Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1
REDUCED GAUGE BOTTLE CAP
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001]
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates to caps and crowns: for
beverage bottles and other containers, and in particular, to
a reduced gauge corrugated bottle cap.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Published US patent application ser. No.
12/597,385(U.S. Publication No. 2010-0326949 Al) to Merino
Caballero ("Caballero") discloses a low gauge crown cap in
which the top panel exhibits grooves in various shapes,
depending co the embodiment, to achieve corrugation and
obtain a crown that hap a low gauge of crown material such as
steel. Although not prior art due a priority date subsequent
to the priority date of the present disclosure, the present
inventor acknowledges the Caballero application because it
was published prior to the filing date of the present
disclosure.
[0004] Related application serial number 12/903,533 (U.S.
Publication No. 2011-0024381 Al), and its parent 11/698,247
(U.S Publication No. 2007-0181526 Al which issued as US patent
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no. 8,061,544), referenced above, disclose a bottle crown
that has a seat in which rests a pull tab assembly so that
the pull tab assembly is flush with the top of the crown. The
seat is formed by means of a depression or recess in the top
of the crown. A benefit of the recessed top is that the recess
functionally acts to corrugate the top of the crown. As is
well understood, corrugation has the advantage of stiffening
a sheet of material against forces that are perpendicular to
the direction of corrugation. That is, a corrugated sheet is
harder to pend than a non-corrugated sheet, at least in
, certain. directions. A bottle crown that has corrugation
across its top will. be stiffer than a non-corrugated crown.
therefore, to achieve the same degree of stiffness of a non-
corrugated crown, a corrugated crown may be thinner, or nave
a lower gauge, of crown material such as steel or tinplate.
The advantages of corrugation that are
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implicitly inherent in the crown of tte 1533 application
are made explicit in the present disclosure. The present
da;sc1051re4 therefore, deStl'qbes a corrugated. oroWn and
the advantages- thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OP THE DRAWINGS
(0005] The .detalled description that follows, by way
of nOn-limiting examples of embodiments, makes reference
to the .noted d.raw ns in which. reference- nutherals
represent the same parts throughout the several views of
the drawings, and in which:
100601 Figure is an iackietric side view illustration
of a reduced gauge crown of the preSett mention.
100073 Figure 2A is a top view illustration of the
crown of rig- 1.
10008] Figure al: is a side cross-section view c fthe
cmoTgla of Fig. 2A.
10-0091 Fi4ute 3A is a top view illustration of an
alternative embodiment of a crown of the present
dfsclosure.
(0010] Figure 33 is a side cross-section view of the
crown Of Fig. 3A.
100113 Figure 4A is a top view illustration of another
alternative embodiment of a crown of the. present
disclosure.
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0 0 12] Figure 4B is a
side cross-section view- of the
-
crown of lig. 4Aõ
Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments
f0013] Figure 1 is. an
isometric: side view illustration
of a reduced qauga crown ,of the present. invention. Crown
100 includes top portion 110 contiguoUs with retesS .120
which terminates .panel 130.
Skirt 140 downwardly
extends. from top 120. rn same specific embodiments a
flange extends obliquely- from skirt 140. Alternating
flutes 150 and lands 152 are formed on a circumferential
portion of skirt 140. Crown 100, and other .crowns i shown
in the figures, is shown pry-off type
that is opened
with a lever, The Vreset invention also encompasses a
tit-of! type (not shown in. the figures) that is opened
by twisting, as will be understood by persons familiar
with crown Cap technology. FInally, Crown 100 is suitable
for use with pull tab type aes.emblies mamited to panel
130 with effective- score lines embossed on on crown 100.
POW Panel 130 is
recesst:Ri, that is, it .is lower
thsn top 110 but is contiguous with top 110 by virtue of
transition surface I20i which will be referred to herein
for convenience as. recess 120. Recess 120 may formed in
crown 100 in a variety of suitable way to provide
advantageous shapes. For example, in specific exemplary
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embodiments- concentric tiers, grooves .0t- steps are
integrally formed in the crown 1-00 material until the
desired depth dr. Panel 130 is obtained, as illustrated in
Fig. 1- In alternative ambOdiments, recess 120 is formed
with a smoothly curved. surface. from top 110- to panel 130.
