ES2609177T3 - Closing device for bottles and containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Closing device for bottles and containers, comprising a nozzle (1) attachable to the neck (2) of a bottle; and a closure cap (3) comprising a body (3a), a hinged cover (3b) to allow access to the mouthpiece (1) and an anchor seal (3c), in which the device is characterized in that The cover (3b) is injected with an insert (4), made of a material more flexible than that of the cap (3), said insert (4) joining the body (3a) to the cover (3b) and forming a hinge area (5 ) and because the cap (3) comprises a first cut (6) that covers the entire perimeter of the cap (3) except for the hinge area (5), where said first cut (6) defines a line of folding and opening of the cover (3b) with respect to the body (3a); and a plurality of first connection points (10) located in the area of the first cut (6), consisting of small projections formed on the inner wall of the cap (3) that hold the cover (3b) and the body (3a) together ) until the lid is folded open (3b).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Closing device for bottles and containers Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a closing device of those that are commonly used as caps for closing bottles or containers, of which fluids such as water, energy drinks or soft drinks are present inside and which has application in the industry Food and food preservation.

This closing device for bottles or containers has the main purpose of achieving a longer useful life of the cap itself, due to the cyclicity in the opening and closing actions of the cap of each cap, in addition to ensuring safety against used bottles of young children, where the rupture of the lid can lead to accidental intake, assuming significant health risks; and which additionally allows defining a hood with an external appearance different from the rest of the caps known in the state of the art; with a quick, simple and economical forming closure device.

Background of the invention

The problematic referred to the fragility of the caps of the caps for bottles and containers, which suffer a high number of openings and closures, especially when they are reused by the users is known in the state of the art; and being formed in a plastic material, said covers end up going from an elastic to a plastic state, resulting in the cutting and detachment thereof. Additionally, the bottle can be used by young children, who are prone to insert the bottle cap into their mouths and break it with their teeth or hands, leading to choking and possible choking of the child.

In relation to the closing devices commonly used at present, the closing device described in the utility model of publication number ES-1064802 is exemplified, in which a cap for bottles, preferably oil containers, is disclosed, formed by a pouring element and a cap comprising, in its upper part, a lid that has a hinged hinge; said hinge is formed from the plastic cap itself; but in which said cover has a section that is weakened before the repeated number of times in which it is opened and closed and that being of a plastic material implies that the cyclicity of such actions causes the breakage or cracking of the cover, with the risks described above.

French Patent No. FR-2752820 discloses a dispensing cap for equipping a tank comprising a fluid product, which comprises a body provided with a dispensing opening and a pivoting lid, provided with a hinge with the body around a axis, the body and the hinge being made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, this cover being provided with a lace border, to close the dispensing opening in storage position. A coating of elastomeric material is arranged on the outer wall of the lace edge, to ensure, when the lid is closed, a tightness between the lace edge and the opening.

US 2005/0173367 A1 discloses a closure device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Another drawback in the closing devices currently used for bottles or containers is that they have a seal or tear-off closure intended to be opened, guaranteeing that the bottle has not been adulterated with other products since its factory packaging; and where this seal, once torn, becomes a waste material of the cap, which incurs an expense of material since, once opened, it is unusable and has to be deposited in the corresponding plastic waste container.

That is why, in view of the aforementioned patent and the aforementioned drawbacks, related to increasing the useful life of the lid, simplifying the forming of the cap and avoiding the existence of disposable products that incur a material expense, the appearance of a new sealing device for bottles or containers that avoids the aforementioned inconveniences is required, in addition to giving an aesthetic appearance that differentiates it from the state of the art currently known, so that the user knows and distinguishes the closing device object of invention with respect to the rest of closing devices and assess the environmental efficiency achieved, among others, in its forming.

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to a closure device according to claim 1 for bottles or containers, which improves the strength of the cap of the cap while reducing the forming time and simplifying the mold in which the object cap is manufactured. of invention, in addition to providing the whole with a customizable and distinctive design by means of a simple closing device that allows it to be adapted to any bottle or container currently available in the market.

