EP1854734B1 - Bottle cap, in particular for a drinks bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

The bottle closure has a closure head (20) and a sealing element (26) on the closure head. The closure head is pressed sealing by the sealing element against the edge region of the bottle opening (16). A transponder is provided, which transmits response signal to request arousal.

Description

The present invention relates to a bottle closure, in particular for a beverage bottle, comprising a closure head and a sealing member on the closure head, via which sealing member the closure head is sealingly pressed against the edge region of a bottle opening, according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a beverage bottle, for example, a beer bottle, with such a bottle cap.

In the beverage industry, a tendency is noticeable in which increasingly so-called swing top bottles are used in place of crown caps or screw caps closable beverage bottles. In particular, in the beer industry, the principle known for a long time temple closures enjoy increasing attention, as it is easily possible in this way, even beer bottles tightly close again, without having to have this separate closures ready.

A particular problem with the increased use of swing top bottles is that different manufacturers or different breweries use differently designed bottles. The bottles may differ by different bottle body, so different bottle heights, bottle diameter, different penetration, but may of course also differ by differently shaped buckles. Here, for example, different sealing members can be used, ie different in terms of color and / or construction material or shape. Also, the material used for the closure head can be selected from a variety of ways, such as porcelain or plastic. Furthermore, it is of course possible that the closure head at its in Closing state recognizable surface upwards with a brewery logo or other advertising imprint is provided.

Since, in principle, such flip-top bottles are to be filled in automatic filling again or should be cleaned in automatic cleaning systems, it is necessary to sort the bottles, so that only those provided for a particular type of beverage bottles actually come to the filling, while not this provided or suitable bottles must be sorted out. Since the differences between different swing top bottles are difficult to recognize, conventional sorting systems, which for example optically capture the bottles and then sort them on the basis of characteristic features, have proven to be unsuitable.

From the DE 296 19 436 U1 a bottle closure for a beverage bottle is known, which is basically constructed in the manner of a clip closure. A closure head to be supported on a bottle neck by means of a closure strap arrangement has a fixing projection on which a sealing element, which is generally designed in the manner of a cap, is carried. This sealing member comprises a constructed of hard plastic clamping device which engages around the fixing projection on the closure head with four cross-shaped clamp arms arranged to each other and thus fixes the sealing member on the closure head. On the clamping device of comparatively harder plastic a cap-like, made of rubber-like and thus softer material built seal is worn. This lies sealingly with an edge region on a subsequent to the fixing projection region of the closure head.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a bottle closure, in particular for a beverage bottle, which permits a reliable identification of a bottle having such a bottle cap in which a transponder is positioned in the closure and at the same time avoiding gaps.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a bottle closure, in particular for a beverage bottle, according to claim 1.

By integrating a transponder into a bottle closure constructed in accordance with the invention, it is thus possible to identify a bottle at a suitable position in the processing process, namely by means of the response signal sent by the transponder upon interrogation excitation. If necessary, the bottle can be sorted out or a special one for this bottle provided further processing, such as cleaning and refilling, are supplied.

The transponder is integrated in a space formed between the closure head and the sealing member.

Due to the achievable sealing function preferred structure is provided that the sealing member is cap-shaped with a sealing edge region and a central fixation recess into which engages a fixing projection on the closure head. In such an embodiment of the sealing member is then further provided that the transponder is arranged in the Fixierseinsenkung. Even with this arrangement, the transponder is then very well protected against external mechanical influences and also against him damaging environments.

The response signal sent by the transponder upon interrogation excitation may be bottle-unspecific. This means that the transponder on excitation sends a signal indicating that a bottle equipped with a transponder has been recognized, but in principle contains no further information specifying this bottle. However, by sending the response signal alone, it becomes possible to sort out this bottle from a plurality of bottles that do not contain a transponder and therefore do not respond. It can also be ensured by specific design of the transponder or the interrogation system that respond, for example, due to the required excitation with a radio signal with a specific frequency only transponder, which are tuned to this frequency. Thus, although the response signal does not contain any bottle-specific information, it can nevertheless be concluded that a responding bottle is a bottle to be assigned, for example, to a particular brewery and possibly to be considered in the further production process.

Alternatively, it is of course possible that the transponder sends a bottle-specific response signal to query excitation. In this case, for example, the response signal identify a brewery, so that in a sorting process then the bottles of different breweries each group-wise collected and either taken into account in the further manufacturing process or can be passed to other breweries or beverage producers.

In a further embodiment, it is possible that the transponder is writable and sends to query excitation a response signal containing information generated by describing the transponder. Describable in the sense of this present invention means that not This information can be impressed upon production of the transponder, which it then sends in a query, but that even if the transponder is already integrated into a bottle closure, for example, by the query system additional information can be stored in the transponder and then sent Response signal also reproduces this information. This information can indicate, for example, when a bottle has passed through such a sorting system, so that, for example, it is also easy to determine how many times a bottle has already been fed to the refilling process.

