System for immobilising a closing cap for containers, closing cap and container provided with said closing cap

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for immobilising a closing cap for containers, intended for a closing cap comprising a lower ring (1) and an upper cap (2), the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being connected by means of two flexible extensions (3). The system comprises a projection (20) protruding from the circumferential rim of the upper cap and a thickened portion provided between the two flexible extensions (3) of the lower ring, which is vertically aligned with the projection (20). The thickened portion comprises a section having a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section defining an upper surface and an inclined lower surface with a rounded edge. The projection (20) and the thickened portion (11) are dimensioned such that the projection (20) can come into contact with the inclined lower surface of the thickened portion, the upper cap (2) assuming an angle of between 180° and 210° in relation to the lower ring (1), when in a folded-down position.

Description

[0001] Closure cap locking system for containers, closure cap and container provided with said closure cap

[0002] DESCRIPTIVE MEMORANDUM

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention proposes a locking system for closure caps for containers, being applicable to caps formed by a top cap and a bottom ring that are linked together through flexible extensions that act as a hinge, provided for different opening angles and a container provided with said cap.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Closures for containers are known in the prior art, particularly those intended for containers with an opening in a neck provided with an external threaded or snap-on portion. These closures comprise a lower ring configured to fit the neck of the container and an upper cap having a thread on its inner face designed to fit the external threaded portion of the container neck. Alternatively, the upper cap may be provided with a flange configured to snap onto the upper external portion of the container neck.

[0007] The top cap and the bottom ring are hinged together, such that the top cap, if internally threaded, can be raised along the threaded portion of the neck while the bottom ring remains in its original position, thus preventing the closure system from separating from the container itself. An example of this type of cap is described in documents ES 1247151 and ES 1237189.

[0008] The opening angle of currently available bottle caps is typically limited to a maximum of 180° for bottles intended for non-carbonated beverages. This is because these containers incorporate a transport ring in the neck with a diameter similar to the outer diameter of the cap's ring. When the cap is fully opened, the outer body of the cap collides with the transport ring in the bottle neck, allowing for a maximum opening angle of 180°.

[0009] On the other hand, in the case of bottle necks intended for carbonated beverages, the opening angle achieved with the cap partially folded down is around 130°-160°. This is because these containers incorporate a transport ring in the neck with a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cap's own ring. When the cap is fully opened, the outer body of the cap collides with the transport ring in the bottle neck, allowing the cap to open and lock into place at a maximum of 130°-160°, depending on the locking or fastening system used. Caps for non-carbonated beverages are known to achieve an opening angle greater than 180°, although they either lack a threaded section or their weight necessitates the use of a greater quantity of plastic in their manufacture.

[0010] The legislative requirement for closures where the top and bottom rings are inseparably joined, primarily for environmental reasons, has met with partial acceptance from consumers. However, in practice, these types of closures have proven inconvenient or less convenient when pouring the beverage or drinking directly from the container. This is due to the limited opening angle and position of the closure, approximately 130°–160°, particularly in bottle-shaped containers with large-diameter neck rings.

[0011] This degree of discomfort for users, when the top cap reaches the locked position, stems from the fact that it can come into contact with the user's face during direct consumption, or physically or visually obstruct the pouring process. This forces the user to hold and / or push the top cap back with a finger to try to keep it away from their face or the pouring area. Furthermore, users may develop the habit of pulling off the top cap to avoid the discomfort it causes. Therefore, the main objective of the new regulations, which aim to improve the recycling of these caps attached to the container so they are not lost, may be undermined.

[0012] The inventor has also developed closure caps, such as document ES 2927995, which describes a closure cap with a locking system. In this system, the tension transmitted to the cap extensions does not allow the upper cap to be locked at an angle greater than 180° relative to the lower ring. This is because the design of the support area on the lower ring lacks an appropriate angle of inclination, and its location higher on the lower ring prevents the desired tension from being achieved in the direction necessary to lock the upper cap at an angle greater than 180°. The limitation that occurs when the folded upper cap collides with the carrier ring on the neck of the container prevents a greater opening angle from being reached.Therefore, there is a need to provide container necks that have transport rings designed with sections of smaller diameter than the rest of the ring, allowing the top cap to travel a greater distance without colliding and thus achieve an opening angle of the folded cap greater than 180°, both in bottle-type container necks intended for non-carbonated beverages or similar, especially mineral water, and in bottle-type container necks intended to contain carbonated beverages or similar.