The closure device for bottles or containers proposed by the invention comprises:

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• a nozzle attachable to the neck of the bottle, comprising an outlet orifice through which the inner liquid of the bottle flows outwards; Y

• a closure cap comprising:

• a lid that is foldable to allow access to the nozzle;

• an anchor seal that is anchored to the neck of the bottle through a skirt to prevent the removal of the cap from the neck of the bottle; Y

• a body that is disposed between the cover and the anchor seal and that is attachable to the nozzle through a first inner shoulder and to the neck of the bottle through a second inner shoulder.

In order to provide the closing device with the necessary resistance to support the multiple openings of the lid, preventing the lid from breaking with respect to the body, an insert, of material more flexible than that of the hood, is injected over the cap. This insert joins the body to the lid and forms a hinge zone.

This hinge zone has a greater resistance and flexibility to suffer the flexions, torsions and tractions to which it is subjected during its useful life.

With the superinjection, it is also possible to obtain an exterior design different from what is currently known, since the combination of materials allows to combine different visual aspects (different color combinations in the exterior) and even surface aspects (different roughness or exterior finish) between the material more flexible and less flexible.

In relation to the opening of the lid, the possibility that the cap comprises the following is contemplated:

• a first cut that covers the entire penimeter of the hood with the exception of the hinge area and where said cut defines a folding and opening line of the cover with respect to the body; Y

• a plurality of first connection points located in said first cut, which consist of small protrusions formed in the inner wall of the cap and which hold the lid and said body together until it is opened by folding said lid.

This solution avoids the use of a tear-off and subsequently disposable closure, since from the first cut located in the penimeter of the cap and logically, without being located in the hinge area; the lid can be opened and folded with relative ease; additionally, the plurality of first connection points are located in the area where said first cut is located, so that they are responsible for keeping the cap attached to the body of the cap and as mentioned, they are located inside the cap, without being seen from the outside by the user. These first connection points are formed in the molding phase of the cap in a simple and efficient manner and after the partially perimeter cutting of the cap, said connection points are not cut and it is the user who breaks them to proceed with the opening of the cap.

Additionally, the possibility that the cap comprises a second perimeter cut that defines the opening area of the cap with respect to the neck of the bottle and separates the body from the anchor seal is contemplated.

Again and in a manner similar to the first cut, in the area of this second cut the existence of a plurality of second connection points is contemplated, which are located on the inner wall of the cap and on the second perimeter cut, so that, They are responsible for keeping the cap body attached to the anchor seal.

In relation to the execution of the first and second cut, the possibility is contemplated that for the first cut, the hinge is arranged at a distance from the center of the cap lower than the distance of the penimeter of this, so that the machine tool responsible for make that first cut do it in a previously defined cutting radius that does not come into contact with the hinge, therefore it is the only area where said first cut is not made and prevents that, when tearing the lid, does not tear also the hinge, improving the subsequent closure of the lid. In a complementary way, for the second cut, the machine tool is responsible for cutting the entire penimeter as there is no hinge in that lower area of the cap object of the invention.

Additionally, such cuts are technically invaluable to the human eye, resulting in an outer appearance of the clean cap suitable for introducing advertising or informational messages to the user on the periphery of said cap; where there is also no physical separation of the material cut before tearing by the user.

It can be seen that, in order to break the lid by the user, the opening effort is increased with respect to the possibility disclosed in the previous patents on the tear-off and disposable closure and that is why the possibility of the cover includes a visor suitable to facilitate the maneuver of

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opening of this; so that the user supports one of his fingers under said visor and pushes the lid, breaking it by the first cut described above.

In order to reinforce the hinge zone, in addition to modifying the type of material, the possibility that said area comprises a thickness greater than the thickness of the cap is contemplated; therefore increasing its resistance to tensile, torsion and flexion stresses in said area.

In order to guarantee the inviolability of the cap object of the invention and avoid possible adulterations of the product (water, energy drinks, soft drinks or the like) contained inside the bottle or container, the possibility that the cap comprises at least one vertical slot located on the cover and next to the visor; where said, at least one, vertical groove can be broken at the time of opening said lid by means of a weakened area of the cap; that is to say the thickness or contact area of the vertical groove with the cap is small in size, sufficient so that once the cap of the cap is opened, the vertical groove cracks and the user can visually appreciate that the lid has not been opened previously; that is to say, it acts as a warning mechanism, warning of opening prior to the acquisition of the bottle or container by the user.

