Mouth-forming portion, mold for manufacturing a mouth-forming portion, and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a finish (10; 10'; 10") for a bottle (60), a liquid container (50) or a preform (40) of a bottle or a container; an assembly comprising the finish and a bottle comprising the finish; a mold shaped to provide the finish; and a method of providing a finish by using the mold. The finish comprises an annular wall (12) extending from a throat section (TOF, 14) about a vertical axis. The annular wall comprises a horizontal parting line (22), a flashless annular sealing portion (24) between the throat section and the horizontal parting line, and an external thread portion (16) consisting of a number of threads (18) greater than or equal to one. Each thread starts at a thread start section (20) arranged below the horizontal parting line and spirally winds around the annular wall. The horizontal parting line is spaced apart from the throat section by more than 0.3 mm. The pitch of the external thread portion is less than 2.4 mm. The product of the helical extension of each thread and the number of threads of the external thread portion is strictly less than 600°.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a bottle neck forming part for bottles, liquid containers, bottle preforms, or container preforms, and a mold for manufacturing the bottle neck forming part. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method for manufacturing the bottle neck forming part by injection molding and using the mold.

[0002] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a component that, in addition to the bottle neck forming part, includes a cap or seal that can be connected to the bottle neck forming part.

[0003] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a bottle including the bottle neck forming portion. Background Technology

[0004] In the context of this invention, the term "bottleneck" refers to a component that forms (or is designed to form) a passageway to the interior of the bottle. Furthermore, the term "neck forming portion" refers to a component that forms (or is designed to form) the head of the bottle neck. For example, when a bottle is placed upright on a table with its bottom resting on the table, the bottle neck forms the upper portion of the bottle, and the neck forming portion corresponds to the part of the bottle neck suitable for engagement with a cap or closure.

[0005] According to the present invention, the term "preform" refers to a preform of a bottle or a preform of a container.

[0006] According to the present invention, the term "parting line" refers to a mark made of plastic in the form of a step (or line) that remains on the outer surface of a bottle neck forming portion through an interruption present in a mold shaped to manufacture the bottle neck forming portion. Typically, the so-called "parting line" has a radial thickness (i.e., the thickness measured laterally relative to the axial direction of the bottle neck forming portion) of a few hundredths of a millimeter (e.g., 0.02 mm or 0.03 mm or less). As will be explained in more detail below, the so-called "parting line" can be horizontal or vertical.

[0007] Furthermore, in accordance with the so-called "TFRSC nomenclature" used by the International Society of Beverage Technology Experts (ISBT) in its Threadspecs™ guide for bottle neck forming sections ranging from 13 to 33 mm, this manual will refer to the terminology summarized in Table 1 below (see the ISBT Threadspecs™ guide updated in September 2022). ® The "Naming Card" reference is found at https: / / www.isbt.com / threadspecs-downloads.asp under "[TFRSC Naming Convention]".

[0008]

[0009] Table 1

[0010] In fact, it is generally known that when describing the bottle neck forming part using the terminology in Table 1: - "TOF" refers to the inlet section of the bottle neck forming part, where the edge of the bottle neck forming part is located at the inlet section; - "C" refers to the inner diameter of the bottle neck forming part at TOF; - "S" refers to the distance of the thread start section relative to the TOF; - "T" refers to the diameter of the bottle neck forming part at the crest of the thread; - "E" refers to the diameter of the bottle neck forming section at the beginning of the thread; - "P" refers to the pitch (i.e., the distance between the crests of two consecutive threads set along the same vertical axis (that is, separated by the axial direction of the bottle neck forming part)); - "B" refers to the value of the outer diameter of the bottle neck forming part at the groove designed to accommodate the tamper ring (or ring) (typically, the tamper ring is connected to the cap by means of a bridging element designed to break during unscrewing of the cap); - "D" refers to the distance of the aforementioned groove relative to the TOF; - "X" refers to the distance of the bottom of the bottleneck ring relative to the TOF; and - "PL" refers to the position of the parting line relative to the TOF (more precisely, "PL" refers to both the distance of the horizontal parting line relative to the TOF and the starting height of the vertical parting line).

[0011] As is known, injection molding of a preform results in two or three parting lines on the neck portion of the preform: a horizontal parting line spaced apart from the TOF by a range "PL", and one or two vertical parting lines that originate from the horizontal parting line and move away from the TOF. Typically, the so-called "horizontal parting line" is formed by the interface between at least one concave mold member laterally forming the neck portion on one side and the base of the plug surrounding a convex mold member forming the edge and inner surface on the other side. Conversely, the presence of one or two so-called "vertical parting lines" is typically due to the interface between two neck rings, which are usually provided on at least one concave mold member. In practice, the horizontal parting line extends substantially parallel to the edge of the neck portion (and therefore relative to the TOF). Conversely, the vertical parting line extends substantially at a right angle to the edge of the neck portion (and therefore relative to the TOF) and moves away from the TOF from the horizontal parting line.

[0012] According to the present invention, the term "lead" refers to the axial advance of a point as the helix rotates 360°. Furthermore, "full thread per lead" is known to refer to the product of the helical extension (or angular extension) of each thread around the central axis of the bottle neck forming portion and the number of threads in the external thread portion constituting the bottle neck forming portion.

[0013] Furthermore, the term "29 / 25 bottle neck forming part" (i.e., the so-called "29 / 25 type" bottle neck forming part) is known to refer to a bottle neck forming part in which: - The value of diameter T (i.e., the value of the thread crest diameter) is approximately 29 mm, and - The value of diameter C (i.e., the value of the control diameter under TOF) is approximately 25 mm.

[0014] Similarly, the term "26 / 22 neck forming part" is known to refer to a neck forming part having a diameter T of about 26 mm and a diameter C of about 22 mm.

[0015] Furthermore, the expressions "preform 29 / 25" and "preform 26 / 22" refer to preforms having the 29 / 25 and 26 / 22 preforms as defined above, respectively. Similarly, "29 / 25 bottleneck" and "26 / 22 bottleneck" refer to bottlenecks having the 29 / 25 and 26 / 22 bottle neck forming portions as defined above, respectively.

