FR2789978A1 - Cover especially for cork of bottle of sparkling wine has perforated lines and tongue for tear-off strip giving easy access to cork - Google Patents

Abstract

The cover designed to go over the cork and upper neck of a bottle containing especially sparkling wine with or without a metal cap and wire cage to retain the cork, has at least one perforated line (43, 44) and a tongue (46) forming a tear-off strip giving access to the cork while leaving the lower portion of the cover attached to the bottle neck. The cover designed to go over the cork and upper neck of a bottle containing especially sparkling wine with or without a metal cap and wire cage to retain the cork, has at least one perforated line (43, 44) and a tongue (46) forming a tear-off strip giving access to the cork while leaving the lower portion of the cover attached to the bottle neck. The cover is made from aluminum or tin foil, or combinations of aluminum foil, plastic and paper.

Description

EASY OPENING CAPS FOR SPARKLING WINES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

  The invention relates to the field of overcapping caps for bottles of sparkling wines, typically champagne, and more particularly the case of caps.

  provided with easy opening means.

STATE OF THE ART

  So-called easy-opening caps are already known, as shown in Figures I to 5. Typically, these caps are of two types, those with a tear strip often called "Tircell", as shown in Figures 1 to 3, those with a single or a double dashed or dotted line of weakness, such as

shown in Figures 4 a to 5.

PROBLEMS POSED

  Whatever the easy opening system already proposed, it poses a certain number of

problems discussed below.

  As already indicated, these caps are typically applied to champagne bottles and they greatly contribute to the dressing and the improvement of the aesthetics.

of these.

  However, with existing caps, the opening of the cap by the consumer, either by pulling on the "Tircell" strip, or by cutting the cap following the dashed or dotted lines, most often leads to folds or untimely tears, since these caps are relatively sheet or film based on relatively small thickness, the tear of the cap does not necessarily follow the lines of weakness provided and marked with

  in advance, which can lead to an unattractive and totally random appearance.

  In addition, these sparkling wines are bottled closed by corks often with corks ensuring the cork is held and the bottle closed even in the event of accidental overpressure. It is therefore important that the opening of the cap releases the

  muselet for easy removal.

  Ultimately, there is a need for an easy-opening cap that solves all of these problems.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

  The invention relates to a cap which allows regular manual removal of the upper part of the cap, the upper part being that which covers said muselet, without any alteration of the lower part of the cap which covers the part of the neck of the bottle situated at the - below the muselet, so as to keep the maximum cap on the bottle

  with its aesthetic appearance, unaltered, while allowing the removal of the muselet.

  This invention repeats and completes the invention described in French application No. 98-

  15004 filed on 25/11/98 with a view to solving an additional problem relating to the use of thin sheet or strip materials for manufacturing

said caps.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  According to the invention, the easy-opening cap, typically conical, formed of a head and a skirt, made of film or sheet material, for receptacles or bottles of sparkling wines, whether or not provided with a metal muselet and endowed with '' a tightening wire passing under the glass ring of said bottle and provided with its opening twist, and comprising at least one line of weakness carried on the skirt of said cap, is characterized in that said cap comprises a) two weakening lines carried on said skirt and typically parallel, with a so-called "low" line located at or below said glassware ring, and a so-called "high" line spaced up from the so-called "low" line a distance L at least equal to 0.5.H, H being the height between the so-called "low" line and the upper end or top of said cap, weakening lines which delimit a wide opening strip L, b) a gripping tab , positioned along a generator of said cone, located between said two lines of weakness and integral with said opening strip, said tongue comprising means for automatically orienting the tearing force when said cap is opened towards said two lines of weakness, so as to effect an easy opening of said cap, ensuring the integrity of the remaining bottom part of said cap situated below said bottom line, and freeing

  said muselet in case it is present.

  The means defined above resolve all of the problems posed. In fact, the tests of caps according to the invention and according to the state of the art have clearly shown that only the invention allows correct opening of the cap, and this, in a reproducible manner, and without the user consumer having to pay attention to the opening

  and to give him special care, which is the usual case.

  Indeed, it is a question of knowing how the caps behave when opened under "standard" conditions, which are typically those where the person, in society, who uncorks the bottle, speaks to a person and in any case , do not look with care

  especially the bottle cap to open.

