FR3126968A1 - Device for storing a liquid comprising a container and a stopper remaining attached to the container - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (100) for storing a liquid, comprising: a container (110) provided with a neck (120) inside which is formed a neck (130), and a stopper (140) comprising a cover (145) configured to seal off said neck in a sealed manner and a skirt (160) covering at least part of a ring (125) of said neck. The stopper cooperates in rotation with the ring of said neck between a closed position of said neck and a so-called open position, leaving said neck at least partly open, while being held together by means of a stop ( 150) presented by the ring, the stop limiting the movement of a complementary stop (155) presented by the cap. figure for abstract: figure 1

Description

Device for storing a liquid comprising a container and a stopper remaining integral with the container

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is that of liquid containers.

More specifically, the invention relates to a device for storing a liquid comprising a container and a stopper remaining integral with the container.

The invention finds applications in particular in the field of plastic bottles adapted to the next standards, in particular to European standards, related to waste management and its reduction. These standards will require caps to be attached to the container in order to prevent the caps from being lost and ending up in nature rather than being recycled with the container.

STATE OF THE ART

It is known from the prior art techniques of stoppers integral with a container, in particular at the neck of a bottle, where the neck of the bottle is formed used to extract the liquid contained in the bottle.

For example, there are techniques for hinged caps with a ring attached to the neck of the bottle.

These techniques have the major drawback of making the bottle difficult to handle, or even unpleasant for a user, because the stopper remaining close to the neck can interfere with the user when he is trying, for example, to drink from the neck of the bottle. .

These same techniques can also have the disadvantage of causing splashes during the initial opening of the cork, when the level of liquid in the bottle is at its highest. Indeed, the opening of the cap requires a force in the axis of the neck which can cause an unexpected movement of the container and an oscillation of the surface of the liquid contained.

It is also known techniques of sport-type integral caps, comprising an orifice formed through a boss formed projecting at the level of the cap and a sliding part in the orifice making it possible to close or open the orifice.

However, these techniques are designed in particular to allow the user to drink at the level of the orifice of the boss and not to allow the contents of the bottle to be quickly poured out.

In addition, these techniques are generally complex to implement because they generally have several moving parts to assemble, and therefore more expensive to manufacture.

None of the current systems makes it possible to respond simultaneously to all the required needs, namely to propose a technique of cap integral with a bottle, which makes it possible to easily pour out the contents of the bottle, without disturbing a user wishing to drink directly from the neck of the bottle and without causing a splash when the bottle is first opened.

The present invention aims to remedy all or part of the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.

• un contenant muni d’un col à l’intérieur duquel est formé un goulot, et
• un bouchon comprenant un couvercle configuré pour obturer ledit goulot de manière étanche et une jupe recouvrant au moins en partie une bague dudit col.

To this end, the invention relates to a device for storing a liquid, comprising:

• a container provided with a neck inside which a neck is formed, and
• a stopper comprising a lid configured to seal off said neck in a leaktight manner and a skirt covering at least part of a ring of said neck.

Such a container corresponds for example to a bottle comprising a flared part and a narrower part called the neck in which is formed the neck allowing the insertion or extraction of a liquid inside the container.

Traditionally, the end of the neck of plastic bottles has a ring having a helical helix cooperating with a thread formed inside the skirt of the cap. The ring is made by injecting a plastic material into a mould, the body of the bottle then being traditionally obtained by blowing the plastic material into a suitable mould.

It should be emphasized that the shoulders formed between the flared part and the neck of a bottle are more or less formed according to the bottle configurations, and even sometimes difficult to distinguish, in particular when the diameter of the flared part and the diameter of the neck are close or even equal.

According to the invention, the stopper cooperates in rotation with the ring of said neck between a closed position of said neck and a position, called open, leaving said neck at least partially open, the ring having a stop limiting the movement of 'an additional stop presented by the cap.

Thus, the cork which is rotated relative to the neck cannot be extracted from the neck of the bottle without damage or application of a significant force. The stopper then remaining advantageously attached to the container can be recycled with the latter.

The abutment and the complementary abutment can be of different shapes depending on the connection between the cap and the ring.

In the case of a non-sliding pivot connection between the plug and the ring, the stop can only be of the axial type in the direction of the axis of rotation of the plug relative to the ring, for example forming a groove in which the complementary abutment of the cap, such as a lug, is inserted.

In the case of a helical connection between the plug and the ring, the axial stress is imposed by the helical connection which is generally formed by threads cooperating with each other, placed respectively inside the skirt and outside the ring. The stop is then configured to limit the rotation of the cap relative to the ring by a defined angle which can be for example a quarter turn or a half turn, by limiting the travel of the additional stop.

The stop and the complementary stop are generally configured in relief, that is to say hollow or bump, so that one of the two comes into contact with or rests on the other.

It should be noted that the stopper of the container is distinct from the stopper formed by the open end of the ring on which the internal face of the lid rests in the closed position to ensure the tightness of the neck.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the periphery of the neck ring comprises a circular part, collinear with a circle of radius R, and a so-called truncated part, corresponding to a truncation of said circle over an angle α.

