Bottle closing device for placing press-fit closures, such as crown corks, crown caps, and similar closures, on bottles or similar containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021356-B2
Application number	US-201715481522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2017
Priority date	Oct 7, 2014
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A bottle closing device for placing press-fit closures, such as crown corks, crown caps, and similar closures, on bottles or similar containers. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle closing device configured to close bottle mouths with press-fit closures, such as crown corks, or crown caps, and similar closures, or caps, said bottle closing device comprising:
a support portion and a head portion connected to an end of said support portion;
said head portion comprising a support body and a die ring disposed in an opening in said support body;
said support portion being movable to press said die ring against, and thereby deform, a press-fit closure, a crown cork, or a crown cap onto a mouth portion of a bottle;
said die ring comprises first and second end faces and a side surface disposed between and transverse to said first and second end faces;
said support body comprises an inner surface disposed about said opening therein and to face said side surface of said die ring;
said die ring and said support body together form at least one flow passage, which said at least one flow passage, upon treatment of said head portion, permits flow of liquid and/or vaporous and/or gaseous treatment medium between said die ring and said support body; and
wherein each said at least one flow passage has a radial flow portion between said first end face of said die ring and said support body and an axial flow portion extending between said inner surface of said support body and said side surface of said die ring.

2. The bottle closing device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one flow passage comprises a plurality of flow passages.

3. The bottle closing device according to claim 2 , wherein:
said support portion is configured to be moved back and forth along its longitudinal axis;
said flow passages run continuously between a first end and a second end of said support body; and
said flow passages extend, with respect to said longitudinal axis, axially or essentially axially.

4. The bottle closing device according to claim 3 , wherein:
said die ring comprises first and second end faces and a side surface disposed between and transverse to said first and second end faces;
said support body comprises an inner surface disposed about said opening therein and to face said side surface of said die ring;
said inner surface of said support body comprises raised surface sections and lowered surface sections;
said lowered surface sections form said flow passages; and
said raised surface sections together form a contact surface to contact said die ring.

5. The bottle closing device according to claim 4 , wherein the total surface area of said raised surface sections is substantially less than the total surface area of said inner surface.

6. The bottle closing device according to claim 5 , wherein:
said support body comprises a plurality of alternating grooves and webs;
said lowered surface sections are disposed on said grooves; and
said raised surface sections are disposed on said webs.

7. The bottle closing device according to claim 6 , wherein:
each of said webs projects inwardly a distance sufficient to contact and support said side surface of said die ring;
each of said webs comprises a projecting portion disposed adjacent said first end of said support body; and
said projecting portions project inwardly beyond said side surface of said die ring to contact and support said first end face of said die ring.

8. The bottle closing device according to claim 7 , wherein said grooves are elongated and disposed to extend parallel or essentially parallel or obliquely or helically relative to the longitudinal axis or to a central axis of said die ring.

9. The bottle closing device according to claim 2 , wherein each of said flow passages comprises:
a first section disposed to extend, with respect to said longitudinal axis, radially or essentially radially; and
a second section disposed to extend, with respect to said longitudinal axis, axially or essentially axially.

10. The bottle closing device according to claim 9 , wherein:
said support body comprises an inner shoulder surface disposed to face said first end face of said die ring;
said first section of each of said flow passages is formed in said inner shoulder surface of said support body; and
said second section of each of said flow passages is formed in said inner surface of said support body.

11. The bottle closing device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one flow passage is configured to permit flow of liquid and/or vaporous and/or gaseous cleaning and/or disinfecting medium between said die ring and said support body to permit cleaning and/or disinfecting of surfaces of said die ring and said support body.

12. The bottle closing device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one flow passage comprises:
a first section disposed to extend, with respect to said longitudinal axis, radially or essentially radially; and
a second section disposed to extend, with respect to said longitudinal axis, axially or essentially axially.

13. The bottle closing device according to claim 12 , wherein:
said support body comprises an inner shoulder surface disposed to face said first end face of said die ring;
said first section of said at least one flow passage is formed in said inner shoulder surface of said support body; and
said second section of said at least one flow passage is formed in said inner surface of said support body.

14. A method of treating a bottle closing device according to claim 11 , said method comprising flowing liquid and/or vaporous and/or gaseous cleaning and/or disinfecting medium into said at least one flow passage between said die ring and said support body, and thereby cleaning and/or disinfecting surfaces of said die ring and said support body.

Assignees

• Naaber Matthias
• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• Naaber Matthias

Classifications

• B67B3/12 Primary

  characterised by being movable axially relative to cap to deform flanges thereof, e.g. to press projecting flange rims inwardly · CPC title

• B67B3/10 Primary

  Capping heads for securing caps {(B67B3/023 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61L2/20

  Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours · CPC title

• A61L2/18

  Liquid substances · CPC title

• A61L2202/17

  Combination with washing or cleaning means · CPC title