GB2141414A

GB2141414A - Improved screw bottle cap in two joined parts, of the type incorporating a tamper-indicating ring

Info

Publication number: GB2141414A
Application number: GB08414643A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Emilio Morini
Original assignee: Bormioli Metalplast SpA
Current assignee: Bormioli Metalplast SpA
Priority date: 1983-06-15
Filing date: 1984-06-08
Publication date: 1984-12-19
Also published as: ES280025Y; GB8414643D0; IT8329017V0; ES280025U; GB2141414B; DE8416600U1

Abstract

The screw cap comprises a skirt (1), an annular element (2) providing a tamper-indicating ring (5) and an additional element in the form of a sealing disc (3) moulded integrally with the annular element (2) and associated with the latter's internal surface via frangible connections (6). When the cap is fitted to a bottle neck, disc (3) is driven upwards toward the top of the cap and lodges in a groove (8), where it provides an air/fluid tight seal between cap and bottle neck. In alternative embodiments (Figs. 4,5) disc (3) is replaced by a pourer (3a) or a drop-dispenser (3b). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved screw bottle cap in two joined parts, of the type incorporating a breakable seal.

The invention relates to an improved bottle-cap of the breakable-seal type, embodied in two parts. The prior art embraces bottle-caps - fashioned generally from plastic - which consist of two parts: one being a cylindrical element providing the bottle cap itself, and the other a collar associated coaxially with the cap by way of perforations which provide the breakable seal. The parts are usually moulded separately and then joined together at the moment of the cap's being fitted to the bottle.

In the great number of cases, such bottle-caps also incorporate convenience parts such as pourers or drop-dispensers, and air/fluid-tight pads & ., fashioned and fitted to the bottle or cap in separate operations. More precisely, in view of the fact that the cylindrical cap element is made from a relatively rigid type of plastic and therefore incapable of providing an efficient seal between the mouth of the bottle and the internal surface of the cylindrical cap offered thereto, a flat pad is generally located inside the cap such that when the latter is screwed onto the bottle, one is provided with the desired seal between cylindrical cap element and bottle-mouth.

The manufacturing, storage and fitting of such addition or convenience parts will invariably account for a considerable outlay in production of the single bottle-cap, especially in the light of its low cost, and ofthe large numbers turned out.

The object of the invention is that of providing a screw bottle-cap of the type incorporating a breakable seal, which is provided with additional or convenience parts- in particular, an air/fluid-tight pad - whose manufacturing, storage and fitting costs are markedly reduced when compared with those of prior art bottle-caps.

This object is achieved, together with others, by adoption of the bottle cap described herein, which is of the type comprising: - a cylindrical element constituting the bottle cap itself, - an annular element consisting of a first collar which fits into said cylindrical element, and a second collar associated coaxial ly with the first via perforations, thus providing the bottle-cap's breakable seal; the bottle-cap according to the invention being characterised in that it has additional element of lesser diameter than the smallest inside diameter of the annular element, associated coaxially with said annular element via perforations which permit its easy separation therefrom at the moment of the cap's being fitted to the bottle.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is the section through a vertical and axial plane of the bottle-cap described herein, illustrating a first embodiment in which the additional element is a pad, and wherein the two elements making up the cap are not yet joined; Figure 2 is a similar section to that of Figure 1, which illustrates the two elements joined; Figure 3 is a similar section to that of Figures 1 and 2 showing the same cap fitted to a bottle; Figure 4 is the section through a vertical and axial plane of the bottle-cap in a second embodiment wherein the additional element is a pourer, the two elements making up the bottle-cap being illustrated in their joined state;; Figure 5 is the section through a vertical and axial plane of the bottle cap in a third embodiment wherein the additional element is a drop dispenser, the two elements making up the bottle-cap being illustrated in their joined state.

Referring to the drawings, bottle-caps to which the invention relates are of the type comprising a cylindrical element 1 which constitutes the 'cap' proper, and which is replaced each time the bottle is used, following the initial breaking of its perforated seal. The cylindrical element 1 will be a moulding, generally speaking, obtained from a relatively rigid plastic material, and incorporating an internal thread as in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1. This thread duly mates with the thread provided on the neck 9 of the bottle.

The bottle-cap described herein further comprises an annular element 2 exhibiting a first collar 4 which, on pairing said annular element 2 with said cylindrical element 1, snaps into an annular seat 10 offered thereto by the inner cylindrical surface of the former; and a second collar 5 coaxial with the first collar 4 and connected thereto via perforations 7, thus providing the breakable seal characteristic of the bottle-caps in question.

Inside the annular element 2 one has an additional element 3, 3a, or 3b whose circumference connects via perforations with an inner annular protrusion issuing from the second collar 5 of the annular element 2 itself. The diameter of the additional element 3, 3a or 3b is less than the smallest inside diameter of the annular element 2. Thus, the composite moulding incorporating said annular element 2 and its additional element 3, 3a or 3b is easily produced at manufacturing level. The uppermost inside part of the cylindrical cap element 1 is provided with a groove 8, 8a or 8b destined to accommodate a respective additional element 3, 3a or 3b, as will become clear in the course of the description.

