The present invention relates to a bottle-closing device .

Several bottle-closing devices are currently known, generally consisting of a cap and a dispenser or diffuser .

The cap exhibits an inner threading suitable for engaging with a corresponding threading provided on the outer surface of the dispenser for opening or closing the bottle. The latter is press-fitted into the opening of the bottle neck or, through known means, to the bottle neck. Moreover, a further cap covering case is generally provided, made of an aluminium film or plastic .

Nowadays it is a market requirement that the end buyer may clearly detect the condition of integrity of the bottle and consequently, of the contents thereof. The signalling of a previous opening of a bottle is in fact necessary because once the bottle has been opened, it would be very easy to remove the cap to alter the contents of the same bottle.

Several bottle-closing devices are known, capable of immediately showing a previous opening of the bottle. In particular, it is known to make an anti-tampering bottle-closing device as that described in patent application WO 2008110917, which comprises a covering case divided into a top portion and a bottom portion removable connected to each other, wherein the top portion is coupled with the cap. Such device is characterised in that, starting from the assembly closed configuration wherein the covering case entirely covers the cap, the top portion is initially movable for irreversibly reaching a position wherein it is integral with the cap. Once such position has been reached, in fact, a further movement of the top portion forces the same cap to move up to freeing the passage for the liquid contained in the bottle. Such effect is obtained by constraining means that in the closing step also prevent the top portion of the covering case to reach the assembly position. The constraining means may be made with a pair of external annular protrusions and a pair of internal annular protrusions provided on the side portion of the cap and on the top portion of the covering case respectively.

The object of the present invention is to devise a bottle-closing device which should provide an alternative solution to the currently known ones for clearly and openly show whether a bottle has been opened at least once after the original packaging thereof .

This and other objects according to the present invention are achieved by making a bottle-closing device as illustrated in claim 1.

Further features of the bottle-closing device are defined in the dependent claims.

The features and the advantages of a bottle-closing device according to the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description, made by way of an indicative non- limiting example with reference to the annexed schematic drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of the bottle-closing device according to the present invention; - figure 2a is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a covering case comprised in the closing device of figure 1;

- figure 2b is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of a covering case comprised in the closing device of figure 1 ;

- figure 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cap comprised in the closing device of figure 1;

- figure 4a is a partially cutaway side elevation view of the closing device of figure 1, in a closed configuration prior to the first opening;

- figure 4b is a partially cutaway side elevation view of the closing device of figure 1, in a closed configuration subsequent to the first opening;

- figure 5 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the closing device of figure 1, in a closed configuration subsequent to the first opening.

With reference to the figures, reference numeral 10 globally denotes a bottle-closing device.

Such closing device 10 comprises a cap 11, having a first flat top portion 12 and a tubular side portion

13, a diffusing group 14, 15 provided with at least one drip guard 3 and a covering case 20.

The diffusing group 14, 15 is suitable for coupling at the top with cap 11 and at the bottom with a bottle neck (not shown) . In particular, in the annexed figures, the diffusing group 14, 15 comprises a bottom diffuser 15 and a top diffuser 14. The diffusing group

14, 15 may also be made as a single piece, although the case in which the top diffuser 14 is separate from the bottom diffuser 15 is shown for convenience.

In the particular embodiment shown in figure 1, the tubular side portion 13 is provided with an inner threading 40, adapted to engage with a corresponding threading 41 of the top diffuser 14.

The engagement between inner threading 40 of the side portion 13 of cap 11 and threading 41 of the top diffuser 14 causes the closing of cap 11 on the top diffuser 14 and accordingly, of the closing device 10 on the bottle neck.

Of course, other types of couplings different from those described above and shown in the figures are also provided in the invention.

The covering case 20 comprises a second top portion 21 and a bottom portion 22 connected to each other along a breaking line 23 provided with a plurality of connecting bridges (not shown) , which are necessarily torn upon the first opening of the bottle.

In an alternative embodiment shown in figure 2b, the second top portion 21 of the covering case is realized by the superimposition of an internal layer 38 and an external layer 39 coupled with each other.

Such second top portion 21 of the covering case 20 is suitable for coupling with cap 11 so as to move relative thereto between a first assembly position and a second partial covering position. In the assembly position, the covering case 20 laterally covers cap 11 entirely, as can be seen in figure 4a. In the second partial covering position, subsequent to the first opening of the closing device 10, the covering case 20 laterally covers cap 11 partially, as can be seen in figure 4b; moreover, in such position the second top portion 21 is irreversibly constrained to cap 11 by constraining means 24, 25, 26, 34, 35. According to the present invention, such constraining means 24, 25, 26, 34, 35 comprise at least a protruding portion 24 realized inside the second top portion 21 and at least a first 25 and at least a second 26 receiving seat realized on the side portion 13 of cap 11. Such receiving seats 25 and 26, in particular, are obtained so that the protruding portion 24 is at least partially housed in the first 25 or in the second 26 receiving seat when the second top portion 21 is in an assembly or partial covering position respectively.

