Closure device for bottles with evidence of first opening

Abstract

The present invention relates to a closure device for bottles with evidence of first opening where before the first opening the closure shows a capsule with a perimetral line, and after the first opening, a separation line visually evidencing said first opening now appears where the perimetral line was previously located.

Claims

1. A closure device for a bottle, with evidence of a first opening, wherein the bottle comprises a mouth and a neck, wherein the neck extends along a longitudinal direction X-X of the bottle, wherein said closure device is installed on the mouth of the bottle and comprises: a pourer (1) comprising a threaded section (1.1), a pourer edge (1.3), and a cylindrical skirt (1.2), wherein the pourer is inserted in, and is coaxial with, the neck of the bottle, and a cap (2) having a threaded inner section (2.1) with a thread complementary to that of the threaded section (1.1) of the pourer (1) such that screwing and unscrewing said cap (2) gives rise to a rotation about, and an axial movement along, the longitudinal direction X-X, wherein the closure device further comprises a locking part (3) housed within the cap (2), wherein the locking part (3) is in a first position before first opening and can be moved axially with respect to the cap (2), along the longitudinal direction X-X, the locking part (3) having a retaining section (3.2) that can enter and be retained on the pourer edge (1.3) by friction between the retaining section (3.2) and the pourer edge (1.3) until a large enough force separates the retaining section (3.2) from the pourer edge (1.3); and, an inner surface of the cap (2) has a wedge (2.7) such that the axial movement of the locking part (3) relative to the cap (2) along the longitudinal direction X-X during first opening allows the locking part (3) to overcome the wedge (2.7) to a second position, but, after overcoming the wedge (2.7), the locking part (3) is prevented by the wedge (2.7) from passing from the second position back to the first position with respect to the cap (2), wherein after the first opening, any closure of the cap (2) by screwing onto the pourer (1) results in a separation between the cap (2) and the cylindrical skirt (1.2) of the pourer (1) that is greater than that established before the first opening.

2. The closure device according to claim 1, wherein said closure device additionally comprises a capsule (4) for covering the cap (2) and at least part of the cylindrical skirt (1.2) of the pourer (1), where before the first opening, this capsule (4) shows two adjacent sections along a perimetral separation line (4.2); a first section of the capsule (4) covering the lower cylindrical skirt (1.2) of the pourer and a second section of the capsule (4) covering the cap (2).

3. The closure device according to claim 2, wherein the cap (2) further comprises a perimetral ring (2.4), wherein after the first opening, the ring (2.4) is permanently fixed to the pourer (1) and the ring (2.4) is visually accessible between the cap (2) and the cylindrical skirt (1.2) of the pourer (1), as evidence of said first opening.

4. The closure device according to claim 3, wherein prior to the first opening, the ring (2.4) is attached to the cap (2) by a bridge (2.2) that is broken during the first opening.

5. The closure device according to claim 2, wherein the separation line (4.2) of the capsule (4) is either a weakening line or a cutting line.

6. The closure device according to claim 2, wherein the capsule (4) covering the cap (2) is axially retained to the cap (2) using a perimetral tab (2.6) and a first notch (4.1).

7. The closure device according to claim 2, wherein the capsule (4) covering the cap (2) is retained against rotation using a plurality of vertical grooves (2.3) on an outer surface of the cap (2) on which the capsule (4) is tightly fitted.

8. The closure device according to claim 1, wherein the cap (2) further comprises a window (2.5) with visual access to the locking part (3) for identifying the second position of said locking part (3) after the first opening, establishing double visual evidence of the first opening.

9. The closure device according to claim 1, wherein the locking part (3) has an axial guiding element (3.1) that can slide along the inner surface of the cap (2) such that this guiding element (3.1) overcomes the wedge (2.7) during first opening and after overcoming the wedge (2.7) is prevented by the wedge (2.7) from axial movement from the second position back to the first position.

10. The closure device according to claim 9, wherein the guiding element (3.1) of the locking part (3) is an outer perimetral flange that can slide along the inner surface of the cap (2) by friction.

