Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D49/00—Arrangements or devices for preventing refilling of containers
  • B65D49/02—One-way valves
  • B65D49/04—Weighted valves

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of capping capsules, and more particularly that of anti-fraud capping capsules for packaging liquid products of great value or of great renown, typically in the field of wines, alcohols, liqueurs or spirits. .
• PROBLEMS POSED Despite the large number of devices already known, none of these devices has become established in current practice as an effective means to meet the objective of making the containers equipped with these devices non-refillable or to make any fraudulent reuse detectable. a container by filling a liquid different from the original liquid; and this, either because these devices were inefficient or ineffective, or because they were too complicated to manufacture or assemble to a container.
• the refilling device intended to be fixed to a neck of a container and to be closed by a closure cap, so as to be assembled to said neck in an irreversible manner by making said container refillable, said container being typically a bottle containing a liquid, typically a beverage comprising an alcohol, comprises a so-called lower part delimiting a lower cavity, said lower part being able in particular to ensure a tight and typically irreversible attachment of said device to said neck, and an anti -return forming a movable part in said lower cavity and cooperating with said lower part forming a non-return valve, said device and typically said lower part, comprising a central part obstructing said lower cavity, typically at its upper part, so as to trapping said non-return means in said cavity lower, to allow a normal flow of said liquid out of said container, and to prevent a subsequent fraudulent filling of said container.
• This device is characterized in that it comprises, above said non-return means, at least one so-called upper part forming or comprising means for protecting said non-return means, said upper part being irreversibly integral with said lower part, so that any fraudulent attempt to re-fill the said container, typically by rendering inoperative said non-return means, is prevented by said means of protection and / or is made visible by destruction or alteration of all or part of said device or typically said means of protection.
• the invention solves the problems posed.
• fraudsters can not access the said non-return means to annihilate its action to a fraudulent filling, or in any case, can not access said non-return means without a visible alteration of said device.
• the device according to the invention uses only standard materials and standard techniques for manufacturing its component parts, as well as standard assembly techniques for these parts, so that the device according to the invention is an industrial product capable of being manufactured at a high rate and a reasonable cost of production allowing its marketing.
• Figures la to 2b, 7 to 9d, 10a to 10d are axial sections or half-sections in the axial direction (10).
• Figures 3 to 6 are half axial sections for the right part and half side views for the left part.
• Figures 9e to 9g are top views.
• FIGS. 1a-2 relate to the same embodiment of a composite closure cap (1) comprising the same modality of refilling device (3).
• FIG. 1a is a half-view of the composite closure cap (1) ready to be assembled at a bottle neck (not shown) by an axial clipping, said composite closure cap (1) by assembly of said capsule capping (2) and said device (3), the skirt (200) of the capsule (1) being crimped in a circular groove (361) of the device (3).
• Figures Ib to the are related to the component parts of the composite closure cap (1), except the ball (51) and the metal part (8).
• Figure Ib is a view of said upper piece (31).
• This piece (31) is a molded piece made of plastic, comprising a central portion (310) forming a grid (6 ') as a protective means (6), and a peripheral portion (311) forming a peripheral skirt (311' ) bearing on its outer surface said securing means (37) in the form of a thread (370).
• Figure Ic is a view of said lower part (30).
• This piece (30) is a molded piece comprising, from right to left: an outer wall (36) carrying said circular groove (361), a radial portion (34), and an inner wall (32) which comprises an upper portion (35), a lower portion (33) and a central portion (301).
• Figure Id is a view of the insert (21) of the closure cap (2), said insert (21) comprising an internally threaded skirt (210), a head (215) carrying a circular lip (213) as a means sealing. Dashed is shown a planar joint (212) as another sealing means adapted to replace said circular lip (213).
• Figure 1c is a view of the metal shell (20) of said closure cap (2), said closure cap (2) being formed by fixing or assembling said insert (21) in said metal shell (20).
• Figure 2a corresponds to Figure 1a, after unscrewing the closure cap (2) and inclined said device (3) to obtain said normal flow of the liquid.
