Screwcap and bottle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384602-B2
Application number	US-202118570017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2021
Priority date	Jun 28, 2021
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A screwcap and a bottle assembly are disclosed. The screwcap seals a neck of a bottle. The screwcap includes a shell extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to be disposed on the neck. The shell includes a head, and a skirt having a nominal outer diameter and detachable connected to the head along a bridge line. The skirt includes a first support ring disposed proximal to the bridge line, a second support ring disposed distal to the bridge line, and a third support ring disposed between the first support ring and the second support ring relative to the longitudinal axis. The first support has a first maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter. The second support ring has a second maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter. The third support ring has a third maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A screwcap for sealing a neck of a bottle, the screwcap comprising:
a shell extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to be disposed on the neck, the shell comprising:
a head; and
a skirt having a nominal outer diameter and detachably connected to the head along a bridge line, the skirt comprising:
a first support ring disposed proximal to the bridge line, the first support ring having a first maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter of the skirt;
a second support ring disposed distal to the bridge line, the second support ring having a second maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter of the skirt; and
a third support ring disposed between the first support ring and the second support ring relative to the longitudinal axis, the third support ring having a third maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter of the skirt, and wherein at least a portion of the third support ring is configured to deform and engage a shoulder of the neck after crimping.

2. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein:
the first support ring comprises a first peak having the first maximum outer diameter;
the second support ring comprises a second peak having the second maximum outer diameter;
the third support ring comprises a third peak having the third maximum outer diameter; and
a first distance between the first peak and the third peak is less than a second distance between the second peak and the third peak.

3. The screwcap of claim 2 , wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance by a factor of at least 1.3.

4. The screwcap of claim 2 , wherein the first distance is 3 millimeters (mm), and the second distance is 4 mm.

5. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the first support ring further comprises:
a first proximal end proximal to the bridge line and having a first minimum outer diameter of the first support ring; and
a first distal end distal to the bridge line and having the first minimum outer diameter of the first support ring;
wherein the first peak is disposed between the first proximal end and the first distal end along the longitudinal axis; and
wherein a first proximal peak distance between the first proximal end and the first peak along the longitudinal axis is greater than a first distal peak distance between the first distal end and the first peak along the longitudinal axis.

6. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the second support ring further comprises:
a second proximal end proximal to the bridge line and having a second minimum outer diameter of the second support ring; and
a second distal end distal to the bridge line and having the second minimum outer diameter of the second support ring;
wherein the second peak is disposed between the second proximal end and the second distal end along the longitudinal axis; and
wherein a second proximal peak distance between the second proximal end and the second peak along the longitudinal axis is less than a second distal peak distance between the second distal end and the second peak along the longitudinal axis.

7. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the third support ring further comprises:
a third proximal end proximal to the bridge line and having a third minimum outer diameter of the third support ring; and
a third distal end distal to the bridge line and having the third minimum outer diameter of the third support ring;
wherein the third peak is disposed between the third proximal end and the third distal end along the longitudinal axis; and
wherein a third proximal peak distance between the third proximal end and the third peak along the longitudinal axis is equal to a third distal peak distance between the third distal end and the third peak along the longitudinal axis.

8. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the third maximum outer diameter is greater than the nominal outer diameter by at least 0.5 mm.

9. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the first maximum outer diameter, the second maximum outer diameter, and the third maximum outer diameter are equal to one another.

10. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein:
the first support ring has a first length along the longitudinal axis;
the second support ring has a second length along the longitudinal axis;
the third support ring has a third length along the longitudinal axis; and
the third length is less than each of the first length and the second length.

11. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the third support ring has a symmetric shape along the longitudinal axis.

12. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the third support ring has a V-shaped cross-section along the longitudinal axis.

13. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second support rings has a curved cross-sectional shape.

14. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the shell has an average thickness of 0.25 mm.

15. The screwcap of claim 1 , wherein the head comprises at least one internal thread configured to engage with at least one external thread of the neck.

16. The screwcap of claim 1 , further comprising an insert disposed between the shell and the neck, wherein the insert comprises at least one internal thread configured to engage with at least one external thread of the neck.

17. The screwcap of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of bridges disposed along the bridge line and detachably connecting the head to the skirt, wherein the plurality of bridges defines a plurality of perforations therebetween.

18. The screwcap of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing arrangement disposed between the shell and the neck, wherein the sealing arrangement is configured to seal an opening of the neck.

19. A bottle assembly comprising:
a bottle comprising a neck, the neck comprising a shoulder and an opening; and

a screwcap, the screwcap comprising:
a shell extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to be disposed on the neck, the shell comprising:
a head; and
a skirt having a nominal outer diameter and detachably connected to the head along a bridge line, the skirt comprising:
a first support ring disposed proximal to the bridge line, the first support ring having a first maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter of the skirt;
a second support ring disposed distal to the bridge line, the second support ring having a second maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter of the skirt; and
a third support ring disposed between the first support ring and the second support ring relative to the longitudinal axis, the third support ring having a third maximum outer diameter greater than the nominal outer diameter of the skirt;
wherein the shell is crimped to the neck, such that at least a portion of the third support ring deforms and engages the shoulder of the neck after crimping, wherein the third support ring has a third maximum crimped outer diameter after crimping, and wherein the third maximum crimped outer diameter is less than the nominal outer diameter of the skirt.

Assignees

• Amcor Flexibles North America Inc

Inventors

• Haumont Paul

Classifications

• B65D1/0246

  Closure retaining means, e.g. beads, screw-threads · CPC title

• B65D41/3428 Primary

  the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges · CPC title

• B65D41/348 Primary

  the tamper element being rolled or pressed to conform to the shape of the container, e.g. metallic closures (B65D41/3404, B65D41/3423 take precedence) · CPC title