WO2007034076A1

WO2007034076A1 - Device for closing a container neck, container equipped with same and method for making same

Info

Publication number: WO2007034076A1
Application number: PCT/FR2006/002155
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franck Faulconnier; Grégory ANTIER; Marie-Françoise BOTTIN
Original assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
Priority date: 2005-09-21
Filing date: 2006-09-20
Publication date: 2007-03-29
Also published as: JP2009508778A; PT1940692E; CA2619821A1; EP1940692B1; AU2006293821A2; DE602006014569D1; ES2343544T3; AU2006293821A1; ATE469044T1; RU2008115468A; NZ566179A; EP1940692A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a device whereof the skirt (12) is provided with a weakened peripheral zone (16), ruptured when the device is first opened and on either side of which the skirt includes a first portion (14) adapted to be released from the neck after the weakened zone has been ruptured and a second portion (15) provided with a tab (17) projecting from the inner surface of the skirt towards the first portion of the skirt and adapted, at its free end (17B) to abut against an associated shoulder (8) of the neck (2) so as to maintain the second portion of the skirt around the neck when the device is first opened. To ensure a more resistant and more reliable retention of the second portion of the skirt, the tab has, in a longitudinal cross-section, a substantially curved shaped, its convex part facing the first portion of the skirt.

Description

DEVICE FOR CLOSING A RECIPIENT COLLAR, CONTAINER EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A DEVICE AND METHOD

MANUFACTURING SUCH A DEVICE

The present invention relates to a closure device of a container neck and a container equipped with such a device, and a method of manufacturing such a device. The invention relates more specifically to the devices including a skirt surrounding the neck of a container, a lower part, when considered that this neck extends vertically with its drinking upwards, is intended to remain around the neck after the first opening of the device, while the rest of the skirt, that is to say its upper part, is provided removable relative to the neck, while being initially connected to the non-removable bottom portion of the skirt by a weakening area to be broken at the first opening of the device. This ruptible zone serves as a witness of the first use of the device for the consumer, while the non-removable skirt portion, especially when it has a substantial length, can be used for aesthetic purposes as a dress of the corresponding area of the collar. In this context, the invention applies in particular, but not exclusively, to the field of packaging wines and strong alcohols in glass bottles whose neck is traditionally dressed with a long skirt with a lower part. removable.

To retain the lower skirt portion around the neck, it is known to abut an inner projection of this skirt portion with an associated bulge of the neck. In the case where this part of skirt has a length substantial, that is to say that it extends lengthwise down far beyond the aforementioned bulge of the neck, it is common to provide the retaining projection in the form of a tongue integral with the current part of this skirt part. An example of this type of skirt is schematically represented in FIG. 7, in which the skirt comprises an upper part 101 separated from its lower part 102 by a rupturable weakening line 103 shown solely in dotted lines. The lower part 102 is provided with a tongue 104 of the type mentioned above, which projects from the inside face of the part 102 in the direction of the upper part 101. During the first opening of the closure device including the skirt, the user drives up the upper portion 101, as indicated by the arrow 105, which tends to cause the breaking of the line 103, while the tongue 104 tends to retain the lower portion 102 around a container neck 106, abutting against a transverse shoulder 107 of this neck. However, in practice, the retention of the skirt portion 102 is not always effectively provided by the tongue 104 because, due to the constraints that are applied to it, related to the drive 105 of the skirt portion 101, and / or because of the dispersion of the dimensions of the different necks on which the skirt may be placed, the tongue gives way before the complete rupture of the line 103, turning on itself. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the tongue then moves from its initial shape, represented in solid lines, the section of which is substantially rectangular, to a downwardly curved curved shape, represented in dotted lines, while the skirt portion 102 is driven, together with the portion 101, upwardly relative to the neck 106. With this curved shape curved towards at the bottom, the tongue offers no vertical resistance with respect to the shoulder 107, so that the latter continues the deformation of the tongue, until it tilts down in a position shown in phantom in Figure 7, the connection zone between the tongue and the skirt portion 102 then forming a kind of non-resistant flexible hinge.

