Abstract:
A cap adapted to be secured on a neck of a container wherein the cap includes a top wall and a depending annular skirt having an inner annular projection. A fluid seal having a central transverse wall, an outer annular shoulder and a inner annular bead rests on the inner annular projection so as to define a space between the cap and the fluid seal into which the fluid seal is pushed when the cap is secured to the neck of the container to make a seal between the outer annular shoulder of the seal and the inner annular projection.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a cap with fluid seal, to a process for making such a cap and, finally, to an assembly comprising a container for certain contents and the cap with fluid seal in question. 
     2. The Related Art 
     Caps made of sufficiently rigid plastics material are already known, of the type comprising, on the one hand, a transverse wall and an adjoining annular skirt internally provided with screw threads and, on the other hand, an inner annular projection projecting from the inner face of the skirt in the vicinity of the transverse wall. It is known that such a projection may have the function of participating in the maintenance of a fluid seal. 
     Fluid seals made of plastics material capable of being elastically deformed are also known, of the type comprising, on the one hand, an elastically deformable peripheral bead and, on the other hand, a transverse wall on the periphery of which the bead is located. Such a fluid seal may form part of a cap being maintained by means of the inner annular projection with which the latter is provideed. In such an embodiment, the peripheral bead of the seal may cooperate with the edge of the neck of the container in order to ensure a tight closure. 
     Moreover, caps such as those mentioned hereinabove are known, which further comprise a tamperproof ring adjoining the free edge of the skirt opposite the transverse wall, the connection between the skirt and the tamperproof ring being of lesser resistance in order to be able to be fractured when the cap is first opened, the tamperproof ring further comprising, towards the inside, means adapted to interfere with a corresponding annular projection provided on the neck of the container. 
     Reference may be made in particular to documents EP-A-637 550, GB-A-2 092 999, WO-A-94-18084, FR-A-2 709 473, FR-A-2 692 555, FR-A-2 711 969 and, finally, FR-A-2 454 568. 
     Generally, the sealing means that the caps comprise belong to one of the following three families: 
     the one where the sealing means are integrated in the cap itself, designed accordingly; 
     the one where the fluid seal is made in situ, in the cap itself; 
     and, finally, the one where the fluid seal made previously elsewhere, is added in the cap. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention concerns this third and last family and not the first two, which have their specificities and their own constraints. An example of cap belonging to this third family is known from FR-A-2 721 677 which discloses a cap comprising a fluid seal mounted floating and provided with an annular boss which maintains its transverse wall at a distance form the bottom of the cap. 
     Consequently, the invention aims at producing a cap with added fluid seal in which the seal is made efficiently while the positioning of the cap, in added manner, is effected conveniently. 
     More particularly, the invention aims at producing a cap with added seal moulded shouldered but floating, as is described. 
     Furthermore, the invention aims at a plurality of maximum embodiment with considerable suppleness and facility of implementation. 
     In effect, a seal as provided here may be mounted on different types of cap shells whose internal shape is adapted. Furthermore, these shells may, depending on the cases, receive an added seal as described or a seal made in situ. 
     According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a cap with fluid seal, in which: 
     the cap proper, made of sufficiently rigid plastics material, comprises, on the one hand, a transverse wall and an adjoining annular cylindrical skirt provided internally with screw threads intended to cooperate with complementary screw threads on the neck of a container, on the other hand, an internal annular projection projecting from the inner face of the skirt in the vicinity of the transverse wall, this projection having the function of participating in the maintenance of a fluid seal; 
     the fluid seal, made of plastics material capable of being elastically deformed, comprises in the first place an elastically deformable peripheral bead with which the edge of the neck of the container can cooperate for the seal, in the second place a transverse wall on the periphery of which the bead is located, and in the third place a supple annular shoulder for maintaining the seal, cooperating with the annular projection of the cap proper; 
     the fluid seal, when it is made, is added in the cap and maintained floating by means of the inner annular projection cooperating with the shoulder so that there is formed between the inner face of the transverse wall of the cap and the opposite face of the fluid seal a space of generally flattened cylindrical shape in which the seal may be housed once the cap with fluid seal is mounted and tightened on the neck of the container. 