In such particular embodiments of the invention, the lid of the stopper is generally circular with a truncated part, the skirt of the stopper comprising an opening or a hingeable dish along the truncated part.

Thus, the cap truncated in part with respect to a circular cap can be rotated with the neck ring. It should be noted that in the case of the presence of an articulating dish, the articulating dish must be open to allow the rotation of the cap.

In addition, the rotation of the truncated cap allows the neck to be left free in the open position, even if the cap remains attached to the neck ring.

It should be emphasized that the truncated part is for example of slender shape. However, the truncated part can be of any shape.

Preferably, the periphery of the neck is at all points equidistant from the periphery of the neck.

In other words, the collar ring is globally of constant thickness.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the articulable plate comprises a tenon cooperating with a boss presented by the collar ring.

Thus, a better seal can be achieved in the closed position by applying through the cooperation between the tenon and the boss, an additional stress in the axial direction of the neck. The axial direction corresponds to the axis of rotation of the plug relative to the ring.

In particular embodiments of the invention, when the angle α is greater than or equal to π/2, the stop and the complementary stop are configured such that the rotation between the closed position and the aperture is less than π-α.

This maximum rotation makes it possible to prevent the cap from separating from the ring of the neck during rotation, by constraining the contact between the skirt and the ring to a minimum surface required to maintain the connection between the cap and the ring.

It should be emphasized that when the angle α is less than π/2, the connection between the ring and the cap is maintained regardless of the angle of rotation between the closed position and the open position.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the complementary abutment is a lug projecting from the inner face of the skirt, the abutment being presented by the outer surface of the neck.

In particular embodiments of the invention, a groove of depth ε is formed outside the ring of the neck of the container, the lug of the stopper sliding in said groove, the bottom of the groove comprising a circular part, collinear of a circle of radius R-ε, or even a slender, so-called truncated part, corresponding to a truncation of said circle of radius R-ε over an angle β less than α.

The groove makes it possible to narrow the minimum contact diameter of the connection between the plug and the ring and consequently to increase the possible angle of rotation of the plug in relation to the ring.

It should be noted that the groove also acts as a stop in the axial direction for the lug.

Preferably, when the angle β is greater than or equal to π/2, the stop and the lug which acts as a complementary stop are configured so that the rotation between the closed position and the open position is less to π-β.

It should be emphasized that when the angle β is less than π/2, or even zero in the absence of truncation, the pivot connection between the cap and the ring is preserved.

It should also be pointed out that one end of the throat can be configured to form the stopper associated with the opening position of the neck.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the lug corresponds to at least part of a crown or a helix formed inside the skirt of the stopper.

Thus, the contact surface between the lug and the throat is important.

The crown can for example be formed at the level of the open edge of the skirt of the stopper, by curving the open edge of the skirt towards the inside of the stopper.

It should be noted that the crown or helix type spur may be discontinuous.

In other particular embodiments of the invention, the additional stop is a lug projecting from the internal face of the lid, so as to fit into the neck and to come into abutment against a wall of the neck in the open position.

The configuration of the protruding lug can make it possible to maintain the connection between the cap and the ring. For this purpose, the lug is preferably positioned at a distance from the skirt substantially equal, preferably slightly less, to the thickness of the ring in order to provide radial stress to the cap.

In other particular embodiments of the invention, the periphery of the ring of the neck is entirely circular, the neck being off-center with respect to the axis of revolution of the ring and the lid of the stopper comprises a solid section entirely covering the neck in the closed position and an opening leaving the neck at least partially free in the open position.

In such embodiments, the shape of the neck can be arbitrary.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the ring of the circular neck comprises a peripheral, circular or helical groove, forming an abutment for a lug, of the crown or helix type, the lug forming a complementary abutment projecting from the face internal cap skirt.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the cap cooperates with the neck by a helical connection.

This is a classic connection between a plastic bottle and its cap. However, the stopper remains integral here by means of the abutment and the complementary abutment configured to bear against one another in the open configuration.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the stopper cooperates with the neck by a non-slip pivot connection.

The stopper is formed for example by a circular groove surrounding the neck, the stopper comprising a ring or a series of lugs, forming a complementary stopper projecting inside the stopper, intended to be inserted into the groove. The ring, also called crown, or the series of lugs is configured to constrain the movements of the stopper in translation along the axis of rotation. Also, the depth of the ring or lugs is determined to prevent the cork from being easily removed from the neck.

It should be noted that the non-slip pivot connection is currently uncommon on plastic bottles where a helical connection between the cap and the container is rather preferred.

In particular embodiments of the invention, the stopper comprises a relief on its internal face, the relief matching the periphery of the neck.

This relief makes it possible in particular to ensure the seal between the cap and the neck, in particular for storing sparkling type drinks.

