FR1429922A - Capping cap for bottles with crown mouth - Google Patents

Description

Stopper for bottles with crown mouth.

I1 is known to use on the necks of bottles with crown mouth, stopper caps made of elastic thermoplastic material, the skirt of which is provided with a retaining bead projecting inwardly in order to bear under the bead of emhou chure of the bottleneck. It is difficult to produce such capsules which are also satisfactory for sealing bottles containing gaseous liquids loaded with carbonic acid such as, for example, beer or striped mine water. The portion of carbonic acid which is released in the event of a rise in temperature or under the effect of shocks due to transport, considerably increases the internal pressure and frequently causes the capsule to jump out of the neck I1 is possible and known to reduce the surface of the capsule which is subjected to this internal pressure, by providing on said capsule a sealing extension which bears on the inner face of the neck. However, here again we encounter particular difficulties in retaining the capsule against the increasing pressures, due to the tolerances aeeeptées on the external diameter of the neck as well as on the one hand on the thickness of the skirt of the capsule or the dimensions. of its internal bead or, on the other hand, on the rigidity of the thermoplastic material used. This is by. particularly critical in the case of capsules which must be able to be removed and then replaced by hand
Finally, for reasons of economic profitability, there can be no question of excessively increasing the wall thickness of the capsules, because this would increase both the manufacturing time and the quantity of material used.

In addition, the production of invio capsules. The plastic materials present difficulties because, if zones of least resistance are provided on the capsule which are expected to be torn during opening, it frequently happens that the capsule tears at this location as soon as it is mounted at the same time. the machine on the neck of the bottle. In addition, the production of these tear-apart primers increases the cost price of the capsule. Finally, tearing is not always easy to perform suitably by the end user.

The object of the invention is to avoid these drawbacks. For this, part or all of the connecting edge of the bottom of the capsule on the skirt is interrupted by means of two or more narrow notches which extend substantially up to the level of the retaining bead. This in no way weakens the portion of the skirt which is located below the bead, and which remains unchanged. Experience has shown that capsules with en. notches or notches according to the invention withstand much higher internal pressures than known capsules having the same wall thickness but not having notches. The explanation of this result will appear in the description which follows.

The invention provides yet another advantage, namely that the notches or notches notably facilitate the extraction of the cap and its repositioning on the bottle. I Said notches must then be oriented perpendicular to the mouth of the neck.

Finally, the invention makes tolerances on the outside diameter of the neck acceptable, within much wider limits.

The invention can also be applied to stoppering capsules which do not strictly speaking have the aforementioned sealing extension, but an added stopper gasket which engages in the mouth of the neck. Such an embodiment of the two-part cap is particularly useful when it is necessary to be able to open the bottle manually in the known manner. For the
production of the plugging seal relates, it is possible to use a material that is softer than for the cap itself, which facilitates the extraction and re-installation of said seal, as well as its adaptation to the neck despite the tolerances provided for the diameter internal of it.

For this, it is advantageous to equip the attached seal with a hollow bead of known type.

In addition, this seal can be fixed on the capsule, for example by welding it to the center of the base, which considerably facilitates the extraction of the capsule from the neck.
Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to guarantee the inviolability of the cap and to authenticate the contents of the bottle, all by allowing the reuse of said cap after opening.

For this, there is provided on the side an opening spout connected to the skirt of the capsule by one or more webs, at least one of which tears during the first opening of the bottle and damages the capsule in a visible manner without however make it unusable to stopper the bottle again.

To avoid any possibility of opening the bottle without damaging the connecting webs provided between the spout and the skirt, it has proven to be dangerous to impart a low wall thickness to the lower edge of the skirt which thus comes to connect as exactly. as possible on the neck of the bottle so that any type of bottle opener finds no other fulcrum than the opening spout.

