EP3122641A1 - Metal container comprising a neck capable of receiving a screw cap-type sealing element - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a metal container (1) including a neck (2), wherein a screw thread (7) and a ring collar (8) are provided. According to the invention, said screw thread (7): - comprises a top radius (R1) between 0.85 and 0.2 mm and a bottom radius (R2) between 0.5 and 0.7 mm; - the inner flank (82) of the ring collar (8), which diverges from the top flank (83) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (2'), defines an angle (C1) of between 20° and 30° relative to a plane (C2) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (2'); - the outer rim (821) of the bottom flank (82) of the ring collar (8) has a radius (R3) of between 0.7 and 0.9 mm; and - the inner rim (822) of the inner flank (82) of the ring collar (8) is provided at a distance (D) of between 13 and 15 mm relative to said free rim (4) of the neck (2).

Description

 METAL CONTAINER COMPRISING A CLAMP ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A SCREW CAPSULE TYPE SHUTTING ELEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION REFERS

The present invention relates to metal containers comprising a threaded neck adapted to receive a closure member of the screw cap type.

BACKGROUND

 Some containers have a threaded neck which allows their hermetic closure by a screw cap (or screw cap).

 Such a screw cap is conventionally formed of a cap consisting of a closure pellet extended by a cylindrical skirt, this skirt ending in a ring serving as an opening control.

 The threaded neck of the container conventionally comprises:

 at least one thread adapted to cooperate with the cap of the screw cap, provided with a complementary net, and

 - A counter-ring arranged under the thread and adapted to cooperate with the ring of the screw cap.

 Glass bottles are particularly suitable for such screw caps: they allow the use of standard metal caps which are mounted by means of crimping machines with single head molding / threading.

 For their part, the current metal containers can also be equipped with metal screw caps (as described for example in the document US-2012/0269602); but their structure requires the use of specific capsules that require their assembly by complex crimping machines (called "double head molding / threading").

 To avoid this constraint, there is a need for a metal container that would be able to receive a standard screw cap sealingly (especially gas), and adapted to be implemented by means of a crimping machine to simple head of molding / threading.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

 The present invention thus relates to a metal container whose neck has a specific thread which has the advantage of being able to receive standard metal screw caps and can be implemented by means of a crimping machine with single head molding / threading .

For this, the metal container according to the invention comprises a neck defining a longitudinal axis, which neck has a wall of constant thickness, or at least approximately constant, which is terminated by a free border defining an orifice and in which are formed at minus two moldings: a first molding forming at least one net, and

 - A second convex molding forming a counter-ring, formed between said net and a neck base.

 This counter-ring has a lateral face extended by a lower sidewall and an upper sidewall, which lower side is defined by a rounded outer edge and a rounded inner edge, respectively connected to said side face and said neck base.

 And according to the present invention:

a) said net comprises:

 a1) a radius of section at the apex of between 0.85 and 1.2 mm, preferably of 1 mm +/- 0.05 mm, and

 a2) a bottom section radius of between 0.5 and 0.7 mm, preferably 0.6 mm +/- 0.05 mm,

b) the lower flank of the counter ring, diverging with respect to the upper flank in the direction of the longitudinal axis, defines an angle of between 20 ° and 30 ° (preferably between 22 ° and 30 °) with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,

c) the outer edge of the lower flank of the counter ring has a radius of section of between 0.7 and 0.9 mm, preferably 0.8 mm +/- 0.05 mm, and

d) the inner edge of the lower flank of the counter ring is provided at a distance of between 13 and 15 mm, preferably 14.3 mm +/- 0.3 mm, relative to said free edge of the neck.

 Such a metal container has the advantage of being able to receive a standard screw cap commercially, including a screw cap usually adapted to be reported on a thread of a glass bottle according to the MCA2 standard (see "Packaging" - Tome 5 - Afnor) or XP H35-107 (Afnor).

 The corresponding neck is also adapted to ensure sealing and, where appropriate, to allow deformation of the metal without altering the interior varnishes.

 Such a metal container also has the advantage of allowing the implementation of standard crimping machines with single head molding / threading, for mounting the screw cap on its threaded neck.

 According to advantageous features of realization, which can be taken in combination or independently of each other:

 the net has a pitch of between 3 and 3.3 mm, and / or a number of turns between 1 and

2;

the thread tip diameter is between 27.2 and 28.5 mm, the thread bottom diameter is between 25.5 and 26.5 mm, and the inner edge diameter of the lower flank of the counter is -bague is between 24 and 25.4 mm; - The free edge of the neck is in the form of a hem whose first outer diameter is between 24.5 and 25.5 mm and, on the other hand, the inside diameter is between 20 , 5 and 21, 5 mm;

 the thread has a helix angle of between 1.5 ° and 2.5 °;

 - The neck is equipped with a closure element of the screw cap type comprising - a cap provided with a molding forming a thread which is complementary to the thread formed on said neck and - a ring cooperating with the lower flank of the against -bague to form an opening witness.

