ES2401969T3 - A bottle with a secure lid - Google Patents

Abstract

A bottle with a secure lid, comprising: a bottle (1) having an open neck (2) and a first retention tab (3) around at least one part of the neck; and a pressure cap (7) fixed on the neck, the lid having an outlet (30) and a second retaining flange (9) positioned such that, when the lid is placed on the bottle, the first and the second retention tabs (3, 9) deviate relatively from each other when they pass and close again in place once they have passed, coupling a stop (4 ') of the first retention tab (3) to a stop (13 ') on the second retention tab (9) to keep the lid securely in the bottle; characterized in that one between the neck of the bottle and the lid has a projection (5) that is fixed in a recess (17) complementary to the other between the neck of the bottle and the lid to basically prevent the rotation of the lid and the bottle.

Description

A bottle with a secure lid.

The present invention relates to a bottle with a secure lid.

Caps are known in the art that are designed so that, once they have been placed in a bottle, in practice, they are difficult to remove. Such caps are designed so that they cannot be removed by an average person using only their hands. It may be possible, however, to remove the cap by using tools or any other way of applying an unusually high force, but any such withdrawal will often result in the destruction of the bottle.

Threaded caps are known which have ratchet teeth that predispose the plug in such a way that coupling of the complementary screw threads is prevented when the plug is turned in a direction opposite to the direction in which they were screwed into the plug. While these mechanisms are effective, the requirement of screw threads and ratchet teeth results in a plug that is reasonably thick to accommodate the mechanism. Furthermore, the shape of a cover does not always lend itself to a screw thread coupling, for example if the bottom edge or the outer skirt of the cover has a non-flat profile.

A series of documents are known in the art (e.g., US 4,022,464, US 3,237,819, EP 1 847 472, GB 1 107 605 and US 3,295,730) describing pressure plugs, specifically provided a limited number of turns of the lid in order to open dispensing holes. Such containers are generally used for fine powder material, such as talcum powder and the like. These closures have nothing to do with the secure closure contemplated by the present invention.

The present invention is specifically designed for a bottle that provides a refill for soap and the like which is then dispensed by an automatic dispenser. Once the refill is empty, if the user could remove the lid and refill the bottle, there would be a danger of filling the bottle with a product that was incompatible with the dispensing device, or would stop replacing the lid correctly resulting in leaks in a dispenser, which in the best case would be a derangement and in the worst would damage the device.

One way to address this problem is described in our previous request GB 0820984.3, W02010055313A1. Here, a bottle with a tamper-proof lid is described. This is designed with a retention element for the cover that is held in place by a seal. The seal is broken when the lid is removed, so the lid cannot be subsequently retained in the bottle.

Although this is effective to achieve the purpose of preventing the reuse of the bottle, since it allows the cap to be removed immediately, if a consumer removes the cap without realizing it, for example, if one wants to smell the contents of the bottle, the bottle will It will become unusable.

From GB 947126, a bottle with a secure lid is known which reveals all the technical characteristics of the preamble of claim 1 attached.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a bottle with a secure cap is provided, comprising:

a bottle that has an open neck and a first retention tab around at least one part of the neck; Y

a pressure cap fitted on the neck, the lid having an outlet with a valve to control the flow through the outlet and a second retention tab positioned so that, after the lid is placed in the bottle, the first and the second retention tabs deviate relatively from each other as they pass and close again in place once they have passed, a stop of the first retention tab engaging a stop of the second retention tab to maintain the cap securely on the bottle;

having one of between the neck of the bottle and the lid a protrusion that fits in a complementary recess of the other between the neck of the bottle and the lid to basically prevent the relative rotation of the lid and the bottle.

Therefore, the present invention uses a basically different approach to that of GB 0820984.3 (W02010055313A1) since, in addition to preventing the reinsertion of the lid, it is intended to prevent the lid from being removed in any way.

The combination of the coupling stops of the first and second retention tabs, together with the means to prevent the relative rotation of the lid and the cap, makes it very difficult for an average person to obtain sufficient grip on the lid to remove it from righ now. The mechanism could, of course, be overcome by a determined effort, for example a person who inserts a knife or some other instrument between the lid and the bottle. However, the mechanism can be made robust enough to withstand most of the efforts decided to remove it.

The first and second retention tabs can be configured such that one or both of them are arranged to break if the lid is removed from the bottle, thereby compromising the functionality of the lid.

Preferably, the lid is provided with an auxiliary flange that is positioned such that, with the lid on the bottle, the first retention tab stays between the second retention tab and the auxiliary tab. The auxiliary tab acts to prevent deflection into the first retention tab and thus it becomes more difficult for the user to release the two stops.