The tendency of the tongue 104 to yield under the stresses generated during the first opening of the device is frequently encountered when the skirt is made of a plastic material which, due to its relative structural flexibility, deforms radially outwardly. at the level of the tongue, as indicated by the arrow 108. This problem is all the more marked in the case where the skirt is obtained by molding, with, at the outlet of the mold, its tongue 104 extending, projecting from the inner face of the skirt, down. Indeed, in this case, before setting up the closure device including the skirt around the neck 106, it is necessary to fold up the tongue 104 so that it takes its initial configuration shown in solid lines in the figure 7, which involves the deformation, in the manner of a hinge, the connecting zone between the tongue and the portion 102. By elasticity, the tongue then tends more easily to yield when the first opening of the device to find its mold exit configuration, corresponding approximately to the configuration shown in phantom.

Other examples of skirts provided internally with one or more retaining tabs are given in EP-A-0 410 059, US-A-5 129 530 and US-A-5 007 545. The tabs envisaged in these documents are presented in US Pat. all in the form of a segment of material coming from the inner face of the skirt and folded on itself so angular in its current portion, along a fold line orthoradiale to the central longitudinal axis of the skirt. Thus, this segment consists of a base portion, connected to the skirt by a flexible hinge area, and a free end portion, connected to the base portion in an articulated manner, along the line of folding. In practice, the angular fold line is formed by a suitable conformation of the tongue from a rectilinear configuration of the latter, obtained at the end of molding and similar to the mold exit configuration shown in phantom in FIG. .

When the closure devices proposed in the three aforementioned documents are opened for the first time, the tabs deform by folding the free end portions towards the base parts, along the angular folding lines defined by the polygonal shape of the sections of these sections. tongues. As a result, only the free end portions of the tongues effectively participate in the retention of the skirt portion intended to remain around the container neck, with the risk that these end portions will yield under the constraints by falling back completely by bending against the base portions, while these base portions generate on the skirt, by leverage around the angular folding lines, essentially radial stresses directed outwards, at the level of the flexible hinge areas (so similar to what is indicated by the arrow 108 in Figure 7). These local stresses are such that they can cause whitening of the plastic material constituting the skirt, visible from the outside of the skirt, which greatly degrades the aesthetics of the skirt, rendering it unusable in the field of wine conditioning. and strong spirits whose bottles are in principle to be addictive. The object of the present invention is to provide a tongue-sealing device, of the type described above, which guarantees a resistant and reliable retention of the skirt portion provided with this tongue, without harming the external aesthetics of this part. of skirt.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a device for plugging a neck of a container, as defined in claim 1.

With the device according to the invention, and considering that the longitudinal axis of the skirt extends vertically with the first portion of the skirt disposed above its second portion, the or each tongue, with its curved section of shape curved up, guarantees a significant resistance of retaining the second skirt portion vis-à-vis the collar. Indeed, when, during the first opening of the device, the tab abuts axially against the associated bulge of the neck, the biasing force of this tongue is damped by its curved shape and tends to bend the tongue so as to increase the curvature of this form, which further increases the resistance, until breaking of the weakening zone separating the two parts of skirt. In other words, during the first opening of the device according to the invention, the initial curved shape of the tongue forces it to work in a bending motion tending to increase the curvature of this shape. As the abutment of the tongue against the associated bulge of the neck occurs at the free end of this tongue, an opposite bending movement, that is to say, tending to reduce and then to reverse the curvature of the section of the tongue, is mechanically impossible. It is understood that the curved shape, which extends over the entire overhang width of the tongue towards the inside of the skirt so homogeneous, that is to say without area of discontinuity of curvature from its free end to its end connected to the skirt, works in a global bending movement, modifying the overall curvature of the shape. In particular, the homogeneous dynamic behavior of the tongue does not make it possible to distinguish, according to the overflow width of this tongue, a free end portion and a base portion that have different deformation kinematics different from one of the other. This curved shape also has the advantage of transmitting thrust forces to the portion of the skirt above the tongue, this skirt portion may be thicker and stronger than that located below the tongue. In particular, these thrust forces tend to stress the skirt with a moderate radial component, even negligible, which limits the radial deformations towards the outside of the skirt, at the level of the tongue, and thus reduces the risks of whitening of the tongue. plastic material. Other advantageous features of this device, taken individually or in any technically possible combination, are set forth in dependent claims 2 to 13.

