EP4547573B1

EP4547573B1 - Screw cap device system

Info

Publication number: EP4547573B1
Application number: EP23758384.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paulo Juliano PEREIRA DA SILVA ARAÚJO
Original assignee: Plasdan Automacao E Sistemas
Current assignee: Plasdan Automacao E Sistemas
Priority date: 2022-08-30
Filing date: 2023-07-27
Publication date: 2026-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 2043-07-27
Also published as: WO2024047426A1; EP4547573A1

Description

Technical field

The present disclosure relates to a screw cap device system for beverage containers with a threaded neck finish.

Background art

The screw cap container enclosures have been used for a long time in the bottling of numerous liquid products, but, in the wine bottling, the metal screw cap is one of the most common in the last two decades. Traditionally, and still the most used closure means, is the simple cork stopper, introduced by pressure into the container neck and extracted using a corkscrew.
The characteristics of cork have proved to be the best for high quality and old wines, but not all cork produced around the world are adequate to achieve the best bottling conditions. In fact, the structure of natural cork is quite variable according the climatic and soil characteristics of the area where it is produced. The production of cork is characteristic of Mediterranean countries, but only small areas of Portugal, Spain and Italy have cork oak forests able to naturally produce the best quality cork for wine stoppers. These countries, being also producers of high-quality wine, developed the best knowledge and technology for stoppers production.
For a connoisseur, the wines are differentiated and qualified by a large number of factors and specific characteristics. Some of these are directly related with the type of grapes used to produce the wine, others are influenced by the climatic and soil characteristics of vineyards, others are influenced by the vinification methods and others by the stocking conditions. The quality and characteristics of a wine are dependent on certain chemical reactions that happen during the wine production and during its life stage inside the container. Some of these reactions influence the flavor, smell and color of wine and its effect assumes more or less importance on wine quality definition, depending on the wine type, and if it is a seasonal or old wine. These reactions are influenced by the amount and speed of gas transfer across the stopper or cap, in both directions, which means from surrounding atmosphere to the container interior or from the container interior to the external environment. The exchange of some gases has a positive and others have a negative impact in terms of specific wine qualities at the moment of consumption.
The wine consumption increased significantly in a short time across all countries of the American continent and Pacific countries and some of these became large producers of consumption wines, but they are not cork producers. This fact created the conditions for the development of alternatives to the traditional cork stopper.
Screw caps made of plastics and metals have been developed with integration of disk seals made of polymers, single or multilayer, designed to provide the barrier effect needed for the gas exchange referred above. There is a controversy between wine specialists about which closure is the best for wine containers such as bottles. It seems that both solutions have advantages and disadvantages depending on the class of wines to be contained in bottles, and different points of analyses. The normal comparative parameters are, among others: bottle ageing; stocking conditions; bottle opening; green sustainability; traditional culture factors.
Bottle ageing is strongly dependent of the rate of oxygenation of the wine. This oxidation can be a consequence of the oxygen from the air that remains trapped inside the container after filling or of the oxygen released through the closure into the container and the rate of this exchange is decisive to avoid wine oxidation. To protect the wine against oxidation and microbiologic growth, wine producers add chemical compounds like sulphites that can be reduced by the oxygen released into the container through the closure. The oxygen transfer rate can be precisely adjusted using engineered barrier polymers but for wines demanding bottling time longer than two years, cork has proved to be more effective, according with the specialists.
