ES2302483A1 - Stopper for security of bottles with anti-padding device, comprises cylindrical sleeve, which is connected to neck of bottle or anti-padding device, where anti-padding device is arranged in cylindrical sleeve - Google Patents

Abstract

The stopper comprises cylindrical sleeve, which is connected to the neck of bottle or anti-padding device. The anti-padding device is arranged in the cylindrical sleeve, where a lid is provided to tight the neck of the bottle.

Description

Safety cap for bottles and the like with anti-filler device

Field of the Invention

The invention is in the field of plugs of safety for bottles and the like of those who are provided with an anti-filler system and a system "tamper-evident", that is to say a system that betrays that the cap has been opened for the first time. These plugs They are mainly used in bottling liquors, where it is it is necessary to guarantee to the consumer that the bottle has not been filled with a fraudulent liquor.

More specifically, the invention relates to a safety cap for bottles and the like with device anti-filler, of the type comprising a suitable cylindrical sleeve to engage externally to the neck of a bottle or the like, a anti-filler device internally retained in said sleeve cylindrical, a cap that is screwed into the cap to close it and a cylindrical safety band that extends said lid inferiorly and whose lower end is retained in said cylindrical sleeve, said safety band being provided with at least one line of weakening that breaks when the lid is unscrewed for the first time time.

State of the art

Different systems are known "tamper-evident" for safety plugs of bottles and the like of the type provided with a device anti-filler Among them, the present invention relates to particular to those who rely on arranging a band that unites the cap of the cap with the part of it that attaches to the neck of the bottle, so that when you unscrew the lid for the first time said band is broken by a weakening line and thus betrays a First opening of the cap.

An example of this type of plugs is the one disclosed in European Patent No. EP0711711 (Guata Patents B.V.). Be it is a cap equipped with teeth that retain movement in rotation of the safety band and cause a break in two halves of said safety band when the cover is unscrewed for the first time. This solution has the advantage that the band of security is broken in such a way that it very visibly betrays a First opening of the cap.

So that the plugs of this type comply adequately its function to prevent fraudulent refilling of bottles in which they are applied, must present a structure that hinder imitation or reconstruction by counterfeiters To this end, normally the known plugs of this type has a relatively complex configuration at the level of the security band.

Summary of the invention

The invention aims to provide a safety cap of the type indicated at the beginning, with a design that impedes the imitation or reconstruction of the band of security by a counterfeiter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a high degree of freedom in the design of the safety band, to level of form and position taken by the latter when break the weakening lines, and so that said degree of freedom allows to adopt different forms that hinder the imitation or reconstruction by counterfeiters.

This purpose is achieved by a plug of security of the type indicated at the beginning, characterized in that the at least one, weakening line provided in the band of safety follows a helical path in the axial direction of said safety band and preconfigures a strip in said band of security, so that when the cover is unscrewed by for the first time said weakening line breaks forming said strip that remains whole and joined by a point to said lid and / or by another point at the lower end of said safety band that is retained in said cylindrical sleeve.

This configuration according to the invention makes the user, after unscrewing the lid, has to detach the strip at at least one of said junction points that join said strip to the cover or to the lower end of the safety band, with which produces a distortion that prevents the safety band It can be rebuilt in the cap by a forger. Further, because these junction points are defined in the ends of the weakening line, when making the line of weakening you can easily adjust the resistance of each of said junction points to predict which one should break First and with what resistance.

An important advantage of the invention is that the helical tracing of the weakening line allows Different advantageous strip designs.

In a first design according to the invention, the line of weakening follows a continuous helical path in the axial direction of the cylindrical safety band, in such a way that when the cover is unscrewed for the first time, said line of weakening breaks forming the strip in the form of a continuous strip which is joined by one of its two ends to said cover and by the other end to the lower end of the safety band that is retained in the cylindrical sleeve. A strip is thus obtained keep going. In addition, this setting allows you to easily adjust the strip length, which can exceed the perimeter length of the safety band since the weakening line can give More than one lap.

In another design according to the invention, the line of weakening comprises two helical sections that, in a short overlapping section, they are superimposed and slightly separated each other in the axial direction, a bridge being defined breakable between the two sections in said short stretch of overlap, such that when the cover is unscrewed for the first time, the stretches of the weakening line and the breakable bridge are break forming the strip in the form of a single continuous strip that it is joined by one of its two ends to said lid and the other end to bottom end of the safety band that is retained in the cylindrical sleeve. This design, like the previous one, allows to obtain a continuous strip whose length can be adjusted easily. The advantage is that it allows the line of weakening by making several consecutive cuts whose ends are  overlap in a short stretch. This facilitates the manufacturing process industrial stopper and at the same time makes it difficult to carry out a manual imitation process of the cap by a forger.