The invention also relates to a container having a neck equipped with a plugging device of this neck, as defined above.

The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a closure device of a container neck, as defined in claim 15. The method according to the invention thus allows to quickly dispose of the plastic skirt. , ready to be put in place around the neck of the container. The various operations of this method, both molding the skirt and folding the tongue, can be implemented according to substantially axial movements, so that this method is in practice automatable without impairing its quality of implementation.

An advantageous feature of this process is set forth in claim 16.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a closure device according to FIG. invention, shown around a container neck, the right half of the figure illustrating the device in its assembly configuration to this neck and actually set up around the neck, while the left half illustrates the device in a previous state its configuration of the right part;

- Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the circled detail II in Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, a variant of the closure device according to the invention, shown reported around a container neck and before its first opening;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of an outer cap of the device of Figure 3, before its assembly to the other components of this device; Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal section of the cap of Figure 4;

- Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, another variant of the cap of a device according to the invention; and

- Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating an example of the prior art and described above. In Figures 1 and 2 is shown a closure device 1 adapted to be releasably screwed onto a neck 2 of a container 3, for example a glass bottle or the like, for containing an alcohol, especially wine. The neck has a generally tubular shape with a longitudinal axis XX.

For convenience, the following description will be oriented by considering that the terms "upper" and "high" correspond to a direction generally parallel to the axis XX and from the body of the container 3 to its neck 2, that is to say say a direction directed towards the upper part of Figures 1 and 2, while the terms "lower" and "bottom" correspond to an opposite direction. The same conventions will be used with reference to Figures 3 to 6.

At its upper end, the neck 2 defines a rim 4 at which the liquid in the container 3 is intended to be discharged. The outer face of the neck is successively provided, from top to bottom, a helical thread 5 and a heel 6, both radially projecting outwards. At the level of the transition between the lower end of this heel and the remainder of the neck, which forms an elongated neck 7 of frustoconical outer face of axis XX and diverging downwards, is formed a transverse shoulder 8 slightly inclined upwardly. by moving away from the axis XX with respect to a plane perpendicular to this axis.

The closure device 1 comprises three distinct parts, namely an external cap 10, an insert 20 and an optional sealing disc 30, intended to be assembled coaxially with each other, then to be mounted together on the neck 2 .

The cap 10 and the insert 20 each have a generally tubular shape with a longitudinal axis substantially coincident with the axis XX when the device 1 is assembled and reported on the neck 2 as in the figures. The cap and the insert are each open at their lower end and closed at their upper end by respective bottom walls 11 and 21, at the periphery of each of which extends axially downwardly a tubular skirt 12, 22 centered on the XX axis.

The insert 20 is adapted to be introduced inside the cap 10 and to be immobilized therein, both axially and in rotation about the X-X axis. These two parts then form a plug 40 of a alone, with the wall 11 and the skirt 12 covering the outer face of the wall 21 and the skirt 22. The immobilization of the insert inside the cap can be achieved by welding, in particular by applying ultra -sons, by gluing or by complementarity of shapes between the walls 11, 12, 21 and 22, as detailed in the French patent application filed in the name of the present Applicant and registered under the number 04 03154.

