Closure

Abstract

A crown closure having a curled lower edge is described. The curled crown is typically formed from double reduced steel which is 35% thinner gauge than that used for conventional fluted crowns. The crown is also described in combination with a standard glass bottle. The curl of the crown tucks under the capping bead of the bottle so as to achieve standard pressure requirements. Added benefits of this configuration are not only the concealment of the edge of the closure but also the distinctive appearance of the product.

1 . A metallic crown closure including a centre panel, and a peripheral skirt portion depending downwardly therefrom, the distal end of the skirt portion being curled outwardly to form a curl portion, the curl portion comprising at least 180° of material when viewed in cross section and being 0.5 to 2 mm in diameter.  
     
     
         2 . A crown according to  claim 1 , which is formed of steel and, optionally, coated with a polymer material.  
     
     
         3 . A crown according to  claim 2 , which is formed of a double reduced steel such a s ″DR  580 , which is in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm gauge.  
     
     
         4 . A crown according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , in which the diameter of the centre panel is of the order of 26.5 mm.  
     
     
         5 . A bottle having a neck which includes an outwardly extending capping bead and fitted with the crown of any one of  claims 1  to  4 , in which the crown is fitted over the neck of the bottle with its skirt portion around the neck finish and the curl substantially underneath the capping bead such that the outer diameter of the curl of the fitted crown is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the skirt portion.  
     
     
         6 . A bottle according to  claim 5 , in which the crown applied thereto is less than 6 mm in height.  
     
     
         7 . A bottle according to  claim 5  or  claim 6 , in which the curl of the crown applied to the bottle includes one or more reformed regions around its circumference which are limited to the height of the curl itself and do not extend up the plain side wall of the crown.  
     
     
         8 . A bottle according to any one of  claims 5  to  7 , in which the curl of the crown applied to the bottle comprises at least 270° of material when viewed in cross section.  
     
     
         9 . A method of capping a bottle with the crown of any one of  claims 1  to  8 , comprising: 
 locating the crown over the neck of a bottle, the neck of the bottle including an outwardly extending capping bead; and  
 reforming the crown to move at least a part of the curl under the capping bead, thereby securing the crown onto the neck of the bottle.  
 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , further comprising tightening the curled edge of the crown during capping of the bottle by distortion from its original circular shape to a polygonal shape.