The 6orM of. recess 12( functions as ribs or structural
reinforcements that, it is surmised, help. to stiffen
panel 1.30 against -deflection- or deformation-
mist Skirt 140- -descends frOm top 110 along the external
perimeter of crown 100 and in specific exemplary
embodiments smoothly merges into downwardly and radially
outwardly extending flange. The skirt 140 is preferably
adapted to be crimped onto the neck of a bottle for
sealing. Specific exemplary embodiments of skirt 140 are
divided into undulating, repeating portions that define
the flutes 150 and lands 152. Preferably, the repeating
portions are citowilferentially evenly spaced apart such
that eath tiutAt 150 is ideptical to all other flutes 150
around tte circumference of the crown cap 100, and each
land 152 is identical tO-all. other lands 152 atoOnd. 'the
circumference. of the crown cap 100.. It should be
understood that the crown cap 100 may include any number
of flutes 150 and lands 152.
t00161 Referring to now to Figs 2A and 2114. ap, and 38 and
4.A and 413, the "B" fiaure of each depicted. embodiment is
the horizontal cross section of its "A" counterpart
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througll. U:rie "5-B, Echembodiment, designated 2A/B, 3A/B
and 4A/B, is characreri2ed by a particular diameter of
Ats pan4l 130i, as represented by width 13 210.; 310-and 41fl.
of each embodiment, respeCtively, and depth A of recess
120 represented by depths 220, 320- and 420, respectively.
100173 A specific- amolInt of material strengthening from
corrugation is achieved by aelecting an embodiment, with a
particular combination of panel diameter 210, 310 -nr 410,
for example, and -recese depth. 220, 320 Or 420, for
example-. Exemplary embodiment 2A/B, for instance, has
panel diameter 210, Which is relative Wide, and recess
depth 220, which is intermediately deep. Exemplary
embodiment 3A/B has panel width 310, which of
intermediate width, and recess depth 520, which is the
deepest of the. three. exemplary embodiments. Exemplary
embodiment 4A/B- has panel diameter 410, which is the
narrowest of the embodiments, and r3ecess depth 420,
which is the shallowest depth of the three eMbodiments.
To obtain a desired- ammint of material strengthendng from
corrugatiOn, a- combination of panel width 21.1), 310, or
410,
for akample, and recess depth 220, 320 or 420, for
example, iB selected to achieve a specific embodiment.
100181 Corrugation strengthens materials. This is
partioolarly true. tyt laminar materials formed into a
sheet or plane. A laminar product can use les$ of a
material if the material is corrugated to provide lateral
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strengt11,, A bottle Zap is a :laminar produZt in which the
sheet msterial, often steel or tin plate, is shaped to be
affil(ed to the too ot a bottle Or Other centainer. A
standard pry-off or twist Off cap has a thickness of
that is predominantly determined by
oonSideratiOns of 'leak prevention and the secureness pf
the attachment of the zap to the: container.
[0019] Billions Of bottle Caps are used Wofidwide end
the coS-t pr the Caps iS largely dermined by the amount
of material requited for the caps. Corrugation allows
caps that use leaa material to have the equivalent
strength of a standard thick crown. A corrugated crown is
thinner, that is, it has a reduced gauge, in comparison
to a standard bottle cap. An advantage of a reduced gauge
Cap= is the money savings obtained by using less material.
100201 Another advantage of 4 reduced gauge corrugated
cap conies into play with innovated "pull-off" caps-, which
have d pulL tab astembly attached to the crown as
described it the related patent applications. The Tull
tab breaks the cap material And the crown iS torn off the
bottle using the pUli tab. A reduced gauge cap
facilitates the teat off because the cap material is thin
and the tearing action is parallel to the: direction of
material strengthening provided by the corrugation and
therefor the tearing force does not have to overcome the
material strengthening of the corrugation. Corrugation
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affords material strengthening. perpendicular to the
direction cf corrugation.
100211 In addition to the structures illustrated in the
figures herein, it is understood that other structures
will imbue a cap of the present diSolosure with the
advantages of corrugatoh and provide a reduced gauge
crown for a bottle.. For Instance, concentric rings, which
progress from the top of the skirt toward the center of
the panel, and decorative. shapes such as stars, brand
logos, sports team logos, religious insignia, and the
like, formed in the plane of the cap, are embraced in the
present disclosure. [0022] Corrugation forms may be
provided to a bottle tap by a variety means, including
without limitation, metal stamping, pressing, embossing
and: so forth. Non-metal crowns of the present disclosure
may be formed by injection- molding for plastic_crowns, or
by other suitable means of production.