Advantageously, the side portion 13 of cap 11 also comprises at least one appendix 27 for guiding the protruding portion 24 in the passage from the first 25 to the second 26 receiving seat. As can be seen in figure 3, such guiding appendix 27 is made between the two receiving seats 25 and 26.

Preferably, the side portion 13 of cap 11 externally comprises a threading 28 and the second top portion 21 of the covering case 20 comprises a corresponding counter-threading 29 suitable for being engaged with threading 28.

The engagement between outer threading 28 of the side portion 13 of cap 11 and counter-threading 29 of the top portion 21 causes the movement of the latter relative to cap 11.

In that case, the receiving seats 25 and 26 and the guiding appendix 27 are realized above threading 28. Moreover, the guiding appendix 27 advantageously is a flexible fin 27 tilted with respect to the first top portion 12 of cap 11, as shown in figure 3.

Preferably, the first 25 and the second 26 receiving seat are realized by means of an opening 30 on the side portion 13 of cap 11, wherein the flexible fin 27 is comprised, which delimits said first seat on one side and said second seat on the other.

Advantageously, the protruding portion 24, as can be seen in figure 2a, has a profile suitable for sliding on the flexible fin 27 and blocking in the second seat 26.

Preferably, the protruding portion 24, as shown in figure 1, may comprise a plurality of protruding lines 33 whose envelope defines said profile.

Advantageously, the constraining means 24, 25, 26, 34, 35 may comprise a first external annular protrusion 34 realized on the side portion 13 of cap 11 and an internal annular protrusion 35 realized on the second top portion 21 of the covering case 20.

Preferably, cap 11 comprises a second annular protrusion 36 realized on the side portion 13, and the diffusing group 13, 14 comprises a corresponding annular recess 37 suitable for being engaged with the second annular protrusion 35 when the second top portion 21 of the covering case 20 is in assembly position.

The operation of the bottle-closing device 10 is as follows .

As mentioned above, according to the invention during the assembly of the closing device 10, cap 11 is mounted along with the other components of the closing device 10 so that the second top portion 21 of the covering case 20 is movable and entirely covers cap 11. Upon the first opening, acting on the second top portion 21, since it is free to do so makes it move relative to cap 11, which remains in the assembly position thereof until the constraining means 24, 25, 26, 34, 35 force, according to the invention, the second top portion 21 to be integral with cap 11. In particular, during the rotation of the second top portion 21 the protruding portion 24, starting from the first receiving seat 25 is constrained to slide on the flexible fin 27 until the abutment of the same fin fails and the protruding portion 24 naturally seats within the second receiving seat 26. At this point, thanks to the particular profile, the protruding portion 24 cannot protrude from the second receiving seat 26, thus making the second top portion 21 of the covering case 20 integral with cap 11. Moreover, in such integral condition the second top portion 21 will be raised relative to cap 11 to partial cover the side portion of the same cap 11.

The hold in such configuration is strengthened by the presence of the first external annular protrusion 34 realized on the side portion 13 of cap 11 and by the corresponding internal annular protrusion 35 realized on the second top portion 21 of the covering case 20. A further movement of the second top portion 21 forces the same cap 11 to move relative to the diffusing group

14, 15, allowing the bottle to open.

It is noted that upon the first opening, cap 11 is forced to remain integral with the diffusing group 14,

15, at least until the second top portion 21 reaches the position of partial covering of cap 11. This is not only due to the particular tightening imparted to cap 11 during the assembly, but also to the engagement between the second annular protrusion 36 made on the side portion 13 of cap 11 and the corresponding annular recess 37 made on the top diffuser 14.

The features of the bottle-closing device object of the invention as well as the relevant advantages are clear from the above description.

In fact, thanks to the presence of the constraining means after the first opening, the second top portion of the covering case cannot return to the assembly position anymore, thus only partially covering the cap. In this way, the opening of the bottle is made clear. It is important to note that the construction of the constraining means by the protruding portion and the corresponding receiving seats allows obtaining a low- cost, easy to use and to be manufactured closing device .

Finally, it is clear that several changes and variations can be made to the bottle-closing device thus conceived, all falling within the invention; moreover, all details can be replaced with technically equivalent elements. In the practice, the materials used as well as the sizes, can be whatever, according to the technical requirements .