Abstract:
The invention involves a device for closing packages, in particular for single use, of bottle types or packs that can be nested and recycled. The inner membrane sealed capsule permits advances in terms of storage and hygiene. It is of interest to the packaging sectors that contain a product at atmospheric pressure or under pressure, for aerated or sparkling beverages for instances, for varied products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, etc.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a U.S. National-Stage application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/FR2004/000450, having an International Filing Date of 27 Feb. 2004, which claims priority to French Patent Application No. 03/02464, filed on 28 Feb. 2003, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in full. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The invention involves a device for closing packages, in particular for single use, of bottle types or packs that can be nested and recycled. The inner membrane sealed capsule permits advances in terms of storage and hygiene. It is of interest to the packaging sectors that contain a product at atmospheric pressure or under pressure, for aerated or sparkling beverages for instances, for varied products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, etc.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Classically, the cap or plug protrudes from the package and is exposed to dirt. This external position complicates storage and limits useable models. The package is difficult to perform due to the impossibility of access to the two faces of the top during the installation of the cap or plug.  
         [0006]     From patent PCT/FR00/00008, a stackable bottle or pack is known. Their pouring mouth with cap or plug is located on the membrane seal or on the removable cover. These packages do not have any mechanical or contamination safety or protection.  
         [0007]     From document EP945 361, a container of flexible material is known equipped with a frame on which a flexible membrane is hermetically secured, crossed in its center by a tube to extract the liquid or pasty contents. In the closed condition, a removable and peel-off diaphragm is hermetically welded to the edges of the frame and constitutes a space that is holding the flexible membrane and the tube for which the end is hermetically secured to the diaphragm. By pulling at the diaphragm, it is loosened from the frame and from the end of the tube and at the same time, the removal of the tube from the space and the tube end is achieved; the container is as such opened and ready for emptying.  
         [0008]     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,003, a metal can is covered with an envelope covering the top of the can and comprising on its inner face a cap or plug that cooperates with an opening of the top face of the can. To have access to the contents of the can, it suffices to tear the cover and to pull it upwards, which brings about the removal of the cap or plug out of the opening. As such, there is no free space between the cap or plug and the envelope that are made up of a single piece.  
         [0009]     The design of this rigid metal structure container cannot be combined with that of the container described in document EP945361 that is essentially flexible in nature.  
         [0010]     The elements of the can cannot cooperate with those of the container since the physical properties of their materials are different from those of the others and are incompatible with each other.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The invention permits a packaging sealing device that prevents contaminations. It translates into a packaging type for which the capsule and the cap or plug are located inside and remain clean because they are located under the more external hermetically seal. The latter adopts the form of the end of the package and as such can be flat, or in the form of a cup with raised edge. It forms one of the walls of the packaging. The cap or plug is part of the capsule that closes the container. This capsule delimits a stage protected by a lid or seal of variable height. Besides the great variety of caps or plugs that are possible, it can include: a second component or any other accessory, removable handle, straw, temperature gages, of UV, of oxygen chelating agents required for the contents, or else, promotional games, etc. In the medical field, other specific additions are possible such as air intake, injection tube, etc. A second stage, glued, welded, plugged is adjustable for specific developments.  
         [0012]     The capsule located near the opening, with an “U-form opening at the top” strengthens the architecture of the packaging. It is assembled in advance which permits the easy molding, welding, gluing of any cap or plug or its equivalent before its securing.  
         [0013]     Any assembly is defined by a means such as gluing, welding, screwing or any other equivalent technique or association of these known processes. For purposes of simplification, in the text only a means of assembly shall be mentioned.  
         [0014]     The direction of the truncated cone that represents the packaging does not influence stacking and recycling. These encapsulations are compatible with all forms of packaging such as polygonal types that give them better mechanical and esthetic strengths; for instance, of the pentagonal type. This honeycomb form permits reducing to a minimum the spaces between the elements that will overlap and improve the transversal solidity during storage and bottling; just as it gives greater stability during its use.  
         [0015]     The absence of relief at the bottom and on top of the packaging facilitates the piling in strata. Pentagonal packages force to cut out the lids or seals unless they are regrouped.  
