CLIAMS:1) A closure device for bottles (10) comprising:
- a cap (11) having an upper portion (12) and a side portion (13);
- a diffuser (14) arranged to couple with said cap (11) on the upper part and with a bottle neck on the lower part;
- a covering sleeve (20) comprising an upper portion (21) and a lower portion (22) connected to each other along a breaking line (23) provided with a plurality of connecting bridges (24), said covering sleeve (20) being coupled with said cap (11) so that said upper portion (21) of said covering sleeve (20) at least partially covers said side portion (13) of said cap (11);
characterized in that said covering sleeve (20) internally comprises means (25) for constraining the axial movement of said cap (11) with respect to said covering sleeve (20).

2) The closure device for bottles (10) according to claim 1 wherein said constraining means (25) comprise a plurality of abutment portions (25) made on said plurality of connecting bridges (24), said abutment portions (25) protruding towards the inside of said covering sleeve (20) so as to form a stopping abutment for said cap (11).

3) The closure device for bottles (10) according to claim 2 wherein said abutment portions (25) are made at said lower portion (22) of said covering sleeve (20).

4) The closure device for bottles (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein said upper portion (21) of said covering sleeve (20) comprises a first weakening line (26) which extends axially for a first tract, a second weakening line (27) placed side by side to said first weakening line (26) which extends axially for a second tract which is shorter than said first tract, and a third weakening line (28) which connects said weakening lines extending beyond at least one of them.

5) The closure device for bottles (10) according to claim 4 wherein said weakening lines (26, 27, 28) are made by means of respectively a first (26), a second (27) and a third (28) slot, said slots defining a gripping and tearing lip (29).

6) The closure device for bottles (10) according to claim 5 wherein said third slot (28) is perpendicular to said first (26) and second (27) slots.

7) The closure device for bottles (10) according to claim 4 or 5 wherein said first slot (26) and said second slot (27) extend from the upper free edge (30) of said upper portion (21) of said covering sleeve (20).

8) The closure device for bottles (10) according to claim 7 wherein said third slot (28) is made at the free edge (30) of said upper portion (21) of said covering sleeve (20).

9) The closure device for bottles (10) according to claim 7 or 8 wherein said first slot (26) extends axially up to said breaking line (23).

10) The closure device for bottles (10) according to one of the preceding claims wherein said lower portion (22) of said covering sleeve (20) comprises a blocking internal annular projection (31) suitable for engaging with a corresponding external annular projection (32) made on said diffuser (14). ,TagSPECI:This patent application is a patent of addition to Indian patent application No. 1758/MUM/2012 filed on 19.06.2012.

The present invention refers to a bottle closing device.

Various bottle closing devices generally made up of a cap and a dispenser or diffuser are currently known.

The cap has an inner thread suitable for being engaged, for opening and closing the bottle, with a corresponding thread provided on the outer surface of the dispenser.
This latter is pressure-fixed in the opening of the bottle neck or, through known means, on the bottle neck.

Furthermore, a further sleeve is generally provided for covering the cap, made of aluminium or plastic film.

Thus, the assembly of such closing devices provides for a first step of screwing the cap on the diffuser and subsequently inserting the cap/diffuser assembly into the covering sleeve which adheres to the cap achieving an embedding engagement with the same.

Generally, in the production lines, once assembled, the aforementioned closing devices are subsequently applied on the respective bottles.

In some cases it is possible that during the moving of the closing device the covering sleeve and the cap disengage from each other causing the slipping of the cap and of the diffuser connected thereto inside the covering sleeve.

This may cause the occurrence of defects in the assembly of the single closing device on the respective bottle and damage on the very device, determining a production drop and a cost increase.

In fact, in these cases the bottles not correctly assembled are discarded and possibly reintroduced into the production line in order to be subsequently closed through a new closing device.

Furthermore, it is worth to underline that the closing devices currently known do not permit to guarantee the wholeness state of the bottles which they are applied to. In fact, the covering sleeve of such devices may be slipped off without being damaged thus permitting the unscrewing of the cap and the ensuing opening of the bottle to alter the content of the very bottle.

An object of the present invention is that of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks and in particular that of providing a bottle closing device capable of permitting a simple and safe capping of such bottles.

These and other objects according to the present invention are achieved by providing a bottle closing device as outlined in claim 1.

Further features of the bottle closing device are subject of the dependent claims.

Features and advantages of a bottle closing device according to the present invention shall appear clearer from the following non-limiting and exemplifying description with reference to the schematized attached drawings wherein:
- figure 1 is a side view of a bottle closing device according to the present invention;
- figure 2 is a top view of the closing device of figure 1;
- figure 3 is a sectional partial view along line III-III of the closing device of figure 1;
- figures 4a and 4b are respectively a first and a second sectional partial view of the closing device of figure 1, in a closing configuration subsequent to the first opening;
- figures 5a and 5b are respectively a first and a second perspective view of a cap comprised in the closing device of figure 1;
- figure 6 is a side view of a covering sleeve comprised in the closing device of figure 1;
- figure 7a is a sectional partial view along line VII-VII of the covering sleeve of figure 6;
- figure 7b is a view of partial detail of the covering sleeve of figure 7a;
- figure 8 is a perspective view of the closing device of figure 1.

With reference to the figures, a bottle closing device is shown, which is wholly indicated with 10.

Such a closing device 10 comprises a cap 11, having a first flat upper portion 12 and a side tubular portion 13, a diffuser 14, provided with at least one dripless pourer (not illustrated), and a covering sleeve 20.

