WO2009128095A1

WO2009128095A1 - Compact optical closure

Info

Publication number: WO2009128095A1
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000244
Authority: WO
Inventors: Piero Battegazzore; Davide Capra
Original assignee: CREATIVE GCL Srl
Current assignee: CREATIVE GCL Srl
Priority date: 2008-04-14
Filing date: 2008-04-14
Publication date: 2009-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2010-10-14
Also published as: EA018883B1; UA98219C2; EA201001638A1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a threaded cap 3 comprising a threaded undercap 4 and an overcap 6 coaxial and integral therewith and external thereto so as to define a pocket 7 which houses, movable in the longitudinal direction, a moving element 5 comprising an upper portion 8 and a lower portion 9 substantially aligned in the longitudinal direction and joined together by a weakened line 10, before initial opening.

Description

Title: "COMPACT OPTICAL CLOSURE"

The present invention relates to an optical closure for containers, which is compact transversely. As is known, closures for containers, in elementicular the ones which are fitted onto bottles containing expensive liquors, must be able to indicate initial opening, for providing the purchaser with a clear indication that the container has not yet been opened . Some closures are capable of substantially modifying their external appearance due to a movable internal element which is situated in a first position before initial opening and in a second position after initial opening.

An example of these closures is described in WO2005/021400 in the name of Guala Closures S. p. A.

The closure there described, however, requires that the container neck be fitted with an externally threaded piece onto which the threaded portion of the cap engages.

This externally threaded piece needs to be specifically designed and results in a high cost of the closure since it is not possible to achieve production and/or assembly synergy with constructional components of other closures .

Moreover, this closure requires two parts for exerting a shearing action on a breakable portion of the moving element, which achieves the change in the external appearance of the closure after initial opening.

These two elements must necessarily be radially staggered, resulting in a large radial size of the closure.

Other types of known closures, such as for example the one described in EP 1 511 677, in the name of Guala Closures Patents

BV, have been developed for easily being produced and assembled but have a tamper-proof system (i.e. a system indicating the initial opening) which is relatively simple since the closure part affected by the change in external appearance is small in size.

In view of the described state of the art, the object of the present invention is to provide an optical closure, namely one which has a large portion affected by the change in external appearance, which is modular and has a simple design. In accordance with the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a closure according to Claim 1. The characteristic features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment provided by way of a non- limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure Ia shows a partial cross- sectional view of a first embodiment of a closure according to the present invention, before initial opening; - Figure Ib shows the closure according to Figure Ia, after initial opening;

- Figures 2a and 2b show partial cross -sectional views of a second embodiment of a closure according to the present invention, before and after initial opening, respectively,- - Figures 3a and 3b show partial cross-sectional views of a third embodiment of a closure according to the present invention, before and after initial opening, respectively;

Figures 4a and 4b show partial cross-sectional views of a fourth embodiment of a closure according to the present invention, before and after initial opening, respectively;

- Figures 5a and 5b show partial cross-sectional views of a fifth embodiment of a closure according to the present invention, before and after initial opening, respectively;

- Figure 6 shows a detail of Figure Ia. In the present description, each reference to top and bottom directions is understood as referring to the orientation of the closure shown in the accompanying drawings where the longitudinal axis X-X is arranged vertically. The closure 1 comprises a threaded pourer 2, which is fastened to a container 100, for example a bottle, and is able to allow outflow of the liquid contained inside it, and a cap 3 which can be fastened to the pourer 2 and is able to prevent the liquid from getting out of the container. Cap 3 comprises a threaded inner undercap 4 able to engage with threaded pourer 2, an inner moving element 5 and an overcap 6, joined with undercap 4.

Advantageously undercap 4 and overcap 6 are fastened together, for example are glued or welded, and define between the respective side surfaces a pocket 7 inside which inner moving element 5 is housed.

Advantageously, undercap 4, inner moving element 5 and/or overcap 6 are substantially annular. Clearly, at least one of undercap 4 and overcap 6 (or both of them) will be closed at the top in order to perform the function of a cap. Moving element 5 comprises an upper portion 8 and a lower portion 9 which are advantageously joined together by a weakened line 10, for example formed by means of breakable bridge-pieces or by means of a zone having a reduced thickness. Advantageously, cap 3 comprises means for helping breakage of weakened line 10 during initial opening; these means may comprise at least one first tooth 11 formed on moving element 5 and a lower tooth 18 formed on undercap 4.

