Composition Stopper Cap

Abstract

Composite stopper cap includes: a) a metal cap having a crimp region and a means of easy initial opening, b) a plastics insert joined to a top part of the metal cap, the insert having a sealing head and an internally threaded skirt, and c) at least one first outer component assembled to the metal cap, the first outer component having at least one peripheral hand grip part. The cap is also includes a second outer component assembled to a metal connecting skirt in such a way as to cover and conceal the lower part of the metal cap.

1 . Composite stopper cap ( 1 ) for sealing the neck ( 2 ) of a bottle, said neck ( 2 ) comprising a glass ring ( 21 ) and an external screw thread ( 20 ), said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) being of height H in an axial direction ( 10 ) and comprising:
 a) a metal cap ( 3 ) provided with a metal head ( 30 ) and with a metal skirt ( 31 ), of axial height Hc<H and with average diameter D M , comprising a crimping zone ( 36 ) of said metal cap and an means of first easy opening ( 12 ) said composite stopper cap ( 1 ), a bottom part ( 35 ) of said metal skirt ( 31 ) remaining interdependent with said neck ( 2 ) when said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) is unscrewed when said neck ( 2 ) is opened for the first time;   b) a plastic insert ( 4 ) interdependent with a top part ( 32 ) of said metal cap ( 3 ), said insert comprising a head ( 40 ) and an internally threaded skirt ( 41 ) of axial height Hi<Hc; and   c) at least one first external part ( 5 ) assembled onto said metal cap ( 3 ), said first external part ( 5 ) having at least a peripheral part ( 50 ) for manual gripping of average diameter D P >D M , so that, when said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) seals said neck ( 2 ), manual rotation of said external part ( 5 ) causes said metal cap ( 3 ) and said insert ( 4 ) to rotate also, thereby allowing said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) to be unscrewed and said neck ( 2 ) to be opened, characterized in that it also comprises a second external part ( 6 ) assembled to the metal skirt ( 31 ) so as to cover and to mask the bottom part ( 35 ) of said metal cap.   
   
   
       2 . A composite stopper cap ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , in which said second external part ( 6 ) forms a cylindrical tubular part ( 6 ′) with an external diameter Ds ranging between D P  and D M , its internal diameter being typically close to D M . 
   
   
       3 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said second external part ( 6 ) works in conjunction with said bottom part ( 35 ) of said metal skirt ( 31 ), so that said second external part ( 6 ) remains axially interdependent with said bottom part ( 35 ) when said neck ( 2 ) is opened for the first time. 
   
   
       4 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said second external part ( 6 ,  6 ′) is fixed at the low part ( 34 ) of metal cap ( 3 ), its axial height Hs being at least equal to 0.5 times the height H B  of said bottom part ( 35 ), so as to cover most of said bottom part ( 35 ) while allowing the capping operation to take place, said external part being a fixed part ( 60 ) leaving free access to said crimping zone ( 36 ) of said metal skirt ( 31 ). 
   
   
       5 . A composite stopper cap according to any  claim 1 , in which said external part ( 6 ,  6 ′) is a moving part ( 61 ) which moves axially and which has, in relation to said metal skirt ( 31 ), two predetermined stable positions, via a means of positioning ( 18 ), with a so-called low position in which said moving part leaves free access to said crimping zone ( 36 ) of said metal skirt ( 31 ), and with a so-called high position in which said moving part ( 61 ), raised axially towards said first external part ( 5 ) after crimping, masks at least the crimped zone ( 36 ′) of said metal skirt ( 31 ), said moving part ( 61 ), in high position, working in conjunction with said bottom part ( 35 ) so as to remain interdependent with said neck ( 2 ) after said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) is unscrewed. 
   
   
       6 . A composite stopper cap according to claim  5  in which said means of positioning ( 18 ) comprises the axial co-operation of means of axial blocking ( 64 ,  631 ) borne by said moving part ( 61 ), and of means of axial blocking ( 311 ,  312 ) borne by said metal skirt ( 31 ). 
   
   
       7 . A composite stopper cap according to  claims 5  in which said means of positioning ( 18 ) includes or forms a reversible snap-on means so as to allow reversible movement from a high or low position, to the other, respectively low or high position. 
   