[0013] Therefore, there is a need to offer the market a closure cap, such as those mentioned above, with a threaded or snap-on section and reduced weight, for bottle-type containers. This improves ergonomics during use, whether pouring the contents or consuming / drinking directly from the container. Furthermore, the applicant is currently unaware of any invention possessing all the characteristics described herein.

[0014] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention has been developed in order to provide a locking system in closure caps for containers that is configured as a novelty within the field of application and solves the aforementioned drawbacks, also providing other additional advantages that will be evident from the description that follows.

[0016] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a closure cap locking system for containers, being provided for a closure cap comprising a lower ring configured to be attachable to the neck of the container and an upper cap having on its inner face a thread configured to be attachable to the outer threaded portion of a container neck, the upper cap and the lower ring being joined together in such a way that they are capable of rotating together, the union between the upper cap and the lower ring being carried out by means of a pair of flexible extensions.

[0017] More precisely, the locking system is intended for closure caps in which the upper cap can be moved vertically upwards (unscrewed) or downwards (screwed) in relation to the neck of the container, while remaining physically joined at all times with the lower ring.

[0018] In particular, the locking system of the invention is characterized by comprising a protrusion extending from the circumferential rim of the upper plug and a thickening portion present between the two flexible extensions of the lower ring, which is vertically aligned with respect to the protrusion, wherein the thickening portion comprises a section with a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section so as to define an upper surface and an inclined lower surface with a rounded rim, the protrusion of the upper plug and the thickening portion of the lower ring being dimensioned such that the protrusion is configured to come into contact with the inclined lower surface of the thickening, the upper plug, in a folded position, adopting an angle between 180° and 210° with respect to the horizontal plane defined by the lower ring.In this way, it is possible to provide different degrees of fixed position or wide opening locking in container closure caps, along with a modified container neck.

[0019] It should be mentioned that the protrusion of the top plug and the thickening portion of the bottom ring are dimensioned such that the protrusion is sliding along the upper surface of the thickening portion during the folding action of the top plug with respect to the bottom ring.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper surface of the thickened portion of the lower ring includes a stepped region configured to accommodate the protrusion of the upper plug in said stepped region in a second folded-down position, the upper plug, in this folded-down position, adopting an angle between 180° and 190° with respect to the horizontal plane defined by the lower ring. In this way, the locking system can adopt two fixing or locking positions for the upper plug.

[0021] According to the invention, the lower part of the inner surface has a section that follows a divergent path.

[0022] Advantageously, the lower surface of the thickening portion is formed by a plurality of indentations that define ribbed sections.

[0023] Preferably, the protrusion, viewed from above, has a longitudinal rim with a curved-concave trajectory, so that it adapts to the radius of curvature of the entire closure plug assembly.

[0024] Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap, of the type comprising a lower ring configured to be attachable to the neck of the container and an upper cap having on its inner face a thread configured to be attachable to the outer threaded portion of a container neck, the upper cap and the lower ring being joined together so that they are capable of rotating together, the union between the upper cap and the lower ring being carried out by means of a pair of flexible extensions, and characterized by having a locking system as described above.

[0025] Advantageously, the flexible extensions extend from the upper rim of the lower hoop.

[0026] According to the invention, the inner face of the thickening portion has a raised area.

[0027] Additionally, the invention relates to providing a container comprising a neck with an externally threaded portion, characterized in that it includes a closure cap provided with the locking system described above, and wherein the neck is provided with a carrier ring that protrudes peripherally from the outer surface, characterized in that the carrier ring is provided with a plurality of indentations arranged equidistantly along the length of the carrier ring.

[0028] It is worth mentioning that the arrangement of bottle necks that incorporate a transport ring with sections of smaller diameter than the rest of the ring, represents a significant reduction in the weight of the plastic material needed for its manufacture and consequently a reduction in cost, with respect to current packaging necks in each of the formats.

