US20240067422A1 - Closing cap for pouring holes for containers holding liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

Closing cap for pouring holes for containers holding liquids. It comprises: a lower ring (1) with a first sector (9) intended to be retained axially in the hooking collar and a second sector (10); articulated with respect to the first sector (9); a top lid (2), foldable; a hinging element (3) with two elastic sheets (13); and a locking device to lock the lid (2) in the folded open position, with a flexible tab (14), between the two elastic sheets (13); and a heel (15) protruding radially outwards. The second sector (10) of the ring (1) further comprises a notch (16) for housing the heel (15) when the lid (2) is in the folded open position and with an inclination with respect to the ring (1) in the range of 90° to 179°.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• The present application claims priority to Spanish Patent Application No. U202231389 filed on Aug. 23, 2022, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention falls within the technical field of caps with lower resistance lines, strips, tearing rings or similar opening or lifting devices to allow the formation of pouring holes. The invention relates in particular to a closing cap for pouring holes in liquid containers, which is threaded to the neck of the container.
• The closing cap of the invention comprises a base or lower ring, which can be threaded to the neck of the bottle, a hinged lid for opening and closing, which allows the liquid to exit without the need to unscrew the base, and parallel and deployable connection arms linking the ring and the cap in a hinged manner. A defined notch on an outer face of the lower ring, which cooperates with a heel, produces a click indicating the maximum opening of the hinged lid. This cap remains attached to the neck of the bottle at all times by mechanical means, thus facilitating its recycling procedure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• In the state of the art, capping devices are known that allow the cap to remain attached to a neck of the container. The PCT application with publication number WO2020193821, by the same applicant, refers to a capping device intended to be fixed to the neck of a container so as to cap a hole in said neck, comprising a lower ring with a first sector intended to be held axially in the neck and a second sector; a cap; and a hinging device connecting the cap to the second sector of the lower ring.
• The first sector and the second sector of the lower ring are hinged together in such a way that the second sector pivots with respect to the first sector from a lowered position to a raised position to allow the cap to be separated axially from the neck from the locked position to a free position where the cap is no longer attached to the neck of the container. The hinging device is configured to allow the cap to pivot between said free position and a folded open position where it is withdrawn from the neck hole.
• Another example of this applicant can be seen in the Spanish patent with publication number ES2751171, relating to a cap for packaging comprising a cylindrical body formed by the hinged joint of two superimposed parts, a lower part provided with gripping means for its retention in the neck of the container, and a top part provided with an upper base attached to a perimeter wall, where said perimeter wall comprises a visor to allow the opening of the cap, and a flap arranged transversely to it and in correspondence with a complementary recess provided at the upper edge of the lower part. The flap comprises on an inner surface a cord arranged transversely to the axial axis of the cap in order to grip the upper part to the neck of the container.
• These caps allow the top lid to be folded over 180°, making its use easier. However, there is a maximum opening that can be considered as a breaking point, and that must not be exceeded or forced. It is necessary for the cap to incorporate means to warn the user that said point should not be exceeded, without these means negatively affecting the integrity and the rest of the characteristics of the cap.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• The object of the invention consists of a closing cap for pouring holes of containers holding liquids, the cap being attachable to the neck of a container for the opening and closing of its corresponding pouring hole.
• The cap comprises at least the following elements:
• • a lower ring that includes a first sector intended to be retained axially in the neck and a second sector;
  • a lid that includes an upper wall and an outer peripheral skirt, the lid being able to be arranged in a closed position where the upper wall seals the neck hole and the peripheral skirt surrounds said neck; and
  • a hinging element that connects the lid to the second sector of the lower ring.
• The first sector and the second sector of the lower ring are hinged together so that the second sector pivots with respect to the first sector from a lowered position to a raised position to allow the lid to move axially away from the neck from the closed position to a released position where the lid is no longer attached to the neck of the container.
• The hinging device is configured to allow the cap to pivot between said released position and an open folded position where it is withdrawn from the neck hole. The second sector includes at least one support element protruding radially inwards the lower ring and that is configured to come into position above the hooking collar, resting against it, when the second sector is in the raised position.
