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
  • B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
  • B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
  • B65D47/06—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages
  • B65D47/08—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having articulated or hinged closures
  • B65D47/0857—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having articulated or hinged closures made separately from the base element provided with the spout or discharge passage
• • 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
  • B65D55/00—Accessories for container closures not otherwise provided for
  • B65D55/02—Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure
  • B65D55/024—Closures in which a part has to be ruptured to gain access to the contents
• • 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
  • B65D2251/00—Details relating to container closures
  • B65D2251/10—Details of hinged closures
  • B65D2251/1016—Means for locking the closure in closed position
  • B65D2251/1041—The closure having a part penetrating in the dispensing aperture and retained by snapping over integral beads or projections

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for capping a container neck.
• a container In the field of liquid packaging, it is widely used to equip the neck, threaded or not threaded, a container with a closure device, usually molded plastic, which comprises a cap pivotally supported by a base generally tubular, intended to be immobilized around the neck.
• a closure device usually molded plastic, which comprises a cap pivotally supported by a base generally tubular, intended to be immobilized around the neck.
• This type of device commonly referred to as “sport cap” or “sport-cap” is used to allow the user to drink directly from the neck of the container after tilting the cap into a position sufficiently away from the base to allow the flow of liquid contained in the container through this base.
• the cap and the base are connected to one another by tamper-proof means able to at least partly broken during the first opening of the device.
• These inviolability means thus in principle give the user a visual indication of whether the device he manipulated was previously opened. This visual indication is obvious when at least part of the inviolability means is completely separated from the rest of the device.
• this separate part generally small, poses a safety problem, since it is likely to be ingested or inhaled, as well as a problem of respect for the environment, since the user tends to get rid of it without taking the precaution of putting it in the trash.
• tamper-proof means consist in that at least some of these means can be sufficiently separated from the rest of the device, to provide a sufficient visual indication, while remaining permanently linked to device, typically by an elongated non-breakable material link.
• this part of the partially detached tamper evident means frequently causes discomfort for the user when he drinks directly at the neck of the container.
• this partially detached portion is generally of sufficient length to be easily seized and twisted several times by the user, until completely separated from the closure device, with the safety and environmental concerns mentioned above.
• a third known solution is to reinforce the tamperproof means to avoid their separation vis-à-vis the rest of the device, except for one or more restricted frangible zones at which a very localized rupture occurs during the first opening.
• the visibility of the broken state or incorporates inviolability means is very low, forcing the user to meticulously observe the device to see if it was opened a first time.
• the object of the present invention is to improve the tamper-proof means of tilting cap closure devices or, more generally, movable cap of the same kind, so that, while being effective, these means have better visibility and limit the risks that they may be, even in part, separated from the rest of the capping device.
• the subject of the invention is a device for plugging a neck of a container, as defined in claim 1.
• the idea underlying the invention is to provide, as tamper-proof means, a system based on the principle of "a wire to break" forming a mechanical fuse.
• the strand of material provides the user with a remarkably clear and unambiguous visual indication as to whether or not the cap has been opened a first time, that is to say if this cap has been moved from its closed position to its open position, moreover without necessarily reaching the latter. To do this, as long as the device according to the invention has not been opened a first time, this strand of material is intact, that is to say not broken.
• the rupture of the strand of material is linked to the presence of the "breaker" finger, in the sense that, during the first opening of the device, the relative displacement between the strand and this finger leads to the fact that the finger applies mechanical stresses sufficiently strong on the current part of the strand to cause the rupture of the latter.
• the strand of material is thus necessarily broken: due to the structural flexibility of the strand of material and the presence of the finger, the broken strand then presents a configuration different from the configuration it presented before breaking, which is immediately observed by the user.