[0016] As is known, bottle neck forming parts for bottles, containers and preforms are designed to achieve objectives such as: ensuring high airtight sealing performance; ensuring high tamper resistance; ensuring high mechanical properties, especially by resisting high axial loads without plastic deformation or breakage; optimizing the performance and / or size of the molds designed to manufacture the bottle neck forming parts; and optimizing the geometry of the bottle neck forming parts to reduce the materials, time and / or cost required to mold bottle neck preforms.

[0017] However, the goals discussed above often compete with each other and therefore must be conveniently balanced.

[0018] While useful and practical, known types of bottle neck forming parts are not without their drawbacks, including those described below.

[0019] The first drawback is that, in use, these known bottle neck forming sections are sealed by applying a cap equipped with a tamper-evident ring. The stress applied to the cap by the bottle neck forming section causes the cap to tend to tilt during the unscrewing operation. However, if the person performing the unscrewing operation does not properly counteract this tendency, the tilting of the cap may cause premature seal failure, i.e., leakage may occur before the bridging elements connecting the tamper-evident ring to the rest of the cap break. These bridging elements prevent the cap from being removed from the bottle neck forming section and provide an authentic indication.

[0020] A second drawback of known types of bottle neck forming parts is that they have unoptimized geometry.

[0021] In the context of this second drawback, some known types of bottle neck forming parts have a fairly high per-lead full thread.

[0022] For example, in a known type of bottle neck forming part having an external threaded portion consisting of three threads, each thread can have a considerable angular extension, typically 180°. As another example, in a known type of bottle neck forming part having an external threaded portion consisting of a single-start thread, the angular extension of the single-start thread exceeds 650°.

[0023] According to the second drawback mentioned above, there is a lot of potentially unnecessary space in the "groove" (i.e., the area where the thread root is located at its bottom) between two consecutive crests of the external thread portion of the known bottle neck forming part. Typically, in these known bottle neck forming parts, the width of the groove separating two consecutive crests of the thread is greater than 1 mm.

[0024] Also within the scope of the second disadvantage mentioned above, the outer diameter at the unthreaded portion of the annular wall may not be constant. Typically, in known types of bottle neck forming sections, the dimension of this particular outer diameter varies as it moves vertically along the annular wall. Specifically, in these known bottle neck forming sections, diameter E and diameter B have mutually different values.

[0025] Based on the second drawback mentioned above, these known bottle neck forming parts have considerable disadvantages. Typically, these specific bottle neck forming parts are actually made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by means of an injection molding process, resulting in a preform (or more precisely, a preformed bottle neck) with a total weight of not less than 2.4 g at the end of the injection molding process. Summary of the Invention

[0026] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by designing a bottle neck forming part that can more fully achieve and / or balance one or more of the aforementioned objectives and / or requirements.

[0027] Within the scope of this objective, the first objective of the present invention is to optimize the geometry of the bottle neck forming part to maximize the performance required by the bottle neck forming part.

[0028] In the context of this primary objective, the present invention aims to provide a bottle neck forming part that ensures high airtight sealing performance, particularly through cooperation with a corresponding cap. Therefore, the present invention aims to improve the tamper-proof properties of bottles.

[0029] A second objective of the present invention is to obtain a bottle neck forming part that provides superior mechanical properties compared to known types of bottle neck forming parts.

[0030] Within the scope of this second objective, the present invention aims to provide a bottle neck forming part that can provide a higher clamping force for a threaded cap, which is or may be applied to the bottle neck forming part.

[0031] Also within the scope of this second objective, the invention aims to reduce the risk that the cap may tilt during unscrewing of the bottle neck forming portion.

[0032] Within the scope of this second objective, the present invention also aims to reduce the risk of loss of parallelism between the cap and the bottle neck forming portion during the cap tightening operation, particularly during the first step of this operation.

[0033] Also within the scope of this second objective, the present invention aims to design a bottle neck forming part with high resistance to axial compression.

[0034] A third objective of the present invention is to optimize the geometry of the bottle neck forming part without affecting the possibility of producing a preform including the bottle neck forming part by injection molding.

[0035] Within the scope of this third objective, the purpose of this invention is to reduce the materials, time and / or cost required for preforms of molded bottles.

[0036] Another object of the present invention is to design a universal bottle neck forming part that is designed to effectively seal bottles containing still beverages (i.e., non-carbonated beverages), bottles pressurized with nitrogen or other gases, and unpressurized bottles.

[0037] The least important objective of this invention is to provide a bottle neck forming part, bottle, component, and mold that is highly reliable, relatively easy to manufacture, and economically competitive when compared with prior art.

[0038] The above-described objectives, and these and other objectives that will become more apparent below, are achieved by means of the bottle neck forming part described above. The above-described objectives and objectives are also achieved by means of the components described above, the bottle described above, the preform described above, the mold described above, and the method described above. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of some preferred but non-exclusive embodiments of the bottle neck forming portion according to the invention, shown by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A and Figure 1B These are two longitudinal sectional views of the mold for manufacturing a bottle neck forming part according to the present invention, namely an overall view and a detail view; Figure 2A and Figure 2B These are two top views of the bottle neck forming part according to the first type of the present invention; Figure 3A and Figure 3B By cutting along section III-III Figure 2B Two longitudinal sectional views obtained from the bottle neck forming part; Figure 3C yes Figure 3B Detailed view; Figure 4 It is a side view of a preformed part including the bottle neck forming part according to the first type of the present invention; Figure 5 By cutting along section VV Figure 4 The longitudinal sectional view obtained from the preform; Figure 6 This is a plan view of the external thread portion of the bottle neck forming part according to the first type of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the optimal size of the bottle neck forming portion according to the first type of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a top view of the bottle neck forming part according to the second type of the present invention; Figure 9 By cutting along section IX-IX Figure 8 A longitudinal sectional view obtained from the bottle neck forming part; Figure 10 This is a side view of a preform of a bottleneck, which includes a bottle neck forming part according to a second type of the present invention; Figure 11 It is done by cutting along section XI-XI Figure 10 The longitudinal sectional view obtained from the preform; Figure 12 A plan view of the external thread portion of the bottle neck forming part according to the second type of the present invention; Figure 13 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the optimal size of the bottle neck forming portion according to the second type of the present invention; Figure 14 A bottom view showing a cap that can be screwed onto any of the bottle neck forming parts according to the present invention; Figure 15 By cutting along section XV-XV Figure 14 A longitudinal sectional view obtained by sealing the cap; Figure 16 This is a longitudinal sectional view showing the bottle neck forming part according to the invention and Figures 14 to 15 The assembly process of the sealing components; and Figure 17 , Figure 17A and Figure 17B There are three longitudinal sectional views; the first is the overall view, and the other two are detail views. Figure 16 The components are in use at the bottle cap sealing part. Detailed Implementation