• In this way, the kinematics of the lid between the closed position and the open position include a downward upward movement and then a pivoting movement towards the rear of the cap. Consequently, this allows the lid to be taller and optionally to be screwed onto the neck. In addition, such a cap is likely to be used for a wide variety of applications and particularly for containers containing soft drinks.
• The second sector of the ring additionally has a notch, intended to house a heel that extends from the peripheral skirt of the lid, when the lid is in the folded open position, at 90° with respect to the ring. The notch is configured so that, when reaching and exceeding the 180° opening of the lid in the open folded position, there is an interaction with the heel that generates an audible “click” warning, which warns the user that the maximum opening has been reached, thus avoiding possible breakage.
• In addition, thanks to the supporting element that allows the second sector to be kept in the raised position, the cap remains uncoupled from the neck. This also ensures a good placement of the cap on the neck during its movement from the open folded position towards the closed position and in particular without the consumer having to exert an uncontrolled tensile effort on the second sector of the lower ring allowing the placement of the cap in the neck.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• To complement the description being made and in order to provide a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of its practical embodiment, a set of drawings is attached and as an integral part of this description, where, with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, the following has been represented:
• FIG.1.—Shows a top front perspective view of the closing cap for pouring holes for containers holding liquid.
• FIG.2.—Shows a bottom perspective view of the cap.
• FIG.3.—Shows a front view of the cap.
• FIG.4.—Shows a top perspective view of the back of the cap, sectioned along central plane.
• FIG.5.—Shows a right-side view of the cap.
• FIG.6.—Shows a sectional view of the cap illustrated inFIG.5.
• FIG.7.—Shows a rear perspective view of the lid in the raised and open arrangement at 90° with respect to the ring.
• FIG.8.—Shows a rear perspective view of the lid in the raised and open arrangement at 180° with respect to the ring.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
• A detailed explanation of a preferred embodiment of the object of the present invention is provided below, with the help of the aforementioned figures.
• In the description, when referring to the X axis, it must be understood that this corresponds to an axis of the capping device intended to be positioned orthogonally to the plane of the hole to be sealed when the capping device is in the closing position and seals said hole. The X axis thus corresponds to the cap rotation axis of the capping device when the capping device is screwed onto the neck of the container.
• By convention, the “radial” orientation is directed orthogonally to the X axis. The term “outer” is used to define the relative position of an element with respect to another, by reference to the X axis, an element close to the X axis is thus classified as inner as opposed to an outer element located radially in the periphery. The terms “top” and “bottom” are used to define the relative position of an element with respect to another by reference to a position where the neck hole is facing upwards and the cap is in the closed position at the neck of the container, an element intended to be placed lower being referred to as bottom, and an element intended to be placed higher being referred to as top.
• The closing cap for pouring holes for containers holding liquids described is intended to be attached to the neck of a container having a hooking collar. The cap, shown inFIG.1, consists of a lower ring (1), intended to be retained in the neck of the container, an upper lid (2), intended to cover the container's pouring hole to close it, and a hinging element (3) that connects the lid (2) with the ring (1) in a hinged way.
• The lid (2) comprises a flat, horizontal upper wall (4) intended to be placed substantially orthogonal to the X axis facing the neck hole when the lid (2) is in the closed position. The lid (2) also comprises a peripheral skirt (5), intended to surround the neck of the container when said lid (2) is in the closed position. The peripheral skirt (5) extends downwards, perpendicular to the upper wall (4), from the outer periphery of said upper wall (4).
• The peripheral skirt (5) has on its inner face a screwable surface (6), formed by a series of helical ribs, intended to cooperate with a complementary screwable surface located on the outer surface of the neck. Thus, the lid (2) is configured to be screwed onto the neck in order to close the container and to be unscrewed from the neck in order to open the container.
• The lid (2) is therefore movable between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, the lid (2) is no longer attached to the neck of the container. It is thus suitable for folding into the open folded position, where the lid (2) is withdrawn from the neck hole so that it does not hinder the pouring of the content from the container.
• The peripheral skirt (5) has on its outer face a series of notches (7) distributed around the X axis and extending parallel to the X axis. The notches (7) thus provide a rough surface that facilitates the grip of the lid (2) by the user or the bottling line assembly device.
• The lid (2) also comprises an inner skirt extending perpendicularly downwards from an inner face of the upper wall (4) and is configured to be inserted inside the neck hole. The cap (2) further comprises an annular lip, extending, from an inner face of the upper wall (4), radially between the inner skirt and the outer peripheral skirt (5).
