US2940629A - Container sealing system - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1960 M. cRos CONTAINER SEALING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 7. 1957 Suva/101 M9210 CR0:

M. CROS CONTAINER. SEALING SYSTEM June 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1957 Ii Ihhli 2,940,629 Ice Patented June 14, 1960 CONTAINER SEALING SYSTEM Modesto Cros, 12 Cours La Fayette, Cusset (Allier), France Filed Oct. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 688,650

Claims priority, application France May 4, 1957 6 Claims. (Cl. 215-53) This invention relates to sealing means for containers, particularly bottles and the like. The invention more especially relates to the type of sealing means including a sleeve or cup-like member of yielding or resilient material, e.g. a plastic, adapted for insertion into a container aperture, such as the neck of a bottle.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved container sealing means which will more fully meet the various requirements of practice than comparable means of the prior art. Thus, it is a specific object to provide such sealing means which shall both provide an efiicient sealing action at the time the container is initially sealed,

and shall moreover be adapted for repeated subsequent use as a removable seal with unimpaired sealing efiiciency.

Another object is to provide such sealing means which will possess a high degree of sealing eificiency not only with regard to liquids, but also to gases and vapors, as in connection with volatile liquids and/or liquids such as aerated drinks having a relatively hi h gas content.

Further objects include the provision of such sealing means which shall be simple and inexpensive to manufacture and hence expendable; simple and convenient to operate; and satisfactory from a sanitary standpoint.

According to a broad aspect of the invention, there is provided an improved sealing system for containers, especially bottles and the like, which comprises in combination a sleeve-like sealing member of substantially yieldable material insertable into an aperture of the container, a forcing member insertable into the sleeve-like member and displaceablee.g. rotatablefrom outside the container, and cooperating carnming means in said members for forcing said sealing member radially outwards into tight sealing engagement with the walls of the container aperture on displacement-cg. rotationof the forcing member.

The expression camming means as used in this specification and claims is to be interpreted in a broad sense as including any suitable type of interengaging surface portions formed on the forcing and sealing members, so shaped and dimensioned that a relative displacement imparted to the forcing with respect to the sliding member will result, through the cooperation of said surfaces, in a radial outward movement or expansion of the side walls of the sealing member against the surrounding Walls of the container aperture.

The invention may be embodied in various specific forms three types of which appear to be of especial advantage and will hence be disclosed in detail hereinafter. In all three main embodiments the sleeve-like sealing member is in the form of a cup having a closed end wall directed inwardly of the container and is formed with a radial peripheral flange at its outer open end seatable against the outer wall of the container to limit the degree of insertion of the sealing member into the aperture.

In a first one of the three preferred forms of embodimerit, the deformable sleeve-like sealing member is formed with an internal screw thread and the forcing member is formed with a corresponding outer screw thread so as to constitute in effect a screw-plug. Preferably the forcing member is provided at its outer end with means such as a knurled head for facilitating manual rotation thereof.

In another preferred form of embodiment the sleeve or cup-like sealing member is internally formed with one or more camming segments adapted to cooperate with complementary camming segments formed on the forcing member.

In a third preferred form, the forcing member is provided as a two-part assembly the two parts of which are relatively rotatable with respect to each other in eccentric relationship, whereby manual rotation of an outer one of said parts from outside the container will eifect a relative rotation between the parts and will, as a result of the eccentric relationship between them, exert a radial outer force upon the surrounding sealing member.

The above and further objects, advantages and features of the invention will appear more fully as the disclosure proceeds. The ensuing particular description, given for purposes of illustration but not of limitation of the scope of the invention, is made with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are simplified views, mainly in axial section, showing the upper part of a bottle fitted with the improved sealing means of the invention, according to a first preferred form of embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a slightly modified form;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view, in isometric perspective, of the second above-mentioned form of embodiment of an improved sealing assembly;

Fig. 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged showing of a modified form of the forcing member usable in the assembly of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2, but depicting the construction shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the third above-specified form of embodiment of the sealing assembly.

