TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of preserving and/or storing liquids, in particular beverages such as beer, carbonated beverages, wines, such as for example sparkling or bubbly wines. In particular, the present invention relates to storing liquids in bottles, in particular beverages such as beer, wine, carbonated beverages or the like. In detail, the present invention relates to an innovative cap, e.g. of the ring-shaped type, for storing beer, wine, in particular sparkling wine, carbonated beverages or the like, in bottles. BACKGROUND ART

In the field of preserving or bottling beverages, the use of metal caps, e.g. ring-shaped caps, is widespread for preserving or storing the beverages themselves in bottles. The use of ring-shaped caps, but also of flip-top caps, is particularly widespread for bottling beer, both in large- scale and craft bottling, although the use of ring-shaped caps has recently taken hold even for bottling wines, in particular bubbly wines, such as sparkling wines or the like. A ring-shaped cap essentially comprises a metal cap (usually) with a main circular and substantially flat portion, from which a tapered and knurled portion extends, which is intended to be closed again by plastic deformation on the end portion (rim) of the neck of a bottle, and also a cork or synthetic seal accommodated in the space defined by the tapered portion of the cap, in particular fixed (for example glued) to the inner surface of the flat circular portion of the cap, the seal therefore having shape and sizes substantially coinciding with those of the circular, substantially flat part of the cap itself. To close the bottle using a ring-shaped cap, the tapered portion of the cap is closed again on the rim by plastic deformation, where thereby the seal is pressed between the neck of the bottle and the cap, thereby ensuring the airtight seal of the closure .

Screw ring-shaped caps are also known, i.e. shaped so as to be applied to the neck of a bottle not by plastic deformation of the cap, but by screwing, the screw ring-shaped caps therefore having the advantage with respect to classic caps of being capable of being removed without deforming the cap, and therefore of being used again or recycled.

Although they may be appreciated in terms of the reliability of the closure, known ring-shaped caps, in particular both classic and screw caps, also have intrinsic features which are not always compatible with the production, storing, ageing and maturing techniques, in particular of craft beer. The request for innovative craft beer has indeed stimulated research by breweries for so-called multiple fermentation beer, where at least one fermentation occurs in the bottle. However, fermentation has the direct consequence of developing fermentation gas in the bottle, in particular C02, with the subsequent increase of the pressure inside the bottle. The uncontrolled increase of the pressure inside the bottle due to the almost perfectly airtight seal of known ring-shaped caps (which prevents the outwards discharging or venting of the fermentation gases) in certain cases also may result in the bottle bursting, or in any case the cap to detach, and therefore the loss of at least part of the contents, or at least the deterioration of the quality, in particular the organoleptic quality, of the contents of the bottle. In essence, the discharging of the fermentation gases from the inside of the bottles in order to prevent the uncontrolled increase of the pressure inside the bottles themselves with both known classic and screw ring-shaped caps, may only occur by removing the caps themselves and therefore by at least temporarily opening the bottles, where opening the bottles results in slowing down the production process (with subsequent increase in costs), and moreover an interruption of the fermentation and/or ageing process, with the serious risk of irreparably compromising the organoleptic features of the beverage, in particular of beer.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and encountered in the solutions known in the prior art.

In particular, the objects and aims of the present invention may be summarized as follows.

It is a first object of the present invention to propose a closing element or cap, in particular for bottles or similar containers, configured to allow the automatic control of the gaseous pressure inside said bottle or similar container, i.e. without the need to remove the closing element or cap and/or to open the bottle or similar container.

It is a further object to provide a closing element of the aforesaid type, which allows to control the pressure automatically, in particular by automatically discharging or venting the gases when a predefined gaseous pressure is reached inside the bottle or similar container.

The closing element or cap according to the present invention is also used to ensure both the seal of the closure within the tolerated and predefined limits of gaseous pressure, and the discharging of the gases when the predefined limit pressure is reached.

