SAFETY BOTTLE CAP

Description

[0001] The invention relates to closing devices for low-viscosity liquid containers preventing refilling thereof during storage and transportation.

[0002] A closing device is known for bottles described in application EP 0670271, A1 IPC⁶ B 65 D 49/00, published in 1995, which comprises a case of a cylindrical shape at the bottom end of which there is provided a seat with a through-pass opening supporting the gate element. The inner surface of the case is adjoined tightly by a splitter in the form of a ring with ribs dividing the interior space of the case into through-pass channels for liquid flow. The device is resiliently and sealingly fixed inside the bottleneck using elastic annular protrusions which prevent leaking of the liquid. Pouring out the liquid from the bottle after unscrewing the cap and tearing the warranty collar is effected by tilting the bottle, whereby the force of the liquid flow pushes out the gate element that sits in the seat having the through-pass opening and opens it letting the liquid pass through the splitter channels of the power body channels defined by the space between the ribs. When the bottle returns in the initial upright position, the closing element, under its own gravity, returns to the initial position and locks the through-pass opening, upon which it is impossible to refill the bottle with the liquid.

[0003] The disclosed device, however, has a number of essential drawbacks affecting its functional operation. The ball-shaped gate element is unstable, which dictates the shape of upright guides for accommodation on the seat, these guides being positioned such that the ball is squeezed there between due to which its mobility is limited. As a result of cooling the container, pressure reduction in the bottle occurs which may result in sticking of the gate element and in failure to pour out the liquid, which requires quick agitation of the container.

[0004] A closing device is also known that contains a cylindrical sleeve the upper portion of which is a screw cap and has a moveable elastic annular protrusion to be fixed on a bottle, thereby providing a permanent connection. A cowl with a warranty collar is pressed on the screw cap, a splitter in the form of a ribbed ring is positioned inside the housing by means of a thread, the ribs dividing the interior space into through-pass channels for liquid flow. To pour in the liquid, the housing cavity is provided with a resilient element having on its centre a seat with a through-pass opening which supports the gate element in the form of a valve. The resilient element is sealingly fixed inside the bottleneck using the elastic annular protrusions and is hermetically connected to the housing for pouring in the liquid, which prevents leaking out the liquid.

[0005] Pouring out the liquid from the bottle following preliminary tearing of the warranty collar is effected by tilting the bottle, whereby the force of liquid flow pushes out the closing gate element that sits in the seat having a through-pass opening and opens it letting the liquid pass through the housing channels defined by the space between the ribs. When the bottle returns to its initial upright position, the gate element, under its own gravity, returns to the initial position and locks the through-pass opening, upon which it is impossible to refill the bottle with the liquid. (RU, No.2150417, Cl. B 65 D 49/02, published 2000).

[0006] This device, however, has a number of essential drawbacks affecting its functional operation. Because of the presence of the moveable valve, its deformation and wedging are possible as well as sticking at a decreased temperature due to reduced pressure within the container, which results in failure to pour out the liquid and in the need to agitate the container so that the valve could operate.

[0007] It is also known a safety bottle cap comprising a metal enclosure with a screw cap fastened by a thread on an outer sleeve connected by ribs to an internal sleeve and forming through-pass channels, a resilient element with a put-trough-pass opening and protrusions that form an open-top annular cavity containing a low part of the internal sleeve, thereby forming a gap between the bottom and protrusions of the resilient element. (RU, No.2193000, Cl. B 65 D 49/02, published 20.11.2002, which forms the basis for the preamble of the appended claim).

[0008] The closest technical solution to the present invention is a safety bottle cap (WO02/0967771) comprising a sleeve member which comprises a first portion which, prior to initial opening of the closure, is associated with a second portion by a frangible portion which is caused to fracture or break by an initial container opening operation, and a container closure member with which the second portion is associated, said first portion and second portion being provided with a respective circumferential edge adjacent to said frangible portion and said container closure member being provided with an indictor collar. Prior to an initial container opening operation, the circumferential edge of said first portion is disposed longitudinally between the circumferential edge of said second portion and the indicator collar of said container closure member. Upon reclosure of the container, the indicator collar of the container closure member is disposed longitudinally between the circumferential edge of the first portion and the circumferential edge of the second portion.

[0009] The proposed technical solution is directed to improvement of reliability thereof by using an additional level of protection against bottle refilling.

[0010] This aim is achieved by the fact that the safety bottle cap comprises a metal enclosure with a screw cap threadedly engaged with an external sleeve, the whole being arranged as disclosed in the characterising part of the claim. Said external sleeve is connected to an internal sleeve by means of ribs in such a way that through channels are formed. The safety cap also comprises an elastic element provided with through-pass holes and protrusions which form an annular open-top cavity containing the low part of the internal sleeve, thereby forming a space between the bottom and protrusions of the elastic element. The metal enclosure is fixed to the screw cap which is provided with a control indicator collar; said metal enclosure is made from two adjacent parts the edges of which are bent into the control indicator collar in such a way that one of the edges is released when the cap is unscrewed.

[0011] The invention is illustrated with drawings wherein Fig.1 schematically shows the safety cap in sectional view; Fig.2 shows assembly A of Fig.1, the cap before opening; Fig.3 shows the same, the cap after opening.