[0029] Furthermore, it should be noted that this arrangement of the container neck transport ring was developed specifically to ensure it does not interfere with current feeding and transport processes for preforms and blown bottles, using industry-standardized guide and channel systems. Similarly, it does not pose a problem during standardized preform blowing processes for bottle production and the application of corresponding closures on screw-sealing lines.Thanks to the characteristics of the locking system and the flexible extensions that link the top cap and the bottom ring, it is possible to obtain an opening degree of the top cap with respect to the bottom ring in a range of 190-210°, in caps incorporated into bottle necks intended to supply non-carbonated beverages that have a modified transport ring with sections of smaller diameter, while in caps incorporated into bottle necks intended to supply carbonated beverages, which have a modified transport ring with sections of smaller diameter, an opening degree of the top cap with respect to the bottom ring is obtained in a range of 180-210°.

[0030] In the cases described above, the greater opening angle of the fixed / locked cap is achieved thanks to the smaller diameter sections located around the perimeter of the bottle neck's transport ring. These sections allow the top cap to travel a greater distance without colliding until the various elements of the locking / fixing system function as intended. This maintains a larger opening angle of the fixed / locked cap than would be achieved if the top cap collided with one of the larger diameter sections of the bottle neck's transport ring.

[0031] In this way, the double locking system eliminates the discomfort that the user suffers with the plugs currently available on the market.

[0032] Other features and advantages of the locking system in closure caps for containers that are the subject of the present invention will become evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1.- Is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a closure plug provided with the locking system according to the invention; Figure 2.- Is another perspective view of the first embodiment of the closure plug according to the invention;

[0035] Figure 3.- This is an elevation view of the closing plug shown in the previous figures;

[0036] Figure 4.- This is another elevation view of the closure plug shown in the previous figures;

[0037] Figure 5.- It is a perspective view of the closure cap mounted on a container according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 6.- It is a detailed perspective view enlarged of the hinged region of the closure plug of the invention;

[0039] Figure 7.- It is a sequential view of the opening action of the first embodiment of the closure cap mounted on a container according to the invention;

[0040] Figure 8.- It is a schematic sequential view showing the two locking positions of the top plug, with an opening angle of 180° and 210° respectively;

[0041] Figure 9.- It is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a closure cap provided with the locking system according to the invention, mounted on a container;

[0042] Figure 10.- This is a perspective view of the closure plug shown in Figure 9, where the top plug is in a partially open condition;

[0043] Figure 10a.- It is an enlarged perspective view of the hinged area of ​​the closure plug shown in figure 10;

[0044] Figure 11.- This is a schematic sequential view of the closing plug shown in Figures 9 to 10, where two locking positions of the upper plug are shown, with an opening angle of 190° and 210° respectively; and

[0045] Figure 12.- It is a sequential view of the opening action of the second embodiment of the closure cap mounted on a container according to the invention, showing two locking positions of the upper cap, with an opening angle of 190° and 210° respectively.

[0046] DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In view of the aforementioned figures and, in accordance with the numbering adopted, an example of a preferred embodiment of the invention can be observed therein, which comprises the parts and elements that are indicated and described in detail below.

[0047] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third, and similar terms in the description and claims are used to distinguish between similar elements and not necessarily to describe a sequential or chronological order. The terms may be interchanged in appropriate circumstances, and embodiments of the invention may operate in sequences other than those described or illustrated herein.

[0048] Similarly, the terms superior, inferior, above, below and similar terms in the description and claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to describe relative positions.

[0049] In Figures 1 to 8, a first embodiment of the closure cap is shown, which is specially intended to be placed on a container for carbonated beverages, where a locking system explained later allows an opening angle of the upper cap with respect to the lower ring of up to 210°.

[0050] This closure cap comprises a lower ring (1) configured to be attachable to the neck (100) of the container and an upper cap (2) having on its inner face a thread (21) configured to be attachable to the outer threaded portion (101) of a neck (100) of a container, the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being joined together in such a way that they are capable of rotating together around the neck (100) of the container.

[0051] With regard to the neck (100) of the container, it should be noted that the neck is provided with a carrier ring (102) that protrudes around the perimeter of the outer surface of the neck and has a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the threaded portion (101), such that the lower ring (1) rests on said carrier ring (102). This carrier ring (102) has a plurality of recesses (103) or grooves that are equidistant along the length of the carrier ring (see Figures 5 to 8), so that, viewed from above, it has a configuration formed by petals (104) and recesses (103) arranged in an alternating manner.

