FR2716669A1 - Method of emptying a vial and closure element compliant for its implementation. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for emptying a bottle closed by a leaktight and removable stopper element (2), obtained from a single and recyclable material, comprising at least one closing fabric secured to a side skirt ensuring the mounting of said stopper element (2) on the neck of said bottle, for example, by screwing, the emptying being carried out by turning over on a perforation means arranged inside an emptying plug characterized in that the emptying s 'is carried out directly through the closing fabric of said stopper element (2) held in the closed position on the neck of the bottle, after tearing on the relief of said means for perforating said fabric, tearing causing the opening of said fabric over the entire the section of said neck. The invention also relates to a closure element (2) implementing the method.

Description

METHOD FOR EMPTYING A BOTTLE AND CONFORMABLE BINDING ELEMENT

FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION

  The present invention relates to a method of emptying bottles containing specific products, such as especially products for photographic development, and a closure element shaped for its implementation. Some chemicals must be pre-mixed with other products of a similar nature prior to use. For reasons of preservation or "freshness" of the products, it is often important that the mixture be made just before use; this is particularly the case of chemicals in photographic processing. Today, each product entering into such a combination is stored in a plastic can sealed by a sealed cap having internally a metallized lid (aluminum), and between the upper part of the cap and said lid, an insulating washer, by example of cardboard, which by its compressible character ensures the sealing of the closure. The can can, thanks to its waterproof cap, be opened and closed as many times as desired and this, before

  its use for the realization of the mixture.

  At the time of mixing, the can once filled and capped, is then subjected to induction heating having the effect of heating the metallized lid, the portion in contact with the top of the neck of the bottle is thus welded in view of the heating while the insulating washer avoids welding with the fabric of the cap. It is then sufficient to unscrew the cap revealing the welded cap, the latter providing a momentary water tight enough to return the bottle. In this position, the bottle can then be used from a known dump support having a bung internally provided with a pyramidal element coming by simple pressure to burst the metal seal. The bottle, once completely emptied, is then removed and is generally subject to recycling, which is increasingly mandatory in

Many countries.

  This capping solution has many

  disadvantages: first, the plug as described above

  Below is relatively expensive, since it comprises at least three parts, the body of the plug itself, the insulating washer and the metal cap. In addition, the implementation is relatively expensive since it requires the use of an induction heating device. Last but not least, the bottle can not be easily recycled among the plastic materials because of the metallized lid attached to its neck. The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by providing a cheap emptying process, easy to implement and especially allowing easy recycling, not only the bottle but also the closure element implementing it, the latter being molded into one

  single piece and therefore simple to manufacture.

  For this purpose, the invention relates to a method of emptying a closed bottle by a sealed and removable sealing element, obtained from a single material and recyclable, comprising at least one closure fabric integral with a side skirt assuring the mounting of said closure member on the neck of said bottle, for example, by screwing, the emptying being carried out by inversion on a perforating means arranged inside a drain valve characterized in that the emptying is carried out directly through the closure fabric of said closure member held in the closed position on the neck of the bottle, after tearing on the relief of said perforation means of said fabric, tearing causing the opening of said fabric over the entire section of said neck. The present invention also relates to a closure element implementing the method. This element may consist of a one-piece plastic plug, allowing repeated plugging and unblocking of a bottle, while ensuring

a perfect seal.

  In addition, the bottle closed by the cap according to the invention in question may be, after capping, returned to a suitable perforation means disposed in the center of a drain plug. The closure fabric ensuring the sealing of the plug will then be perforated by the means arranged in the center of the bung. The emptying method according to the invention therefore provides the same functions as that using a closure element comprising a metal cap, but it is much less expensive because it allows to use a closure element consisting of a single piece obtained by molding, requiring no seal and it does not require any particular installation for its implementation. In addition, the manipulations are simplified because it is no longer necessary to remove the blocking element before emptying. Finally, this process allows easy recycling of the bottle thus rid of any heterogeneous element. A particularly advantageous form of recycling of the bottle then consists of reuse

  pure and simple said bottle after cleaning.

  A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a view in axial section of the closure element; according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a plan view of the interior of a first variant of the closure element according to the invention, - Figure 3 is a plan view of the interior of a second variant of the closure element according to the invention, - Figure 4 is a schematic partial sectional view of an installation for mixing the products contained in two bottles closed by capping elements according to the invention, - the FIG. 5 is a plan view of the installation shown in FIG. 3, on which a single bottle is

represent.

  The emptying method according to the invention uses a bottle 1 closed by a closure member 2 comprising at least one closure fabric 3 secured to a side skirt 4 ensuring the mounting of said closure member on the neck of said bottle 1 by any means known to those skilled in the art, for example by screwing. The emptying is obtained by reversal of the bottle 1 on a perforation means 5 disposed inside a drain valve 6. An installation for mixing the contents of the two bottles 1 closed with the closure elements 2 according to the invention FIG. 410 and 5. In these figures, the emptying bungs 6 are shown provided with pyramidal perforation means 5. It is obvious that any other device of

  5 equivalent perforation would also be suitable.

  The two bottles 1 are returned and nested in bins 7 of corresponding shape. After perforation of the closure elements 2 of each vial 1, the liquids contained in said vials 1 flow through the bungs of

emptying 6 in the mixing tank 8.