First tooth 11, which is for example substantially annular, may be formed on the inner surface of upper portion 8; this inner surface may also comprise a second tooth 12, which is for example substantially annular, too.

The first tooth 11 comprises a substantially horizontal lower surface 16. Second tooth 12 is advantageously arranged at the top end 13 of upper portion 8 and comprises an upper surface 14, which is advantageously horizontal and coincides with top end 13, and a lower surface 15 which is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical, for example at an angle of between 10° and 30°. The threaded undercap 4 comprises a lower tooth 18 and optionally an upper tooth 17 which are substantially annular and designed to co-operate with teeth 11, 12 of moving element 5. Upper tooth 17 comprises a lower surface 19 and an upper surface 20; upper surface 20 is advantageously conical having its vertex pointing upwards and is inclined, relative to the vertical, of an angle comprised between 10° and 60°; lower surface 19 is substantially horizontal.

Lower tooth 18 comprises a substantially horizontal upper surface 21. The distance Dl between upper surface 14 of second tooth 12 and lower surface 16 of first tooth 11 is advantageously substantially equal to or slightly greater than the distance D2 between lower surface 20 of upper tooth 17 and upper surface 21 of lower tooth 18, for the reasons which will become clear below. Lower portion 9 of moving element 5 may comprise, at its bottom end, a substantially annular flange 23.

Flange 23 comprises an inner tooth 24 comprising a substantially horizontal upper surface 25 and a conical lower surface 26 with its vertex pointing upwards, for example having a vertex angle (or aperture) comprised between 20° and 120°. Externally, flange 23 may comprise an outer portion 27 (visible in Figures Ia, 2a, 5a and 6) which gives to closure 1 a substantially constant diameter in the longitudinal direction if the bottom end of overcap 6 practically does not make contact with the underlying covering element of the neck 102 of the container 100, shown in the Figures as sleeve 35. Alternatively it is also possible for the bottom end of overcap 6 to be almost touching sleeve 35 (Figures 4a and 4b) . In Figures 5a and 5b, moreover, lower portion 9 is protected against external tampering by sleeve 35a, advantageously made of aluminum, which covers sleeve 35 as well as outer portion 27 of flange 23. In this way, lower portion 9 is not dispersed in the environment . Lower portion 9 is advantageously divided up into two or more segments 28 which are not connected together but by means of weakened breakable line 10, i.e. through upper portion 8. Pourer 2 comprises a sleeve 30 on which its threads are formed; underneath sleeve 30, pourer 2 comprises a flange 31 and fastening means for fastening to container 100. Flange 31 has a substantially horizontal lower abutment surface 33 and an upper surface 34, advantageously conical with the vertex pointing upwards, which is for example inclined, with respect to the vertical, at an angle comprised between 10° and 60° . Fastening means 32 are known in the art; in the embodiments shown in the Figures, they comprise a sleeve 35, integral with pourer 2 and provided with axial-retaining tabs 36 and anti- rotation ribs 37.

The operating principle of the closure 1 during the initial opening operations will now be described.

When the user applies a torque onto overcap 6, undercap 4 fixed to it rotates and both of them are raised by the threads of undercap 4 and pourer 2. The combined action of upper surface 25 of inner tooth 24 and lower surface 32 of flange 31 keep moving element 5 in its axial position with respect to pourer 2.

Moving element 5 slides inside pocket 7, being extracted from it until second tooth 12 passes over upper tooth 17, helped by facing surfaces 20, 15 of upper tooth 17 and second tooth 12. Then, lower surface 16 of first tooth 11 comes in abutment with upper surface 21 of lower tooth 18 and any further axial displacement of undercap 4 will exert a tensile stress on moving element 5 and therefore on weakened line 10 until, going on with the rotation, weakened line 10 breaks and lower portion 9 is completely extracted out of pocket 7. The segments 28 of lower portion 9 may at this point fall away from closure 1. Upper surface 22 of sleeve 35 and/or at least one part 38 of lower surface 26 of flange 23 may be conical with the vertex pointing upwards, for example with a vertex angle (or aperture) of about 120°. Surface 26 may have the same vertex angle as surface 22 or a different angle, for example a smaller one. The bottom end 39 of upper portion 8 now occupies the position of lower portion 9 and is axially constrained inside pocket 20 by upper surface 14 of second tooth 12 in abutment with lower surface 19 of upper tooth 17. Advantageously it projects out of pocket 7 (see Figures Ib, 2b, 3b) .