• the strand of material before breaking, extends in a peripheral direction of the device, so that, after breaking of the strand, no portion of the latter extends radially outwardly projecting: the presence of the broken strand does not interfere with the user to drink directly out of the device and the risks that the user can easily grasp and twist several turns all or part of the broken strand are weak, see almost zero. If this occurs, the dimensions of the detached strand portion would then advantageously be too small to seal the airway if swallowed.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closure device according to the invention, assembled to the neck of a container and not yet opened for the first time;
• Figure 2 is a longitudinal section along the plane II of Figure 1;
• FIG. 3A is an elevational view along the arrow III of Figure 2, a part of the device;
• FIGS. 3B and 3C are schematic views similar to FIG. 3A, respectively illustrating the first opening of the device and its subsequent closing;
• Figures 4A to 4C are views respectively similar to Figures 3A and 3C, which illustrate an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention
• FIGS. 5A to 5C are views respectively similar to FIGS. 3A and 3C, which illustrate another alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention
• - Figures 6, 7 and 8A to 8C are views respectively similar to Figures 1, 2 and 3A to 3C, which illustrate a second embodiment of a device according to the invention.
• FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A to 3C is shown a device 1 for capping a neck 2 of a container such as a bottle.
• a container such as a bottle.
• the remainder of the present description is oriented so that the terms “upper” and “top” denote a direction directed away from the body 3 of the bottle relative to its neck 2 when the bottle is upright. on a horizontal surface, this direction thus being directed towards the upper part of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A to 3C.
• the terms “lower” and “lower” denote a direction in the opposite direction. The same conventions will be used to further describe FIGS. 4A-4C, 5, 6 and 7A-7C.
• the device 1 comprises a base 10 having a tubular overall shape centered on an axis X-X.
• the base 10 comprises a main body 11 of tubular form with essentially circular base centered on the X-X axis.
• the body 11 is adapted to be fixedly attached around the bottle neck 2, here by screwing: this body is thus provided with an internal thread 12 complementary to an external thread 4 of the neck, while the outer face of the body 11 is provided with longitudinal ribs 13 facilitating the gripping of the base 10 to screw around the neck.
• the base 10 also includes a teat 14 having a generally tubular shape, centered on the axis XX and converging upwards.
• the lower part of the nipple 14 is rigidly connected to the upper part of the body 11, here being made of material, by a horizontal wall 15.
• the wall of a cylindrical sealing skirt 15i adapted to be pressed tightly against the inner face of the upper end of the neck 2 when the base 10 is fixed to the neck, as shown in Figure 2.
• the teat 14 is closed by a horizontal bottom wall 16 which delimits, in its central region, a cylindrical opening 16 1 .
• the base 10 further comprises a band 17 for assembling a cap 20.
• the cap and the band are made here in one piece.
• the cap 20 has a generally tubular shape centered on a longitudinal axis YY.
• the cap has for this purpose a tubular main body 21, centered on the YY axis and converge slightly upwards.
• the body 21 is closed, at one of its longitudinal ends, by a bottom wall 22, which extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis YY and which is provided on its face directed towards the inside of the body. 21, a skirt of cylindrical sealing 22 ⁇
• This skirt 22i is dimensioned to be introduced inside the opening 16i to seal this opening substantially sealed manner.
• the cap 20 is thus able to plug the neck 2 by closing the base 10.
• the cap 20 is carried by the base 10 movably, between a closed position, which is shown in the figures and in which the body 21 covers the teat 14 with the skirt 22i closing the opening 16i, the axes XX and YY being then substantially merged, and an open position, in which the cap is sufficiently clear of the nipple 14 so that the opening 16i freely communicates with the outside and when the base 10 is assembled at the neck 2, a user pours the liquid contained in the bottle body 3 through this opening, via the neck, in particular by bringing the teat 14 directly to its mouth.
• the cap 20 is tilting about a geometric axis of articulation Z20-Z20 which extends in a direction generally orhoradial to the X-X and Y-Y axes.
• This axis Z20-Z20 is located in a portion considered as rear of the base 10, in the sense that this portion of the base is directed away from the user who manipulates the device 1.
• the cap 20 thus passes, advantageously reversibly, between its closed and open positions by tilting together about the axis Z20-Z20, an intermediate tilting position being partially shown in phantom in FIG.
• the latter is provided with a front tab 23, which extends in the plane of the bottom wall 22 and which overhangs a depression 24 formed by the front of the body 21.
• a user can place one of his fingers in the depression 24 and press against the surface of the tab 23, turned towards the depression, in order to apply a force Fi directed upwards and according to a direction substantially parallel to the axis YY, as shown in FIG.