11. The closure device according to claim 10, wherein the guiding element (3.1) defines a conical sector.

12. The closure device according to claim 9, wherein the retaining section (3.2) is a cylindrical section that can be press fitted into the pourer edge (1.3), and where the friction between the retaining section (3.2) of the locking part (3) and the pourer edge (1.3) is such that the axial retention resulting between them is greater than the friction between the guiding element (3.1) and the inner surface of the cap (2) until enough force separates the retaining section (3.2) from the pourer edge (1.3).

13. The closure device according to claim 1, wherein between the locking part (3) and the cap (2) there is axial guiding and friction allowing both movement according to the longitudinal direction X-X and relative rotation between both parts (2, 3).

14. The closure device according to claim 1, wherein the locking part (3) has axial symmetry.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment given only by way of non-limiting illustrative example in reference to the attached drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of an embodiment of the closure before the first opening.

(3) FIG. 2 shows the cross-section of the preceding figure after having carried out a first opening.

(4) FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of the preceding figures showing the outer appearance before the first opening.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the closure of the preceding figure after having completely separated the cap from the closure.

(6) FIG. 5 shows the closure of the preceding figure after screwing the cap of the closure on again, being slightly moved away such that the first opening is evidenced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) According to the first inventive aspect, the present invention relates to a closure for bottles with evidence of first opening. The closure is intended for being installed in the neck of a bottle which defines the longitudinal direction X-X and which will correspond to the axial direction of the closure.

(8) The closure according to the preferred embodiment comprises a pourer (1) and a cap (2). FIGS. 1 and 2 show respective cross-section of the closure before and after the first opening. The pourer (1) formed by a lower cylindrical section (1.2) in the form of a skirt covering the end of the neck of the bottle, not shown in the figure for the sake of clarity, is identified in these sections.

(9) The lower cylindrical section (1.2) has windows below which there are fixing elements (1.2.1) intended for allowing insertion of the pourer (1) on the neck of the bottle but they prevent it from coming out. These fixing means (1.2.1) are in the form of a flexible oblique extended strip to allow wedging and being supported on a perimetral projection of the neck of the bottle.

(10) The pourer has a base (1.5) intended for being supported on the mouth of the bottle, and on this base (1.5) the pourer (1) prolongs upwards by means of an essentially cylindrical body ending in a pourer edge (1.3). The positional terms in the description such as upper and lower are understood as referring to the orientation shown by the drawings. In this case, upper and lower are understood according to the longitudinal direction X-X, the end where the bottle is located being the lower position.

(11) A section of the upper cylindrical body of the pourer (1) is threaded (1.1) where this thread is complementary to the thread (2.1) of the cap (2) intended for covering the pourer (1). Screwing and unscrewing the cap (2) gives rise to a relative axial movement in addition to the rotation component.

(12) In this embodiment, the cap (2) prolongs towards the lower portion by means of a ring (2.4) initially linked to the cap (2) by means of breakable bridges (2.2). On the outer portion, this ring (2.4) has two parallel perimetral projections between which there is a perimetral notch (2.4.1).

(13) In this embodiment, the closure is covered by a capsule (4) covering, in the lower portion, the entire skirt (1.2) of the pourer (1).

(14) In this embodiment, the capsule (4) is an aluminum sheet body formed by a cylindrical body surrounding the closure and an upper base covering the upper surface of the cap (2).

(15) The capsule (4) shows a perimetral cut (4.2) made by means of a blade which, in addition to making the cut, produces the notch of the two lips generated in the cut, leaving them housed adjacent to one another in the perimetral notch (2.4.1) of the ring (2.4) of the cap (2).

(16) This perimetral cutting of the capsule (4) gives rise to two sections of capsule (4), the upper section integral with the cap (2) and the lower section integral with the skirt (1.2) of the pourer (1).

(17) The cap (2) has in its lower portion, above the breakable bridges (2.2) linking the ring (2.4), a perimetral projection (2.6) below which a first notch of the upper section of the capsule (4) is located. The combination of the perimetral projection (2.6) and the notch of the upper section of the capsule (4) cause the cap (2) to be coaxially integral with said upper section of the capsule (4).

(18) The cylindrical side face of the cap (2) has vertical ribs (2.3) aiding the retention against rotation between the capsule (4) and the cap (2).

