Closure device for styling the neck of a container or a container

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing device (1) comprising a base (3) in the form of at least one tubular sleeve (4) having a peripheral wall (40), surmounted by an upper wall (6). A portion of the surface of the upper wall of the sleeve is formed by a sealing cloth (9), surmounted by a pusher (10), and part of the perimeter lines (91) of which are breakable. A hinge line (92) connects said cloth to said upper wall and around which rotation of said sealing cloth is permitted, from a closed position (93), said cloth coplanar with said upper wall, to an open position (94), the cloth facing the interior of the container. The device includes, beneath said upper wall, means for retaining and locking said sealing cloth in its open position.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of packaging and, more particularly, the invention relates to a sealing device, commonly called a stopper, in particular made of a plastic polymer, intended to equip the upper part of a container or receptacle, in particular the neck of a bottle, to close the opening, said container being able to be made of glass or of a plastic material, or even of metal.

[0002] The present invention may find applications in very diverse fields, particularly in the food field, the container being able to contain a food product, in particular a liquid or more or less viscous product, in particular a syrup, an oil or a sauce, or even a solid food product, such as seeds, or a powdery product.

[0003] That being said, such an application to the food field of the present invention should not be considered as limiting, and the closing device which is the subject of the invention may also prove particularly useful in the cosmetic field, in particular to allow the closing of a container intended to contain a cosmetic product in the form of a cream, an oil, a milk, a liquid, or other.

[0004] Preferably, the present invention relates to a closing device intended to close the opening at the neck of a glass bottle, said closing device being made up of a base in the form of a skirt intended to be attached to said neck and secured thereto, preferably reversibly, in particular by screwing, by means of threads and counter-threads with which are provided, respectively, the skirt of the closing device and the neck of the container, or even by snapping or clipping the closing device to said neck.

[0005] Many sealing devices for capping or closing containers are known in the prior art, appearing in extremely diverse forms and adapted to the fields of application which are targeted and the functions and advantages which are sought.

[0006] Thus, it is known, in the state of the art, to close in particular bottles containing food oil, syrup, sauce, or other, by means of a closing device in the form of a skirt intended to cover an opening of a container, in particular a bottle, at the level of a neck, and to be fixed there in a reversible or irreversible manner.

[0007] Such a shutter device, known from the prior art, is shown on the figures 1A, 1B et 1C attached drawings, illustrating different views of said device.

[0008] It is visible in these figures that the skirt of the shutter device may include a peripheral wall, in the form of a tubular sleeve, surmounted, at its upper part, by an upper wall.

[0009] The skirt covers the outside of the neck of the bottle to be resealed, while a second tubular sleeve coaxial with said skirt fits inside the neck.

[0010] The upper wall is fitted with a detachable disc-shaped sealing veil, the veil covering a portion of the upper wall, in order to hermetically seal the closure device and protect the product contained in the container, before the first opening of the container.

[0011] The sealing veil is attached to a gripping means which can be manually pulled by a user when they wish to open the sealing device for the first time, in order to pour the product from the container.

[0012] The removal of the sealing veil is irreversible, and, once it is torn from the upper wall of the skirt, it leaves a dispensing opening allowing the product to pass out of the container by pouring.

[0013] The said sealing veil, or the distribution opening after removal of said veil, may be surmounted by an annular band curved over at least part of its upper perimeter, so as to form a spout to facilitate the pouring of the product.

[0014] It should also be noted that the upper wall of the shutter device's skirt is preferably, as illustrated in the figures, covered by a removable cap connected to the skirt's peripheral wall by a hinge, allowing the cap to move from a closed to an open position and vice versa. Such a cap protects the dispensing opening once the sealing film has been removed, preventing external contaminants that could degrade product quality from entering the container through the dispensing opening.

[0015] To this end, in order to improve the sealing of the shutter device, the cap may be provided, at the level of its lower surface, considering its closed position, with a ring capable of engaging in contact with the inner wall of the annular belt, when said cap is in its closed position.

