RU2753256C2 - Screw cap for wine bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: wine production.

SUBSTANCE: screw cap (10a-10n) for wine bottles (B) includes external cap (2) screwed on bottle (B) and insert (11a-11n) inserted into external cap (2) and made with the possibility to be located between neck (13) of bottle (B) and external cap (2). Insert (11a-11n) contains metal foil (12) made with the possibility to contact directly with neck (13) of bottle (B) and overlap it. Metal foil (12) is made of precious metal or an alloy of precious metals that are inert at room temperature. Insert (11a-11n) contains gasket (14) located on metal foil (12) and having a radial length greater than metal foil (12). The outer rim of gasket (14) surrounds metal foil (12), while adjacent to neck (13) of bottle (B). The metal foil positively contributes to aging of wine, and the gasket prevents the radial displacement of the foil.

EFFECT: wine does not come into contact with the parts of the cap that can change its organoleptic properties.

32 cl, 19 dwg

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a screw cap for wine or spirits bottles, in particular for high quality or collectible spirits or wines.

LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

Traditionally, wine bottles are sealed with corks, and for decades cork has been considered the most suitable material to preserve the organoleptic characteristics of the wine contained in the bottle. However, it has been found that in a significant portion of the bottles sealed with corks, wine undergoes taste changes only due to the odors and dryness that the cork gives off into the wine. In certain cases, the wine acquires the so-called cork aroma, caused by the substance trichloroanisole (TCA), in turn produced by the fungus real mushroom (Armillaria mellea), a pest of cork oak.

Recently, other systems have been proposed for capping bottles; new systems are rapidly gaining market share.

For example, synthetic caps, incorrectly referred to as "silicone caps", glass caps, and screw caps have been proposed.

The present invention in fact relates to a screw cap, often also referred to as a "Stelvin" cap after one of the more popular trade names used by the Amcor manufacturing company.

A common screw cap contains:

- a metal screw cover, i.e. a cap screwed onto the neck of the bottles at the appropriate level of the screw whisk or the respective screw collar, and

- an insert located in the cap, intended to be located and sandwiched between the cap itself and the neck of the bottle, acting as a gasket. The insert is wine wettable when the bottle is sealed.

The metal cover is usually made of aluminum. The insert is a disc made of synthetic material or rubber or multilayer material such as aluminum multilayer, PE polyethylene, PET polyethylene terephthalate, EPE foamed polyethylene.

Depending on the structure of the insert, a higher or lower oxygen permeability of the cap can be obtained.

Prolonged contact of the wine with the screw cap insert can, however, cause undesirable changes in the organoleptic characteristics of the wine itself. Although polymers and rubbers are widely used in the food industry, for food packaging, wine storage is an exception, as storage times can also be several years. Moreover, wine can be bottle aged undergoing slow but significant chemical transformations. In this regard, the insertion of screw caps can also change the taste of the wine over time, degrading it.

In order to prevent changes in the organoleptic characteristics of the wine by the polymeric materials from which the caps are made, the German patent application DE10060418 describes a plastic cap on which a metal layer is applied by means of a PVD physical vapor deposition method. A layer of metal, such as gold, prevents the release of components from the cap into the wine and thus preserves its quality.

However, physical vapor deposition PVD is not a simple and fast method that can be used to manufacture caps on an industrial scale, especially when it is intended to obtain significant thicknesses in order to increase the impermeability.

Moreover, another limitation of the present screw caps is that they do not promote good aging in bottled wine for the opposite reason, i. E. due to the almost complete absence of interaction with atmospheric oxygen when the cap is effective.

Other known solutions are described in CH-A-499436, DE 202007002075U1 and GB-A-05095.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a screw cap that overcomes the drawbacks of currently available solutions, being simple to implement, effective in promoting aging of bottled wine, and chemically inert so as not to modify the organoleptic characteristics of the wine even after extended periods of contact. with him.

In this regard, the present invention relates to a screw cap according to paragraph 1 of the claims.

Specifically, the cap comprises preferably a metal outer cap screwed onto the bottle and at least one insert inserted into the outer cap and intended to be located between the neck of the bottle and the outer cap. Preferably, on its bottom surface, the insert comprises at least one metal foil intended to be in direct contact with the neck of the bottle in order to overlap it when the cap is properly screwed onto the bottle. The metal foil is made from a precious metal that is inert at room temperature, or it is made from an alloy of precious metals that are inert at room temperature.

