GB2124599A

GB2124599A - Security closure for containers, particularly bottles

Info

Publication number: GB2124599A
Application number: GB08231205A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Piergiacomo Guala
Original assignee: Angelo Guala SpA
Current assignee: Angelo Guala SpA
Priority date: 1982-07-28
Filing date: 1982-11-01
Publication date: 1984-02-22
Also published as: IT8222616A0; IT1153113B; IT8222616A1

Abstract

A security closure for a bottle (1) for alcoholic drinks is constituted by two tubular bodies (7; 26, 27) which are mounted axially on one another, the first body (7) being firmly fixed to the neck of the bottle (1) and the second body (26,27), which has one end closed by a transverse wall (25), being connected to the first body (7) by a combination of first and second engagement means (34, 36; 31, 32). The first engagement means are constituted by a plurality of axial ribs (34) and grooves formed on the facing surfaces of the two bodies (7; 26, 27) in a section close to the open end of the second body. The second engagement means are constituted by a plurality of circumferential ribs (31) on the inner surface of the second body and an opposing helical rib (32) on the outer surface of the first body, the helical rib (32) having a saw-tooth section. A zone of weakening (28) which can be broken by twisting is formed in the side wall of the second body (26,27) and is constituted by a plurality of separate aligned circumferential slits. This combination of the engagement means (34, 36; 31, 32) and the zone of weakening (28) makes it possible to assemble the second body (26, 27) on the first body (7) by axial force-fitting without the risk of breakage and deformation, while the zone of weakening (28), which acts as a security seal, can still be broken by twisting when the closure is first opened. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security closure for containers, such as bottles The present invention relates to a plastics security closure for containers of liquids, such as bottles for alcoholic drinks, comprising a first tubular body which is fitted firmly onto the outside of the neck of the container to extend axially beyond the mouth of the container and has a pouring lip for the liquid, a second tubular body, open at one end and closed at its opposite end by a transverse wall, which is fitted axially over the first tubular body and is provided in a position intermediate the transverse wall and the open end with a peripheral zone of weakening which can be broken by twisting one part of the second body relative to another, and engagement means between the first and second bodies.

In some cases, this type of security closure may also include a unidirectional valve member which is inserted within the first tubular body and is supported therein by a suitable housing structure, so as to avoid the fraudulent introduction of liquid through the opening defined by the pouring lip after the first opening of the closure.

Such security closures, whether they are provided with valve members or not, are well known in this branch of the art and, by virtue of their structure, are widely used for the automatic stoppering of bottles by machines.

Within this specific field of use, the tubular bodies constituting the closure are force-fitted axially onto one another automatically until the correct mutual positioning is achieved, and the entire closure is then force-fitted onto the bottle.

During the assembly of the tubular bodies, several difficulties are encountered which the present invention aims to overcome.

As may be appreciated, the fitting of the second body onto the first body involves the application of an axial force which is opposed by the means provided for the mutual engagement of the two bodies and is also necessary for the subsequent breakage and opening of the security closure.

In particular, these engagement means include first engagement means which are located close to the open end part of the second body for ensuring the firm fixing of this part to the underlying part of the fixed first body so that, when the closure is opened by a twisting action on the upper closed part of the second body, the zone of weakening is broken and the upper part of the second body thus becomes detached to act as a removable cap. Furthermore, second engagement means are located close to the transverse wall of the second body to define a threaded coupling so that the cap part can be opened and closed by screwing, when it has been separated from the underlying band formed by the fixed open end part of the second body.

Thus, it is clear that, during the fitting of the second body onto the first, the axial force must overcome the resistance offered by the engagement means and may cause breakage or deformation of the body.

Finally, the zone of weakening, which is constituted conventionally by a series of small axial links between peripheral slots, is not good at withstanding the axial force exerted on the second body during the fitting. Indeed, the small links are squashed and consequently flexed outwardly of the cylindrical surface of the body with the risk of their being broken, which would render the closure unusable.

The problem behind the present invention is thus that of enabling the automatic assembly of the second tubular body of the closure onto the first by axial force-fitting, so that its fitting does not involve excessive force which would damage the structural elements of the clousre, while at the same time achieving an engagement which is effective in used under conditions in which the security closure is intact, during the first opening by breaking of the security seal, and during subsequent opening and closing operations.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a security closure of the aforesaid type in which the engagement means comprise, in combination, first engagement means constituted by circumferentially spaced axial ribs and grooves on the facing surfaces of the first and second bodies in an axial position between the open end of the second body and the zone of weakening, and second engagement means constituted by a plurality of circumferential ribs projecting from the inner surface of the second body in a section between the zone of weakening and the transverse end wall and an opposing helical rib on the outer surface of the first body, the helical rib having a substantially saw-toothed cross-section with its larger side facing the pouring lip, and in which the zone of weakening is constituted by a plurality of separate aligned circumferential slits.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closure according to the invention in an open condition; Figure 2 is a partially-sectioned side view of the closure according to the invention in a closed condition with the security intact; Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, showing the engaged tubular bodies in the closed condition of the closure with the security intact; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the profile of the second engagement means; Figure 5 is a side view of the zone of weakening, and Figure 6 is a cross-section taken on the line VI-Vi of Figure 3.