  It is under these "standard" opening conditions that the cap according to the invention is of great interest. Indeed, with the caps according to the state of the art, a correct opening is only possible if one pulls the "tircell" or the tear strip in a direction which always remains well perpendicular to the axis of the bottle - which is only possible with great attention, otherwise, the "tircel" does not follow the tear lines and we tear off the part of the skirt which should not be or it is the part

  3o high of the skirt which is not correctly cut to expose the muselet.

  By correct opening means a removal of the upper part of said cap which respects the integrity of the lower part, with a dividing line between the two which is typically a circle, so that the neck of the bottle remains 'dressed' by the

  lower part of the cap and that remains the aesthetic effect of said cap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

  Figures 1 to 5 are partial side views of caps (1) according to the state of the art obtained by rolling a skirt press and gluing the axial edges

  (60,61) and having different easy opening means placed on the skirt (4).

  In FIGS. 1 to 3, the easy opening means are "tircels" (41) oriented at

  tip oriented more or less inclined.

  In Figure 4, the means is a double line of weakening (42), and a single line

1 5 (40) in Figure 5.

  These means allow in principle to remove the "upper" part (10) of the skirt (1) and

  leave the "low" part (11) on the bottle.

  Figure 6 is a side view of a conical cap (1) according to the invention formed of a skirt (4) and a head (5), with two lines of weakness, a high line (43) and a low line (44) separated by a distance L equal to 30 mmrn, the low line (44) delimiting

  the upper or separable part (10) of the cap and the lower or fixed part (11) of the cap.

  This cap is formed by rolling a developed (6) skirt and heat bonding or gluing an axial edge (60) on the other (61) (not visible in Figure 6). We represented

  with dotted lines the adhesive thread (63) ensuring the sealing from one edge to the other.

  Before rolling, the weakening lines (43, 44) and the notches (460, 461) which delimit said tongue (46) are formed on said developed, the bottom of each notch (460,461) being located on the line of corresponding loss (43, 44). As shown in FIG. 6, said tongue (46) is guilloche, that is to say provided with a lattice of small reliefs obtained by stamping during the cutting of said press and said notches, so as to differentiate the tongue visually and aesthetically, and to enhance the visual contrast between the tab and the rest of the capsule so that the

  consumer, immediately, is encouraged to use said tab (46) for the opening.

  The upper part of the skirt is provided with a succession of grooves (9) which have both an aesthetic function and a technique insofar as they can contribute to obtaining a clear break in the line of weakness (44), without untimely tearing

  of the lower part (1 1) of the skirt.

  Figure 7 is a side view of a bottle neck (7) provided with a cap (I) according to the invention o the tongue (46) is shown in the unfolded position, ready to be taken in hand by the consumer , the tongue being, before opening, not deployed and flattened as indicated by dotted lines in the figure, so as not to protrude from the rest of the

  cap and risk being pulled accidentally.

  Figure 8 is a side view, similar to Figure 7, after the consumer has 1 pulled on the tongue (46) to form the opening strip (45), and thus discovered the wire (3) which includes a tightening wire (30) passing under the glass ring and a tightening eyelet (31) Figure 9 shows what is obtained at the end of easy opening of said cap, the upper part comprising the head (5) remaining generally integral of the strip

  opening (46), which corresponds to the upper part (10) of the cap (1).

  Figuire 10 is a sectional view of the neck (7) of a bottle (2) showing what is obtained after removal of the upper part of the cap (10), with a wire cap (3) covering a stopper ( 8) and keeping it in position thanks to a tightening wire (30) passing under the glassware ring (20) of the neck of the bottle, and with a lower part (I l) of the cap

  (1) held in place on the neck (7).

  Figure 1 1 is a top view of a developed (6) of the conical skirt (4) of the cap, 3 formed from the film or sheet material, generally printed or decorated on the outer face, used for the manufacture of said cap, and having - two high (43) and low (44) weakening lines, ending in notches (460, 461) along the axial edge 60 which will be the upper edge after rolling of said press, and a guilloche tongue (46), - a thread of adhesive (63) placed along the other axial border (61), - an upper edge (64) to which the head of the capsule is fixed. In FIGS. 12a to 12d, various types of tongues (46) according to the invention have been shown below.

  Figures 13a and 13b are views similar to that of Figure 11.