• Figure 2a illustrates the axial displacement of the ball (51) and the so-called normal flow of the liquid.
• the three liquid passages have been indicated by three distinct arrows through the three successive obstacles formed, during said normal flow of liquid, by the central part (301), then by the metal part (8), and finally by the gate ( &).
• FIG. 2b similar to FIG. 2a, illustrates another device modality (3) in which said metal part (8) plays the role of said central part (301) intended to block the axial displacement of the ball (51).
• Figure 3 shows, in vertical position, another form of composite closure cap (1) assembled to the neck (40) of a bottle as a container (4).
• said closure cap (2) is a plastic molded closure cap (2c) comprising a threaded skirt (210 '), a head (215'), and a sealing means (211 ').
• the device (3) comprises an outer joining ring
• the grid (6 ') is a plane grid (6a), but a dome-shaped grid (6b) is represented in dashed line.
• said metal part (8) which may be optionally present.
• Figure 4 similar to Figure 3, shows another form of composite closure cap (1).
• the closure cap (2) is a closure cap (2b) comprising a metal shell (20) and an insert (21 ') devoid of skirt, the skirt (200) of the metal shell (20) bearing a thread (204) cooperating with the thread (370) carried by the upper part (31) of said device (3).
• FIG 5 similar to Figure 4, shows another form of composite closure cap (1).
• the closure cap (2) is a closure cap (2a) comprising a metal shell (20) and an insert (21) having a threaded skirt (210) cooperating with the peripheral portion (31 1, 31 1 ') of said upper piece (31) provided with a thread (370).
• the outer wall (36) of the lower part (30) comprises a plurality of fastening hooks (360) which secure the composite closure cap
• FIG. 6 similar to FIG. 5, differs in that the composite closure cap (1) is secured to the neck (40) by crimping or embossing the metal of the skirt (200) of the metal shell (20). ) under the glass ring (401) and / or in a circular groove of the glass ring, so as to form a crimping ring (205).
• Ligures 7 and 8 relate to other methods of composite closure capsules (1) according to the invention.
• the right half-part of the figure represents the composite closure cap (1), and the cooperation of the closure cap (2) and of said device (3), the beginning of the capping of the neck (40), whereas the half left part represents the composite closure cap (1) at the end of capping.
• said lower piece (30) is a lower piece (30 ') which comprises an inner wall (32) integral with a central portion (301'), and a radial portion (34 ') axially locking the composite closure cap (1) against the rim (400) of the neck (40), the radial portion (34 ') comprising a flexible lip (340) forming a pourer through a thinned portion (341) forming a hinge.
• said upper part (31) comprises a peripheral part (31 1) forming said grid (6 '), and a central part (310') bearing against said lower part (30 '), said upper part ( 31) being snapped into said lower piece (30).
• the capsule is similar to that of FIG. 4, the insert of the closure cap being an insert (21 ') devoid of a threaded skirt.
• This insert (21 ') comprises a high detent element (214) intended to cooperate with a low detent element (371) of said lower part (30), so as to fasten said closure cap (2) to said device (3) before capping said neck (40).
• the modality of FIG. 8 differs from the modality of FIG. 7 in that the insert of the closure cap is an insert (21) provided with a threaded skirt (210).
• 9a to 9g illustrate different forms protection means (6) as a grid (6 1) comprising a plurality of orifices (60, 60 ', 60 ").
• Figures 9a to 9d illustrate the shape of the grid (6 ').
• Figure 9a shows a planar grid (6a).
• Figure 9b shows a grid (6b) having the shape of a dome or a vault, typically semicircular.
• Figure 9c shows a gate (6c) comprising a dome-shaped central portion (61) and a planar peripheral portion (62).
• Fig. 9d shows a gate (6d) comprising a dome-shaped central portion (61) and a peripheral portion (62 ') provided with inclined or axial elements.
• Figure 9e illustrates the case where the grids (6 ', 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) of Figures 9a to 9d comprise only a plurality of typically curvilinear slots (64).
