EP1004516A1 - Method for closing the unthreaded neck of glass containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The container or bottle has a neck (1) with a flat unthreaded standard collar with a shoulder (10) near the opening A threaded plastics collar (3) and a plugging cap are also provided. The plastics collar has an internal diameter adapted to its fixing on the neck. The threaded collar is fixed to the neck by forcing it against the shoulder. The plugging cap is assembled on the threaded collar by crimping it on the collar thread (32) and also possibly under the lower rim (33) of this collar.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of capping, and more specifically to the field of closure with metal screw caps.

STATE OF THE ART

• d'une part, dans le cas des vins de table consommation très courante, le bouchage est assuré par une capsule plastique, généralement protégée par une capsule métallique de faible hauteur facile à enlever. Dans ce cas, la bague de verrerie est non filetée et la capsule plastique permet de reboucher la bouteille.

Ce conditionnement de vins de table capsulés a plus ou moins remplacé le conditionnement de vins en vrac que le consommateur allait chercher lui-même avec ses propres bouteilles chez un marchand de vin,

• d'autre part, dans le cas de tous les autres vins, vins de garde en particulier, vins de qualité supérieure aux précédents, le bouchage stricto sensu est assuré le plus souvent par un bouchon, typiquement de liège, le goulot étant habillé par une capsule de surbouchage. Dans ce cas, la bague de verrerie est une bague non filetée. Il n'y a pas de moyen de rebouchage à part la réintroduction à force du bouchon dans le goulot.

De telles capsules de surbouchage sont décrites par exemple dans les brevets suivants au nom de la demanderesse : EP 363 285 B1, FR 2 665 887 B1, FR2 678 587 B1, FR 2 710 611 B1,

• enfin, dans le cas de liqueurs ou apéritifs destinés à être consommés en plusieurs fois, et parfois, mais plus rarement, dans le cas du vin, le bouchage est assuré le plus souvent par une capsule dite de bouchage munie intérieurement d'un insert plastique d'étanchéité, capsule qui est vissée sur le goulot avec bague de verrerie filetée, de manière à ce que la capsule puisse être utilisée pour reboucher le récipient ou la bouteille. Dans ce cas, la bague de verrerie est filetée avec un pas de vis à droite.
  Comme exemple de bouteilles de vin ainsi fermées, on peut citer les bouteilles de vin de format particulier (50 cl) fermées par une capsule de bouchage, dans les plateaux repas des compagnies aériennes.
  De telles capsules sont dotées de lignes d'affaiblissement, situées sous le filetage, et destinées principalement à garantir l'inviolabilité du récipient tout en facilitant la première ouverture.
  La ligne d'affaiblissement peut être située au-dessous du filetage, au niveau de la bague de verrerie, comme par décrit exemple dans le brevet français FR 2 657 862 au nom de la demanderesse.
  La ligne d'affaiblissement peut aussi être située au-dessus du filetage, comme décrit dans la demande européenne EP 0 673 850 A1.

The closure of containers or bottles, generally made of glass, can be carried out schematically in three ways:

• on the one hand, in the case of table wines which are very commonly consumed, the corking is ensured by a plastic capsule, generally protected by a metal capsule of low height which is easy to remove. In this case, the glass ring is unthreaded and the plastic capsule allows the bottle to be refilled.

This packaging of encapsulated table wines has more or less replaced the packaging of bulk wines that the consumer would collect himself with his own bottles from a wine merchant,

• on the other hand, in the case of all the other wines, wines of guard in particular, wines of quality higher than the preceding ones, the capping stricto sensu is ensured most often by a stopper, typically of cork, the neck being dressed by a overcap capsule. In this case, the glass ring is a non-threaded ring. There is no means of recapping apart from the reintroduction by force of the stopper into the neck.