[0052] The closure cap is made of a single piece of injection-moldable or compression-molded plastic material, the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being joined together in such a way that they are capable of rotating together, the joining between the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being carried out by means of a pair of flexible extensions (3) that extend from a pair of points on the upper rim of the lower ring (1) and are formed from a pair of slits (4) that extend on opposite sides of each other.

[0053] An outer surface of the side face defined by the body of the top plug (2) has a non-smooth surface (22), in particular, a knurled surface formed by a plurality of ribs in a radial distribution extending from the top to the bottom of the body of the top plug (2).

[0054] With particular reference to the locking system, it comprises a protrusion (20) projecting from the circumferential rim of the upper plug (2) and a thickening portion (11) present on the lower ring, and between the two flexible extensions (3), which is vertically aligned with respect to the protrusion (20), wherein the thickening portion (11) comprises a section with a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section so as to define an upper surface (12) and an inclined lower surface (13) with a rounded rim, the protrusion (20) and the thickening portion (11) being dimensioned such that the protrusion (20) is configured to come into contact with the inclined lower surface (13) of the thickening, the upper plug, in a folded position, adopting an angle between 190° and 210° with respect to the horizontal plane defined by the lower ring (1).On the other hand, the lower surface (13) of the thickening portion (11) is made up of a plurality of indentations or cavities (14) that define ribbed sections.

[0055] It should be mentioned that the protrusion (20) that is part of the locking system, viewed from above, has a longitudinal rim with a curved-concave trajectory.

[0056] Furthermore, in this first embodiment, the upper surface of the thickening portion (11) includes a stepped region (16) configured to accommodate the protrusion (20) in said stepped region in a second folded-down locking position, the upper plug, in a folded-down position, adopting a locking angle between 180° and 190° with respect to the horizontal plane defined by the lower ring (1).

[0057] To assure the user that the container including the closure cap has not been previously tampered with, the closure cap includes at least one tamper-evident seal located between the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1). This seal consists of a plurality of spaced-apart break points (6) located in a groove (7) separating the lower ring (1) from the upper cap (2), and more precisely at a point opposite the arrangement of the extensions (3).

[0058] To prevent lateral movement of the top plug (2) when it is in the fully folded position, i.e., the top plug (2) is at an angle of 180° with respect to the horizontal plane of the lower ring (1), positioning means are provided, which consist of tabs (21) located on the top of the protrusion (20) (see figure 6) that fit into the recesses (14) made in the thickening portion (11).

[0059] To ensure that the lower ring (1) does not unintentionally detach from the neck of the container, retaining means are provided, consisting of a plurality of protrusions (8) projecting from the inner face of the lower ring (1). The method for locking the upper cap relative to the lower ring is then explained (see Figures 7 and 8), allowing for two locking positions. These positions result in either a first opening angle of 180° for the upper cap (2) or a second opening angle of 210° relative to the static position of the lower ring (1) fixed to the neck of the container.

[0060] The slow thickening portion (11) of the lower ring (1) can be moved outwards and further distance the upper cap (2) in its fully folded position to avoid collision with the transport ring (102) and increase by 10° the inclination of the upper surface that acts as a ramp for the thickening (11), thus facilitating the locking process, once the lower ring (1) is inserted into the neck (100) of the container, thanks to the presence of the raised section (17) (see figure 2) and the flex made possible by the cuts (15) present on each side of the thickening portion (11).

[0061] Thanks to the downward movement and pressure that the user must exert on the top plug (2) during the folding process and due to the elasticity of the extensions, the radiated protrusion (20) of the top plug (2) slides progressively until it is housed in the stepped region (16) of the upper surface of the thickening portion (11) of the lower ring (1), configured to house the protrusion (20) in a first position of locking the folded top plug (2) between 180° and 190°, if a collision occurs between the top plug (2) and any of the larger diameter sections (104) of the transport ring (102) (see the second image of figure 7 and the first image of figure 8).

