JP3244182U - Closure cap for pouring hole of liquid container - Google Patents

Abstract

A closure cap for a pour hole of a container containing liquid is provided. The closure cap includes a lower ring that includes a first sector 9 intended to be retained axially in the hooking collar and a second sector 10 articulated with respect to the first sector. 1, a foldable top lid 2, a hinge element 3 having two elastic sheets 13, and a locking device for locking the lid in the folded open position, provided between the two elastic sheets. A locking device comprising a flexible tab 14 and a radially outwardly projecting heel 15 is provided. The second sector of the ring further includes a notch 16 that accommodates the heel when the lid is in the folded open position, the lid having an inclination relative to the ring ranging from 90 degrees to 179 degrees. [Selection diagram] Figure 1

Description

The invention belongs to the technical field of caps that are equipped with low resistance wires, strips, tear rings or similar openings or lifting devices that allow the formation of pouring holes. The invention relates in particular to a cap for the pouring hole of a liquid container, which is screwed onto the neck of the container.

The cap of the invention consists of a base or lower ring that can be screwed onto the neck of the bottle, a hinged lid for opening and closing that allows liquid to exit without having to unscrew the base, and a hinged lid that connects the ring and the cap. and parallel deployable connecting arms that tangibly connect. A notch provided on the outer surface of the lower ring cooperates with the heel to generate a click sound indicating the maximum opening of the hinged lid. This cap always remains attached to the neck of the bottle by mechanical means, thus facilitating the recycling procedure.

Capping devices are known in the art that allow a cap to remain attached to the neck of a container. The PCT application WO2020193821 by the same applicant refers to a capping device fixed to the neck of a container and intended to cap the neck hole in the neck mentioned above. The capping device comprises: a lower ring having a first sector intended to be held axially on the neck and a second sector; a cap; a hinge device connecting the cap to the second sector of the lower ring; It is equipped with

The first and second sectors of the lower ring are hinged to each other such that the second sector pivots relative to the first sector from a lowered position to a raised position and that, from a locked position, the cap is secured to the container. Allowing the cap to be axially separated from the neck into a free position where it is no longer attached to the neck. The hinge device is configured to allow the cap to pivot between the above-mentioned free position and a folded open position retracted from the neck hole.

Another example of this applicant can be found in the Spanish patent bearing publication number ES2751171, which relates to packaging caps. The packaging cap comprises a cylindrical body formed by a hinged connection of two superimposed parts; a lower part comprising gripping means for retention in the neck of the container; a top part comprising an upper base attached to a peripheral wall. said peripheral wall comprises a visor allowing opening of the cap and a flap arranged transversely thereto and corresponding to a complementary recess formed in the upper edge of the lower part. The flap includes a string on its inner surface arranged transversely to the axis of the cap for gripping the top at the neck of the container.

This cap allows the top lid to be folded open over 180 degrees, further facilitating use. However, there is a maximum opening that can be considered the breaking point, and it must not be exceeded or opened forcibly. The cap should incorporate means to warn the user that this point must not be exceeded, so that this means does not adversely affect the integrity or other properties of the cap.

The object of the invention consists of a closure cap for a pouring hole of a container containing a liquid, which cap can be attached to the neck of the container in order to open and close the corresponding pouring hole.

The cap includes at least the following elements:
a lower ring, the lower ring including a first sector intended to be retained axially on the neck; and a second sector;
a lid including a flat top wall and an outer peripheral skirt, the top wall sealing the neck aperture and the peripheral skirt being capable of being placed in a closed position surrounding the neck;
and a hinge element connecting the lid to the second sector of the lower ring.

The first and second sectors of the lower ring are hinged to each other such that the second sector pivots relative to the first sector from a lowered position to a raised position such that from the closed position the lid is no longer attached to the neck of the container. Allowing the lid to be moved axially from the neck to an unattached, released position.

The hinge element is configured to allow pivoting of the lid between a released position and a folded open position in which the cap is retracted from the pour hole. The second sector includes at least one support element formed by a radially inwardly projecting projection on the lower ring. The support element is configured such that when the second sector is in the raised position, the support element is located above and supported by the hooking collar.

In this way, the manner in which the lid moves between the closed and open positions (cinematica) includes a vertical movement of the cap and then a rearward pivoting movement of the cap. As a result, the height of the lid can be increased and optionally it can be screwed onto the neck. Moreover, such caps tend to be used in a variety of applications, especially on containers containing soft drinks.

The second sector of the ring further has a notch and is intended to accommodate a heel extending from the peripheral skirt of the lid at a 90 degree angle to the ring when the lid is in the folded open position. There is. When this notch reaches and exceeds the 180 degree opening of the lid in the folded state, interaction with the heel produces a "click" alert that alerts the user that the maximum opening has been reached. The device is configured to generate an audible click alert. Therefore, the possibility of damage is avoided.