Preferably, the metal foil is made of gold, and even more preferably, it is made of 24 carat gold.

The metal foil is the only part of the cap that bottle wine can wet, for example when the bottle is tilted. The other cap elements cannot actually be reached with wine.

For example, the metal foil can be made from a metal selected from gold, iridium, platinum, osmium, rhodium, palladium, or an alloy of these metals.

Unlike other proposed solutions, the insert also contains a spacer located above the metal foil. The liner has a radial extension greater than the metal foil so as to surround it and ensure that it always remains centered with respect to the neck of the bottle. The gasket also adheres to the neck of the bottle with its peripheral portion, in practice with a round rim.

The gasket is made from one or more materials according to the prior art: For example, natural materials (such as cork, rubber or base metal) or synthetic materials (such as elastomers, tetrafluoroethylene, silicon) or combinations thereof can be used.

The benefits offered by such a solution are numerous. First, the metal or metal alloy of the foil does not chemically react with the wine contained in the bottle, even when the wine has been in contact with the metal foil for months or years. This ensures that the cap does not adversely affect the organoleptic characteristics of the wine. In other words, the metal foil does not release substances that can change the taste and bouquet of the wine, even after long periods of time, even if the wine is left to mature in the bottle.

Another advantage relates to the physical characteristics of the foil. Considered precious metals have a high electronegativity value. For example, 24-karat gold has an electronegativity value of 2.54 on the Pauling scale, the highest among metals. Due to this, metal foil is chemically inert, but it can activate ions normally found in solution in wine, and this can, in turn, trigger phenomena related to good aging of the wine.

Obviously, the above-described spacer is essential for the metal foil to positively assist the aging of the wine: without the spacer, the metal foil could be displaced radially and the wine could come into contact with parts of the cap that are capable of altering its organoleptic properties.

Last but not least, the other advantage is of a commercial nature. Precious metal foil adds value to the bottle and is a collectible in itself.

Preferably on a metal foil on its upper side, i. E. on the side not in contact with the contents of the bottle, the identification data of the bottle, such as, for example, the name of the wine and the manufacturer's data, are engraved; optionally, the engraving on the metal foil can also or only be on the underside. The engraving can be done by various techniques, for example by using a laser or by engraving or chemical etching.

The provision of gold foil screw caps with a mark is a circumstance that could contribute to the proliferation of screw caps for sealing high quality wine bottles. Of course, the cap of the present invention can also be used to seal bottles of spirits and other high quality beverages, not just wine.

In the preferred case, in which the metal foil is made of gold, the same foil, due to the ductility of the metal, can be deformed in order to fit perfectly against the neck of the bottle when the cap is completely screwed on. In this regard, the ductility of gold helps to obtain a foil that also acts as a spacer. In general, regardless of the metal selected for the foil, it is preferable that the edges of the foil abut the round edge of the bottle neck.

Preferably, the metal foil is a disc with a thickness of less than 0.5 mm, more preferably less than 0.1 mm. For example, in the case of 24-carat gold foil, the thickness is 0.01 mm - 0.05 mm.

In an embodiment, the metal foil has micro-holes, which means that it contains a group of micro-through holes whose function is to allow an air volume of less than 500 mm ³ / year to be brought towards the wine, a value considered to correspond to a good aging of bottled wines. Alternatively to the holes, the foil contains a section of calibrated porosity that can be formed microporous and allows the same result in terms of the volume of air exchanged, i. E. volume less than 500 mm ³ / year. Such a volume of air can be present in the cap when the cap is screwed onto the bottle, for example, it can be realized with an internal air chamber or, more simply, the cap allows minimal air passage from the outside towards the insert and the metal foil.

Optionally, in order to facilitate the passage of air, the outer cap of the cap also has micro-holes.

Preferably, the micro-holes have a diameter of less than 0.1 mm; micro-holes can be produced by laser punching processes, such as the processes used to form aerosol device meshes.

It should be emphasized that in addition to the permeability of the metal foil, the effective volume of air reaching the wine also depends on the permeability of other cap elements located above or around the foil and through which air must pass before it actually reaches the wine.

For example, the study Permeability of Cork to Gases, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2011, 59, 3590-3597, published March 24, 2011, presents a mathematical model that can be used to calculate gas flow rate through the plug. This same mathematical model can be used to calculate the flow rate of air passing through the cap of the present invention, specifically the metal foil layer and other cap elements located above or around the foil.