Additionally, the possibility is contemplated that the lid comprises an annular portion as a shutter, located in the direction of the neck of the bottle and inside the lid; wherein said annular portion is inserted into the outlet opening of the nozzle when the lid is closed, ensuring the tightness of the assembly and in which it is possible that it is the exit orifice that is introduced into the annular portion of the lid at high pressure, according to the preferred design chosen by the manufacturer.

On the other hand, the nozzle that is part of the present invention, comprises a circumferential housing that allows the introduction at high pressure of the bottle neck and a circumferential outer shoulder that engages with the first inner shoulder of the body of the cap.

Finally, the possibility is contemplated that the hinge comprises at least one tension member suitable for keeping the lid in an open position with respect to the body, so that the hinge is provided with its own tension and the lid is retained in the position of opening, facilitating the action of drinking by the user. Said retention can be achieved by a combination of thicknesses in different areas of the hinge.

Thus, in accordance with the described invention, the closure device for bottles and containers that the invention proposes constitutes an advance in the closure devices used up to now and solves in a completely satisfactory manner the problematic described above, in the line of improving the flexibility and resistance of the hinge of the cap and simplify its design and shape thereof, as well as granting a unique and differentiating exterior design with respect to the rest of the caps of the state of the art.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the features of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization thereof, a set of drawings is accompanied as an integral part of said description, in those with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the closure device object of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the closure device object of the invention, opened.

Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the closure device object of the invention, in which the neck of the bottle is attached to the nozzle and the body of the cap.

Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the closure device object of the invention, without the bottle neck being attached; Y

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the closure device object of the invention, through the hinge area.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

In view of the figures summarized, it can be seen that, in one of the possible embodiments of the closure device for bottles or containers proposed by the invention, this comprises:

• a nozzle (1) attachable to the neck (2) of a bottle having an outlet (1a) through which the internal fluid is expelled to the bottle; Y

• a cap (3), which in turn comprises:

• a cover (3b) that is foldable to allow access to the nozzle (1);

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• an anchor seal (3c) that is anchored to the neck (2) of the bottle through a skirt (3c ') to prevent the removal of the cap (3) with respect to the neck (2) of the bottle;

• a body (3a), which is disposed between the cap (3b) and the anchor seal (3c), which is attachable to the nozzle (1) through a first inner shoulder (3a ') and to the neck of the bottle (2) through a second inner projection (3 '').

The device of the invention has an insert (4) that is injected over the cap (3) to form a hinge zone (5) that holds the body (3a) and the lid (3b) together once the cap (3) is opened ). This insert (4) is made of more flexible material than that of the cap (3).

This hinge zone (5) has a greater resistance and flexibility to suffer the bends, torsions and tractions to which it is subjected during its useful life.

The insert (4) may comprise a special polypropylene-based material that will provide the hinge zone (5) with strength and flexibility. For its part, the cap (3) can contain basically polypropylene or polyethylene, usual materials in caps.

It can be seen, in Figures 3 and 4, that the cap (3) comprises a first cut (6) that defines the area of folding and opening of the lid (3b) with respect to the body (3a) and that covers the entire penimeter of the cap (3), with the exception of the hinge area (5).

Located in the area of this first cut (6) is a plurality of first connection points (10) formed in the inner wall of the cap (3) and which hold the cover (3b) and the body (3a) together until opening by folding said cover (3b).

As can be seen in figures 2 and 4, the cap (3) can comprise a second perimeter cut (7) that defines the opening area of the cap (3) with respect to the neck (2) of the bottle and separates the body (3a) of the anchor seal (3c).

In the area of this second cut (7) a plurality of second connection points (11) can be observed that are located in the inner wall of the cap (3) and on the second perimeter cut (7) in the area of this second cut (7). These second connection points (11) are responsible for keeping the body (3a) of the cap (3) attached to the anchor seal (3c).