     At rest, the fluid seal is limited on the side of the transverse wall of the cap by a substantially planar face. The bead projects on the side of the opposite face of the seal which is intended to face towards the neck of the container. The supple annular shoulder outwardly surrounds the bead and is disposed in line with the transverse wall of the seal. This shoulder is intended to cooperate with the inner annular projection of the cap in order to ensure maintenance of the fluid seal, the latter thus being maintained in shouldered and floating manner. This shoulder presents a suppleness and an axial thickness adapted to allow easy assembly with a view to efficient maintenance of the seal in the cap proper. 
     When the fluid seal is mounted in the cap and at rest, the face or the projecting free edge of the bead opposite the transverse face of the seal is disposed substantially in the plane of the face or the projecting free edge of the inner annular projection of the cap. 
     The space between the cap and the fluid seal is such that it is adapted, on the one hand, to allow the appropriate deformation of the fluid seal further to the assembly and tightening of the cap provided with the seal on the neck of the container. On the other hand, this space is adapted to allow the application and abutment of the seal against the inner face of the cap, once the latter is mounted and tightened on the neck of the container. 
     The bead presents, in traverse cross section, a profile generally in the form of a V or a U, or W or pseudo V—in particular with truncated or rounded apex—, or pseudo U, or pseudo W. 
     In one embodiment, the bead is outwardly limited by a substantially truncated or cylindrical face corresponding substantially to the narrowed opening formed by the inner projection of the cap. The bead is inwardly limited by a substantially truncated face of which the diameter nearest the transverse wall of the seal is the small diameter while the large diameter is intended to face towards the neck of the container. 
     According to to one embodiment, the fluid seal also comprises a second annular bead placed inside the first and slightly spaced apart therefrom radially. 
     The inner projection of the cap presents, in transverse cross section, the general shape of a V, or a U, or a pseudo V—particularly with truncated apex—, or pseudo U, upturned, comprising an arm substantially transverse with respect to the principal axis of the cap and an arm slightly inclined on this axis. 
     According to an embodiment, the cap, with fluid seal which has just been described, further comprises a tamperproof ring adjoining the free edge of the skirt opposite the transverse wall. The connection between the skirt and the tamperproof ring—by bridges, cut-outs, a smaller thickness or other—is of lesser resistance in order to be able to be fractured when the cap is first opened. In addition, the tamperproof ring inwardly comprises projecting means adapted to interfere with a corresponding annular projection provided on the neck of the container. These projecting means are, according to their embodiments, a bead, one or more tabs, one or more projections or otherwise. 
     Such a cap with fluid seal and tamperproof ring may form the subject matter of different variant embodiments. According to a first variant, the tamperproof ring itself is transversely breakable at at least one place and opens when the cap is first opened. According to another variant, the ring is not transversely breakable. 
     When the ring is breakable, it may be connected to the skirt by at least one non-frangible connection or, on the contrary, may not comprise such a non-frangible connection. 
     According to another aspect, the invention relates to a process for producing a cap as has just been described. In this process, the cap and the fluid seal are firstly made separately by injection, compression or otherwise. Then the fluid seal is positioned and associated in and with the cap, forcing the seal to pass beyond the inner projection of the cap. This operation is rendered possible further to the shape and constitution of the shoulder combined with the shape of the cap proper. The seal is then maintained shouldered but floating in the cap. 
     According to a last aspect, the invention concerns an assembly comprising, on the one hand, a container for certain contents, this container being provided with a neck with an outer threading and, as the case may be, with an annular projection intended to cooperate with a tamperproof ring. The assembly comprises, on the other hand, a cap with fluid seal as has just been described. This cap with seal is mounted and tightened on the neck of the container. With respect to the situation where it is at rest, the fluid seal is deformed in order to be applied in abutment on the inner face of the cap, the bead being crushed and deformed by the free end part of the neck of the container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will result from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 are two schematic views in axial section of two variants of cap according to the invention, comprising an added fluid seal and a tamperproof ring. 
