GB2457812A

GB2457812A - Bottle closure system

Info

Publication number: GB2457812A
Application number: GB0903217A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean-Pierre Trescartes
Original assignee: SEGEDE
Current assignee: SEGEDE
Priority date: 2008-02-26
Filing date: 2009-02-25
Publication date: 2009-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2029-02-25
Also published as: GB2457812B; GB0903217D0; FR2927885A1; FR2927885B1

Abstract

The closures system, suitable for glass bottles, comprises a tubular insert 3 made of an elastically deformable material, eg polypropylene plastic, which is open at both ends. At the upper end it has an inwardly extending lip 7 which has a circumferentially extending flexible projection 10. At the lower end, the insert may be provided with an annular rib 15 on the inner lateral surface and optionally also an axially extending tab or rib 16. The system is completed with a tubular band or sleeve, made of a rigid material, eg metal or alloy. The band has a lip 20 inwardly extending from an upper cylindrical portion 19 which may have ridges 21 formed on the inner surface. The lower portion of the band may be a conical portion 18. In use the insert is force-fitted onto the neck of the bottle and rib 15 lodges under the neck rib or shoulder 5 of the bottle neck, with tab 16 engaging with groove 6. Then, the tubular band is force fitted over the insert, with lip 20 pressing against protrusion 10 and bending it in outwards direction to form a seal, and ridges 21 helping with the attachment of the band to the insert.

Description

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IMPROVEMENT TO CONTAINERS

The present invention relates to containers and particularly to bottles, vials, flasks or carafes intended to contain high-quality or expensive liquids such as perfumes or spirits.

It is desirable that these containers, which are usually made of glass but may also be made of crystal or other even more precious materials, these materials being encompassed in the present specification by the term "glass", are very attractive in appearance and, to this end, it is desirable that the necks of these containers should be decorated with a band of gold-or silver-coloured metal. The band may also be a neck ring or collar for the top of a carafe. This may be produced by gluing the band.

However, applying adhesive in the restricted space between the neck of the container and the band is a tricky,'tithe-consuming and expensive operation.

The invention enables the band to be put into position while ensuring that there is a seal between the elements fitted to the neck of the container and the container itself.

The invention therefore relates to a container formed by a glass body onto the neck of which an insert is force-fitted until the lip comes to bear on the rim of the neck, characterised in that the insert is tubular, formed in one piece, open at both ends, made of an elastically deformable material and has an inward lip at one end and a projection extending from the outer surface of the lip, and a one-piece tubular band, open at both ends, made from a rigid material, particularly a metal, and having an inward lip at one end is force-fitted onto the insert, the lip of the band pushing against the lip of the insert and causing the projection to bend in the direction away from the free edges of the lips.

It is preferable that the projection should be at a spacing from the free edge of the lip and should be closer to the free edge of the lip than to the opposite edge. As a result, the band can first of all compress the lip before deforming the projection. The insert thus remains in position when its projection is deformed and this makes a major contribution to a good seal being obtained.

It is also desirable that the projection should protrude from a part of the lip that slopes downwards and inwards relative to the rest of the lip, notably at 5 to 20 degrees. As a result, the projection lies in place and rolls up, forming a good seal.

Preferably, a second projection protrudes from the inner surface of the lip and is pressed against the rim of the container when the band is being fitted. The seal between the rim of the container and the insert is thus ensured.

Preferably, the part close to the free edge of the lip is thinner than the rest of the lip, so that it can easily be compressed between the rim and the band, while the greater thickness of the remainder'of the lip ensures a good seal.

I

To assist the outward bending of the projection, a cavity is formed in the outer surface of the lip close to the surface of the projection which is remote from the free edge of the lip.

To assist with the manufacture of the insert by moulding, the side of the projection which is remote from the free edge of the lip is perpendicular to the non-inclined part of the outer surface of the lip and the side of the projection which faces the free edge of the lip forms an angle, particularly of 10 to 25 degrees, with the side of the projection which is remote from the free edge of the lip.

To ensure that the insert is properly held on the container, a rib is provided on the inner lateral surface of the insert closer to the end that does not have the lip than to the end that does have it.

The insert is preferably made from a flexible food-grade plastics material, notably polypropylene, preferably containing an added 10 to 50 % by weight, preferably 20 to 40 % by weight, of a food-grade elastomer.

According to one embodiment, the inner surface of the lip of the band comprises a groove for receiving the projection. This gives the projection the space it needs to deform and provide a seal.

Preferably, the neck has an annular shoulder under which is lodged the inner rib of the insert according to the invention and the lower edge of the band widens out towards the bottom, going beyond the level of the rib. The container is practically impossible to dismantle.