The sealing disc 30 is housed inside the insert 20, against the bottom wall 21, possibly with the interposition of an adhesive layer. Advantageously, the insert is provided with notches 23 radially projecting inwards from the upper part of its skirt 22, these notches being intended to retain the disk axially downwards so as to prevent the latter from subsequently being able to escape. inside the insert. Details of implementation of these slots are provided in the aforementioned French patent application N ⁰ 04 03154.

The lower part of the inner face of the skirt 22 is provided with a thread 24 radially projecting inwardly and complementary to the external thread 5 of the neck 2, so that the stopper 40 is able to be screwed and unscrewed on the neck . To facilitate the handling of this plug, the upper part of the outer face of the skirt 12 is advantageously provided with longitudinal grooves 13.

The skirt 12 is longer than the skirt 22 so that, in the assembled state of the device 1, the bottom of the skirt 12 extends widely below the axial level of the lower end edge 25 of the insert. 20, so as to dress the collar 2 from its drinking 4 to his neck 7 included.

At the first opening of the device 1, the skirt 12 is adapted to separate into two distinct parts of about the same length, namely an upper portion 14, integral with the bottom wall 11, and a lower portion. 15 initially connected to the upper portion 14 by a line of weakness 16 shown schematically in dashed lines in Figures 1 and 2. This line 16 is provided in the current portion of the skirt 12, a little below, according to the X-X axis, the level of the lower end edge 25 of the insert 20, so that the skirt portion 14 alone accommodates the entire of the insert 20 when the device 1 is assembled.

In practice, the weakening line 16 is, for example, constituted by breakable bridges or by several notches or circumferential cuts made through the wall of the skirt 12.

To cause the separation of the skirt portions 14 and 15 by breaking the line 16 during the first opening of the device 1, the lower portion 15 is retained axially relative to the neck 2 by a tongue 17 formed in a manner with the current portion of this portion 15 and protrude from the inner face of this portion 15. In the direction of the axis XX, the tongue extends upwardly when the device 1 is in its assembly configuration at the neck 2, as represented in the right part of Figure 1, while, when this device is in its pre-configuration shown in the left part of Figure 1, the tongue extends downwards. The thickness of the tongue 17, that is to say its smallest dimension in the plane of FIGS. 1 and 2, is substantially constant along its other dimension, which corresponds to its width of overflow inwards. relative to the inner face of the skirt portion 15, that is to say between its end 17A of connection with the skirt wall 15 and its free end 17B. In radial section at the axis XX, that is to say in the plane of Figures 1 and 2, the tongue 17 does not have a section of rectangular shape, but of curved shape, curved upwards. In this way, in this plane, the tongue 17 has an arcuate profile, corresponding approximately to one eighth of a circle, being noted that the curvature of the tongue 17 is oriented towards the axis XX and downwards in FIG. that is to say towards the body of the container 3. It is emphasized that FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as FIGS. 3 to 6, considered below, which clearly illustrate the curved shape according to the invention, are schematic in nature. regarding the precise dimensions of the tongue. If necessary, the skilled person will refer to the indications provided in this text to quantify the relative dimensions of the tongue.

In other words, the upper face of the tongue 17 is substantially convex while its lower face is substantially concave. More specifically, the free end 17B and the running portion 17C of the tongue have, on one side, respective convex upper faces and, on the opposite side, respective lower concave faces, while its end 17A has opposing faces changing direction of curvature due to their connection to the skirt portion 15.

The axial positioning of the tongue 17 along the skirt portion 15, as well as its dimensioning are provided so that, when the device 1 is in assembly configuration and this device is reported around the neck 2, the end 17B of the tongue is located at the shoulder 8. In practice, according to the exact dimensions of the neck 2, in particular at its heel 6 and its shoulder 8, and the device 1, the end 17B of the tongue is located just below the shoulder 8, being in simple contact with this shoulder, near functional play.

