GB2274277A - Bottle closure - Google Patents

Abstract

A bottle (1) having a neck (3) provided with inwardly projecting pinched portions (4a, 4b) for retaining a sphere (6) in neck (3) is also provided at a mouth region (3a) of neck (3) with a lip (10) to which a deformable cap (7) is attached. Cap (7) has a crimped skirt (9) engageable with lip (10) so as to be capable of sealingly closing bottle (1); and is preferably formed of plastics lined metallic sheet material. <IMAGE>

Description

BOTTLE The present invention relates to beverage bottle.

Glass beverage bottles having pinched necks which are shaped so as to retain members such as glass spheres have been known for many years. These bottles have been formed by blowing, and subsequent pinching of two sets of projections to retain the sphere in the neck. Such bottles have been used to contain carbonated beverages; if the beverage is highly carbonated, the sphere rises and becomes seated in the neck portion thus forming a crude seal.

Such a crude seal however was not found suitable where beverage bottles were subjected to rough handling during transportation or storage, which causes leakage of the fluid contents from the bottle.

According to the present invention there is provided a bottle having a neck provided with : (i) an inwardly extending seating shaped and dimensioned to retain a spherical body in said neck; and (ii) outwardly extending lip means provided at a mouth region of said neck; said bottle being provided with a deformable cap member arranged to overlie said mouth region, said cap member having a crimped skirt engageable with said lip means, whereby said cap member is capabie of sealingly closing said bottle.

It is preferred that the bottle is of glass, and preferably formed by being blown to the desired shape.

The seating is preferably formed by first and second pinched portions, or inward deformations, on opposed wall portions of the neck. The pinched portions, or inward deformations, respectively define first and second fluid flow conduits through the seating, which allows flow of liquid through the neck.

The pinched portions, or inward deformations, typically comprise first and second annular zones of the neck of the bottle. The first annular zone is preferably provided proximal the mouth region of the neck, whilst the second annular zone is typically longitudinally spaced from the first annular zone so as to be distal from the mouth region.

Preferably, the lip means comprise at least one annular flange member arranged to circumferentially surround the rim of the mouth region.

The seating typically defines a cavity shaped and dimensioned to retain therein the spherical body. Preferably the spherical body is substantially free to move within the cavity, such that when the bottle is filled with a carbonated, effervescent or like liquid, the spherical body is urged upwards in the cavity towards the mouth region of the neck.

The spherical body can then nestle against the first pinched portions, or inward deformations of the seating, so as to occlude the first fluid flow conduit.

It is advantageous that the spherical body does not significantly hinder the flow of liquid through the neck of the bottle. The spherical body typically comprises a glass ball or the like.

The cap member is typically of a metallic sheet material, such as steel, which can be arranged to sealingly close the mouth region of the bottle substantially as herein before described.

Preferably the cap member is lined with a plastics washer to optimise sealing of the cap member with the bottle.

The cap typically comprises a central closure panel arranged to overlie the mouth opening. The panel is typically substantially circular. The skirt is preferably arranged to depend from the panel, and having a crimped rim arranged to sealingly abut the lip means.

There is further provided by the present invention a bottle substantially as herein before described, which bottle contains a liquid such as a carbonated, effervescent beverage.

The invention will now be further illustrated, by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawing which is a schematic view of a bottle according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the bottle generally designated 1 has a base section 2 and an open ended neck section 3. A pair of inwardly projecting pinched portions 4a is provided towards the open end of the neck section 3, and a further pair of inwardly projecting pinched portions 4b is provided longitudinally spaced therefrom towards the body 2 end of the neck section 3. Together, these pinched portions define a cavity 5 in which is located a rigid glass sphere 6.

A cap 7 is provided to close the mouth region 3a of neck section 3. Cap 7 comprises a closure panel 8 and skirt 9, and is formed of a plastics lined, metallic sheet material.

Skirt 9 is crimped so as to sealingly engage lip 10 of neck 3.

To open bottle 1, an operating end portion of a bottle opener is inserted in the conventional manner between skirt 9 of cap 7 and neck 3 of bottle 1, and the opener pivoted relative to bottle 1 so as to bias cap 7 away from mouth region 3a. Cap 7 then disengages bottle 1.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS:

1. A bottle having a neck provided with: (i) an inwardly extending seating shaped and dimensioned to retain a spherical body in said neck; and (ii) outwardly extending lip means provided at a mouth region of said neck; said bottle being provided with a deformable cap member arranged to overlie said mouth region, said cap member having a crimped skirt engageable with said lip means, whereby said cap member is capable of sealingly closing said bottle.

2. A bottle according to claim 1, wherein the seating is formed by first and second pinched portions or inward deformations, on opposed wall portions of the neck.

3. A bottle according to claim 2, wherein the pinched portions, or inward deformations, comprise first and second annular zones of the neck of the bottle.

4. A bottle according to claim 3, wherein the first annular zone is provided proximal the mouth region of the neck, whilst the second annular zone is longitudinally spaced from the first annular zone so as to be distal from the mouth region.

5. A bottle according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lip means comprise at least one annular flange member arranged to circumferentially surround the rim of the mouth region.

6. A bottle according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the spherical body is substantially free to move within a cavity defined by the seating.

7. A bottle according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the spherical body comprises a glass ball.

8. A bottle according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cap member is of a metallic sheet material.

9. A bottle according to claim 8, wherein the cap member is lined with a plastics sealing member for sealing the cap member to the bottle.

10. A bottle according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cap comprises a central closure panel arranged to overlie the mouth opening.

11. A bottle according to claim 10, wherein the skirt is arranged to depend from the panel, and having a crimped rim arranged to sealingly abut the lip means.

12. A bottle according to any of claims 1 to 11, which contains a carbonated, effervescent liquid.

13. A bottle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.