According to another characteristic of the invention. tion, the opening spout is shaped so as to make it possible to remove the capsule both by hand and by using a bottle opener of the usual type. This spout is made up of a kind of cup open downwards and the side walls of which are notably thinner than its front wall. If one engages the finger or a bottle opener in this cup or below its anterior wall, the mere fact of urging the capsule in the direction of its lifting causes in the first place the tearing of. side walls of the bucket before its front wall actually plays its role of lifting lever. The mode of operation can be further improved by providing a notch in the area where the front wall of the cup connects to the skirt of the capsule. the two lips of this notch being able to be brought together one against the other only after tearing of the side walls dn hec.
n is still possible to provide on the front wall of the bucket. unwanted areas of least resistance. In that case. the anterior wall is simply a frame with a high wall thickness, while its central panel is much thinner and fits
found connected to the skirt of the capsule by a veil
or by a rib. When we engage the finger
or a bottle opener under the front wall,
that is to say in the bucket, in order to lift
the capsule, the first result of this operation is to tear not only the side sails of the opening spout, but also the areas of least resistance of its front wall.
higher, until the leverage then takes place to open the capsule.

In the case of capsules intended to contain the pressure of gaseous liquids such as
example of beer or mineral water, it
it is recommended to use materials such
as relatively high density polyethylene, of the order of 093 g / cm3. In addition, to allow the sizing tolerances of the neck of the bottle to be met, the seal is preferably made of a softer material, in particular thermoplastic and of fairly high elasticity, of the type of a polyethylene having only the density 0.916 g / cm3. This seal is intended to be attached to the interior of the capsule. We can give it different profiles and in particular provide it with a cylindrical extension. double-walled or cup-shaped, which is engaged inside the neck against the internal wall of which it bears strongly under the effect of the pressure.

To produce a capsule according to the invention, it is particularly suitable to use a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene, because of its elastic properties and its ease of injection molding. However, this material exhibits a permeability towards carbonic acid which is not negligible, particularly if the temperature is increased. The invention avoids this drawback by coating the underside of the capsule with a film or a washer of a material practically impermeable to carbonic acid. It is also possible to cover the upper face of the added seal with a film of the same type, unless this seal is simply placed between this seal and the capsule. a sheet or a washer of a material such as polyvinyl chloride, ie having the required impermeability.

The attached drawing. given by way of example, will make it possible to better understand the invention, the characteristics that it presents and the advantages that it is likely to provide
Figure 1 is a sectional view along II (Fig. 2) of a capsule according to the invention
Figure 2 is a plan view;
Figure 3 is an elevational view with partial axial section after installation on the neck of a bottle
Ln Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram highlighting the anchoring effect previously described
FIG. 5 is a view in axial section along VV of a possible variant embodiment of a capsule according to the invention,
Figure 6 is a plan view
FIG. 7 represents the upper part of a neck with a crown mouth {intended to be fitted with a stoppering capsule,
FIG. 8 shows another possible embodiment of a capsule according to in. vention provided with means of inviolability,
Figure 9 shows the neck fitted with the tamper-evident cap
Figure 10 is an axial section of another possible variant of a tamper-evident capsule with attached seal
Figure 11 is an elevational view
FIG. 12 is an axial section of a further variant of a tamper-evident capsule with an attached seal;
Figure 13 is an elevational view.

The stopper cap shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a bottom 1, a skirt 2, and a sealing extension 3 intended to engage inside the neck of the bottle.

The skirt 2 is provided with a retaining bead 4 projecting inwardly with a view to resting under the bead 5 of a neck with a crown mouth (FIG. 3). Notches 6 interrupt the connection zone of the base 1 and the walls of the skirt 2; they extend approximately to the level of the wad. let 4 and leave only a thin internal veil 7 of the wall of the capsule 7. If this veil 7 is removed, the glues become notches which completely pass through the wall.

The arrow designated in FIG. 3 indicates the direction of the thrust to which the capsule is subjected under the action of the internal pressure.