Preferably, the insert has, on its inner lateral surface, an alignment and anti-rotation tab co-operating with a corresponding groove on the outer lateral surface of the neck of the bottle. Dismantling is made even more impossible by the impossibility of turning the insert by twisting and a decorative design may be applied to both the body of the container and the band, ensuring that the design is lined up correctly in spite of being applied to two separate parts.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bottle according to the invention, Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 from above.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the interior of the insert.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the top of a bottle according to the invention.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing the lip on the insert before it has been pushed back by the band.

Figure 6 is a diagram similar to that in Figure 5 but after the band has gripped the insert.

Figure 7 is a view on a scale of 20:1 of the lip on the insert.

The bottle according to the invention comprises a bottle body I made of glass, onto the neck 2 of which an insert 3 is force-fitted.

The neck 2 comprises a rim 4 and, spaced therefrom, in the downward direction, a rib in which is provided a groove 6.

The insert 3 made of plastics, such as polypropylene to which 30% by weight of elastomer has been added, is tubular, made in one piece, open at both ends and has an inward lip 7 at one end. This lip, which is best shown in Figure 7, comprises a main part that is thicker than a part close to the free edge 9. This less thick part slopes downwards. Between the two parts 8, protruding from the outer surface of the lip, is a projection 10 and protruding from the inner surface of the lip is a second projection 11 in the shape of a point.

The projection 10 has a side 12 remote from the free edge of the lip, which is vertical when the insert is placed on the neck of a container. Between the side 12 and the thick part is formed a cavity 13 which assists the bending of the projection 10 above the part 8. The other side 14 of the projection slopes downwards in the direction of the part of the lip where the free edge 9 is located.

On the inner surface of the insert is provided an annular rib 15 which is closer to the edge without the lip than to the edge with the lip. When the container is assembled, this rib 15 lodges under the rib 5. Also provided on the inner surface of the insert is a tab 16 extending substantially along a generating line, the tab 16 being slightly smaller in width than the groove 6 and capable of fitting into it, so as to prevent the insert from rotating relative to the neck and in order to allow alignment assisted by a point 17 which projects from the tab 16 towards the bottom of the insert.

The band is made of zamak (zinc aluminium alloy). It has a cylindrical upper part 19 and a conical lower part 20 widening out towards the bottom. At the upper end is found a lip 20 which, when the band is force-fitted onto both the insert 3 and the neck 2, makes contact by its lower surface with the rim 4 of the container 1. The band comprises, on its inner lateral surface and on the top, ridges 21 which help with the attachment of the band to the insert.

Figure 4 shows the finished container. The rib 15 of the insert is under the rib 5 and the tab 16 is in the &oo.'e 6, so that the insert is now unable to rotate, particularly as it is held by the band 18 which pushes the insert towards the inside of the container.

The seal at the rim of the container is ensured by the cooperation of the lips 20 and 7 of the band and of the insert.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A container formed by a glass body onto the neck of which an insert is force-fitted until a lip of the insert comes to bear on the rim of the neck, characterised in that the insert is tubular, formed in one piece, open at both ends, made of an elastically deformable material and has an inward lip at one end and a projection extending from the outer surface of the lip, and a one-piece tubular band, open at both ends, made from a rigid material, preferably a metal, and having an inward lip at one end is force-fitted onto the insert, the lip of the band pushing against the lip of the insert and bending the projection in the direction away from the free edges of the lips.
2. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the inner surface of the lip of the band comprises a groove for receiving the projection.
3. A container as claimed in claim I or 2, characterised in that the neck has a shoulder on which is held an annular rib which is disposed on the inner lateral surface of the insert closer to the end that does not comprise the lip than the one that does comprise it and the inner edge of the band widens out downwardly going beyond the level of the groove.
4. A container as claimed in any of claims I to 3, characterised in that the projection is at a spacing from the free edge of the lip and is closer to the free edge of the lip than to the opposite edge.
5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the projection extends from a part of the lip that slopes downwards and inwards relative to the rest of the lip, preferably at 5 to 20°.
6. A container as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the part close to the free edge of the lip is less thick than the rest of the lip.
7. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by a second projection extending from the inner surface of the lip.
8. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, charactensed by a cavity formed in the outer surface of the lip close to the surface of the projection remote from the free edge of the lip.
9. A container as claimed in any preceding.claim, characterised in that the surface of the projection which is remote from the free edge of the lip is perpendicular to the non-inclined part of the outer surface of the lip, and the side of the projection that faces the free edge of the lip forms an angle of 10 to 25° with the side of the projection that is remote from the free edge of the lip.
10. A container substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.