Such overcapping capsules are described for example in the following patents in the name of the applicant: EP 363,285 B1, FR 2,665,887 B1, FR2,678,587 B1, FR 2,710,611 B1,

• finally, in the case of liqueurs or aperitifs intended to be consumed in several installments, and sometimes, but more rarely, in the case of wine, capping is most often ensured by a so-called corking capsule provided internally with a plastic insert seal, cap which is screwed onto the neck with threaded glass ring, so that the cap can be used to recap the container or the bottle. In this case, the glass ring is threaded with a thread on the right.
  As an example of wine bottles thus closed, mention may be made of wine bottles of a particular size (50 cl) closed by a closure cap, in the meal trays of airline companies.
  Such capsules are provided with lines of weakness, located under the thread, and intended mainly to guarantee the inviolability of the container while facilitating the first opening.
  The weakening line can be located below the thread, at the level of the glass ring, as described for example in French patent FR 2 657 862 in the name of the applicant.
  The weakening line can also be located above the thread, as described in European application EP 0 673 850 A1.

PROBLEMS POSED

• d'une part, il est constaté, du moins en France, une évolution des habitudes de consommation du vin, avec une diminution de la consommation de vins de table courants au profit de vins de qualité supérieure, vins qui sont, de ce fait, conditionnés en bouteilles fermées par un bouchon de liège,
• d'autre part, il est en outre constaté un allongement de la durée de vie moyenne des populations européennes en général, avec les problèmes et difficultés associées au vieillissement, typiquement une moindre habileté et une moindre force qui peuvent rendre plus difficiles le débouchage d'une bouteille fermée par un bouchon de liège, alors que peuvent rester présent avec l'age, le goût pour le bon vin, et les moyens de se l'offrir.

Les sociétés occidentales voient donc leur population vieillir et, en définitive, les moyens de bouchage actuels, décrits précédemment, ne sont pas adaptés à ce nouvel état de fait. Il faut tenir compte en outre du fait que les bagues de verrerie non filetées des bouteilles fermées par un bouchon de liège sont des bagues normalisées au plan international, et qu'il ne semble pas possible, pour des raisons à la fois économiques et de tradition, d'appliquer au vin, de manière générale, la méthode jusqu'ici réservée aux apéritifs ou au vin consommé dans les avions.The problems posed by the caps and methods of closure of the prior art are as follows:

• on the one hand, it is noted, at least in France, a change in wine consumption habits, with a decrease in the consumption of common table wines in favor of superior quality wines, wines which are, therefore, packaged in bottles closed with a cork,
• on the other hand, there is also an increase in the average lifespan of European populations in general, with the problems and difficulties associated with aging, typically less skill and less strength which can make it more difficult to unclog a bottle closed by a cork, so that can remain present with age, the taste for good wine, and the means to afford it.

Western societies therefore see their populations aging and, ultimately, the current means of capping, described above, are not adapted to this new fact. It should also be taken into account that the non-threaded glass rings of bottles closed by a cork stopper are internationally standardized rings, and that it does not seem possible, for reasons both economic and traditional , to apply to wine, in general, the method hitherto reserved for aperitifs or wine consumed on aircraft.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

• en utilisant des bouteilles standard à bague plate, c'est à dire non filetée,
• en permettant cependant une ouverture par dévissage et un rebouchage ultérieur.

The invention relates to a closure method using a closure cap which simultaneously solves all the problems posed:

• using standard bottles with a flat ring, i.e. not threaded,
• allowing however an opening by unscrewing and a subsequent filling.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

a) on approvisionne un récipient ou bouteille ayant un goulot à bague plate standard non filetée avec contre-bague, une bague filetée en matière plastique et une capsule de bouchage, ladite bague ayant un diamètre intérieur adapté à sa fixation ultérieure audit goulot,

b) on fixe ladite bague filetée audit goulot en la plaçant à force sous la contre-bague ou épaulement de ladite bague de verrerie,

c) on assemble ladite capsule de bouchage sur ladite bague filetée en la sertissant sur le filetage de ladite bague filetée et aussi éventuellement sous le rebord inférieur ou extrémité de ladite bague filetée.

According to the invention, the method of capping a container, typically a bottle, provided with a neck with glass ring, using a corking cap whose head is provided internally with a plastic insert d sealing and whose skirt is provided with a weakening line provided with bridges, is characterized in that,

a) a container or bottle is supplied with a neck with a standard non-threaded flat ring with counter-ring, a threaded ring in plastic material and a closure cap, said ring having an internal diameter suitable for its subsequent fixing to said neck,

b) said threaded ring is fixed to said neck by forcing it under the counter-ring or shoulder of said glass ring,

c) assembling said closure cap on said threaded ring by crimping it onto the threads of said threaded ring and also possibly under the lower flange or end of said threaded ring.

