A MULTI-USE SCREW-ON BOTTLE CAP AND STOPPER

Abstract: The invention consists of a multi-use cap constituted by a stopper and a screw-on cap. The cap is screwed on to the neck of the bottle loosely retaining inside it the stopper, that has a conical adjustment surface and a flange that abuts against the screwthreading of said stopper. The latter has, at the inner face of its upper surface, a projection that contacts the upper part of the cap. A flange in form of a truncated cone is arranged to the lower part of the stopper, attached to it by easy-to-break points and fitting the projection of the neck in the screw-off operation. The loose fitting of the stopper into the cap allows the obtention of the closing effect.

Description: The invention relates to a multi-use bottle and cap assembly according to the pre-characterising portion of claim 1. Many kinds of bottle and cap assemblies have been developed to provide a secure and easy airtight closing of bottles. As an example therefor, French patent application 2,528,393, which corresponds to the pre-characterising portion of claim 1, discloses a bottle and cap assembly for bottles containing sterilized liquids capable of supporting high sterilization temperatures comprising a cap and a stopper of very flexible material located therein. The stopper, according to this French patent application has a conical shape at its tip followed by a straight cylindrical portion, then by a conical peripheral step and then by an upper portion of wider diametre. The cap, according to this French patent application, has at its bottom, a circular recess and an abutment surface. According to this French patent application, when the cap is screwed on the bottle the bottom of the cap will press on the resilient stopper which will then penetrate into the bottle neck by the conical tip of its sealing skirt followed by the straight cylindrical portion of the sealing skirt until the outer part of the upper wide stopper portion presses on and around the bottle mouth. Consequently, the stopper acts basically as a conventional cork-stopper. Simultaneously, the upper portion of the stopper is pressed into the circular recess provided in the cap bottom so that, when the cap is unscrewed, the stopper will be pulled out of the bottle neck by the vacuum caused adherence between the cap and the stopper. The cap is also provided with abutments which prevent the stopper from falling out when unscrewed. Such cap and bottle assembly is, however not capable of supporting frequent screwing and unscrewing as the stopper is obviously deformed and subject to stresses caused by its friction with the bottle mouth rim and/or the cap bottom, and to torsions which lead to capillar leaks and deformations and the consequent loss of airtightness conditions, due to that the stopper is forced to turn around together with the cap or that the cap turns around on the stopper. Furthermore, the flexible stopper if strongly stuck in the bottle neck, may remain retained therein due to the loss of its vacuum caused adherence with the cap so that the stopper, due to its flexible nature will slip over the abutment provided within the cap, so that the stopper must then be pulled out manually, which causes further deformation and danger of leaks of the assembly. The present invention as claimed is intended to provide an inexpensive cap and bottle assembly capable of supporting frequent screwing on and unscrewing from the bottle containing gaseous liquids like sparkling water, lemonade etc., i.e. carbonated liquids causing pressure within the bottle, without losing its airtight sealing qualities, and wherein the stopper is always retained within the cap. The invention, which is defined by claim 1, advantageously solves these goals by providing an inexpensive, simple and easy to handle bottle and cap assembly which perfectly supports frequent screwing and unscrewing without any loss of airtightness as any torsion or deformation of the stopper leading to capillar leaks is practically reduced to zero. One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail hereinbelow with reference to the drawings which illustrate only one preferred embodiment, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the cap and the stopper disconnected from each other; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the assembled cap and stopper screwed on a bottle. The figures show a cap having on the inside of its vertical walls (1) a screwthreading (2) whilst on the outside thereof there are longitudinal ribs (3) to provide a better grip. A stopper is located in a space (5) existing between cap bottom (4) and the upper portion of screwthread (2.) In the centre of the cap bottom (4) there is a convex raised part or abutment (6.) At its lower edge the cap is provided with a sealing flange (7) joined to the cap body by easy to break points (8.) The stopper loosely lodged inside the cap comprises a flange like part (9) which downwardly extends into a conical sealing skirt (10.) The flange (9) and the skirt (10) are separated by a peripheral conical step (11.) In an unscrewed position flange (9) of the stopper rests on the upper part of screwthreading (2) and there is no contact between abutment (6) of cap bottom (4) and the upper surface of flange (9), so that there is a free space (5) left between said cap bottom (4) and the upper surface of said flange (9.) When the cap is screwed on screwthreading (13) of bottle neck (12) having a peripheral rib (14), abutment (6) of the cap bottom (4) will push on the upper surface of flange (9) thereby pushing the stopper into the bottle neck (12) until the peripheral conical step (11) is pressing on the inner edge of the bottle mouth whereby the conical sealing skirt (10) remains inserted in the bottle neck (12.) The fact that the upper surface of flange (9) is only contacted by abutment (6) at one small point provides that the stopper is not forced to turn around together with the cap so that it remains stationary so that any friction of the stopper with cap bottom (4) or the rim of the bottle mouth or any torsion and deformation of the stopper caused thereby, is avoided. When the cap is unscrewed from the bottle neck first, abutment (6) is separated from the upper surface of flange (9) and then the upper portion of screwthreading (2) contacts the lower peripheral portion of flange (9). Further unscrewing then makes said upper portion of screwthreading (2) pull the stopper out of the bottle neck. The uniform traction exerted on flange (9) by screwthreading (2) avoids unnecessary material stress and, consequently, torsions and deformations of the stopper. Thus, airtightness of the cap and bottle assembly is always guaranteed even when frequently screwed and unscrewed.

Claims: A multi-use bottle and cap assembly comprising a screw-on cap whose edge has a sealing annular portion connected to the cap body by an easy to break connection, said cap comprising a stopper loosely lodged therein to allow free movement of the stopper between the bottom of said cap and the screwthreading provided in the cap, said stopper being formed by at its upper portion as a flange having a greater diameter than its lower portion formed as a sealing skirt, characterized in that the cap bottom (4) has in its centre an abutment (6) which when the assembly is screwed on the bottle, presses on and is the only contact between the bottom (4) of the cap (1) and the upper surface of the flange-like portion (9) of the stopper, in that the lower portion of said stopper is formed as a substantially conical sealing skirt (10) at its lower end, followed upwardly by a peripherical conical step (11), so that when the cap is screwed on the bottle, said sealing skirt (10) will penetrate into the bottle mouth until said peripherical step (11) situated between said flange-like portion (9) and said sealing skirt (10) of said stopper contacts and is firmly pressed on and against the rim of the bottle mouth in a totally airtight manner, and in that when the assembly is unscrewed the stopper is pulled upwardly out of the bottle mouth only by screwthreading (2) pushing against the peripherical edge of said flange-like portion (9).

Inventors: BOSCH GARCES, JOSE MANUEL, Bosch Garces, José Manuel
Applicants: BOSCH GARCES, JOSE MANUEL
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65D41
IPC codes: B65D41