Closure for monodose bottles and the like, comprising a reservoir provided with a breakable bottom

Abstract: A closure of plastic material for monodose bottles and the like, provided with a reservoir (2) with a breakable bottom (3) housed in the neck (4) of the bottle (5) and showing an annular upper edge (6) superimposed to the annular edge (7) of the bottle opening; with a cylindrical element (8) with its lower end (9) sideways cut inserted into the reservoir (2) and including further a sealing cap (10) positioned around the bottle neck (4) and covering said cylindrical element (8), a weakening line apt to allow the tearing removal being provided in said cap.

Description: The object of said invention is a closure of plastic material for monodose bottles and the like, of the kind enclosing a reservoir housed in the bottle neck and containing a substance, generally in a powder-form, which is dropped into the liquid contained in the bottle, by breaking said reservoir. The bottom breaking takes place acting on a pressing element, provided with a cylindrical body, penetrating the reservoir with an end sideways cut; said operation is executed after the removal of a sealing cap covering and protecting the whole against any accidental blow or tampering. The sealing cap may be made of aluminium or plastic, which is the case of said invention. Said kinds of bottles being monodose, the sealing cap, once removed, must not be re-emploied. Therefore it is the matter of rendering easier the removal of the sealing cap to the user. The known sealing caps, of plastic material, usually show a grip tongue; by pulling it, a sealing wrapper is removed or the cap breaking is caused along fixed breaking lines. Said known caps are unlikely manually removable, as it is rather difficult to seize the tear tongue with a nail and exists a certain resistance in the tearing start. Therefore, most times, a tool is used to open cap. Document DE-A-2 738 551 (D1) discloses a closure material for monodose bottles, provided with a reservoir (15) with a breakable bottom (12) housed in the neck of the bottle and showing an annular edge (11) superimposed to the annular edge of the bottle opening; a cylindrical element (14) with its lower end sideways cut being inserted into the reservoir (15) and including further a sealing cap (1) positioned around the bottle neck and covering said cylindrical element (14), a line of weakening (5, 5') apt to allow the tearing removal (of the cap) being provided in said cap (1). This invention relates to a sealing cap of plastic material for closures with a reservoir provided with a breakable bottom, said sealing cap being simply made and utilized in an extremely easy way. This aim is achieved by a closure cap according to the characterising part of the appended claims. The closure according to said invention comprises a first cylindrical section folded around the bottle neck and a second cylindrical section with a reduced diameter, covering the pressing element, said sections being interconnected for example by means of connecting bridges. A substantially upright weakening or prefracturing line is provided on the cap cylindrical section positioned around the bottle neck; close to said line is positioned a grip tongue for the cap break and removal. By exerting a traction on the grip tongue, the cut of the cylindrical section thereof positioned around the bottle neck is produced along said weakening or prefracturing line, and subsequently the breaking of said connecting bridges and therefore the total or partial severance of the two cylindrical sections. According to a further embodiment, the closure shows a breaking line substantially upright developping for the whole length of the sealing cap cover and circumferencially extending along the cap upper plane wall, into the area connecting the latter to the cover. Close to the breaking line section interesting the cap cover, a grip tongue is provided to facilitate the removal of the latter. By exerting a traction on the grip tongue, the cover cut is initially produced and therefore the total or partial severance thereof from the upper plane wall of the cap. The cap is folded around the bottle neck by means of a continuous or discontinuous annular raising, provided close to its lower edge, showing its inner surface inclined in order to constitute an inducement during the the cap application to the bottle. Said continuous or discontinuous annular raising may be also obtained in the form of flexible tabs which resiliently close around the bottle neck. From the cap upper wall a tubular projection comes down, which covers the pressing element and rests lower down on the reservoir annular edge in order to avoid that accidental blows on said cap upper wall are transmitted to the pressing element at the risk of breaking the reservoir breakable bottom. Further features of said invention will become apparent in the following detailed description, referred to an exemplificative but not imitative embodiment, shown in the enclosed drawings, wherein: fig. 1 is a median sectional view of the closure according to the invention, applied to a bottle; fig. 2 is an axonometric view of the closure shown in fig. 1; fig. 3 is a top plan view of the sealing cap before the breaking; fig. 4 is a median sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the closure according to the