Capsule for bottles

Abstract

Capsule (10) for bottles, comprising a tubular body closed at one end (12), wherein the tubular body is made of a layered foil material comprising at least one outer layer (14) and at least one interconnected inner layer (16), wherein the at least one outer layer (14) is a layer of aluminium and the at least one inner layer (16) is a layer of paper, wherein the at least one aluminium outer layer (14) has a thickness between 20 µm and 30 µm and the at least one paper inner layer (16) has a thickness between 80 µm and 100 µm, wherein the at least one paper inner layer (16) is made of a stretchable paper material with a percentage elongation greater than or equal to 8%, and wherein the at least one outer layer (14) and the at least one inner layer (16) are connected by at least one intermediate layer (18),which comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive and have a thickness between 1 µm and 5 µm, are bonded together.

Description

SUMMARY

[0001] A cap (10) for bottles is described, consisting of a tubular body closed at one end (12). The tubular body is made of a layered film material comprising at least one outer layer (14) and at least one bonded inner layer (16). The outer layer (14) is made of aluminum, and the inner layer (16) is made of paper. The aluminum outer layer (14) has a thickness between 20 µm and 30 µm, and the paper inner layer (16) has a thickness between 80 µm and 100 µm. Furthermore, the paper inner layer (16) is made of a stretchable paper material with a percentage elongation greater than or equal to 8%. The outer layer (14) and the inner layer (16) are coupled together by means of at least one intermediate layer (18) comprising a water-based acrylic adhesive and having a thickness between 1 µm and 5 µm.

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a capping capsule for bottles and in particular to a capsule for covering the closure of bottles containing sparkling or semi-sparkling wines.

[0003] The use of so-called "mushroom-shaped" closures for sealing bottles of sparkling or semi-sparkling wines is well known. When applied to the bottle, each of these closures, which are usually made of cork or various polymer materials, is typically covered with a wire cap. The wire cap is used to prevent the closure from popping out due to the pressure inside the bottle. The wire cap consists of a shaped metal disc, called the "cap," which fits over the closure to secure it to the bottle, and a woven metal wire attached beneath the closure to keep the closure and cap assembly firmly connected to the bottle.

[0004] The closure and its corresponding wire cap are usually covered with a capping capsule that also encloses part of the bottle neck. The main function of this capping capsule is to protect the closure from dust, dirt, and bacteria, and to prevent the closure itself from deteriorating or becoming damaged. Another function of the capping capsule is essentially aesthetic: these capsules typically display the brand of the wine-producing company and generally make the bottle appear more elegant.

[0005] Some bottle caps currently on the market are made from a metal foil. This foil can be made entirely of aluminum. However, aluminum bottle caps are not very common because their production requires large quantities of aluminum, making them expensive.

[0006] Conversely, caps made with three layers of different materials are more common and represent the current market standard. Specifically, these caps comprise a wall made of an Al-PE-Al composite, meaning an outer layer of aluminum (Al), an intermediate layer of polyethylene (PE), and an inner layer also of aluminum (Al). These caps also include a top plate made entirely of aluminum. The typical percentages of the materials used to manufacture these caps are approximately 60% aluminum and approximately 40% polyethylene.

[0007] Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2023 / 1606 contains several recommendations to restrict the use of capsule caps for bottles of sparkling or semi-sparkling wines. The aim of the regulation is to reduce the overall costs of bottle production and subsequent bottling, but above all to avoid the generation of plastic (polyethylene) waste.

[0008] In recent years, efforts have been made to provide bottle caps made of a paper-aluminum composite to avoid plastic components within the cap. The aluminum layer is located on the outside and acts as a barrier against liquids and moisture, thus extending the lifespan of the cap compared to a similar product made entirely of untreated paper to resist water.

[0009] These paper-aluminum caps, however, are not fully functional, mainly due to a poor choice of paper type and layer thicknesses. Specifically, the paper chosen is a porous, long-fiber type with a stretchability of up to 9%, while the aluminum thickness is between approximately 20 and 25 µm. This thickness is insufficient to allow the cap to be applied to the bottle and retain its final shape by utilizing the aluminum's yield strength to counteract paper springback.