• The inner skirt and annular lip are sized so that, when the lid (2) is in the closed position, on the neck of the container, the inner skirt is in contact against the inner face of the neck while the annular lip is in contact against the outer face of the neck. In this way, the inner skirt and annular lip guarantee the tightness of the closure.
• The ring (1) is, before the first opening of the container, connected to the lid (2) by frangible bridges (8), which are intended to break during the first opening of the lid (2). These frangible bridges (8) thus constitute tamper-evident seals and connect the upper edge of the ring (1) and the lower edge of the peripheral skirt (5).
• The ring (1) remains axially linked to the neck of the container, while being able to rotate with respect to it around the X axis. The ring (1) comprises two parts hinged to each other, more specifically a first sector (9) and a second sector (10) through which the ring (1) is connected to the lid (2) through the hinging element (3).
• The ring (1) comprises two thin zones (11), whose radial thickness is less than the rest of the ring (3). The two thinned zones (11) delimit the first sector (9) and the second sector (10), and form pivots that allow the hinging of the second sector (10) with respect to the first sector (9). In the embodiment shown, the two thinned zones (11) are diametrically opposite, on both sides of the ring (1).
• Thanks to this ring structure (1), the second sector (10) can pivot upwards with respect to the first sector (9), from a lowered position to a raised position in order to allow the lid (2) to move upwards with respect to the neck of the container until the screwable surface (6) of the lid (2) separates from the complementary screwable surface of the outer neck surface. In this way, when the lid (2) is unscrewed, the ring (1) is dragged in rotation around the X axis while the second sector (10) of the ring (1) pivots with respect to the first sector (9) to the raised position, to allow an axial upward movement of the lid (2), from the closed position to the released position.
• The first sector (9) of the ring (1) includes retaining elements (12) in order to retain the ring (1) axially to the neck of the container. The retaining elements (12) are protrusions, shown inFIG.2, protruding radially inwards from the first sector (9) of the ring (1).
• The second sector (10) includes support elements formed by protrusions protruding radially inwards. The support elements are configured so that, when the second sector (10) is in the lowered position, the support elements are located below the hooking collar and when the second sector (10) is in the raised position, the supporting elements are located above the hooking collar and are supported on it.
• Due to the connection of lids (2) with the second sector (10) through the hinging element (3), the ring (1) is commanded to traction during the movement of the second sector (10) from the lowered position to the raised position, this allows the supporting elements to move from a low position under the hooking collar to a high position above and resting on the hooking collar.
• The hinging element (3) is configured to allow the lid (2) to swing between the released position and the folded open position. In the embodiment shown, the hinging element (3) includes two elastic sheets (13) that connect the lid (2), more particularly the peripheral skirt (5), to the second sector (10) of the ring (1). The two elastic sheets (13) are positioned in the central part of the second sector (10).
• The closing cap additionally comprises a locking device configured to lock the lid (2) in the folded open position. The locking device comprises:
• • a flexible tab (14), arranged between the two elastic sheets (13), and
  • a heel (15) protruding radially outwards, from the peripheral skirt (5) of the lid (1).
• The heel (15) is configured to bear against the tab (14) when the lid (2) pivots toward the open folded position to lock it in that position, as shown inFIG.9.
• The stretch possibilities of the elastic sheets (13) together with the characteristics of the locking device, make it possible to create hard point halfway through the folding path of the lid (2) between the released position and the open folded position, so that, during the first part of the lid (2), the two elastic sheets (13) are, due to the resting of the heel (15) on the tab (14), subjected to a traction force that increases up to an intermediate unstable position and then decreases from said intermediate unstable position towards the open folded position. This allows the lid (2) to be locked in the open folded position, as shown inFIG.9.
• In addition, the locking device is configured so that the opening angle of the lid (2) in said open folded position is greater than or equal to 180°, as shown inFIG.8.
• The second sector (10) of the ring (1) additionally has a notch (16), located between the elastic sheets (13), intended to accommodate the heel (15) when the lid (2) is in the raised position and open at 90° with respect to the ring (1), as inFIG.7.
• The notch (16) is configured so that, starting from the 90° inFIG.7 and upon reaching the 180° of opening of the lid (2) in the open folded position, the heel (15) slides out of said notch (16) to remain engaged in the tab, also generating an audible “click” warning that warns the user that the maximum opening is being reached, thus avoiding possible breakage. This arrangement is illustrated inFIG.8.
• Preferably, the closing cap is produced by molding in a single piece of synthetic material, such as polyethylene, and advantageously high-density polyethylene.