     FIG. 3 is a partial view, on a scale larger than FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the fluid seal added in the bottom of the cap. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 are two partial views, on a scale larger than FIG. 3, showing the added fluid seal respectively in place in the cap before tightening by the neck of the container and after tightening. 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of inner annular bead associated with the fluid seal of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view illustrating first and second concentric sealing beads for the fluid seal of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing two annular beads which are disymmetrical. 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 in which one of the beads includes an extension. 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing two annular beads for the fluid seal which are a variation of the structure shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing a further variation for an annular bead structure for the fluid seal of the present invention in the form of an inverted. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The Figures show a cap with fluid seal  1  comprising, on the one hand, a cap  2  proper and, on the other hand, a fluid seal  3  added in the cap  2 . 
     The cap with seal  1  is intended to be mounted and tightened on the neck  4  of a container shown partially. 
     Depending on the applications in question, the container is made of plastics material or glass. 
     The container in question is typically a bottle for containing a drink. 
     The neck  4  has an inner face  5 , an outer face  6 , both generally cylindrical in form, a transverse face  7  joining the two faces  5  and  6  and being generally annular in form. 
     Finally,  8  denotes the more or less rounded, outer peripheral edge of the neck  4 , between the outer face  6  and the transverse face  7 . 
     The neck  4  of the recipient also comprises screw threads  9  intended for screwing the cap with seal  1 . 
     Finally, and in the case of the cap with seal  1  comprising a tamperproof ring  10 , the neck  4  of the container comprises an annular projection adapted to cooperate with the ring  10 . 
     The neck  4  of the container which has just been described presents a general axis of symmetry or rotational axis  11 . This axis is also a general axis of symmetry of the cap with seal  1 . 
     The cap  2  is made of sufficiently rigid plastics material by injection, compression or otherwise. 
     The cap firstly comprises a transverse wall  12  forming the apex of the cap  2  when it is placed above the neck  4 . 
     The cap  2  then comprises a skirt  13  adjoining the wall  12  on its periphery, of generally annular cylindrical form, extending over a certain axial length along axis  11 . 
     The skirt  13  is provided on its inner face  14  with screw threads  15  complementary of the screw threads  9  of the neck  4 . 
     According to one embodiment, the cap  2  finally comprises a tamperproof ring  10  adjoining the free edge  16  of the skirt  13  opposite the transverse wall  12 . 
     The connection  17  between the skirt  13  and the tamperproof ring  10  adjoining the edge  16 , is of lesser resistance, so as to be able to be fractured when the cap with seal  1  is opened for the first time. 
     To that end, the connection  17  comprises, depending on the embodiments, frangible bridges separated by spaces empty of matter (FIG. 1) or cut-outs or a small thickness (FIG.  2 ). These embodiments are not exclusive of others. 
     On the other hand, the tamperproof ring  10  internally comprises a projection  18  adapted to interfere with the annular projection provided on the neck  4  of the container. 
     The projection  18  may also form the subject matter of different variant embodiments. 
     When the cap with seal  1  comprises such a tamperproof ring  10 , the latter may also form the subject matter of other variants relative to its breakable character and to its attached character, after rupture of the connection  17 , to the skirt  13 . 
     For example, according to a variant embodiment, the tamperproof ring  10  is tranversely breakable and opens when the cap is opened for the first time (FIG.  2 ). According to another embodiment, the tamperproof ring  10  is not breakable transversely (FIG.  1 ). 
     When the tamperproof ring  10  is breakable, it may be provided to be connected to the skirt  13  by at least one non-frangible connection. In that case, the open tamperproof ring  10  remains hooked on the cap  2  proper. 
