Bottles and jars – Closures – Cap type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-21
2001-10-16
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Bottles and jars
Closures
Cap type
C215S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302287
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to closure systems for a container for pourable material in particular for pourable material for human consumption such as beverages. In particular the closure system relates to a beverage bottle having a screw cap closure system. The closure system comprises a closure frame providing the physical stability and protection of the closure system and a sealing means which is removably joined to the closure frame to provide appropriate sealing of the container. The present invention allows to reuse the closure frame independent of the sealing means.
CROSS REFERENCE
This application relates to and is filed on the same date at the European Patent Office as the following applications:
“RECYCLABLE CLOSURE SYSTEM”, attorney docket CM-1213FQ with the inventor Volker Heiner;
“TAMPER PROOF FOR REUSABLE CLOSURE SYSTEM”, attorney docket CM-1214FQ with the inventors Volker Heiner and Deltlef Müller;
both filed in the name of THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Twist off caps or screw cap closure systems for bottles are well-known in the art. Typically these systems comprise a closure frame which has integrally joined to it a sealing means to provide a barrier between the environment and the content of the bottle. Often in particular for fruit juice comprising beverages these bottles are provided under a reduced internal pressure such that the twist off cap is slightly deformed by being pulled into the bottle and upon releasing the seal provides an audible signal indicating an intact tamper proof.
The sealing means used in these twist off caps is usually provided by polyvinylchloride material. Polyvinylchloride (herinafter abreviated by PVC) does provide certain benefits to the sealing means e. g. the repeatable ability to undergo deformations to provide proper sealing. However, these advantages are balanced with certain disadvantages which are in particular environmental concerns with PVC. Especially when attempting to recycle the closure system it is necessary to remove paint and PVC from the closure frame prior to recycling the closure frame e.g. by melting it. This removal of the PVC and paint is usually achieved by burning but has become very uneconomical due to ecological concerns about PVC fumes and the resulting precautions for the process.
Also PVC has a high affinity to absorb organic compounds. Therefore twist off cap closures having PVC sealing means cannot be reused for containers comprising materials for human consumption because the sealing means will become contaminated, i.e. loaded with the organic compounds present in the container content. Reuse or recycling of sealing means having such contamination is of course prohibited under many local regulatory laws.
On the other hand it would be desirable to recycle or reuse the closure system since it is usually made to be durable enough to allow reuse or if less durable closure systems are employed (for example having a thin walled closure frame) at least recycling without the negative aspects caused by its multimaterial components is desirable.
Hence there is a need to provide a closure system which can be reused without the problems associated with known screw cap/sealing means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a closure system for a container for pourable material such as a bottle for liquids preferably a bottle for beverages. The closure system is separable from the container, i.e. the present invention does not relate to closure systems which are kept connected to the container while the container is open and some of the container content is removed from the container. The closure system according to the present invention comprises a closure frame and a sealing means where the sealing means is removably joined to the closure frame and the closure frame can be reused.
The term “removably joined” as used hereinafter refers to a connection between the sealing means and the closure frame which under usual use conditions will maintain their connection such that they appear to be one system. However removal of the sealing means from the closure frame does not cause any undue burden or special effort if carried out by a mechanical device or by a person. In particular no part of the closure frame will be scratched or damaged due to the automated removal of the sealing means. Most preferably this is achieved by frictional measures, constructive measures, or combination thereof. However adhesives which leave no or an acceptable residue on the closure frame can also be employed in the context of the present invention.
The term “reusable” as used hereinafter means the possibility of using the same item for the same purpose again at least one time, but preferably several times. The term “a reusable closure frame” is therefore more limited than the term “a recyclable closure frame” since the term “recyclable” as used hereinafter refers to a closure frame which can be reused or which is made of materials such that it allows to use the material again in order to provide new articles of manufacture. This new article of manufacture can be alternatively the same article of manufacture from which the recycled material is provided (this can alternatively be termed “complete recycling”) or a different article of manufacture which has e.g. a lower purity requirement.
Preferably the closure system according to the present invention is a screw cap system and can be separated from the container which it closes by unscrewing. In an even more preferred embodiment according to the present invention the closure system is a “twist off” system which is removable by unscrewing the closure system with about one quarter or even less turn of the closure frame.
The sealing means according to the present invention comprises preferably a flexible disc of polymeric material in particular of polyethylene material. The disc in a preferred embodiment has a substantially circular perimeter and a central axis which is substantially perpendicular to the flexible disc. This flexible disc has in a relaxed state a concave shape in which the center of the disc bends away from the container which it closes. A further preferred embodiment of the concave disc additionally comprises a circular flange depending from the disc. The flange comprises a conical portion and a fixation portion for joining the sealing means to the closure frame in at least two, most preferably
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or more, tongues which can be rounded but are preferably pointy at their tips and which tongues provide even better/firm joining between the sealing means and the closure frame by friction.
According to the present invention a preferred closure frame comprises a substantially flat portion which has a substantially circular perimeter and a flange depending from the flat portion along that perimeter. The flange of that closure frame has a proximal edge adjacent the circular perimeter of the flat portion of the closure frame and a distal edge furthest away from the proximal edge from the flange. Preferably the flange has a folded rim at the distal edge with the rim forming several extending tongues for use of that closure frame as a screw cap or twist off closure frame. The flange of the closure frame preferably provides part of the surface to which the sealing means is removably joined and preferably the folded rim also provides at least part of the means by which the sealing means is removably joined to the closure frame.
The closure frame can be provided by many materials, however, it is preferable that the closure frame be provided by a relatively stable and durable material such that it is substantially undeformable. Such materials can be for example ceramics, but sheet metal materials such as tin metal or other iron comprising metals are particular preferred especially when recycling of the closure frame material into new closure frames is desired.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3053407 (1962-09-01), Lowen
patent: 3331523 (1967-07-01), Exton
patent: 4463863 (1984-08-01), Noriyuki et al.
patent:
Cronin Stephen K.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Ulrich Paul M.
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