• FIG. 9f illustrates the case where the grids (6 ', 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) of Figures 9a to 9d comprise only a plurality of holes (63) of square section (or possibly round).
• FIG. 9g illustrates the case where the central portion (61) of the grids (6 ', 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) comprises a plurality of holes (63), while the peripheral portion (62, 62') comprises a plurality typically curvilinear slits (64).
• Figures 10a to 10d illustrate the shape of the orifices (60, 60 ', 60 ") of the grids (6'), Figure 10a illustrates the case where the grid (6 ') comprises a plurality of axial channels
• FIG. 10b illustrates the case where the gate (6 ') comprises a plurality of axial channels
• Figure 10c illustrates the cases where said upper ports (60) comprise or consist of a plurality of angular channels (60c) comprising two portions (600) and
• FIG. 10d shows the two elements of the mold making it possible to obtain the grid of FIG. 10c, with a high mold element (65) and a low mold element (66).
• said lower part (30) may comprise a so-called inner wall (32) intended to be introduced wholly or partly into said neck (40), said inner wall ( 32) comprising a lower portion (33) having a lower lip (330) delimiting a typically circular lower orifice (331) with a surface area S1 of typically 50 to 150 mm 2 , said lower lip (330) forming a seat said lower cooperating with said movable piece (50), so as to form said non-return valve, said movable piece (50) tending by gravity to close said lower orifice being pressed against said lower lip (330) when said container (4) ) is typically straight, and to separate axially from said lower seat and thus to open said lower orifice when said container (4) is inclined to pour said liquid ensuring said flow nt normal, as illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b.
• Said moving part (50) may be a ball (51), typically spherical.
• said movable member (50) may be a non-spherical piece (52), or a disc, typically planar or arch-shaped.
• Said inner wall (32) may form or include a means for axially guiding said movable part (50), so as to avoid any risk of locking said movable part (50).
• said inner wall (32), and typically its lower portion (33), can comprise a plurality of rods or axial projections (332), so as to form said axial guide means of said moving part (50) while ensuring said normal flow.
• said inner wall (32), and typically its lower portion (33), may comprise on its inner surface axial grooves (333), so as to form said axial guide means of said moving part ( 50) while providing said normal flow.
• said inner wall (32), and typically its lower part (33) may comprise at least one circular fin (334) intended to cooperate with said neck (40), so as to ensure sealing between said device (3) and said neck (40), and optionally to form said sealed fastener.
• the fins have been represented as they are before assembly of the composite closure cap (1) in the neck (40).
• Said inner wall (32), and typically said lower portion (33), can be adapted to be secured to said neck (40) by force fitting in said neck (40), typically sealed, any attempt to extract said device ( 3) outside said neck (40) typically leading to a visible alteration of said device, for example to a visible alteration of said protection means (6).
• said lower piece (30) may comprise complementary fixing means (7) of said device (3) to said neck (40), said complementary fastening means (7) typically comprising an adhesive (70) carried on the surface of said fin (334) so as to provide said airtight attachment of said device (3) to said neck (40).
• This adhesive may be a hot-melt type adhesive
• said complementary fixing means (7) may comprise a seal (71), typically an elastomer O-ring, carried by an outer surface of said inner wall (32), and typically its lower portion (33).
• said lower part (30) may comprise a radial portion (34) integral with said inner wall (30) and intended to form an axial stop during said fixing of said device ( 3) to said neck (40), said radial portion (34) bearing against the rim (400) of said neck (40), so as to ensure an automatic axial positioning of said device (3) with respect to said neck (40) when of said attachment which corresponds to the capping operation of the container (4) by the composite closure cap (1) comprising said device (3).