The barrier effect of cork is, in general, better than polymers against odors exchange.
The synthetic seals have been associated with undesirable modifications of wine resulting from their oxidation and contamination with volatile compounds transferred from the environment atmosphere into the container. The absorption of such elements causes undesirable changes in taste, smell and color which are perceptible even by the less demanding consumers.
A very common undesirable taste and smell modification of all types of wine, which is developed after bottling and known as "cork taint", is the result of the reaction of the wine with 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (TCA). This is a complex compound created in nature by the metabolic reaction of fungi with the 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol, a chemical compound used in the prophylactic treatment of trees and plants. As result of the reaction of wines with TCA, the wines get an earthy and musty aroma. To affect the wine, the amount of TCA sulphites released into the bottles is in general extremely small and, cork stopper makers developed know-how to increase the barrier efficiency against TCA. Initially, marketing wise, this problem was used in favor of synthetic seals based on barrier polymers, but the experience gained in time demonstrated than even these can be inefficient against TCA.
The stocking of bottles closed with traditional cork stoppers must be carried out by placing bottles in a horizontal position. This position maintains the stoppers wet so that they do not lose elasticity.
For beverages including some types of wines that need long ageing and develop pressure inside the container, synthetic sealant liners do not perform well because of creep behavior but also because of possible excessive extensional deformation. The cork elastic behavior does not show creep even after long term pressure application.
Cork has proved to be an excellent sealing material for both liquid and gas products and its barrier behavior can be increased by a selection process and other manufacturing methods.
Document EP2594504 relates to a closure for bottles for wine or spirits comprises a cylindrical metal shell, having a head and a skirt with an upper portion and a lower portion, with a pre-incision, at a predefined height from the head, that delimits the boundary between the upper portion and the lower portion. The closure also comprises a cap made of rigid plastic material, designed to be received within the metal shell and in the proximity of the head. This invention does not make use of natural cork or polymer materials in a removable seal disk.
Document AU2012265562 discloses a closure comprising an aluminum outer layer applied over a multilayer coextrusion liner and an application which comprises a redraw of between 1.0 and 2.4 mm so that when fitted to a bottle or other vessel the closure retains pressure and carbonation in a liquid stored in the bottle or other vessel to which the closure is attached is described. This invention does not make use of natural cork or polymer materials in a removable seal disk.
Document WO16066521 discloses a security sleeve for a container with a neck, notably for a bottle, comprising a heat-shrinkable sleeve (20), and at least one tamper-evident seal (22) that is fixed, at least at one location, to the inner face of the heat-shrinkable sleeve (20), each tamper-evident seal extending along the heat-shrinkable sleeve (20), the heat-shrinkable sleeve (20) and each tamper-evident seal (22) being shaped such that if a force is applied to the heat-shrinkable sleeve (20), the latter is torn substantially circumferentially, and each tamper-evident seal (22) remains fixed only to one of the two parts of the heat-shrinkable sleeve (20) that are delimited by the substantially circumferential tear. This invention does not make use of natural cork or polymer materials in a removable seal disk.
Document WO06134030 discloses device serves for closing bottles having an externally threaded circular mouth and comprises a metal screw stopper with ring of prolonged type, and a capsule or tubular element of heat-shrinkable plastic. This invention does not make use of natural cork or polymer materials in a removable seal disk.
Document WO 2018/136927 A1 discloses a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Summary