The cap 10 is made of a semi-rigid plastic material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, polypropylene being preferred, especially for aesthetic reasons. The cap 10 is obtained by molding this plastic material, intended to form both the bottom wall 11 and the skirt 12 with in particular its tongue 17 molded according to its curved shape. The release of the cap is facilitated by providing that the tongue extends, at the mold outlet, in its state shown in the left part of Figure 1, that is to say with its free end 17B directed downwards. The assembly of the closure device 1 consists of, before or after inserting the disc 30 inside the insert 20, placing this insert inside the skirt 12 of the cap 10 in its mold outlet state. described above, by introducing this insert axially and in force from the open bottom end of the cap. The tooling for this implementation then advantageously ensures the folding of the tongue 17 upwards, so that it passes in its state shown in the right part of Figure 1. The device 1 is then in its assembly configuration at neck 2.

The plug 40, formed of the insert 20 immobilized in the cap 10, is then screwed around the neck 2 until, on the one hand, the tongue 17 passes below the shoulder 8 of the neck and, on the other hand, the sealing disk 30 is axially pressed between the rim 4 and the bottom wall 21 of the insert, the lower face of the disk advantageously delimiting an annular hollow cavity 31 complementary to the rim. The skirt 12 then dresses the collar to his neck 7.

To open the device 1, the user unscrews the plug 40, that is to say rotates about the axis XX, by gripping it at the grooves 13. At the first opening of the device the lifting up of the cap, resulting from its unscrewing and indicated by the arrow 50 in Figure 2, causes the separation of the two skirt portions 14 and 15 by breaking the line of weakness 16. Indeed, while the upper part 14 is driven upwards, the lower part 15 is axially retained by its tongue 17 in axial abutment against the shoulder 8 of the neck 2. The curved upward shape of the section of the tongue causes, under the effect of the uplift 50, a deflection of the tongue so that its curvature increases, the tongue thus passing from its initial curved configuration shown in solid lines in Figure 2, to a more bent configuration shown in dashed lines in this figure. The corresponding deflection of the tongue, directed outwards and upwards as indicated by the arrow 51, requires, at the end 17B of the tongue, an axial biasing force sufficient to break the line 16. In other words , this deflection makes it possible to cash out the effort necessary to retain the skirt portion 15 vis-à-vis the shoulder 8 until rupture of the line 16.

It is understood that the curved shape of the tongue causes the overall deflection of the tongue, the latter working in bending in a homogeneous manner over its entire overflow width. The homogeneity of the dynamic behavior of the tongue is accentuated by the continuous arcuate profile of this curved shape. In practice, discontinuities in the curvature of the tongue are to be avoided: variations limited to + 15% around an average curvature value, depending on the overflow width of the tongue, are preferred.

Similarly, it is understood that the constancy of the thickness of the tongue contributes to the dynamic homogeneity effect. In practice, variations limited to Hr 10% around an average thickness value, depending on the overflow width of the tongue, are preferred.

As the tongue 17 has a curvature oriented towards the axis XX and downwards, the increased bending of the tongue, during the lifting of the skirt 12 before breaking of the line 16, also advantageously tends to uniformize its curvature according to its overflow width between its end 17B and its current portion 17C.

In addition, the thrust forces transmitted to the skirt 12 are mainly at the portion 15A of the portion 15 located between the line 16 and the tongue 17. This portion 15A has a thickness ei5 greater than the thickness e _'15 of the portion 15B of the portion 15 located opposite the line 16 relative to the tongue 17, that is to say the portion located below the tongue 17 in the configuration of Figures 1 and 2 which corresponds to the normal configuration of use of the container 3.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show a variant 100 of the closure device 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2, reported around the neck 2 of the container 3. For convenience, the components common to the devices 1 and 100 have the same reference numeral. The device 100 essentially differs from the device 1 by the constitution of its retaining means of the skirt portion 15: instead of having a single tongue, such as the tongue 17, which extends continuously over the entire inner periphery of this skirt portion, the skirt 12 of the device 100 is provided with a plurality of pallets 171 integrally with a strip 172 common to all the pallets, this band itself being integral with the current portion of the portion of skirt 15. The strip 172 extends, in the direction of the axis XX, projecting from the inner face 12A of the skirt 12, at the level of the portion 15, in continuous current over the entire inner periphery of this skirt, as visible in Figures 4 and 5.