(0023] The crown caps 100 preferably ate formed with
steel of increased: hardneas compared. with conventional
crown caps presently in. commercial production. For
example, conventional crown caps are often formed Of
single redUced, T4, tinplate having A thickness of from
0.21 mm. to 0.23 mM. Such tinplate has an average hardness
(that is4. the eparted hardness value regardless of +i
variations) of Approximately 61 on a 3057 hardness scale,
in accordance with ASTM 623. Crown caps 100 described
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herein may be made thinner and lighter weight compared
with the prior art, for example, crown caps 100 may be.
fOrmed Of A Materiai having a thickness Or about 0.16 mm
to 0.18 mm that have the same or roughly equal
p0Olormance as T;:onventional, thicker caps. These
decreases in metal usage. are more eaally achieved- wbon
the structure of crown caps 10 are made.. with steel. having
increased hardness. For examplei the. inventor has
demonstrated. the effectiVeness of low gauge crowns having
grooves using DR8- ..according to AT -623) or DR550
(according- to EN 10-203. , Optionally, the- inventor
surmises that other materials may be used, such as single
reduced tinplate or like material having enhance
tempering., tin-free steel having similar properties as
those described herein, and the like.
00243 The crown- caps 100 preferably have an average
hardness of greater than 62 on the 30T scale (conforming
to ASTM 25)-, More preferably greater than about 65, more
preferably greater than about 68 more preferably greater
than about 71,. The embodiments shown in rIG. 1 and FIG.
3A were. 40monStrated to be effective Using steel having a
hardness of 73. The upper limit of hardness is set by the
maximum stress acceptable to the glasa bottle during the
crimping process or the spring back (which may tend to
urge the crimped flanges toward an: uncrimped state)
associated with harder plate,
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10025) The- croWn. caps 100 :slay be Eermed with conventional
press eguipment, with only -minor changes to parts of the
tOoling to for the structure (such. As the grooves,
crosses,- stars, and dimples) : And crown. Caps 109 may be
crimped with conventional eguipment only modified. to
have a. smaller throat coMpared. with existing,
conventional crimpers,
09261 Because hardness has. a. relationship to strength.as
reflected in the point, the aspect of the. hardness
of the crown may be expressed in yield point on a
correspondinq scale. For example, DR 8 or DR550 tinplate
may has- a yield point (in a. tensile: test) of 550 MPA. The
inventor believes that the most advantageous crown cap
has a combination of one- or more of the structured
described herein and harder plate as 4escribd herein- A
crown of the present disclosure, however, encompasses
orown caps that do not have ail of the structures
materials, and/or advantages in this specification.
100271 -According to this description, comercially
acceptable crown- caps forMed according to the present
disclosure can be commercially made with up to 25 percent
less steel compared With many conventional crown caps,
which has corresponding- advantages in carbon emissions.
The savings- in steel weight. are approximately
proportionate to the reduction in metal thickness.
Further, even though energy required to cool an
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individnal crown is tiny, the energy required to cool the
total number of crowns produced each year (approximately
45 billion it Nerth America And approximately 300 billion
throughout the worldY, and the corresponding reduction in
..hat energy is sign/flea-a,
[0028] In addition to the various structures described
herein, certain Advantages over the prior art are
beetoWed on the present cron by the recomMended
specifications shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Items' Acceptable Ranoe 1 Taraet
1. Appearance DisC properly adhering
White :liner
Complete liner
-Cleat liner
'Clean
crown and ring
No rust and scratch for crown and ring
Two cut lines on the downward surface of
Crown
Rivet
Crown
2. Dims ions Thickne :(03): 0..24-0.28
1.nicie diameter .mm): 32.08 32.12
Outside diameter (mm); 2'6.60 - 20.90
Radius o:f angle (mm) t! 1,9
Number of angels': 21
no
DiaMetet (11110 21,1 - 21.5
Thickness fmmI: 0-.28 ¨ 0.32
Liner
'Diameter Om0.:: 20.00
3. Rockwell Hardness T4-on. the Rockwell 30T scale
4.- Secure Seal Greater than/equal to 150 PSI
for 1 minute
5. Finish Verdness Should not scratch with "H"
pencil
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6. Sensory No significant differences with
an identified control after 12
weeks at 20 degrees C.