The present invention relates to a screw cap device system for a beverage container with a threaded neck finish comprising the features of claim 1.
In one embodiment the pilfer-proof means (7) are holes or punctures provided in the skirt breaking section (6).
In one embodiment the removable seal disk (3) has a thickness between 1 and 12 mm.
In one embodiment the food compatible polymer of the removable seal disk (3) is selected from low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
In one embodiment the removable seal disk (3) is made from pressed cork agglomerate or a cork composite.
In one embodiment the screw cap (1) is made of a material selected from cork-based composites, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
In one embodiment the skirt (5a, 5b) is made of a material selected from cork-based composites, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
In one embodiment the screw cap (1) comprises a hole (12) when the removable seal disk (3) and the rupture disk (4) are removed.
The present invention relates to a beverage container with a threaded neck finish comprising the screw cap device system.

General description

The objective of the disclosed invention is to join the advantages offered by the traditional screw cap made of polymers with the advantages of natural cork or synthetic sealants. The association of a polymer screw cap with a natural cork or a synthetic polymeric sealant offers a good solution for the minimization of the transfer of air and other gases, and of odors out or into a beverage container through the closure, which causes oxidation of the liquid contents, such as wine, and give them an earthy and musty taste and odor. The present invention allows to choose the best combination of screw cap and sealant material according to the characteristics of the liquid beverage being bottled.
The disclosed screw cap device system is suitable to provide the perfect sealing for alcoholic beverages or other liquid beverages, while also allowing its use with other devices such as an anti-drop pourer device or a vacuum valve. Moreover, the embodiments of this invention offer the advantage of including a retractable skirt and pilfer-proof means in one molded piece.
The screw cap device system of the present invention is not in contact with the beverage, this factor allows another very important feature that is the possibility of using polymeric recycled materials in the manufacturing of the screw cap device, making an important contribution for the circular economy.
The screw cap device system of the present invention comprises two or more parts, one part made of polymer and another part comprising a removable seal disk made of natural cork or a food compatible polymer. The first part allows closing the container by simple hand turning and the second part seals the container.
The screw cap device system is produced by injection molding and the assembly of the removable seal disk can be made in the molding or off the cycle.
The present invention is versatile because it allows to select different types of seals made of different materials since it comprises a removable seal disk, and to be used with other devices.
In the context of the present invention, the removable seal disk can be removed or inserted in the screw cap as desired. This allows to exchange the removable seal disk and choose the seal disk that is better suited to the prerequisites of the liquid that will be bottled. The removable seal disk of the present invention is easily inserted and released from the screw cap, enabling the full recyclability of all the elements that compose the screw cap.
The containers comprising the screw cap of the present invention can be stocked in any position, since there is no need to maintain the stopper wet to preserve its properties. Even with a seal disk made of natural cork the containers can be stored in a vertical position, since the cork seal is always compressed in between the screw cap and the sealing surface of the container, i.e. the mouth of the container, not needing the humidity factor to expand.

Brief description of drawings

For easier understanding of this application, figures are attached in the annex that represent the preferred forms of implementation which nevertheless are not intended to limit the technique disclosed herein.

Fig.1 - Shows a cut view of the first embodiment of the invention in a container.
Fig.2 - Shows an overview of two sections, A and B, of the first embodiment shown in detail in fig.3 and fig.4.
Fig.3A - Shows the section A of the first embodiment of the invention.
Fig.3B - Shows an embodiment of the removable seal disk.
Fig.4 - Shows the section B of the first embodiment of the invention.
Fig.5 - Shows a container with the first embodiment of the invention opened after the breaking of the pilfer-proof means by unscrewing the screw cap.
Fig.6 - Shows the release of the seal disk of the first embodiment and the rupture disk by pressing the top surface of the screw cap.
Fig.7 - Shows the first embodiment of the invention used with an anti-drop pourer device.
Fig.8 - Shows the first embodiment of the invention used with a vacuum device.
Fig.9 - Shows a container with the second embodiment of the invention fully closed with a skirt.
Fig.10 - Shows an exploded view of the second embodiment of the invention.
Fig.11 - Shows the second embodiment of the invention in a fully closed container with a skirt placed over the screw cap.
Fig.12 - Shows the first embodiment of the invention in a in a container.
Fig.13 - Shows a cut view of the second embodiment of the invention.

Description of embodiments

Now, preferred embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. However, they are not intended to limit the scope
The present invention relates to a screw cap device system for a beverage container with a threaded neck finish. In one embodiment, the container is a bottle for alcoholic beverages such as wine or for other liquid beverages.
The present invention also relates to a container with a threaded neck finish comprising the screw cap device system.
The present invention comprises two embodiments that comprise the same technical features but only differ in the skirt (5a, 5b) position in the screw cap device system.

First embodiment

In a first embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 12, the screw cap device comprises a screw cap (1) with a removable seal disk (3), a rupture disk (4), a rupture line (8), grooves (10) and an internal thread (15). This embodiment further comprises a skirt (5a) arranged below and attached to the screw cap (1). The skirt (5a) of this embodiment comprises itself a skirt breaking section (6) with pilfer-proof means (7). In this embodiment the pilfer-proof means (7) are holes or punctures provided in the skirt breaking section (6).
Fig. 2 shows an overview of two sections, A and B, of Fig. 1 which are represented in detail in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Fig. 3 shows the disclosed screw cap (1) sealing a container (2) with the internal threads (15) fully tightened against the container neck thread (16) and compressing the removable seal disk (3) against the container sealing surface (9).
Fig. 4A shows a skirt (5a) firmly retracted against the container's (2) neck, just below the container neck recess (11). It also shows the line separation between the screw cap (1) and the skirt (5a), defining the skirt breaking section (6). The skirt breaking section (6) is provided with pilfer-proof means (7) all around the container neck recess (11).
After filling the container (2), the screw cap device is placed over the container's (2) neck and the screw cap (1) is tightened by torsion or pressure over the container neck thread (16), as shown in Fig. 4.
With the skirt (5a) on the container neck recess (11) the extraction of the screw cap device will only be possible after the breaking of the skirt breaking section (6) caused by the rupture of the pilfer-proof means (7) with the axial movement of unscrewing/unthreading or by cutting off the pilfer-proof, the screw cap (1). As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, after this rupture the screw cap (1) can be fully taken out of the container's (2) neck while the skirt (5a) remains in the container's neck.