invention, applied to a bottle; fig. 5 is an axonometric view of a second preferred embodiment of the closure shown in fig. 1; fig. 6 is a top plan view of a second preferred embodiment of the sealing cap before the breaking. As regard to figures 1 - 3, reference 1 shows the whole closure according to the invention, enclosing a reservoir 2, provided with a breakable bottom 3 which lodges by forcing into the neck 4 of a bottle 5 and shows on the upper part an annular edge 6 superimposed to the annular edge 7 of the bottle opening. Into the reservoir 2 a cylindrical hollow element 8 is housed with its lower end sideways cut. During the use, the pressing of the cylindrical element 8 downwards causes the breaking of the breakable bottom 3, which drops a powder substance contained in the reservoir 2 into the liquid contained in the bottle 5, to which it has to be mixed. Both the reservoir 2 and the cylindrical element 8 are of plastic material and are enclosed in a sealing cap 10, of plastic material too. The cap 10 shows a lower cylindrical section 11 covering at least the upper part of the bottle neck 4 and an upper cylindrical section 12, of a reduced diameter, covering the pressing element 8. The reduced diameter of the cylindrical section 12 causes the resting of its lower edge 13 on the annular edge 6 of the reservoir 2, in order to avoid that accidental blows on the upper part 14 of the cap 10 are transmitted to the cylindrical element at the risk of breaking the breakable bottom 3. The two cylindrical sections 11 and 12 are interconnected each other by connecting bridges 15 which are broken during the cap opening. It is anyway evident that the connection between the two cylindrical sections 11 and 12 may take place also through a material weakening line. Close to the lower edge of the cylindrical section 11 a continuous or discontinuous inner annular raising 16 is provided engaging, owing to a transitory elastic deformation, below the annular edge 7 of the bottle opening. The annular raising 16 shows an inner inclination or chamfer 17 apt to facilitate the application of the cap on the bottle. The raising 16 may be made of solid material, as shown in fig. 1, or in the shape of flexible tabs, so as to have a greater elasticity. Always on the lower cylindrical section 11 of the cap 10 a weakening or pre-fracturing line 18 is provided extending substantially upright all over the length of section 11; dose thereto there is positioned a grip tongue 19 to facilitate the cap removal. The free end of the tongue 19 is connected to the cylindrical section 11 by means of a bridge 20. The removal of cap 10 takes place by exerting a traction on the grip tongue 19, initially causing the breaking of the bridge 20 and subsequently the breaking of the weakening or pre-fracturing line 18 and at last the breaking of the bridges 15 connecting the two cylindrical sections 11 and 12. The cylindrical section 11 of the cap 10 may stop with its lower edge immediately below the annular edge 7 of the bottle opening, as shown by continuous lines in fig. 1 or continue up to the bottle shoulder 21, as shown by dashed lines in the said fig. 1. Said last solution secures in any case the cap breaking when the withdrawal from the bottle is tried without acting on the grip tongue 19. In the version of figg. 4-6, the cap 10' shows a peripheral cover 11' positioned around the bottle neck 2' and an upper plane wall 12', connected with the cover 11' by means of connecting bridges 15', so as to provide a circular breaking line, a shown in the enclosing figures. It is anyway evident that the connect ion between the cover 11' and the cap upper wall 12' may take place also by means of a material weakening line. Inside the cover 11' a continuous or discontinuous annular raising 16' is provided engaging, owing to a transitory elastic deformation, below the annular edge 7' of the bottle opening. The cover 11' of the cap 10' may stop with its lower edge 14' immediately below the annular edge 7' of the bottle opening or, more appropriately, continue up to the bottle shoulder 21', as shown in fig. 4. Said last solution secures in any case the cap breaking, when the withdrawal from the bottle is tried without carrying out the right opening operations, which shall be explained afterwards. On the cover 11' of the cap 10' a weakening or pre-fracturing line 18' is provided extending substantially upright all over the length of said cover and connected to the circular breaking line provided on the cap upper plane wall 12'. Close to the weakening or pre-fracturing line 18', and preferably in the lower part of the cover 11', a grip tongue 19' provided apt to facilitate the cap removal, the free end of the tongue 19' being connected with the cover 11' by means of a bridge 20' (see particularly fig. 6). At last from the upper plane wall 12' of the cap 10' a continuous or discontinuous tubular inner projection 13' comes down surrounding the upper part of the cylindrical element 8'. The lower edge 22' of the tubular projection 13' is resting on the annular edge 6' of the reservoir 2', so as to avoid that accidental blows on the cap upper wall 12' are transmitted to the cylindrical cap 8' at risk of breaking the breakable bottom 3'. The removal of the cap 10' takes place by exerting a traction on the grip tongue 19', initially causing the breaking of the bridge 