Optionally, the insert contains a layer of granular or porous substances (eg, pepper grains) constituting a layer that contributes to good aging of the wine contained in the bottle; for example, a layer of granular or porous substances can act as a reaction layer or it can release volatile components into the air contained in the cap, which can pass into the wine contained in the bottle over the years due to fluid communication provided with micro-holes obtained in metal foil. Preferably, the insert also comprises a resilient member located between the gasket and the outer cover. The elastic element, for example of plastic material, rubber or cork, is preloaded when the cap is screwed onto the bottle and has the function of continuously applying force to the seal and thus indirectly to the metal foil in order to have a sealed connection to the neck of the bottle.

In an embodiment, the metal foil has a bulge extending circumferentially on the top side of the metal foil and generating a circular embossed profile on the surface of the metal foil. The bulge is located in the area of the metal foil lying on the neck of the bottle and can be made by edging, welding, or by means of a ring lying on the metal foil. This thickening assists, together with the resilient element just described, to exert more force on the metal foil itself in order to have a better seal.

Preferably, the bulge is located near the edge of the metal foil and forms the basis for the possible identification engravings described earlier obtained on the surface of the metal foil.

Optionally, the insert may comprise a stiffener rigid with respect to the spacer and the resilient member disposed between the metal foil and the spacer, in direct contact with the metal foil. For example, the stiffener can be made of glass, ceramic, or high density plastic material and provides increased strength to the cap.

Preferably, the cap is particularly useful for sealing small volume bottles, less than 100 ml, which do not fall within the carry-on restrictions on airplanes. In fact, in small bottles, the above-described prior art disadvantages occur more frequently, since the exchange surface with the wine is significantly proportional to the amount of wine contained in the bottle. In other words, in small bottles sealed with a traditional cork, the cork has a greater effect than in large bottles.

Preferably, the metal foil can be separated from the insert as soon as it is no longer necessary to use the cap: by applying minimal force, the user can remove the metal foil from the cap and store it for collection purposes.

Preferably, the metal foil is provided on its underside with at least one leg, i. E. a process protruding towards the inside of the bottle.

At least one leg is spaced from the edge so as to allow the metal foil to adhere to the neck of the bottle and to have a minimum overlap of at least 1 mm around the entire circumference of the neck of the bottle, and preferably in a self-centering manner.

The at least one leg can be connected to the foil already in the mold from which the metal foil is removed, or it can later be connected to it by welding (preferably by laser welding).

Preferably, the at least one leg facilitates the separation of the metal foil from the screw cap: in fact, the user, using a clip, can easily grip the leg and peel off the metal foil from the cap in order to retain the precious metal metal foil.

In an embodiment, the metal foil is provided with three substantially cylindrical legs with an axis substantially perpendicular to the underside of the metal foil. In addition to allowing the metal foil to be removed, preferably the three legs make it possible to ensure that the metal foil does not move radially and thus does not move away from its central position on the neck of the bottle. In other words, the legs restrict the radial movement of the metal foil: it can move on the plane formed by the neck of the bottle until the legs rest against the neck of the bottle, thus preventing further movements in this direction.

In another embodiment, the metal foil has three horseshoe-shaped, i. E. U-shaped, legs that define an eyelet between the metal foil and each leg.

In addition to providing the above-described advantages, the particular U-shape of the legs allows a threadlike element, such as a chain, to be inserted inside the tab so as to have the ability to connect multiple legs of the same metal foil or different metal foils. For example, necklaces or collectible ornaments can be created in this way.

Optionally, the metal foil can be provided with legs with a different shape, also different from the shapes described.

Preferably, the screw cap insert also comprises a sheet made of a ferromagnetic material (i.e. high magnetic permeability), for example made of iron, martensitic stainless steel, cobalt, or other permanently magnetized materials. Preferably, the sheet is located above the metal foil and, due to its ferromagnetic characteristics, is able to follow the movements of the magnet, which is preferably provided with the bottle. When the user moves the magnet closer to the underside of the metal foil, it applies an attractive force to the sheet, and if the user later moves the magnet away from the cap, the sheet follows the movement towards the magnet and detaches from the cap. Since the sheet is located above the metal foil and as the magnet approaches the metal foil from the underside of the metal foil, moving the magnet and sheet away from the cap also causes the metal foil to separate from the cap as the latter is located between the sheet and the magnet.