  FIG. 13a illustrates the presence of a low border, or border, of reinforcement (47), placed circularly under said low weakening line (44), at the high end of said low part (11) of the cap, and preferably on the face corresponding to the interior of the cap. FIG. 13b illustrates the presence of a low border (47), under said low weakening line (44), and a high reinforcement border (48 ), parallel to the

  previous and located at the lower end of said upper part (10) of the cap.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  According to the invention, said means for automatically directing the tearing force when said cap opens towards said two weakening lines, comprises notches or recesses (460, 461) formed at the "high" and " lower "of said tongue (46), notches or recesses made in said film or sheet material constituting said cap, as appears on the surface of the skirt (4) at the

Figure 1 1, and Figure 6.

  When said tongue has a rectangular (see FIG. 12a) or trapezoidal surface (see FIG. 12c and FIGS. 6 or 11), the width Li of said tongue (46) can range from 0.5.L to L, with L going from 1, 5 to 4 cm, so as to have both an easy manual gripping of said tongue and to be able to exert a force which will be transmitted to said opening strip (45) without breaking of said tongue, as

  this can happen with the caps according to the state of the art.

  Said tongue can also have various shapes as illustrated, by way of example, in FIGS. 12a to 12d. Likewise, the notches or recesses (460, 461) may have more or less acute angles, as shown in FIGS. 12a to 12c. Preferably, the angle ce at the bottom of the notch, as shown in FIGS. 12b and 12c, is typically less than ', so that the force exerted on said tongue is channeled towards said

weakening lines (43, 44).

  According to the invention, said material is chosen from sheets or strips of AI or Al alloy, of Sn or Sn alloy, of shrinkable plastic film, of AIPE / AI or AI complex

  denotes the outer layers of AI and PE the inner layer of PE.

  It is advantageous, as shown in particular in Figures 6 and 11, that said tongue (46) is provided with means of visual contrast and / or reinforcement, so as to indicate to the consumer, in a discreet but nevertheless clear manner, on what it should be exerted a slight tensile force, while giving it the impression of having in hand a tongue having a certain toughness, despite the fact that said caps are

  made from thin sheet or strip material.

  The visual contrast and reinforcement means illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 11 is a guilloche surface, that is to say provided with a lattice of small reliefs obtained by stamping, which provide the tongue with sufficient contrast with respect to the environment - not guilloche - of the tongue, and at the same time a slight extra thickness due to the relief, which, at the same time, reinforces the mechanical resistance of the tongue and transmits to the user a

  justified impression of security in the possibility of easy opening of said cap.

  It is also advantageous that said upper part of the skirt (10) comprises axial grooves (9), the lower end of which is located from 1 to 5 mm above said low weakening line (44). These grooves have first an advantageous aesthetic effect, known in itself, but it seems that they can also, in the context of the present invention, contribute to promoting an easy opening of said cap (1) along the lines of weakness, in particular along the bottom line (44), so as to leave intact the bottom part (I 1) of the cap. According to the invention, said sheet or strip material can have a thickness ranging from to 50 ipm when the material is aluminum or alloy, a thickness ranging from 110 to pLm when the material is tin or alloy, thickness ranging from 60 to 100 {im when the material is a shrinkable plastic film, and a thickness ranging from 60 to 110

  um when the material is an AI / PE / AI multilayer complex.

  According to another embodiment of the invention, said cap can comprise a low reinforcement means, typically a low border (47), or edging, circular and of a width between I and 10 mmrn, placed on the upper edge of said lower part (1), along and parallel to the lower weakening line (44), as shown in FIG. 13a, and possibly including, as shown in FIG. 13b, a top reinforcement means, typically a upper edge (48) parallel to said lower edge (47) and situated on the lower edge of said upper part (10), so as to ensure, when the cap is opened, a tearing which follows said line of weakness lower (44), without deviating towards said lower part (11), or, possibly, towards said upper part (10) of the cap, and this, even when a thin material is used to form the cost, and typically , aluminum foil or strip, ga ufree or not, of a thickness less than 40 Im.n, or even 35 pm and even 30 tim Said high (48) and low (47) borders can be a reinforcing strip, typically made of plastic, paper, fixed at said lower and / or upper part as the case may be, a bead of plastic material or of a polymer, which may be in the form of a resin, a varnish or a paint, deposited on said lower part and / or high as appropriate, or any other reinforcing means, for example a low metallic wire

diameter (<I mm).