   
       8 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 5 , in which said metal skirt ( 31 ) has, just below the crimping zone ( 36 ) or the crimped zone ( 36 )′, a first snap ring ( 37 ) whose two slopes ( 311 ) and ( 312 ) act as snap-on means g, the first slope ( 311 ) being used in top position, as a reversible snap-on stop for a lip ( 64 ) of said moving part ( 61 ), and the second slope ( 312 ) being used, in bottom position, as a reversible snap-on stop for the inward turning oblique wall ( 631 ) of the top end of said moving part ( 61 ). 
   
   
       9 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 5 , in which said metal skirt ( 31 ) is provided with a second snap ring ( 38 ), of radial height typically 0.5 mm, which allows the second external part ( 61 ) to slide along the axis ( 10 ) while remaining centered. 
   
   
       10 . A composite stopper cap according to any of  claims 1  to  9  in which said second external part ( 6 ,  6 ′) is made from a material chosen from: plastics, metals, metallized plastics. 
   
   
       11 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said second external part ( 6 ,  6 ′) comprises at least one transparent zone, typically a transparent upper part ( 63 ), so as to allow said line of weakening or said line of bridges ( 330 ) appear, and thereby making said first opening of said neck ( 2 ) visible. 
   
   
       12 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said metal skirt ( 31 ) comprises a lower part ( 34 ) designed to be crimped under a lower shoulder ( 210 ) of said ring ( 21 ) during an operation known as capping and an intermediate part ( 33 ) comprising at least one line of weakening ( 330 ), so as to form said means of first easy opening ( 12 ), a break in said line of weakening ( 330 ) making it possible to detect said first opening of said neck ( 2 ). 
   
   
       13 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said first external part ( 5 ) comprises a first external skirt ( 52 ) forming said manual gripping peripheral part ( 50 ) and an outer head ( 51 ) positioned above said metal head ( 30 ) and of diameter no greater than Dm. 
   
   
       14 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said second external part ( 5 ) is made from a material chosen from: a metal, a plastic, glass, ceramics, a refractory material, a composite material, a natural material, a compressed or sintered material, or a combination of one or more of these materials 
   
   
       15 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 14  in which said first external part ( 5 ) is a solid part ( 5 ′) formed using a mould or by machining and/or removal of matter, said solid part ( 5 ′) comprising or forming a cavity in which said upper part ( 32 ) of said metal cap ( 3 ) can be housed. 
   
   
       16 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 14  in which said external part ( 5 ) is a non-solid part ( 5 ″) formed from a strip or sheet of starting material, typically metal, and formed by stamping or spinning. 
   
   
       17 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said first external part ( 5 ) forms or comprises a means of weighing down said composite stopper cap ( 1 ). 
   
   
       18 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said peripheral part ( 50 ) of said first external part ( 5 ) has an envelope surface of revolution. 
   
   
       19 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said peripheral part ( 50 ) has a main direction ( 54 ) in a longitudinal plane comprising said axial direction ( 10 ), so as to facilitate manual gripping and rotation of said composite stopper cap ( 1 ). 
   
   
       20 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 19  in which said peripheral part ( 50 ) has, in a transverse plane perpendicular to the axial direction, a section bounded by an elliptical contour, the main axis of which corresponds to said main direction. 
   
   
       21 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said peripheral part ( 50 ) comprises a plurality of N axial cavities or axial grooves ( 53 ), with N being between 3 and 18, typically angularly distant by 360°/N, so as to facilitate manual gripping and rotation of said composite stopper cap ( 1 ). 
   
   
       22 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said peripheral part ( 50 ) comprises a plurality of N′ axial cavities or axial grooves ( 53 ′), with N′ being between 1 and 10, typically equidistant in said axial direction, so as to facilitate manual gripping of said composite stopper cap ( 1 ). 
   
   
       23 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said insert ( 4 ) is made interdependent with said metal cap ( 3 ) by means of a layer of an adhesive material. 
   
   
       24 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said insert ( 4 ) is made interdependent with said metal cap ( 3 ) by heat sealing of the threaded skirt ( 41 ) of said insert ( 4 ) to the metal skirt ( 31 ) of said metal cap ( 3 ), at least said metal skirt ( 31 ) of said metal cap ( 3 ) being covered on the inside by an internal layer of varnish or a selected thermoplastic material depending on said plastic of said insert ( 4 ) and able to be heat sealed to said insert ( 4 ). 
   