[0016] The entire shutter assembly can be made of a plastic material, for example polyethylene.

[0017] However, such a shutter device has a number of disadvantages.

[0018] In particular, the sealing veil and the gripping means to which it is attached constitute disposable waste which, once separated from the rest of the sealing device, is difficult to recycle.

[0019] Furthermore, the connection between said capping veil and the gripping means may be of insufficient strength, in comparison with the tensile force which must be exerted on the gripping means to tear off said veil.

[0020] Consequently, the gripping device can be separated from the sealing cloth while the latter remains in position, still blocking the dispensing opening. The user must then perform tedious maneuvers to open the sealing device.

[0021] Furthermore, the pulling force to be exerted on the gripping means of the sealing veil may be such that, at the moment when the user finally manages to tear the gripping means / sealing veil assembly from the shutter device, the sudden recoil movement is likely to generate injury and damage.

[0022] Also, the production of such a sealing device, comprising a means of gripping, generally in the form of a ring, associated with the sealing veil, is complex, and, consequently, the injection mold required for this manufacture is also of complicated design.

[0023] In the field of closure devices, we also know of the US patent document US5894950 which describes an end closure for a shake and pour container and, more particularly, a plastic end closure which has, on part of its surface, a breakable lid.

[0024] This lid, in its initially closed position, seals the container, and, in its open position, allows the contents to be poured. Furthermore, once in its open position, achieved by applying pressure to the breakable lid, the lid can be closed again.

[0025] Indeed, when the lid is opened, one part of it is turned downwards, in other words inside the container, while another part of the lid, called the closing tab, is turned upwards, so that manual pressure against it allows the closing tab and the entire lid to be rotated back to its initial closed position.

[0026] This locking mechanism is complemented by a second tab, known as the "locking tab," which is a single piece with the underside of the lid and extends downwards, towards the inside of the container, perpendicular to said underside, when the lid is in its initially closed position. When the lid is opened and moved downwards, the locking tab engages with a locking edge.

[0027] Such a mechanism is intended to equip containers that can be opened and closed multiple times; however, it has disadvantages.

[0028] In particular, the repeated forces applied to the closing tab to close the lid, and to disengage the locking tab from its locking rim, are likely to damage the elements of the device, or even lead to the breaking of the locking tab located under the movable lid, which is then likely to fall inside the container and be mixed with the food contents, and ultimately be accidentally ingested by a consumer.

[0029] Furthermore, the production of this locking tab by molding is complex.

[0030] We also know, in the state of the art, of the American patent US 3 952 914 which discloses a sealing device, called a sealing assembly, in particular for aluminum cans intended to contain a carbonated beverage.

[0031] This sealing assembly consists of a base pad, generally rectangular in shape, supporting on part of its surface a sealing pad, equipped with a raised part so that a user's thumb can apply pressure to it.

[0032] The sealing assembly is connected by the base pad to the lower surface of the container lid, and a notch allows the pad to bend downwards when the user applies pressure to the raised part of the sealing pad.

[0033] On the surface of the sealing pad is positioned a pull tab on which the user, after pushing on the raised part of the pad, must apply a pull in order to complete the pivoting of the sealing assembly for a release of the pouring opening.

[0034] The pull tab is also equipped with an extension allowing the tab to be grasped and pulled upwards to allow for a more or less airtight closure of the assembly.

[0035] The manufacture of such an assembly, consisting of a plurality of elements assembled together, is particularly complex, and, here again, there are risks of separation between the different elements, in particular the pull tab can become detached from the rest of the assembly due to the numerous manipulations applied to it.

[0036] It is also known from prior art, from carton milk carton closure systems as in US patent 5101999.

[0037] This document describes a closure system for opening and resealing packaging.

[0038] Before the first opening, an uninterrupted barrier layer covers the upper part of the packaging, which is designed to be opened by pressure on a push tab located inside the inner side wall of a spout, above the opening area. The push tab is hinged at one end, and pushing on the tab breaks frangible connections, allowing the tab to rotate downwards.