It is also an object of the present invention to propose a closing element or cap of the aforesaid type, characterized by operating and/or assembly simplicity, limited volume and weight, appearance according to the intended use, and which can also be manufactured at substantially affordable prices. It is therefore a further object of the invention to propose a closing element or cap of the aforesaid type, which can be used to close bottles and/or similar containers of different type, in particular intended to contain liquids or beverages of different type such as beer, wines, sparkling wines, etc., but also carbonated beverages or the like.

It is also an object of the present invention to ensure the results summarized above regardless of the type of closing element or cap, in particular both in the case of classic ring- and/or screw-shaped caps and in the case of flip-top caps or of other type.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is based on and arises from the general consideration according to which the automatic control of the gaseous pressure inside bottles and/or similar containers may be ensured by ensuring the automatic discharging or venting of the gases, in particular when a predefined gaseous pressure is reached.

A further consideration at the basis of the present invention relates to the fact that the automatic discharging, venting or purging of gases, in particular of fermentation gases, may be obtained by providing the closing element or cap with a movable shutter, in particular which automatically can be switched between a closing position and an opening position when a predefined internal gaseous pressure is reached.

On the basis of the general considerations summarized above, and also the objects and aims mentioned and summarized above, the present invention relates to a closing element or cap, in particular for bottles or similar containers, said cap comprising a main closure body adapted to be positioned, in use, at the aperture of said bottle or similar container so as to close said aperture, where said closure body comprises at least one through venting hole adapted to allow the exit of gases possibly contained in said bottle or similar container, and in that said closing element or cap comprises a movable shutter adapted to be switched between a first closing position and a second opening or venting position, where, in said first closing position, said shutter prevents said gases from exiting through said at least one through hole, while in said second opening position, said shutter allows said gases to exit through said at least one through hole .

According to one embodiment, said movable shutter is switchable by means of translation between said first closing position and said second closing position, in particular along a translation direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal symmetry axis of said main body.

According to a variant, elastic means are provided, interposed between said main body and said shutter, and adapted to exert an elastic thrusting force on said shutter in a direction which is contrary to the switching direction of said shutter from said first closing position to said second closing position.

According to one embodiment, said shutter defines a thrusting surface, where said thrusting surface, with said closing element or cap in its position of use, is exposed to the pressure of the gases inside said bottle or similar container, therefore where the switching of said shutter from said first airtight closing position to said second opening or venting position is automatic when the pressure is such as to generate an elastic thrusting force on said thrusting surface which is greater than the elastic thrusting force exerted on said shutter by said elastic thrusting means.

Advantageously, said elastic thrusting means comprise a helicoidal spring.

According to a construction variant, said closing element or cap further comprises a housing component, where said housing component and said shutter each define an abutment surface, and where, with said shutter in said airtight closing position, said abutment surfaces of said shutter and said housing component abut with each other, respectively, said abutment surfaces of said shutter and said housing component being for example, substantially frustoconical and/or tapered, respectively.

According to one or more embodiments, said housing component substantially is tubular and comprises a first ring-shaped contact surface in contact with said main closure body, said housing component defining for example, a through aperture positioned at said thrusting surface of said shutter.

Advantageously, said closing element or cap further comprises a first filtering element which is gas-permeable and liquid- impermeable, which is interposed between said main body and said shutter at said at least one through hole or venting hole of said main body, said first filtering element being for example, interposed between said main body and said housing component. According to a construction variant, said closing element or cap further comprises a second filtering element which is gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable, where said second filtering element, with said closing element or cap in its position of use, is interposed between said shutter and the internal space defined by said bottle or container, said second filtering element being for example, positioned at said through aperture of said housing component.

Further construction variants of the closing element according to the present invention are specified in the claims and/or are described later.

The present invention also relates to a container set adapted to contain liquids such as beverages or similar liquids, said container set comprising a bottle or similar container, and also a closing element or cap according to one of the embodiments specified above and/or in the claims and/or described later.

A detailed description is given below of the embodiments of the present invention depicted in the drawings; the present invention in any case is not limited to the embodiments depicted in the drawings and described later. Contrarily, all those variants of the embodiments depicted in the drawings and described in detail later, which are obvious and apparent to those skilled in the art, fall within the scope or are the subject matter of the present invention.