  It goes without saying that the more the reinforcement has high mechanical characteristics, the more its

  width or thickness may be small.

  This modality makes it possible to widen, towards small thicknesses, the field of use of the materials forming said face. In fact, the caps of the invention being overcap caps, which typically have a decorative function, could certainly be made of materials thin, insofar as they can be manufactured, marketed and applied industrially, typically using automatic machines, but, without the means of the present invention, the caps are

  would tear untimely and the problem posed would be unsolved.

  Another object of the invention is constituted by a method of manufacturing caps (1) according to the invention comprising: - the cutting in said film or sheet material, of a press (6) of said skirt, of length H ', with the formation of said weakening lines (43, 44) and notches (460, 461) on an axial edge (60), - the possible deposit of a radial thread of adhesive which can be activated hot or by pressure (63 ), typically on the other axial border (61) of said press, except on the part corresponding to or opposite said tongue (46), - the possible removal of a border (47), or of two borders (47, 48) circular, and in which one rolls on said mandrel (6), by folding the axial border (60) on the other axial border (61), a net of adhesive is deposited between the two borders, or possibly activating said already deposited adhesive, to form said skirt (4) by pressing the edges (60, 61) one against the other and in form optionally ant said grooves (9), and a head (5) is assembled or formed, optionally by fitting a head element and fixing it by heat sealing to the upper edge (64) of said skirt,

  possibly shrunk and pleated.

  Said border (47) or (48) can be formed by depositing, typically using a gun, a bead or a net of molten plastic, adherent and hardening during deposition or contact with the aluminum foil, but optionally using a mask or by a screen printing technique, by applying a layer of resin or paint, preferably quick-drying, the thickness of such a bead or net being

between 15 and 100 rpm.

  Other reinforcing means could be used. Among all the many possible means, preference is given to those which are inexpensive and easy to position on the developed (6) of the cap, and which adhere quickly and irreversibly to

The hairdo.

  We can also form at the same time, that is to say in the same movement and with the same composite tool, the so-called weakening lines (43, 44) and place the border (s) (47, 48), so as to guarantee perfect parallelism and the small constant distance, typically less than 2 mm, between the low weakening line (44) and

the border (s) (47,48).

  Thus, the caps according to the invention can be manufactured by only slightly modifying the manufacturing process by rolling, and therefore at no additional cost compared to the caps of the prior art. They are even more economical than those

  operating with a "tircel" because they are easier to manufacture.

EXEM [PLE OF REALIZATION

  Conical caps (1) were made as shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, according to the

previously indicated process.

  The dimensions of the manufactured caps are shown in Figure 6, with in particular: * L equal to 30 mm, * H equal to 33 mm, The tongue, guilloche as shown in FIG. 6, had a width LI equal to min.

  The angle uO at the bottom of the notches (460, 461) was chosen to be 75.

  The conicity of the caps (I) was 6, i.e. the angle formed by the oblique walls

  of the skirt (4) shown in FIG. 6.

  It was used as material of the aluminum strip of thickness 40 pum, decorated on the

  external face of a gold-colored varnish.

  Bottles with wire caps, covered with caps (1) according to the invention, and bottles dressed with caps according to the prior art, as shown in FIG. 4, were subjected to an opening test carried out by a group people representing the consumer population, with instructions to proceed in the usual way, without

  more and less attention or care than usual in society.

  Results with the caps according to the invention, all the bottles presented a bottom part (1 1) of intact cap after easy opening, whereas with the caps according to the state of the art, approximately one third of the bottom parts of the skirt were severely torn, a third

  slightly damaged, and only a third remained intact.

  We also made caps similar to the previous ones from aluminum tape

embossed 30, rm thick.

  A border (47) was formed on the developed (6) of the skirt using a strip, to

  base of PE adherent to aluminum foil, black in color and 5 mm wide.

  Caps of this type have also been manufactured by forming a border (47) by depositing a resin net of the "hot-melt" type, using an application gun containing resin.

  fondue which solidifies on contact with aluminum foil.

  Caps were also made by depositing a mesh of fast-drying UV resin.

  In all cases, the border (47) was easy to spot, either by its own color or

  by addition of a coloring matter.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

  The invention has the advantage of solving the problems of easy opening of the caps for sparkling wines without having to substantially modify the usual manufacturing processes, or introducing any particular insert, of the "tircel" type, and this while keeping at the cap itself its decorative and attractive side, and without being limited by the thickness of the

  material used to form said caps.

