GB2576256A

GB2576256A - Cap for bottles

Info

Publication number: GB2576256A
Application number: GB1910260.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Javier Berroa García Francisco
Original assignee: Betapack SA
Current assignee: Betapack SA
Priority date: 2018-08-09
Filing date: 2019-07-18
Publication date: 2020-02-12
Also published as: GB201910260D0

Abstract

A cap with a circular base 1 and cylindrical wall 2 extending perpendicularly from the base up to a circular open edge 2’. The wall comprises two segments, the first segment 3 located closest to the base is formed with a thread suitable for engaging with a twinned thread on a container such as a bottle. The second segment 4 is adjacent to the open edge and is smooth. A cutting line 5 demarks the boundary between the two segments. The cutting line starts and finished at different angular positions around the circumference of the cap and at different depths on the wall of the cap. The angular path is more than 360°, preferably no more than 420° The cutting line may be straight forming a spiral profile or it may have an inclined segment and a segment parallel to the circumference of the cap. When the cap is twisted the cutting line may form a band connecting the first and second segments keeping the cap attached to the container.

Description

The present invention relates to a cap for bottles, which has application in the packaging industry, and more specifically in the field of screw caps for bottles, enabling the accidental loss of the cap to be prevented during the successive uses of the packaging, given that the cap cannot be freed with respect to the very packaging, all of this by means of an economical solution, with simple manufacturing that is very easy to use for the users.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, packaging is known which has caps enabling successive uses of the packaging by opening and closing the cap during a certain number of times, which commonly corresponds to the useful life of the packaging.

To this end, there are drinks, such as for example milk or water, which come packaged in plastic bottles having a threaded neck whereon a screw cap is arranged, likewise made of plastic material. This packaging is simple, light and can be easily disposed of and recycled. These caps tend to have, on the lower area thereof, a first-use annular seal which is manufactured together with the cap, from which a horizontal cut is separated which runs around the entire perimeter of the cap and closes on itself, such that the seal and the cap are joined by means of a plurality of joining points which are broken in a first use, the seal staying at all times linked to the neck of the bottle and freed from the cap.

The main drawback of these caps is derived precisely from the fact that after the first use thereof the cap is freed from the bottle, such that each time a user opens the packaging they have to hold the cap with their hand, or at least keep it localised, running the risk of it being able to fall to the ground, be lost or get dirty, with the consequent sanitary risk that this brings with it.

A solution to the foregoing is achieved by means of the incorporation of a connection area between the cap and the seal, such that the opening of the cap is enabled and at the same time the cap is kept linked to the packaging, meaning, that the cap is prevented from being freed from the packaging while it is open, with which the loss or accidental falling thereof are thereby prevented. The cap is injected and comes out of the mould without a seal. There is no change in design or additional cost. The seal is made in a subsequent step with a blade just as with the standard caps for water. The difference is that in this case, the cutting blade is not straight, it has a small inclination which makes it that so the start and end of the cut do not coincide. Likewise, the design of the connection area of the upper portion of the cap with the seal is also an aspect which must be carefully studied, since the arrangement of an excess of material, the thickness of which is adjusted depending on the cutting angle of the blade, can eventually hinder even a correct opening of the cap, while a material defect can cause a premature breakage of the hinge during the use thereof, with which the cap is once again freed from the packaging, with the previously explained problems that this entails.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cap for bottles, which enables the cap to be kept linked to the bottle at all times, also meaning during the opening position of the cap, all of this by means of a cap that is simple, easy to use and the manufacturing cost of which is lower than that of the caps with a hinge which exist currently, without needing to make any change in the production line.

The cap proposed by the invention comprises a circular base from the perimeter of which a cylindrical wall extends perpendicularly to a circular open edge. Therefore, the height of the cylindrical wall is the distance between the perimeter of the circular base and the open edge. Likewise, the cylindrical wall has an inner face which is divided into a first segment, which comprises a thread and is located in the vicinity of the circular base, and a second smooth segment located in the vicinity of the open edge. As follows from the description made below, once placed in the bottle, said second segment performs the function of a seal and links the rest of the cap to the neck of the bottle.