Lower portion 9 of moving element 5 may then have a different colour from that of bottom end 39 of upper portion 8; overcap 6 may be completely transparent (see Figures Ia and Ib) or partially transparent (or provided with windows) so that the displacement of underlying moving element 5 within pocket 7 is visible; undercap 4 (or the part which is exposed by the movement of moving element 5 during initial opening) may have a different colour from upper portion 8; in the embodiments shown in Figures 3a-5b, cover 40 of overcap 6 may be made of metal, for example aluminum or alloys thereof, and provided with windows 29.

Advantageously, on the portions which are affected by the change in appearance it is possible to provide graphic symbols 41 which indicate the current state of the . closure, for example inscriptions such as "OPEN", "SEALED" or having the same meaning .

Advantageously, breakable line 10 is within pocket 7, for example arranged above upper surface 21 of lower tooth 18, so as to prevent fraudulent removal of lower portion 9 from closure 1 before initial opening.

Conveniently, upper tooth 17 is arranged at a height such that it lies between first and second teeth 11, 12 so that, after initial opening, the lower end of upper portion 8 is where the lower end of lower portion 9 was before initial opening.

The outer diameter of overcap 6 (or cover 40, if present) and outer portion 27 of flange 23 may be substantially the same as and may correspond to that of the lower portion of closure 1 so that it appears, when viewed from outside and before initial opening, substantially cylindrical, thus emphasising more clearly the variation in profile after initial opening. Obviously a person skilled in the art, in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, may make numerous modifications and variations to the configurations described above, such as, for example, designing one or more of (or also all of) the elements described as substantially annular, so as to have a form which is completely annular, or with interruptions, or with segments, or in any other way, provided that the technical effect associated with them in the description is maintained. Likewise, the means for fastening pourer 2 to container 100 may be different from those described. Moreover, all the variants described above are contained within the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. Threaded cap (3) for engagement with the threaded portion of a pourer (2) , said threaded cap (3) comprising:

- a threaded undercap (4) defining a main longitudinal axis thereof (X-X) ; an overcap (6) , coaxial and fixed with and outside said threaded undercap (4) ; characterized in that said threaded undercap (4) and said overcap (6) define inside them a substantially annular pocket (7) which internally houses, movable in said longitudinal direction, a moving element (5) comprising an upper portion (8) and a lower portion (9) ; wherein, before initial opening, said upper portion (8) and lower portion (9) of said moving element (5) are joined together by a weakened line (10) and are substantially aligned in said longitudinal direction.

2. Threaded cap (3) according to the previous claim, comprising means (12, 18, 24) for helping breakage of said weakened line (10) during initial opening.

3. Threaded cap (3) according to the previous claim, in which said means (12, 18, 24) for helping breakage of said weakened line (10) comprise at least one first inner tooth (11) formed on said moving element (5) able to co-operate with at least one outer lower tooth (18) formed on said threaded undercap (4) .

4. Threaded cap (3) according to any previous claim, in which said moving element (5) comprises a second inner tooth (12) and said threaded undercap (4) comprises an upper tooth (17) .

5. Threaded cap (3) according to claims 3 and 4, in which the longitudinal distance (D2) between the upper surface (14) of said second tooth (12) and the lower surface (16) of said first tooth (11) is substantially the same as or slightly less than the longitudinal distance Dl between the lower surface (19) of said upper tooth (17) and the upper surface (21) of said lower tooth (18) .

6. Threaded cap (3) according to any previous claim, in which said lower portion (9) is divided up into a plurality of segments (28) separate from each other, said segments (28) being, before initial opening, joined only to said upper element (8) by means of said weakened line (10) .

7. Threaded cap (3) according to any previous claim, in which said moving element (5) comprises, at its bottom end, an inner tooth (24) .

8. Threaded cap (3) according to any previous claim, in which said moving element (5) comprises, at it bottom end, an outer portion (27) .

9. Closure (1) for containers (100) having a neck and mouth, comprising:

- a threaded cap (3) according to any previous claim,- a threaded pourer (2) able to receive in engagement said threaded cap (3) .

10. Closure (1) according to the previous claim, in which said pourer (2) comprises a flange (31) provided with a bottom contact surface (33) .

11. Closure (1) according to the previous claim, in which said moving element (5) comprises, at its bottom end, an inner tooth

(24) , the upper surface (25) of said inner tooth (24) abutting with said lower surface (33) of said flange (31) during initial opening .

12. Closure (1) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, comprising fastening means for fastening said pourer (2) to said container (100) .

13. Closure (1) according to the previous claim, in which said fastening means are formed integrally with said pourer (2) .