Claims (12)

  1. Easy opening cap (1), typically conical, formed of a head (5) and a skirt (4), made of film or sheet material, for receptacles or bottles of sparkling wines (2) with or without a metal wire (3) and provided with a tightening wire (30) passing under the glass ring (20) of said bottle and provided with its opening twist or eyelet (31), and comprising at least one weakening line (40) carried on the skirt (4) of said cap, characterized in that said cap comprises a) two weakening lines carried on said skirt and typically parallel, with a line called "low" (44 ) located at or below said glass ring (20), and a so-called high line "(43) spaced up from the so-called low line" by a distance L at least equal to 0.5.H , H being the height between the so-called "low" line and the upper end or top of said cap (1), weakening lines (43,44) which delimit a strip opening te (45) of width L, b) a gripping tab (46), positioned along a generatrix of said cone, located between said two weakening lines (43, 44) and integral with said opening strip ( 45), said tongue (46) comprising means for automatically orienting the tearing force when said cap opens towards said two weakening lines, so as to effect an easy opening of said cap, ensuring the integrity of the remaining bottom part (I l) of said cap situated below said bottom line (44), and   releasing said muselet (3) in case it is present.   2. Cap according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises notches or recesses (460, 461) made at the "high" and "low" ends of said tongue (46), notches or recesses made in said film or sheet material constituting said cap.   3 cap according to any one of claims I to 2 wherein the width Li of   said tongue (46) ranges from 0.5.L to L, with L ranging from 1.5 to 4 cm.   4. Cap according to any one of claims I to 3 wherein said material is   chosen from sheets or strips of Al or alloy of AI, Sn or alloy of Sn, of shrinkable plastic film, of complex AI / PE / AI ol Al designates the outer layers of AI and PE the inner layer of PE.   5. Cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said tongue   (46) is provided with means of visual contrast and / or reinforcement.   6. Coitfe according to any one of claims I to 5 wherein said upper part   of the skirt (10) comprises axial grooves (9) whose lower end is located at 1   5 mmrn above said low weakening line (44).   7. Cap according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said material   sheet or strip has a thickness ranging from 25 to 50 pmrn when the material is aluminum or alloy, a thickness ranging from 110 to 150 ltm when the material is tin or alloy, thickness ranging from 60 to 100 µm when the material is a shrink plastic film, and a thickness ranging from 60 to 110 Kim when the material is a complex AI / PE / AI multilayer.   8. Cap according to any one of claims I to 7 comprising a reinforcing means   bottom, typically a low border (47), or border, circular and of a width between I and 10 mm, located on the upper edge of said lower part (1 1), along said low weakening line ( 44) and parallel to the latter   9. Coifte according to any one of claims 1 to 8 comprising a reinforcing means   top, typically a top edge (48) located on the bottom edge of said top part (10), along and parallel to said bottom weakening line (44)   10. Cap according to any one of claims 8 and 9 wherein said border   (47, 48) is formed either by a reinforcing strip, typically made of plastic   or in paper, either by a cord of plastic, resin, varnish or paint.   11. A method of manufacturing caps (1) according to any one of claims I to 10   comprising - cutting from said material into film or sheet, a press (6) of said skirt, of length H ', with the formation of said lines of weakness (43, 44) and notches (460, 461) on a axial border (60), - the possible removal of a radial thread of adhesive which can be activated hot or by pressure (63), typically on the other axial border (61) of said press, except on the part corresponding to or opposite of said tongue (46), - the possible removal of a border (47) or of two borders (47,48), - and in which, said tread (6) is rolled on a mandrel, by folding down the axial border (60 ) on the other axial border (61), a thread of adhesive is deposited between the two borders, or optionally activating said already deposited adhesive, to form said skirt (4) by pressing the borders (60, 61). one against the other and possibly forming said grooves (9), and a head (5) is assembled or formed, optionally by bringing in an element head and fixing it by heat sealing to the upper edge (64) of said skirt,   possibly shrunk and pleated.   12. The method of claim 11 wherein the removal of one or two edges (47,48) is carried out either by gluing a strip, or by deposition, using a   pistol, a bead of molten plastic, adherent and hardening during deposition.