Initially, the bottom of the capsule is flat but, under the action of this pressure after its installation on the neck, it shows a profile slightly curved outwards (fig. 3). The retaining bead 4 is then all the more firmly anchored on the groove 8 dn neck which is provided below the bead 5, as is clearly shown in FIG. 4. The notches 6 share the bottom 1 of the capsule in sections 9 and 10 that connects in the manner of a hinge the portion of wall 11 remaining between the notches. The force exerted on the sectors 9 and 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow pushes back the skirt 2 like a lever and presses the retaining bead 4 in the groove 8 of the neck, as indicated by the arrows drawn in lines. interrupted. When using a stopper cap conforming to in. vention, it is therefore seen that the internal pressure caused by the release of the cargo acid. The nique contained in the bottle contributes to simultaneously increasing the application pressure of the anchoring members of the capsule under the bead of the neck. Furthermore, the aforementioned hinge effect, which is due to the wall portion 11, facilitates the extraction of the capsule and makes the tolerances for dimensioning the neck acceptable, as will easily be understood.

The variant embodiment of a capsule according to the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 does not include any internal sealing extension; the latter is replaced by a special added seal 12, the closure skirt 13 of which penetrates inside the neck. The whole of this seal 12 is produced in the usual manner, and in particular its double-walled skirt 13 is hollow.

The transverse bottom 14 which it defines bears against the internal face of the bottom 1 of the capsule where it can preferably be welded to connect said capsule and the seal 12. This considerably facilitates the opening of the bottle when performing. the operation by hand.

In particular, if one tries to extract the capsule by exerting with the thumb a thrust applied below an opening spout 15, the double-walled skirt 13 remains engaged in the neck until the bead 14 begins to emerge; at this moment only, the connection obtained by the weld 16 extracts from the neck the skirt 13 of the seal 12. Unlike the capsule shown in Figures 1 and 2, the variant shown in Figure 6 has four notches 6.

The neck shown in FIG. 7 comprises a crown mouth, ie it is provided with the aforementioned bead 5. It is proposed to equip it with a tamper-evident cap capable of resisting the internal pressure developed by a gas contained in the liquid of the bottle.

There is shown in Figure 8 a capsule of this type which includes the bottom 1, the skirt 2, the retaining bead 4 and the sealing extension 3 already described. Furthermore, the skirt 2 of the capsule comprises an opening spout 15 which projects radially outwards. It can be seen in FIG. 8 and in FIG. 9 where the capsule has been rotated by 900 compared to the previous view, that the opening spout 15 is connected to the skirt 2 by a veil 26, the thickness of which is much smaller than that of the walls of the skirt 2 or of the spout 15. When it is desired to open the bottle, one starts by engaging under the spout 15 the end of the finger or a bottle opener, then pushing the spout 15 upwards. the upper wall of which tends to bend elastically before actually playing the role of a lifting lever. In doing so, the thin veil 26 is torn.

It is then now visible that the bottle has been opened. The cap can be used again, but it can be seen that its first opening guaranteed the authenticity of the contents of the bottle. The lower edge 27 of the skirt is tapered so as to connect as exactly as possible to the neck of the bottle so as not to provide any outlet to a bottle opener or the like which can ultimately only rest under the opening spout. 15.

For bottles containing a liquid made sparkling or frothy by carbonic acid, it is advantageous to use the extension 3 shown in Figure 8 so as to substantially reduce by half the surface of the capsule which is subjected to the pressure of the gas.

According to the variant shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the opening spout 28 has the shape of a cup open downwards and the side walls 29 of which are notably thinner than its front wall. In the area of connection of this front wall of the cup 28 with the skirt of the cap, a transverse notch 30 is provided. When it is desired to open the bottle, the finger or the end of a bottle opener is engaged in the cup 28. , that is, under its anterior wall, so that the lifting action to which it is subjected begins by tearing the thin side walls 29. It is only after tearing that the lips of the notch 30 are close together and bear one on the other, thus allowing the front wall of the bucket 28 to play its role of opening spout functioning as a lever. In order to be able to open the capsule, it is therefore necessary to have previously torn the thin side walls 29, then tilted the front wall of the cup 28 upwards at an angle corresponding to that defined by the notch 30.