         [0016]     The vertical or transversal nesting of the packaging bodies optimizes the storage and recycling phase.  
         [0017]     On the palette, standardized packages, differently encapsulated according to the invention, can condition various contents without affecting the sturdiness of the assembly. This storage is compatible with the use of interleaves between rows of containers, of a plastic sheet or agglomerated (fiber board) type between the rows; in accordance with the known state of the art.  
         [0018]     The device permits several known levels of security with respect to contaminations by means of: lids or seals, capsules and or caps or plugs. In the case of a screwed cap, the latter can itself be hermetically sealed which gives the packaging a higher additional level of imperviousness and as such of hygiene. The cap or plug can otherwise be rubberized and be “trocardable”, in other words, pierced by a needle; crimped by a metal or plastic insert that is released by twisting. This coincides with the medical hygiene standards. This package permits meeting the present needs of sturdy, sterile, nestable and recyclable plastic storage.  
         [0019]     The device according to the invention includes at least an equivalent of an internal closure device, internal in the space delimited by the lateral walls of the package. Moreover, they include another protective element that is not protruding at the surface such as the lid or seal. It is based on any other material with properties similar to metal or plastic secured by means of an assembly that can be removed with a tab, strip or other. The sizes of the package have been adapted so as to hold the device and to comply with the various capacities of the container.  
         [0020]     The encapsulation device according to the invention or the package sealing device for which the capsule is inside and secured or is characterized by the fact that the sealing device is located in the space of the package provided by its lateral edges and closed by a lid or seal below the walls, thus providing a package with at least two levels of security comprised of the lid or seal and/or the capsule and/or the cap or plug, or a new hermetical seal under the cap or plug, that permit to comply with the health standards, thus providing a sterile package by reason of the presence of the outside lid that hermetically encloses the space containing the cap or plug that beneficially covers the lid or seal closing the container.  
         [0021]     The capsule is prefabricated and secured secondarily to the packaging at its top collar that is glued, welded, screwed laterolaterally, removable by a tab, strip or other welded, glued, etc.; delimiting the top of the container.  
         [0022]     Inside capsules permit adjusting most of the closure types presently used such as screwed cap, pouring mouth, centered or not. This design permits easy storage of components with a standardized outside form without relief and more resistant; and are compatible with recycling storage by transversal stacking over the height of the package or by vertical nesting or fitting.  
         [0023]     The lid or seal and the capsule delimit a variable cavity. Sometimes, its height can be reduced to provide better functionality of the container by means of releasable walls through any known process: cutting wiring . . . so as to release the pouring orifice for easy use. This cavity may contain useful additions, indicators, anti-oxygen etc. After consumption, the capsule is released by a second wire.  
         [0024]     Whenever welding is selected to secure the seal or lid or capsule, all appropriate means of elimination are associated such as a cutting wire device, plastic tearing, or other equivalent, that is activated during the recycling phase. For simplification purposes, in the text only means of release will be mentioned.  
         [0025]     The invention also involves a package with dual degree of security, comprising an emptying orifice and a reservoir portion, characterized by the fact that it comprises a neck that extends the reservoir and that surrounds said emptying orifice, by the fact that the inner edge of the neck is secured to the reservoir and its top edge exceeds the top of the emptying orifice containing its closure means and by the fact that the top edge of the neck comprises a surface to receive a lid or seal that hermetically closes the space between the top of the reservoir and its orifice comprising a cap or plug so as to isolate first of all the outside closure means by the lid and then the contents of the package of said space by the closure means.  
         [0026]     The neck is sturdy and is assembled on the side surface of the reservoir or is an integral part thereof and beneficially includes tearing means located near its abutment to the reservoir and aimed at eliminating a portion thereof and to release the emptying means.  
         [0027]     As a variant, the top edge of the neck is extended by a flexible portion hermetically linked to the capsule of the reservoir that folds inside the faces of the reservoir so that in the folded position the emptying orifice finds itself below the top edge of the neck and in the extended position that the emptying orifice is located above the top edge of the neck. As such, the top edge of the neck and the flexible portion are linked on the one hand and the flexible part and the capsule of the reservoir are linked on the other hand respectively by a reinforcing ring.  