Therefore, according to the invention, the cap comprises a cutting line which runs along the cylindrical wall and which delimits said first and second segments, for which reason the cutting line runs on the inside, meaning, it does not reach either the open edge or the perimeter of the circular base.

The cutting line is defined between a first end and a second end. It can be considered that the cutting line starts at a first end located in a first angular position with respect to an axis which passes through the centres of the circular base and the open edge, and ending at a second end located in a second angular position such that the angular path of the cutting line is greater than 360°, and wherein the position in height of the second end in the cylindrical wall is different than the position in height of the first end.

Thus, unlike the caps of the state of the art, the cutting line does not close on itself, meaning at no time does it cut itself or do the ends coincide. Thus, the second segment, which is kept joined to the neck of the bottle, is not completely freed from the first segment of the cap, staying linked by a certain portion of material of the cylindrical wall of the cap, which makes it impossible for the cap to be lost and enables the recycling thereof together with that of the bottle, which contributes to preventing pollution, given that by means of a normal use of the cap it does not stay freed from the very packaging, all of this with a lower cost than the hinge-type caps. The opening is identical to the provisions in force with screw caps and is applicable to all kinds of formats, among which it is worth mentioning the common ones of 1 L and 1.5 L. The cap can be opened and closed again as many times as necessary since the second segment, which acts as a seal, rotates with respect to the neck of the bottle.

In the same manner as the seals of the state of the art, the possibility is envisaged that in the cutting line there is a plurality of joining points which keep both segments of the cylindrical wall joined before the first opening of the cap.

The possibility is envisaged that the cutting line is a straight line which runs inclined with respect to the open edge.

Likewise, alternatively, it is envisaged that the cutting line comprises, from the first end, a straight line which runs parallel and equidistant to the open edge, an inclined segment, by means of which contact with the first end is prevented and a straight segment which runs parallel and once again equidistant to the open edge until it ends at the second end.

When the cap is opened, a separation is produced along the cutting line, such that the differences in height and angular position of the ends of the cutting line define a joining element which keeps the first segment and the second segment of the cylindrical wall joined.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As a complement to the description provided herein, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, in accordance with a preferred practical exemplary embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied by a set of figures constituting an integral part of the same, which by way of illustration and not limitation represent the following:

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the cap of the invention, wherein the configuration of the cutting line can be seen by means of three segments and defined by the position of the first and second ends, without the segments being separated.

Figure 2 shows an elevation view of a first embodiment, wherein the cutting line is defined by means of a single oblique segment.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a variation of the first embodiment wherein the height of the ends of the cutting lines are exchanged, the cap being shown in the closing position on the bottle.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view corresponding to a moment after that of Figure 3 once the opening process of the cap has been started, the position of the joining element being able to be seen once the segments of the cylindrical wall start to be separated by the cutting line.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view corresponding to a moment after that of Figure 4, wherein the cap is completely open and unscrewed but is kept linked to the packaging by means of the joining element and the second segment acts as a seal and is kept surrounding the neck of the bottle.

Figure 6 shows a lower perspective view of the cap shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 shows an elevation view of the cap shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 8 shows an elevation view of the cap of the invention before the placement thereof in the neck of the bottle, the correspondence with the threaded and smooth segments defined in the cap being able to be seen in this last figure.

Figure 9 shows three elevation views wherein the opening process of the cap has been shown, like in the case of Figures 3 to 5, but in this case, for the second embodiment shown in Figure 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures discussed above, it can be seen how in one of the possible embodiments of the invention the cap proposed by the invention comprises a circular base (1) from the perimeter (T) of which a cylindrical wall (2) extends perpendicularly to a circular open edge (2’). The height of the cylindrical wall (2) is the distance between the perimeter (1’) of the circular base (1) and the open edge (2).

As seen in figures 1 and 5, the cylindrical wall (2) has an inner face which is divided into a first segment (3), which comprises a thread and is located in the vicinity of the circular base (1), and a second smooth segment (4) located in the vicinity of the open edge (2’). As seen in Figures 4 to 7 and 9, once placed in the bottle, said second segment (4) performs the function of a seal and links the rest of the cap to the neck of the bottle.