[0040] In the description of the preferred and illustrated embodiments, identical, similar, or equivalent elements are indicated by the same reference numerals. In the case of reference numerals consisting of both numerical and letter portions, elements belonging to the same structural or functional group are indicated by reference numerals having the same numerical portion.

[0041] Referring to the accompanying drawings, each bottle neck forming part according to the invention (generally indicated by reference numeral 10) includes an annular wall 12 extending about a vertical axis (or direction) Z.

[0042] Specifically, the vertical axis Z forms the central axis of the bottle neck forming part 10.

[0043] In each embodiment, the annular wall 13 extends from the inlet section 14 corresponding to the TOF described above. In other words, the edge of the bottle neck forming portion 10 is located at the inlet section 14.

[0044] Although the bottle neck forming part 10 according to the invention can be a separate entity, in the preferred and illustrated embodiments, the bottle neck forming part 10 is part of a preform 40 with a bottleneck or a container 50 or bottle 60 for liquids.

[0045] Advantageously, the container 50 and / or bottle 60 for liquids can be obtained from the preform 40 by means of known techniques such as blow molding.

[0046] The component 70 according to the invention is defined by the bottle neck forming part 10 (which may be integrated into the preform 40, bottle 60 or container 50 for liquids) and the corresponding cap or seal 30.

[0047] Advantageously, each bottle neck forming part 10 according to the invention can be formed by using a mold 100 (such as...) Figure 1A The mold shown is manufactured / produced by injection molding.

[0048] In fact, the method of manufacturing the bottle neck forming part 10 by injection molding includes the following steps.

[0049] In the first step, the convex mold component 104 and the concave mold component 106 are fitted together (or, in the case of a molding system formed by multiple molds, at least one convex mold and at least one concave mold are fitted together) to jointly form a molding gap designed to produce the bottle neck forming part 10.

[0050] In the second step, the mold 100 (or the molding system) is closed, and the molding voids are filled with a liquid polymer (typically PET) injected into the mold 100 under high pressure.

[0051] After the polymer solidifies, a bottle neck forming part with the desired shape can be obtained, so that the convex mold part 104 and the concave mold part 106 (or, in this molding system, multiple molds) can be separated from each other, and the preform 40 can be released from the mold.

[0052] In each embodiment, the annular wall 12 (and particularly the outer surface of the annular wall 12) includes: a horizontal parting line 22, an annular sealing portion 24, and an external thread portion 16.

[0053] Horizontal parting line 22 is the molding result of preform 40. See also Figures 1A to 1B When plastic penetrates into the discontinuity at the mating interface (or horizontal flash plane) 102 between two concave molds (or mold components) 106 and one convex mold (or mold component) 104, a horizontal parting line 22 is formed, and the two concave molds (or mold components) 106 and one convex mold (or mold component) 104 can move relative to each other substantially parallel to axis Z.

[0054] In the preferred and illustrated embodiments, the horizontal parting line 22 is a ring-shaped step.

[0055] exist Figure 3BIn this context, the letter "h" indicates the extent (measured in the radial direction) of the step 23 caused by the unavoidable geometric inconsistency between parts 106 and 104 of the mold 100, with the horizontal parting line 22 located at the outer edge of the step 23. Typically, the value of h is between 0.005 mm and 0.06 mm.

[0056] In the preferred and illustrated embodiments, the horizontal parting line 22 is located at a vertical distance PL from the entrance section 14 or TOF. Hereinafter, this vertical distance PL is also referred to as the "first vertical distance".

[0057] exist Figures 1A to 1B In the mold 100, the first vertical distance PL is determined by the depth of the annular groove 110.

[0058] Specifically, an annular groove 110 is provided in the convex mold (or mold component) 104 to form the edge of the bottle neck forming portion 10. In addition, the annular groove 110 is located around the mold core 112 designed to form the interior of the bottle neck forming portion 10 (i.e., at the base of the mold core).

[0059] The annular sealing part 24 has no flash.

[0060] In fact, the annular sealing portion 24 is a smooth surface without any surface discontinuities, which may prevent the bottle neck forming portion 10 from effectively cooperating with the cap 30 (or, more generally, with a suitable cap) in order to provide an airtight (i.e., sealed) lateral seal.

[0061] In addition, the annular sealing portion 24 is located between the inlet section 14 (i.e., TOF) and the horizontal parting line 22.

[0062] Specifically, the annular sealing portion 24 extends away from the inlet section 14 (i.e., in some embodiments, toward the bottom of the preform 40, the container 50 for liquid, or the bottle 60) to the horizontal parting line 22.

[0063] In fact, the first vertical distance PL relative to the inlet section 14 determines the maximum vertical distance at which the annular wall 12 can be used to perform an airtight lateral seal with the cover 30.

[0064] In the preferred and illustrated embodiments, the annular sealing portion 24 is coaxial with the axis Z.

[0065] The external thread portion 16 is composed of a plurality of threads 18, which are greater than or equal to one.

[0066] In some variations, the external thread portion 16 includes, for example... Figures 2A to 7The multiple threads 18 are shown. In an alternative variation, the external thread portion 16 is a single-start thread (i.e., consisting of only one single-start thread), as shown in, for example... Figures 8 to 13 As shown.