The pallets 171 are identical to each other. Each pallet extends, in the direction of the X-X axis, projecting from the strip 172. For structural reasons, these pallets are advantageously distributed substantially uniformly around the inner periphery of the strip. The band 172 thus connects each of the pallets to the inner face 12A of the skirt 12, at the skirt portion 15, while providing a free space 173 between two successive pallets along the periphery of the strip. Each portion of the strip 172 from which one of the vanes 171 extends and the associated pallet together form a tongue 170 for retaining the skirt part 15, functionally similar to a portion of the tongue 17 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The thickness ei ₇₂ of the strip 172, that is to say its smallest dimension in the plane of FIGS. 3 and 5, is substantially constant along its two other dimensions, in particular, in the aforementioned plane, between its end 172A of connection with the skirt portion 15 and its end 172B which is either linked with one of the vanes 171, or free at the spacer spaces 173. The thickness em of each pallet is also constant, in particular between its end 171A of connection with the inner end 172B of the band and its free end 171B. For, inter alia, facilitating the molding and demolding of the strip and pallets, together with those of the rest of the skirt 12, the thicknesses e ₁₇ χ and ei ₇₂ are substantially equal.

Between its inner ends 172A and outer 172B, the band 172 has a width I ₁₇₂ of inward overflow, with respect to the inner face 12A of the skirt 12, smaller than the dimension Im of each pallet 171 between its inner ends 171A and outside 171B, i.e. the overflow width, inwardly, of this pallet with respect to the end 172B of the strip.

The band 172 and each pallet 171 extend in continuous extension from one another in the direction of the axis XX, in the plane of FIGS. 3 and 5. In the configuration of FIG. 3, which corresponds to a assembly configuration at the neck 2, the band and the pallets extend upwardly towards the axis XX, while, in the prior configuration shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which corresponds to a molding configuration, the strip and pallets extend downward, for the same reasons as those specified above for the device 1. In both configurations, each of the pallets, with its associated portion of band, that is to say each of Tongues 170 has, in the plane of Figures 3 and 5, an overall section of curved shape, curved upwards. In the example shown, each tab 170 has an arcuate profile, corresponding to approximately one eighth circle. In this way, the band and the pallets guarantee a significant resistance of retention of the skirt portion 15 vis-à-vis the collar 2 during the first opening of the device 1, their curved profile forcing them to work over their entire width. overflow according to a global bending movement, tending to further increase the curvature of this profile, as explained above for the device 1.

The assembly of the closure device 100 is similar to that of the device 1, in particular with the drive of the strip 172 and the pallets 171 upwards, so that the tabs 170 pass into their assembly configuration of the Figure 3. During the upward drive of the web and the pallets, significant stresses are applied to the web and the pallets so as to plastically bend the end 172A of the web like a hinge. linked to the skirt portion 15, as indicated by the arrow 172C in Figure 5. Not insignificant stresses are also applied to the area of material binding the strip and the wall of the skirt 12 during demolding of the skirt. All these constraints are of greater intensity at the level of the pallets 171 than at the level of the free spaces 173 because of the structural resistance that the pallets oppose. However, to avoid excessive stress within these pallets and especially within the portions of the strip which connect, in radial section, each of these pallets to the skirt, the strip allows the distribution of these constraints, particularly within remaining portions of the strip, that is to say within the opening portions, in radial section, in one of the free spaces 173. It is therefore limited risks that the areas of the plastic material thus solicited, including the area outer surface of the skirt portion 15 at the end 172A of the band, are altered by an excess of constraints, in particular that these areas whiten.

