EP1529736A2

EP1529736A2 - Caps with fast internal thread, suitable to prevent risks of violent expulsion of the cap

Info

Publication number: EP1529736A2
Application number: EP04425825A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vilmaro Lorini; Spartaco Arrighetti
Original assignee: Viroplastic Srl
Current assignee: CDS LAVORAZIONE MATERIE PLASTICHE S.R.L.
Priority date: 2003-11-05
Filing date: 2004-11-04
Publication date: 2005-05-11
Also published as: EP1529736A3; ITFI20030282A1

Abstract

A reinforced and flexible connection (22) is provided between the cap (1) and the terminal security ring (9) to keep the cap (1) connected to the ring (9), when the former is unscrewed from the neck of the bottle; this connection can also be extended to hold the cap (1) raised when unscrewed, by means of at least an appendix (24 or 28); the raised cap can also be held to prevent rotation thereof around the axis of the neck C of the container.

Description

Caps with internal thread produced in thermoplastic resin, which are used to close bottles and other containers for beverages, also and in particular carbonated beverages, must meet a great many functional requirements, besides those relative to cost. In particular, they must be relatively very easy to open, although guaranteeing secure hermetic seal even at high internal pressures produced in the event of high outside temperatures and/or if bottles are subjected to vigorous shaking before being opened. Another fundamental requirement is to prevent the risk, during the opening operation, of the cap being projected violently and therefore dangerously towards onlookers; this occurs frequently when caps with a triple start internal thread or the like are used, in which case very quick release of the cap from the triple start thread frequently occurs before there has been adequate discharge of the internal pressure, which in some conditions is high.
On the other hand, caps with triple start threads or the like offer numerous and evident advantages, including a lower cost of the relative bottle compared to the cost of bottles for caps with a single start thread, which up till now had to be used in cases in which the aforesaid risk of violent projection of the cap by the effect of pressure was to be prevented.
Finally, it would also be preferable to use caps of one type to bottle both carbonated and "still" beverages.
The invention disclosed solves the problems and avoids the drawbacks mentioned above, and also offers further objects and advantages which shall be apparent from reading the text below, one of which is that the unscrewed caps are held in a specific position which facilitates pouring of the content.
The cap according to the invention - comprising a fast internal thread (especially with triple start) and an end security ring connected to the rim of the cap by means of connections severable upon initial opening, while said end ring remains held against an annular boss of the neck of the bottle - is characterized in that, between the cap and said end ring, a reinforced and flexible connection is provided to hold the cap connected to the ring when it is unscrewed from the neck of the bottle.
The structure of said connection can advantageously be designed to hold the cap raised, when it has been unscrewed from the neck of the container, so as to prevent partial return in front of the neck of the container, wherein the cap tends to obstruct correct pouring of the liquid content from the container.
Moreover, according to the invention, said end security ring is dimensioned and/or shaped to produce friction on the neck, in conditions with the cap open; in this way it is possible, through friction, to hold the unscrewed cap in a predetermined angular position, preventing downward movement thereof when the container is tilted to pour the content.
The permanent connection between the cap and the end security ring can be produced with two relatively sturdy bridges, running adjacent to at least one appendix originating from the cap.
On the rim of the cap an appendix can project approximately radially, suitable to abut against the end security ring. Alternatively or more preferably in addition, an appendix parallel to the axis of the cap can project from the rim of the cap, suitable to abut against an annular or helical overhang projecting from the neck of the container. In both cases, the result obtained is that the cap can be held raised from the neck from which it has been unscrewed, by the effect of the appendix of the cap abutting against the overhang of the neck of the container.
Due to the presence of said appendices, the end security ring has an indentation at the level whereof said appendices are positioned. The aforesaid appendices and said indentation can extend between said two sturdy bridges which guarantee permanent connection between the end security ring and the cap. The end security ring can be produced of a height to abut against the shoulder from which the neck of the container extends and/or can in any case be extended to obtain an effect of friction with the neck of the container, so as to prevent rotation thereof - and of the cap to which it remains connected - about said neck; the open cap can therefore remain in a position which does not obstruct pouring of the content from the container.
All this has been implemented without any increase in costs and without problems for use in currently used equipment.
The invention shall now be better understood by following the description and accompanying drawing, which shows a non-limiting practical embodiment of said finding. In the drawing:
Figure 1 shows a cap according to the invention, in a partial section and applied to the neck of a plastic bottle;
Figure 2 is a partial section according to II-II in Figure 1;
Figures 3 and 4 show the open cap, in a side view and in an enlarged section;
Figure 5 is analogous to Figure 4, but shows the cap open, in a different position with respect to the one illustrated in Figure 4;
Figures 6 to 12 show types of bottle neck for which caps of the type disclosed are suitable.
