Stopper device for the neck of a container, container provided with such a device, method for stopping such a container, and method for production of such a device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closure devices for wine bottles, such as metal and flexible plastic capsules, pose risks of injury and fail to provide a secure, aesthetically pleasing seal due to dimensional mismatches with the bottle neck, leading to dirt accumulation and health concerns.
Innovation Solution
A closure device featuring a plastics material outside capsule with a truncated cone skirt that elastically fits around the bottle neck, accommodating shape variations and preventing dirt infiltration, while an inside insert is securely fastened to the neck, mimicking metal closures' appearance and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid metal closure with collar is used, then the sealing function is achieved, but the user safety deteriorates due to risk of cuts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent copies the functional structure of metal closures (cap and collar configuration) but uses plastics material instead of metal, thereby maintaining the sealing function while eliminating the cutting hazard. The plastics capsule replicates the collar's position and shape to provide sealing without the harmful sharp edges of metal.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible plastic capsule with cylindrical skirt is used, then the user safety is improved, but the sealing function deteriorates due to poor fit around elaborate neck shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different geometric characteristics to different parts of the capsule: the upper cap portion maintains a cylindrical shape for safety, while the lower skirt portion is designed with a frustoconical shape that can elastically deform to conform to various neck geometries. This local differentiation allows the capsule to be both safe and effectively sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the skirt from a fixed cylindrical shape to a frustoconical shape with specific angle ranges (5-15 degrees). This parameter optimization allows the skirt to elastically adapt to dimensional variations in bottle necks while maintaining adequate sealing contact.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the collar dimension is reduced to avoid contact with the neck, then the user safety is improved, but the appearance and sealing function deteriorate due to gaps and dirt accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible plastics skirt that can elastically deform to make contact with the bottle neck surface. This flexibility allows the skirt to conform to the neck geometry and fill gaps without requiring a large rigid collar, thereby maintaining both safety and aesthetic appearance while preventing dirt accumulation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures a secure, dirt-proof seal with improved aesthetics and user safety, as the plastics material does not hinder glass recycling and reduces the risk of injury during handling.
Implementation Method 1
a truncated cone which is flexible in the axial direction and which converges towards the base of the neck of the receptacle, with an inside surface of said end pressing against the neck
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a stopper device with an external cap made from plastic and an internal insert for fixing the device around the neck of the container. The sleeve of the cap forms a head, into which the insert may be introduced and permanently fixed and a skirt extending axially from the insert. According to the invention, contamination on the neck of the container may be limited and the appearance improved. Particularly at the base of the neck, the skirt essentially forms a frustum converging towards the axis of the sleeve on extending from the head, before the installation of the device around the neck, the frustum forming, at the end opposite the head, an internal surface to come into contact against the container neck under the influence of an elastic deformation of the sleeve as a result of the installation of the device around the neck.