(19) Likewise, the skirt (1.2) of the pourer (1) has a perimetral recess (1.2.2) housing a second notch of the lower section of the capsule (4). The combination of the perimetral recess (1.2.2) of the skirt (1.2) of the pourer (1) and the notch of the lower section of the cap (4) cause the skirt (1.2) to be coaxially integral with said lower section of the capsule (4).

(20) Additionally, the lip generated by the perimetral cut (4.2) of the capsule (4) in the lower section of the capsule (4) permanently fixes the ring (2.4) of the cap to the pourer (1).

(21) The first opening of the cap (2) thus generates rotation and also axial movement. This axial movement of the cap (2) is not followed by the ring which is retained by the upper lip of the lower section of the capsule (4), causing breakable bridges (2.2) temporarily linking it to the cap (2) to break. This breaking produces acoustic evidence of the first opening.

(22) FIGS. 1 and 2 also show a locking part (3). According to this embodiment, the locking part (3) is formed by a disc-shaped body arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X-X. The disc has a cylindrical section on its lower surface forming the temporary retaining section (3.2) and extending coaxial to the pourer (1) such that this lower temporary retaining section (3.2) enters by press fit, being supported on the inner surface of the pourer edge (1.3).

(23) The perimetral edge of the locking part (3) extends by means of a perimetral flange (3.1) configured in a conical section, i.e., a flexible oblique section supported on the inner face of the cap (2) is shown in a section view. The function of this perimetral flange (3.1) is to guide the axial movement of the locking part (3) and also to improve locking as described below.

(24) The perimetral flange (3.1) is configured to be flexible. The inner face of the cap (2) comprises a wedge (2.7) which also extends along the perimeter such that the locking part (3) reaches this wedge (2.7) in its axial movement when opening the cap (2). The flexibility of the perimetral flange (3.1) allows the locking part (3) to overcome the wedge (2.7). The flexible recovery of the perimetral flange (3.1) means that it will be supported on the wedge (2.7), preventing axial movement in the reverse direction. This support is shown in FIG. 2.

(25) In said FIG. 2, axial movement has been achieved such that the perimetral flange (3.1) irreversibly overcomes the wedge (2.7) such that the cap (2) is no longer capable of again moving down the distance it has moved up imposed by the position of the wedge (2.7). If the axial movement continues beyond the position shown in FIG. 2, the upward movement of the cap (2) means that the locking part (3) abuts with the internal thread of the cap (2) causing the temporary retaining section (3.2) to separate from the locking part (3) and the inner surface of the pourer edge (1.3) since the retention by friction between both elements (3.2, 1.3) is overcome.

(26) Therefore, FIG. 2 also corresponds to the situation resulting from closing the cap (2) again after the first opening where the locking part (3) moves down until its temporary retaining section (3.2) again enters the inner surface of the pourer edge (1.3) favoring a leak-tight closure preventing the liquid from coming out.

(27) The upward movement of the cap (2) also entails the upward movement of the upper section of the capsule (4) which is integral with the cap (2). This upward movement causes the lower lip of the upper section of the capsule (4) which is housed in the notch (4.2) of the ring (2.4) of the cap (2) to come out of said housing. In FIG. 2, the position in height according to the axial direction of the lower lip of the upper section of the capsule (4) is such that it does not expose the entire ring (2.4). Therefore, if the ring (2.4) has a color different from the color of the capsule (4), visual evidence of the first opening is very obvious.

(28) FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show the outer appearance sequence of the closure before the first opening, FIG. 3, with the closure completely open, FIG. 4; and, when it is screwed on again to the height allowed by the locking part, FIG. 5, leaving the ring (2.4) in view.

(29) If this ring did not exist, the gap would allow visual access to the section of the pourer (1) coinciding with the window left by the gap imposed by the locking part (3).

(30) The locking part (3) has axial symmetry so it can be positioned in any orientation during manufacture, facilitating the manufacture and assembly.

(31) The locking occurs when the wedge (2.7) is overcome. In this embodiment, a flexible perimetral flange (3.2) is what overcomes the wedge (2.7) so the locking does not require a reverse falling movement such as in the state of the art that gives rise to clearances after the first opening.

(32) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cap (2) has a window (2.5) on its upper portion. If the capsule is transparent or if it also has another window, the locking part (3) is visually exposed. In this case, the change in relative position with respect to the cap (2) after the first opening, a slightly lowered position, is additional visual evidence of this first opening.