FIG. 10 which is offset by 90 "with respect to FIG. 11, further shows an added seal 31 of known type which carries an annular double-walled skirt 32 intended to engage in the neck. The peripheral edge of this seal 31 is snapped into an annular groove 33 provided inside the skirt 2, so as to ensure its attachment to the capsule.

There is shown in Figures 12 and 13 a further variant embodiment of a tamper-evident capsule according to the invention, the second view being offset by 900 with respect to the first. The front wall 34 which delimits the opening spout 35 is simply composed of a frame 36 with a high wall thickness, the interior space of which is filled by a very thin veil or panel 37.

The central part of the latter is integral with a rib 38 with a high wall thickness which extends only over half the height of the bucket inside which it is placed. When one engages the finger or a bottle opener under the front wall 34, one starts by tearing the thin side walls as well as the zone of least resistance formed by the web 37 of the anterior wall, which does not play its role of lever. opening only after this preliminary operation. Here again, there is placed inside the capsule an attached seal 39 (FIG. 12), the anchoring of which is ensured on the bottom of the capsule.

Between this bottom 1 and the sealing point 39, there is preferably intereale a sheet or washer 40 made of a material as impermeable as possible to CO2 gas.

The stoppering capsules according to the invention, the figures of which only represent a few non-limiting examples, can be conveniently used on the usual automatic capping machines, without risk of damaging the guarantee seal formed by the various sails or zones. tearing, during assembly on the neck. Furthermore, it is impossible to carry out the first opening of the bottle without breaking this seal>, however you do it, that is to say by hand or by using a bottle opener. However, it is easy to reuse the cap to cap the bottle in a gas-tight manner after removing part of the contents.

It should also be understood that the above description has been given only by way of example and that it in no way limits the field of the invention, which would not be departed from by replacing the details of execution described. by other equivalent tones.

In particular, the added seal may include a skirt surrounding the bead 5 in part or in whole, which skirt would possibly also have a retaining bead projecting inwardly. In this case, it would be appropriate to ensure that the retaining bead 4 of the capsule comes to cover the skirt of the attached seal and rests below it. The bead 4 could also be replaced by several anchoring bosses or recesses which are suitably dimensioned so as to be sufficiently rigid.

ABSTRACT
Capping cap in elastic thermoplastic material for bottles with crown mouths, comprising a sealing extension projecting inside the neck as well as a retaining bead projecting towards