• said upper part (31) may comprise a peripheral portion (311) typically forming a peripheral skirt (311 1 ), and a central portion (310) secured to said portion device, forming or comprising as a means of protection (6) a gate (6 '), said gate (6') being provided with a plurality of upper orifices (60), said upper orifices (60), typically of round shape or square or curvilinear, having a unit area Su typically less than 5 mm 2 , and total area S ⁇ typically between 20 and 100 mm 2 , said surfaces Su and S ⁇ being chosen large enough to ensure a fairly fast flow said liquid when said liquid is poured by tilting said neck, and said unit surface Su being chosen small enough to prevent fraudulent introduction of a foreign body through said grid (6 ') e n attempt to render inefficient said non-return means (5).
• said upper orifices (60) may comprise or consist of a plurality of axial channels (60a) or channels
• said upper orifices (60) may comprise or be constituted by a plurality of angular channels (60c), each angular channel (60c) comprising two axial portions (600) and (601) communicating with each other but offset axially, so as to prevent any introduction of a tapered object into said inner cavity (300) of said device (3).
• said central portion (310), typically said grid (6 '), and said peripheral portion (311) form a single molded piece made of plastic material.
• said central portion (310), typically said gate (6'), and said peripheral portion (311) can form two distinct pieces, typically molded plastic parts, said central portion (310) and peripheral (311) being typically assembled by an axial latching. It is advantageous for said grid (6 ') to be made of a molded plastic material chosen so as to have a high rigidity, typically in impact PS, so as to be at least partially destroyed in the event of a fraudulent attempt to break the cavity.
• said grid (6 ') can be chosen from: a plane grid (6a), a grid (6b) having the shape of a dome or a vault, typically semicircular, a gate (6c) comprising a dome-shaped central portion (61) and a planar peripheral portion (62), a gate (6d) comprising a dome-shaped central portion (61) and a peripheral portion (62 ') provided with inclined or axial elements.
• said central portion (301) may comprise at least one radial projection (335), so that said non-return means (5), movable in said lower cavity (300) has an axial stroke limited below by said lower lip (301) and superiorly by said radial projection (335), said radial projection (335) possibly being integral with a central element (336), this central element being able to be secured to the radial projection (335) annular by a plurality of connecting rods (332 ') allowing said normal flow.
• the central element (336) is a solid element that limits fraudulent access to the ball (51) to prevent or disrupt its normal operation.
• the axial stroke of the ball (51) has been represented by a double axial arrow in FIG.
• said protection means (6) may comprise a metal part (8), typically a metal pellet (8 '), typically a solid metal part, positioned under said grid (6') in a so-called upper cavity (312), so as to form a mechanical barrier to any fraudulent attempt to render inoperative said non-return means.
• said metal piece (8) can be positioned above said central portion (301) of said lower piece (30) obstructing said lower cavity (300), typically above said radial projection (335) of said portion lower (33), said upper cavity (312) providing said normal flow and possibly allowing an axial stroke of said metal piece (8), said axial stroke being limited below by said radial projection (335) of said lower part, when said container is typically straight, and limited upper by said protective means (6) or by an upper portion (35) of said inner wall (32), or typically by its necking portion (350), when said container (4) is inclined to pour said liquid .
• said inner wall (32) may comprise said upper portion (35), said upper portion (35) including a plurality of lateral recesses (351) to allow said normal flow.
• the stroke of the metal part is limited, as represented by a double axial arrow in FIG. 1a, so that the metal part (8), which is a solid part, does not come into contact with said grid (6 '), which can be intentionally formed into a brittle material so as to be visibly impaired by any attempt to tamper with said device (3).
• said metal piece (8) can cooperate with said inner radial projection (335) in the manner of a complementary valve so as to make at least very little, if not very, a fraudulent introduction of a fraudulent liquid into said container when said container is typically straight, said axial metal piece (8), moving axially, by gravity, when said container (4) is inclined to pour said liquid, so as to ensure said normal flow, possibly through a plurality of lateral recesses (351) formed on the inner surface of said upper portion (35). As illustrated in FIG. 2b, said metal piece (8) can limit the axial stroke of said movable piece (50) forming the non-return means (5) to a greater extent.
• said lower part (30) may comprise a so-called outer wall (36) typically forming an outer skirt (36 ') intended to cover all or part of the glassware ring (401). ) of said neck (40).
