EP1780138A1 - Overcap closure with anti-tapping feature, process and blank therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluted overcap (1, 1 '), the cap comprising a head (2, 2') at its upper part continuing downwards by a conical skirt (3, 3 '), the fluted part. of said cap comprising a set of vertical and parallel grooves (4, 4 ') regularly arranged on the circumference of the skirt and extended from above substantially the periphery of the head, downwards, to a determined height, the grooves corresponding to recesses of the skirt towards the central axis of said skirt and in which at least two grooves comprise towards their upper part each an additional recess (5, 5 ') intended to form at least two internal stops on which the head of a another cap fitted into said cap may abut and so that the head of said cap and the head of the nested cap are separated by a determined distance. A sleeve type method and tool for making the cap is also presented.

Description

The present invention relates to an overcap cover casing anti-settlement device, a manufacturing method and a sleeve type tool for its manufacture. It has applications in the industrial field of bottling accessories in which caps are made to be placed on bottles or bottles of beverage, including caps for champagne bottles.

Manufacturing processes, even in the field of luxury such as champagne, have become industrialized and specialized for rationalization. Specific industrial productions of overcap caps are now found in places that are distinct from the places of use of said caps, with their dressing chains, where they are placed on containers, bottles or bottles. These caps have a certain volume and are relatively fragile and may be deformed during transport between the place of manufacture and the place of use. Individual secure packaging is not possible because of the gigantic volume that it would represent for a bulk shipment. Since the caps are of conical shape, it has therefore been proposed to fit them into each other in order to form cap conditioning units of several tens to hundreds of caps each, all in a reduced volume and which, moreover, has a resistance deformations improved because of the joining of the caps between them.

If this has facilitated the conditioning, a new difficulty appeared when using the caps in the dressing chain when it was necessary to take the caps one by one in a packaging of caps. Because of their interlocking, some resistance to separation was present. It has therefore been proposed to slightly separate the caps from each other in the interlocking caps. Thus, it has been proposed to make anti-settling notches corresponding to two inner bosses, in diametrical opposition, on both sides of the cap but this has not proved very effective especially for high rates of distribution of caps. It has also been proposed the circular ring which is a half-ring deformation on the circumference of the cap and which is very effective but which is not aesthetic especially in the case where the cap is finally not applied against the container. Finally, it was proposed the "molding" which consists of conforming the top of the cone cap in inverted relation to the shape of the remainder of the conical cap, which is even less aesthetic than the previous solution.

The present invention provides a solution for separating the caps from each other in cap fits and which allows to maintain high rates without being too visible and therefore adversely affect the aesthetic appearance of the cap. To this end, we take advantage of splines existing on the circumference of the cap to make additional recesses that serve as stops for the heads of adjacent caps in the stack.

Thus, the invention relates to a grooved overcap, the cap having a head at its upper part continuing downwards by a conical skirt, the fluted portion of said cap having a set of vertical and parallel grooves regularly disposed on the circumference of the skirt and extending from above substantially the periphery of the head, downwards, to a predetermined height, the grooves corresponding to recesses of the skirt towards the central axis of said skirt.

According to the invention, at least two grooves each comprise towards their upper part an additional recess intended to form at least two internal stops on which the head of another cap fitted in said cap can abut and so that the head of said cap and the head of the nested cap are separated by a determined distance.

• la coiffe comporte au moins trois cannelures comportant chacune un renfoncement supplémentaire vers leur partie supérieure,
• les renfoncements supplémentaires sont disposés le long de la circonférence de la jupe de manière équiangulaire,
• chacune des cannelures comporte un renfoncement supplémentaire vers sa partie supérieure,
• les renfoncements supplémentaires présentent à leur partie inférieure une base dans un plan général qui est proche ou pratiquement perpendiculaire à la génératrice du cône de la jupe,
• les renfoncements supplémentaires sont sensiblement pyramidaux,
• les renfoncements supplémentaires sont sensiblement hémisphériques, (leur hauteur à la base est sensiblement égale à leur largeur à la base)
• la coiffe comporte environ 20 cannelures chacune d'une hauteur d'environ 30mm,
• la distance déterminée entre les têtes de deux coiffes emboîtées est d'environ 8mm,
• la conicité de la coiffe (demi-angle au sommet) est comprise entre environ 2°50' et 6°,
• le diamètre de tête de coiffe mesuré au niveau du raccord de la partie conique et de l'arrondi de la tête est compris approximativement entre 31 mm et 36mm,
• la hauteur de la coiffe est comprise approximativement entre 40mm et 250mm.