Second embodiment

In a second embodiment, as shown in Figs. 9 to 11 and Figure 13, the screw cap device comprises a screw cap (1) with a removable seal disk (3), a rupture disk (4), a rupture line (8), grooves (10), an internal thread (15) with the same arrangement as the first embodiment.
In this embodiment the screw cap device further comprises a skirt (5b) that covers the screw cap (1). This skirt (5b) does not comprise a skirt breaking section (6) is provided with pilfer-proof means (7).
In this embodiment, the screw cap (1) with the skirt (5b) placed over the container (2) in a manner that covers both the screw cap (1) and a portion of the container's (2) neck. Afterwards, the skirt (5b) is shrunk by heat, for example using hot air flow or infrared radiation, so it covers the screw cap (1) and the container's neck.
In all the embodiments, the skirt (5a, 5b) can be made of a material selected from, but not limited to, cork-based composites, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. These materials can be from recycled sources.
In all the embodiments, as shown in Figs. 1 or 2 with an example of the first embodiment, the screw cap (1) comprises grooves (10) on the external peripheral surface of the screw cap (1) to facilitate the user applying screwing and unscrewing torque without the need of a tool.
In all the embodiments, the screw cap (1) can be made of a material selected from, but not limited to, cork-based composites, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. These materials can be from recycled sources.
In all the embodiments, the rupture disk (4) and rupture line (8) are arranged on the upper external surface of the screw cap (1), and the rupture disk (4) is delimited by the rupture line (8).
In all the embodiments, the removable seal disk (3) is arranged in the interior of the screw cap (1) and positioned below the rupture disk (4) and the rupture line (8), forming the upper surface of the screw cap (1).
Fig. 3B shows an alternative design of the removable seal disk (3) with a T shape, wherein the lower portion of the removable seal disk (3) is adapted to fit in the hole (12) of the container (2).
In all the embodiments, the material of the removable seal disk (3) is selected depending on its objective. For example, some white wines may require a synthetic removable seal disk (3) made of polymer, while other wines, such as red wine, may require a removable seal disk (3) made of natural cork. Thus, the screw cap device is versatile since it can be produced taking into consideration the beverage intended to seal.
In all the embodiments, the removable seal disk (3) is made of natural cork or a food compatible polymer, such as, but not limited to, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. These materials can be from recycled sources. The removable seal disk (3) can be made of natural cork agglomerate or a cork composite.
In all the embodiments, the removable seal disk (3) has a thickness between 1 and 12 mm.
The thickness of the removable seal disk (3), and the quality of its structure, i.e. porosity, density and other characterizing factors can be adjusted and selected in order to achieve an efficient barrier function.
In all the embodiments, the removable seal disk (3) seals the container (2) by compression over the container sealing surface (9), i.e., when the screw cap device closes the container (2), the removable seal disk (3) will be positioned against the mouth of the container (2), completely sealing the container's entrance.
In all the embodiment, and shown in Figs. 2, 3, 13, the sealing compression of the removable seal disk (3) against the container sealing surface (9) occurs by the contact and relative movement of the internal thread (15) and the container neck thread (16) against each other. The internal thread (15) has a complementary shape to the threaded neck finish of the container in order to seal the container (2).
The removable disk seal (3) is designed to avoid the risk of wine oxidation, the so-called "cork taint" produced by molecules such as TCA, and other odors produced by external environmental air and other volatile compounds.
The elastic behavior of the removable seal disk (3) at the container sealing surface (9), guarantees a perfect sealing of the interior of the container against the external environment. The elastic behavior and very low creep of the material of the removable seal disk (3) also ensures the compensation of any long-term deformation of the screw cap's (1) interior resulting from the tightening torque or by the internal pressure developed during the container's stocking.
In all the embodiments, and as shown in Fig.6 with an example of the first embodiments, the release of the removable seal disk (3) and the rupture disk (4) is made by pressing on the upper surface of the screw cap (1) and rupturing the rupture line (8). The rupture line (8) is a frangible segment of the screw cap (1) suitable to facilitate the release of the rupture disk (4) and the removable seal disk (3). This rupture and removal of the removable seal disk (3) and the rupture disk (4) generates a hole (12) in the screw cap (1), on which different kinds of devices can be assembled.
Alternatively, the hole (12) is also suitable to pour the liquid beverage out of the container (2).
In all embodiments, to re-seal the container (2), the removable seal disk (3) can be re-inserted on the screw cap (1) after pouring the beverage and the screw cap (1) will maintain its sealing properties.
With the present invention, leakage of liquid during pouring is considerably low when the beverage is poured out of hole (12) without the aid of an anti-drop pourer device (13). The use of an anti-drop pourer device (13) reduces even more the leakage and waste of the beverage.
Fig.7 shows the first embodiment of the screw cap device with an anti-drop pourer device (13) assembled on the hole (12), although it also works with the first embodiment. The sealing lip (14) of the anti-drop pourer device (13), is arranged between the upper surface of the screw cap (1) and the container sealing surface (9), by the action of the screw cap threads (15) against the container neck thread (16), which prevents any leakage at the base of the anti-drop pourer device.
Fig.8 shows the first embodiment of the screw cap (1), with a vacuum valve (17) assembled on the hole (12), although it also works with the first embodiment. The vacuum valve (17) is arranged on the upper surface (19) and hole (12) of the screw cap (1) and is kept in place by retaining the screw cap (1) in the valve groove (18). The vacuum flow is retained by its non-return vacuum lips (20) according to the vacuum pump operation. The vacuum sealing (21) prevents any vacuum leakage after being assembled.