• said inner (32) and outer (36) walls are secured by said radial portion (34) intended to bear against the rim (400) of the neck (40).
• said outer wall (36) may comprise or form, typically at its lower end, at least one hook (360) intended to cooperate with the narrowed outer wall (402). said neck (40), so as to ensure said fixing of said device (3) to said neck (40), by an axial latching.
• said lower part (30) may be constituted by a lower part (30 ') comprising a lower part (33' ), a radial portion (34 ') and a central portion (301'), said radial portion (34 1 ) forming an axial abutment against said rim (400) of said neck (40), said central portion (301 ') typically joined together at said lower lip (330 '), so as to form a cage for said non-return means (5)
• said upper piece (31) can be constituted by an upper piece (31') placed inside the said lower portion (33 '), so that said device (3) is adapted to be placed inside said neck (40).
• said lower piece (30 ') may comprise a flexible lip (340) forming a pourer, with a thinned portion (341) forming a hinge.
• said lower part (30) may comprise a temporary or removable fastening means (37) intended to cooperate with said closure cap (2), said closure cap (2) typically comprising a plastic insert ( 21) adapted to cooperate with said temporary or removable securing means (37), so as to form a composite closure cap (1), all or part of said closure cap (2) to be separated from said device (3) in to achieve said normal flow.
• a fastening (37) in order to manipulate said composite closure cap (1) as a single piece on the capping lines, and thus fix said capsule (1) in the manner of an ordinary capsule which would not have said device.
• said securing means (37) may consist of a thread (370) carried by said upper part (31), typically by said peripheral part (311) or said peripheral skirt (311 '), said thread (370) being intended to cooperate with a threaded skirt (210) of said insert (21), so that said closure cap (2) can cooperate with said device (3) by screwing.
• closure cap (2) is screwed to said device (3), both as a securing means (37) and as means for opening / closing the container (4).
• said securing means (37) may be constituted by a so-called bottom locking element (371) integral with said upper lower part (30, 30 ') (31), typically by said part central (301 '), said low latching element (371) being intended to cooperate with a so-called top snap element (214) integral with said insert (21), so that said closure cap (2) can cooperate with said device (3) by screwing.
• the closure cap (2) is screwed to the neck of the container, either through the skirt (200) of the metal shell (20) as shown in Figure 7, or through the threaded skirt (210) of the insert (21) as shown in FIG.
• said lower part (30) may comprise an anti-rotation means intended to cooperate with a complementary means of anti-rotation (402) of said neck (40), so that said device is integral in rotation said neck.
• the outer wall (36) has a crenellated lower surface adapted to cooperate with a radial projection of the neck (40) forming the complementary means of anti-rotation (402), so as to block in rotation said device ( 3) with respect to said container (4), and thus to be able to screw or unscrew said closure cap (2) with respect to said container (4).
• said upper piece (31) can be made irreversibly integral with said lower piece (30), by means of an assembly means (38) chosen in particular from: a cooperation (380) of clipped male and female elements , as illustrated for example in FIGS. 1a, 3, an outer securing ring (381, 381 '), as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.
• the ring (381) makes it possible to secure both the lower (30) and upper (31) parts to the neck (40), the upper part of the ring (381) being crimped on a rim. said upper part (31) and the lower part of the ring being crimped to the glass ring (401) of the neck (40) during said capping.
• the outer fastening ring (381 ') forms part of the skirt (200) of the metal shell (20), whose upper part is secured to said device (3) and to said upper part (31) by a crimping groove (361), and whose lower portion is then secured to the neck during said capping by crimping under the glass ring forming a crimping ring (205).
• Another object of the invention is constituted by a composite closure cap (1) comprising said device (3) according to the invention, said device (3) being assembled temporarily or removably to said closure cap (2) thanks to said securing means (37), so as to be able to assemble to said neck (40), during capping of said container (4), said non-refill device (3) and said closure cap (2) and in a single step.