This set of means according to the invention makes it possible to simultaneously solve all the problems posed. Indeed, the invention allows, by means of the use of a threaded plastic ring, to use containers or bottles with standard flat glass ring and closure caps with incorporated seal, possibly standard.
The Applicant has also recognized the possibility of implementing the invention with standard capping equipment, with relatively simple adaptations, and without substantially modifying either the capping rates or the usual working methods in the beverage packaging trade. and wine in particular. This is very important insofar as, in practice, a requirement for a change of habit or a modification of device or method that is too great could condemn an otherwise interesting invention.
For the consumer, everything happens as if the bottle was a bottle of aperitif and not a bottle of wine, and therefore, all the problems raised are solved. In fact, with the invention, the only movement to be carried out by the consumer is a rotational movement, in the usual opening direction which is anti-clockwise, with sufficient torque to break the bridges of the weakening line and, if necessary, detach the seal from the bottle neck.
On the one hand, compared to the efforts to be made to remove a cork stopper, such a movement is easy to perform manually or using a standard utensil. On the other hand, the skilled person can also dose the bridge breaking force.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 represents a closed bottle neck according to the invention, with a left part in front view after removal of the stopper cap, and a right part in view in axial section in the vertical plane, with the stopper cap.
The left part shows the threaded plastic ring (3), with its left-hand thread (31), placed in contact with the lower edge (100) of the counter-ring (10) of the neck (1).
The right part shows, in section, in addition to the same threaded plastic ring (3) placed under the counter ring (10), the closure cap (2) provided with a head (26) and its sealing insert, here a seal (22) with an inner skirt (220), with its weakening line (270) situated above the thread (31) of the plastic ring (3), so that at the opening, the upper part unthreaded (23) is separated, while there remains on the neck (1) of the bottle the lower part (24) comprising the thread (28).

Figure 1a is an enlargement, in section, of the threaded plastic ring (3).

• d'une part, l'insert d'étanchéité est un joint plat (21),
• la bague plastique (3) est munie d'un filetage à droite (32),
• à l'ouverture, la partie supérieure filetée (25) est séparée, tandis que reste sur le goulot (1) de la bouteille la partie inférieure (20) qui est sertie sous l'extrémité (33) de ladite bague plastique (3).

FIG. 2 is substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane in FIG. 1.
It differs in that:

• on the one hand, the sealing insert is a flat seal (21),
• the plastic ring (3) is provided with a right-hand thread (32),
• at the opening, the threaded upper part (25) is separated, while there remains on the neck (1) of the bottle the lower part (20) which is crimped under the end (33) of said plastic ring (3) .

FIGS. 3a to 3c schematize the method according to the invention:
Figure 3a: the capping turret (5), represented schematically by a circle, is supplied with bottles, the neck (1) of which has a standard flat glass ring, plastic threaded rings (3) and closure caps (2) .
Figure 3b: using a ring (50) mounted on said turret and on which is placed said threaded plastic ring (3), said threaded plastic ring (3) is first forcefully placed under the bottom edge ( 100) of the counter-ring (10), said device, mounting of the threaded ring under the counter-ring of the flat ring. FIG. 3b represents, in section, three phases of this step, the initial phase on the left of the figure, the intermediate phase in the center of the figure, and the final phase on the right of the figure.
Figure 3c: the capsule (2) being placed on the neck (1) provided with said plastic ring (2), a crimping wheel (51) mounted on said turret (5) applies the skirt (27) of the capsule ( 2) and thus form said capsule thread (28).
On the left side of the figure, has been reproduced on a reduced scale Figure 1 representing the sealing means obtained according to the invention, where was carried the height H of the capsule (2), with indication of the heights 0, H / 2 and H.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to a first embodiment of the invention, said plastic ring (3) is left-hand threaded and said closure cap (2) has a weakening line (270) located above the thread (31) of said threaded ring (3), when said capsule is placed in position on said neck (1) provided with said threaded ring (3) for said assembly, so that, when opening by unscrewing in the usual direction, i.e. counterclockwise, the threaded part of the capsule (24) moves downward away from said head, so that said bridges are under tension, there is a tearing of said weakening line and release of the upper non-threaded part of the capsule (23) located above said line weakening (270), the threaded part of the capsule (24) remaining integral with the neck (1).