As the web 172 extends continuously over the entire inner periphery of the skirt 12, the stresses within the plastics material are distributed substantially uniformly throughout the peripheral periphery of the web, even though the resultant droop of the band is slightly offset with respect to the axis XX. In the example considered in the figures, the overflow width Ix ₇₂ of the strip is less than the overflow width I ₁₇₁ of the pallets. However, in practice, depending on the stress levels that are expected to be achieved during demolding of the skirt and the folding of the pallets, the ratio of these widths can be adjusted.

The opening of the device 100 is similar to that of the device 1, especially as regards the overall flexural work of the tabs 170.

Various arrangements and variants of the closure devices 1 and 100 described above, as well as their manufacturing process, are of course conceivable. As examples:

- Unlike the example of Figures 1 and 2, wherein the tongue 17 extends continuously over the entire inner periphery of the skirt portion 15, a variant 200 of the device 1, shown in Figure 6, consists of extending the tongue discontinuously along this periphery, which amounts to having a plurality of separate elementary tabs 270, preferably uniformly distributed along the inner periphery of the skirt 12; each tongue 270 is thus functionally similar to a portion of the tongue 17 or one of the tabs 170, being noted that unlike the latter, the tongues 270 extend each from their end 270A connected to the inner face of the skirt to their free end 270B, without being connected to each other by a common peripheral band or the like, such as the band 171; - To limit the risks that the or each tab 17, 170, 270 is radially wedged vertically between the heel 6 of the neck 2 and the skirt portion 15 during the first opening of the closure device, especially if the heel 6 is smaller in diameter than expected because of a large dispersion of the neck dimensions of the same batch, the skirt 12 is internally provided with a plurality of bosses 19 extending radially projecting from the inner face of the skirt portion 15 and distributed substantially uniformly around the inner periphery of this skirt portion; in the case of the multiple tabs 170 or 270, each boss 19 is located, along the periphery of the skirt, at the same level as one of these tabs; along the axis XX, each boss is located between the weakening line 16 and the end 17A, 172A, 270A of the tongue attached to the skirt, being disposed substantially at the height of the free end 17B, 171B, 270B of the tongue when the latter is considered pressed against the inner face of the skirt, with its free end facing upwards; in this way, the free end 17B, 171B, 270B of the or each tongue 17, 170, 270 is kept radially distant from the inner face of the skirt 12, by interposing the boss 19, which improves the reliability of the axial abutment of this free end against the shoulder 8 of the heel of the neck during the first opening of the device, particularly with regard to the bulging of the tongue directed towards the boss 19, which, if any, interferes with the bossing quickly during the first opening; this provision is more effective than to provide an extra thickness of the free end of the tongue, while facilitating the molding and demolding of the cap;

- The folding of the tongue 17 or tabs 170 or 270, from their mold output state to their state associated with the assembly configuration of the device to the neck, can be achieved by a specific tool independent of that used for the implementation. in place of the insert 20 in the cap 10; rather than providing the stopper 40 in two distinct parts to be permanently joined to each other, this stopper can be made in one single piece, with a skirt having a weakening line and one or tabs (s) similar to the line 16 and the tongue 17 of the device 1 or the tabs 170 or 270 of the device 100, 200; and / or the lower portion 15 of the skirt 12 may extend only a small height, downwards in Figures 1 and 3, below the tongue 17 or tabs 170, 270; part 15 can even be interrupted just below this or these tabs; in other words, the portion 15B can be very short or non-existent.

Claims

1. Device (1; 100; 200) for sealing a neck (2) of a container (3), comprising an elongated skirt (12) made of plastic material, intended to surround the neck and provided with a peripheral zone of weakening (16) which is adapted to be broken during the first opening of the device and on either side of which, along the longitudinal axis (XX) of the skirt, this skirt includes a first portion (14) able to be released from the neck after breaking the weakening zone and a second part

(15) provided with at least one tongue (17; 170; 270) which, in an assembly configuration of the device at the neck, protrudes from the inner face of the skirt towards the first skirt portion and is adapted, at its free end (17B; 171B; 270B), to abut axially against an associated bulge (8) of the neck to retain the second skirt portion around the neck during the first opening of the device, characterized in that, in the assembly configuration of the device (1) at the neck (2), the or each tab (17; 170; 270) has, in a longitudinal sectional plane of the skirt (12), a shape substantially curved, curved toward the first skirt portion (14).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the substantially curved shape of the or each tab (17; 170; 270) has, in the longitudinal sectional plane of the skirt (12), an arcuate profile.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said arcuate profile corresponds to approximately one eighth of a circle.