• the assembly strip 17 comprises a main body W- 1 generally annular, adapted to be attached fixedly and coaxially to the rest of the base 10.
• the body M ⁇ is received and immobilized, in particular by snapping, in a complementary housing 18 delimited jointly by the upper end of the body 11, the wall 15 and the lower end of the teat 14, as clearly visible in the left part of Figure 2.
• the body 17i is, in a rear portion, permanently connected and deformably to the body 21 of the cap 20, forming one or more strips 17 2 .
• This or these lamellae M 2 form an articulated connection of the flexible hinge type between the cap 20 and the band 17, defining the axis of tilting
• the device 1 further comprises, as tamperproof means, a strand of material 30 and a finger 40.
• the strand 30 is permanently attached to the body 21 of the cap 20: the front portion 21 1 of this body 21 is for this purpose pierced radially from one side to the other, that is to say that this portion 2I 1 delimits a through window 25 whose lower edge, which extends in the peripheral direction of the body 21, is constituted by the strand 30.
• the strand 30 and the body 21 are made in one piece, in particular by molding, so that, as clearly visible in FIG. 3A, the ends longitudinal 301 and 302 of the strand are integral with the body portion 2I 1 .
• the upper edge of the window 25 is sufficiently distant from the strand 30 for the window to receive the finger 40 which protrudes outwardly from a front portion H 1 of the nipple 14, at the bottom of the window. the latter.
• the finger 40 is integral with the nipple 14, which facilitates the manufacture by molding in one piece with the base 10.
• the finger 40 has a decreasing radial dimension downwards: at its upper side 40 1 , the thickness of the finger 40, that is to say its radial dimension protruded by relative to the outer face of the front portion of nipple H 1 , is almost zero, whereas, at its lower side 402, this thickness is maximum, so that the finger 40 delimits, on its lower side 402, a face 41, in the X-X direction, of the current portion 30 3 of the strand 30 until the device 1 has not yet been opened for the first time, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A.
• this face 41 is shaped in a point directed downwards, that is to say that it includes two surfaces substantially flat and converging towards each other in the direction of the bottom, joining together forming a angular zone pointing the central portion of the running portion of strand 3O 3 .
• this central portion has a thinned vertical thickness, that is to say that its dimension in the direction of the axis XX is smaller than that of the rest of the strand 30. To this end, this central portion delimits a notch 31 in which is received the angular region of the face 41, as clearly visible in Figures 1 and 3A.
• the base 10 In order to manufacture the device 1, on the one hand, the base 10, except for its band 17, and the finger 40, advantageously obtained in one piece by molding a plastic material, are provided on the other hand.
• the plastics used are chosen from, among others, polypropylene and polyethylene.
• the cap 20 is then assembled to the body 11 of the base 10, by snapping the band 17 into the housing 18.
• the strand 30 must cross the finger 40, from top to bottom, without being damaged.
• the face 42 of this finger facing outwards, forms a ramp against which the strand 30 slides progressively during the introduction of the cap 20 relative to to the base 10.
• this ramp face 42 progressively forced 3O the main portion 3 of the strand 30 to the outside, the flexibility of the strand then being utilized to enable the current 3O part 3 to cross the finger 40 , until this current part 3O 3 is below the level of the face 41, this current portion 3O 3 then being positioned naturally just below this face, by elastic return of the material constituting the strand 30, in particular of its ends 3Oi and 3O 2 .
• the device 1 is then in the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A.
• the use of the device 1 is as follows. Initially, it is considered that the bottle neck 2 is closed by the device 1 not yet opened for the first time, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3A.
• the user who wishes to open the device drives the cap 20 by tilting around the axis Z20-Z20, by applying the drive force Fi on the tab 23, with one of his fingers inserted into the depression 24.
• the strand 30 then induces resistance to driving the cap: the running part 3O 3 of the strand 30 is then in fact pressed against the face 41 of the finger 40, to cause breakage of strand breakage at the notch 31, since the latter is less thick and is stressed more strong force due to the angular area of the face 41.
• the user continues the tilting of the cap 20 until the complete clearance of the opening 16 1 , passing the cap by the intermediate position of Figure 3B, also shown in phantom in Figure 2.