As mentioned above, the first (6) and second cuts (7), are practically negligible by the human eye, giving rise to an outer appearance of the clean cap and where, in addition, there is no physical separation of the material cut before its tear by the user.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 5, the device object of the invention can comprise a visor (8) to facilitate the opening maneuver of the cover (3b). The user supports one of his fingers under said visor (8) and the first connection points (10) are broken, causing the cover (3b) to be separated from the body (3a). The caps existing in the market are opened by tearing, stretching, peeling or breaking a piece, which can be a handle, a tongue, a flange or similar of very small dimensions, which makes it difficult to open the cap.

In order to reinforce the hinge area (5) and modify the type of material, the possibility that this area (5) has a thickness greater than the thickness of the cap (3) is contemplated; therefore increasing its resistance to tensile, torsion and flexion stresses in said area.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the device object of the invention can comprise, on both sides of the visor (8), tear-off vertical grooves (9), which have been weakened, so that when the minimum is applied pressure on the visor (8), in addition to the breakage of the first connection points (10), the tearing of these two vertical grooves (9) will occur. In this way, the inviolability of the cap (3) is guaranteed and possible adulterations of the product containing the bottle or container are avoided, since the user can check at first sight that the cap (3) has been manipulated prior to its acquisition.

When the user presses the visor from the bottom up (8), this produces a pivot of the same towards the back, facilitating the tearing of the vertical grooves (9). This pivoting is favored by the elasticity of the insert (4) which, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 5, extends from the hinge area (5) to the visor (8).

In Figures 3 and 4, it can be seen that inside the cover (3b) there is an annular portion as a plug (3b ') that is inserted into the outlet opening (1a) of the nozzle (1) when the cover (3b) is closed, ensuring the tightness of the assembly.

It can also be seen in Figure 3 that the nozzle (1) comprises a circumferential housing (1b) that allows the introduction at high pressure of the neck (2) of the bottle and a circumferential outer shoulder (1c) that is

Crimp with the first inner shoulder (3a ') of the body (3a) of the cap (3).

In Figure 5, it can be seen that the hinge zone (5) comprises two tensioning elements (12) suitable for keeping the cover (3b) in an open position with respect to the body (3a). The cover (3b) will be retained in the opening position by the tension provided by these two tensioners (12) which has the hinge (5) at its two 5 ends.

In view of the present description and set of figures, the person skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of the invention that have been described can be combined in multiple ways within the object of the invention. The invention has been described according to some preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that multiple variations can be introduced in said preferred embodiments without exceeding the object of the claimed invention.

Claims (3)

1. - Closing device for bottles and containers, comprising a nozzle (1) attachable to the neck (2) of a bottle; and a closure cap (3) comprising a body (3a), a flip cover (3b) to allow access to the nozzle (1) and an anchor seal (3c), in which the device is characterized in that over the cover (3b) is 5 injects an insert (4), of material more flexible than that of the cap (3), said insert (4) joining the body (3a) to the cover (3b) and forming a hinge zone (5) and because the cap (3) comprises a first cut (6) that covers the entire penimeter of the cap (3) with the exception of the hinge zone (5), where said first cut (6) defines a folding and opening line of the cover (3b ) with respect to the body (3a); Y a plurality of first connection points (10) located in the area of the first cut (6), which consist of 10 small projections formed in the inner wall of the cap (3) that hold the cover (3b) and the body (3a together) ) until the opening of said lid (3b). 2. - Closing device for bottles and containers, according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (3) comprises a second perimeter cut (7) separating the body (3a) from the anchor seal (3c); Y 15 a plurality of second connection points (11) located on the inner wall of the cap (3) and on said second perimeter cut (7), whose connection points (11) keep the body (3a) attached to the anchor seal ( 3c). 3. - Closing device for bottles and containers, according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (3b) comprises a visor (8) to facilitate the opening maneuver of the cap (3). 20 4.- Closing device for bottles and containers, according to claim 3, wherein the cap (3) comprises at least one vertical groove (9) disposed in the cover (3b) next to the visor (8) and in which said at least one vertical groove (9) breaks before any fraudulent maneuver on the cap (3).