[0012] Screw cap 2 is made with a control indicator collar 3 along the outline of the low part of the screw cap, the edges of the metal enclosure 1 are rolled into the control indicator collar 3.

[0013] Cap 2 is fixed by a thread to external sleeve 4 connected by ribs 5 with internal sleeve 6, thereby forming through channels 7.

[0014] Low part of interior sleeve 6 with a closed upper end is positioned adjacent to elastic element 8 having through hole 9 and protrusions 10 and 11 forming an open-top cavity 12. The low part of internal sleeve 6 is located within annular cavity 12, thereby to form a space between bottom 13, protrusions 10 and 11 of elastic element 8, which provides a hydraulic lock.

[0015] The device operates as follows.

[0016] When screw cap 2 is unscrewed, the sealed control indicator collar 3 is released. When the bottle (not shown) is tilted, the liquid passes through the through-pass hole 9 to annular cavity 12 of the hydraulic lock and then by through channels 7 leaks out of the bottle.

[0017] When the bottle is returned to its upright position, the liquid present in through channels 7 enters into the annular cavity of the hydraulic lock and further to the bottle, thereby providing excessive pressure preventing further inflow of the liquid. The pressure created by the hydraulic lock within the container prevents the liquid from filling the container.

[0018] The safety bottle cap preventing refilling the container, with the hydraulic lock, assembled from 4 parts and having several standard heights, suits a wide range of bottle shapes. The control safety collar and hydraulic lock provide a high level of protection from refilling. The bottle closure is effected by pressing from the top downwards using a closing machine (not shown).

[0019] All parts of the safety bottle cap are made of environmentally pure materials, polyethylene, polystyrene and metal on high-capacity automatic injection machines by injection using moulds with a hot runner system and dies.

[0020] A pilot specimen of the hydraulic lock valve was manufactured at the pilot/mechanical production facility IUPP AO "BELCAPS" on a lathe and milling equipment. The external sleeve was made of polymethylmethacrylate (organic glass), the elastic element was made of caprolon, and the enclosure was made of an aluminium sheet.

Claims

1. A safety bottle cap comprising a screw cap (2) threadedly engaged with an external sleeve (4) connected to an internal sleeve (6) by means of ribs (5) in such a way that through channels (7) are formed; an elastic element (8) provided with a through hole (9) and protrusions (10, 11), which form an annular open-top cavity (12) containing the lower part of the internal sleeve (6), thereby forming a space between the bottom (13) and protrusions (10, 11) of the elastic element (8); characterised in that a metal enclosure (1) is fixed to the screw cap (2), the latter being provided on the outline with a control indicator collar (3), said metal enclosure (1) being made from two separate adjacent parts the edges of which are bent into the control indicator collar (3) in such way that one of the edges is released when the cap is unscrewed.

Ansprüche

1. Ein Sicherheitsflaschenverschluß, der eine Gewindekappe (2), die mit einer äußeren Buchse (4) durch Gewinde in Eingriff ist, wobei diese Buchse durch Rillen (5) mit einer inneren Buchse (6) so verbindet ist, dass Durchgangskanäle (7) gestaltet sind, ein elastisches Element (8), das mit einer Durchgangsöffnung (9) und Vorsprüngen (10, 11) ausgerüstet ist, wobei sie einen von oben geöffneten ringförmigen Hohlraum (12) formieren, der den Unterteil der inneren Buchse (6) enthält, wodurch ein Raum zwischen dem Boden (13) und den Vorsprüngen (10, 11) des elastischen Elementes (8) ausgestaltet wird, umfasst, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein metallisches Gehäuse (1) an der erwähnten Gewindekappe (2) befestigt ist, wobei die Letzte auf seiner Kantenlinie mit einem Kontrollanzeigekragen (3) ausgerüstet ist, wo das erwähnte metallische Gehäuse (1) von zwei gesonderten benachbarten Teilen zusammengestellt ist, deren Kanten in dem erwähnten Kontrollanzeigekragen (3) so gebogen sind, dass eine der erwähnten Kanten freigegeben wird, wenn der Verschluß herausgeschraubt ist.

Revendications

1. Une capsule de protection pour bouteille comprenant un capuchon fileté (2), engrené au moyen d'un filet avec un manchon extérieur (4), lié avec un manchon intérieur (6) au moyen de nervures (5) de telle manière que des canaux de passage (7) sont formés; un élément élastique (8) muni d'un trou de passage (9) et de saillies (10, 11) qui forment une cavité annulaire ouverte en dessus (12) contenant la partie inférieure du manchon intérieur (6), formant ainsi un espace entre le fond (13) et les saillies (10, 11) de l'élément élastique (8); caractérisée en ce qu'une enveloppe métallique (1) est fixée audit capuchon fileté (2), ce dernier étant muni d'un collier indicateur de contrôle (3) sur sa ligne de contour, ladite enveloppe métallique (1) étant fabriquée en deux pièces adjacentes séparées, les bords desquelles sont pliés dans ledit collier indicateur de contrôle (3) de telle manière que l'un desdits bords se dégage quand la capsule est dévissée.

Drawing