In an embodiment, the sheet is positioned above the metal foil and the spacer: thus the spacer is in a position between the metal foil and the sheet, and the contents of the bottle are less likely to come into contact with the ferromagnetic sheet.

In another embodiment, the sheet is positioned between the metal foil and the spacer, and preferably the sheet is in contact with the metal foil. By positioning the sheet in a position located between the spacer and the metal foil, the separation of the sheet and thus also of the metal foil is facilitated, since the spacer is not located between the sheet and the metal foil, and the greater the force applied by the magnet to the sheet, the easier the separation from cap. Moreover, the spacer not located between the sheet and the magnet does not move away from the screw cap in response to movement towards the sheet and magnet, but remains in place in the screw cap.

Preferably, the screw cap insert can be manufactured in one piece, i. E. made of one material, capable of ensuring good aging of the wine and ensuring the correct positioning on the neck of the bottle also for many years.

Additional characteristics and advantages of the cap according to the present invention are described in the dependent claims.

BRIEF LIST OF FIGURES

Additional characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better demonstrated upon consideration of the following description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment, illustrated for purposes of illustration only and without limitation by means of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1a is an axial / vertical sectional view of a portion of a prior art screw cap;

Figure 1b is a partial sectional view of another prior art screw cap;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a portion of a first embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a second embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a third embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a portion of a fourth embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a portion of a fifth embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a portion of a sixth embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figures 8-10 are schematic views of a detail of respective embodiments of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 11 is a sectional view of a portion of a seventh embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 12 is a sectional view of a portion of an eighth embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 13 is a sectional view of a portion of a ninth embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 14 is a sectional view of a portion of a tenth embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figures 15 and 16 are perspective views of two embodiments of a screw cap metal foil according to the present invention;

Figure 17 is a sectional view of a portion of an eleventh embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention;

Figure 18 is a sectional view of a portion of a twelfth embodiment of a screw cap according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1a shows a vertical section, which can also be defined as axial or diametrical, of a portion of a screw cap T 'according to the prior art, wherein the screw cap seals the wine bottle B. The bottle B is provided with a neck provided with a level 1 of the screw finish, onto which the cap is screwed T '. The cap T ', in turn, contains a cap 2 made of aluminum with a thread in the area 2' and an insert 3 located between the cap 2 and the neck of the bottle B.

In turn, the insert 3 consists of a first element 3 ', for example of a cork, plastic material or rubber, and a second element 3' ', acting as a seal, of a polymer material. When bottle B is tilted, the wine contacts the sealing element 3 ''.

Figure 1b shows a partial vertical section of another screw cap T '' according to the prior art. The cap T '' contains an insert 3, consisting of three elements: the same elements 3 'and 3' 'described above, plus an additional element 3' '', made of a polymer material, made with the possibility of pressing the elements 3 'and 3' ' to the neck of bottle B and with the possibility of implementing a screw connection at level 1 of the screw finish of bottle B.

With a convenient choice of materials used, the elements that make up Box 3, i.e. elements 3 ', 3' ', 3' '' (if any) can be made of one material, i.e. for one whole.

Reference numeral 4 denotes the weakened area of the aluminum cover 2, i. E. a predetermined line of weakness allowing the cap T ', T' 'to rotate in relation to the neck of bottle B.

Figure 2 shows a vertical sectional view of a first embodiment 10a of a screw cap according to the present invention applied to a glass or ceramic bottle B. The cap 10a comprises a metal cap 2, the insert 11a being housed inside the latter. The cap 2 comprises a screw section 2 'for screwing at level 1 of the finish of the bottle B, as also described in relation to the prior art.

However, unlike known solutions, preferably the insert 11a contains a lower element 12 intended for contact with the wine contained in the bottle B. This is a metal foil made of gold or other precious metal inert at room temperature, for example, iridium, platinum, osmium, rhodium, palladium or an alloy of these metals. Preferably, the bottom element 12 is a 24-carat gold disc. Preferably, the lower member 12 is a disc whose thickness is less than 1 mm, for example 0.01-0.05 mm, and whose diameter is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the neck 13 of bottle B.