In another particularly advantageous design, the safety band is provided with a first line of weakening and a second line of weakening, separated between yes in the axial direction so that they delimit each other a ring which constitutes the strip. The first line of weakening follows a helical layout that presents, in a short stretch of overlap, its two ends superimposed and slightly separated from each other in the axial direction, defining a breakable bridge between said two overlapping ends. Also, the second line of weakening follows a helical path that presents, in a short section of overlap, its two ends superimposed and slightly separated each other in the axial direction, defining a breakable bridge between said two overlapping ends. When the cover is unscrewed by first time, said first and second lines of weakening are they break forming the strip in the form of a ring that is joined by breakable bridges to the cover and / or the lower end of the band safety that is retained in the cylindrical sleeve. This solution has the advantage that, having the strip a form of ring, it is more comfortable for the user, once it has unscrewed the cover, stretch from said ring to separate it from the cover or lower end of the safety band.

In a preferred embodiment of the cap according to the invention said lower end of the safety band is retained in said cylindrical sleeve by retention means axial.

Brief description of the drawings

Other advantages and features of the invention they can be seen from the following description in which, without no limitation, preferential forms of embodiment of the invention, mentioning the drawings that are accompany. The figures show:

Fig. 1, a partially elevational view sectioning of a cap according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 2a-2d, views in elevation of the cap of a cap according to a second form of embodiment of the invention, from four sides:

Fig. 2a: view frontal (0º)

Fig. 2b: view right side (90º)

Fig. 2c: view posterior (180º)

Fig 2d: view left lateral (270º);

Fig. 3, a front view of the cap of a cap according to a third embodiment of the invention, which is a variant of the second embodiment shown in Figs. 2a-2d, including an enlarged view of the area indicated by a circle;

Figs. 4a-4d, views in elevation showing in 4 successive stages the process that has place when the cap of a cap is unscrewed for the first time the third embodiment of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5a-5d, views in elevation of the cap of a cap according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, from four sides:

Fig. 5a: view frontal (0º)

Fig. 5b: view right side (90º)

Fig. 5c: view posterior (180º)

Fig 5d: view left lateral (270º);

Figs. 6a-6d, views in elevation showing in 4 successive stages the process that has place when the cap of a cap is unscrewed for the first time the fourth embodiment of Figs. 5th-5th.

Detailed description of some embodiments of the invention

Fig. 1 illustrates a first form of embodiment of a cap according to the invention which, in this example, does not limiting, it is a safety cap made entirely of plastic and intended to be placed on the neck of a bottle of liqueur. The cap is basically composed of a sleeve cylindrical 1 by which the plug is snapped into the neck of a bottle, an anti-filler device 2 and a lid 3 that screw on the cap to close it.

The anti-filler device 2 has the usual structure known for this type of safety plugs intended for liquor bottles: it is composed of a body pourer 2a, a shutter valve 2b and a packing body 2c (or "washer" as it is known in English terminology) by which the anti-filler device 2 is retained internally in the cylindrical sleeve 1. Since the structure of the device anti-filler 2 is not relevant to the present invention, in the other figures and in the description that follows refers to said anti-filler device 2 as a set.

The cover 3 is formed by a cover 3a and a inner body 3b provided with an inner filleting whereby the cap 3 is screwed to a corresponding filleting of the body 2nd dump. This provision is known in the state plugs of the technique, so in the other figures and in the description which follows refers to said cover 3 as a set.

The cover 3 is extended inferiorly by a cylindrical safety band 4 presenting at its lower end an internal annular shoulder 20 that is inserted into an annular recess corresponding cylindrical sleeve 1, so that the band safety 4 is retained in the axial direction by said highlight 20. The safety band 4 and the corresponding part of the sleeve 1 are free of rotating locking means, so that the rotating movement of the safety band 4 is not prevented.

The safety band 4 is provided with a Continuous weakening line 5 formed by a through groove interrupted by breakable bridges 21 arranged regularly throughout it. As stated, the weakening line 5 is continuous, that is to say that references 5 in Fig. 1 are They refer to the same and only line of weakening. According to one essential feature of the invention, the weakening line 5 follows a helical path in the axial direction of the band safety 4 or, which is the same, in the axial direction of screwed on the cover 3. The passage of this helical path goes in opposite direction to the passage of the thread between the pouring body 2a and the cover 3. The helical weakening line 5 preconfigures in the band 4 a strip 10. When the cover 3 is unscrewed for the first once, the breakage of the weakening line 5 occurs because the lower end of the band 4 is axially retained by the highlight 20, forming a single continuous strip that is joined by one end to the cover 3 and at the other end to the lower end of the safety band 4 that is retained in the sleeve 1.

