, in bottom view and in top view of a wire device according to a second embodiment.
• The Figures 4A, 4B and 4C are, respectively, a top plan view, a side view and a perspective view from above of a plate of the muzzle device according to the second embodiment.

The muselet device shown according to a first embodiment 1A on the Figures 1A to 1C and according to a second embodiment 1B on the Figures 3A to 3C is intended for closing a stopper (not shown) of a bottle of champagne or other effervescent drink.

In the following description, the references comprising the letter A correspond to said first embodiment and those comprising the letter B correspond to said second embodiment.

Said muselet device 1A, 1B comprises an assembly 2A, 2B made of metal wire. This assembly 2A, 2B is provided with two parts, namely on the one hand a cage 3A, 3B comprising three tabs 4, 5, 6, and on the other hand a belt 7 linked to a free end E1 ( or lower) of each of said legs 4, 5, 6.

According to the invention, the muselet device 1A, 1B is such that the three legs 4, 5, 6 meet at one end E2, opposite their free end E1, by forming a loop 9A, 9B, as shown in particular on the figures 1C and 3C . This loop 9A, 9B has a generally circular shape.

Said muselet device 1 also includes a plate 8A, 8B associated with the cage 3A, 3B to form an interface with the plug. This plate 8A, 8B has the function from a technical point of view of distributing the pressure forces and of avoiding the encrustation of the metallic wire in the cork of the stopper, and from an aesthetic point of view of giving a domed shape. .

The plate 8A relating to the first embodiment 1A is shown more specifically on the Figures 2A, 2B and 2C , and that 8B relating to the second embodiment 1B is shown more specifically on the Figures 4A, 4B and 4C .

The plate 8A, 8B has a circular upper face 10 provided on its (external) periphery with an annular lateral edge 11, transverse to the face upper 10 while being slightly inclined towards the outside at its free (lower) edge.

In addition, according to the invention, the plate 8A, 8B comprises three lateral grooves 12, 13 and 14 formed exclusively in the lateral edge 11, as visible for example on the Figures 2A and 4A . The lateral grooves 12, 13 and 14 are associated respectively with said tabs 4, 5 and 6. These lateral grooves 12, 13 and 14 are rectilinear, are made vertically along the wall 11 and have in section a shape, in part, in arc. The grooves 12, 13 and 14 extend downwards (towards the lower part) of the plate 8A, 8B, in the form of pins 12A, 13A and 14A, as visible on the Figures 2B and 4B . These grooves 12, 13 and 14 are intended to receive a part of each associated tab 4, 5, 6, located between the free end E1 and the loop 9A.

Thus, a wire device 1A, 1B is obtained which, while using a reduced width of wire since it only has three legs 4, 5, 6, makes it possible to remedy the drawbacks of a wire cage with three Y-shaped legs In fact, thanks to said loop 9A, 9B, a very stable positioning of the cage 3A, 3B and therefore of the wire mesh device 1A, 1B is obtained. This stability is further reinforced by the three grooves 12, 13 and 14 receiving parts of the legs 4, 5 and 6.

Furthermore, due in particular to the absence of grooves in the upper part of the plate 8A, 8B, associated with a balanced distribution of the forces generated by the circular loop 9A, 9B, the risks of deformation of the plate 8A are reduced, 8B in particular on its upper face.

In addition, the aesthetic appearance is reinforced by the absence of grooves in the upper part of the plate 8A, 8B.

In the embodiments shown, the plate 8A, 8B comprises an annular housing 15 in the form of a rim, as shown for example on the figures 2C and 4C , which is intended to receive said loop 9A, 9B, which makes it possible to strengthen the stability in position of the assembly 2A, 2B.

Preferably, this annular housing 15 is delimited radially inside, on a so-called external face 16 of the plate 8A, 8B, by a peripheral rim 17. On this peripheral rim 17 is formed a central dome 18, which is convex towards the outside and, which is formed in said plate 8A, 8B, as shown on the figures 2C and 4C .

The peripheral rim 17 forming a shoulder promotes the centering of the loop 9A, 9B and participates in the maintenance of the loop 9A, 9B from the inside.

Furthermore, the three tabs 4, 5 and 6 are substantially rectilinear and are oriented radially towards the center C of the loop 9A, 9B, in plan view, between the belt 7 and the loop 9A, 9B.