Preferably, there is more than one projection and a corresponding complementary recess. The projection is preferably provided in the bottle while the recess is preferably provided in the cap. The recess is preferably defined by a pair of ribs that extend between an outer skirt of the lid and an inner circumferential element that defines the second retention tab. This provides structural rigidity for the nerves.

Preferably, at least one of the projections, the first and second recesses and stops are provided with beveled edges to provide guide surfaces when the lid is placed on the bottle.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a bottle with a secure cap is provided, comprising a bottle having an open neck and a first retention tab about at least a part of the neck; and a pressure cap fitted on the neck, the lid having an outlet that closes by means of a closure that opens with a non-rotating movement, and a second retention tab positioned so that, after placing the lid on the bottle , the first and second retention tabs deviate relatively from each other as they pass and close again in place once they have passed, a stop of the first retention tab engaging a stop of the second tab of retention to keep the lid securely in the bottle; one of the bottle between the neck and the lid having a projection that fits in a complementary recess of the other between the neck of the bottle and the lid to limit or prevent the relative rotation of the lid and the bottle.

The closure can be any element that is not based on a turning movement of the lid in order to open it. It could be, for example, a perforable sheet but is preferably an elastically deformable element such as a zel / slit valve or a valve element requested on its seat by elastically deformable elements.

An example of a secure cover will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the bottle;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the bottle;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bottle;

Fig. 4 is a plant below the lid;

Fig. 5 is a perspective below the lid;

Fig. 6 is a cross section showing the cap on the bottle;

Fig. 7A is a partial cross section of the lid and the bottle just before the insertion of the bottle into the lid;

Fig. 7B is a similar view with the bottle fully inserted;

Fig. 7C is a similar view showing a slight rotation of the bottle with respect to the lid;

Fig. 8 is a perspective below a second example of the lid;

Fig. 9 is a plant below a second example of the lid; Y

Fig. 10 is a cross section through the lid of Figs. 8 and 9 and the lower end of the second bottle.

Bottle 1 is a generally rigid plastic container containing liquid soap and the like. It is generally elliptical in the cross section as shown in Fig. 2. It can also be used to dispense other liquid or semi-liquid products (ideally with a viscosity greater than water), such as hand cream, body lotion, moisturizer , face cream, shampoo, shower gel, sparkling hand wash, shaving cream, liquid detergent, toothpaste or a disinfectant such as alcohol gel. The bottle is specifically designed to be used in an inverted configuration in an automatic dispenser. However, this is not part of the present invention and will not be described in this document.

The bottle has a neck 2 that is surrounded by a first retention tab 3. This can be continuous around the circumference of the neck, or it can be intermittent. As shown in Fig. 6, the retention tab 3 is provided with a projection having a conical surface 4 on one side and a stop 4 'on the other for the reasons described below.

In diametrically opposite positions on the upper part of the neck, there are a pair of projections 5 having a conical upper surface 6 as shown in Fig. 3. Likewise there could be only one or more of two of these projections.

Cap 7 is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The lid has a generally elliptical shape that corresponds to that of the bottle and is provided, from the inside out, with a circular auxiliary flange 8 that may or may not be continuous, a second retention tab 9 described in more detail then an outer skirt 10 which has the elliptical shape of the cap and is provided with a pair of lugs 11 to be placed in the dispenser (not shown). The auxiliary flange 8 also serves to close tightly against the inner wall of the neck 2.

The second retention tab 9 is best shown in Fig. 6. This can be intermittent or continuous circumferentially and projects upwardly from the bottom surface of the lid. The free end of the flange 9 is an enlarged part 12 defining an upper conical surface 13 and a downward facing stop 13 ’.

In diametrically opposite positions corresponding to the positions of the projections 5, the second retention tab 9 is provided with several notches 15 that allow the second retention tab 9 to deviate when the bottle is inserted into the lid. Between each pair of notches 15 there is a pair of radial ribs 16 extending outwardly to the outer skirt 10. Between the ribs 16, the second retaining flange is interrupted and this defines recesses 17 that accommodate the protrusions 5. Circumferentially outward of the ribs 16 there is a conical surface 18.

The way in which the bottle 1 is inserted into the lid will now be described with reference to Fig. 7A. This shows the bottle partially inserted in the lid. In this case, the bottle is slightly out of alignment with the lid and the conical surfaces 6 in the projections cooperate with the surfaces 18 in the lid to guide the bottle to the correct alignment. When the bottle is inserted, the conical surface 4 on the first retention tab 3 cooperates with the conical surface 13 on the second retention tab 9 to deflect it out aided by the notches 15 until the stops 4 ', 13' pass one to the other, at which time the second tab 9 closes again in its position, whereby the safe location of the stops shown in Fig. 6 maintains the first tab 3 between the second tab 9 and the auxiliary tab 8.