References

1-: Screw cap
2-: Container
3-: Removable seal disk
4-: Rupture disk
5a, 5b -: Skirt
6-: Skirt breaking section
7-: pilfer-proof means
8-: Rupture line
9-: Container sealing surface
10-: Grooves
11-: Container recess
12-: Hole
13-: Anti-drop pourer device
14-: Anti-drop pourer sealing lip
15-: internal thread
16-: Container neck thread
17-: Vacuum valve
18-: Vacuum valve lip
19-: Upper surface
20-: Non-return vacuum lips
21-: Vacuum sealing

This description is of course not in any way restricted to the forms of implementation presented herein and any person with an average knowledge of the area can provide many possibilities for modification thereof without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The following claims further define the preferred forms of implementation.

Claims

A screw cap device system for a beverage container with a threaded neck finish characterized by comprising:
- a screw cap (1) with an internal thread (15) comprising:
- a removable seal disk (3) arranged in its interior and positioned below a rupture disk (4);
and

- a skirt (5a)

- the rupture disk (4) is delimited by a rupture line (8) arranged on the upper external surface of the screw cap (1), the rupture line (8) is a frangible segment of the screw cap (1) suitable to facilitate the release of the rupture disk (4) and the removable seal disk (3);

- the screw cap (1) further comprises grooves (10) on its external peripheral surface; characterized in that

- the removable seal disk (3) is made of natural cork or a food compatible polymer;
wherein the skirt (5a) is arranged below and attached to the screw cap (1), and further comprises a skirt breaking section (6) with pilfer-proof means (7).
The screw cap device system according to the previous claim, wherein the pilfer-proof means (7) are holes or punctures provided in the skirt breaking section (6).
The screw cap device system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the removable seal disk (3) has a thickness between 1 and 12 mm.
The screw cap device system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the food compatible polymer of the removable seal disk (3) is selected from low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
The screw cap device system according to claims 1 to 4, wherein the removable seal disk (3) is made from pressed cork agglomerate or a cork composite.
The screw cap device system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the screw cap (1) is made of a material selected from cork-based composites, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
The screw cap device system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the skirt (5a, 5b) is made of a material selected from cork-based composites, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
The screw cap device system according to any of the previous claims, wherein it comprises a hole (12) when the removable seal disk (3) and the rupture disk (4) are removed.
Container with a threaded neck finish comprising the screw cap device system described in any of the claims 1 to 8.