Capper assembly for capping a liquid bottle neck

Abstract

The capping assembly 10 for capping a neck of a liquid bottle comprises a cap 14 which is elastically deformable radially and provided with a head portion 18 intended to protrude from the neck of the bottle and a closure portion 20 intended to be pushed into said neck, and a ring 16 secured to the head portion 18 of the cap and comprising a through bore 22 extending axially and against which the head portion 18 of the cap comes into radial contact, said head portion 18 being retained axially relative to the ring by diametrical interference, the upper face 18a of the head portion of the cap being left free by the ring 16. Figure for the abstract: Fig 2

Description

Title of the invention: Stopper assembly for stopping the neck of a liquid bottle

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of capping bottles containing drinking liquids, in particular non-effervescent drinking liquids or any non-carbonated drinks or liquids, but also bottles containing effervescent drinking liquids.

[0002] An interesting application of the invention concerns the corking of bottles of Cognac wines.

[0003] Conventionally, such stoppers for brandy are provided with a cork closure part intended to be pushed into the neck of the bottle, and a gripping crown integral with the closure part.

[0004] The cork closure part is generally fixed by gluing to the gripping crown which is itself made of plastic.

[0005] The plastic material and the glue come from fossil resources, which are non-renewable and have a high carbon footprint.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a capping assembly for capping a neck of a liquid bottle having a better environmental footprint, in particular by reducing the use of fossil raw materials.

[0007] The invention relates to a capping assembly for capping a neck of a liquid bottle.

[0008] The closure assembly comprises a radially elastically deformable stopper provided with a head portion intended to protrude from the neck of the bottle and a closure portion intended to be pushed into said neck.

[0009] By "radially elastically deformable" is meant a plug capable, due to the material used and / or its dimensioning, of deforming radially under the action of an external radial stress exerted, and of tending to elastically return to its initial dimension after the radial stress has stopped.

[0010] The plugging assembly also comprises a ring secured to the head portion of the plug and comprising a through bore extending axially and against which the head portion of the plug bears radially.

[0011] According to a general characteristic, the head part of the plug is retained axially relative to the ring by diametrical interference.

[0012] According to another general characteristic, the upper face of the head part of the stopper is left free by the ring.

[0013] The assembly of the stopper assembly is carried out without the use of glue. In In effect, the elastic deformable properties of the cap are used to achieve the fixing of the head part on the ring.

[0014] For this purpose, the outer diameter of the head portion of the plug in the mounted state inside the through bore of the ring is preferably less than said outer diameter in the free state.

[0015] According to an advantageous design, the through bore of the ring has a shoulder forming an axial stop surface for the head portion of the plug. The shoulder makes it possible to further increase the axial retention relative to the ring. In fact, the shoulder forms a stop blocking any relative axial movement between the plug and the ring in an axial direction.

[0016] In a particular embodiment, the assembly further comprises an attached decorative disc which is mounted on the upper face of the head portion of the cap. The decorative disc can be used for advertising information, information relating to the liquid contained, brands, logos, coats of arms, etc., intended to be visible to the purchaser of the bottle associated with the closure assembly. The decorative function of the disc can also be based on the particular appearance thereof thanks to its shape, its color, etc.

[0017] Alternatively or in combination with the decorative function of the disc, it can also fulfil a security or traceability function by placing an electronic chip on the disc which, unless deactivated or neutralised by appropriate means, triggers for example an alarm when passing detectors installed at the exit of the store, or an electronic chip allowing the identification of the bottle.

[0018] Preferably, the tablet is removably mounted on the upper face of the head part of the cap. Thus, the consumer of the bottle can, if he wishes, recover the tablet, for example to keep and collect it.

[0019] Alternatively or in combination, the assembly may include a marking on the upper face of the head portion of the cap. The marking may also serve an advertising or decorative function.

[0020] According to a particular design, the stopper comprises a stopper body delimiting the head part and a portion of the closure part, and at least one lower washer made of natural cork fixed to a lower end of said stopper body.

[0021] Alternatively, the stopper may be formed entirely by the stopper body and in this case be without a washer.

[0022] The body of the stopper can be made of agglomerated cork, or of natural cork to further reduce the proportion of fossil materials used for the manufacture of the stopper.

[0023] For this purpose, the ring can be made of wood. Alternatively, the ring can be made of other materials, for example metal.

[0024] The invention also relates to a bottle containing a liquid and provided with a neck delimiting a rim and comprising a closure assembly as defined previously.

[0025] The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a closure assembly for closing a neck of a liquid bottle comprising the following steps:

[0026] - a step of radial compression of at least the head part of a plug,

[0027] - a step of introducing the compressed head part of the plug inside of a through bore of a ring, and

[0028] - a step of radial relaxation of the head part of the plug inside the through bore of the ring to obtain axial retention of the head part of the plug relative to the ring by diametrical interference.

[0029] The head portion of the plug is compressed to a diameter which is strictly less than the diameter of the through bore of the ring during the radial compression step.