  The method according to the invention is therefore characterized in that the emptying takes place directly through the closure fabric 3 of the closure element 2 held in the closed position on the neck of the bottle 1. no longer necessary to remove the closure member 2 to empty the bottle 1. It is the tearing of the closure fabric 3 on the relief of said perforating means 5 which causes the opening of said fabric 3 over the entire section 1. According to a preferred variant, the rupture of the closure fabric 3 is initiated at at least one point of the weakening zone by striking the relief of the perforating means 5 and this rupture is propagated by tearing. along said zone thus causing the opening of the neck over the entire section of said closure fabric 3. A closure element 2 implementing this variant is shown in FIG. 1; it is preferably obtained by molding a single and recyclable material and its closure fabric 3 is provided with at least one weakening zone. Said element 2 has an inner skirt 9 concentric with the lateral skirt 4 extending -5 from the closure fabric 3 to come to rest during the

  capping, on the peripheral lip of the neck of the bottle 1.

  According to a preferred variant, the weakening zone of the closure fabric 3 comprises radial or peripheral lines of lesser thickness or a combination of the two. These lines of lesser thickness are obtained by making recesses located, preferably on the inner face of the closure element 2, and this, so as to maximize the stresses causing the rupture of the closure fabric 3 during the breaking down by the 5. This weakening zone can then extend to the periphery of the closure fabric 3 of the sealing element 2 in a generally open ring form connected to the center of said fabric 3 by a line radial 11 of lesser thickness. If the opening of the ring 10 is diametrically opposed to the radial line 11 of lesser thickness, as shown in FIG. 3, the tearing, during the breaking of the closure fabric 3 by the perforation means 5, will spread from the center, along radial line 11 of smaller thickness to continue along the portion of the weakening zone in the form of ring 10 open, thus opening the entire section of the closure fabric 3. The latter will be attached to the body of the closure element 2 thanks to the part of said closure fabric 3 corresponding to the opening of

  the ring 10 which will then play the role of hinge.

  The radial and peripheral lines of lesser thickness can also define angular sectors 12 attached to the periphery, to the body of the closure element 2 by attachment zones 13. A particular example of a closure fabric 3 having three angular sectors 12 defined three radial lines 14 of smaller thickness and three peripheral lines 15 of lesser thickness, and attached by three attachment zones 13, is shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the tear propagates from the center of the closure fabric 3 along the radial lines 14 of lesser

- 6 -

  thickness then along the peripheral lines 15 of lesser thickness to open said closure fabric 3 over its entire section, the angular sectors 12 remaining attached to

  the blocking element 2 thanks to the attachment zones 13.

  The closure element 2 according to the invention is in particular applicable to bottles 1 containing photographic products. -7-

Claims (7)

  1 - Method of emptying a bottle (1) closed by a sealing element (2) waterproof and removable, obtained from a single material and recyclable, comprising at least one closure fabric (3) integral with a lateral skirt (4) ensuring the mounting of said closure member (2) on the neck of said bottle (1), for example, by screwing, the emptying being carried out by inversion on a perforation means (5) disposed inside an emptying valve (6) characterized in that the emptying takes place directly through the closure fabric (3) of said closure element (2) held in the closed position on the neck of the bottle (1), after tearing on the relief of said perforation means (5) of said web (3), tearing causing the opening of said web (3) over the entire section of said neck.   2 - Method of emptying a bottle (1) closed by a closure element (2) according to the preceding claim characterized in that the tearing is facilitated by at least one weakening zone provided on the inner and / or outer face of said closure fabric (3). 3 - Method of emptying a bottle (1) closed by a closure element (2) according to the preceding claim characterized in that the rupture of the fabric (3) is initiated in at least one point of the weakening zone by embossing the relief of the perforating means (5) and in that said rupture is propagated by tearing along said zone thus causing the opening of said web (3) on the whole section of the neck.   4 - Closing element (2) of a bottle (1) setting   the method according to one of the claims   previous, waterproof and removable, comprising at least one closure fabric (3) integral with a side skirt (4) for mounting said closure member (2) on the neck of said bottle (1), for example, by screwing, characterized in that the closure element (2) is obtained by molding a single and recyclable material and in that the closure fabric (3) of said closure element (2) is provided on its inner face. and / or outside of at least one weakening zone.   - Closing element (2) according to the preceding claim characterized in that the weakening zone comprises radial lines (11,14) or peripheral (10,15)   Thinner or a combination of both.   6 - Closing element (2) according to the preceding claim characterized in that the weakening zone extends at the periphery of the closure fabric (3) of the closure member (2) in a general form of open ring (10) connected to the center of said fabric (3)   by a radial line (11) of lesser thickness.   7 - Closing element (2) according to the preceding claim characterized in that the opening of the ring (10) is diametrically opposed to the radial line (11) of lesser thickness. 8 - Closing element (2) according to claim 5 characterized in that the radial lines (14) and peripheral (15) of smaller thickness define angular sectors (12) attached to the periphery, the body of the closure element (2) by zones of attachment (13).   9 - Closing element (2) according to any one of   Claims 4 to 8 characterized in that the seal is   provided by an inner skirt (9) concentric to the side skirt (4) and extending from the closure fabric (3) to bear against the lip when capping   upper neck of the bottle (1).   10 - Application of the closure element (2) according to   to any one of claims 4 to 9 to the bottles (1)   containing photographic products.