Fig. 8 is a section on line VIII-Vll1 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a plan w'ew of the two-part forcing member in the assembly of Fig. 7. I

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate two slightly modified forms of what was hereinabove mentioned as constituting a first form of embodiment of the invention, i.e. involving a threaded cooperation between the sealing and forcing members. As shown, the sealing member 1 is in the form of a flanged cup with a sealed bottom end 2 and an open upper end having a radially projecting flange 3 serving to limit the insertion of the cup into the neck 4 of a bottle which, in the described exemplary embodiment, constitutes the container to be sealed.

The sealing cup member 1 is made of a yielding material, desirably a synthetic plastic such as polyethylene.

The inner wall of the yieiding cup member is formed with a. screw thread. Insert-able into the cup from the open upper end of it is a forcing member for forcing the walls of the cup radially outwards, which forcing member herein comprising a threaded plug 5 preferably formed at its top with a knurled head portion 6 to facilitate manual rotation thereof. The threaded plug 5 comprising the forcing member may be made from any of a Variety of materials, including metals and, more desirably, plastics (eg. polystyrene). The yielding cup member 1 and forcing plug 5 are so shaped and dimensioned in axial contour that screwing the plug into the cup will result in forcing the side wall of the cup outward against the neck 4 of the bottle, thereby eifecting a tight seal against the flow both of liquids and gases and vaeven at the hi gh' pressures liable to occur in 7' some types of highly aerated drinks.

In the construction shown in Fig. l the forcing plug is substantially cylindrical in longitudinal cross sectional contour, and the complementary contour of the V the corresponding contour of the inner wall of cup member'l a is also tapered. It will be apparent thatwhen this construction is used, a lateral forcing of the cup 'member will occur as the plug'is screwed into the cup member, even though the parts may be less accurately dimensioned than is desirable when using the Fig. l constructioni It will be noted furthermore that a sealing assembly constructed in accordance with either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 will very closely resemble, as far as its outer appearance is connected, a conventional type of seal widely used in connection with cognac, brandy and the like, and comprising a cork having a flat wooden flange or head attached to its top. 7 It will be understood that embodiments of the invention essentially similar to Figs. 1 and -2' may be so shaped as to exhibit any-other outward appearance that' may be desired,'so as to be usable as substitutes for corresponding conventional forms of seal ing means. Further, a sealingassembly according to the invention mayof course be provided with any conventional coating, such as wax or metal foil, at the time the container is initially sealed. 7

While in the first embodiment of the invention just described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 the lateral ex- -2,94o,e29 r a A member 1 and forcing plug 5 of Figs. 1 and 2. The

cup member 7 is preferably provided with a radial flange 3a at its upper end similar to flange 3 of Fig. 1.

It Will be readily understood that with the forcing member 8 positioned within the yielding cup member 7, it will simply be necessary to rotate member 8 a fraction of a turn (e.g. with the coin in order to deform the cup member 7 into or out of tight sealing engage ment with the inner surface of the container or bottle' neck with which the assembly is used. With the forcing member rotated to its releasing condition, an operation that does not involve much muscular exertion, the

7 article.

assembly can very easily be bodily withdrawn from the containerwith the aid of flange 3 a} The forcing member 8 then normally remains in engagement with the yielding cup member whatever is the position assumed by the assembly owing to the cooperation of the-locking cam segments 9a-12a and 9b--12b.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modifiedcons'truction of theforcing member 8 of Fig. 3 more specifically for the event that said member is to be manufactured as a molded In this modification the camming contour in the forcing member 8b is made up of three spiral segments 12c, 12d and 12e (only the first two of which are visible on the drawing) rather than two spiral segments; and the complementary camming contour of the related sealing member 7 (not illustrated in Fig. 5) would of course be similarly formed with three spiral segments. Generally speaking a tighter seal may be obtained where three camming segments rather than two are used. it will be understood of course that in other modified con structions of the invention, not illustrated, a highernumpansion of the yielding cup member 1 is produced as the result of a downward screwing action, it should be understood that the said lateral expansion may be caused by some'other typeaof motion imparted to the forcing member or plug. Thus, the sealing member may be made to expand laterally as a result of'an upward screwing motion imparted to the forcing member or as a result-ofa simple rotational movement imparted to .r said forcing member, as will now be described in con nection with the remainingdrawings.