In the first embodiment illustrated in Figures 1,2 and 3, the additional element takes the form of a pad 3 some 0.8mm thick which, once the cap has been fitted to the bottle, provides an air/fluid-tight seal between bottle-neck and cap.

In the second embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the additional element is a pourer 3a which, once the cap has been fitted to the bottle, lodges firmly in the mouth of the latter and thus facilitates pouring of the contents.

In the third embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the additional element is a drop-dispenser 3b which, once the cap has been fitted to the bottle, lodges firmly in the mouth of the latter and permits of controlling outflow of the contents drop by drop.

The additional elements thus incorporated are well known to a person skilled in the art, and therefore require no further description; indeed, there are numerous other possible embodiments of such additional elements besides the examples described and illustrated, all of which fall well within the scope of the invention as disclosed.

It will be clear at once that one has a significant reduction in manufacturing costs, with regard specifically to the moulding operation, since two components are moulded instead of three. What is more, space and handling requirements are reduced when storing the manufactured caps.

When the two elements are offered to the bottle, the complete bottle-cap is created by insertion of annular element 2 into cylindrical element 1, in such a way that the first collar4 snaps into the annular seat 10 provided in said cylindrical element, and the cap assumes its initial, joined state as illustrated in Figures 2,4 and 5.

On insertion proper of the bottle-neck 9 into the cap, the additional element 3, 3a or 3b is driven away from said annular element 2 - the force being provided by a conventional punch - such that it separates from the latter and rises toward the top of said cylindrical element 1, lodging ultimately in the groove 8, 8a or8b provided. This operation is singularly free from practical difficulties, since the perforations 6 located between the additional element and the second collar 5 of the annular element 2 are such as to produce an easy separation of the two parts.

On full insertion of the bottle neck into a cap as illustrated in the first embodiment, the pad 3 is driven into its groove 8 where it lodges, thereafter providing an air/fluid-tight seal between the cap and the mouth of the bottle.

The pourer 3a illustrated in Figure 4 is likewise driven up into the cap - by the action of a punch as aforesaid - so as to locate in the groove 8a in the top inside surface of the cylindrical element, and remains thus positioned until the bottle neck is fully inserted. On full insertion, in fact, the bottom end of the pourer lodges in the mouth of the bottle so as to remain permanently associated therewith. The same principle applies in the case of the embodiment with a drop-dispenser 3b.

The function of the groove 8 in the first embodiment of the cap is that of holding the pad 3 fast during normal use, and this being the case, it is sufficient to ensure that the depth of the groove matches such a physical requirement. In the second and third embodiments on the other hand, the corresponding groove 8a or 8b serves solely to detain the respective additional element 3a or 3b during insertion of the bottle neck into the cap, since following full insertion, the additional element will remain permanently associated with the bottle mouth for as long as the bottle and cap are used.

Thus, in these second and third embodiments, the groove 8a or 8b will be markedly shallow, so that in unscrewing the cylindrical cap element 1 from the bottle neck, the additional element is able to separate with ease from the top inside surface of said cylindrical element.

With the cap ultimately fitted to the bottle, one is provided with a patent consumer-protective seal which must be broken by twisting the cylindrical element 1 so as to break the perforations 7 which associate it with the second collar 5.

The bottle-cap disclosed thus dispenses with a distinct manufacturing stage, since its additional element 3, 3a or 3b is located during insertion of the bottle-neck into the cap, rather than being positioned previously in the cap (pad 3) or in the bottle mouth (pourer 3a and drop-dispenser 3b), as is the case with bottle caps according to the prior art.

Claims

1. Improved screw bottle-cap in two joined parts, of the type incorporating a breakable seal, which comprises: - a cylindrical element (1) constituting the bottle cap itself; - an annular element (2) consisting of a first collar (4) which fits into said cylindrical element, and a second collar (5) associated coaxially with the first via perforations (7), thus providing the bottle-cap's breakable seal; characterised in that it has an additional element (3)-(3a)-(3b) of lesser diameter than the smallest inside diameter of the annular element, associated coaxially with said annular element via perforations (6) which permit its easy separation therefrom at the moment of the cap's being fitted to the bottle.

2. Improved bottle-cap as in claim 1 characterised in that the circumference of the additional element connects with an inner annular protrusion issuing from said second collar.

3. Improved bottle-cap as in claim 1 characterised in that it comprises a groove (8)-(8a)-(8b) located in the uppermost inside part of the cylindrical element, destined to accommodate and detain a respective additional element (3)-(3a)-(3b).

4. Improved bottle-cap as in claim 1 characterised in that the additional element takes the form of a pad (3) which, once the cap is fitted to a bottle, provides an air/fluid-tight seal between the cap and the mouth of the bottle.

5. Improved bottle-cap as in claim 4 characterised in that the thickness of the pad is between 0.7 and 1.Omm.

6. Improved bottle-cap as in claim 5 characterised in that the thickness of the pad is 0.8mm.

7. Improved bottle-cap as in claim 1 characterised in that the additional element takes the form of a pourer (3a) which, once the cap is fitted to a bottle, lodges permanently in the mouth of said bottle.

8. Improved bottle cap as in claim 1 characterised in that the additional element takes the form of a drop-dispenser (3b) which, once the cap is fitted to a bottle, lodges permanently in the mouth of said bottle.

9. Improved screw bottle-cap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.