[0010] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a capping capsule for bottles which can overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art in an extremely simple, economical and particularly functional manner.

[0011] In detail, one object of the present invention is to provide a capping capsule for bottles that is free from environmentally harmful plastic components, in accordance with Delegated Regulation No 2023 / 1606 of the European Union.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle cap that is more functional and reliable than similar known caps.

[0013] These and other problems according to the present invention are solved by providing a capping capsule for bottles according to claim 1.

[0014] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, which form part of the present description.

[0015] The features and advantages of a capping capsule for bottles according to the present invention will become clearer from the following exemplary and therefore non-limiting description with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a side view of a preferred embodiment of the capping capsule for bottles according to the present invention, in particular highlighting one of its upper components; Fig. 2 a perspective partial view of the lower section of the capping capsule for bottles made of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 A view of the main components of the capping capsule for bottles made of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 A perspective view showing a role of film materials used to manufacture the capping capsule for bottles of the Fig. 1 can be used.

[0016] In particular with reference to the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the bottle cap according to the invention. The bottle cap is generally characterized by reference numeral 10. The cap 10 is designed to cover the closure (not shown), which is usually mushroom-shaped, of bottles containing sparkling or semi-sparkling wines.

[0017] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the cover capsule 10 consists of a tubular body that is closed at its head end 12. The tubular body is made of a layered film material comprising at least one outer layer 14 and at least one inner layer 16, which are bonded together (see Figure 1). Fig.2) The outer layer 14 of the cover capsule 10 is a layer of aluminum. The inner layer 16 of the cover capsule 10, on the other hand, is a layer of paper. At least one paper disc 20 may also be applied to the head end 12 of the tubular body.

[0018] According to the invention, the outer layer 14 made of aluminum has a thickness between 20 µm and 30 µm. Preferably, this outer layer 14 made of aluminum has a thickness of 25 µm. More preferably, this outer layer 14 made of aluminum can be produced from a material selected from the group consisting of: - 1200 aluminum alloy; - 8021 aluminum alloy; - 8079 Aluminum alloy;

[0019] The outer layer 14 made of aluminium can in any case be produced with other alloys which are similar in composition and behavior to those listed above, without leaving the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] The inner paper layer 16 has a thickness between 80 µm and 100 µm. Preferably, this inner paper layer 16 has a thickness of 90 µm. Furthermore, the inner paper layer 16 is made of a stretchable paper material with a percentage elongation greater than or equal to 8%.

[0021] The outer layer 14 and the inner layer 16 of the cover capsule 10 are joined together by means of at least one intermediate layer 18 comprising a water-based acrylic adhesive (see Fig. 3) The intermediate layer 18, made of a water-based acrylic adhesive, has a thickness between 1 µm and 5 µm. Preferably, this intermediate layer 18, made of a water-based acrylic adhesive, has a thickness of 3 µm.

[0022] The outer layer 14 made of aluminum, the inner layer 16 made of paper, and the intermediate layer 18 made of adhesive of the cover capsule 10 can, for example, be produced from a roll of foil materials, such as those found in Fig. Figure 4 discloses the following. In this figure, reference numeral 140 denotes the aluminum layer of the roll that will form the outer layer 14 of the cover capsule 10, while reference numeral 160 denotes the paper layer of the roll that will form the inner layer 16 of the cover capsule 10. Preferably, the inner layer 16 of the cover capsule 10 can be made of paper with a weight between 60 g / m². 2 and 75 g / m² 2 This inner layer 16, preferably made of paper, can have a weight of 70 g / m². 2 exhibit.

[0023] For example, the roll of foil materials used to manufacture the outer layer 14 of aluminium, the inner layer 16 of paper and the intermediate layer 18 of adhesive of the cover capsule 10 can have the following composition: MATERIALS WEIGHT (g / m²) 2 ) THICKNESS (µm) aluminum 68 ± 8 % 25 adhesive 1,5 ± 25 % Paper 70 ± 8 %

[0024] The outer layer 14 made of aluminum can be either glossy or matte.

[0025] This specific layout for the cover capsule 10 is chosen so that it can be decorated by rotogravure printing, which can be carried out with the common forming machines that are normally designed for forming conventional polylaminate or pure aluminium.