Claims (16)

1. A closing cap for pouring holes for containers holding liquids, attachable to the neck of a container having a hooking collar, for closing a pouring hole in the neck, said cap comprising:

a lower ring (1) in turn comprising:

a first sector (9) intended to be retained axially in the neck's hooking collar, and

a second sector (10); articulated with respect to the first sector (9);

a top lid (2), in turn comprising:

a flat upper wall (4), and

an outer peripheral skirt (5),

being the lid (2) suitable to be arranged in a closing position wherein the upper wall (4) closes the neck hole and the peripheral skirt (5) surrounds said neck;

a hinging element (3) comprising two elastic sheets (13) connecting the peripheral skirt (5) with the second sector (10), configured to allow a pivot of the lid (2) between a released position and an open folded position wherein the lid (2) is withdrawn from the hole; and

a locking device configured to lock the lid (2) in the folded open position, comprising:

a flexible tab (14), arranged between the two elastic sheets (13); and

a heel (15) protruding radially outwards, from the peripheral skirt (5) of the lid (1);

being the closing cap characterized in that the second sector (10) of the ring (1) further comprises a notch (16) for housing the heel (15) when the lid (2) is in the folded open position and with an inclination with respect to the ring (1) within the range of 90° to 179°.

2. The closing cap according toclaim 1, wherein the first sector (9) and the second sector (10) are separated from each other by two thinned areas (11) in which the ring (1) presents locally a decrease in radial thickness.

3. The closing cap according toclaim 1, wherein the heel (15) and the notch (16) are located in a central area of the second sector (10).

4. The closing cap according toclaim 1, wherein the hinging element (3) is connected to the second sector (10) in a central area of the second sector (10).

5. The closing cap according toclaim 1, wherein the lower ring (1) is connected to the peripheral skirt (5) by frangible bridges (8).

6. The closing cap according toclaim 1, wherein the cap is molded in a single piece.

7. The closing cap according toclaim 2, wherein the heel (15) and the notch (16) are located in a central area of the second sector (10).

8. The closing cap according toclaim 2, wherein the hinging element (3) is connected to the second sector (10) in a central area of the second sector (10).

9. The closing cap according toclaim 3, wherein the hinging element (3) is connected to the second sector (10) in a central area of the second sector (10).

10. The closing cap according toclaim 2, wherein the lower ring (1) is connected to the peripheral skirt (5) by frangible bridges (8).

11. The closing cap according toclaim 3, wherein the lower ring (1) is connected to the peripheral skirt (5) by frangible bridges (8).

12. The closing cap according toclaim 4, wherein the lower ring (1) is connected to the peripheral skirt (5) by frangible bridges (8).

13. The closing cap according toclaim 2, wherein the cap is molded in a single piece.

14. The closing cap according toclaim 3, wherein the cap is molded in a single piece.

15. The closing cap according toclaim 4, wherein the cap is molded in a single piece.

16. The closing cap according toclaim 5, wherein the cap is molded in a single piece.

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