[0067] Regardless of the number of threads 18, each thread 18 is wound around the annular wall 12 starting from the thread initiation section 20 arranged below the horizontal parting line 22, according to the helical extension. In other words, the crest of the external thread portion 16 is arranged at a lower height relative to the horizontal parting line 22.

[0068] Specifically, each thread 18, for example Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 13 The manner shown extends from the thread start section 20 to the thread end section 23.

[0069] In fact, the thread initiation section 20 corresponds to a plane at a distance S from the plane TOF, where S is the so-called "height from TOF to the starting position of the full-depth thread" discussed above. In other words, the thread initiation section 20 is located at a vertical distance S from the entry section 14, and each thread 18 extends away from the entry section 14 from the same vertical distance. In the following text, the distance S is also referred to as the "second vertical distance".

[0070] In the preferred and illustrated embodiments, each thread 18 extends helically away from the inlet section 14, particularly toward the bottom of the preform 40, the container 50 for the liquid, or the bottle 60. In other words, the external thread portion 16 is designed such that as it moves along any thread 18 away from the thread initiation section 20, it moves further and further away from the inlet section 14.

[0071] Advantageously, the horizontal parting line 22 is more than 0.3 mm away from the entrance section 14.

[0072] More preferably, the first vertical distance PL is at least 0.4 mm. Even more preferably: - In some variations, the first vertical distance PL is 0.6 mm; - In the alternative variant, the first vertical distance PL is 0.8 mm.

[0073] In fact, the PL value according to the invention produces a very versatile bottle neck forming part 10, the annular sealing portion 24 of which can provide an effective lateral seal in both the case of bottles for non-pressurized still beverages and in the case of bottles for pressurized beverages.

[0074] Advantageously, the external thread portion 16 has a pitch P of less than 2.4 mm. In other words, the pitch is strictly less than 2.4 mm.

[0075] Preferably, the width U (in the axial direction) of each groove between the two consecutive thread crests of the external thread portion 16 is less than 0.95 mm.

[0076] Furthermore, the product between the helical extension of each thread 18 and the number of threads 18 in the external thread portion 16 is strictly less than 600°. In other words, the "full thread per lead" is less than 600°.

[0077] Therefore, by appropriately selecting the pitch, the "full thread per lead", and the arrangement of the horizontal parting line 22 (i.e., the first vertical distance PL), the particularly practical and versatile bottle neck forming part 10 can be balanced in a more appropriate manner for the aforementioned purposes and / or requirements.

[0078] In some preferred embodiments, the bottle neck forming portion 10 also includes a groove 26 designed to receive the tamper ring 32.

[0079] In a specially improved embodiment from the perspective of geometry and quality optimization, the outer diameter of the bottle neck forming portion 10 at the groove 26 is the same as the outer diameter of the bottle neck forming portion 10 at the thread start section 20.

[0080] Specifically, the size of diameter B (i.e., the so-called "diameter of the tamper ring recess") can correspond to the size of diameter E (i.e., the so-called "diameter of the thread root").

[0081] Further details regarding the beneficial effects obtainable from each of the bottle neck forming parts according to the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of the bottle neck forming parts of the first and second types according to the invention.

[0082] Bottle neck forming part according to the first type of the present invention

[0083] See Figures 1A to 7 The bottle neck forming part 10 of the first type according to the present invention is described (hereinafter referred to as "the first type").

[0084] The first type is particularly useful, but not exclusively, for the 29 / 25 preform as defined above (i.e., for the bottle neck forming part having a diameter T of about 29 mm and a diameter C of about 25 mm).

[0085] In some preferred embodiments of the first type, the diameter T (i.e., the “thread crest diameter” according to the TFRSC nomenclature) is between 27.25 mm and 29.60 mm.

[0086] More preferably, the diameter T is in the range of 29.41 ± 0.30 mm. Even more preferably, the diameter T is 29.40 mm (not considering any machining tolerance on the order of 0.1 mm).

[0087] In the first type, the external thread portion 16 consists of four threads 18A-18D.

[0088] Specifically, the external thread portion 16 is composed of a first thread 18A, a second thread 18B, a third thread 18C, and a fourth thread 18D.

[0089] exist Figures 2A to 7 In this configuration, the four threads 18A-18D are continuous and separated from each other. In configurations not shown, the threads may have slits adapted to reduce the weight of the bottle neck and effectively expel any gases formed by accidental microbial degradation of the beverage contained in the bottle / container.

[0090] Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings related to the first type, the four threads 18A-18D are offset from each other at an angle around axis Z.

[0091] In some embodiments of the first type, the pitch P is between 1.5 mm and 1.8 mm, or more preferably between 1.6 mm and 1.65 mm.

[0092] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the first type, the pitch P can be between 1.62 mm and 1.63 mm. In other words, the pitch can be about 1.62 mm, or even more preferably 1.624 mm.

[0093] For example, in Figures 3A to 6 In this configuration, the fourth thread 18D is partially adjacent to the first thread 18A, and the crest 18A2 of the first thread 18A may be spaced apart from the crest 18D2 of the fourth thread 18D by approximately 1.6 mm. Similarly, the third thread 18C is partially adjacent to the second thread 18B, and the crest 18C2 of the third thread 18C may be spaced apart from the crest 18B2 of the second thread 18B by approximately 1.6 mm.

[0094] In fact, in the first type, the pitch P can be significantly lower than the pitch P in the known triple-threaded bottle neck forming part, which typically has a pitch P value greater than 2 mm (e.g., 2.17 mm).

[0095] Specifically, a relatively low pitch P can be achieved by appropriately reducing the width of the tooth groove in the external thread portion 16. For example, in Figures 3A to 7 In this case, a pitch P of approximately 1.6 mm can be obtained by reducing the width U to a value of approximately 0.8 mm.