   
       25 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 24 , in which said interior layer of said metal cap ( 3 ) comprises, in divided state, said plastic of said insert ( 4 ), so as to allow said heat sealing of said insert ( 4 ) into said metal cap ( 3 ). 
   
   
       26 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said first external part ( 5 ,  5 ′,  5 ″) is made interdependent with said metal cap ( 3 ) by means of a layer of an adhesive material. 
   
   
       27 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said upper part ( 32 ) of said metal skirt ( 31 ) comprises a plurality of radial openings, and in which said insert ( 4 ) and said first external part ( 5 ,  5 ′,  5 ″) are made interdependent by heat sealing through said plurality of radial openings, whole or part of said insert ( 4 ) and the first external part ( 5 ,  5 ′, 5 ″) being of a chemical nature such as to allow said heat sealing. 
   
   
       28 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said insert ( 4 ) made of plastic comprises a head ( 40 ) provided with a ring-shaped lip ( 46 ,  470 ). 
   
   
       29 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 28  in which said head of said insert ( 4 ) made of plastic comprises a seal ( 7 ), said ring-shaped lip ( 46 ) being used as a radial compression ring for the edge of said seal, so as to ensure that said neck is tightly closed. 
   
   
       30 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 28  in which said head of said insert ( 4 ) made of plastic comprises an obturator ( 47 ) provided with said ring-shaped lip ( 470 ). 
   
   
       31 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said metal skirt ( 31 ) comprises a shoulder ( 310 ) forming an axial stop for said external part ( 5 ,  5 ′,  5 ″), typically for a lower end ( 55 ) of said first external part ( 5 ,  5 ′,  5 ″), said shoulder ( 310 ) dividing said metal skirt ( 31 ) into an upper part of smaller diameter and a lower part of larger diameter. 
   
   
       32 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , in which said first external part ( 5 ) has a lower end ( 55 ) which is connected tangentially to said metal skirt ( 31 ), so that said lower end ( 55 ) and said metal skirt ( 31 ) are connected without discontinuity by having typically the same diameter. 
   
   
       33 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , comprising an anti-refilling device ( 8 ) designed to prevent any fraudulent refilling of said bottle by said neck ( 2 ), said device ( 8 ) being made removeably interdependent with said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) so that said device ( 8 ) is fixed to said neck ( 2 ) during the capping operation and remains fixed to said neck when said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) is unscrewed. 
   
   
       34 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 33  in which said anti-refilling device ( 8 ) comprises:
 a) a so-called higher part ( 80 ) comprising a threaded ring ( 800 ) able to work in conjunction with said threaded skirt ( 41 ) of said insert ( 4 ),   b) a so-called lower part ( 81 ) comprising a fixing skirt ( 810 ) able to work in conjunction with said glass ring ( 21 ), and an interior wall forming a cage ( 811 ) comprising a lower opening ( 812 ), and   c) a mobile component ( 82 ), typically a ball ( 820 ), able to move in said cage and to close, by gravity, said lower opening ( 812 ) when said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) is in vertical position, so as to form an anti-run-back device.   
   
   
       35 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 34  in which:
 a) said higher part ( 80 ) comprises a top grid ( 801 ), and   b) said lower part ( 81 ) comprises a vault ( 813 ) provided with side openings to allow said liquid to pass,   
   
   
       36 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 35  in which said anti-refilling device ( 8 ) comprises a protective part ( 83 ), typically a portion of metal plate ( 83 ′), placed between said top grid ( 801 ) and said vault ( 813 ), so as to obstruct any attempt to reach and move said mobile component ( 82 ,  820 ), while allowing said liquid to flow normally out of said bottle. 
   
   
       37 . A composite stopper cap according to  claim 1 , comprising a pouring device ( 9 ) designed to facilitate the flow of said liquid, said pouring device ( 9 ) comprising a flexible ring-shaped lip ( 90 ), and able to work in conjunction, moveably, with said composite stopper cap ( 1 ) and an interior skirt ( 91 ) able to work in conjunction with the interior of said neck ( 2 ), typically by means of at least one circular fin ( 910 ), so as to be tightly interdependent with said neck ( 2 ).