         [0028]     Beneficially, the edges of the neck and of the lid or seal of the container can be sufficiently brought close together so that they are secured one to the other, by welding or gluing for instance, in a single operation. In this case, the welded lid or seal has a fragile area that enables its separation on a priority basis with the edges of the neck and the container still secured together, and this so as not to weaken the linkage between the edges of the neck and the container.  
         [0029]     The seal or lid and the capsule permit providing the container with total coverage with a curved edge or rim offering a soft modeled edge at the high part of the internal or external package, full or lap jointed and hollow, more or less flexible.  
         [0030]     The bottle with curled up collar. The glued seal or lid shall permit unrolling the collar during use. A laterolateral thermal weld is the equivalent of a classic procedure. The device(s) of the invention is/are placed: on top, at the bottom on the body of the package or on the edges or rims.  
         [0031]     The package has the form of a truncated cone with small top section, as such, inversed with respect to the preceding one. Encapsulation or the operation that consist of securing a capsule, is done by means of a top neck with parallel edges of the body of the package; or at the bottom, or finally by a one-time molding of body and capsule associated with filling from the bottom.  
         [0032]     The device according to the invention applies to solids. It is placed at each end of the body of the container permitting removal of the cap one by one while being protected against dirt, which plays the role of a piston.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0033]     The novel features believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0034]      FIG. 1  shows a package with capsule ( 1 ) and centered screwed cap ( 2 ).  
         [0035]      FIG. 2  shows a package with capsule ( 1 ) and off-center screwed ( 2 ) cap.  
         [0036]      FIG. 3  shows a container with lap joint and soft, full edge or rim.  
         [0037]      FIG. 4  shows a drinking container with curved edge or rim, that is soft and hollow.  
         [0038]      FIG. 5  shows a drinking container sealed of from the bottom.  
         [0039]      FIG. 6  shows the bottle with curled up collar before filling.  
         [0040]      FIG. 7  shows the bottle with curled up collar after filling.  
         [0041]      FIG. 8  shows the bottle with curled up collar for which the top reinforcement is located under the cap screw thread.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0042]     The secured closing device according to the invention comprises a sealed capsule that consists of at least two components: the capsule ( 1 ) and the seal or lid. The seal or lid ( 3 ) is the most external, secured last, at the end of the filling procedure. It closes the package. The seal or lid, PET  R  plastic or any other material with equivalent features, is always present. It is secured by an assembly means to the package, secondarily to the capsule. The seal or lid protects the capsule. The latter is congruent with the package; it includes a rim as a raised peripheral neck that permits securing. It is laterolaterally secured using an assembly means once it is in contact with the centering locating peg. The capsule and the seal or lid can be secured in one operation, welded into an horizontal ring or vertical if the necks are adjusted.  
         [0043]     Manufacture of the capsule and securing of any type of cap or plug are easy because both faces of the capsule can be accessed. It consists of plastic, PET  R  or any other materials that have the same properties. The space occupied by the cap system interferes little with storage. The capsule represents a reinforcement by granting better strength to the assembly. The seal or lid guarantees durable hygiene cleanliness to the external face of the capsule.  
         [0044]     On the package, anchoring means, such as for instance action furrows or grooves comparable to the one of an O-ring, are sometimes necessary to receive a cover, a second additional step, or an advertising envelope.  
         [0045]     According to particular modes of implementation, the food packaging types for non-sparkling liquids are characterized by a sealing device that comprises a seal or lid, a capsule with a screwed cap or else, a pouring mouth that can be clamped ( FIG. 1, 2 ).  
         [0046]     A package with capsule ( 1 ) and centered screwed cap ( 2 ) ( FIG. 1 ). During use, the seal or lid ( 3 ) is removed by pulling the tab ( 4 ). The plastic capsule is extended to its top edge, peripherally of a neck ( 5 ) and has a centered screw thread of adjusted height, for the purpose of receiving the so-called cap or plug. A package with capsule ( 1 ) and off-set screwed cap or plug ( 2 ) ( FIG. 2 ). The top stage ( 6 ) raising the capsule ( 1 ) can sometimes be beneficially released by a cutting wire ( 13 ) to release beneficially the collar from the screw thread.  