The advantages offered by the precious metal disc 12 are numerous. These precious metals are chemically inert and do not release substances into wine that could modify its flavor and aroma, even when the bottle is stored for long periods of time in an inclined position with the wine in direct contact with the metal. In this regard, this ensures that the organoleptic properties of the wine, in particular the taste and bouquet, are not subject to negative changes.

Moreover, the precious metals noted, even if chemically inert, are generally electronegative. As noted above, for example, 24-karat gold has an electronegativity value of 2.54 on the Pauling scale. This characteristic can contribute to a good aging of bottled wine, since wine usually contains ions of various natures in solution. For example, it has been found that the release of flavan-3-ols during the oxidative treatment of red wines is largely attributable to the formation of polymerizations activated by ethyl bridges after the formation of ethanal as a result of ethanol oxidation. This phenomenon occurs as a result of phenolic oxidation, activated by Fe (II / III) ions (performance on May 6, 2015 at the national SIVE award "G. Versini", n. 35 "Influenza della natura dei composti fenoli nell'invecchiamento del vino rosso" , D. Fracassetti et al., Page 23). Contact with precious metal can promote ionic action.

In the case where the disc 12 is made of gold, the following advantage can also be found: gold is generally known to be ductile and, under the pressing action of the cap 2 screwed onto the neck N of the bottle B, ideally adapts to the surface of the neck 13, which means that it deforms to realize and ensuring airtightness. In practice, disc 12 acts as a spacer while still being made of metal rather than synthetic material.

An additional advantage is the increased commercial value of the cap itself and thus the increased value of the bottle B. The precious metal disc 12 can be removed from the screw cap 10a and can be part of a collection: additional embodiments that facilitate the separation of the disk 12 from the screw cap, will be described below.

In addition, identification marks can be inserted on the top and / or bottom of the disc 12, i. E. respectively on the side in contact with the element 14 (described below) and / or on the side that can contact the wine contained in the bottle.

In these circumstances, the presence of the precious metal disc 12 could be an advantage in the market and could attract potential consumers among those who were still skeptical about the use of a screw cap for sealing high-quality wine B bottles.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the insert 11a comprises two other elements 14 and 15 located one above the other on the disc 12. The element 14 is preferably a spacer made of natural material such as cork, rubber or a base metal (for example, a thin layer of stainless steel or aluminum), or a synthetic material such as elastomers, tetrafluoroethylene, silicon, or a combination thereof. The element 14 has a radial extension greater than the metal foil 12 itself, while its outer rim surrounds the metal foil 12 by adhering to the neck 13 of the bottle B.

Element 15 is preferably resilient to apply force to the underlying elements 12 and 14 to help fit against the surface of the neck 13 of bottle B. For example, element 15 may be made of cork or a polymeric material such as PET or PE.

When the screw cap 10a is mounted on the bottle, the element 15 is compressed slightly so that the element 15 constantly exerts a force on the underlying elements in order to have a perfect fit of the disc 12 against the neck 13 of the bottle B.

In the example shown, the elastic element 15 comprises a circular rim 15 'projecting downwards and having the function of deforming around the perimeter of the element 14 in order to make it adhere to the neck 13 of the bottle B around the disc 12, which can therefore no longer move radially. and always remains centered and aligned with the neck 13 of bottle B.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment 10b of a cap according to the present invention.

The corresponding insert 11b comprises a disc 12 of precious metal, an elastic element 15 and a spacer 14, for example, of rubber or plastic material. Between the spacer 14 and the precious metal disc 12, there is an additional element 16 made of a material selected from a non-precious metal, preferably glass or ceramic. The element 16 has the task of preventing deformation of the elastic element 15 along the XX axis of the bottle B, for example, it prevents the elastic element 15 from buckling or bending in the center by relieving the load from the disk 12, which must also always remain well adhered to the neck 13 of the bottle B ...

Figure 4 shows a third embodiment 10c of a screw cap. With respect to the solution shown in Figure 4, bottle B has a circular bulge 17 at the neck 13 and the gasket 14 follows its profile by abutting to ensure tightness under the force from the resilient member 15.

Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment 10d in which the reference numeral 18 denotes air or a cork element or an activated carbon element or a layer of granular or powdery substances (e.g. pepper grains) constituting a layer that promotes good aging of the wine contained in bottle B: such the layer releases volatiles into the air contained in the cap, which over time are released into the wine. In this embodiment, the spacer 14 has an accordion-shaped portion 14 'protruding towards the disc 12, which allows the correct pressure to be applied to the disc 12.