In various embodiments of the invention, the following means can be used alone or in any technically possible combination, are employed:

• the cap comprises at least three flutes each having an additional recess towards their upper part,
• the additional recesses are arranged along the circumference of the skirt equiangularly,
• each of the grooves has an additional recess towards its upper part,
• the additional recesses have at their lower part a base in a general plane which is near or almost perpendicular to the generatrix of the cone of the skirt,
• the additional recesses are substantially pyramidal,
• the additional recesses are substantially hemispherical, (their height at the base is substantially equal to their width at the base)
• the cap has about 20 flutes each of a height of about 30mm,
• the distance determined between the heads of two interlocking caps is about 8mm,
• the conicity of the cap (half-angle at the top) is between about 2 ° 50 'and 6 °,
• the diameter of the cap head measured at the connection of the conical part and the rounding of the head is approximately between 31 mm and 36 mm,
• the height of the cap is approximately between 40mm and 250mm.

The invention also relates to a method of producing a corrugated overcap, such as to obtain the cap according to one or more (s) the preceding features use a sleeve (the sleeve may be metal, plastic or other material) conical comprising a set of recessed patterns and recesses (parallel recesses) forming grooves fingerprints and for those having an additional recess, the end of the hollow pattern corresponding to the tapered portion of the conical sleeve, having a hollow (of course) additional (deeper), a sheet of a material for forming the cap being disposed on the sleeve and a wheel of material elastomeric bearing against the sheet to cause deformation of the latter and the formation of additional grooves and recesses, the latter in the additional recesses.

The invention finally relates to a sleeve (the sleeve may be metal, of plastic or other material) conical for producing a grooved overcap, such as to obtain the cap according to one or more of (s) characteristics With the preceding method, the tapered sleeve has a set of parallel and elongate hollow recesses (recesses) forming groove indentations and for those having an additional indentation, the end of the corresponding recessed pattern towards the constricted portion of the sleeve. conical, with an additional hollow (deeper than the depth of the groove cavity).

The separation of the heads from each other in a stack of caps simplifies their separation during their implementation on the upholstery chain, this implementation is usually done with automated tools that may have difficulty separating stacked caps which would be too tight or irregularly tight. In addition, the shape of the anti-settlement device implemented in the invention, additional recesses in the upper part of the flutes of the caps, leaves the possibility to the air can be circulated between the caps, in particular during the interlocking or disengagement operations (separation of the caps), which avoids the pump effect and a resistance to corresponding movements that may hinder these operations or even cause deformations of the caps .

• la Figure 1 qui représente en vue perspective une coiffe cannelée avec renfoncements supplémentaires formant des butées internes ;
• la Figure 2 qui représente un agrandissement de l'empilement de deux coiffes en vue latérale, les deux coiffes ayant été découpées en deux parties selon un plan de symétrie axiale afin de permettre la visualisation de la coiffe recouverte.

The present invention, without it being so limited, will now be exemplified with the description which follows in relation to the following figures:

• Figure 1 which shows in perspective a fluted cap with additional recesses forming internal stops;
• Figure 2 which shows an enlargement of the stack of two caps in side view, the two caps having been cut in two parts along an axial plane of symmetry to allow visualization of the covered cap.

The overcap 1 of Figure 2 is formed of two main parts, a cap head 2 at its upper part (here on the right of Figure 1 in this view of recumbent cap) and a conical skirt 3 whose circumference s' enlarge by moving away from the head. The cap is made of a conventional sheet material, in particular aluminum or aluminum composite (Al + plastic sheet) and is preferably rolled type although the invention can be implemented with stamped caps. It may comprise additional means, not shown here for reasons of simplification, in particular to type of line (s) of embrittlement (s) for opening and release of the neck of the container, type of gripping tongue, type of marking or other types. Splines 4 regularly spaced and substantially parallel to each other (within the limit of the taper of the skirt) are made towards the upper part of the skirt 3 in the form of recesses towards the inside of the cap. We take advantage of these recesses to achieve at their upper part, to the head 2 of the cap, an additional recess 5, so deeper than the remainder of the groove in each groove 4. In a variant not shown only a portion of the grooves has an additional recess towards their upper part. The additional recesses being in the recessed grooves, the increase in depth at the additional recesses is less noticeable. Preferably and as shown, each of the flutes has an additional recess at its top.

Figure 2 allows to better see the relationships between the caps of a stack. Only two nested headdresses have been shown for simplification purposes. The first cap 1 'overlapping the second cap 1 has been cut in two and only its remote portion has been shown to allow viewing of the second cap 1. The additional recesses 5' of the flutes of the first cap 1 ' serve as a stop for the head 2 of the second cap 1 and maintains a distance between the two heads 2, and 2 'of the caps 1 and 1'. It is understood that the same separation effect will occur for any additional stacked cap having additional recesses according to the invention.