According to the illustrations in the drawing, the cap 1 is produced - as is conventional for carbonated beverages - with a disc-shaped base 3 and with an essentially cylindrical wall 5, which has a triple start type internal thread 7 or in any case with more than one start and therefore capable of being tightened and released from the neck C with multi-start thread F of a bottle or other container, which has an annular projection S and a boss R for various requirements. Due to the fast threads 7 and F, fast opening is obtained, with a relatively very limited angle of rotation between the cap 1 and the neck C. Caps of this type are known in the technological sector in question as mouths of the "Novenball" or "lightened Novenball" type. The cap 1 is completed with an end security ring 9, which is connected to the rim 5A of the cap 1 with thin connections 10 passing through a fracture slot 12, to constitute a form of security seal of known type. The end security ring 9 has a internal boss 9B, suitable to cooperate with the boss R of the neck C. When the cap is screwed down the boss 9B moves beyond the boss R and is positioned under the boss R; when opened for the first time, the thin connections 10 are severed as the boss 9B abuts against the boss R; the end ring 9 remains connected to the neck by the boss R.
Seal of the cap can be guaranteed between the internal surface of the neck of the bottle and an annular internal appendix 14 originating from the base of the cap.
As known, conventional solutions of caps of this type have the frequent risk of the cap - as soon as it is rotated through the arc of circumference required to open, that is, to release the cap - escaping from the grip of the hand that performed rotation and being projected violently by the internal pressure, which is created even after initial opening. There is therefore a risk of harming any person(s) in the vicinity. This is caused by the common possibility of the bottle still being pressurized during this operation, fast and with limited amplitude, to release the cap from the threaded neck of the bottle. This risk does not normally occur in caps with single start thread as in this case the release operation requires relatively prolonged rotation, during which the internal pressure is discharged before the thread of the neck of the bottle and the thread of the cap are released from each other.
According to the invention disclosed, the problem of this risk of projection of the cap is prevented, and other advantages are also guaranteed, as described in detail below.
The structure of the cap with triple start thread is modified, according to the present invention, in the first place for the local presence of a reinforced and flexible connection between the cap 1 and the end security ring 9; this reinforced connection in the example is constituted by two bridges 22 positioned close to each other, which are not severed upon initial opening, when instead all the other connections 10 are severed. The ring 9 follows the cap in its angular motion to unscrew it from the neck C. As a result, the cap 1 remains connected to the end security ring 9 even after termination of the coupling between the threads F and 7 and the risk of the cap 1 being projected by the effect of the internal pressure is prevented. The cap 1 can be screwed and unscrewed repeatedly.
The cap 1 has, in the area between the two bridges 22, a first appendix 24 that projects radially from the rim 5A of the cap to a relatively limited extent, and therefore does not create any impediment to operations to apply the cap to the neck C of the container, with the usual equipment found in bottling plants. An indentation 26 in the end security ring, adjacent to which the two bridges 22 run, corresponds with said first appendix 24. This indentation 26 has an approximately rectangular extension with a transverse rim 26A spaced from the rim 5A.
A second essentially rectangular appendix 28 also extends from the rim 5A of the cap 5, parallel to the geometric axis of the cap 1, that is, as an extension of the wall 5 inside the indentation 26 and with its end rim 28A relatively close to the rim 26A of the indentation 26.
The end security ring 9 has a dimension H (Fig. 6) whereby the lower rim 9E thereof grazes the annular projection S of the neck C of the container, when the cap 1 is screwed down.
The structure described above makes it possible to prevent the cap, after being unscrewed, from creating impediments during pouring of the beverage and drinking directly from the neck C of the container (bottle or the like). In particular: I) the cap is prevented from returning towards and above the mouth of the neck C, remaining in the open position, and II) the end security ring is prevented, together with the cap 1, from rotating around the neck C - when positioned more or less horizontally - to impede pouring of the liquid.
In fact, when the cap 1 is unscrewed and remains connected to the ring 9 by means of the bridges 22, it can be tilted according to the arrow f₀ (see Figures 3, 4, 5) and therefore: the end 24A is made to abut against the rim 26A, and/or the end 28A against the boss R (see Figure 4); or: the appendix 28 is made to abut above the boss R (see Figure 5) or against a thread F, and therefore the end security ring is slightly deformed and tensioned according to f_t. In any case, the cap 1 is held raised and diverted with respect to the neck C as can be seen in Figures 4 and 5.
Besides this retaining effect, the end security ring 9 is subjected to friction either with its rim 9C on the boss S (Figures 2 to 4) or pressed slightly against the neck by tensioning according to f_t and slightly deformed; in any case, friction between the neck C and the internal surface of the ring 9 is sufficient to prevent the ring 9 from rotating around the neck C under the weighted stress of the cap 1, 5, when the neck C is tilted to almost or beyond the horizontal axis.
The invention can be applied to commercially used types, including the Novembal Cap d.28 3P (Fig.6), the Cap d.30/25 "LOW MODEL" Bague (Fig.7), the Cap d.30/25 "TALL MODEL" Bague Pet (Fig.8), the Cap d.38 SAN BENEDETTO (Fig.9), the Cap d.38 MILK (Fig.10), the Cap d.38 BERICAP (Fig.11) and the Cap d.50 (Fig.12), and others. In each of Figs 6 to 12 four dimensions are shown, which are typical of the corresponding bottle or phial neck used.
It is understood that the drawing purely shows a simplification provided merely as a practical example of the invention, as said invention may vary in shapes and arrangements without however departing from the scope of the concept on which the invention is based. Any reference numbers in the appended claims are provided purely to facilitate reading of said claims with reference to the description and to the drawing, and do not limit the scope of protection represented by the claims.