[0030] According to one implementation mode, during this compression step, the entire stopper is compressed during the radial compression step. Alternatively, only the head part of the stopper can be compressed. According to another alternative, the head part of the stopper and a portion of the closing part can be compressed.

[0031] According to a particular implementation mode, after the radial relaxation step, the method further comprises a step of mounting and fixing a decorative tablet on the upper face of the head part of the stopper, and / or a step of marking said upper face.

[0032] The present invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description of implementation modes taken as non - limiting examples and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] [Fig - 1] is a schematic view of a closure assembly according to an example of realization of the invention,

[0034] [Fig.2] is a schematic view of the closure assembly of [Fig.l] mounted on a bottle neck,

[0035] [Fig.3] is a schematic view of a plug of the plugging assembly of Figures 1 and 2,

[0036] [Fig.4] is a schematic view of a closure assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0037] In [Fig.l] is shown a stopper assembly 10, with longitudinal axis X-X', in a position assumed to be vertical and in [Fig.2] a bottle neck 12 stoppered using this assembly. The bottle contains a non-effervescent drinking liquid, for example Cognac.

[0038] The closure assembly 10 comprises a stopper 14 closing the neck 12 of the bottle and a ring 16 mounted on the stopper. In this exemplary embodiment, the closure assembly 10 does not have a wire cage. The ring 16 fulfills a dual function of covering and gripping so that the consumer can grasp the assembly.

[0039] The stopper 14, of axis X-X', comprises an upper head portion 18 projecting out of the neck 12 of the bottle, and a closure portion 20 extending this head portion and pressed into said neck. The stopper 14 is delimited by a lower face 20a of the closure portion and an upper face 18a of the head portion. The lower 20a and upper 18a faces axially delimit the stopper 14. The lower face 20a here has a chamfer to facilitate its insertion into the neck 12 of the bottle.

[0040] The stopper 14 is elastically deformable in the radial direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the stopper 14 comprises a main stopper body and three stacked lower washers located at the lower end of said body. The main body is made of natural cork or agglomerated cork while the washers are made of natural cork. Alternatively, the stopper 14 may comprise a different number of lower washers, for example a single washer or two washers. It is also possible to provide a stopper 14 without a lower washer. In another variant, the stopper 14 could be made of elastically deformable synthetic material.

[0041] The ring 16 is integral with the plug 14. The ring 16 is mounted on the head portion 18 of the plug. The ring 16 radially surrounds the head portion 18 of the plug. The ring 16 has a generally annular shape. The ring 16 extends axially and comes into radial contact against the head portion 18 of the plug. The ring 16 is coaxial with the axis X-X'.

[0042] As will be described in more detail below, the connection of the ring 16 and the head part 18 of the plug is obtained by diametrical interference.

[0043] The ring 16 is provided with a through bore 22 which extends axially. The bore 22 is coaxial with the axis X-X'. The bore 22 opens onto lower and upper faces 16a, 16b of the ring. The faces 16a, 16b axially delimit the ring 16. The lower face 16a bears against the rim 12a of the bottle neck. In this exemplary embodiment, the ring 16 therefore provides sealing with the rim 12a of the bottle neck.

[0044] The head portion 18 of the plug extends inside the bore 22 of the ring. The head portion 18 comes into radial contact against the bore 22 of the ring. The upper face 18a of the head portion is left free by the ring 16. In other words, the ring 16 does not cover the upper face 18a of the head portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper face 18a of the head portion of the plug is flush with the upper face 16b of the ring. Alternatively, the upper face 18a of the head portion could remain axially set back from the upper face 16b of the ring or protrude from the upper face 16b. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper face 18a of the head portion of the cap is flat. Alternatively, the upper face 18a could have a stepped shape, for example for mounting a decorative disc.

[0045] The bore 22 is in conformity in shape with the head portion 18 of the plug. The bore 22 is here cylindrical. Alternatively, it could be possible to provide other shapes.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, the bore 22 has a generally stepped shape. The bore 22 thus has a shoulder 22a extending radially. The shoulder 22a is oriented axially on the side of the upper face 16b of the ring. The shoulder 22a is located axially on the side of the lower face 16b of the ring. Alternatively, the bore 22 could not include a shoulder.

[0047] The ring 16 is also provided with an outer surface 24 opposite the bore 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer surface 24 is of generally circular shape. Alternatively, it could be possible to provide other shapes, for example polygonal, in particular square, or even an oval section, etc.

[0048] The ring 16 is advantageously made of wood or from another natural material. Alternatively, it remains possible to make the ring 16 from other materials, for example aluminum, zamak, or even by molding a synthetic material.

[0049] As indicated previously, the joining of the ring 16 and the head part 18 of the plug is obtained by diametrical interference. For this purpose, the diameter of the bore 22 of the ring is less than the initial external diameter of the plug 14 in the free state, and in particular the initial diameter of the head part 18 of the plug.

[0050] To manufacture the closure assembly 10, the procedure is as follows.

[0051] In a first step, the entire plug 14 is radially compressed. The plug 14 is compressed radially over its entire height.