     In another variant, such a non-frangible connection is not provided and once the connection  17  is fractured, the tamperproof ring  10  is totally dissociated from the cap  2 . 
     The cap  2  further comprises an inner annular projection  19 . The projection  19  projects from the inner face  14  of the skirt  13 . It is slightly spaced apart from the inner face  20  of the transverse wall  12 . 
     The projection  19  participates in maintaining the fluid seal  3 . 
     In an alternate embodiment the inner projection  19  presents in transverse cross section a generally V shape (in the present case upturned) comprising an arm  21 , substantially transverse with respect to the axis  11  and an arm  22 , slightly inclined with respect to axis  11 , for example with an angle of the order of 20°. 
     The arm  22  is itself joined to the inner face  20  of the transverse wall  12  by a rounded portion  23 . 
     The arms  21 ,  22  are joined by an edge or a free face  25 . This edge or this face, which is annular, defines, towards the transverse wall  12 , a narrowed opening  24 . 
     It will be noted here that the difference in diameter between the opening  24  and the inclined arm  22  in the vicinity of the rounded portion  23  is fairly small and allows the positioning and maintenance of the fluid seal  3 . Furthermore, the bottom of the cap  2  limited peripherally by the arm  22  and the rounded portion  23  forms a sort of chamber used for the compression of the seal  3  when the latter is compressed further to the tightening on the neck  4 . 
     In the embodiment in question, the inner face  20  of the transverse wall  12  is planar. 
     The fluid seal  3  is likewise made of plastics material, the latter being, however, capable of being elastically deformed. 
     This seal  3  is made separately from the cap  2 , by injection, compression, or otherwise. 
     The seal  3  comprises, in the first place, an elastically deformable peripheral bead  26 , with which the neck  4  of the container can cooperate. 
     The seal  3  comprises, in the second place, a transverse wall  27  on the periphery of which the bead  26  is located. 
     The seal  3  comprises in the third place a peripheral shoulder  31  to which we will return hereinafter. 
     The fluid seal  3 , once made, is added in the cap  2 . It is maintained associated with the cap by means of the projection  19  cooperating with the shoulder  31 . In this situation, a space  29  is made between the inner face  20  of the transverse wall  12  and the opposite face  28 . When the cap with fluid seal  1  is mounted and tightened on the neck  4 , the seal  3  may be housed in the space  29  in question, the latter disappearing wholly or partly. This space  29  is formed by the chamber of the bottom of the cap, as has been mentioned hereinabove. 
     For the assembly of the fluid seal  3  in the cap  2 , the seal  3  is forced to pass beyond the projection  19  via the narrowed opening  24 , which is rendered possible further to the suppleness and weakness of the axial thickness of the shoulder  31 . Once this forced passage is effected, the seal  3  is maintained in a situation which can be qualified as shouldered but floating, clearly visible in FIG.  4 . The shoulder  31  has in that case resumed the configuration that it presented before the forced passage. 
     The fluid seal  3  will now be described more especially when it is at rest, shouldered but floating, i.e. when the cap with seal  1  is not yet mounted or at least not yet tightened by the neck  4  of the container. 
     In this situation, the face  28  of the transverse wall  27  of the fluid seal  3  is substantially planar. This is also true at the level of the bead  26 . This configuration follows from the very process of manufacture of the seal (plane of mould). The bead  26  projects on that side of the face  30  of the seal  3  intended to be turned towards the neck  4  of the container. 
     Furthermore, the shoulder  31 , which is annular, surrounds the bead  26  on the outside and is disposed in line with the transverse wall  27 . This shoulder  31  is intended to cooperate with the projection  19 , more precisely its inclined arm  22 . This shoulder  31  is supple, with a thickness to allow easy assembly by force in the opening  24 . The fluid seal  3  is therefore maintained in the cap  2  so as not to be dissociated therefrom in untimely manner. 