Claims

A synthetic resin cap to seal the neck of containers of carbonated water and beverages, comprising a fast internal thread (7) (especially with triple start) and with an end security ring (9) connected to the rim of the cap by means of connections (10) severable upon initial opening, while said end ring (9) remains held against an annular boss (R) of the neck of the bottle, characterized in that between the cap (1) and said end ring (9), a reinforced and flexible connection (22, 22) is provided to hold the cap (1) connected to the ring (9) when said cap is unscrewed from the neck (C) of the bottle.
Cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connection is designed to hold the cap raised and in conditions to prevent rotation around the neck, when unscrewed from the neck of the container.
Cap as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein said end security ring (9) is dimensioned and/or shaped to produce friction on the neck (C, S), so as to hold, through friction, the unscrewed cap (1) in a predetermined angular position.
Cap as claimed in at least claim 1, wherein the connection is produced with two relatively sturdy bridges (22, 22), running adjacent to at least one appendix (24; 28) originating from the cap.
Cap as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an appendix (24) projects approximately radially from the rim (5A) of the cap (1, 5), suitable to abut against a rim (26A) of the end security ring (9).
Cap as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an appendix (28) parallel to the axis of the cap projects from the rim (5A) thereof, suitable to abut against an annular (R) or helical (F) overhang projecting from the neck of the container, to hold the cap raised from said neck.
Cap as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein said end security ring (9) has an indentation (26) at the level of which said appendix (28) extends.
Cap as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said indentation (26) extends between said two sturdy bridges (22, 22).
Cap as claimed in at least one of the previous claims, wherein the end security ring (9) is produced of a height to abut against the shoulder (S) from which the neck of the container extends.