[0052] In the initial free state before compression, the outside diameter of the head part 18 of the plug is greater than the diameter of the bore 22 of the ring.

[0053] In [Fig. 3] the cap 14 is illustrated in the initial free state before compression. For information purposes, the head portion 18 of the cap may initially have a diameter of 31 mm and the closure portion 20 may have a diameter of 22.5 mm. The internal diameter of the bottle neck may be equal to 22 mm, the large portion of the bore 22 of the ring may have a diameter of 24 mm and the small diameter portion of the bore 22 of the ring may have a diameter of 22 mm. In the example of rea illustrated embodiment, the plug 14 has in the initial free state a stepped shape with different diameters. Alternatively, the plug 14 could have a purely cylindrical shape in the initial state. In this illustrated embodiment, the plug 14 has in the initial free state a large diameter portion which has a height less than that of the ring 16. During the compression step, the plug 14 is compressed radially so as to have over its entire height an outside diameter which is less than the diameter of the bore 22 of the ring. The plug 14 can for example be compressed so that the diameter of the large diameter portion of the plug is reduced by around 50% compared to its initial diameter. As an indication, the plug 14 can be compressed to have over its entire height an outside diameter of 15.5 mm.

[0054] Alternatively, during the compression step, only the head portion 18 of the plug could be compressed radially.

[0055] Then, in a second step, the plug 14 is introduced axially inside the bore 22 of the ring. During this introduction, there is no contact between the plug 14 and the bore 22 of the ring. There is an annular radial space between the plug 14 and the bore 22 of the ring. The part of the plug 14 projecting outside the ring 16 forms the closing part 20 while the part inside forms the head part 18.

[0056] In a third step, the relative axial positioning of the plug 14 and the ring 16 is maintained during the radial relaxation phase of the plug, during which the plug tends to return to its initial dimensions given its elastic deformable nature.

[0057] During the relaxation or radial expansion phase of the plug, the head portion 18 relaxes radially until it comes into radial contact against the bore 22 of the ring. To the extent that the external diameter of the head portion 18 of the plug in the initial free state before compression is greater than the diameter of the bore 22 of the ring, the head portion 18 still tends, even after contact against the bore 22, to return to its initial diameter. Thus, the head portion 18 of the plug is made integral with the ring 16 by diametrical interference. The closure portion 20 of the plug returns to its initial diameter before compression.

[0058] Optionally, after securing the ring 16 and the stopper 14, the manufacture of the stopper assembly 10 may further comprise a step of mounting and fixing a decorative disc on the upper face 18a of the head part of the stopper. The decorative disc 32 may be made of any rigid or deformable material, for example metal, glass, synthetic material, wood, cork, etc. The decorative disc 32 may protrude from the upper face 18a of the head part of the stopper, or on the contrary be embedded on this upper face 18a. so as not to protrude.

[0059] Alternatively or in combination, the manufacture of the closure assembly 10 may also comprise a step of marking the upper face 18a of the head portion of the cap.

[0060] As indicated previously, in the illustrated embodiment, the stopper 14 has in the initial free state a large diameter portion which has a height less than that of the ring 16. Alternatively, in the initial free state, this large diameter portion of the stopper may have a height greater than that of the ring 16. With this dimensioning, after radial relaxation, the stopper has a radial bead which covers a portion of the lower face 16a of the ring as illustrated in [Fig. 4] on which the identical elements bear the same references. In this case, it is this bead which provides the seal with the rim of the bottle neck after mounting the closure assembly thereon.

[0061] In a variant, it is also possible to provide that the ring is provided with an annular cavity extending axially from the lower face 16a and extending radially outwards from the bore 22. This cavity can be filled in part or in full with the material of the plug during the relaxation step.

[0062] In the illustrated embodiment, the closure assembly 10 is intended for a bottle containing a non-effervescent drinking liquid, and is without a wire cage.

[0063] The capping assembly 10 may also be intended for a bottle containing an effervescent drinking liquid. In this case, the capping assembly 10 may be equipped with a retaining wire cage or other retaining means, for example of the string, staple, heat-shrinkable film type, to ensure the retention and sealing of the assembly on the bottle after capping.

[0064] In this case, it is possible to provide on the ring 16 and / or on the upper face 18 of the stopper means for ensuring the fixing of the retaining means on the stopper assembly so as to obtain a unitary assembly. These fixing means may for example be grooves of a width adapted to tighten a part of the retaining means after its introduction into them.

Claims

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a closure assembly for capping a neck of a liquid bottle comprising the following steps: - a step of radially compressing the entirety of a cap, - a step of introducing the compressed head portion of the cap into a through bore of a ring, the cap being compressed to a diameter which is less than the diameter of the through bore of the ring during the radial compression step, during said introduction step there is no contact between the cap and the bore of the ring, and - a step of radially relaxing the cap inside the through bore of the ring to obtain axial retention of a head portion of the cap relative to the ring by diametrical interference.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, after the radial relaxation step, a step of mounting and fixing a decorative pellet on the upper face of the head portion of the cap, and / or a step of marking said upper face.

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