     Naturally, the annular diameter of the shoulder  31  is in relation with the annular diameter between the narrowed opening  24  and the large diameter of the space  29  at the place where the arm  22  is joined to the rounded portion  23 . 
     Further to the process of manufacture of the seal employed, the outer lateral face  35  of the shoulder  31  is cylindrical or slightly truncated, the large base lying towards face  28 . 
     Once the fluid seal  3  is mounted in the cap  2 , the face  32  of the bead  26  placed in a transverse plane with respect to the axis  11  and opposite the face  28  is disposed substantially in the plane of the arm  21  of the projection  19 . 
     The face  32  of the bead  26  may be located slightly beyond the plane of the arm  21 , on the side opposite the transverse wall  12  (FIGS. 9 to  11 ). 
     The space  29  previously mentioned is such that it is adapted in the first place to allow the appropriate deformation of the fluid seal  3  further to the assembly and tightening of the cap with seal  1  on the neck  4  of the container. 
     On the other hand and moreover, the space  29  is adapted to allow the application and abutment of the fluid seal  3 , by its face  28 , against the inner face  20  of the cap  2 , once the cap with seal  1  is mounted and tightened on the neck  4 . In the embodiment considered here, these two faces  20 ,  18  are principally or substantially planar. 
     In the embodiment in question, the bead  26  presents, in transverse cross section, a general V-shape with truncated or rounded apex. 
     This bead  26  is outwardly limited by a face  33 , substantially cylindrical or truncated corresponding substantially to the opening  24 . The bead  26  is inwardly limited by a face  34  having substantially a truncated shape. The diameter of this truncated cone nearest the wall  27  is the small diameter while the large diameter is intended to face the neck  4  of the container. Consequently, the bead  26  and the shoulder  31  are oriented inclined in the same direction. 
     In the embodiment which has just been described, the fluid seal  3  comprises one single bead  26 . 
     However in other possible embodiments, the fluid seal  3  also comprises a second annular bead, placed inside the first bead  26  and slightly spaced apart therefrom radially. 
     Once the cap with seal I is mounted and tightened on the neck  4  of the container, the fluid seal  3  is deformed, comparatively to its rest situation. This deformation is such that the fluid seal  3  is applied in abutment on the inner face  20  of the cap  2 . On the other hand, the bead  26 —as the case may be the second bead when the latter is provided—is crushed and deformed by the free end part of the neck  4 . As has been indicated hereinabove, the bottom of the cap  2  forms a chamber for the compression of the seal  3 . 
     It should be noted that the cap  2  proper is adapted not only to receive an added seal such as  3 , shouldered and floating once mounted, as described hereinabove, but also, alternately and possibly, a seal made in situ. 
     Consequently, the cap  2  is in that respect polyvalent. Symmetrically, the seal  3  may be added on different shapes of shells of cap  2 . 
     FIGS. 6 to  11  show different non-limiting variants of forms of seal  3 . 
     In the case of FIG. 6, the face  34  is strongly inclined on the axis  11  and rounded towards the wall  27 . The bead  26  is applied towards the edge  8 . 
     In the case of FIG. 7, there are provided a first bead  26  and a second bead  36  placed inside the first bead  26  and spaced apart therefrom radially. The two beads  26  and  36  are disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to each other, the assembly having the general form of a pseudo W. The bead  26  is deformed by the edge  8 . The bead  36  is deformed by the opposite edge  37 . 
     FIG. 8 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, in which the two beads  26  and  36  are disymmetrical. In the present case, the bead  36  is wider than bead  26 . 
     FIG. 9 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, in which the bead  36  comprises an extension  38  directed axially, opposite the wall  27 , applied against the inner face  5  of the neck  4 . 
     FIG. 10 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG.  7 . Here, the two beads  26  and  36  are clearly more spaced apart than in the case of FIG. 7, their shape being more that of an upturned U than an upturned V. 
     FIG. 11 is a variant of FIG. 10 in which a third bead  39  is taken between the beads  26  and  36 .