[0096] Therefore, compared to known three-thread bottle neck forming parts, the bottle neck forming part 10 according to the first type has a larger number of threads and a reduced pitch. In this way, during the operation of tightening or loosening the cap 30, the risk of losing the horizontal state between the cap 30 and the bottle neck forming part 10 can be significantly reduced, and excellent airtight sealing performance can be ensured.

[0097] The risk of losing the horizontal state between the cap 30 and the bottle neck forming part 10 can also be reduced by alternative types, such as a second type of bottle neck forming part 10 described below.

[0098] In the first type, the second vertical distance S is preferably at least 1.24 mm.

[0099] In some variations of the first type, the second vertical distance S is within the range of 1.34 ± 0.10 mm. In alternative variations, the second vertical distance S takes a larger value, for example, 1.65 ± 0.10 mm.

[0100] Specifically, in the first type, when the first vertical distance PL is (substantially) equal to 0.6 mm, the second vertical distance S is greater than or equal to 1.30 mm.

[0101] More preferably, the first vertical distance S is between 1.34 mm and 1.44 mm. Even more preferably, the first vertical distance S is equal to 1.34 mm.

[0102] In fact, in the preferred embodiment with the values ​​of the first vertical distance PL and the second vertical distance S described above, the horizontal parting line 22 and the thread initiation section 20 are located at a position farther from the inlet section 14 than they appear in the known triple-threaded bottle neck forming sections described above. Typically, in these known triple-threaded bottle neck forming sections, PL does not exceed 0.3 mm, while S is about 1 mm.

[0103] Furthermore, in the first type, the value of the second vertical distance S discussed above allows for the simple manufacture of the bottle neck forming portion 10 using the mold 100, wherein the protruding portion 108 (which is designed to form the annular wall 12 between the horizontal parting line 22 and the thread initiation section 20) itself possesses high strength. Specifically, the value of the second vertical distance S discussed above avoids the need to thicken the protruding portion 108 relative to existing solutions, for example, used for molding the known three-thread bottle neck forming portions discussed above.

[0104] In some particularly preferred embodiments, the threads 18 are spaced 90° apart along the circumferential direction.

[0105] For example, in the preferred and illustrated embodiment of the first type, four threads 18A-18D are arranged along the annular wall 12 such that the corresponding starting points 18A1, 18B1, 18C1, and 18D1 are offset by a central angle of 90° along the peripheral direction, as shown. Figure 2A As shown. In other words, in Figure 2A In this case, the starting points of the four threads 18A-18D are set to be 90° to each other (in terms of the center angle).

[0106] In contrast, in the known three-threaded bottle neck forming section discussed above, the thread starting points are spaced 120° apart along the circumferential direction.

[0107] Preferably, the four threads 18A-18D are substantially identical to each other.

[0108] exist Figures 2A to 7 In the middle, the four threads 18A-18D begin at the same height S along the axis Z and also end at the same height along the axis Z.

[0109] Advantageously, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the first type, each of the four threads 18A-18D is helically wound around the annular wall 12 by about 135°, in particular maintaining the same pitch as the known three-threaded bottle neck forming parts discussed above (specifically, maintaining a pitch of 6.49-6.50 mm). In contrast, in these known three-threaded bottle neck forming parts, the threads extend about 180° around the central axis of the bottle neck forming part.

[0110] In fact, compared to the background technology with only three threads (specifically, the known 29 / 25 bottle neck forming part), where the three threads begin at 120° relative to the axis Z and each thread extends about 180° around the axis, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the first type, one thread has been added and all threads have been shortened.

[0111] Specifically, in Figure 6 Based on the planar development diagram, the length Lf of each thread (i.e., "full thread per lead") extends 135° around the axis Z.

[0112] In fact, in these particularly preferred embodiments of the first type, the external thread portion 16 is designed such that the cap 30 can be fully tightened or unscrewed after a corresponding rotation (approximately) 135° around the axis Z. Therefore, the thread clamping angle, expressed as the product of the number of threads constituting the external thread portion 16 and its length Lf, is (approximately) 540°.

[0113] However, alternative embodiments of the first type are also conceivable, wherein the bottle neck forming portion 10 is designed to require the cap 30 to have more or fewer turns in order to fully open or close. For example, in these alternative embodiments, the bottle neck forming portion 10 may be designed such that a full turn (i.e., a 120° rotation about axis Z) is sufficient to fully unscrew / tighten the cap 30.

[0114] In some preferred embodiments of the first type, the diameter E of the bottle neck forming portion 10 (i.e., the “thread root diameter” according to the TFRSC nomenclature) has a value between 26.25 mm and 27.75 mm, more specifically between 26.90 mm and 27.60 mm.

[0115] More preferably, the diameter E is within the range of 27.40 ± 0.30 mm. In other words, after deducting the tolerance, the diameter E can be measured as 27.40 mm.

[0116] Alternatively, in some preferred embodiments of the first type, the B diameter (i.e., the "diameter of the tamper ring recess" according to the TFRSC nomenclature) has a value between 26.90 mm and 27.90 mm.

[0117] More preferably, the diameter B is within the range of 27.40 ± 0.30 mm. In other words, after deducting the tolerance, the diameter B can be measured as 27.40 mm.

[0118] In fact, in the first embodiment of the bottle neck forming part 10 according to the present invention, the geometry can be optimized by appropriately changing one, some, or all of the following parameters: the mutual arrangement of the threads, the length of the threads, the diameter E, and the diameter B. In this way, the weight of the bottle neck forming part 10 can be significantly reduced.

[0119] For example, in Figure 4 In this context, we assume: - Preform 40 is made of PET with a maximum intrinsic viscosity of 0.76-0.82, and - The same preform 40 differs from the known 29 / 25 preform, which has S=1.04 mm, P=2.17 mm, E=27.60 mm, B=27.70 mm (wherein these values ​​can be understood as precise sizes or alternatively as nominal dimensions subject to machining tolerances, as discussed above), because preform 40 has: Four threads, each 135° long and staggered by 90° (as described above). P=1.624 mm, PL=0.6 mm and S=1.34±0.10 mm, The same preform 40 can weigh 2.30 g. Furthermore, by appropriately reducing the values ​​of dimensions (or diameters) E and B, the weight of the preform 40 can approach 2.1 g.