[0039] However, once the tab is pushed down inside the container, it may have a natural tendency to rise, at least part of its initial stroke, upwards and towards its base position, so that the distribution of the product contained in the container may be hindered.

[0040] We also know, from the international patent application published under number WO2023 / 180215, of a shutter device configured to be fixed on a storage container for a fluid product, and comprising a base and a lid, these two elements being connected by a hinge, so that the lid can be moved between an open position and a closed position relative to the base.

[0041] The base comprises a distribution channel, adapted to allow the passage of the fluid product, a cylindrical wall, and an upper annular platform, in the center of which is a spout. Before opening, the base of the closure device also includes a sealing gasket, in the form of a membrane, located inside the distribution channel so that the liquid cannot pass through said channel.

[0042] The said sealing joint or membrane is coupled in a hermetic manner with an inner part of the distribution channel of the base of the device, by welding or mechanical fixing of a circular inner wall to an inner part of the distribution channel.

[0043] This therefore requires a special process of assembling the seal to the distribution channel, or inserting the seal inside the mold.

[0044] In one embodiment, the sealing device includes a pressure element which the user presses to break a plurality of frangible bridges, and to allow the pressure element to pivot and come into contact with the sealing membrane and break said membrane, the latter being further welded or fixed to the distribution passage through a circular inner wall acting as a male coupling element with a female coupling element consisting of a recess between two flanges of the base.

[0045] The closure is therefore made up of a plurality of parts, base, cover, seal or membrane, complicating its manufacture by requiring time-consuming welding / assembly operations and risks of failure and elements of perforation of the sealing joint.

[0046] The present invention aims to remedy, at least in part, the drawbacks of prior art container closure devices.

[0047] To this end, the invention relates to a sealing device intended to fit over the neck of a container or receptacle, said device being composed of a base in the form of at least one tubular sleeve intended to be attached to said neck and fixed thereto, reversibly or irreversibly, to close the opening of said container, said tubular sleeve having a peripheral wall, surmounted, at its upper part, by an upper wall, in the form of a disc, and connected to a removable cap by a hinged joint for passing said cap from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, a part of the surface of the upper wall of the tubular sleeve is made up of a sealing film, surmounted by a pusher,and of which part of the perimeter lines is breakable, while a hinge line connects said sealing cloth to said upper wall and around which rotation of said sealing cloth is permitted following the application of a force on the plunger until breakage, from an initial closed position in which said cloth is in a coplanar or substantially coplanar position with said upper wall, to a final open position in which the entire sealing cloth is turned towards the interior of the container.

[0048] The shutter device of the invention is particular in that it includes means for irreversibly retaining and locking the sealing cloth in its open position, said retention and locking means being located under the upper wall. Furthermore, the shutter device of the invention is molded entirely in one piece.

[0049] It emerges in particular that the pusher and sealing veil are made of a single block, and, moreover, the sealing veil has, substantially at the level of its central part, the pusher in the form of a raised projection on which the user can act, which directly and simultaneously causes a pivoting of the sealing veil.

[0050] Thus, an action on the pusher directly and immediately causes the breakable lines to break and the capping veil and the pusher it contains to pivot, while the retention and blocking means located under the upper wall act directly on the capping veil and hold it in its final open position.

[0051] According to specific modes of implementation: said base consists of two coaxial tubular sleeves, one of the two tubular sleeves forming an external skirt on the neck of the container while the second tubular sleeve is internal to said neck, and in that said means for retaining and blocking the sealing film are located at the level of the peripheral internal wall of the second tubular sleeve, below the plane of said sealing film or the distribution opening; said means for retaining and blocking said sealing film consist of at least two retention tabs, preferably two retention tabs; said means for retaining and blocking said sealing film consist of a protruding block which cooperates with a cavity of complementary shape, with irreversible retention; said sealing device further comprises a flow limiting device located under said sealing film;said sealing veil, or a dispensing opening after passing said sealing veil into its final open position, is surmounted by an annular band, curved on at least part of its upper circumference, so as to form a spout to facilitate the pouring of a product contained in said container, while the cap is provided, at the level of its lower surface, considering its closed position, with a ring adapted to come into contact with the inner wall of the annular band, when said cap is in its closed position.