Moreover, it is worth clarifying that the present invention is particularly advantageous when applied in the case of ring-shaped caps, in particular both of the classic and of the screw type, this essentially being the reason whereby the description of the present invention given later makes particular reference to the possible applications thereof in the case of a ring-shaped cap. However, the possible applications of the closing element according to the present invention are not limited to ring-shaped caps of the aforesaid types; contrarily, the possible applications of the present invention extend to closing elements or caps of different type, for example to flip-top caps.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings :

figure 1 shows a perspective and partial sectional view of a closing element or cap according to an embodiment of the present invention, applied to the neck of a bottle;

figure 2 shows a perspective view and plan view of a closing element or cap according to an embodiment of the present invention, applied again to the neck of a bottle;

figure 3 shows an exploded view of a closing element or cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

figures 4(a) and 4 (b) show sectional views of a closing element or cap according to an embodiment of the present invention (applied to the neck of a bottle) with the shutter in closing position and in opening position, respectively; figure 4(c) shows a side view of the shutter element of a closing element according to an embodiment of the present invention .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to the figures, it may be noted that the closing element or cap according to the embodiments of the present invention therein depicted comprises a metal cap 2 (of classical type or alternatively of screw-on type) which in turn comprises a main, substantially flat circular portion 21 and a tapered portion ( frustoconical ) or crown 22 which extends from the exterior of the main portion 21. As depicted in figure 1, the tapered portion or crown 22 in particular is suitable for being closed again by plastic deformation (or alternatively screwed) on the end portion 40 (rim in technical jargon) of a neck of bottle 4, the plastic deformation of crown 22 (or the screwing thereof) therefore ensuring the fixing of the closing element to the neck of bottle 4 and therefore the closing of the bottle itself. The methods of applying the closing element or cap according to the present invention (which are variable according to the type of closing element or cap) are not necessarily included in the objects of the present invention and therefore a detailed description thereof is omitted for brevity reasons. The circular and flat portion 21 of cap 22 has a plurality of through holes 23 (four in the embodiment depicted but the number may vary according to needs and/or circumstances) which, with the closing element or cap applied to neck 4 of the bottle as depicted in particular in figure 1, put the inside of the bottle itself in communication with the external space, thus in particular allowing the outwards venting or purging of any gasses contained in the bottle, according to methods clarified in greater detail later.

A first discoidal-shaped filtering element or upper filter 8 having diameter compatible with that of portion 21, is applied to the inner surface of the circular portion 21 of cap 2 opposite to the surface shown in figure 3 (facing the inside of the bottle with the closing element or cap in position of use, i.e. applied to the bottle as depicted for example, in figure 1), the filtering element 8 in particular being gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable.

According to a preferred embodiment, filter 8 may comprise a layer of water-repellent polypropylene, essentially a warp of polypropylene fibers or threads, for example with diameter not greater than 0.2 pm, warps for defining passages or apertures with maximum dimension (diameter, when circular) not exceeding 0.05 pm. Thereby, the permeability by liquids is ensured by the value of the hydrogen bond (H bond) of the liquids inside the bottle, which is high enough so as not to allow the passage thereof through the micropores of the polypropylene layer, where contrarily the liquids are trapped by the micropores themselves. The polypropylene layer may possibly rest on a stainless steel support grid.

In particular, the filtering element 8 is positioned at through holes 23 and aims to allow the passage of gas or gaseous components in general through the holes 23, thus preventing the passage of liquids or in any case non-gaseous substances through the holes 23.

A support element 1 is also fixed (e.g. glued) at the inner surface of the flat and circular portion 21 of cap 2, the support element in particular being shaped as follows.