[0120] Weight reduction can also be achieved, for example, by reducing the thickness of the annular wall 12 near the thread initiation section 20.

[0121] Specifically, the half difference between diameter E and diameter C (i.e., (EC) / 2) can be less than or equal to 1.15 mm.

[0122] For example, in Figure 7 In this case, the thickness of the annular wall 12 near the thread initiation section 20 (calculated as (EC) / 2) is 1.15 mm. In contrast, in the known 29 / 25 bottle neck forming section discussed above, the half difference between dimensions E and C is 1.25 mm.

[0123] In some preferred embodiments of the first type, the half difference between diameter T and diameter E is between 0.7 mm and 1.5 mm. In other words, the parameter representing the half difference between diameter T and diameter E (i.e., (TE) / 2) can be measured between 0.7 and 1.5 mm.

[0124] In practice, in some embodiments, the neck forming portion 10 may have different dimensions T and E relative to the known 29 / 25 neck forming portion described above. However, the four threads of the neck forming portion 10 according to the first type may still have the same or slightly larger (e.g., greater than about 0.1 mm) or smaller radial thickness than the three threads of the known neck forming portion. Alternatively, in these specific embodiments, dimensions C and D may have the same values ​​relative to the known neck forming portion described above (in particular: C = 25.10 ± 0.13 mm; D = 8.20 ± 0.1 mm).

[0125] In some preferred embodiments, the space 11 located between the threaded end section 23 and the so-called "tear-off ring" 21 can be minimized, for example, by reducing the vertical dimension of the space 11 to a value of about 1.0 mm. This reduction in space 11 can be achieved, for example, by reducing the distance D (i.e., the "tear-off ring height" according to TFRSC nomenclature) to a value between 6.0 mm and 7.5 mm. In this way, the weight of both the bottleneck preform 40 and the cap 30 can be further reduced. For example, the weight of the preform 40 can be between 1.5 g and 2.1 g, while the weight of the cap 30 (made of HDPE) can be between 0.75 g and 1.2 g.

[0126] In fact, based on the optimal but non-exclusive size of the bottle neck forming part 10 of the first type, it is possible to form a part with... Figure 7 The sample piece 10' of all sizes is clearly shown in the image.

[0127] Specifically, Figure 7 The exemplary part 10' has all of the following characteristics (expressed as the size of any tolerances, such as those discussed above): T=29.41 mm, E=27.40 mm, C=25.10 mm, B=27.40 mm, PL=0.6 mm; S=1.34 mm; P=1.62 mm; D=8.20 mm; X=12.60 mm.

[0128] The bottle neck forming part of the second type according to the present invention

[0129] In some preferred embodiments of the second type, the diameter T is between 25.10 mm and 26.60 mm.

[0130] More preferably, the diameter T is in the range of 26.40 ± 0.13 mm. Even more preferably, the diameter T is 26.44 mm (not taking into account any machining tolerances, such as those discussed above).

[0131] In the second type, the external thread portion 16 consists of only one single-start thread 18.

[0132] In the preferred and illustrated embodiment of the second type, the thread 18 has an interruption 19, similar to the interruption discussed above for the configuration of the first type (not shown). However, in the configuration (not shown), it is conceivable that the single-start thread 18 is continuous.

[0133] In some embodiments of the first type, the pitch P is between 1.5 mm and 1.8 mm, or more preferably between 1.6 mm and 1.65 mm.

[0134] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the second type, the pitch P can be greater than 2.2 mm. Even more preferably, the pitch P is 2.3 mm.

[0135] Even in the case of the second type, the values ​​of pitch P discussed above can be achieved by appropriately sizing the tooth grooves of the external thread portion 16, for example by reducing the width U to a value of approximately 0.8 mm.

[0136] In the second type, the second vertical distance S is preferably strictly greater than 1.5 mm.

[0137] More preferably, the first vertical distance S is between 1.55 and 1.75 mm. Even more preferably, the first vertical distance S of the second type is equal to 1.65 mm.

[0138] In this way, appropriately selecting the second vertical distance S allows for the simple manufacture of the second type, thereby avoiding unnecessary thickening of the protruding portion, which is similar to... Figure 1A The protruding part is indicated by reference numeral 108.

[0139] Advantageously, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the second type, the single-start thread 18 is spirally wound around the annular wall 12 for about 570°, for example 568°.

[0140] In fact, Figure 13 In the planar development diagram, the length Lf of the single-start thread 18 extends approximately 570°.

[0141] In this way, compared to some known bottle neck forming parts (specifically, type 26 / 22), the second type can have a considerably lower weight, wherein the external thread portion extends more than 600°.

[0142] In some preferred embodiments of the second type, the diameter E of the bottle neck forming portion 10 has a value between 23.00 mm and 23.80 mm, more specifically between 23.10 mm and 23.70 mm.

[0143] More preferably, the diameter E is within the range of 23.44 ± 0.15 mm. In other words, after deducting the tolerance, the diameter E can be measured as approximately 23.40 mm (e.g., 23.44 mm).

[0144] Alternatively, in some preferred embodiments of the second type, the diameter B has a value between 23.20 mm and 24 mm.

[0145] In a second embodiment that is specifically improved from the perspective of optimizing geometry and mass, the size of diameter B can correspond to the size of diameter E.

[0146] Similarly, in the second type, the weight of the bottle neck forming section 10 can be minimized by reducing the thickness of the annular wall 12, for example, near the thread start section 20.

[0147] Specifically, in the second type, the half difference between diameter E and diameter C (i.e., (EC) / 2) is preferably less than 1 mm.

[0148] For example, in Figure 13 In the middle, the thickness of the annular wall 12 near the thread start section 20 (calculated as (EC) / 2) is 0.85 mm.

[0149] In some preferred embodiments of the second type, the half difference between diameter T and diameter E is between 1.37 mm and 1.63 mm. For example, in Figure 13 In the figure, the half difference between diameter T and diameter E is 1.50 mm.

