Sustainable device for keeping a crown cap on a bottle after opening

Abstract

Device for keeping a crown cap on a bottle after opening, characterized in that the crown cap is connected to the bottle neck by a tab or a connecting element.

Description

1. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a device for securing a crown cap after opening a beverage bottle, in particular glass or reusable bottles.

[0002] It serves to prevent waste and environmental pollution caused by loose bottle caps and to promote sustainable packaging solutions through the use of environmentally friendly materials. 2. State of the art

[0003] Crown caps on standard beverage bottles are completely removed from the bottle after opening.

[0004] This leads to a significant amount of waste, especially at large events, in public spaces, or when returning reusable bottles.

[0005] Existing systems where closures remain on the bottle (e.g., plastic screw caps) are not transferable to classic metal crown caps.

[0006] Approaches that connect the crown cap to the bottle using additional plastic rings or wires are known, but have disadvantages: • They are made of non-biodegradable materials. • They require changes to the filling technology. • They make the recycling process more difficult because the metal and plastic are firmly bonded.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a simple, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution that can also be used with existing bottles and crown caps. 3. Object of the invention

[0008] The object of the invention is to provide a device, • which allows a crown cap to remain on the bottle after opening, • which can be used without any changes to the bottle or bottling plant, • and which is made from sustainable, recyclable or biodegradable materials.

[0009] Furthermore, the solution should be cost-effective and easy to implement so that it can be used economically by beverage manufacturers, breweries and bottling plants. 4. Solution to the task

[0010] This task is solved by a device consisting of a tab or connecting element that connects the crown cap to the bottle neck after the bottle has been opened. Key features of the solution are:

[0011] The tab or connecting element is attached to the top or edge of the crown cap and connected to a lower part of the bottle neck.

[0012] The connection is preferably made by means of an adhesive, a fold or a wrap.

[0013] The flap is made of biodegradable plastic, paper, cardboard or fiber-reinforced natural material, preferably with environmental or organic certification.

[0014] The tab can be attached with water-soluble or separable adhesive, so that the components can be easily separated during recycling.

[0015] Once opened, the bottle cap stays attached to the tab and cannot be lost.

[0016] The device can be retrofitted, but can also be integrated into the production chain (e.g. as a pre-cut or pre-printed connection). 5. Advantages of the invention • No additional plastic ring or wire is required. • Use of sustainable, biodegradable materials. • Unchanged pumpability in existing filling plants. • Easily separable in the recycling process (paper, metal, glass). • Significant reduction in bottle cap waste. • Positive image effect for beverage manufacturers through environmentally friendly solution. • Option for advertising imprints or recycling instructions on the flap. 6. Examples of Implementation Example 1: Paper Tab

[0017] A paper tab approximately 25-50 mm long and 5 mm wide is attached to the top of the crown cap using a water-soluble adhesive.

[0018] The other end of the tab is glued to the bottle neck approximately 15-40 mm below the edge of the crown cap.

[0019] When the bottle is opened, the crown cap is detached from the rim of the bottle, but remains attached to the bottle by the tab.

[0020] After return, the tab can be dissolved or removed during the cleaning process. Example 2: Bioplastic tab

[0021] A thin tab of polylactic acid (PLA) is welded onto the crown cap during the filling process.

[0022] The lower end is fixed to the bottle neck using a clip or adhesive dot.

[0023] After opening, the crown cap hangs on the tab, preventing any metal parts from entering the environment.

[0024] The entire device is compostable or recyclable. Example 3: Retrofittable variant

[0025] For bottles that have already been filled, a pre-cut paper or bio-lamella flap with adhesive surfaces at both ends can be applied afterwards.

[0026] The application can be manual or machine-based (similar to labeling systems).

Claims

[1] Device for keeping a crown cap on a bottle after opening, characterized by that the crown cap is connected to the bottle neck by a tab or a connecting element. [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized by that the flap is made of biodegradable plastic, paper, cardboard or a natural fiber composite. [3] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the tab is attached to the edge or top of the crown cap and is glued, welded or mechanically connected to the neck of the bottle. [4] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the adhesive used is water-soluble or recyclable. [5] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the tab has a length of 10-50 mm and allows the crown cap to hang freely after opening. [6] Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the device is retrofittable or an integral part of the filling process. [7] Use of the device according to claims 1-6 to prevent environmental pollution caused by discarded crown caps and to promote sustainable packaging systems.

Images