ES2956518T3 - Tethered plastic screw stopper - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tethered plastic stopper having a closure housing and a security band that is detachably connected to the closure housing by a plurality of bridges connecting a lower edge of the closure housing to an upper edge of the security band. Each bridge is configured to stretch and break when the closure housing is moved from a first orientation before opening to a second orientation after opening. The stopper further includes a strip and a hinge. The strip is adapted to connect to the closure housing at an junction point and has one end located at one end of the upper line of weakness positioned over a first set of bridges located along the lower line of weakness. The hinge is adapted to join the strip and the security band. The hinge is positioned below a set of bridges located along the upper line of weakness. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, no legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Plastic screw cap that stays in place

Technical field

This invention relates to a plastic screw cap that stays put.

Background

In the field of liquid packaging, it is very common to seal the opening of a container with a cap, often made of a plastic material. Such a container is usually a plastic or glass bottle, but other materials can also be used.

The cap has a tubular shape closed at its upper edge by a top wall. The cap comprises a roof attached to a handling shell via bridges. The bridges are distributed around the circumference of the roof and handling must be prevented. The bridges can be made when the cap is moulded or after undergoing a cutting stage during the manufacturing process.

Typically, the bottle neck includes an external securing feature, such as thread(s) for a screw-on type cap or annular securing rings for a snap-on type cap, to secure the cap to the bottle neck.

For screw-type closures, the tamper housing comprises internal thread(s) disposed within the side walls. The bottle neck securing feature may include external thread(s). Such a combination of external and internal thread(s) allows the closure to be screwed onto a bottle neck for sealing and unscrewed for opening the bottle. A snap-on type closure may include an inner annular area and the bottle neck securing feature may include an outer securing ring, for forcibly pushing the closure onto the bottle neck. A snap-on type stopper may include a tamper housing with a sealing roof movable from a closed position to a partially open position, and vice versa. The roof may be detachable upon opening or may be connected to the tamper housing.

In a bottle sealing cap position, the tamper-evident housing may be secured around the bottleneck through interior housing retention features or through retention features, the diameter being smaller than a diameter of a tamper-evident housing of the bottleneck.

The roof can be removable. During bottle opening, the bridges form a line of weakness and can be torn off the roof, separating it from the bottle. The line of weakness can be torn when the user unscrews the cap-handling housing or when the user lifts the roof by tilting it.

There is a recycling risk with a removable cap as consumers cannot always screw or snap the cap back onto the neck of the bottle once it is empty. The cap can be thrown away as litter or into the bin, or worse still end up in a landfill, which is not good in view of environmental considerations.

One solution involves attaching the roof to the tamper-proof housing secured to the neck of the bottle, such that the roof remains attached to the bottle after the bottle is opened. Such an attached cap may be referred to as a "stay-attached cap".

U.S. Patent No. 9,010,555 shows a plastic screw cap including a peripheral strip between a tamper housing and a roof. The peripheral strip is attached to the tamper housing via a lower line of weakness and to the roof via an upper line of weakness. The lower line of weakness and the upper line of weakness are parallel and extend across the periphery of the cap to incorporate one or two closely spaced hinges. When the cap is unscrewed, the lower line of weakness and the upper line of weakness are broken, but the two hinges hold the roof to the tamper housing. The roof is immovable and capable of swinging about the hinges together with the cap attached to the neck of the bottle.

US 8,490,805 shows a plastic screw cap comprising a helical strip between a handling housing and a roof. Said helical strip is obtained by cutting the handling housing around the cap. The outer wall of the handling housing is placed against a blade and the cap is moved in rotation relative to the blade according to an angular stroke greater than one complete turn or more than 360°. During rotation, the cap moves in an axial movement relative to the blade. The cutting line forms a helical line of weakness which remains attached at one end to the handling housing and at its opposite end to the roof after opening. US 20110297682 shows a cap with strips which are connected with a plurality of upper and lower bridges at different positions along the strip. EP2331418 shows a cap with strips having neither an upper nor a lower bridge.

Other known prior art systems include a stay-put cap comprising a spiral strip. The spiral strip is manufactured during the moulding of the cap so that there are no cutting or slitting operations. Other known prior art systems include stay-put caps comprising two strips joining the closure housing to the tamper evident band secured on the bottle.

Compendium

This invention is a stay-attached plastic screw cap in which its closure shell remains attached to its tamper evident band after the bottle is opened by using a strip made of the plastic material of the cap between the tamper evident band and the closure shell using a lower line of weakness and an upper line of weakness. Each strip remains connected to the tamper evident band secured to the neck of the bottle by at least one lower hinge provided at the lower line of weakness. Opposite ends of each strip are directly attached to the closure shell through an attachment point.