The support element 1 comprises a first portion 11, which is substantially flat and ring-shaped, of which a first surface 12 is fixed (e.g. glued) to the inner surface of cap 2, while surface 13 (opposite to surface 12 in contact with the inner surface of cap 2), with the closing element or cap in position of use (and therefore applied to the neck of a bottle according to the methods briefly summarized above), is arranged in contact with a corresponding surface of rim 40 of the body of a bottle, thus ensuring the substantially airtight seal of the closure. A first substantially cylindrical portion 14 of support 1 extends from the inner edge of the ring-shaped portion 11, where a second portion 15, it also substantially cylindrical, of support 1 extends from the outer edge of the ring-shaped portion 11. With particular reference to figure 4, it may be noted that the opposing surfaces of the cylindrical portion 14 and of the cylindrical portion 15, respectively, with the closing element or cap applied or fixed to neck 4 of a bottle (with the tapered portion 22 closed again on rim 40), are arranged in contact with corresponding surfaces of rim 40, the surfaces 12 and 13, together with the opposing surfaces of the portions 14 and 15, therefore contributing to ensuring the airtight seal of the closure.

Moreover, a tapered portion 16 with tapering narrowing towards the inside of the bottle, and therefore away from the substantially flat circular portion 21 of cap 2, and also from the ring-shaped portion 11 of support 1, extends from the edge of the cylindrical portion 14 (later defined also possibly inner cylindrical portion) of support 1. The tapered or frustoconical portion 16 is also closed or joined by means of a further substantially circular and flat portion 17, it also provided with a plurality of through holes 18 (equal to or different from the number of through holes 23 of cap 2), they also aiming to allow the passage of gas or gaseous substances in general (in particular, fermentation gas such as for e.g. C02 or similar gases) possibly contained inside the bottle, according to methods clarified in greater detail later .

A second substantially discoidal filtering element 3 having dimensions (in particular, the diameter) which are compatible with those (in particular, with the diameter) of the circular portion 18 of support 1, is arranged on the surface of the circular portion 18 of support 1 (opposite to cap 2 and therefore also defined inner for reasons of clarity) . The second filtering element 3 may be similar to the first filtering element 8, whereby a detailed description of filter 3 is omitted for reasons of brevity.

A housing component or element 5 is also accommodated in the space defined by the mutual arrangement of cap 2, the inner cylindrical portion 14, the frustoconical portion 16 and the flat circular portion 17 of the support element 1. Said housing component 5 in particular comprises a main cylindrical portion 51 in which an end portion is delimited by a flat ring-shaped surface 52 arranged in contact (e.g. glued) with the inner surface of the flat circular part 21 of cap 2, where the first filtering element 8 is accommodated, at the outer peripheral portion thereof, between the housing component 5 and cap 2, in particular between the end ring- shaped surface 52 of the housing component 5 and a corresponding portion (and therefore it also being ring- shaped) of the inner surface of cap 2.

A joining portion 53 (circular and flat), moreover which comprises a through hole 54 delimited in particular by a cylindrical surface 55 joined by a tapered or frustoconical surface 56 which widens towards the cylindrical portion 51, and therefore towards the inner space defined by the housing component 5, in particular by the cylindrical or tubular portion 51 thereof, extends towards the inside of the cylindrical portion 51, from the edge of the cylindrical portion 51 of the housing component 5 opposite to the surface 52 thereof in contact with the inner surface of cap 2.

A shutter element 6 is accommodated inside the housing component 5, which can be switched, in particular which can be translated along a translation direction parallel to the longitudinal symmetry axis X of the closing element or cap, in the two opposite directions of translation indicated by the double arrow in figure 4.

The shutter element 6 in particular comprises a first cylindrical portion 61 and a second cylindrical portion 62, where the second cylindrical portion 62 has a greater diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 61, and where the two portions 61 and 62 are joined to each other by a ring-shaped switching or joining surface 63. A tapered or frustoconical portion 64 narrowing away from portion 61 also extends from the cylindrical portion 62, on the side opposite to the cylindrical portion 61, said frustoconical portion being delimited by a frustoconical abutment surface 65 joined by a substantially flat and circular thrusting surface 66. Elastic means 7, for example a helicoidal spring 7 of the type depicted in the drawings, are also accommodated inside the housing element or component 5, in particular interposed between the shutter element 6 and the substantially flat portion 21 of cap 22 and/or between the shutter element 6 and the first filtering element 8. In particular, portion 61 (with smaller diameter) of the shutter element 6 is accommodated in the inner space defined by the first end portion of spring 7 (opposite to cap 2), said first end portion of spring 7 therefore being arranged to abut on the switching surface 63 of the shutter element 6.