' Thus, a' second desirable form of embodiment of the" invention is illustrated, in a number of constructional modifications, in Figs. 3 too. In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the yielding cup member 7 has a substantially shallower depth dimension (the vertical dimension as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6) than the depth that would have to be imparted to the cup member 1 of Fig. 1 in the case of a similar sealing assembly. The

'cup member 7 is internally contoured to provide one or more camming'segments adapted to cooperate with complementary segments formed in the forcing member 8 insertable therein. a a

-As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the camming contour in the yielding cup member 7 is provided in the form of a pair of segments 9a and 9b of a spiral groove (see 7 Fig. 4), formed adjacent to the sealed bottom wall 10 of the cup. The forcing member 8 comprises a flat radial flange portion 11 formed with spiral segments 12;:

and 12b complementary to the grooves, and said member preferably further includes as shown a central boss or. head portion 13, shown dome-shaped, with a slot 14 formed therein for insertion of any suitable tool or other object whereby the forcing member 8' may be readily rotated. The slot 14 is desirably made wide enough to permit of inserting a small coin edgewise therein in the absence of a more suitable tool; such a coin isindicated in dotted lines at 15. The deformable cup member 7 and forcing member 8 'berdof camming segments than two or three may be use Another feature of the forcin'grnember shown in Fig. 5 not present, in the forcing member 8 of Fig. 3, is that the boss 13b provided on the upper side thereof is formed with flatted sideportions 13c adapted to be convem'ently gripped between the users thumb andtorefinger for at least partially rotating the member 8b and thereby achieving a substantial sealing efiect even without the assistance of an object such as coin 15 (Fig. 3) inserted into the slot 1%, although the use of such an object or tool remains desirable.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view' of a sealing assembly applicable for the same purpose as the assemblies of Figs. 1 and 2, but constructed in accordance with the type of embodiment shown in Fig. 3., The yielding cup member 1b of the Fig. 6 assembly is made to show the same external aspect as the cup member '1 of Fig. l.' However its inner wall is smooth over its major extent, and is formed near its bottom end with a grooved portion 7b in which three spiral camming segments are formed. Correspondingly t-he forcing member 5b is generally sim ilar to the forcing plug 5 of Fig. 1, except'that it is smooth over its greater extent and has a bottom end portion 12 shaped to provide three spiral camming segments complementary to the segments 7b. It will thus be seen that the system shown in Fig. 6 while being very similar in outer aspect to that of Fig. 1, actually operates in a manner like that of Fig. 3.

In a third embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9, there is provided a yielding cup member 7a outwardly similar in shape to that of the cup member 7 in Fig. 3, but having a smooth inner wall lacking U two cooperating parts 17 and 18 of a'substantially rigid construction, which may be made from any of the ma,-

terials previously mentioned in connection with the forcing members of the earlier described embodiments. According to a preferred feature of this embodimnet however, the materials are so selected that the mutual friction coefiicient of the two parts 17 and 18 of the forcing member against one another will be substantially lower than the friction coefficient of the lower part 17 of said member against the bottom wall of the plastic cup member normally in engagement therewith, for reasons to be presently made clear.

The two parts 17 and 18 are pivotally interconnected as by a projection of one part engaging a complementary recess in the other, which projection and recess are eccentrically positioned with respect to each of the two parts. Thus in the construction of Fig. 7 the projection is in the form of a short cylindrical boss 19 projecting from the lower part 17 while the recess is defined by a hollow dome portion 13a projecting from the top part 18, the dome portion 13a being similar to the portion 13 shown in Fig. 3 but eccentered with respect to the outer contour of the part 18. The dome portion 13a is preferably formed with a slot 14 for a purpose similar to that previously mentioned.