The closing device 10 develops along an axial direction A as indicated in the figures.
The diffuser 14 is arranged to be coupled - at the upper part - with the cap 11 and - at the lower part - with a bottle neck (not illustrated).

In particular, as observable in figure 3, the side tubular portion 13 of the cap 11 is provided with an inner thread 40, suitable for being engaged with a corresponding thread 41 of the diffuser 14.

The engagement between the thread 40 of the inner side portion 13 of the cap 11 and the thread 41 of the diffuser 14 results in the closing of the cap 11 on the diffuser 14 and hence of the closing device 10 on the bottle neck.

Obviously, other types of coupling different from those described above and shown in the figures are also provided in the invention.

The covering sleeve 20 comprises an upper portion 21 and a lower portion 22 connected to each other along a breaking line 23 provided with a plurality of connecting bridges 24, which are, necessarily, lacerated during the first opening of the bottle.

The covering sleeve 20, when the closing device is assembled, is coupled to the cap so that the upper portion 21 at least partially covers the side portion 13 of the cap 11.
In the particular illustrated embodiment the side portion 13 of the cap 11 extends - at the lower part - beyond the breaking line 23, though it is possible to make a covering sleeve 20 so that the upper portion 21 entirely covers the side portion 13 of the cap 11.
Furthermore, the upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20 is closed at the upper part. At the top part of the aforementioned upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20 at least one perimetrally developing opening 33 is preferably provided.

According to the present invention, the covering sleeve 20 internally comprises means 25 for constraining to the axial movement of the cap 11 with respect to the covering sleeve 20.

Thus, once the covering sleeve 20 is applied on the cap 11 coupled to the diffuser 14, the constraining means 25 stop the movement of the cap 11 with respect to the covering sleeve 20 along the axial direction A, guaranteeing the coupling stability between them.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention such constraining means 25 comprise a plurality of abutment portions 25 made on the plurality of connecting bridges 24; such abutment portions 25, in particular, protrude towards the inside of the covering sleeve 20 so as to form a stopping abutment for the cap 11.

Alternatively, the constraining means comprise an annular abutment portion (not illustrated) made on the inner surface of the covering sleeve 20 at the lower end of the cap 11.

Preferably, the abutment portions 25 are made at the lower portion 22 of the covering sleeve 20, as observable in particular in figure 7b.

Alternatively, should the upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20 be made so as to entirely cover the side portion 13 of the cap 11, the abutment portions 25 can be obtained at the upper portion 21.

Advantageously, the upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20 comprises a first weakening line 26 which extends axially for a first tract, a second weakening line 27 placed side by side to the first weakening line 26 which extends axially for a second tract shorter with respect to the first tract, and a third weakening line 28 which connects the aforementioned first 26 and second 27 weakening lines extending beyond at least one of them.

By weakening line it is to be intended a portion of the sleeve configured so as to lacerate before the remaining portion of the very sleeve.

By the term “axially” it is to be intended the fact that the weakening lines are obtained along some generatrices of the side portion of the outer sleeve.

Preferably the weakening lines 26, 27 and 28 are made by means of respectively a first, a second and a third slot which define a gripping and tearing lip 29.

Such a gripping and tearing lip 29, as shown for example in figure 1, can be provided – at the upper part – with a fin portion 35 to facilitate the holding of the lip 29.

Alternatively, the weakening lines 26, 27 and 28 can be made, for example, by means of thinning of the upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20.

As observable for example in figure 1, the third slot is preferably perpendicular to the first 26 and to the second 27 slot, but more generally it can be transverse along any direction with respect thereto, thus making a kind of L-shaped portion for gripping and tearing the outer sleeve.

Preferably, the first 26 and the second 27 slot extend starting from the upper free edge 30 of the upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20.
In such case, preferably, the third slot 28 is made at such upper free edge 30.

Advantageously, the first slot 26 extends axially from the upper free edge 30 up to the breaking line 23 without leaving any bridge of residue material on the upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20.

Furthermore, in the particular embodiment illustrated in the attached figures the lower portion 22 of the covering sleeve 20 comprises an blocking internal annular projection 31 suitable for being engaged with a corresponding external annular projection 32 made on the diffuser 14 when the closing device 10 is assembled.

Thus, following the first opening of the bottle once the upper portion 21 of the covering sleeve 20 has been removed, the lower portion 22 remains coupled to the diffuser 14.

The description outlined above clearly shows the features of the bottle closing device subject of the present invention, as well as the relative advantages.

Actually, according to the present invention, the means for constraining to the axial movement of the cap with respect to the covering sleeve allow mounting the closing device on a bottle in a simple and safe manner thus guaranteeing the sealing of the assembly of the very closing device.

Such constraining means prevent the covering sleeve from being slipped off even only partially during the capping process, ensuring the correct mounting of the closing device on the bottle.

Furthermore, the constraining means constrain the opening of the bottle to the breakage of the breaking line between the upper portion and the lower portion of the covering sleeve and to the subsequent removal of the very upper portion. Thus, the opening of the bottle is revealed.
According to the present invention, the gripping and tearing lip defined by the three slots can be easily pulled in order to break the connecting bridges along the breaking line and to remove the upper portion of the covering sleeve from the closing device. In fact, the third slot intersects the first and the second slot extending beyond at least one of them as observable in the attached figures; this weakens the upper portion of the covering sleeve, facilitating the breakage once the gripping and tearing lip has been gripped.

Lastly, it is clear that the bottle closing device as conceived can be subjected to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the invention; furthermore, all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may vary depending on the technical needs.