 The present invention further relates to a method for assembling a screw-cap type closure member with a metal container, which method comprises:

 the supply of a container as defined above and a closure element, and

- Locking said closure member on the neck of said container by means of a crimping machine with single head molding / threading. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE OF REALIZATION

The present invention will be further illustrated, without being limited in any way, by the following description of a particular embodiment in relation to the accompanying drawings in which:

 - Figure 1 is a section of the neck of a metal container according to the invention, with an enlarged and partial view of this neck;

 - Figures 2 and 3 correspond to the neck of Figure 1, before and after locking the closure element in the form of screw cap.

The metal container

 Figures 1 to 3 partially show a metal container 1 according to the invention, in this case its threaded neck.

 The metallic container 1 advantageously consists of a container capable of storing liquids, in particular liquid foodstuffs (water, milk, wine, beer, oil, etc.) and preferably carbonated drinks capable of releasing a gas (in particular of the dioxide of carbon).

 This container 1 is made of a metallic material, advantageously aluminum.

Such a metal container 1 has a generally conventional general form (for example of the bottle type), that is to say that it comprises a body (not shown) forming a reservoir which tightens at its top and ends with the neck 2 (shown here in Figures 1 to 3). Where appropriate, the inner surface of this container 1 (including its neck 2) is coated with an inner protective layer (not shown) which is made in a product resistant to the chemical action of the product to be packaged.

 This protective layer advantageously consists of a layer of varnish, the composition and thickness of which are chosen by the skilled person depending on the product to be packaged.

The bottleneck

 As described below in connection with Figure 1, the neck 2 of the container 1 is in the form of a cylindrical tubular portion which defines a longitudinal axis 2 '.

 The neck 2 is formed by a metal wall 3 which is of a constant thickness, or at least approximately constant.

 The thickness of this wall 3 is for example less than 1 mm.

 The neck 2 comprises three successive parts, distributed over the length of the longitudinal axis 2 ', namely:

 a frustoconical upper portion 21, converging towards the longitudinal axis 2 'on the side of a free edge 4 delimiting an orifice 5 for the inlet and / or the outlet of the conditioned liquid,

 a molded intermediate portion 22, provided with moldings intended to cooperate with a closure element of the screw-cap type (or screw cap) which will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, and

 a base 23, here of generally cylindrical shape (advantageously of constant diameter).

 The free edge 4 of the frustoconical upper portion 21 is here formed by a peripheral hem 41 wound outwardly with respect to the orifice 5.

 The interposed molded part 22 of the neck 2 here comprises two moldings:

 a first convex molding 7 having the appearance of a helical rib to form a thread, and

 a second convex molding 8 having an appearance of an annular rib intended to form a counter-ring.

 According to the invention, these two moldings 7, 8 have particular characteristics that allow the mounting of a standard screw cap of the trade, this, moreover, by means of a standard crimping machine with single head molding / threading .

In general, the dimensional parameters of the moldings 7, 8 are advantageously measured from the outer surface of the neck 2. On the net

 Net 7, described below in connection with FIG. 1, consists of:

 two flanks, one upper 71 (oriented towards the free edge 4) and the other lower 72 (opposite the free edge 4), that is to say the sides of the net 7,

 a bottom 73 corresponding to the line of junction between the adjacent lower blanks 72 and 71, and

 a top 74, corresponding to an outer line where the two sides 71, 72 of the thread 7 meet.

 The bottom 73 and the top 74 of the net 7 are rounded here, with a curved section, preferably in an arc.

 According to the invention, this thread 7 is defined by a combination of particular dimensional characteristics.

 In this case, the top 74 and the bottom 73 of the net 7 have the following dimensions:

the radius of section RI at the top 74 is between 0.85 and 1.2 mm; it is preferably 1 mm ± 0.05 mm, and

 the section radius R2 at the bottom 73 is between 0.5 and 0.7 mm; it is preferably 0.6 mm ± 0.05 mm.

 The diameter D1 of crown 74 of thread 7 is advantageously between 27.2 and 28.5 mm.

 The diameter D2 of the bottom 73 of the thread 7 is between 25.5 and 26.5 mm.

 The thread 7 is further defined by a particular angle of helix B, corresponding to the inclination of the thread 7 with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2 '.

 In this case, this helix angle B of the thread 7 is advantageously between 1.5 ° and 2.5 °, preferably between 2 ° and 2.5 °.