The bottle closure according to the invention also has a closure bar arrangement, by way of which the closure head can be held on a bottle body and which in a closing condition presses the closure head over the sealing member against the edge region of the bottle opening.

The present invention further relates to a beverage bottle, in particular beer bottle, comprising a bottle body and a bottle closure according to the invention.

Fig. 1

eine teilweise geschnitten dargestellte Ansicht des oberen Teils eines Flaschenkörpers mit einem daran vorgesehenen Bügelverschluss;

Fig. 2

eine der Fig. 1 entsprechende Ansicht in Blickrichtung II in Fig. 1;

Fig.3

eine Schnittansicht eines Verschlusskopfs für einen Flaschenverschluss;

Fig. 4

eine der Fig. 3 entsprechende Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Ausgestaltungsart.

The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of preferred embodiments. It shows:

Fig. 1

a partially sectioned view of the upper part of a bottle body with a clip closure provided thereon;

Fig. 2

one of the Fig. 1 corresponding view in viewing direction II in Fig. 1 ;

Figure 3

a sectional view of a closure head for a bottle cap;

Fig. 4

one of the Fig. 3 corresponding view of a Ausgestaltungsart invention.

The Fig. 1 and 2 show the basic structure of a usable for example as a beer bottle U-lock bottle 10. This U-shaped bottle 10 comprises a bottle body 12, of which in the Fig. 1 and 2 only the upper region, ie the bottleneck 14, is shown. At its upper end, the bottleneck 14 forms a bottle opening 16, in which in the Fig. 1 and 2 Locking state shown by liquid crystal tight and gas-tight is completed by a generally designated 18 clip closure. The clip closure of Fig. 1-3 is not constructed according to the invention and serves to explain the basic structure.

The strap closure 18 comprises a closure head 20, which in Fig. 3 also shown in section. In the upper region of the closure head 20, an opening 22 preferably extending transversely therethrough is formed, in which a closure bar arrangement 24 engages. The closure bar assembly 24 continues to engage, as in particular Fig. 1 recognizable, in associated recesses in the bottle neck 14, so that, as is well known, the closure head is basically supported by the closure bracket assembly 24 on the false body 12.

One recognizes in the Fig. 1 to 3 Furthermore, that on the closure head 20 designed in this Ausgestaltungsart slightly tapered ring shape sealing member 26 is worn. For this purpose, the closure head 20 has a fixing projection 28 at its end to be positioned towards the interior of the bottle, via which the sealing member 26 is guided and by which the sealing member 26 is held fast on the closure head 20. In the in the Fig. 1 and 2 As shown closure state presses the closure bar assembly 24, the closure head 20 via the sealing member 26 held thereon against the surrounding the bottle opening 16 edge region 30 of the bottle neck 14. By the contact force generated and the occurring deformation of the Sealing member 26 is achieved a liquid-tight and gas-tight closure of the bottle interior.

In order to meet the requirements occurring in use, the closure head 20 is generally constructed of very hard material. Here comes, for example, ceramic material, such as e.g. Sintered ceramic, for use. For the sealing member 26, elastic material such as e.g. EPDM material or TPE material or butyl rubber, used. The closure bar assembly 24 is formed in a conventional manner from the required forces receiving wire material. It should be noted here that of course all known in the field of such buckle closures 18 building materials and shapes for the closure head 20, the lock bracket assembly 24 and the sealing member 26 can be used.

Since such beverage bottles 10 are often used depending on the manufacturer and possibly also of the drink to be included therein with different shape, color and also differently shaped buckle closures 18, it becomes increasingly difficult when filling or refilling such swing closure bottles 10, those bottles for to select or select a specific filling process, to sort out of the large number of incoming empties bottles. Therefore, according to the invention, a transponder generally indicated at 32 is provided in the bottle closure, that is to say the clip closure 18. In the in the Fig. 1 to 3 illustrated embodiment, this transponder 32 is integrated into the closure head 20, for example, cast around by its structural material. It is also possible to provide an opening in the closure head 20 into which the transponder 32 is then inserted, whereupon this opening can then be closed in a fluid-tight manner. The transponder 32 is constructed in such a way that it initially extracts energy from the electromagnetic field of this interrogation signal A without its own internal power supply upon receipt of an interrogation signal A and then, with this electrical energy taken from the interrogation signal, an internal one Transmitter activated, which emits a response signal B. Since such transponders 32 thus do not require an internal power supply, they can be provided with one set of very small size and thus can also be easily integrated into a closure head 20. On the other hand, they can also be completely surrounded by the construction material of the closure head 20, as subsequently access to the transponder 32 is no longer required, for example for battery replacement or the like.