[0150] In fact, according to the optimal but non-exclusive size of the bottle neck forming part 10 of the second type, it is possible to form a part with Figure 13 The sample parts for all sizes are clearly given in the document (10).

[0151] Specifically, Figure 13 The sample part 10” has all of the following characteristics (expressed as the size of any tolerances, such as those discussed above): T=26.44 mm; E=23.44 mm; C=21.74 mm; B=23.44 mm; PL=0.8 mm; S=1.65 mm; P=2.3 mm; D=10.59 mm; X=15.06 mm.

[0152] Components including cap and bottle neck forming part

[0153] In some embodiments, the bottle neck forming portion 10 is part of a component 70, which, in addition to the bottle neck forming portion 10, also includes a cap 30.

[0154] In the preferred and illustrated embodiments, the cap 30 is a screw cap.

[0155] In each component 70, the cap 30 has an internally threaded portion 34.

[0156] Furthermore, the internal thread portion 34 can, for example, be... Figure 16 Tighten onto the external threaded portion 16 of the bottle neck forming part 10 as suggested by arrows F1 and F2.

[0157] In fact, the internal thread 34 allows the cap 30 to be tightened onto the bottle neck forming part 10.

[0158] For example, in Figure 17 In the middle, the external thread portion 16 is engaged by the internal thread portion 34.

[0159] Although not clearly visible from all the figures mentioned, the vertical direction Z represents not only the longitudinal axis of the bottle neck forming part 10, but also the axis of rotation of the cap 30 relative to the bottle neck forming part 10, such as... Figure 16 The visible curved arrow F2 is shown in the image.

[0160] exist Figures 15 to 17 In the middle, the tamper-evident ring 32 is integrally formed with the cover 30 by means of multiple breakable bridging components 38.

[0161] exist Figure 17In the middle, the anti-tamper ring 32 is accommodated in the groove 26.

[0162] In addition, the entrance section 14 is engaged by an inner ring (or plug) 36 disposed in the head portion 31 of the cover 30.

[0163] Therefore, in Figure 17 In the middle, the cap 30 is screwed onto the bottle neck forming part 10 in order to seal the bottle neck forming part 10.

[0164] Preferably, the internal thread 34 of the cover 30 includes a proximal portion 34A closer to the tamper ring 32 and a distal portion 34B further away from the tamper ring 32.

[0165] Advantageously, each thread 18 of the internal thread portion 34 of the cap 30 can have a larger angular extension than the corresponding thread of the external thread portion 16 of the bottle neck forming portion 10. In other words, each thread 18 of the external thread portion 16 of the bottle neck forming portion 10 can have a smaller angular extension relative to the angular extension of the corresponding thread of the internal thread portion 34 of the cap 30.

[0166] In fact, the threaded portion of the cap 30 (i.e., the internal threaded portion 34) can have more windings than the threaded portion of the bottle neck forming portion 10 (i.e., the external threaded portion 16).

[0167] Specifically, when each thread 18 of the external thread portion 16 has an angular extension of 135°, the angular extension of each thread of the internal thread portion 34 can be at least 150°.

[0168] For example, the angular extension of each thread in the internal thread portion 34 can be between 180° and 250°, preferably between 180° and 220°.

[0169] More preferably, the angular extension of each thread in the internal thread portion 34 is approximately 219°.

[0170] In fact, Figure 17 In the middle, the distal portion 34B engages with the external thread portion 16 (e.g. Figure 17B As shown), the proximal portion 34A constitutes a so-called "residual thread," that is, a portion of the thread that does not engage any complementary thread when the cap 30 is closed onto the bottle neck forming portion and the breakable bridge 38 remains intact.

[0171] exist Figure 17 and Figure 17A In the middle, the presence of the allowable thread makes the area of ​​the near end portion 34A facing the annular wall 12 without the external thread portion.

[0172] The allowable thread in the internal thread portion 34 is particularly useful and practical for keeping the cap 30 horizontal relative to the inlet section 14 in the first step of assembling the cap 30 into the bottle neck structure 10 and in the first step of unscrewing the cap 30 from this state of use.

[0173] In fact, the slack threads on the cap 30 during tightening or loosening make it possible to significantly reduce the risk of losing horizontal alignment between the cap 30 and the bottle neck forming portion 10. This aspect is particularly important if the cap 30 is loosened from this usage position, in which misalignment of the inner ring 36 relative to the inlet section 14 could lead to premature failure of the airtight seal.

[0174] For example, in Figure 17 The presence of the allowable thread significantly reduces the risk of hermetic seal failure that may occur before the bridging member 38 breaks during the unscrewing of the cap 30.

[0175] When the cap 30 is used in combination with the bottle neck forming part, the beneficial effect caused by the presence of the allowable thread in the internal thread portion 34 is particularly obvious. The bottle neck forming part has a smaller pitch than known bottle neck forming parts, while the other dimensions of the bottle neck forming part, especially the dimensions T, C and D, are equal.

[0176] For example, when component 70 includes a bottle neck forming part according to the first type of the invention, the pitch P can be 1.624 mm, and T, C and D can be 29.41±0.13 mm, 25.10±0.13 mm and 8.20±0.1 mm respectively (possibly, PL=0.6 mm and S=1.34±0.1 mm).

[0177] Specifically, the tighter engagement between the external thread portion 16 and the internal thread portion 34 allows for a more robust connection between the bottle neck forming portion 10 and the cap 30, which reduces the risk of the cap 30 tilting during tightening / unscrewing and also increases the airtightness of the assembly formed by the bottle neck forming portion 10 and the cap 30.

[0178] Furthermore, relative to known bottle neck forming portions (in particular, where the values ​​of T, C, and D are equal to those of known 29 / 25 bottle neck forming portions), the presence of a relatively small pitch P and an additional thread allows for the acquisition of an external thread portion 16 with a larger side surface, which not only provides an increase in clamping force but also provides greater resistance to axial loads.