7. Lubricant Migration No particles Or lubricant should
be present:
imulated. Palletizing. CO2 loss should not differ
against control caps when stored
for 1 week with max weight of 45
Egs over each bottle
9. Corrosion Maximum corrosion:. slight to
moderate
10. Odor No off odors detected
11. ?uliin4 Force
of Ring (kg) 2.5kg
12. Composition of
Material Tinplate crown and ring; food
class non-PVC for liner
13. Package 5000 Crowns per box
14. Pressure. (kg) 10kg
22,, Container Loading 1,000 Master Carton*
16. Printing Logo/other design may be printed
on the. Easy Pulio Cap
17. Crown. Anti-Oxidation Material. used is 'food grader'
PET; clear, with no. odor, 1.2
UM (micrometers)
[0029] In particular, a tinplate Material which
demonstrates an approximate hardness of T-4 on the
Rockwell 30T Hardness Scale is preferred for. the present
cap (sea item 1 IA table 1), Tht$ may be
contrasted
against the prior art Which typically uses tinplate
having a hai:dne:7,14 of rõ---3- On the Rockwell scale. The
preferred softer tinplate material requires less force to
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open and tear with the opener assembly of the present
crown while still providing sutficient sealing of the
cohtents. For the purposesof this disclosure,
tinplate refers the any material, including tin or tin
,
alloys, from which a Crown May be fabricated and does not
necessarily mean that the crown is made from:. tip or a tin
00301 The foregoing description IS provided for the
purpose Of :explanation and.. is not to be: construed as
limiting the invention. While the invention has been
destribed 4ith reference to preferred embodiments or
preferred methods, it is understood that the words which
have been used herein are words of deSoription and
rather than words Of limitation.
Furthermore, although the invention has been described
herein with reference to particular structure, methods,
and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be
liMited to the partiOulars disclosed herein, as the
invention extends to ail structures, methods and uses
that are within the scope of the appended claims. Those
skilled in the relevant Art, having the benefit of the
teachings of this specification, may effect numerous
modifications to the invention as described herein, and
:i.ianges may be made without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as defined by the appended
claims. Furthermore, any features of one described
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embodiment can be applicable to the other- eMbodiments
described herein.
Such: embodiments of the inventive subject
matter may be referred to he.r.in, 4.1101,vidua¶y and/or
colleOtively, by the tetM 'invention merely for
66nvenienbe and without intending to volUntarily limit
the scope of this application to any single inVention or
inventive. concept if more than one is in fact disclosed.
Thus, although specific embodiments- have been illbstrated
and described herein, it should be appreciated that any
amranOement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be
substituted for the specific embodiPents shown. This
disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations
or variations of various emboditents. Combinations cf
the above embodiments nd other embodiments not
specifically described herein, will be apparent to those
of skill in the. art upon- reviewing the above description.
[00.321 In summary, the
present disclosure describes. a
=1 for a container opening. The Crown has a top
prtion and an inner portion contiguous with the top
portion.. The inner is portion formed into a panel. An
outer portion contiguous with the top portion is formed
into a skirt that descends from the top portion. The
crown has corrugation formed- in the panel,
15
[0033] The present disclosure also contemplates methods tor
mating the crown described above. Methods include the steps
of shaping a sheet of crown material to provide a top portion
and an inner portion contiguous with the top portion and
formed into a panel. An outer portion contiguous with the top
portion is formed into a skirt that descends from the top
portion. The methods also include forming corrugation in the
panel.
[0034] In specific embodiments the stop of forming
corrugation in the panel consists of forming a recess that
descends from the top portion to the panel, in the inner
por Lion.
[0035] In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it
can be seen that various features, are grouped together in a
single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the
disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted
as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments
require more features than are expressly recited in each
claim. Rather, as the claims reflect, inventive subject
matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed
embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated
into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on
its own as a separate embodiment.
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[0036] The description, has made reference to several
exemplary embodiments. It is understood, however, that the
words that have been used are words of description and
illustration, rather than words of limitation. Although
description makes reference to particular means, materials
and embodiments, the disclosure is not intended to be limited
to the particulars disclosed; rather, the disclosure extends
to all functionally equivalent technologies, structures,
methods and uses such as are within the scope of the appended
claims.
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