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shape essentially curved of the or each tab (17; 170; 270) has, according to its overflow width relative to the inner face of the skirt (12), a substantially constant curvature.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the variations of said curvature according to the overflow width of the or each tab (17; 170; 270) are limited to + 15% of a mean value of curvature.

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each tab (17; 170; 270) has, in the longitudinal sectional plane of the skirt (12), a substantially constant thickness.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the variations of said thickness along the overflow width of the or each tab (17; 170; 270) relative to the inner face of the skirt (12) are limited to ^ 10% of an average thickness value.

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, at the first opening of the device (1; 100; 200), the or each tongue (17; 170; 270) is adapted to flex between two configurations. extremes, in each of which the tongue retains, in a longitudinal sectional plane of the skirt (12), its essentially curved shape curved toward the first skirt portion (14).

9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each tongue (17; 170; 270) is integral with the inner face of the skirt (12) and adapted to pass, relative to the skirt, of a molding configuration, in which the tongue is molded together with the rest of the skirt, to the assembly configuration of the device (1) at the neck (2), which is different from the molding configuration.

10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a single tongue (17) is provided, which extends over the entire inner periphery of the second skirt portion (15).

11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a plurality of elementary tongues (270) are provided discontinuously along the inner periphery of the second skirt portion (15), these elementary tongues being advantageously distributed from substantially uniform manner along this periphery.

12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that several tabs (170) are provided, which comprise, on the side of their free end, respective paddles (171), connected to the inner face (12A ) of the skirt (12) by a common strip (172) to the tabs, which protrudes from this face towards the longitudinal axis (XX) of the skirt and which runs over the entire inner periphery of the second skirt portion (15).

13. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second skirt portion (15) is internally provided with at least one boss (19) of radial interposition between the skirt portion and the free end. (17B, 171B, 270B) of the or each tab (17; 170; 270) in the assembly configuration.

14. Container (3) having a neck (2) and equipped with a device (1; 100; 200) for plugging this neck, according to any one of the preceding claims.

15. A method of manufacturing a device (1; 100; 200) for capping a container neck (2), wherein: a plastic material is molded in the form of an elongated skirt (12) intended to surround the neck and provided with a peripheral weakening zone (16) which is adapted to be broken during the first opening of the device and from and other of which, along the longitudinal axis (XX) of the skirt, this skirt includes a first portion (14) able to be disengaged from the neck after breaking the weakening zone and a second portion (15). ) provided with at least one tongue (17; 170; 270) which, at the mold outlet, projects from the inside face of the skirt in a direction opposite to the first skirt portion (14), and

- Folding the or each tab (17; 170; 270) to the first skirt portion (14), until the tongue extends from the inner face of the skirt towards this first part of skirt, the tongue then being adapted, at its free end (17B; 171B; 270B), to abut axially against an associated bulge (8) of the neck (2) in order to retain the second skirt portion (15) around the collar during the first opening of the device (1), characterized in that, during the molding of the skirt (12), the or each tongue (17; 170; 270) is molded so as to present, in a cutting plane longitudinal of the skirt, a substantially curved shape, curved towards the first skirt portion (14).

16. The method of claim 15, characterized in that there is an insert (20) adapted to be secured to the inside of the skirt (12) to form, at least in part, the closure device (1). ), and that the flap or each tongue (17; 170; 270) when the insert is inserted into the skirt.