         [0047]     The small spaces are beneficially equipped with a device that permits drinking without the lips touching the glass and or a seal that received a straw located in the sealed space.  
         [0048]     Sparkling beverages (beer, . . . ) are more willingly consumed in a drinking container that offers a large opening at the top of the package and an edge or rim, a rounded neck that is soft to the touch ( FIG. 3 ). The capsule in this variant is preferentially reduced at its usually peripheral portion in the form of an external neck that is congruent with the neck. In its high portion, it exceeds it from within ( 1 ) slightly to avoid any liquid status. It is secured to the low and external part of the neck, and the soft edge is laid bare by a release ( 13 ). In its high portion, the lid is more solid, in this case in plastic, PET  R  or other because it is not removed separately. It is welded horizontally or vertically to the top of the capsule after filling and released with it.  
         [0049]     The top portion of the drinking container and in particular, the neck, can be hollow. A drinking container with curved edge or rim, soft and hollow ( FIG. 4 ) by means of an everted rim ( 7 ) secured by its bottom reinforcement ( 10 ) to the wall and top ( 0 ) to the edge of the container. The rim is deployed up to the bottom reinforcement ( 10 ) facing a locking furrow or groove ( 14 ). The edge is curved on top to the first reinforcement ( 9 ).  
         [0050]     The edge or rim shown has a cavity ( 15 ).  
         [0051]     The neck is everted. It has a thinner layer of plastic material preserving an edge or rim that is clean and soft for drinking; like a large opening. A ring-like reinforcement on top of the container facilitates the turning inside out of the neck of the container like the finger of a glove; the second reinforcement locks the bottom end of the external skirt of the lap-jointed neck by positioning itself in a furrow or a groove. The capsule is secured under this furrow by a latero-lateral weld across the lid or seal ( FIG. 4 ). Less comfortable but more simple, the external skirt of the neck&#39;s lap joint can be less flexible and stand on its own.  
         [0052]     A drinking container sealed at the bottom ( FIG. 5 ). According to another assembly process, a weld of the capsule and filling from the bottom of the container. The bottom is encapsulated after filling. The lid or seal on the soft edge or rim side is optional except if the capsule has a closed cavity.  
         [0053]     either the capsule on the sealed top is released by a wire under the neck of the container as described previously and has the function of a removable cover ( 16 ),  
         [0054]     or released and unsealed, turned inside out then nested onto the package under the collar of the container thus providing a ergonomic and thermal insulating external reinforcement, or at the bottom of the container that acts as a glass foot that increases its stability.  
         [0055]     A variant according to the invention involves a bottle with a curled up collar. The bottle with curled up collar ( FIG. 6 ). It is characterized by a finer plastic neck ( 24 ) with potentially two top and bottom reinforcements ( 25 ,  26 ).  
         [0056]     The bottle with the curled up collar after filling ( FIG. 7 ); a pressure is exerted onto the cap and the collar that causes the insertion of the neck inside the package over its full height. The glued lid or seal authorizes unrolling the collar during use. A laterolateral thermal weld is similar to the classic process.  
         [0057]     A bottle with curled up collar ( FIG. 8 ) has a top reinforcement; it is located under the tread of the cap screw.  
         [0058]     The peculiar feature of this bottle is that it possesses a thinner ring, preferably in plastic, with potentially two top and bottom reinforcements located on the lateral faces of the bottle. The highest can be located at the bottom of the collar of the screw thread of the cap ( 27 ). The bottle is based on a known manufacturing process with a cutting device under the bottom reinforcement such as a means of release ( 28 ). After putting the cap or the plug in place, pressure is exerted onto it. This causes the insertion of the neck inside the package over its full height. A gluing of the seal or lid will complete the procedure which will permit unrolling the collar during use. A laterolateral thermal weld permits obtaining the classic procedure. In both cases, removal of the top layer with a wire, facilitates storage of the waste.  