20', subsequently the breaking of the weakening or pre-fracturing line 18' provided on the cover 11' and at last the breaking of the bridges 15' connecting the cover 11' to the cap upper plane wall 12'. Changes in detail may be introduced without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims: A closure of plastic material for monodose bottles and the like, of the kind comprising a reservoir (2, 2') with a breakable bottom (3, 3') housed in the neck (4, 4') of the bottle (5, 5') and showing an annular upper edge (6, 6') superimposed to the annular edge (7, 7') of the bottle opening; a cylindrical element (8, 8') with its lower end (9, 9') sideways cut being inserted into the reservoir (2, 2') and including further a sealing cap (10, 10') positioned around the bottle neck (4, 4') and covering said cylindrical element (8, 8'); a weakening line being provided in said cap, apt to allow its tearing removal characterized by the fact that said cap (10, 10') is provided with a vertical wall (12, 13'), which rests on the annular edge (6, 6') of the reservoir (2, 2') and which has an inner diameter greater than that of the inner diameter of the bottle neck, and is connected to the lateral or external wall of the cap by means of bridges (15, 15'), and further characterised in that said weakening line (18, 18') is provided on the external wall (11, 11') of the cap, interesting the whole height of the same. A closure of plastic material for monodose bottles and the like, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said cap (10) comprises a lower (11) and an upper (12) superimposed cylindrical sections, the lower cylindrical section (11) being positioned around the bottle neck (4) and the upper cylindrical section (12) covering said cylindrical element (8), the upper section (12) having a reduced diameter with respect to the lower section (11) but not shorter than the diameter of the bottle neck, in order to be rested on the annular edge (6) of the reservoir (2). A closure according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that close to said weakening or prefracturing line (18) is positioned a grip tongue (19) connected to the cylindrical section (11) by means of a bridge (20). A closure according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that inside the cylindrical section (11) is positioned an annular continuous or discontinuous radially inwardly projecting portion (16) apt to be positioned under the bottle annular edge (7) and showing an inclined or chamfered portion (17) acting as an inducement to facilitate the expansion of the lower part of the cap (10) during the cap application to the bottle. A closure according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said annular radially inwardly projecting portion (16) is obtained from solid material or in the shape of flexible tabs. A closure according to any claim 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that said cylindrical section (11) positioned around the bottle neck (4), stops with its lower edge below the annular edge (7) of the bottle opening. A closure according to any claim 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that said cylindrical section (11) positioned around the bottle neck extends up to the shoulder (21) of said bottle. A closure of plastic material for monodose bottles and the like, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that onto the sealing cap (10') is provided a breaking line comprising a section (18') extending substantially upright for the whole height of the cover (11') and connected with a circular section separating the cover (11') from the cap upper flat wall (12'), a continuous or discontinuous tubular projection (13') coming down inwardly from said wall (12'), the projection inner edge (22') resting on the annular edge (6') of the reservoir (2'). A closure according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that said breaking line is obtained by weakening the material or by means of a prefracture provided with connecting bridges between the parties to be separated or in a mixed way with weakenings and prefractures. A closure according to claims 8 or 9, characterized by the fact that close to the section (18') of the breaking line, provided on the cover (11'), positioned a grip tongue (19'), which free end is connected to the cover (11') by means of a bridge (20'). A closure according to any claim 8 to 10, characterized by the fact that inside the cover (11') is positioned a continuous or discontinuous annular raising (16'), apt to be positioned below the bottle annular edge (7') and showing an inclined or chamfered portion (17'), acting as an inducement during the cap application to the bottle. A closure according to claim 11, characterized by the fact that said annular raising (16') obtained from solid material or in the shape of flexible tabs. A closure according to any claim 8 to 12, characterized by the fact that the cover (11') of the cap (10') stops with its lower edge (14') below the annular edge (7') of the bottle opening. A closure according to any claim 8 to 12, characterized by the fact that the cover (11') of the cap (10') extends up to the shoulder (21') of the bottle (5').

Inventors: RIZZARDI NAPOLEONE, RIZZARDI, NAPOLEONE
Applicants: CAPSULIT SRL, CAPSULIT S.P.A.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B65D51
IPC codes: B65D51