This method is illustrated in Figures 1 and 1a. In this mode, the ring (3) is threaded on the left, while the "normal" thread of a neck is a thread on the right, so as to unscrew any screwed cap by rotating it anticlockwise. a watch.
To carry out the tearing of the weakening line (270), a fraction of a turn is sufficient, which does not require any particular effort and poses no problem for the consumer even with a capsule fully crimped on all of the threads of the thread. (31) of the ring (3).

According to another embodiment of the invention, said plastic ring (3) is threaded to right and said closure cap (2) has a line of weakness (270) located below the thread (32) of said threaded ring and above said lower flange (33), when said capsule (2) is placed in position on said neck (1) provided with said ring (3) in view of said assembly, so that, when opened by unscrewing in the usual direction, i.e. counter-clockwise, the threaded part of the capsule (25) moves upward, energizes said bridges, and thus ensures tearing of said line of weakness (270) by releasing the upper part threaded capsule (25) located above said weakening line (270), the part lower crimped (20) remaining integral with said neck (1), the capsule being crimped by constricted from the part (271) of the capsule under said ring (3).

This mode has been shown in Figure 2, which is symmetrical with respect to a plane in Figure 1. In this case, the thread of the ring (3) is "normal" in the sense that it is that of the necks to commercially available threaded glass ring.
In this case, the lower part of the capsule is crimped so that it cannot be unscrewed without breaking the bridges of the weakening line (270).

According to the invention, in order to implement the invention, a conventional capping turret (5) is used and it is adapted to fix said plastic ring (3) by force and automatically under said counter ring (10 ), so that conventional capping equipment for corks can, with minimal modifications, ensure capping of bottles.
This is another important advantage of the invention, which is particularly necessary in a profession which often has a strong part of tradition.

As for the capsules, they must include plastic inserts sealing which can be chosen from existing inserts, typically, either flat or shaped seals (21) maintained applied to the bottom of said capsule on the face interior of said head by a retaining groove for said capsule, ie seals identical glued under the sky of the capsule or inside of said head, or even shaped joints (22) with inner skirt (220) allowing in particular a reclosure leakproof of said container in case of fractional consumption.

A flat seal capsule (21) is shown in Figure 2, while a flat seal capsule (21) shape (22) with skirt (220) is shown in Figure 1.

It may be advantageous to choose the inner diameter of the rings (3) in relation to the outside diameter of said neck (1) so that, after press fitting on the neck, the ring is made integral with the neck and is not free either in rotation or in axial displacement relative to said neck.

Furthermore, it can also be advantageous, in particular on the aesthetic level, supply threaded rings which are colored to the tint of the glass constituting the neck.

Another object of the invention consists of closure capsules to be used to implement the method according to the invention, and which, according to a first embodiment, include a weakening line (270) located on the upper part of said skirt (27), that is to say between said head (26) and the half-height (H / 2) of said skirt (27).
This is the case illustrated in FIG. 1. The weakening line (270), which must be located in this case above the thread (28) of the capsule, must in practice be located several millimeters above the latter, under penalty of risk of breaking bridges during crimping of the capsule with formation of the thread (28). In practice, this line (270) can be located above the lower edge (100) of said counter-ring (10).

Likewise, these stopper capsules to be used to implement the method according to the invention may comprise, according to a second method, a weakening line (270) located on the lower part of said skirt (27), that is ie between the half-height of said skirt (27) and its lower end furthest from said head (26).
This is the case illustrated in FIG. 2. In this case, said weakening line (270) must be located between the threaded portion (28) of the capsule and the crimped portion (271) located below the bottom edge. (33) of the ring (3).