[0052] The sealing device of the present invention has the particular advantage of not generating any plastic waste when the bottle is first opened.

[0053] Furthermore, the entire device can be easily molded in a single piece, preferably from a single plastic material, particularly polyethylene. Consequently, the shutter device of the present invention is easily recyclable. However, the device could also be manufactured from several plastic materials, in particular from two plastic materials.

[0054] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the following description relating to embodiments which are given only as indicative and non-limiting examples.

[0055] Understanding this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached drawings, in which:

[0056] There figure 1 includes three figures, namely [ Fig.1A], [Fig.1B] et [Fig.1C ] which represent three schematic views, the figures 1A et 1C being perspective representations, while the figure 1B shows a cross-section of a sealing device intended to cover the neck of a container, in this case a bottle, and known currently in the state of the art, with a sealing veil intended to be removed by tearing by action on a gripping ring to which said veil is attached.

[0057] There figure 2 It comprises three figures, namely: there [ Fig. 2A ] which represents a schematic, top view of a first variant of a particularly preferred embodiment of the shutter device according to the present invention, in which embodiment said device comprises, at its base, two coaxial tubular sleeves, said shutter device further comprising, in particular, a cap in an open position, while a sealing veil closing the shutter device is in its initial closed position, the [ Fig. 2B ] which illustrates a cross-sectional view of this first embodiment of said device, with said cap this time in its closed position, said sealing veil still in its initial closed position, said sealing device comprising, in this first embodiment, means for retaining and locking said sealing veil in its final open position in the form of retention tabs, one of which is visible on the figure 2B , and the [ Fig. 2C ] which illustrates a perspective view from below of the first variant embodiment of the device, with the cap in its open position, said sealing veil having passed into its final open position, and being held in this position by the retention and locking means, in the form of two retention tabs, also visible in this figure.

[0058] There figure 3 includes three figures, namely the [ Fig. 3A ] which represents a schematic, top view of a second variant of this preferred embodiment of the shutter device according to the present invention, with the cap open and the sealing veil in its initial sealed position, the [ Fig. 3B ] which illustrates a cross-sectional view of this second embodiment in its configuration with the cap open and the sealing veil sealed, while the figure [ Fig. 3C ] illustrates a view from below of the shutter device according to the second variant embodiment, the sealing veil still being in its initial sealed position, the means of retention and blocking said sealing veil in its final open position being constituted, in this second variant, by a protruding block cooperating with a cavity of complementary shape to said block, with retention.

[0059] There figure 4 includes three figures, namely the [ Fig. 4A ] which illustrates a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment already illustrated in the figures 3A à 3C , in the configuration with the cap open and the sealing veil sealed, with, under the sealing veil, in addition to the means for retaining and blocking said veil in its final open position, a flow-limiting device in the form of a daisy, while the figures [ Fig. 4B ] And [ Fig. 4C ] show, respectively, a bottom view and a top view of the shutter device of the figure 4A , in the configuration with the capping veil in its final open position, with irreversible retention.

[0060] There figure 5 includes two figures, namely the [ Fig. 5A ] which illustrates a top view of the first variant embodiment of the shutter device conforming to the [ Fig. 2A ], the capping veil being in its final open position, and the [ Fig. 5B ] corresponding to a section along GG of the [ Fig. 5A ], in order to illustrate the inclination of the retention and blocking means (in this case, tabs) of said sealing veil.

[0061] With reference to the figures in the attached drawings, in particular to figures 2 à 4 The present invention relates to a closing device 1 intended to cover the neck of a container or receptacle 2, to close the opening in the upper part of said container 2. The neck of the container is not shown in the figures, however, the receiving cavity 21 of said neck of the container in question is illustrated.

[0062] The said container consists, in particular, but not limited to, a glass bottle, intended to contain a more or less viscous liquid food product, such as a syrup, an oil, or a sauce.