The invention also relates to a container and a cap of a storage device according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

• est une vue en perspective d’un exemple de mode de réalisation particulier du dispositif de stockage selon l’invention, comprenant un agrandissement centré sur la bague du contenant du dispositif de stockage ;
• est une vue de dessus du goulot du contenant du dispositif de stockage de la , dans lequel le bouchon est dans une position d’ouverture du goulot ;
• est une vue en perspective de la bague du contenant du dispositif de stockage de la comprenant une alternative au bouchon de la ;
• est une vue de dessus du goulot du contenant du dispositif de stockage de la , comprenant une bague alternative, dans lequel le bouchon est dans une position d’ouverture du goulot ;
• est une vue en coupe de la bague de la , la coupe étant centrée sur la gorge de la bague ;
• est une vue en perspective de la bague du contenant du dispositif de stockage de la comprenant une alternative au bouchon de la ;
• est une vue en coupe du col du contenant du dispositif de stockage de la ;
• est une vue en coupe d’une alternative à la bague de la ;
• est une vue en coupe d’une autre alternative à la bague de la ;
• est une vue de dessus du col d’un autre exemple de mode de réalisation du dispositif de stockage selon l’invention.

Other advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the present invention will emerge from the non-limiting description which follows of at least one particular embodiment of the devices which are the objects of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• is a perspective view of an example of a particular embodiment of the storage device according to the invention, comprising an enlargement centered on the ring of the container of the storage device;
• is a top view of the neck of the container of the storage device of the , wherein the cap is in a neck-opening position;
• is a perspective view of the ring of the container of the storage device of the including an alternative to the cap of the ;
• is a top view of the neck of the container of the storage device of the , comprising an alternative ring, in which the stopper is in a neck-opening position;
• is a sectional view of the ring of the , the cut being centered on the throat of the ring;
• is a perspective view of the ring of the container of the storage device of the including an alternative to the cap of the ;
• is a cross-sectional view of the neck of the container of the storage device of the ;
• is a cross-sectional view of an alternative to the ring of the ;
• is a cross-sectional view of another alternative to the ring of the ;
• is a top view of the neck of another exemplary embodiment of the storage device according to the invention.

Claims (14)

Device (100; 300) for storing a liquid, comprising:

• a container (110; 310) provided with a neck (120; 320) inside which a neck (130; 330) is formed, and
• a stopper (140; 340) comprising a cover (145; 350) configured to seal said neck in a sealed manner and a skirt (160) covering at least part of a ring (125; 325) of said neck,

characterized in that the cap cooperates in rotation with the ring of said neck between a position of closure of said neck and a position, called opening, leaving said neck at least partly open, the ring having a stop (150; 131; 370) limiting the movement of an additional stop (155; 250; 360) presented by the cap. Device for storing a liquid according to claim 1, in which the periphery of the ring of the neck comprises a circular part, collinear with a circle of radius R, and a so-called truncated part, corresponding to a truncation of said circle on a angle α, and in which the cover of the stopper is generally circular with a truncated part, the skirt of the stopper comprising an opening or a hinged plate along the truncated part. Device for storing a liquid according to the preceding claim, in which the articulable plate comprises a tenon (315) cooperating with a boss (316) presented by the ring of the neck. Device for storing a liquid according to the preceding claim, in which when the angle α is greater than or equal to π/2, the stop and the complementary stop are configured in such a way that the rotation between the closing position and the open position is less than π-α. Device for storing a liquid according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the complementary abutment is a lug projecting from the internal face of the skirt, the abutment being presented by the external surface of the neck. Device for storing a liquid according to the preceding claim, in that it is in accordance with claim 2, in which a groove of depth ε is formed outside the ring of the neck of the container, the lug of the stopper sliding in said groove, the bottom of the groove comprising a circular part, collinear with a circle of radius R-ε, and an elongated part, called truncated, corresponding to a truncation of said circle of radius R-ε over an angle β less than α. Device for storing a liquid according to the preceding claim, in which when the angle β is greater than or equal to π/2, the stop and the lug are configured such that the rotation between the closed position and the open position is less than π-β. A liquid storage device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the lug corresponds to at least part of a crown or helix formed within the skirt of the cap. Device for storing a liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the additional stop is a lug (250) projecting from the internal face of the lid, so as to fit into the neck and to come into abutment against a wall (131) of the neck in the open position. Device for storing a liquid according to claim 1, in which the periphery of the ring of the neck is entirely circular, the neck being off-center with respect to the axis of revolution of the ring, and in which the lid of the stopper comprises a solid section completely covering the neck in the closed position and an opening leaving the neck at least partly free in the open position. Device for storing a liquid according to the preceding claim, in which the ring of the circular neck comprises a peripheral, circular or helical groove (260; 410), forming a stop for a lug, of the crown or helix type, the lug forming a complementary abutment projecting from the internal face of the cap skirt. Device for storing a liquid according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cap has a relief (550) on its internal face, the relief conforming to the periphery of the neck. Container (110; 310) of a storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 12. Cap (140; 340) of a storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.