The cap comprises a cutting line (5) which runs along the cylindrical wall (2) and which delimits said first (3) and second segments (4), for which reason the cutting line (5) runs on the inside, meaning, it does not reach either the open edge (2’) or the perimeter (T) of the circular base (1). In any case, the cutting line (5) is defined between a first end (5’) and a second end (5”), starting at the first end (5’) located in a first angular position with respect to an axis which passes through the centres of the circular base (1) and the open edge (2’), and ending at a second end (5”) located in a second angular position, such that the angular path of the cutting line (5) is greater than 360°, and wherein the position in height of the second end (5”) in the cylindrical wall (2) is different than the position in height of the first end (5’).

As shown in Figures 2 to 7, according to a first embodiment of the cap, the cutting line (5) is a straight line which runs inclined with respect to the open edge (2’). The cutting line (5) is made in all of the perimeter of the cap with a special arrangement which can be called oblique, from the start to the end, for which reason it can be considered that it is made up of a single segment, which keeps one same inclination with respect to the open edge (2’). It can also be parallel in one segment or inclined from beginning to end.

Alternatively, as shown in Figures 1 and 9, according to a second embodiment of the cap, the cutting line (5) comprises three segments which are, from the first end (5’), a straight line which runs parallel and equidistant to the open edge (2’), an inclined segment (5”’) by means of which contact with the first end (5’) is prevented and a straight segment which runs parallel and once again equidistant to the open edge (2’) until it ends at the second end (5”). It can be considered that the cutting line (5) is not oblique during almost the entirety of the perimeter, and when it is close to completing the cut in all of the perimeter, it is performed in an oblique manner, with an inclined segment, in order to end in a short segment that is not oblique.

According to a preferred embodiment, as also shown in the figures, the angular path of the cutting line (5) is not greater than 420°.

As seen in Figures 4 to 7 and 9, when the cap is opened, a separation is produced along the cutting line (5), such that the differences in height and angular position of the ends (5’, 5”) of the cutting line (5) define a joining 10 element (6) which keeps the first segment (3) and the second segment (4) of the cylindrical wall (2) joined.

In light of this description and the set of figures, a person skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of the invention that have been described can be combined in multiple ways within the object of the invention.

The invention has been described according to preferred embodiments thereof, but for the person skilled in the art, it will be evident that multiple variations can be introduced in said preferred embodiments without departing from the object of the invention as has been claimed.

Claims

1. A cap for bottles comprising a circular base (1) from the perimeter (1 ’) of which a cylindrical wall (2) extends perpendicularly to a circular open edge (2’), the height of the cylindrical wall (2) being the distance between the perimeter (1’) of the circular base (1) and the open edge (2’), wherein the cylindrical wall (2) has an inner face which is divided into a first segment (3), which comprises a thread and is located in the vicinity of the circular base (1), and a second smooth segment (4) located in the vicinity of the open edge (2’), characterised in that the cap comprises a cutting line (5) which runs along the cylindrical wall (2) and which delimits said first (3) and second segments (4), said cutting line (5) starting at a first end (5’) located in a first angular position with respect to an axis which passes through the centres of the circular base (1) and the open edge (2’), and ending at a second end (5”) located in a second angular position, such that the angular path of the cutting line (5) is greater than 360°, and wherein the position in height of the second end (5”) in the cylindrical wall (2) is different than the position in height of the first end (5’).

2. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the cutting line (5) is a straight line which runs inclined with respect to the open edge (2’).

3. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the cutting line (5) comprises, from the first end (5’), a straight line which runs parallel to the open edge (2’), an inclined segment (5”’) by means of which contact with the first end (5’) is prevented and a straight segment which runs parallel to the open edge (2’) until it ends at the second end (5”).

4. The cap according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the angular path of the cutting line (5) is not greater than 420°.

5. The cap according to any of the preceding claims, wherein when the cap is opened, a separation is produced along the cutting line (5), such that the differences in height and angular position of the ends (5’, 5”) of the cutting line (5) define a joining element (6) which keeps the first segment (3) and the second segment (4) of the cylindrical wall (2) joined.