[0063] Container 2 could also be made of a plastic material, and contain a solid food product (such as seeds) or a powdery food product (flour, sugar...).

[0064] It should also be noted that the product contained in container 2 may be a non-food product, for example a cosmetic product or other.

[0065] In a particularly advantageous manner, said shutter device 1 according to the invention is composed of a base 3 which is in the form of at least one tubular sleeve 4 comprising a peripheral wall 40.

[0066] The said tubular sleeve 4 is more specifically intended to be attached to the neck of the container 2 and secured therein, reversibly or not.

[0067] Thus, it is conceivable, in a first embodiment, not shown in the figures of the attached drawings, that said base 3 comprises a single tubular sleeve covering the neck of a container 2, for example a glass bottle, by being attached to the external wall of said neck, and by being secured to it by screwing or clipping.

[0068] However, in another embodiment, also not shown, said single tubular sleeve of the base is capable of being forced into said neck of container 2 to be held there.

[0069] In the most preferred embodiment of the shutter device 1 which is shown in the figures, in several variant embodiments, and to which reference will be made in the rest of the description, the base 3 of said device 1 consists of two coaxial tubular sleeves 4, 5.

[0070] Thus, the first tubular sleeve 4 can preferentially consist of an external skirt to the neck of the container 2 which must be closed.

[0071] As for the second tubular sleeve 5, this one is internal to the collar and is fitted inside it.

[0072] The securing of the obturator device 1 at the level of the neck of the container 2 to be closed is then optimal.

[0073] The attachment of said device 1 to the container can preferably be done in a reversible manner, in particular by screwing, by means of threads and counter-threads with which are provided, respectively, the skirt 4 of the obturator device 1 and the neck of the container 2 (not shown in the figures), or by snapping or clipping the obturator device 1 at the level of said neck.

[0074] For this purpose, and as illustrated in particular in figures 2B, 3C and 4B, the peripheral inner wall 41 of the outer skirt 4 may have a plurality of snap tabs 42 in order to allow clipping of the obturator device 1 under an upper ring 22 with which the neck is fitted.

[0075] In addition, the peripheral wall 40 of the tubular sleeve 4 is surmounted, at its upper part, by an upper wall 6, in the form of a disc, and connected to a removable cap 7 by a hinged connection 8.

[0076] In the various embodiments illustrated in the attached figures, the upper wall 6 surmounts the two coaxial tubular sleeves 4, 5.

[0077] Thus, said cap 7 is able to pass from a closed position 71, visible for example on the figure 2B , to an open position 72, notably illustrated on the figure 2A and vice versa.

[0078] It should also be noted that part of the surface of the upper wall 6 of the tubular sleeve 4 is made up of a sealing veil 9, comprising a pusher 10 in the form of an element projecting, in relief, from said sealing veil 9.

[0079] Part of the perimeter lines 91 of said capping veil 9 is breakable or frangible, while a hinge line 92 connects said capping veil 9 to said upper wall 6.

[0080] Around this hinge line 92, the rotation of said sealing veil 9 is permitted, following the application of a force on the pusher 10 until the said breakable perimeter lines 91 break.

[0081] In other words, to open the container 2 on first use in order to pour the product it contains, pressure is exerted by the user on the push-open lid, more particularly at the level of the pusher 10, so as to break the frangible joint line(s) 91, obtained during the molding of the device 1, and forming part of the perimeter of the sealing veil 9 and curving it downwards, inside the container 2, along a hinge line 92, also molded, and forming the remainder of the perimeter of said sealing veil 9.

[0082] The said capping veil 9 may have a partially circular shape, or even substantially in the shape of a "water drop", as illustrated in the figures of the attached drawings, with the exception of the straight hinge line 92.

[0083] That being said, such a shape should not be considered limiting, and the sealing veil 9 can have any conceivable configuration, to allow sufficient access opening inside the container 2 for easy pouring of the product it contains, with downward rotation around a hinge line 92.