Figure 6 shows a fifth embodiment 10e, similar to the previous one, but containing in addition a stiffener 16 made of glass, metal or ceramic. Area 14 'looks deformed, slightly flattened against element 16.

In the same embodiment 10f shown in FIG. 7, the spacer 14 has a different, less flattened profile in relation to that shown in FIG. 6.

In practice, the embodiments shown in Figures 5-7 differ in the shape of the insert. For example, the gasket 14 may have a different profile among the three embodiments in order to obtain different pressure zones at the neck 13 of bottle B.

Figures 8-10 schematically show corresponding embodiments of a precious metal disc 12. In particular, in the version of figure 8, the disc 12 is S-shaped (in cross-section) in the region 12 'so as to form a controlled deformation zone and a contact shoulder relative to the spacer 14, which prevents lateral movements (in the radial direction) of the disc 12 itself. In the FIG. 9 version, disc 12 is U-shaped (in cross-section) at 12 ″ so as to define a controlled deformation zone and a contact shoulder relative to the spacer 14. In the FIG. 10 embodiment, disc 12 is L-shaped (in cross-section). section) in the area 12 '' 'so as to form a controlled deformation zone and a contact shoulder relative to the gasket 14.

Figure 11 shows another embodiment 10g of a cap according to the present invention, which is characterized in that the gasket 14 is of an annular type: a section can be seen in the figure. In particular, the gasket 14, seen in vertical section, has a radial pin 20 which bears against the disc 12. The pin 20 extends radially inwardly and protrudes from the rest of the gasket 14; A zigzag or W-shaped section 21 is positioned between the pin 20 and the rest of the pad 14 to allow the pin to flex and adapt to the final shape taken when the cap 10g is fully screwed onto bottle B.

Reference numeral 19 denotes micro-holes punched in the precious metal disc 12. It is obvious that the size of the hole is deliberately not to scale in the drawing in order to facilitate understanding. The micro-holes 19 are drilled, for example by laser punching technology, and allow minimal but important air exchange with the portion above the disc 12. Trying to trap a sufficient amount of air inside the cover 2, for example using a porous plug element 15 or leaving a volume filled with air, the holes 19 allow the passage of air towards the wine contained in the bottle for a volume corresponding to a few mm ³ / year. This is the volume of air that corresponds to a good aging of bottled wine.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, the cover 2 and the gasket 14, which extends above the disc 12, also have holes. The reference numeral 27 denotes the micro-holes drilled in the cap 2, while the reference numeral 22 denotes the micro-holes drilled in the gasket 14. The objective is to allow a minimum flow of air towards the bottled wine.

Figure 13 shows a ninth embodiment 10i of a screw cap; This embodiment differs from the previous ones in that the disc 12 is provided with a bulge 23 on the upper side, i. e. on the side opposite to the side in contact with the neck 13 of bottle B. Such bulge 23 extends circumferentially on disc 12 along the edge of disc 12 itself, thus assuming the shape of the circular edge of disc 12.

Thickening 23 is obtained at a distance from the center of disc 12 so as to be located above the neck 13 of bottle B.

Its function is in fact to apply a force to the disc 12 in addition to the force exerted by the member 15 in order to have a higher density.

Moreover, the bump 23 also has the aesthetic advantage of forming a backing on the disc 12, which is able to emphasize possible identification marks located on the upper side of the disc 12.

Figure 14 shows a tenth embodiment 10l of a cap according to the present invention, in which the disc 12 comprises a stem 24 with a substantially cylindrical shape protruding from the underside of the disc 12. The function of the leg 24 is to facilitate the separation of the gold disc 12 from the cap 10l, for example by clamp.

Figures 15 and 16 show two additional embodiments of disc 12 (the entire cap is not shown). In the embodiment shown in Figure 15, the disc 12 is provided with three legs 24 ', 24' ', 24' '' on the underside with the same shape as the leg 24 described in Figure 14; Such legs 24 ', 24' ', 24' '', in addition to facilitating the separation of the disc 12 from the screw cap, have the function of holding the disc 12 in place on the neck 13 of the bottle B especially during the positioning and screwing of the cap. In fact, when the disk 12 makes radial movements, the legs 24 ', 24' ', 24' '' come into abutment with the inner side of the neck N of the bottle B and prevent further movement of the disk 12 into a radial position and its departure, which allows the disk 12 perform the previously described functions.