In the first preferred embodiment 1A, as shown in particular on the figure 1C , the three legs 4, 5, 6 are distributed around the periphery of the loop 9A, forming between them in plan view, respectively, two angles αA and βA of 135 ° (between legs 4 and 5 and between the legs 5 and 6) and an angle δA of 90 ° between the legs 4 and 6.

The angle δA of 90 ° is located angularly, relative to the circumference, at the level of a uncorking ring 19 formed in the belt 7. This preferred embodiment allows in particular a simplified embodiment of the muselet device 1A.

The grooves 12, 13 and 14 of the associated plate 8A are similarly distributed in plan, as shown in the figure 2A .

In addition, in the second embodiment, as shown in particular in the figure 3A , the three legs 4, 5 and 6 which are substantially rectilinear, are uniformly distributed (in plan view) around the periphery of the loop 9B, that is to say with an angle αB, βB, δB of 120 ° between each pair of legs 4, 5 and 6.

The grooves 12, 13 and 14 the associated plate 8B are similarly distributed in plan, as shown in the figure 4A .

This second embodiment brings, with this uniform distribution, a balance of forces resulting in great stability and a low risk of deformation of the plate 8B.

The embodiment 1B differs from the embodiment 1A by these values different from the angles. All the other elements have the same characteristics as those relating to the first embodiment.

The belt 7 includes a surplus of wire to allow the clamping around the neck by twisting and the creation of the uncorking ring 19.

In the context of the present invention, the plate 8A, 8B associated with the cage 3A, 3B to form an interface with the plug, can be made either of metal or of plastic.

In a particular embodiment, the cage 3A, 3B is produced by shaping a single metal wire, doubled and twisted to form the legs, while the ends of the legs are then folded inward on the neck side to form a loop. passage of the belt thread 7. The cage 3A, 3B can also be produced according to a similar design, for example from two or four twisted wires.

Claims (9)

1. Cork wiring device intended for the closure of a stopper of a bottle of champagne or some other effervescent drink, said cork wiring device (1A, 1B) comprising an assembly (2A, 2B) made of metal wire and provided with two parts, namely on the one hand a cage (3A, 3B) comprising only three legs (4, 5, 6), and on the other hand a band (7) joined to a free end (E1) of each of said legs (4, 5, 6), as well as a plate (8A, 8B) associated with said cage (3A, 3B) to constitute an interface,
   characterised in that the three legs (4, 5, 6) meet at their end (E2) opposite their free end (E1), forming a loop (9A, 9B), and in that the plate (8A, 8B) comprises three exclusively lateral grooves (12, 13, 14), each of said lateral grooves (12, 13, 14) being associated with one of said legs (4, 5, 6) and intended to receive a portion of the associated leg (4, 5, 6), located between the free end (E1) and the loop (9A, 9B).
2. Cork wiring device according to claim 1,
   characterised in that the plate (8A, 8B) comprises an annular recess (15) for receiving said loop (9A, 9B).
3. Cork wiring device according to claim 2,
   characterised in that said annular recess (15) is delimited radially inwards, on a so-called outer face (16) of the plate (8A, 8B), by a peripheral flange (17), a central dome (18), convex outwards, being formed in said plate (8A, 8B) inside this peripheral flange (17).
4. Cork wiring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterised in that in plan view, said legs (4, 5, 6) are approximately rectilinear and are oriented radially towards the centre (C) of the loop (9A, 9B), between the band (7) and the loop (9A, 9B).
5. Cork wiring device according to claim 4,
   characterised in that in plan view, said legs (4, 5, 6) are distributed around the periphery of the loop (9A), between them forming, respectively, two angles (αA and βA) of 135° and one angle (δA) of 90°, the angle (δA) of 90° being located angularly, relative to the circumference, at the level of an uncorking ring (19) formed in the band (7).
6. Cork wiring device according to claim 4,
   characterised in that in plan view, said legs (4, 5, 6) are approximately rectilinear and are uniformly distributed around the periphery of the loop (9B).
7. Cork wiring device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
   characterised in that the lateral grooves (12, 13, 14) are made exclusively in an annular side wall (11) of the plate (8A, 8B).
8. Cork wiring device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
   characterised in that said plate (8A, 8B) is made of metal.
9. Cork wiring device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
   characterised in that said plate (8A, 8B) is made of plastic.

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