Another object of the invention is the use of metallic or metalloplastic capsules closure (2) with incorporated seal (21, 22) for sealing containers or bottles with neck (1) with a flat glass ring that is not threaded thanks to the use of plastic rings (3) threaded on the right or left, previously mounted under the counter ring (10) of the neck (1) of said containers or bottles.

Another object of the invention consists of the closure means comprising a container or bottle with neck (1) with a flat glass ring, a threaded plastic ring (3) mounted under the counter-ring (10) of said neck, and a metallic or metalloplastic capsule (2), with incorporated seal (21, 22), having a weakening line (270), crimped on said threaded plastic ring (3) mounted on said neck (1).
These means also have two modes depending on the direction of the thread of the plastic ring (3):
According to a first embodiment, represented in FIG. 1, said plastic ring (3) is left-hand threaded and said weakening line (270) of the capsule (2) is located above the thread (28) of the capsule ( 2) corresponding to that (30) of said threaded ring (3).
According to a second method, represented in FIG. 2, said plastic ring (3) is threaded on the right and said weakening line (270) of the capsule (2) is located below the thread (29) of the capsule ( 2) corresponding to that (31) of said threaded ring (3).

EXAMPLES OF REALIZATION

• diamètre intérieur allant de 27 mm à la partie supérieure à 28 mm à la partie inférieure,
• épaisseur (hors rainures du filetage) allant de 1,6 mm à la parti supérieure à 0,8 mm à la partie inférieure.

PE rings (3) were produced by molding, with left-hand thread as shown in FIG. 1, having the dimensions indicated in FIG. 1a:

• inner diameter ranging from 27 mm at the top to 28 mm at the bottom,
• thickness (excluding thread grooves) ranging from 1.6 mm at the top to 0.8 mm at the bottom.

Thanks to this slight internal taper and the gradual thinning of the ring, the lower end - which is the leading end when the ring is forced into the neck - is thinner, which facilitates press fitting the neck with said ring (3), without breaking the ring. The fitting is therefore facilitated by the elasticity of said lower end and also by the speed of the fitting operation implemented as illustrated in FIG. 3b.
These rings (3) have been mounted and assembled on necks (1) with a standard glass ring as shown in FIG. 1.
For this assembly carried out on a conventional capping turret, modified to be supplied with rings (3), as shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 3a to 3b, it can be noted that the tool (50) surrounds the ring (3) in its threaded upper part and not in its more flexible and unthreaded lower part, which allows the ring to be force fitted without damaging it.
These means, both in terms of the geometry of the ring and in terms of the manner of fitting, ensure quality assembly, that is to say without manufacturing incident and without quality defects on the neck fitted with a threaded ring.
The capping turret (5) also being supplied with closure caps (2) according to the invention, made of aluminum, the capsules are then crimped with formation of the left-hand thread (28) by knurling wheels (51), in a conventional manner, as shown in Figure 3c.

We also carried out other series of tests with rings with left-hand thread as in Figure 1, but with flat seal capsules (21) - as illustrated in Figure 2 - and with a line of weakness located approximately at a height of 0.6. H (see Figure 3c where heights 0, H / 2 and H are shown, so that the upper unthreaded (23) removable includes a skirt portion of sufficient height to reach the level of the counter-ring (10) and thus facilitate the filling of the bottle which is sufficient, if not waterproof as in the previous case, to keep the wine contained for the time necessary for its fractional consumption.

The opening tests by consumers - including the elderly - were carried out on the closed bottles according to the invention. These tests have shown the validity of concepts developed in the present invention and the great ease of opening the bottles thus closed, facility at least as great as that of alcohol bottles or aperitifs.

Economically, the cost of a PE ring is much lower than the average cost a quality cork stopper, so that the economic balance is favorable to plugging according to the present invention.

With regard to the organoleptic qualities of the wine, it is certain that the stopping according to the invention eliminates all the problems brought by the stoppers which can sometimes be of variable quality, like any natural material.
It has been verified that the organoleptic qualities of the wine are not appreciably modified by the seals (21, 22), at least when the wine is kept or stored in the cellar for an average period, typically a few years. Trials are underway with wines for aging over a longer storage period.