[0026] This special capping capsule 10 can also be applied to the respective bottle using commercially available filling lines that are also designed for use with conventional polylaminate. Therefore, it is not necessary to design specific machines or customer-specific solutions in order to use the capping capsule 10 according to the present invention.

[0027] The capping capsule 10 according to the present invention therefore makes it possible to "cover" the bottle while avoiding breakage of the wire cap (a fairly common problem, even with conventional polylaminates) and maintaining its shape, thus preventing damage from the elastic rebound of the paper, for example, by reopening the folds. All processing lines (printing, forming, filling) must not reduce their operating speed, although a minimum of adjustments must be made to manufacture and subsequently apply the capping capsule 10 according to the invention.

[0028] Another feature of the capping capsule 10 according to the present invention is the easy separation of the outer layer 14 made of aluminum and the inner layer 16 made of paper. Compared to similar known capping capsules, this allows for a less complicated process during the waste disposal phase. The aesthetics of the capping capsule 10 remain unchanged for the consumer, thus preserving the brand recognition and prestige of the winemaker.

[0029] Preferably, the percentage amounts of material used to produce the outer layer 14, the inner layer 16 and the intermediate layer 18 are as follows: - 48% paper; - 44% aluminum; - 8% adhesive.

[0030] Due to this special composition, the Italian recycling code for the cap capsule 10 changes from the original C / Alu 90 to the new C / PAP 82, so that the consumer can throw the waste into the paper recycling bin.

[0031] Preferably, the 8% quantity of adhesive also includes a specified quantity of ink, which is typically used to print lettering and / or logos on the outer layer 14 of the cover capsule 10, or optionally on the paper disc 20.

[0032] It has thus been shown that the cover capsule according to the invention solves the problems previously identified, achieving in particular the following advantages: - it can be applied to the bottle using standard bottling lines, even at high speed; - it contains no plastic; - based on a certified analysis, it reduces the CO2 footprint by approximately 30%; - it is designed for further processing.

[0033] The bottle cap designed in this way according to the present invention is subject to numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of the appended claims; moreover, all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, can be arbitrary depending on the technical requirements.

[0034] The scope of protection of the invention is therefore defined by the attached claims.

Claims

[1] Bottle cap (10) comprising a tubular body closed at one end (12), the tubular body being made of a layered foil material comprising at least one outer layer (14) and at least one interconnected inner layer (16), wherein the at least one outer layer (14) is a layer of aluminium and the at least one inner layer (16) is a layer of paper, wherein the at least one aluminium outer layer (14) has a thickness between 20 µm and 30 µm and the at least one paper inner layer (16) has a thickness between 80 µm and 100 µm, wherein the at least one paper inner layer (16) is made of a stretchable paper material with a percentage elongation greater than or equal to 8%, and wherein the at least one outer layer (14) and the at least one inner layer (16) are connected by at least one intermediate layer (18),which comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive and have a thickness between 1 µm and 5 µm, are bonded together. [2] Cover capsule (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one outer layer (14) made of aluminium has a thickness of 25 µm. [3] Cover capsule (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one outer layer (14) is made of aluminium from a material selected from the group consisting of: - 1200 aluminum alloy; - 8021 aluminum alloy; - 8079 Aluminum alloy. [4] Cover capsule (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one inner layer (16) made of paper has a thickness of 90 µm. [5] Cover capsule (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one inner layer (16) made of paper has a weight between 60 g / m² 2 and 75 g / m² 2 exhibits. [6] Cover capsule (10) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one inner layer (16) made of paper has a weight of 70 g / m² 2 exhibits. [7] Cover capsule (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one intermediate layer (18) of water-based acrylic adhesive has a thickness of 3 µm. [8] Cover capsule (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one disc (20) made of paper is applied to the head end (12). [9] Cover capsule (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the percentage amounts of material used to produce the at least one outer layer (14), the at least one inner layer (16) and the at least one intermediate layer (18) are as follows: - 48% paper; - 44% aluminum; - 8% adhesive. [10] Cover capsule (10) according to claim 9, wherein the 8% amount of adhesive also comprises a predefined amount of ink used for printing text and / or logos on the at least one outer layer (14).

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