The cap further comprises a specific upper line of weakness where the point of attachment of the strip to the closure housing is located on a lower bridge located closer to the lower hinge(s), called "closest lower bridge" on one side of the screwing direction of the closure housing.

The invention therefore systematically allows the nearest lower bridge to be broken due to the location of the attachment point where the closure housing and strip ends move upwards furthest from the tamper-evident strip during the unscrewing motion of the closure housing. A force is applied on the nearest bridge due to the specific position of the strip end attachment point.

Detailed description of the drawings

The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized, such as to show details of particular components. Emphasis is placed on illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a stopper that is held in a closed position on a bottle.

Figure 2 is a schematic side view similar to Figure 1 during opening of the cap.

Figure 3 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view along the lower line of weakness of a stay-put plug.

Figure 4 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view along the upper line of weakness of the retaining plug.

Detailed description

As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. The described embodiments are merely examples that may be embodied in various alternative forms, and combinations thereof. As used herein, for example, exemplary and similar terms expansively refer to embodiments that serve as an illustration, specimen, model or pattern.

In some instances, well-known components, systems, materials, or methods have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details described herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

Phrasing, such as "configured to" perform a function, including in the claims, may include any or all of being sized, shaped, positioned in the arrangement, and comprising material to perform the function.

Terms indicating order, such as 'first' or 'second', are used for exemplary and explanatory purposes and are not intended to dictate the specific ordering of a component relative to other components. Terms indicating position, such as 'top' or 'bottom' and 'left' or 'right', are used for exemplary and explanatory purposes relative to other components.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. The described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Variations, modifications, and combinations may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims. All such variations, modifications, and combinations are encompassed herein by the scope of this disclosure and the claims.

This invention relates to a plastic screw cap 100 which is retained to close a bottle neck 102. The cap 100 is made integrally from a plastic piece by a molding manufacturing step. Other parts or elements of the cap 100 may be additionally created throughout the plastic piece by a cutting or slitting step.

The cap 100 is of the screw-on type and comprises internal fixing features, such as thread(s), designed to cooperate with complementary external fixing features made in the neck 102 of the bottle.

In some embodiments, as illustrated in Figures 1 through 4, the screwing direction of the cap 100 is typically clockwise and extends from right to left. The screwing orientation is depicted as a directional arrow in Figures 1 through 4. The unscrewing direction of the cap 100 extends in the opposite direction relative to the screwing direction, thus counterclockwise from left to right. In other embodiments, the screwing direction may be configured in a counterclockwise direction.

The cap 100 comprises a closure housing 104 and, below it, a handling strip 106. The handling strip 106 and the closure housing 104 are detachably connected to each other by means of a strip 108.

In some embodiments, the plug 100 includes one strip 108. In other embodiments, the plug 100 includes two or more strips 108. For example, the plug 100 includes two strips 108 positioned on opposite sides of the plug 100. The two strips 108 may be positioned in a symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangement.

The strip 108 is removably connected to the closure housing 104 via a plurality of upper bridges 112 that form an upper line of weakness 110. Similarly, the strip 108 is removably connected to the tamper band 106 via a plurality of lower bridges 116 that form a lower line of weakness 114.

The lower line of weakness 114 comprises at least one hinge 118 configured to connect the strip 108 and the handling band 106. In some embodiments, the lower line of weakness 114 comprises two hinges 118 where each hinge 118 connects a respective strip 108 to the handling band 106. The two hinges 118 may be spaced apart through a hole or a less thick material provided in the handling band 106 between the two hinges 118.

The upper bridges 112 and the lower bridges 116 are each configured to stretch and ultimately break when the closure housing 104 is unscrewed. The upper and lower bridges 112, 116 are positioned regularly or irregularly around the perimeter of the upper and lower lines of weakness 110, 114, respectively.

Each strip 108 comprises an end at one end of the upper line of weakness 110, which joins the strip 108 to the closure housing 104 at an attachment point 120. For example, in the embodiment having two strips 108, there is an attachment point 120 at each end of the upper line of weakness 110, which joins the end of each strip 108 to the closure housing 104.

The upper line of weakness 110 is configured to form an end 122 of the strip 108 positioned above a lower bridge 116 located closest to the hinge 118 on the left side of the hinge considering a clockwise screwing direction of the closure housing 104. When the stop is oriented facing the hinge(s) 118, if the screwing direction is clockwise, then the attachment point of the left strip relative to the hinge 118 is located on the closest left lower bridge 116 (indicated with parallel vertical lines in Figure 2).