[0084] Regardless of the configuration of the sealing veil 9, this rotation around the hinge line 92 allows the passage of said veil 9 from an initial closed position 93, in which said veil 9 is in a coplanar or substantially coplanar position with said upper wall 6, to a final open position 94, in which the entire sealing veil 9 is turned downwards, inside the container 2.

[0085] According to an essential feature, and very particular to the present invention, said shutter device 1 then includes means for retaining and blocking 11, irreversibly, said sealing veil 9 in its final open position 94, said means for retaining and blocking 11 being located under the upper wall 6 of the base 3 of said shutter device 1.

[0086] In the advantageous embodiment of the obturator device 1 which has already been mentioned above, with reference to the figures, in which the base 3 of said device 1 consists of two coaxial tubular sleeves 4, 5, namely the outer skirt 4 and the second tubular sleeve 5 internal to the neck of the container, said retention and blocking means 11 of the sealing veil 9 are more particularly positioned at the level of the peripheral inner wall 51 of the second tubular sleeve 5.

[0087] In other words, said retention and blocking means 11 are positioned lower than the plane of said sealing veil 9 when it is in its initial closing position 93 of the container, or lower than a dispensing opening O which is released when said sealing veil 9 has passed into its final and irreversible opening position 94.

[0088] Such a distribution opening O, as well as the opening position 94 of the capping veil 9, are notably represented on the figures 4B And 4C attached hereto.

[0089] Now, referring to figures 2A, 2B And 2CIllustrating a first, particularly preferred, embodiment of the retention and locking means 11 for the sealing veil 9 in its final open position 94, these means consist of at least two radial retention tabs 111, 112, exhibiting a certain elasticity that allows their temporary deformation during the passage of the sealing veil 9 without breakage, so as to allow the sealing veil 9 to engage under said tabs 111, 112 during the rotation of said veil 9 around the hinge line 92 towards the interior of the container 2 at the moment of the first opening of the sealing device 1. Preferably, the retention and locking means 11 for the sealing veil 9 consist of two tabs 111, 112 and are, for this purpose, located on either side of the hinge line 92, and below it, at the level of the internal peripheral wall 51 of the tubular sleeve. 5.

[0090] Once the sealing veil 9 has been engaged under the said retention tabs 111, 112, against the internal peripheral wall 51 of the tubular sleeve 5 internal to the neck of the container 2, said sealing veil 9 is irreversibly locked in its final open position 94, leaving the outlet opening O of the product free outside said container 2 by pouring, and without risk of detachment and fall of either of the elements of the sealing device 1 into the enclosure of said container 2, and without separation of the elements which constitute it.

[0091] Preferably, and with reference to figures 5A et 5B , said retention tabs 111, 112, one of which is visible on the figure 5B in particular, are located close to are oriented towards the inside of container 2 at an angle between 30 and 50°, preferably an angle between 35 and 45°, preferably an angle equal to, or substantially equal to, 40°, with respect to the vertical peripheral inner wall 51 of the tubular sleeve 5 inside the neck of container 2.

[0092] Positioning the tabs on the inner peripheral wall 51 and orienting them inwards towards the container 2, at the angles described above, ensures effective and irreversible engagement of the sealing film 9 in its final open position. This configuration optimizes mechanical retention by utilizing the pivoting force of the sealing film, while minimizing the risk of accidental disengagement.

[0093] In particular, the angle of inclination of the retention tabs 111, 112 promotes a gradual and controlled interaction with the sealing veil 9 as it moves into the open position. This reduces mechanical stress on the tabs and the veil, thereby increasing the durability and reliability of the sealing device, even after repeated use. Furthermore, the specific orientation of the retention tabs 111, 112 also enables and facilitates the molding process of the sealing device 1 in a single piece. Indeed, their inclination and positioning allow for easy removal from the mold, thus simplifying manufacturing and reducing production costs.

[0094] In a second embodiment of the shutter device 1, described now with reference to figures 3A à 3C , said means of retention and blocking 11 of said sealing veil 9 are now constituted by a protruding block 114 intended to cooperate with a cavity 115 of complementary shape, with irreversible retention, when the veil 9 passes into its open position 94.