 This net 7 still advantageously has:

 a pitch P between 3 and 3.3 mm and

 a number of revolutions between 1 and 2.

Counter ring

 Counter-ring 8, described below in relation to FIG. 1, consists of a lateral face 81 extended by two flanks, the lower one 82 (opposite the free edge 4) and the other upper 83 (on the side of the free edge 4).

 The lateral face 81 is here of frustoconical general shape, converging towards the longitudinal axis 2 'on the side of the free edge 4 of the neck 2.

The flanks 82 and 83 of this counter-ring 8 are here of a generally frustoconical shape, diverging with respect to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis 2 '. In particular, the lower flank 82 of the counter-ring 8 is delimited by a rounded outer edge 821 and a rounded inner edge 822 respectively connected to the lateral face 81 of the counter-ring 8 and to the base 23 of the neck 2 .

 According to the invention, the counter-ring 8 is defined by a combination of particular dimensional characteristics.

 The lower flank 82 of the counter-ring 8 defines an angle J between 20 ° and 30 ° (preferably between 22 ° and 30 °) with respect to [tan _ 2 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2 'of the neck 2.

 This lower flank 82 is upward, from the rounded inner edge 822 to the rounded outer edge 821, on the side of the free edge 4 of the neck 2.

 The outer edge 821 of the lower flank 82 has a radius of section R3 of between 0.7 and 0.9 mm; this radius R3 is preferably 0.8 mm +/- 0.05 mm.

 The inner edge 822 of the lower flank 82 is formed at a distance D3 of between 13 and 15 mm with respect to the free edge 4 of the neck 2; this distance D3 is preferably 14.3 mm +/- 0.3 mm.

 This inner edge 822 of the lower blank 82 further defines a diameter D4 (corresponding to the diameter of the base 23 of the neck 2) advantageously between 24 and 25.4 mm.

 The outer edge 821 of this lower flank 82 defines a diameter D5 advantageously between 27.5 and 28.5 mm.

The hem of the free edge of the neck

 The hem of the free edge 4 of the neck 2 has the following dimensions:

 an outer diameter D6 of between 24.5 and 25.5 mm, and

 an inside diameter D7 of between 20.5 and 21.5 mm.

Molding of the neck

 The moldings 7 and 8 of the neck 2 can be made by means of a standard tool which is modified on the profile part of the active tools (wheels adapted by their shapes and their radii) in order to obtain results. compliant in terms of sealing, crimping, opening torque of the screw cap, while being compatible with the method and the integrity of the interior varnishes.

The shutter element

A preferably screw-cap closure member 15, advantageously standard, is attached to the neck 2 of this container 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Such a screw cap 15 is advantageously in accordance with the MCA2 standard (see "Packaging" - Volume 5 - Afnor) or the standard XP H35-107 (Afnor).

 It is for example made of aluminum coated with a varnish, with a thickness of, for example, between 0.2 and 0.25 mm.

 This screw cap 15 is composed, in a conventional manner, of two elements:

a cap 16 intended to ensure the closure of this container 1 and to cover the thread 7 of the neck 2, and

 a degradable ring 17 intended to hold the cap 16 before the first opening and to serve as an opening control.

 The cap 16 is composed in particular of:

 a shutter pad 161, of generally circular shape, intended to cover the free edge 4 of the neck 2 and to close the orifice 5 of the neck 2, and

 - A cylindrical skirt 162, connected to the edge of the sealing pellet 161 and intended to come opposite the molded intermediate portion 22 to cooperate with the thread 7 of the neck 2.

 The underside of this sealing pellet 161 is provided with a peripheral annular seal 163 which is intended to cover the free edge 4 of the neck 2 to ensure sealing.

 The skirt 162 consists of a tubular portion which is originally devoid of a net (Figure 2).

 The ring 17 consists of an annular lower strip, extending the skirt 162, on the opposite side to the sealing pellet 161.

 This ring 17 may consist of one or more sections, secured together by breaking initiation means (also called line of least resistance).

 Breaking initiation means 18, for example a degradable line (or "weaker"), are formed between the cap 16 and the ring 17.

 These breaking initiation means 18 are constituted for example by a set of bridges (or "bridges") regularly distributed over the circumference of the skirt 162 and the ring 17 of this screw cap 15.

Mounting the shutter element on the neck of the container

 The container 1 according to the invention is filled with the liquid of interest through its opening 5.

 The screw cap 15, the skirt 162 of the cap 16 is unmolded, is suitably fitted on the neck 2 of the container 1 (Figure 2).