• the strand 30 is then completely broken, in the sense that, by spacing the 31A and 31B edges of the broken notch 31, the b rin consists of two distinct parts 3oA and 3OB, which are respectively connected to the two lateral sides of the window 25 by the strand ends and 3Oi 3O2 and which at the opposite ends 3Oi and 3O 2 end with the respectively 31A and 31B edges of the broken notch 31.
• the presence of the finger 40 in particular of its face 41, further forces these two parts 30A and 30B to swing downwards to cross the finger 40, by deformation of the ends of 3Oi strand and 3O 2, as indicated by arrows F 2 of Figure 3A.
• the strand 30 and the finger 40 thus prove to be excellent inviolability means: before the first opening of the device 1, the user can visually ensure that the strand 30 is intact, this strand being particularly well observable by the since this strand 30 had been broken before the user manipulated the device 1 while the cap 20 was returned to its closed position, the strand portions 30A and 30B would no longer be in their initial configuration but, in view of the presence of the projecting finger 40 disposed between them interposed between the edges 31A and 31B, these portions 30A and 30B advantageously occupy the configuration shown in FIG.
• 3C here, as indicated by the arrows F 3, these parts of 3oA strand and 3OB are tilted by deformation of their end and 3Oi 3O 2, by respective support against surfaces 43A e t 43B delimited by the finger 40, on these two lateral sides opposed. To do this, these surfaces 43A and 43B diverge relative to each other downwards.
• the strand 30 breaks as described just above as soon as the cap 20 reaches an intermediate position between the open and closed positions, this intermediate position being provided sufficiently close to the closed position to ensure that the seal between the cap and the teat 14 is effectively maintained, especially at the skirt 22 ⁇ sealingly against the wall defining the opening 16i. It is understood that this skirt and / or this wall have a certain elasticity allowing them to obtain a tight contact despite the small gap upwardly of the cap 20 vis-à-vis the base 10.
• FIGS. 4A to 4C show an alternative embodiment of the finger 40, referenced 40 '.
• the lower face 41 'of the finger 40' is not shaped in a point, but is substantially flat, so as to cover, with possible interposition of a functional clearance, the running portion 303 of the strand 30.
• other features of the finger 40 ' are identical to those of the finger 40, so that the interaction between the finger 40' and the strand 30 is identical to that between the finger 40 and the strand 30, except for the initial break of the strand 30: here, the entire face 41 'participates in applying stresses to the running portion of strand 3O 3 , until the strand breaks.
• FIGS. 5A to 5C show an alternative embodiment of the strand 30, referenced 30 'and combined here with the variant of the finger 40'.
• the zone where this strand breaks during the first opening of the device 1 is not located in the common part 30 ' 3 of the strand, but is located at its longitudinal end 30'2.
• Its other longitudinal end 3O'i is, for its part, identical to the end 30i of the strand 30, in order to guarantee a lasting connection between the bulk of the strand 30 'and the portion 2I 1 of the cap 20.
• this end is thinned relative to the remainder of the strand, having a notch 31' functionally similar to the notch 31 of the strand 30.
• the face 41 'of the finger 40' applies stresses on the strand 30 ', until breaking of its end 30'2.
• the edges 31 'A and 31' B of the broken notch 31 ' are then separated from each other because of the interposition of the finger 40', the running portion 30 ' 3 of the strand being forced to swing down to cross the finger, by deformation of the end of the strand 30V
• the running portion of strand 30 ' 3 behaves globally in the same way as strand portion 30A of strand 30.
• the bearing face 41 ' forms an angular zone pointing at the end of strand 30V.
• this angular zone applies a stronger constraint at the level of the indentation 31 ', which makes it possible to obtain its rupture more rapidly, that is to say for a tilting angle of the cap 20 lower than that necessary with the flat embodiment of the face 41' shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C.
• FIGS. 6, 7 and 8A to 8C show another embodiment of a closure device 100, which differs from the device 1 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A to 3C only with respect to their means of inviolability: this second embodiment can indeed be considered as a "symmetrical" or “mirror” embodiment of the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A to 3C, in the sense that rather than the base 10 and the cap 20 are respectively provided with the finger 40 and the strand 30, the base 110 and the cap 120 of the device 100 are respectively provided with a strand 130 and a finger 140.