[0095] As illustrated more specifically on the figure 3C , said protruding block 114 extends at the level of the lower surface of said sealing veil 9, in the immediate vicinity of the hinge line 92 extending radially towards the center of the device 1.

[0096] The cavity 115, complementary in shape to the protruding block 114, is, for its part, provided in the peripheral internal wall 51 of the tubular sleeve 5 internal to the neck of the container 2.

[0097] Irreversible retention is achieved preferentially by wedging the protruding block 114 into the cavity 115, through the inclination of the lateral planes of the two elements.

[0098] Now, referring to figures 4A à 4C , the means of retention and blocking 11 of the sealing veil 9 in its final open position 94, when these consist of a protruding block 114 and a retaining cavity 115, according to the second variant of embodiment described above, can be advantageously associated with a flow limiting device 113.

[0099] Such a flow limiting device 113 is generally called a "daisy", and, classically, they can complement the sealing devices intended to equip, in particular, bottles of cooking oil or syrup.

[0100] A flow limiting device 113 is located under said sealing veil, and, as its name indicates, its function is to try to limit the quantity of liquid coming out of the container, when it is tilted to pour the contents of said container, in particular when it is a liquid which must be poured in small quantity (syrup).

[0101] A flow restrictor is generally made up of a plurality of tabs extending radially, and regularly, from the inner wall, leaving a circular orifice free for the passage of liquid in their center and being inclined towards the bottom of the container, said tabs having a greater width at the point where they are attached to the inner peripheral wall than at their free end, so that they have a petal-like appearance when viewed from above, hence the name daisy for such a flow restrictor.

[0102] In this second embodiment of the obturator device 1, with the flow limiting device 113, the latter can be configured so that said capping veil 9 can be pushed between two adjacent petals 113a, 113b and constituting said daisy 113, and which are positioned below the hinge line 92 of the capping veil 9, on either side of this line 92, so that the salient block 114 can come into cooperation and be retained by the retaining cavity 115.

[0103] Advantageously, said sealing veil 9, or a distribution opening O after a passage of said sealing veil 9, irreversibly, in its final open position 94, is surmounted by an annular band 12, curved on at least part of its upper perimeter, so as to form a spout 13 enabling the pouring of a product contained in said container 2 to be facilitated.

[0104] Also, in this case, the cap 7 can be provided, at the level of its lower surface 73, considering its closed position 71, with a ring 74 capable of engaging in contact with the inner wall of the annular belt 12, when said cap 7 is in its closed position 71.

[0105] The shutter device 1 according to the present invention is particularly advantageous, notably for the reasons explained below.

[0106] On the one hand, such a shutter device 1 does not generate any plastic waste when first opened by a user, unlike some prior art devices which have a gripping ring on which a pull must be applied to allow it to be torn off.

[0107] Furthermore, device 1 of the invention has the distinctive feature of being manufactured by molding, in a single piece ("monobloc") and, preferably, using a single plastic material, particularly polyethylene. In other words, it is a monobloc cap that can be described as "monomaterial." This offers a particularly advantageous advantage, firstly, by avoiding the additional time-consuming operations of assembling the various components of a closure, and secondly, by eliminating the risks of separation of these components, and therefore the risks of contamination of the container it seals, or of environmental pollution.

[0108] That being said, the development of a monobloc shutter device 1 conforming to the present invention had to face certain technical difficulties, which had to be overcome.

[0109] In particular, integrating all functions (skin, hinge, body, retention devices, etc.) into a single unit necessitates complex shapes, some of which contradict the natural mold extrusion direction. This requires the development of highly sophisticated tooling kinematics. Furthermore, these different areas of the device can have highly variable thicknesses, ranging from a few tenths of a millimeter to several millimeters, which is contrary to conventional plastics design principles. This variability complicates control of the injection molding process and the repeatability of production.It was therefore necessary to develop complex means and settings during the manufacturing process, in order to achieve a monobloc device integrating such a combination of complex shapes and variability of thicknesses, while allowing repeatability in the manufacture of parts of constant and optimal quality.