The transponder may be arranged to send, upon receipt of an interrogation signal A, only a "primitive" response signal B received in a receiver included in the interrogation system. The receipt of the response signal B, which need not contain any further bottle-specific information, then indicates that a beverage bottle designed with transponders has moved past or is contained in a specific carrier in a specific carrier. This bottle can then, because it is equipped, for example, as the only bottle with such a transponder, be sorted out and fed to the further processing process, while the other bottles are processed in other ways, for example, be handed over to other beverage manufacturers. Here, for example, it would also be possible to work in such a way that a highly frequency-specific transponder 32 is used which only responds if the interrogation signal lies in a defined frequency range, so that even if several different bottles with transponders move past the interrogation system, only those transponders responses that are searched for based on the assignment of the frequency range. It could therefore be provided here that different beverage manufacturers use transponders of different types, that is to say with different frequency sensitivity, in order to be able to sort out the bottles searched for in a processing process in this manner despite the use of bottle-specific response signals B which are not further.

Furthermore, it is of course possible to design the transponder 32 in such a way that it also contains bottle-specific information or sends it with its response signal B. This information can, for example, identify a specific brewery or also a specific type of beverage to be contained in such a beverage bottle 10. Furthermore, it is possible to make the transponder 32 writable or rewritable, so that possibly in addition to a bottle-specific information while passing through an interrogation system information can be recorded in the transponder 32 and then delivered as part of the response signal B in a subsequent query can. This information may, for example, include the last passage through such a polling system, allowing an indication of how often such a bottle has already been fed to the refill process or when the last refill has taken place. Other information, such as the location of the interrogation system, can be stored in the transponder 32 in this manner.

In Fig. 4 an embodiment of the invention is shown, which differs, especially in the embodiment of the sealing member 26 from the above-described embodiment. This in Fig. 4 recognizable sealing member 26 is not ring-like, but designed like a cap and has in its radially outer region a sealing edge portion 34, with which it is held in the closed state between the closure head 20 and the edge region 30 of the bottle neck 14. Radially on the inside, this sealing edge region 34 is adjoined by a fixation recess 36 pointing downwards in the illustration. In this Fixiereinsenkung 36 of the fixing projection 28 of the closure head 20 engages, so that in this way again a stable support of the sealing member 26 is achieved on the closure head 20. This sealing member 26 may comprise a cap body 38 constructed of hard material, such as polypropylene, which primarily provides the fixation recess 36 as well as the base for the sealing edge portion 34. To this cap body 38, the sealing edge area overlapping then, by a thicker edge line in 4 made clear; Seal material, such as TPE, molded, for example, be molded. With this sealing material 40 is then the sealing member 36 at the edge region 30 of the bottle neck 14 at. The advantage of in Fig. 4 illustrated embodiment of the sealing member 26 is that, also due to the material-locking connection of the cap body 38 and the sealing material 40, at the area lying towards the bottle interior no leaking transition between different components is present. This leads to an improved closing property of a bottle closure designed in this way.

One recognizes in Fig. 4 Furthermore, that the fixing projection 28 on the one hand and the Fixiereinsenkung 36 on the other hand are coordinated so that in the assembled state, a small gap exists, in which now the transponder 32 is arranged. Also in this way, the transponder 32 is very well protected against external influences, so that on the one hand there is no risk of mechanical damage of the same and on the other hand also protection against the above all when passing through cleaning stations for such a transponder 32 possibly harmful detergent.

Claims (5)

1. A bottle closure, in particular for a drinks bottle, comprising a closure head (20) and a sealing member (26) on the closure head (20), by way of which sealing member (26) the closure head (20) can be pressed against the rim region (30) of a bottle opening (16) so as to form a seal, wherein the sealing member (26) is dome-shaped with a dome body (38) consisting of hard material which radially inwardly has a central securing indentation (36), in which a securing projection (28) on the closure head (20) engages to retain the sealing member (26) on the closure head, and which provides radially outwardly, adjoining the securing indentation, a base for a sealing rim region (34), to which base sealing material is connected by adhesive force so as to create a fluidtight seal with respect to the rim region of the bottle opening (16), further comprising a closure clip assembly (24), by way of which the closure head (20) can be retained on a bottle body (14) and which in the closed position presses the closure head (20) via the sealing member (26) against the rim portion (30) of the bottle opening (16), wherein a transponder (32), which in response to excitation sends a response signal (B), is arranged in the securing indentation (36) in a space formed between the closure head (20) and sealing member (26).
2. A bottle closure according to Claim 1, characterised in that the transponder (32), in response to excitation, sends a non-bottle specific response signal (B).
3. A bottle closure according to Claim 1, characterised in that the transponder (32), in response to excitation, sends a bottle-specific response signal (B).
4. A bottle closure according to one of Claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the transponder (32) is writeable and, in response to excitation, sends a response signal (B) which contains information generated by the writing of the transponder (32).
5. A drinks bottle, in particular a beer bottle, comprising a bottle body (12) and a bottle closure (18) according to any one of the preceding Claims.

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