As shown in Fig. 7B, the protrusions 5 are inside the recesses 17. The lid can rotate a small angle (less than 25 °, more preferably less than 20 ° and most preferably, less than 15 °) until the protrusions 5 are they rest on one of the ribs 16 (as shown in Fig. 7C) to prevent further rotation.

In this position, the lid is held securely in the neck of the bottle and it is very difficult for a user to obtain any grip on the lid, in particular because it is unable to rotate it with any significant amplitude. In practice, the cap and neck are designed such that the cap cannot be removed by a force of less than 15 kg, preferably less than 20 kg and more preferably 30 kg. When such force is applied, one of the first three and second eyelashes is designed to break or deform plastically to such an extent that the cap can no longer be held in the bottle.

It will also be observed from Figs. 7A to 7C which, as well as having a generally elliptical configuration, the upper edge 21 of the skirt 10 and the front surface 22 of the bottle 1 have a curved profile. Under these circumstances, any significant relative rotation of the lid and the bottle 1 would regenerate a significant force that tends to separate the lid from the bottle. To significantly prevent or limit the relative rotation of the two components, this force cannot be applied. Also, if the lid could be rotated relatively with respect to the bottle, due to the basically elliptical shape, there would be a large projection between the bottle and the lid that would allow the user to obtain a significant grip on the cap. Again, this is prevented by significantly preventing or limiting the relative rotation of the cap on the bottle.

The mechanism of the valve is also shown in Fig. 6. The lower surface of the lid has an outlet orifice 30 surrounded by an annular wall 31. The valve element 32 sits on the top of the wall 31 and is disposed in place by the multitude of elastic elements 33. schematically shows an air inlet opening 34 and is closed by a valve element 35. In use, the bottle is placed on a base in the orientation shown in Fig. 6. The base is provided with a spigot (not shown) at the top of which battlements are provided. The spout opens the valve element 32 against the action of the elastic elements 33, thus creating a flow path below the valve element 32 and through the battlements in the spigot. When the liquid leaves the bottle 1, the pressure drops and the pressure drop causes the element 35 of the air inlet valve to open to allow air inside the bottle.

The second example of a bottle with the capped end is shown in Figs. 8 to 10. This is mostly similar to the first example. The same reference numbers have been used appropriately. The same valve 32 and the outlet 30 as shown in Fig. 6 will also be present although these are not shown in Fig. 10.

The only difference concerns the configuration of the second retention tab 9 ’. In this case, the continuous flange of the first example has been replaced by a component that is held on a multitude of fasteners 36 separated by gaps 37. Above each gap is a conical surface 13 'with a cross section similar to the surface 13 of the first example. As shown in Fig. 10, the coupling is similar to that in Fig. 6, although the intermittent nature of the second retaining flange 9 ′ allows greater overlap between the two parts in the mounting state. Also, the arrangement of a series of independent sections that are coupled with the first tab 3 increases the probability that one or more of these will break when the lid is removed.

Claims (9)

1. A bottle with a secure cap, comprising: a bottle (1) having an open neck (2) and a first retention tab (3) around at least a part of the neck; and a pressure cap (7) fixed on the neck, the lid having an outlet (30) and a second retaining flange (9) positioned such that, when the lid is placed on the bottle, the first and the second retention tabs (3, 9) deviate relatively from each other when they pass and close again in place once they have passed, coupling a stop (4 ') of the first retention tab (3) to a stop (13 ') on the second retention tab (9) to keep the lid securely in the bottle; characterized in that one between the neck of the bottle and the lid has a projection (5) that is fixed in a recess (17) complementary to the other between the neck of the bottle and the lid to basically prevent the rotation of the lid and the bottle

2.

A bottle according to claim 1, wherein the first and second tabs (3, 9) are configured such that one or both of them are arranged to be damaged if the bottle cap is removed, whereby it is compromised thus the functionality of the lid.

3.

A bottle according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lid (7) is provided with an auxiliary flange (8) that is positioned such that, with the lid on the bottle, the first retention tab (3 ) stays between the second retention tab (9) and the auxiliary tab (8).

Four.

A bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, in which there is more than one projection (5) and a corresponding complementary recess (17).

5.

A bottle according to any one of the preceding claims in which the recess (17) is defined by a pair of ribs (16) extending between an outer skirt (10) of the lid (7) and an inner circumferential element defining the second retention tab (9).

6.

A bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet (30) has a valve

(32) to control the flow through the outlet.

7.

A bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet (30) is closed by a closure that can be operated by a non-rotating movement.

8.

A bottle according to claim 7, wherein the closure is an elastically deformable element.

9.

A bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet (30) a valve (32) to control the flow through the outlet.