The end of the upper line of weakness located to the left of the hinge 118 for a clockwise screw-on plug is angularly located between -40° and 40° relative to the vertical axis of the lower bridge 116 located closest to the hinge 118. In some embodiments, the hinge 118 is more particularly located between -20° and 20° relative to the vertical axis of the lower bridge 116 located closest to the hinge 118. For example, when looking at the hinge 118, the attachment point 120 of the left strip 108 is angularly located approximately 20° relative to the closest left lower bridge 116. Such angular variation is shown in the illustrated drawings in dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4.

In some embodiments, the upper line of weakness 110 is asymmetrical with respect to the lower line of weakness 114 which is symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that crosses the diameter of the plug 100. Thus, when the plug 100 is further molded or cut, the upper line of weakness 110 is shifted or angularly rotated relative to the position of the hinge(s) 118 of the lower line of weakness 114. Thus, one strip 108 (e.g., the left strip) in a clockwise twist configuration is shorter than the opposite strip 108 (e.g., the right strip). In other embodiments, such as shown in Figure 3, the lower line of weakness 114 is symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that crosses the diameter of the plug 100 where the plane is shown by a thin solid line.

Although various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible and are within the scope of the claims.

Claims (8)

1. A plastic screw cap (100) that remains attached, comprising: a closing housing (104); a tamper band (106) detachably connected to the closure housing (104) by a plurality of bridges (112, 116), in particular a plurality of upper bridges (112) forming an upper line of weakness (110) and a plurality of lower bridges (116) forming a lower line (114) of weakness, connecting a lower edge of the closure housing (104) to an upper edge of the tamper band (106), each of the bridges (112, 116) being configured to stretch and break when the closure housing (104) moves from a first orientation before opening to a second orientation after opening; a strip (108) made of the plastic material of the plug (100) between the tamper band (106) and the closure housing (104) using the lower line of weakness (114), formed by the plurality of lower bridges (116), and the upper line of weakness (110), formed by the plurality of upper bridges (112), the upper and lower bridges (112, 116) being placed regularly or irregularly around the perimeter of the upper and lower lines of weakness (110, 114), respectively, where The strip (108) is connected to the closure housing (104) at a junction point (120), the strip (108) comprising an end at one end of the upper line of weakness (110) positioned over a first set of bridges (116) located along the lower line of weakness, the strip (108) joining the end to the closure housing (104) at the junction point (120); and a hinge (118) joining the strip (108) and the handling band (106), the hinge (118) being positioned below a set of bridges (112) located along the upper line of weakness, and When looking at the plug (100) and looking at the hinge (118), the end of the upper line of weakness (110) is located to the left of the hinge (118); characterized in that said end of the upper line of weakness (110) is angularly placed within 40° of the vertical axis of the lower bridge (116) located at the point closest to the hinge (118) considering a clockwise twisting movement configuration. 2. The plastic screw-on cap (100) that stays put according to claim 1, wherein the end of the upper line of weakness (110) is located to the left of the hinge (118) and is angularly positioned within 20° of the vertical axis of the lower bridge (116) located at the point closest to the hinge (118) considering a clockwise screwing motion configuration. 3. The plastic screw-on cap (100) that stays put, according to claim 1, wherein: the strip (108) is a first strip, the screw cap (100) further comprises a second strip (108) having an end at the other end of the upper line of weakness (110), which joins the second strip with the closure housing (104) at a second joining point (120), The lower line (114) of weakness comprises two hinges (118), where each hinge (118) connects a respective strip (108) with the handling band (106), the second strip (108) is detachably connected to the closure housing (104) through the upper line of weakness (110) and to the tamper band (106) through the lower line of weakness (114) and the second strip (108) is positioned opposite the first strip (108) about a diameter of the tamper band (106). 4. The stay-put plastic plug (100) according to claim 3, wherein the two strips (108) are positioned on opposite sides of the plug (100) in a symmetrical arrangement. 5. The plastic stay-put cap (100) of claim 3, wherein, when looking at the hinges (118), the left strip attachment point (120) is angularly located at approximately 20° relative to the lower bridge (116) located at the closest point of the lower hinge (118). 6. The plastic stay-put cap (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (100) is of the screw-on type and comprises internal fastening features, such as thread(s), designed to cooperate with complementary external fastening features formed in the neck of the bottle. 7. The plastic stay-put stopper (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strip (108) is detachably connected to the closure housing (104) via a plurality of upper bridges (112) forming the upper line of weakness (110), and similarly is detachably connected to the tamper-evident band (106) via a plurality of lower bridges (116) forming the lower line of weakness (114). 8. The plastic stay-put stopper (100) according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein each of the two strips (108) is detachably connected to the closure housing (104) through a plurality of upper bridges (112) forming the upper line of weakness (110) and, similarly, is detachably connected to the tamper band (106) through a plurality of lower bridges (116) forming the lower line of weakness (114).