[0110] In summary, the production of a one-piece shutter according to the invention required overcoming challenges related to mold design, managing variable thicknesses, controlling the injection process, and adapting production methods.

[0111] In certain embodiment variants, said shutter device also allows the flow limiter to be retained, by "daisy", the shape of the latter only having to be slightly adapted to allow the capping veil 9 to be hooked and locked in its final open position 94.

[0112] In addition, such a shutter device 1 leads to a simplification of the injection mold, especially compared with a mold for the production of a device with a gripping ring, which is necessarily of a more complex design.

Claims

1. A sealing device (1) intended to be fitted over the neck of a container or receptacle (2), said device (1) comprising a base (3) in the form of at least one tubular sleeve (4) intended to be attached to said neck and fixed thereto, reversibly or irreversibly, to close the opening of said container (2), said tubular sleeve (4) comprising a peripheral wall (40), surmounted, at its upper part, by an upper wall (6), in the form of a disc, and connected to a removable cap (7) by a hinged connection (8) for passing said cap (7) from a closed position (71) to an open position (72) and vice versa, a part of the surface of the upper wall (6) of the tubular sleeve (4) is made up of a sealing film (9), surmounted by a pusher (10),and of which a portion of the perimeter lines (91) is breakable while a hinge line (92) connects said sealing veil (9) to said upper wall (6) and around which rotation of said sealing veil (9) is permitted following the application of a force on the pusher (10) until breakage, from an initial closed position (93) in which said veil (9) is in a coplanar or substantially coplanar position with said upper wall (6), to a final open position (94) in which the entire sealing veil (9) is turned towards the interior of the container (2), said sealing device (1) being , characterized in that it comprises means for irreversibly retaining and blocking (11) said sealing veil (9) in its open position (94), said retention and blocking means (11) being located under said upper wall (6), and in that that it is entirely molded in one single block.

2. A sealing device (1), intended to fit over the neck of a container or receptacle (2), according to claim 1, characterized in that said base (3) consists of two coaxial tubular sleeves (4, 5), one of the two tubular sleeves (4) consisting of an external skirt (4) to the neck of the container (2) while the second tubular sleeve (5) is internal to said neck, and in that said means of retention and blocking (11) of the sealing veil (9) are located at the level of the peripheral inner wall (51) of the second tubular sleeve (5), lower than the plane of said sealing veil (9) or of the distribution opening (O).

3. A sealing device (1), intended to cover the neck of a container or receptacle (2), according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said retention and blocking means (11) of said sealing veil (9) are constituted by at least two retention tabs (111, 112), preferably by two retention tabs (111, 112).

4. Shuttering device (1) according to claim 3 characterized in that said two retention tabs (111,112) are located on either side and below the hinge line (92) of the sealing veil (9), each tab (111, 112) being inclined towards the inside of the container (2) at an angle between 30° and 50°, preferably between 35° and 45°, preferably equal to 40°, relative to the peripheral inner wall (51) of the second tubular sleeve (5).

5. A sealing device (1) intended to fit over the neck of a container or receptacle (2), according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said means of retention and blocking (11) of said sealing veil (9) are constituted by a protruding block (114) which cooperates with a cavity (115) of complementary shape, with irreversible retention.

6. A sealing device (1) intended to fit over the neck of a container or receptacle (2), according to claim 5, characterized in that said shuttering device (1) further comprises a flow limiting device (113) located under said sealing veil (9).

7. A sealing device (1) intended to fit over the neck of a container or receptacle (2), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatsaid sealing veil (9), or a distribution opening (O) after a passage of said sealing veil (9) in its final open position (94), is surmounted by an annular band (12), curved on at least part of its upper perimeter, so as to form a spout (13) enabling the pouring of a product contained in said container to be facilitated, while the cap (7) is provided, at the level of its lower surface (73), considering its closed position (71), with a ring (74) adapted to come into contact with the inner wall of the annular band (12), when said cap (7) is in its closed position (71).

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