• the base 110 comprises the same components as the base 10, identified by the same reference numerals as for the base 10, preceded by the number "1", except that the upper part of its body 111 delimits, in its front portion 111 i, a window 119 functionally similar to the window 25.
• the upper edge of the window 119 is constituted by the strand 130 which extends in the peripheral direction of the front portion 11 I 1 .
• the lower edge of this window is sufficiently distant towards the bottom of the strand 130 to receive the finger 140 which protrudes outwardly from the front portion 12I 1 of the body 121 of the cap 120, being noted on this cap 120 comprises Moreover the same components as the cap 20, identified by the same reference numerals preceded by the number "1".
• the finger 140 delimits an upper face 141 functionally similar to the face 41 of the finger 40, in the sense that this face 141 rests on the running portion 130 3 of the strand 130, to break this strand into two separate parts 130A and 130B, when the cap 120 is moved for the first time from its closed position, shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8A, to its open position, through an intermediate position shown in Figure 8B.
• the rupture of the strand 130 is facilitated and concentrated by thinning locally the central zone of its current portion 13O 3 , advantageously provided with a notch 131 to receive the angular zone of the tip formed by the face 141, as clearly visible in FIG. 8A.
• the strand ends 130 1 and 130 2 are deformed by tilting the strand portions 130 A and 130 B to allow the finger 140 to pass between the edges 131 A and 131 B of the broken notch 131 when opening the cap 120 as shown in Figure 8B, as well as during the subsequent closure of this cap as shown in Figure 8C, the strand portions 130A and 130B then relying against surfaces 143A and 143B diverging upwards, delimited on each lateral side of the finger 140 and functionally similar to the surfaces 43A and 43B.
• the radial dimension of the finger 140 decreases from top to bottom, in the direction of the axis YY, so that the face 142 of this finger, facing outwards, forms a ramp for the strand 130, functionally similar to the ramp face 42 with respect to the strand 30, when the cap 120 is initially assembled at the base 110.
• capping devices 1 and 100 are also possible. As examples:
• the strand 30, 30 'or 130 and the finger 40, 40' or 140 are positioned in front of the base 10 or 110 and the cap 20 or 120, in particular for reasons good visibility by the user; alternatively, this strand and this finger may be provided in other peripheral portions of the device 1 or 100, in particular on one of the lateral sides of the base and the cap, generally at 90 ° around the XX and YY xes by report at tab 23 or 123; likewise, several pairs of strands / fingers may be provided, for example one on each lateral side of the device;
• the base 10 or 110 can be fixed by "snap", that is to say by snapping a portion of its inner face with a complementary portion of the neck ;
• a strand and a finger respectively similar to the strand 30, 30 'or 130 and the finger 40, 40' or 140, is conceivable for other closure devices than those with a tilting cap, such as the caps 20 and 120, provided that the cap of these devices is spaced from the base upwards, in the direction opposite to the neck 2 when it is first opened; and or
• these two elements can be molded together, either with the cap in its closed position, or with the cap in a position spaced from its closed position, the cap then being moved, in particular tilted, to its closed position while the strand 30, 30 'or 130 slides against the ramp face 42 or 142 of the finger 40, 40 or 140.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Paper (AREA)
• Discharge Heating (AREA)
• Ultra Sonic Daignosis Equipment (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)

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Publications (2)

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• 2008
  • 2008-02-26 FR FR0851224A patent/FR2927887B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2009
  • 2009-02-24 ES ES09718795T patent/ES2372263T3/es active Active
  • 2009-02-24 CA CA2716299A patent/CA2716299C/fr active Active
  • 2009-02-24 US US12/918,792 patent/US8485373B2/en active Active
  • 2009-02-24 WO PCT/FR2009/050291 patent/WO2009112752A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2009-02-24 EP EP09718795A patent/EP2247510B1/de active Active
  • 2009-02-24 MX MX2010009420A patent/MX2010009420A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2009-02-24 JP JP2010547234A patent/JP5276124B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-02-24 PT PT09718795T patent/PT2247510E/pt unknown
  • 2009-02-24 PL PL09718795T patent/PL2247510T3/pl unknown
  • 2009-02-24 AT AT09718795T patent/ATE525303T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

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