Furthermore, the cap remains uncoupled from the neck due to the function of the support element that allows the second sector to be kept in the raised position. This eliminates the need for the consumer to apply uncontrolled pulling forces during the movement from the open folded position to the closed position, in particular on the second sector of the lower ring that allows placement of the cap on the neck; Good placement of the cap on the neck is ensured.

To supplement the description and to better understand the features of the invention, a set of drawings according to preferred examples of its practical embodiments are attached and constitute an integral part of the present specification. The following is now set forth, by way of example and non-limiting nature.

Figure 3 shows a top front perspective view of a closure cap for a pour hole of a container containing a liquid; A bottom perspective view of the cap is shown. A front view of the cap is shown. Figure 3 shows a top perspective view of the back side of the cap, taken along the central plane. A right side view of the cap is shown. Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the cap of Figure 5; A rear perspective view of the lid in the raised open position is shown at 90 degrees to the ring. A rear perspective view of the lid in the raised open position is shown at 180 degrees to the ring.

A preferred embodiment of the article of the invention will be described in detail below using the aforementioned figures.

In this specification, when referring to the X-axis, it will be understood that this corresponds to the axis of the capping device. The axis of the capping device is intended to be arranged such that, when the capping device is in the closed position and seals the aforementioned hole, it is perpendicular to the plane of the hole to be sealed. The X-axis thus corresponds to the cap rotation axis of the capping device when the capping device is screwed onto the neck of the container. By convention, "radial" is oriented in a direction that is perpendicular to the X-axis. The term "outer" is used to define the relative position of an element to another element with respect to the In contrast, it is classified as an inner element. The terms "top" and "bottom" are used to define the position of an element relative to another element, with the neck hole facing upward and the cap in the closed position of the neck of the container. Ru. The element intended to be placed below is referred to as the bottom, and the element intended to be placed above is referred to as the top.

The closure cap described in the specification for the pouring hole of a container containing a liquid is intended to be attached to the neck of the container with a hooking collar. This cap, shown in Figure 1, comprises a lower ring 1 intended to be held on the neck of the container, and a top lid (or top lid) 2 intended to cover and close the pouring hole of the container. a hinge element 3 for hingedly connecting the lid 2 to the ring 1.

The lid 2 includes a flat, horizontal top wall 4 that is substantially perpendicular to the X-axis facing the neck hole (i.e. the pour hole) when the lid 2 is in the closed position. It is intended to be placed as follows. Furthermore, the lid 2 includes a peripheral skirt 5 intended to surround the neck of the container when the lid 2 is in the closed position. The peripheral skirt 5 extends downward from the outer periphery of the top wall 4 perpendicularly to the top wall 4 .

The peripheral skirt 5 has a threadably engageable surface 6 on its inner surface, the threadably engageable surface 6 being formed by a series of helical ribs (threads) and complementary parts arranged on the outer surface of the neck. are intended to cooperate with standard threadably engageable surfaces. The lid 2 is therefore configured to be screwed onto the neck when the container is closed and unscrewed from the neck when the container is opened.

The lid 2 is therefore movable between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, the lid 2 is no longer attached to the neck of the container. It is therefore suitable for folding out into an open folded position (ie a folded open position) in which the lid 2 is retracted from the neck hole so as not to interfere with pouring the contents from the container.

The peripheral skirt 5 has on its outer surface a series of notches 7 distributed around the X-axis and extending parallel to the X-axis. The cutout 7 therefore provides a rough surface to facilitate gripping of the lid 2 by the user or bottling line assembly equipment.

The lid 2 also includes an inner skirt extending vertically downward from the inner surface of the top wall 4, and is configured to be inserted into the neck hole (see FIGS. 4 and 6). The lid 2 further includes an annular lip extending radially from the inner surface of the top wall 4 between the inner skirt and the outer peripheral skirt 5.

The inner skirt and annular lip are sized such that, when the lid 2 is in the closed position, at the neck of the container, the inner skirt contacts the inner surface of the neck and the annular lip contacts the outer surface of the neck. ing. In this way, the inner skirt and the annular lip ensure the tightness of the closure.

The ring 1 is connected to the lid 2 with a flexible bridge 8 before opening the container for the first time and is intended to break during the initial opening of the lid 2. This flexible bridge 8 constitutes a tamper-evident seal and connects the upper edge of the ring 1 and the lower edge of the peripheral skirt 5.

The ring 1 can be pivoted relative to the container about the X-axis while remaining axially connected to the neck of the container. The ring 1 comprises two parts hinged (articulated) to each other, more specifically a first sector 9 and a second sector 10 in which the ring 1 is connected to the lid 2 via a hinge element 3. including.

The ring 1 includes two thinned zones 11, which have a smaller radial thickness than the rest of the ring 1. The two thinned zones 11 form a pivot that separates the first sector 9 and the second sector 10 and allows the second sector 10 to be hinged relative to the first sector 9 . In the illustrated embodiment, the two thinned zones 11 are diametrically opposed on opposite sides of the ring 1.