[0179] The latter is particularly useful and practical when considering that bottles are usually stored as pallet groups stacked on top of each other; the bottle neck must be able to withstand axial compressive loads without plastic deformation or breakage.

[0180] Furthermore, in the case of pressurized bottles, a tighter engagement between the external thread portion 16 and the internal thread portion 34 is particularly advantageous. In this case, the increased clamping force effectively provides greater resistance to the pressure exerted by the gas contained within the bottle, and this greater resistance is achieved without increasing the weight of the bottle neck forming portion and / or the cap.

[0181] exist Figure 16 and Figure 17 In the middle, the bottle neck forming part 10 corresponds to Figure 1 to Figure 2. Figure 7 The bottle neck forming portion shown in any of the examples. However, it is also conceivable that the bottle neck forming portion 10 of component 70 corresponds to... Figures 8 to 13 Any of the embodiments shown (not shown).

[0182] In fact, it has been found that the present invention fully achieves the intended purpose and objectives, because the bottle neck forming part conceived in this way allows for exceeding the qualitative limitations of the prior art.

[0183] Therefore, it is conceivable that the invention can be modified and varied in many ways, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; and by way of non-limiting example, those skilled in the art will readily understand that alternative embodiments also shown may be provided.

[0184] Unless otherwise specified, the different implementations described herein may be combined to provide additional and / or alternative implementations.

[0185] Although the bottle neck forming portions of the first and second types according to the invention have been specifically conceived for 29 / 25 and 26 / 22 bottle necks, respectively, the beneficial effects of the invention can still be applied more generally to bottle necks of other sizes.

[0186] All details can be further replaced with other technically equivalent components.

[0187] In fact, the materials used (as long as they are compatible with the specific purpose) and, depending on the circumstances, the shape and size can be any material according to requirements and existing technology.

[0188] In summary, the scope of protection of the claims must not be limited to the illustrated or preferred embodiments shown in the specification by way of example, but the claims must include all features of novelty present in the invention that are patentable, including all features that would be regarded as equivalents by those skilled in the art.

[0189] This application claims priority to the disclosure of Italian Patent Application No. 102024000003934, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0190] Where a reference numeral follows a technical feature mentioned in any claim, such reference numeral is included only for the purpose of increasing the comprehensibility of the claim, and therefore, such reference numeral does not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by the sub-reference numeral by way of example.

Claims

1. A bottle neck forming part (10; 10'; 10”, for bottles (60), liquid containers (50) or bottle or container preforms (40), wherein the bottle neck forming part (10; 10'; 10” includes an annular wall (12) extending from the entrance section (TOF, 14) around a vertical axis (Z), the annular wall (12) comprising: Horizontal fractal line (22); A burr-free annular seal portion (24) is located between the inlet section (TOF, 14) and the horizontal parting line (22); and The external thread portion (16) is composed of a plurality of threads (18) greater than or equal to one, each of the threads (18) being wound around the annular wall (12) in a helical manner, each of the threads (18) starting from a thread start section (20) arranged below the horizontal parting line (22); Its features are: - The horizontal parting line (22) is spaced more than 0.3 mm from the entrance section (14); - The pitch (P) of the external thread portion (16) is less than 2.4 mm, and - The product of the helical extension of each of the threads (18) and the number of threads (18) of the external thread portion (16) is strictly less than 600°.

2. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10'; 10") according to claim 1, wherein, The width (U) of each groove between the two consecutive thread crests (18A-B, 18B-C, 18C-D, 18D-A; 18) of the external thread portion (16) is less than 0.95 mm.

3. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10'; 10") according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, Each of the threads (18; 18A-D) extends away from the entry section (14) from a vertical distance (S) of at least 1.24 mm from the entry section (14).

4. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10'; 10") according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The half difference between the first diameter (T) and the second diameter (E) is between 0.7 mm and 1.5 mm, where the first diameter (T) corresponds to the "thread crest diameter" according to the ISBTThreadspecs™ nomenclature, and the second diameter (E) corresponds to the "thread root diameter" according to the ISBTThreadspecs™ nomenclature.

5. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10') according to claim 4, wherein, The size of the second diameter (E) is in the range of 27.40 ± 0.30 mm.

6. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The external threaded portion (16) consists of four threads (18A-D).

7. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pitch (P) is between 1.5 mm and 1.8 mm, preferably between 1.60 mm and 1.65 mm.

8. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The distance (PL) between the horizontal parting line (22) and the entrance section (14) measured along the vertical direction (Z) is at least 0.4 mm, preferably 0.6 mm.

9. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, Each of the said threads (18A-D) is wound around the annular wall (12) at approximately 135°.

10. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The bottle neck forming part (40) is a so-called "29 / 25" type.

11. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The external thread portion (16) is a single-start thread.

12. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or 11, wherein, The bottle neck forming part (10) is a so-called "26 / 22" type.

13. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein, The pitch (P) is 2.3 mm, and the horizontal parting line (22) is located 0.8 mm from the entrance section (14).

14. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10) according to claim 3 and any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein, The vertical distance (S) is 1.65 mm.

15. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10) according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein, The external thread portion (16) is spirally wound around the annular wall (12) for approximately 570°.

16. The bottle neck forming part (10; 10) according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein, The thickness of the annular wall (12) at the thread start section (20) is 0.85 mm.

17. A component (70) comprising: Bottle neck forming part (10) according to any one of the preceding claims; as well as A cap (30) can be tightened onto the bottle neck forming part (10) by means of the internal thread portion (34) of the cap (30) or the cap (30) is already tightened onto the bottle neck forming part (10); The angular extension of each thread (18) of the external thread portion (16) of the bottle mouth forming part (10) is less than the angular extension of the corresponding thread of the internal thread portion (34).

18. A bottle (60) comprising a bottle neck forming portion (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

19. A preform (40) comprising a bottle neck forming part (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

20. A mold (100) for forming a preform (40) according to claim 19 or a bottle neck forming part (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

21. A method for manufacturing a preform (40) by injection molding using a mold (100) according to claim 20.

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