It is therefore shown from the above description how in the presence of gas, e.g. fermentation gas, in particular C02, inside the bottle (closed by means of the closing element or cap), the thrusting surface 66 of shutter 6 is exposed to the pressure exerted by the gases themselves which then go back up along neck 4 of the bottle, thus penetrating or permeating through the second filtering element 3, up to invading the through hole 54 of the housing component 5, thus exerting a thrust on the thrusting surface 66 of shutter 6 which is proportionate to the gaseous pressure and to surface 66 itself, and also contrary to the thrust action due to the elasticity of spring 7.

The operation of the closing element or cap according to the embodiments of the present invention described above and depicted in the drawings may therefore be summarized as follows .

Considering, for reasons of clarity of illustration, a bottle or similar container closed by means of a closing element or cap according to the present invention, the closing element or cap therefore being applied to neck 4 of a bottle, as depicted for example in figure 1 and according to the methods summarized above.

Under normal conditions, in particular in the absence of gaseous pressure inside the bottle, or in any case, in the presence of gaseous pressure which is insufficient to overcome the resistance of spring 7, spring 7 keeps the shutter element 6 in the closing configuration depicted in particular in figure 4(a), therefore where the tapered or frustoconical surfaces 56 and 65 of the housing component 5 and of shutter 6, respectively, are kept in abutment with each other; the through hole 54 in this configuration therefore being perfectly closed by shutter 6, and therefore any exiting being avoided, both of liquids and of any gases, through hole 54 itself.

Vice versa, considering a gaseous pressure inside the bottle, it is shown how the gases, travelling back up along the neck of the bottle and permeating through the second filtering element 3 (the lower filter), will involve the thrusting surface 66 of shutter 6 (accommodated inside the through hole 54), therefore exerting thereon a thrust contrary to the elastic thrust exerted by spring 7. Moreover, considering a gaseous pressure sufficient to exert such a thrust on the thrusting surface 66 of shutter 6 as to overcome the resistance of spring 7, it is shown how shutter 6 here is pushed upwards (towards cap 2) and therefore is automatically switched from the closing position in figure 4(a) to an opening position (figure 4(b)), in which in particular the frustoconical surfaces 56 and 65 are no longer abutting against each other, but rather are spaced apart from each other so as to define a gap where the gases invade, through said gap as indicated by the arrows, the inner space defined by the housing component 5, and are purged therefrom outwards while permeating through the first filtering element 8 and therefore through the venting or purging holes 23 of cap 2. The direct consequence of the venting or purging of excess gases is the progressive decrease of the gaseous pressure inside the bottle, therefore the thrust exerted by the gases themselves on shutter 6 (on the thrusting surface 66 and partially on the frustoconical surface 56) also will progressively decrease, which thrust in particular will decrease up to becoming lower again than the thrust exerted by spring 7, which spring 7, by overcoming the thrust exerted by the gases again, will again switch shutter 6 from the opening position in figure 4(b) to the closed position in figure 4(a).

Obviously, the switching cycle summarized above may possibly be repeated when there is a repeated increase of the internal gaseous pressure, the closing element or cap according to the present invention therefore automatically ensuring the control of the gaseous pressure inside the bottle.

It has therefore been shown by the detailed description above of the embodiments of the present invention depicted in the drawings that the present invention allows the preset objects and/or results desired to be achieved.

In particular, the closing element or cap according to the present invention allows the automatic purging of the excess gases from the inside of the bottle outwards, and therefore the automatic control of the gaseous pressure inside the bottle itself, while avoiding possible undesired exit of liquids .

Although the present invention was described above by means of a detailed description of the embodiments thereof depicted in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and depicted in the drawings. For example, all the parts described above as "cylindrical" may be made with a different cross section so long as they are tubular.

Moreover, the present invention was conceived so as to allow the broadest selection of materials for manufacturing the components thereof; for example, the support element 1, the shutter element 6 and the housing component 5 may be made of Teflon or similar materials, but also of cork or equivalent materials. The scope of the present invention is therefore defined by the claims.