This feature of the ring structure 1 prevents the lid 2 from moving upwardly relative to the neck of the container until the screwable surface 6 of the lid 2 separates from the complementary screwable surface of the outer neck surface. To enable this, the second sector 10 can be pivoted upwards from a lowered position into a raised position relative to the first sector 9. In this way, when the lid 2 is unscrewed, the ring 1 is dragged rotationally around the X axis, and the second sector 10 of the ring 1 pivots into a raised position relative to the first sector 9. , allowing movement of the lid 2 axially upwards from the closed position to the released position.

The first sector 9 of the ring 1 includes a retaining element 12 that holds the ring 1 axially in the neck of the container. The retaining element 12 is a projection that projects radially inwardly from the first sector 9 of the ring 1, as shown in FIG.

The second sector 10 includes support elements formed by radially inwardly projecting projections. When the second sector 10 is in the lowered position, the support element is located below the hooking collar, and when the second sector 10 is in the raised position, the support element is located above the hooking collar and supports it. The support element is configured to

The connection of the lid 2 and the second sector 10 via the hinge element 3 commands the ring 1 to be pulled during the movement of the second sector 10 from the lowered position to the raised position. This allows the support element to move from a low position below the hooking collar to a high position above the hooking collar and to rest on the hooking collar.

The hinge element 3 is configured to allow the lid 2 to pivot between a released position and a folded open position. In the embodiments illustrated, such as in FIGS. 3 to 6, the hinge element 3 comprises two elastic sheets 13, which connect the lid 2, in particular the peripheral skirt 5, to the second sector 10 of the ring 1. do. The two elastic sheets 13 are arranged in the central portion (central region) of the second sector 10.

In addition to this, the closure cap is provided with a locking device configured to lock the lid 2 in the folded open position. The locking device is
- A flexible tab 14 arranged between two elastic sheets 13;
a heel 15 projecting radially outward from the peripheral skirt 5 of the lid 1;

The heel 15 is configured to resist the tab 14 when the lid 2 is pivoted towards the open folded position and locked in that position, as shown in FIG.

Due to the elasticity of the elastic sheet 13 and the properties of the locking device, it is possible to prevent the formation of hard spots in the middle of the unfolding path of the lid 2 between the released position and the open folded position. enable. Thereby, in the first section of the lid 2, due to the resting of the heel 15 on the tab 14, the two elastic sheets 13 increase to an intermediate unstable position and then open from the above-mentioned intermediate unstable position. subject to a traction force that decreases toward the folded position. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 8, the lid 2 can be locked in the open folded position.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the locking device is configured such that the opening angle of the lid 2 in the above-mentioned open folded position is 180 degrees or more.

The second sector 10 of the ring 1 furthermore has a notch 16 located between the elastic sheets 13, which means that when the lid 2 is in the raised position, as in FIG. It is intended for accommodating the heel 15 when opened 90 degrees to 1.

The notch 16 starts at 90 degrees in FIG. 7, and when the lid 2 reaches an opening degree of 180 degrees (or 179 degrees) in the open folded position, the heel 15 slides out of the above-mentioned notch 16 and opens the tab. remains engaged and is configured to generate an audible "click" warning alerting the user that maximum opening has been reached. Therefore, the possibility of damage can be avoided. This arrangement is shown in FIG.

Preferably, the closure cap is manufactured by integral molding of a synthetic material such as polyethylene, advantageously high density polyethylene.

Claims (6)

A closing cap for a pouring hole of a container containing a liquid, the closing cap being attachable to a neck of the container having a hooking collar to close the pouring hole of the neck, the closing cap comprising:
is the lower ring,
- a first sector intended to be retained axially in the hooking collar of the neck;
a second sector articulated with respect to the first sector;
It is the top lid,
・Flat upper wall and
- a top lid including an outer peripheral skirt;
the lid is adapted to be placed in a closed position where the top wall closes the pour hole of the neck and the peripheral skirt surrounds the neck;
a hinge element comprising two elastic sheets connecting the peripheral skirt to the second sector and pivoting the lid between a released position and a folded open position in which the lid is retracted from the pour hole; a hinge element configured to allow
a locking device configured to lock the lid in the folded open position;
- a flexible tab disposed between the two elastic sheets;
- a locking device comprising a heel projecting radially outwardly from the peripheral skirt of the lid;
The second sector of the lower ring further includes a cutout for accommodating the heel when the lid is in the folded open position, the lid being at an angle between 90 degrees and 179 degrees with respect to the lower ring. An occlusion cap having a slope in the range of . 2. The closure cap of claim 1, wherein the first sector and the second sector are separated from each other by two regions of thinning in which the lower ring exhibits a local reduction in radial thickness. 3. The closure cap of claim 2, wherein the heel and the notch are located in a central region of the second sector. 4. A closure cap according to any preceding claim, wherein the hinge element is connected to the second sector in a central region of the second sector. 4. A closure cap according to any preceding claim, wherein the lower ring is connected to the peripheral skirt by a flexible bridge. 4. An occlusion cap according to any preceding claim, wherein the occlusion cap is molded in a single piece.