The weakening line may have structures different. For example, Figs. 2a-2d show a variant of the cover 3 which constitutes a second form of embodiment of the cap according to the invention. The only difference with with respect to the plug of Fig. 1 is that in this case the line of weakening 6 that forms strip 11 is not formed by a through groove interrupted regularly by bridges breakable, if not for a continuous indentation that is not intern (it is say that the slit does not cross the thickness of the band 4 but it is deep enough to constitute a line of breakable weakening).

Fig. 3 shows another variant of the cover 3 which it constitutes a third embodiment of the cap according to the invention. The only difference with respect to the cap of Figs. 2a-2d is that in this case the weakening line 7 forming strip 12 comprises two helical sections 7a, 7b that they are superimposed on a short stretch of overlap 14. A slight separation between these two sections 7a, 7b in the axial direction defines a breakable bridge 15 in said short stretch of overlap 14.

Figs. 4a-4d refer to plug of Fig. 3. and show four successive snapshots of the process that takes place when cap 3 is unscrewed for the first time. Fig. 4a shows the cap in its original state, before the first opening When you start unscrewing the cover 3 (Fig. 4b), it acquires an ascending helical movement due to its threaded connection with the non-return device 2. As a consequence of it, and because the bottom of the safety band 4 is axially retained in sleeve 1, a break occurs of the weakening line 7; at the same time, elongation axial causes a breakage of the bridge 15. Thus (Fig. 4c) is formed single continuous strip 12 that is joined by one of its two ends to the cover 3 and at the other end to the lower end of the band of safety 4 that is retained in sleeve 1. Finally (Fig. 4d), the user stretches from lid 3 and causes the breakage of one of these two junction points (in the example of Fig. 4d the breakage is has produced at the junction point with the lower end of the safety band)

Going back to the first two ways of embodiment shown in Figs. 2a-2d and 3, the way in which the weakening line 5, 6 breaks forming the strip 10, 11 is analogous to that shown in Figs. 4a-4d for the third embodiment (with the difference that there is no breakable bridge 15 that divides the line of weakening in two sections).

One of the advantages of the invention is that facilitates the forecast, at the design stage, of how the strip is separate from the cover or the lower end of the safety band when a user pulls the cover already unscrewed. Indeed for ensure that the separation occurs first at the junction with the lower end of the band, as shown in Fig. 4d, is you can adjust the shape of the weakening line at the end bottom of it so that at said end the strip has a section significantly smaller than at the opposite end of  so that it breaks first at said lower end. This is it achieves, for example, decreasing at said lower end the step of the propeller that adopts the line layout of weakening. Obviously, the same applies to the upper end if you want the strip to break first by it.

Figs. 5a-5d illustrate a variant of the cover 3 which constitutes a fourth form of embodiment of the cap according to the invention. In this case the band of security 4 is provided with two different weakening lines: a first line of weakening 8 in the lower position and a second line of weakening 9 in the upper position. Lines weakening 8, 9 are separated from each other in the axial direction, so that they preform a strip 13 in the form of a ring. Every one of these weakening lines 8, 9 follows a path helical and presents its two overlapping ends in a short overlap section 16, 18. The axial separation between these overlapping ends is small, which in the short stretches overlap 16, 18 are defined respective bridges breakable 17, 19. It will also be noted that in this case the lines of weakening. 8, 9 are formed by a through groove regularly interrupted by breakable bridges 22 (as in the case of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1). Without However, the weakening lines 8, 9 could also be performed by a continuous non-through groove, as in the case of Second and third embodiments.

Figs. 6a-6d refer to plug of Figs. 5a-5d and show four successive snapshots of the process that takes place when unscrew cover 3 for the first time. The process is similar to shown in Figs. 4a-4d for the third form of realization, with the essential difference that in this case the strip 13 is constituted in the form of a ring.