** ATTENTION ** end of DESC field can contain start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

** ATTENTION ** start of field CLMS can contain end of DESC **. the thin veil 26 is torn apart. It is then now visible that the bottle has been opened. The cap can be used again, but it can be seen that its first opening guaranteed the authenticity of the contents of the bottle. The lower edge 27 of the skirt is tapered so as to connect as exactly as possible to the neck of the bottle so as not to provide any outlet to a bottle opener or the like which can ultimately only rest under the opening spout. 15. For bottles containing a liquid made sparkling or frothy by carbonic acid, it is advantageous to use the extension 3 shown in FIG. 8 so as to substantially reduce by half the surface of the capsule which is subjected to the pressure. gas surge. According to the variant shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the opening spout 28 has the shape of a cup open downwards and the side walls 29 of which are notably thinner than its front wall. In the area of connection of this front wall of the cup 28 with the skirt of the cap, a transverse notch 30 is provided. When it is desired to open the bottle, the finger or the end of a bottle opener is engaged in the cup 28. , that is, under its anterior wall, so that the lifting action to which it is subjected begins by tearing the thin side walls 29. It is only after tearing that the lips of the notch 30 are close together and bear one on the other, thus allowing the front wall of the bucket 28 to play its role of opening spout functioning as a lever. In order to be able to open the capsule, it is therefore necessary to have previously torn the thin side walls 29, then tilted the front wall of the cup 28 upwards at an angle corresponding to that defined by the notch 30. FIG. 10 which is offset by 90 "with respect to FIG. 11, further shows an added seal 31 of known type which carries an annular double-walled skirt 32 intended to engage in the neck The peripheral edge of this seal 31 is snapped into an annular groove 33 provided inside the skirt 2, so as to ensure its fixing on the capsule. FIGS. 12 and 13 show a further variant embodiment of a tamper-evident capsule according to FIG. invention, the second view being offset by 900 with respect to the first The front wall 34 which delimits the opening spout 35 is simply composed of a frame 36 with a large wall thickness, the interior space of which is filled by a sail or panel 37 very m ince. The central part of the latter is integral with a rib 38 with a high wall thickness which extends only over half the height of the bucket inside which it is placed. When one engages the finger or a bottle opener under the front wall 34, one starts by tearing the thin side walls as well as the zone of least resistance formed by the web 37 of the anterior wall, which does not play its role of lever. opening only after this preliminary operation. Here again, there is placed inside the capsule an attached seal 39 (FIG. 12), the anchoring of which is ensured on the bottom of the capsule. Between this bottom 1 and the sealing point 39, there is preferably intereale a sheet or washer 40 made of a material as impermeable as possible to CO2 gas. The stoppering capsules according to the invention, the figures of which only represent a few non-limiting examples, can be conveniently used on the usual automatic capping machines, without risk of damaging the guarantee seal formed by the various sails or zones. tearing, during assembly on the neck. Furthermore, it is impossible to carry out the first opening of the bottle without breaking this seal>, however you do it, that is to say by hand or by using a bottle opener. However, it is easy to reuse the cap to cap the bottle in a gas-tight manner after removing part of the contents. It should also be understood that the above description has been given only by way of example and that it in no way limits the field of the invention, which would not be departed from by replacing the details of execution described. by other equivalent tones. In particular, the added seal may include a skirt surrounding the bead 5 in part or in whole, which skirt would possibly also have a retaining bead projecting inwardly. In this case, it would be appropriate to ensure that the retaining bead 4 of the capsule comes to cover the skirt of the attached seal and rests below it. The bead 4 could also be replaced by several anchoring bosses or recesses which are suitably dimensioned so as to be sufficiently rigid. SUMMARY Capping cap in elastic thermoplastic material for bottles with crown mouths, comprising a sealing extension projecting inside the neck as well as a retaining bead projecting towards the inside of its skirt, mainly remarkable in that the zone of connection of the bottom of the capsule with the skirt is partially or totally interrupted by two or more thin notches extending approximately up to the level of the retaining bead, said capsule may also have the characteristics envisaged below separately or in combination: 1 "The internal extension of the capsule is replaced by an added seal, fitted with a skirt which engages inside the neck; The bottom of the added seal is located on the bottom of the capsule; The skirt of the capsule is extended radially outwards by an opening spout to which it is connected by one or more thin webs which must be torn by lifting the opening spout to uncork the bottle; 40 The aperture spout mentioned under 30 has the shape of a cup open at the bottom and the side walls of which are notably thinner than its front wall. 50 A transverse notch is provided in the area where the opening spout connects with the skirt 6 "The front wall of the opening spout is formed of a frame with a high wall thickness, the central part of which is equipped with a thin web which is itself connected at its center to a rib integral with the skirt; 7 "The lower edge of the skirt is thinned so as to fit as exactly as possible on the neck of the bottle 80 The added seal mentioned under 10 is made of a thermoplastic material while its skirt which penetrates into the neck may have a cylindrical, double-walled or bowl shape. 9 "The lower face of the bottom d of the capsule is coated with a film practically impermeable to CO2 gas 100 The upper face of the attached seal is covered with a film practically impermeable to CO2 gas 11 "Between the bottom of the capsule and the upper face of the attached seal, there is a sheet of a material practically impermeable to CO2 gas