With the part 18 fitted over part 17 and with boss 19 seated in the recess of dome 13a, the two parts are inserted into the yielding cup member 7a so that the projecting flanges of the parts 17 and 18 are received in the groove 16 of the cup member. In this condition a slight rotation imparted to the upper part 18 will not induce rotation of the lower part 17 since the friction between part 17 and end wall 10 of the cup is higher than the friction between part 17 and part 18. As a result the two parts 17 and 18 mutually impart to each other lateral displacements in opposite directions. These displacements in turn produce the desired lateral outward forcing of the walls of cup member 7a and achieve the sealing effect of the invention.

Fig. 9 shows a modified construction of the two-part forcing member 17-18 of Fig. 7. In this modification the two parts 17a and 18a are interconnected by way of an eccentrically mounted rivet element 19. A small aperture or window 20 formed in the part 18a permits of rotating the part 18a with respect to part 17a, thereby creating the previously mentioned eccentric action, and results in the yielding cup member such as'7a being forced into sealing engagement with the container surface.

It will be understood that those embodiments of the invention as shown in Figs. 3 to 5 and Figs. 7 to 9 wherein the yielding cup member is of comparatively shallow depth are particularly well suited for use in connection with conventional sealing devices of the type involving externally crimpable caps or crown corks. In such use the assembly of the present invention may serve as a desirable substitute for the inner seal, usually made of cork, conventionally inserted in such caps.

It will be apparent from the above that the invention as herein disclosed in various exemplary forms of embodiment thereof accomplishes the enumerated objects. Thus, the improved sealing system achieves a very high degree of sealing efliciency both with regard to liquids and gases, and both at the time of the initial bottling and sealing operations and during subsequent repeated use of the container by the user. The sealing and unsealing operations are easy and substantially efifortless to perform. The cost price of the various sealing assemblies described is low, so that bottled drink manufacturers may employ the improved sealing devices as expendable sealing means, as a desirable substitute for such sealing systems as the so-called patent systems used on beer bottles and the like, the repeated re-use of which is sometimes objectionable for sanitary reasons.

It should be expressly understood that the invention is not to be considered as limited to the specific forms of construction and applications mentioned and illustrated herein, but that various departures may be made there- I from by those familiar with the art within the scope defined by the claims hereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a container sealing system, an exp'ansible sleeve member insertable into a container aperture, a two-part forcing member insertable into the sleeve comprising two eccentrically-pivoted relatively rotatable parts, and means for rotating an outer one of said parts from outside the container whereby eccentric relative rotation between said parts will force the sleeve member to expand into sealing engagement with said aperture.

2. A bottle closure comprising a resilient cup open at one end and adapted to be inserted in the mouth of a bottle with its open end outwardly, the inner wall of said cup having at least one undercut groove therein defined by planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cup, rigid means having planar elements having camming surfaces thereon engaged in said groove, said elements being substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cup and an exposed manually turnable member connected to said means for turning the rigid means to cause the camming surfaces to force the outer wall of the cup against the interior of the mouth of the bottle, said cup having an outwardly directed flange adjacent its open end for engagement with the upper edge of the neck of the bottle.

3. In a closure as claimed in claim 2, said turnable member having an exposed transverse slot therein for engagement by a coin or the like.

4. In a closure as claimed in claim 2, said groove and said rigid means having cooperating cam surfaces thereon eccentric to the axis of the cup.

5. In a closure as claimed in claim 2, said turnable member having a boss with flat sides projecting therefrom for engagement by the fingers of the user.

6. In a closure as claimed in claim 2, said manually turnable member being located within the cup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,068 Peterson Dec. 20, 1904 2,355,492 White Aug. 8, 1944 2,533,715 Conklin et a1. Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,631 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1904

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