It can be noted in Figure 2 that the additional recesses have at their lower part a base 6, 6 'in a general plane which is close to or substantially perpendicular to the generatrix of the skirt cone 3, 3'. These same additional recesses also appear of substantially pyramidal shape.

Several methods of producing a cap according to the invention can be implemented. According to a first possibility, the cap in its generally conical shape (with or without grooves) can be made on a conical sleeve of size (diameters) substantially identical to that of the conical cap and the latter is placed on a second size sleeve ( smaller diameters) with minus additional recesses for formation of additional recesses at the bottom and end of recesses for formation (or adaptation if the grooves had already been made on the first sleeve) of grooves. A wheel of elastomeric material then deforms the material of the cap sandwiched between the second sleeve and the wheel, rotation means being implemented to achieve the additional recesses (and possible grooves if they had not been with the first sleeve) over the entire periphery of the cap. The advantage of a second sleeve of size (diameters) lower than that of the first (and therefore of the cap) and to limit the constraints on the depth of the additional recesses because it is understood that it is necessary to be able to remove the cap with the additional grooves and recesses of the sleeve and that if they are too deep it may be difficult if not impossible if the sleeve is perfectly fitted to the cap.

According to a second possibility, the cap with its grooves and additional recesses is made on a single sleeve of substantially identical size to that of the final cap and having all the recesses necessary for the realization of the grooves and additional recesses during a passage of a wheel of elastomeric material which deforms the material of the cap sandwiched between the single sleeve and the wheel, rotation means being implemented to achieve the additional recesses and grooves on the entire periphery of the cap. It is then understood that certain dimensional constraints as to the depth of the additional recesses are present to allow removal of the cap of the sleeve after completion of the additional grooves and recesses. In an alternative limiting these dimensional constraints, the additional recesses on the sleeve are not closed up. Another alternative is to make the grooves and additional recesses on a sheet in the material of the cap not yet wound on itself, so before implementation on a sleeve where it will be rolled (closed on itself).

It may be noted that the material of the cap has a relative elasticity allowing it to deform under stress without this deformation is persistent after cessation of stress. It will therefore be possible to make relatively deep additional recesses without this preventing the extraction of the cap from the sleeve because during ejection, the material may deform elastically. By way of non-limiting example, it was possible to make additional recesses of about 1mm deep without this interfering with the ejection of the cap of the sleeve. The ejection of the cap can be obtained by sending an air jet under the cap.

It is understood that other alternative embodiments are possible to achieve the cap of the invention and that it may have other shapes and overall dimensions or quantities, shapes and dimensions of its elements (grooves, additional recesses) without depart from the general scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

Fluted overcap (1, 1 '), the cap having a head (2, 2') at its upper part continuing downwards by a conical skirt (3, 3 '), the fluted portion of said cap having a set of vertical and parallel grooves (4, 4 ') regularly arranged on the circumference of the skirt and extended from above substantially the periphery of the head, downwards, to a determined height, the grooves corresponding to recesses in the skirt towards the central axis of said skirt,
characterized in that at least two grooves each comprise towards their upper part an additional recess (5, 5 ') intended to form at least two internal stops on which the head of another cap fitted in said cap can abut and so that the head of said cap and the head of the nested cap are separated by a determined distance. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that at least three flutes each have an additional recess towards their upper part. Cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the additional recesses are arranged along the circumference of the skirt equiangularly. Headgear according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that each of the splines has an additional recess towards its upper part. Hat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional recesses have at their lower part a base in a general plane which is near or substantially perpendicular to the generatrix of the cone of the skirt. Cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the additional recesses are substantially hemispherical. Headgear according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cap comprises approximately 20 grooves each with a height of approximately 30 mm. Cap according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance determined between the heads of two nested caps is about 8mm. A method of producing a grooved overcap, characterized in that to obtain the cap of any one of the preceding claims is implemented a conical sleeve having a set of parallel and elongated hollow patterns forming fingerprints flutes and for those having an additional recess, the end of the recessed pattern corresponding, towards the constricted portion of the conical sleeve, having an additional recess, a sheet of material for forming the cap being disposed on the sleeve and a knob of material elastomeric bearing against the sheet to cause deformation of the latter and the formation of additional grooves and recesses, the latter in the additional recesses. A tapered sleeve for producing a fluted overcap, characterized in that to obtain the cap of any one of claims 1 to 8 by the method of claim 8, the tapered sleeve comprises a set of parallel recessed patterns and elongations forming groove impressions and for those having an additional recess, the end of the corresponding recessed pattern towards the tapered portion of the tapered sleeve having an additional recess

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