Fig. 6a shows the plug in its state original, before the first opening. When you start to unscrew the cover 3 (Fig. 6b), it acquires a movement ascending helical due to its threaded connection with the device non-return 2. As a consequence, and because the part bottom of the safety band 4 is axially retained in the sleeve 1, there is a break in the weakening lines 8, 9, the ring-shaped strip 13 being formed that is joined by the bridges 17, 19 to the lower end of the band 4 and to the cover 3, respectively (Fig. 6c). The axial elongation itself due to unscrewing can cause a breakage of one of the bridges 17, 19, or said breakage can be caused later, when a user stretches the lid 3 (as is the case illustrated in Fig. 6d). In any case, in the end you get a strip 13 that has a ring shape and that is joined by a point of attachment to the cover 3 (as in the case of Fig. 6d) or at the lower end of the band 4 which is axially retained in the sleeve 1 (this it would be the case if bridge 19 were broken first instead of bridge 17).

The fact that strip 13 has a form of ring is an important advantage, because it makes the user can easily pull this ring 13 if you later want separate it from the cover 3 or the lower end of the band 4.

Moreover, as in the ways of realization set forth in the foregoing, this fourth form of realization also facilitates forecasting, at the design stage, of how the strip 13 will separate from the cover 3 or the lower end of the safety band 4. To do this, you can adjust the shape of the weakening lines 8, 9 in the short stretches of overlay 16, 18 that form bridges 17, 19. For example, to ensure that bridge 17 is the first to break (as is shown in Fig. 6d), the axial distance that separates the two ends of the weakening line 8 in the section 16, thereby reducing the width of bridge 17, reducing consequently its resistance.

As for the industrial process used to make the weakening lines with helical layout, in all the examples of embodiment shown have used a mechanical blade system equipped with a device proper positioning. The design of such a system is at scope of the subject matter expert, so it is not considered It is necessary to describe it. Now, as an expert in the matter, to make a helical cut the system requires some delicate adjustments that, while within reach, mean a obstacle to possible counterfeiters. This is an advantage. supplementary that is added to the other technical advantages that have been revealed in the foregoing.

Claims (5)

1. Safety cap for bottles and the like with anti-filler device, said cap comprising a cylindrical sleeve (1) suitable to be externally coupled to the neck of a bottle or the like, an anti-filler device (2) internally retained in said cylindrical sleeve (1), a cover (3) that is screwed into the cap to close it and a cylindrical safety band (4) that extends said lid (3) inferiorly and whose lower end is retained in said cylindrical sleeve (1), said security band (4) ) being provided with at least one line of weakening (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) that breaks when the cover (3) is unscrewed for the first time, characterized in that said at least one line of weakening (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) follows a helical path in the axial direction of said safety band (4) and preconfigures a strip (10, 11, 12, 13) on said safety band (4), such that when said cover (3) is unscrewed for the first time said line of bilitation (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) is broken forming said strip (10, 11, 12, 13) that is whole and joined by a point to said cover (3) and / or by another point to the lower end of said safety band (4) that is retained in said cylindrical sleeve (1). 2. Safety cap according to claim 1, characterized in that said weakening line (5, 6) follows a continuous helical path in the axial direction of said cylindrical safety band (4), such that when said cover (3) it is unscrewed for the first time, said weakening line (5, 6) is broken forming said strip (10, 11) in the form of a single continuous strip that is joined by one of its two ends to said cover (3) and / or at the other end to the lower end of said safety band (4) that is retained in said cylindrical sleeve (1). 3. Safety cap according to claim 1, characterized in that said weakening line (7) comprises two helical sections (7a, 7b) which, in a short overlapping section (14), are superimposed and slightly separated from each other in the direction axial, a breakable bridge (15) being defined between said two sections (7a, 7b) in said short overlapping section (14), such that when said cover (3) is unscrewed for the first time, said two sections (7a , 7b) of the weakening line (7) and said breakable bridge (15) are broken forming said strip (12) in the form of a single continuous strip that is joined by one of its two ends to said cover (3) and / or by the other end to the lower end of said safety band (4) that is retained in said cylindrical sleeve (1). 4. Safety cap according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a first line of weakening (8) and a second line of weakening (9), separated from each other in the axial direction such that they delimit each other a ring constituting said strip (13); said first line of weakening (8) following a helical path that has, in a short overlapping section (16), its two overlapping ends and slightly separated from each other in the axial direction, defining a breakable bridge (17) between said two ends overlays; said second line of weakening (9) also following a helical path that has, in a short overlapping section (18), its two overlapping ends and slightly separated from each other in the axial direction, defining a breakable bridge (19) between said two overlapping ends; such that when said cover (3) is unscrewed for the first time, said first and second lines of weakening (8, 9) break forming said strip (13) in the form of a ring that is joined by said breakable bridges (17 , 19) to said cover (3) and / or to the lower end of said safety band (4) which is retained in said cylindrical sleeve (1). 5. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said lower end of the safety band (4) is retained in said cylindrical sleeve (1) by axial retention means (20).