[0062] If the user rotates the top cap (2) relative to the neck of the container, once the cap is in its folded position between 180° and 190° and continues to exert some pressure on it, or if initially there is no collision between the folded top cap (2) and any of the larger diameter sections (104) of the transport ring (102), the protrusion (20) of the top cap gradually descends thanks to the rounded rim that forms the upper surface (12) of the thickened portion (11) of the lower ring. This continues until the protrusion (20) is seated at the beginning of the inclined lower surface (13) that forms the lower surface of the thickened portion (11) of the lower ring (1). This results in a greater angle of the top cap (2) in a folded position of 210°, as shown in the third image of Figure 7 and the second image of Figure 8.

[0063] Figures 9 to 12 show a second embodiment of the closure cap, mounted on a container according to the present invention, where the same parts have the same numerical references. This closure cap is specifically designed for use on a container for non-carbonated beverages, where a locking system, explained later, allows the upper lid to open to an angle of up to 210° relative to the lower ring.

[0064] As in the first embodiment, the outer surface of the side face defined by the body of the upper plug (2) has a non-smooth surface (22), in particular, a knurled surface formed by a plurality of ribs in a radial distribution extending from the top to the bottom of the body of the upper plug (2). Similarly, the lower ring (1) has a lateral surface with similar characteristics, i.e., ribbed, as can be seen in Figures 9 and 10.

[0065] Furthermore, in this second embodiment, the upper surface of the thickening portion (11) present in the lower ring is devoid of a stepped region configured to accommodate the protrusion (20) in said stepped region.

[0066] The details, shapes, dimensions and other accessory elements used in the manufacture of the locking system of the closure cap of the invention may be conveniently replaced by others that do not depart from the scope defined by the claims included below.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A closure cap locking system for containers, provided for a closure cap comprising a lower ring (1) configured to be attachable to the neck of the container and an upper cap (2) having on its inner face a thread configured to be attachable to the outer threaded portion of a container neck, the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being joined together so that they are capable of rotating together, the connection between the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being effected by means of a pair of flexible extensions (3), characterized in that it comprises a protrusion (20) projecting from the circumferential rim of the upper cap and a thickened portion present between the two flexible extensions (3) of the lower ring, which is vertically aligned with respect to the protrusion (20),wherein the thickening portion comprises a section with a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section defining an upper surface and an inclined lower surface with a rounded rim, the protrusion (20) and the thickening portion (11) being dimensioned such that the protrusion (20) is configured to come into contact with the inclined lower surface of the thickening, the upper plug (2), in a folded position, adopting an angle between 180° and 210° with respect to the horizontal plane defined by the lower ring (1).

2. Locking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper surface of the thickening portion (11) includes a stepped region configured to accommodate the protrusion (20) in said stepped region in a second folded-down position, the upper plug, in a folded-down position, adopting an angle between 180° and 190° with respect to the horizontal plane defined by the lower ring (1).

3. Locking system according to any of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the inclined lower surface of the thickening portion (11) is formed by a plurality of indentations (14) that define interspersed ribbed sections (13).

4. Locking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the protrusion includes positioning means.

5. Locking system according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the positioning means consist of tabs located on the upper part of the protrusion (20) that are fitable into the recesses (14) made in the thickening portion (11).

6. Locking system according to claim 1, characterized in that on both opposite sides of the thickening portion (11), a notch (15) is provided in the upper rim of the lower ring.

7. Locking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner face of the thickening portion (11) has a raised area (17).

8. Locking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the protrusion, viewed from above, has a longitudinal rim with a curved-concave trajectory.

9. A closure cap comprising a lower ring configured to be attachable to the neck of the container and an upper cap (2) having on its inner face a thread configured to be attachable to the outer threaded portion of a container neck, the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being joined together so that they are capable of rotating together, the joining between the upper cap (2) and the lower ring (1) being carried out by means of a pair of flexible extensions (3), characterized in that it has a locking system according to any of claims 1 to 8.

10. Closure plug according to claim 9, characterized in that the flexible extensions (3) extend from the upper rim of the lower ring.

11. Container comprising a neck with an externally threaded portion, characterized in that it includes a closure cap according to any of the claims 9 to 10, and wherein the neck (100) is provided with a transport ring (102) that protrudes peripherally from the outer surface, characterized in that the transport ring has a plurality of recesses (103) arranged equidistantly along the length of the transport ring (102).

Images