         [0059]     Another variant shows itself in the form of a truncated cone with small top section, as such, inverted with respect to the previous one; giving greater stability to the bottle. The capsule, as indicated above, fits into the small neck with parallel edges on the cone top of the package body. As a variant, it has “lap-joints”. Once in place, the lap joint covers, from outside in, the top end, the top, the top and internal face of the package. The laterolateral weld of the capsule deals with these three thicknesses. In its inside part, the capsule is identical to the one described previously. The lid or seal is also glued or welded. This package is stacked for recycling after releasing the bottom of the bottle using a means of release. In this case, the capsule can be recycled more easily. So as not to get dirty during storage, a recyclable plastic bag is used having the diameter of the bottle on a support that facilitates their stacking head first. Once the remaining liquid is drained, the bag is clamped ready for transport.  
         [0060]     Another variant of the sealed capsule is fitted to a bottom base truncated cone container. The capsule with parallel or conical edges congruent to those of the bottle is inserted from the bottom up to its positioning furrow or groove on top, then glued or welded. Such a design permits filling from the bottom that is finally sealed, glued or preferably welded. The bottle advances on the filling conveyor belt held by a catch located at its bottom. During the storage phase, the bottom seal or lid is released for nesting. This procedure permits optimal use of the inevitable space that exists when containers are nested and to treat a maximum amount of material as seen above. Such a bottle can be molded, body and capsule, in one motion. Only the two lids or seals are to be added on top of the capsule and at the bottom of the bottle.  
         [0061]     A possible variant is characterized by a screwed capsule at the inner face on top of the package which permits easy and repeated access for powder products, preserves, for instance. The screwing mechanism can be secured by gluing or opening indicator.  
         [0062]     In the case of packaging for solid foods, the lid or seal keeps the capsule clean which prevents contamination during removal of the capsule. Reusable covers that can be clipped or water tightened like those obtained with an O ring or a hook can be used on the package for which the lid or seal is removed. The contents can be used over several times and they can be stored in a cold environment without being obligated to pour it into another container since the package is adapted. As such, the risks of contamination are reduced. The choice of an oxygen chelating bag on the capsule and under the lid or seal or of an exposure indicator to high temperatures harmful to the enclosed product, can be easily implemented. The bottom of the container can be equipped with a second capsule according to the invention and without risk of making the assembly fragile, to facilitate for instance the removal from the mold (pâté . . . etc), the lid or seal is removed, the capsule is clean, released and serves as a piston or plunger.  
         [0063]     The package permits storage during the recycling phase by transversal stacking over the height of the package and no longer by vertical nesting. This variant permits preserving the curve variety for the packages. This goes for any bottle. Once empty, the capsule is released as well as the bottom. This last action continues with a longitudinal opening of the bottle that releases separately: capsule, bottom and plastic sheet with a curve that it easily nestable.  
         [0064]     As a variant, the inside device of the sealed capsule, according to the invention can be located: at the top, at the bottom, on the sides of the package or positioned on its flat edges: pouring mouth associated as previously with a seal or lid. Here also, a release system for the capsule will permit storing waste.  
         [0065]     The direction of the truncated cone of the package does not affect storage and recycling. On a palette, standardized packages, having various types of capsules, according to the invention can condition various contents without affecting the sturdiness of the overall unit. The absence of a protruding cap, a good transversal strength, a bees&#39; nest type stacking optimizes storage during bottling. Needless to say, this storage is compatible with the use of insertions between the rows of containers using a plastic sheet or fiber board separating the rows, in accordance with the known state of the art. Vertical or transversal nesting optimizes the storage and recycling phase.  
         [0066]     Materials preferably used are plastics belonging to the PET  R  family: co-polyester, thermoplastic, transparent, amorphous, shock resistant, can be sterilized, without plastifying agent or any other materials having G.S.M. properties adapted to the contents. This can be plastics with a finish for gluing, aluminized, metals, etc.  
         [0067]     Whenever one selects welding to secure the lid or capsule, one associates all appropriate means of elimination such as a cutting wire device, plastic tearing, or other equivalent; that is activated during the recycling phase. For purposes of simplification, in the text only the release means is mentioned.  
         [0068]     Any assembly is defined by a means such as gluing, welding, screwing or any other equivalent technique or association of the known processes. For purposes of simplification, in the text only the assembly means is mentioned.  
         [0069]     It is apparent that an invention with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. Although the present invention is shown in a limited number of forms, it is not limited to just these forms, but is amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.