The embodiment shown in Figure 16 differs from the embodiment shown in Figure 15 in the horseshoe-shaped or U-shaped legs 25 ', 25 ", 25" "of the disc 12. These legs 25', 25", 25 '' 'have an eyelet bounded by disc 12 and by each leg 25', 25 '', 25 '' '.

After bottle B has been opened and disc 12 is separated from the cap, preferably a gold thread can be inserted through this tab so as to connect several legs for decorative purposes, both belonging to the same disc 12 and belonging to different discs for to add them to the collection.

The legs described in Figures 14-16 can be manufactured separately and subsequently welded to the disc 12 or, in the case of the legs in Figures 14 and 15, directly connected to the disc 12 already directly in the mold.

Legs 24, 24'-24 "" and 25'-25 "" are positioned on disc 12 to both ensure that disc 12 rests on the neck 13 of bottle B and ensure that legs 24, 24'- 24 "" and 25'-25 "" are capable of overlapping the neck N of bottle B, thus preventing disc 12 from leaving its place; in practice, such legs 24, 24'-24 '' '' and 25'-25 '' 'are inscribed in such a circle that they overlap at least 1 mm with the neck 13.

Figures 17 and 18 show, respectively, two embodiments 10m and 10n, whose respective inserts 11m and 11n comprise a sheet 26 made of a ferromagnetic material, i. E. having high magnetic permeability; for example, sheet 26 can be made of iron, martensitic stainless steel, cobalt, or permanently magnetized material. The sheet 26 is located above the disc 12 and, since it is ferromagnetic, can follow the movement of a magnet, preferably provided with bottle B. In order to separate the disc 12 from the screw cap, it is therefore required that the user move the magnet closer to the front surface of the cap where the disc 12 is located, and then he / she moves the magnet sideways in the opposite direction: thus the sheet 26 follows the sideways movement of the magnet and entails the disc 12 which is in position between the magnet and the sheet 26.

In the embodiment 10m shown in FIG. 17, the sheet 26 is positioned above the pad 14 so that the pad 14 is positioned between the sheet 26 and the disc 12. This embodiment ensures that the contents of the bottle B do not come into contact with the material of which the sheet 26 is made. , in the event that the disc 12 moves radially along the neck 13 of the bottle B or accidentally shows a leak.

Conversely, in the embodiment 10n shown in Figure 18, the sheet 26 is immediately above and in contact with the disc 12. Therefore, in this case, the sheet 26 is in a position between the spacer 14 and the disc 12. This arrangement makes it easier to separate the disc 12 from the cap, since there is no screw cap component between the disc and the sheet 26 to prevent it from separating.

It should be clarified that the screw cap according to the present invention can also be provided with an element such as element 3 '' 'shown in figure 1b.

Claims (36)