With reference to the drawings, a wall 1 constitutes the neck of a container having a mouth 2. In a conventional manner, the neck of the container has an outer annular flange 3, and an enlargement 4 around its free edge 5 defining a re-entrant step 6. The closure according to the present invention is mounted on the neck 1 and includes a first tubular body 7 of plastics material having an annular rib 8 which faces the neck 1 and is arranged to be positioned beneath the step 6. The upper end of the tubular body 7 has a pouring lip 9 formed on a tubular wall 10 to which a cap 13 is fixed by means of radial tabs 12 spaced from each other to form passages for a liquid.

Within the mouth 2 of the container is inserted a valve member comprising an annular plate-like plastics part 14 to which tubular walls 1 5, 16, extending axially in opposite directions, and a hollow frusto-conical part 1 7 are connected. The latter houses a spherical body 1 8 which is free to move axially and rotate.

The inner surface of the hollow frusto-conical part 1 7 is formed with circumferentiaily spaced axial ribs 19 for the axial guiding of the spherical body 1 8. These ribs 1 9 extend axially beyond the upper edge 20 of the frusto-conical part 17 and define radialiy an opening 21 with a diameter substantially equal to that of the spherical body 1 8. The opposite opening 22 of the frusto-conical part 1 7 has a diameter less than that of the spherical body 18, in order to prevent the latter passing into the interior of the container.

Coaxially with the body 7, and on the outside thereof, the closure further includes a second tubular body, generally indicated 23. This body 23 is open at its lower end 24 and is closed at its opposite end by means of a transverse wall 25.

Along its axial extent, the side wall of the second body 23 is divided into a lower part 26 close to the open end 24 and an upper part 27 connected to the transverse wall 25. The portions 26, 27 are separated by a zone of weakening 28 which is constituted by a plurality of slits 29 (Figure 5) which extend through the entire thickness of the wall of the body 23 and are separated from each other circumferentially by links or complete sections 30. These slits 29 are formed by cutting with a rotary blade and have a very small axial extent.

The surface of the second tubular body 23 facing the outer surface of the underlying first tubular body 7 is formed with engagement means which cooperate with corresponding engagement means on the outer surface of the first body 7 to fix the two bodies 7, 23 together in use.

With particular reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, it can be seen that the upper part 27 of the second body 23 has a pair of annular ribs 31 which are spaced apart axially and are intended to cooperate with a helical rib 32 formed on the opposing surface of the tubular body 7 by screwengagement. As shown in Figure 4, the helical rib 32 has a saw-tooth profile in cross-section, with its larger side 33 being slightly convex and facing the pouring lip 9. These ribs 31,32 constitute the aforesaid second engagement means. The lower part 26 of the body 23 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart axial ribs 34 each of which faces a corresponding groove 35 defined by two adjacent axial ribs 36 projecting from the opposing surface of the underlying first body 7.

These ribs 34 and grooves 35 constitute the aforesaid first engagement means.

From what is described above, it will be appreciated that the structure of the closure according to the invention allows axial assembly to be carried out extremely easily and, at the same time, renders the closure effective in use.

It can be seen that the axial assembly of the second body 23 on the underlying first body 7 may be carried out without the risk of breakage or deformation, by virtue of the inclined profile of the saw-tooth sectioned side 33 of the helical rib 32 together with the axial form of the ribs 34. 36 of the body 23 and the body 7 respectively, and the nature of the zone of weakening 28 in which the cuts 29 of limited axial extent allow substantial annular contact between the parts 26, 27 of the second body 23.

With this combination of features, it is possible to achieve the necessary axial assembling force on the second body 23 to effect the correct engagement with the first body 7. The axial ribs 34, 36 of the respective bodies 23, 7 also ensure, at the moment of the first opening which involves the rotation of the upper part 27 on the helical rib 32, secure locking of the lower part 26 and hence an easy and precise torsional breakage of the complete sections 30 of the zone of weakening.

It may be appreciated, therefore, how the illustrated features act together to achieve, on the one hand, the correct assembly of the closure and, on the other hand, correct functioning thereof, particularly during the first opening with breakage of the security seal.

Claims

1. Security closure for containers of liquids, such as bottles for alcoholic drinks, comprising a first tubular body which is fitted firmly to the outside of the neck of the container to extend axially beyond the mouth of the container and has a pouring lip for the liquid, a second tubular body, open at one end and closed at its opposite end by a transverse wall, which is fitted axially over the first tubular body and is provided in a position intermediate the transverse wall and the open end with a peripheral zone of weakening which can be broken by twisting of one part of the second body relative to another, and engagement means between the first and second bodies, in which the engagement means comprise, in combination, first engagement means constituted by circumferentially spaced axial ribs and grooves on the facing surfaces of the first and second bodies in an axial position between the open end of the second body and the zone of weakening, and second engagement means constituted by a plurality of circumferential ribs projecting from the inner surface of the second body in a section between the zone of weakening and the transverse end wall and an opposing helical rib on the outer surface of the first body, the helical rib having a substantially saw-toothed cross-section with its larger side facing the pouring lip, and in which the zone of weakening is constituted by a plurality of separate aligned circumferential slits.

2. A closure as claimed in Claim 1, in which it includes a unidirectional valve member inserted in the first tubular body, the valve member being constituted by a spherical body supported movably within a substantially frusto-conical body and guided axially by a plurality of axial ribs on the inner wall of the frusto-conical body, the ribs defining an opening which faces the pouring lip and has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the spherical body.

3. A closure as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, in which the axial ribs on the inner wall of the frustoconical body extend axially beyond the edge of the frusto-conical body facing the pouring lip of the first tubular body.

4. A security closure for containers, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the appended drawings.