• said closure cap (2) can be a closure cap (2a) comprising a typically metallic outer shell (20) having a head (200) and a skirt (201). ), a plastic insert (21a) comprising a threaded skirt (210), a head (215), and a sealing means (211), as shown in Figures 1a, 5, 6 and 8.
• Said closure cap (2) can also be a closure cap (2b) comprising a typically metallic outer shell (20) having a head (200) and a skirt (201), a plastic insert (21b ) comprising a head (215) and a sealing means (211), said skirt (201) forming a thread (204) cooperating with a thread (370) forming said securing means (37), or being able to form a thread (204 ') intended to cooperate with a thread (401) of said neck (40) during a capping step of said container by said capsule composite plug (1), as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 7.
• a closure cap (2b) comprising a typically metallic outer shell (20) having a head (200) and a skirt (201), a plastic insert (21b ) comprising a head (215) and a sealing means (211), said skirt (201) forming a thread (204) cooperating with a thread (370) forming said securing means (37), or being able to form a thread (204 ') intended to cooperate with
• said skirt (201) may comprise at least one weakening line (201), said weakening line ( 201) being located below said insert (21a, 21b) and intended to facilitate a first opening of said capsule (2) or to form an indication of first opening of said capsule (2), after said composite closure cap (1) ) has closed said neck (40) of said container (4) during a capping phase of said container (4), said line of weakness (201) delimiting an upper portion (202) of said shell (20) located above said weakening line (201) and a lower portion (203) of said shell (20) below said weakening line (201), said lower portion (203) being crimped to said lower member (30) typically by embossing or crimping metal of said lower portion (203) in a circular groove (360) said outer wall (36), or being intended to be crimped to said neck (40), under its glass ring (401).
• Said closure cap (2) can also be a molded plastic closure cap (2c) comprising a threaded skirt (210 '), a head (215'), and
• said sealing means (21 1, 21 ') can be chosen from: a typically plane joint (212), at least one circular lip (213, 213') integral with said head (215, 215 ').
• the composite capping caps (1) are manufactured according to the figures by supplying or manufacturing: A) different capping capsules (2): capping capsules (2a) for the composite capping capsules (1) according to FIGS. 1a, 5, 6 and 8, comprising an aluminum shell (20) made of aluminum and an insert (21) made of PE or PP provided with a threaded skirt (210, 210 '),
• capping capsules (2b) for the composite capping capsules (1) according to FIGS. 4 and 7 comprising an aluminum metal shell (20) and an insert (21 ') made of aluminum
• closure cap (2c) for the composite closure cap (1) according to Figure 3.
• This closure cap is a plastic capsule without outer shell metal.
• a grid (6 ') of the type of that of FIG. 9g and of FIG. 9d had 208 square holes of 0.6 mm per side, ie an area of 75 mm 2 for its central portion ( 61), and 16 side slits of 0.8 mm width, an area of 9.4 mm 2 , or a total area S T of flow of 84.3 mm 2 .
• the balls (51) 12.7 mm in diameter D were supplied either in the form of glass beads or in the form of a stainless steel ball.
• the metal parts (8) are supplied with glass or stainless steel.
• total area ST / "surface area” at least equal to 0.5 and preferably at least equal to
• the invention has many advantages, in addition to the primary purpose of being an anti-fraud means to prevent further filling of the container.
• the composite closure cap (1) according to the invention lends itself to automated manufacturing and does not introduce any particular constraint on the capping or packaging lines of alcohols or spirits.
• Crimping ring at 40,401 Crimping ring at 3,206
• Circular groove 361 Temporary joining means from 3 to 21 .. 37

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
• Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=35632666

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (2)

Citations (8)

• 2005
  • 2005-06-14 FR FR0506007A patent/FR2886924B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2006
  • 2006-06-08 AR ARP060102396A patent/AR054384A1/es unknown
  • 2006-06-13 WO PCT/FR2006/001328 patent/WO2006134263A1/fr active Application Filing

Patent Citations (8)

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