In this respect, the screw cap 15 is arranged so that: the cap 16 covers the orifice 5, the thread 7 of the neck 2 and an upper part of the counter-ring 8, and

 - The ring 17 covers a lower portion of the counter-ring 8 of the neck 2.

 The screw cap 15 is then locked on the neck 2 of the container 1, by a standard method of molding / threading which is encountered especially for glass bottles.

 For this, the screw cap 15 is molded / threaded directly on the neck 2 of the container 1, preferably by a shaping tool which gives it its shape by pressure in the direction of the longitudinal axis 2 '.

 As illustrated by FIG. 3, during this formatting:

 - The skirt 162 of the cap 16 is molded / threaded to form a net 164 whose shape is complementary to the thread 7 formed on the neck 2, and

 - The lower edge of the ring 17 is bent so as to cover the lower flank 82 of the counter-ring 8 of the neck 2.

 This locking operation is advantageously carried out by means of a crimping machine with a single molding / threading head (unlike the current neck of a metal bottle requiring a double head machine operating in two successive molding sequences).

 In general, the neck 2 can equip any metal container other than a metal bottle.

 In general, as illustrated above, such a metal container has the interest of (i) being able to receive a standard commercial screw cap and (ii) allowing the implementation of standard single-head crimping machines. molding / threading, for locking the screw cap on its threaded neck.

Claims

- CLAIMS - 1. - Metal container (1) comprising a neck (2) defining a longitudinal axis (2 '), which neck (2) has a wall (3) of constant thickness, or at least approximately constant, which is terminated by a free border (4) defining an orifice (5) and in which are formed at least two moldings (7, 8):  a first molding (7) forming at least one net, and  a second convex molding (8) forming a counter-ring formed between said net (7) and a neck base (23),  which counter-ring (8) has a side face (81) extended by two sidewalls, one lower (82) and the other upper (83), and which lower side (82) is delimited by a rounded outer edge ( 821) and a rounded inner edge (822), respectively connected to said side face (81) and said neck base (23),  characterized in that a) said net (7) comprises:  a1) a section radius (R1) at the apex (74) between 0.85 and 1.2 mm, and a2) a section radius (R2) at the bottom (73) between 0.5 and 0.7 mm , b) the lower flank (82) of the counter ring (8), diverging with respect to the upper flank (83) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (2 '), defines an angle (CD between 20 ° and 30 ° with respect to a plane (Ç_2) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (2 '), c) the outer edge (821) of the lower flank (82) of the counter ring (8) has a radius of section (R3) of between 0.7 and 0.9 mm, and d) the inner edge (822) of the lower flank (82) of the counter-ring (8) is provided at a distance (D3) between 13 and 15 mm with respect to said free edge (4) of the neck (2) .  2. - Metal container according to claim 1, characterized in that the thread (7) has - a crown radius (R1) of 1 mm +/- 0.05 mm and a bottom radius (R2) of 0.6 mm +/- 0.05 mm,  in that the lower flank (82) of the counter ring (8) defines an angle (CD between 22 ° and 30 ° with respect to the plane [C_2) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (2 '),  in that the section radius (R3) of the outer edge (821) of the lower flank (82) of the counter ring (8) is 0.8 mm +/- 0.05 mm, and  in that the inner edge (822) of the lower flank (82) of the counter ring (8) is provided at a distance (D3) of 14.3 mm +/- 0.3 mm from a free edge ( 4) of said neck (2).  3. - metal container according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the thread (7) has:  a pitch of between 3 and 3.3 mm, and / or a number of revolutions between 1 and 2. 4. - metal container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the diameter (D1) of thread vertex (74) is between 27.2 and 28.5 mm, in that the diameter ( D2) is between 25.5 and 26.5 mm, and in that the diameter (D4) of the inner edge (822) of the lower flank (82) of the counter-ring (8) ) is between 24 and 25.4 mm.  5. - metal container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the free edge (4) of the neck (2) is in the form of a hem, on the one hand, the outer diameter (D6) is between 24.5 and 25.5 mm and, on the other hand, the inside diameter (D7) is between 20.5 and 21.5 mm.  6. - metal container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the thread (7) has a helix angle (B) of between 1.5 ° and 2.5 °.  7. - Metal container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the neck (2) is equipped with a closure member (15) of the screw cap type which comprises - a cap (16) provided with a molding (164) forming a thread which is complementary to the thread (7) formed on said neck (2), - a ring (17) cooperating with the lower side (82) of the counter-ring (8) for form an opening witness.  8. - Method for mounting a closure element (15) with a metal container (1), characterized in that it comprises:  - the supply of a container (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and a closure member (15) of the screw cap type, and  - Locking said shutter member (15) on the neck (2) of said container (1) by means of a crimping machine with single head molding / threading.