1. Screw cap (10a-10n) for wine bottles (B) including an outer cap (2) screwed onto the bottle (B); at least one insert (11a-11n) inserted into the outer cap (2) and configured to be positioned between the neck (13) of the bottle (B) and the outer cap (2), wherein the insert (11a-11n) contains at least one metal foil (12) made with the possibility of contacting directly with the neck (13) of the bottle (B) and overlapping it, while the metal foil (12) is made of a precious metal, inert at room temperature, or it is made of an alloy of precious metals that are inert at room temperature, characterized in that the insert (11a-11n) contains a spacer (14) located on the metal foil (12) and having a radial extent greater than the metal foil (12), and while the outer rim of the spacer (14) surrounds the metal foil (12 ) while adhering to the neck (13) of the bottle (B). 2. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is made of a metal selected from the group of gold, iridium, platinum, osmium, rhodium, palladium or an alloy of these metals. 3. The screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 1 or 2, the metal foil (12) is a disc with a thickness of less than 0.5 mm, preferably less than 0.05 mm. 4. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 3, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is made of 24-carat gold and has a thickness of between 0.01 mm and 0.05 mm. 5. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-4, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is the only cap element in contact with the wine contained in the bottle (B). 6. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-5, characterized in that the metal foil (12) undergoes deformation when the cap is screwed onto the bottle (B) and the edges of the metal foil (12) adhere to the upper surface of the neck (13) of the bottle (B). 7. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-6, characterized in that the metal foil (12) contains a group of micro-through holes (19) or, alternatively, a zone with a calibrated porosity that allows an air volume of up to 500 mm ³ / year to be brought into the bottle (B). 8. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 7, characterized in that the micro-holes have a diameter of less than 0.1 mm. 9. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it includes an internal volume in which there is air, or a layer of porous material containing air, which is in fluid communication with the micro-holes (19) of the metal foil (12). 10. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 9, characterized in that it includes a layer of granular or porous materials (18) that release volatile components into the air inside the screw cap (10a-10n) while in fluid communication with micro-holes (19) metal foil. 11. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any one of paragraphs. 7-10, characterized in that the outer cover (2) contains a group of micro-through holes (27) that fluidly connect the outer part of the screw cap (10a-10n) with its inner part. 12. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-11, characterized in that the gasket (14) comprises a circular section (14 '), whose cross section is S-, L-, W- or U-shaped, and in which the circular section deforms when the cap is screwed on, and adjoins the metal foil (12) on the respective top surface. 13. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any one of the previous paragraphs. 1-12, characterized in that the insert (11a-11n) contains an elastic element (15) located between the gasket (14) and the outer cap (2), while the elastic element is preloaded when screwing the cap onto the bottle (B) and continuously applies force directly to the spacer (14) and indirectly to the metal foil (12). 14. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 13, characterized in that the elastic element (15) is made of cork, rubber or plastic material. 15. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the elastic element (15) also extends between the outer cap (2) and the bottle (B) at the level of the finish, in particular at the thread. 16. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 13-15, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is provided with a bulge (23) extending along the perimeter and above the neck (13) of the bottle (B) and applying force to the area of the metal foil (12) in contact with the neck (13) of the bottle (B), in response to the force that the elastic element (15) applies to the boss (23). 17. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 13-16, characterized in that the insert (11a-11n) contains a stiffener (16), rigid in relation to the spacer (14) and the elastic element (15), which is located between the metal foil (12) and the spacer (14) directly in contact with metal foil (12). 18. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 17, characterized in that the stiffening element (16) is made of glass, ceramic, metal or high-density plastic material. 19. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any one of the previous paragraphs. 1-18, characterized in that the gasket (14) is made of rubber or a polymer material, for example, polyethylene or polyethylene terephthalate. 20. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-19, characterized in that the gasket (14) has micro-holes or a zone with calibrated porosity in the metal foil (12). 21. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-20, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is provided on its lower side and / or its upper side with an identification mark. 22. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-11, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is designed to be detachable from the screw cap (10a-10n) in response to a force applied to the metal foil by the user. 23. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-21, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is provided on its underside with at least one leg (24) extending towards the inside of the bottle (B), and in which the metal foil (12) can be separated from the screw cap (10a-10n) in response to a force applied by the user to the metal foil (12) in said at least one leg (24). 24. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-23, characterized in that the metal foil (12) is provided with three legs (24'-24 '' '), made with the possibility of abutting against the inner side of the neck (N) of the bottle (B) in response to the radial movements of the metal foil itself ( 12). 25. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 24, characterized in that the legs (25'-25'''') are made in a horseshoe shape and form an eyelet with the metal foil (12) adapted to accommodate the thread-like through element. 26. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-25, characterized in that the insert (11a-11n) comprises a sheet (26) located above the metal foil (12) and made of a ferromagnetic material, and in which said sheet (26) is movable away from the screw cap (10a-10n) in response to a force applied to said sheet (26) by a magnet, so that when the magnet and sheet (26) move away from the screw cap (10a-10n), the metal foil (12) also moves into side of the screw cap (10a-10n), separating from it. 27. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 26, characterized in that the sheet (26) is made of a material with high magnetic permeability, in particular iron, martensitic stainless steel, cobalt, or is made of a permanently magnetized material. 28. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the spacer (14) is located between the sheet (26) and the metal foil (12) and in which the spacer (14) is movable away from screw cap (10a-10n) in response to movements towards the sheet (26) and screw cap (10a-10n). 29. A screw cap (10a-10n) according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the sheet (26) is located between the spacer (14) and the metal foil (12). 30. Screw cap (10a-10n) according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-29, characterized in that the insert (11a-11n) is made in one piece. 31. A bottle equipped with a screw cap according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-30. 32. Wine bottle equipped with a screw cap according to any of the previous paragraphs. 1-30, while the bottle is designed to be carried in hand luggage on airplanes in accordance with current regulations, in particular, it has a volume of less than 100 ml.

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