All of these results confirm the great interest of the present invention.

Claims (12)

Method for closing a container, typically a bottle, provided with a neck (1) with glass ring, using a closure cap (2), the head (26) of which is internally provided with a plastic sealing insert (21, 22) and whose skirt (27) is provided with a weakening line (270), typically provided with bridges, characterized in that: a) a container or bottle is supplied with a neck (1) with a standard non-threaded flat ring with counter-ring (10), a plastic threaded ring (3) and a closure cap (2), said ring (3) ) having an internal diameter suitable for its subsequent fixing to said neck (1), b) said threaded ring (3) is fixed to said neck (1) by forcing it under the counter-ring or shoulder (10) of said glass ring, c) assembling said closure cap (2) on said threaded ring (3) by crimping it onto the thread (31, 32) of said threaded ring (3) and also possibly under the lower flange (33) of said threaded ring (3). The method of claim 1 wherein said plastic ring (3) is left-hand threaded and said closure cap (2) has a weakening line (270) located above the thread (31) of said threaded ring (3), when said capsule is placed in position on said neck (1) provided with said threaded ring (3) for said assembly, so that, when opened by unscrewing in the usual direction, i.e. counterclockwise, the threaded part of the capsule (24) moves downward away from said head, so that said bridges are under tension, there is a tearing of said weakening line and release of the upper non-threaded part of the capsule (23) located above said line weakening (270), the threaded part of the capsule (24) remaining integral with the neck (1). The method of claim 1 wherein said plastic ring (3) is right-hand threaded and said closure cap (2) has a line of weakness (270) located below the thread (32) of said threaded ring and above said flange lower (33), when said capsule (2) is placed in position on said neck (1) provided of said ring (3) in view of said assembly, so that, when opened by unscrewing in the usual direction, i.e. anticlockwise shows, the threaded part of the capsule (25) moves upwards, so that said bridges being energized, the capsule being crimped by shrinking the capsule under said ring (3), there is tearing of said line of weakness (270) and release of the threaded upper part of the capsule (25) located above said line weakening (270), the crimped lower part (20) remaining integral with said neck (1). Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which a conventional capping turret (5) and it is adapted to fix by force and so automatic said plastic ring (3) under said counter ring (10), so that that conventional capping equipment for closures can, at the cost of minimal modifications, ensure bottle capping. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said inserts sealing plastics can be chosen from either flat or shaped seals (21) kept applied to the bottom of said capsule on the inner face of said head by a retaining groove of said capsule, ie identical seals glued under the sky of the capsule or inner side of said head, or again shaped joints (22) with skirt interior (220) allowing in particular a tight reclosure of said container in the event of fractional consumption. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which one supplies threaded rings (3) colored in the shade of the glass constituting said neck (1). Corking capsules to be used to carry out the process according to a any of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 including a line of weakness (270) located on the upper part of said skirt (27), that is to say between said head (26) and the half height of said skirt (27). Corking capsules to be used to carry out the process according to the Claims 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 comprising a weakening line (270) located on the lower part of said skirt (27), that is to say between the half-height of said skirt (27) and its lower end furthest from said head (26). Use of metal or metalloplastic caps for sealing (2) sealing (21, 22) incorporated for the closure of containers or bottles with neck (1) with non-threaded flat glass ring thanks to the use of plastic rings (3) threaded right or left, previously mounted under the counter-ring (10) of the neck (1) said containers or bottles. Corking means comprising a container or bottle with a neck (1) flat glassware, a threaded plastic ring (3) mounted under the counter-ring (10) of said neck, and a metal or metalloplastic capsule (2), with incorporated seal (21, 22), having a weakening line (270), set on said plastic ring threaded (3) mounted on said neck (1). Plugging means according to claim 10 wherein said plastic ring (3) is left-hand threaded and said weakening line (270) of the capsule (2) is located above the thread (28) of the capsule (2) corresponding to that (30) of said threaded ring (3). Plugging means according to claim 10 wherein said plastic ring (3) is threaded on the right and said weakening line (270) of the capsule (2) is located below the thread (29) of the capsule (2) corresponding to that (31) of said ring threaded (3).

Images