Sealing disc for a container closure cap

p0001The invention relates to a washer for a closure cap for containers, in particular for bottle closures for substances reacting with oxygen, alcoholic drinks or wines.

p0002Washers are known in various embodiments. For the use in bottle caps are made in a suitable size, for example, with diameters from 16.6 to 45.0 mm or 12.0 to 115.0 mm. The small washers are in, for example, aluminum caps, the larger in plastic caps, inserted screw caps for bottles.

p0003From US-PS 4,818,577 and US-PS 4,930,646 it is known, that provide a seal disc of a top layer of polyethylene foam and an underlying layer of "Saran" polyvinylidene chloride. The aim is a barrier action against the escape of gaseous components from the inside of the bottle.

p0004From DE-GM 72 40 238 it is known to manufacture a sealing disk of a layer of polyolefin, in particular polyethylene foam, and a layer of a gas-tight plastic, in particular a composite layer of polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The latter layer is arranged as a diffusion barrier with the PVC layer to the container opening out to prevent a leak against outgassing of carbon dioxide, for example, or an infusion of oxygen into a container.

p0005From EP 0332725 A1 discloses a in a closure of a polyolefin, for example polypropylene, cast-in sealing disc with a to the container contents facing layer of an organosol, about a metal foil, a layer of Polyolefincarboxylsäure and a layer of a thermoplastic polyolefin, for example polypropylene , known. This gasket should be heat-resistant and resistant to pasteurization and allow passage of liquid, in particular for vacuum and pressure filling be suitable.

p0006For sealing bottles of wine or sparkling wine bottles, it is known to use cork. The corks were mostly covered in earlier times with a made of lead or tin capsule. Nowadays instead of lead usually an aluminum layer or PVC shrink capsule is used. Often the use of cork for sealing wine or champagne bottles proves to be disadvantageous, since forming at the bottom of the cork on the wine or champagne side facing mold similar bacteria. This phenomenon is the wine or champagne quality from very detrimental. Moreover, the use of cork for sealing wine or champagne bottles at current 1000-piece price of DM 200 with good qualities is a non-negligible cost. For this reason and for reasons of ease of opening and the possibility of resealing Aluminiumschraubverschlüsse also be used for wine bottles with a rising trend in recent years. The seal Slide example, consist of polyethylene foam.

p0007The invention is based on the object, a relatively inexpensive gasket for a cap for containers, in particular for bottle closures for oxygen reactive substances, alcoholic beverages or wine to create that avoids the disadvantages of the known corks and the container contents safe from loss of quality, in particular by in containers with entrapped oxygen, protects.

p0008This object is achieved with a sealing disc for a closure cap for containers, comprising a layer of an oxygen-substance and a layer of a deoxidizing substance on the tank contents made facing page.

p0009Further developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

p0010Characterized a sealing washer, in particular for bottle closures for oxygen reactive substances, alcoholic drinks or wines, there is provided, on the one hand, for example, at the passage through the sealing washer prevents the contained in the alcoholic drink or wine gaseous component of the alcohol to the outside and on the other hand the occurrence of oxygen or other undesirable gases prevented in the bottle interior.

p0011A while capping bottles between bottle and closure content inevitably trapped amount of oxygen is absorbed by the deoxidizer substance, for example Daraform. This is the component that makes an outstanding wine after a short time inedible, withdrawn from the still unopened wine bottle. The wine is therefore more durable and not subject to quality losses. The action of oxygen to the wine can result in connection with the storage time and temperature to undesirable changes in taste of the wine. The most commonly used as increasingly health concerns encounters sulphiting of wine may be restricted or eliminated. The washer also contributes to the hygiene aspirations for example, the European Community. no bacteria can fix that, as the stand of conventional cork, on the European list of banned to her.

p0012In relation to corks seen is also to point out the significant Konstenvorteil, with improved functionality.

p0013In principle, a sealing washer for a closure cap for containers, in particular for bottle closures for oxygen reactive substances, alcoholic drinks or wines, created, wherein the sealing disc has a layer of oxygen-impermeable material and a layer of a deoxidizing substance on the contents of the container made facing side having the washer.

p0014Preferably, it comprises a further layer of polyethylene foam above the layer of the oxygen-impermeable substance. The sealing disk is covered by a beneficial Aluminiumschraubverschluß on the side of its first layer of polyethylene foam. The polyethylene film is full surface on its underside of the layer of oxygen impermeable material, preferably polyvinylidene covered. The layer of the oxygen-impermeable substance is covered by the layer of a deoxidizing substance on its underside. With its underside, the layer of the deoxidizing substance facing the contents of the container.

p0015The deoxidizer substance is preferably of the type that it operates only under certain external conditions in this capacity, as under pressure or at a certain moisture content of the environment. This allows the handling, manufacture of the sealing disc, the storage and attachment under normal external conditions, ie in the presence of usual oxygen in the ambient air. Only in the filled container is then unfolds the deoxidizer effect due to the resulting over-pressure and / or moisture content.

p0016The deoxidizer layer advantageously to the deoxidizer substance Polyolefincarboxylsäure, especially as a copolymer in conjunction with other polyolefins. A traded under the brand name Daraform product is particularly suitable. Alternatively, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or other such material may be used. For application to the layer of polyvinylidene chloride the Daraform layer is made extrudable. Thereby, it has a clean, solid consistency.

p0017Daraform is sensory properly, ie taste occurs no influence of the bottle contents a, ie in particular of wine, in the rest - about optical - remains unaffected.

p0018The layer of polyethylene foam preferably has a density of 250 g / m² and a thickness of 2 mm, the layer of polyvinylidene chloride preferably has a thickness of 19 microns and the layer of Daraform a thickness of 0.25 to 0.5 mm.

p0019The gasket is manufactured in a process in which first covered the first layer of polyethylene foam with the second layer of an oxygen-substance on their lower full surface and connected adhesively. The third layer of a deoxidizing substance is then applied to the underside of the second layer or foamed and connected thereto.

p0020The washer can be inserted either before Crackin of Aluminiumschraubverschlusses in the cap or attached in any way to the bottom of the third layer on the container edge. For example, they can also first be placed on a bottle neck opening, in particular with the third layer inserted in the container mouth, and the Aluminiumschraubverschluß are then placed over it. By Crackin, rolling on or otherwise attaching the Aluminiumschraubverschlusses on the bottle neck a load is applied as a load at the same time. Characterized the sealing washer is compressed to a smaller thickness than corresponds to the preparation thickness.

p0021It is particularly preferred if the layer of a deoxidizing substance has a smaller surface diameter than the other layers of the sealing washer, in particular a surface diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the associated be sealed container mouth is.

p0022This additionally has the advantage that after the application of the container closure, the layer with the oxidizer substance comes with the washer only and exclusively with the container contents or the gaseous portion below the shutter in contact, but not with the surrounding atmosphere, which otherwise within the Veschlusses nor could arrive to some extent to the edge of this layer.

p0023The layer of polyvinylidene chloride has a double function. Firstly, it prevents gaseous components, such as alcohol, the passage from the bottle interior to the outside through the washer through. Secondly, it prevents the entry of oxygen or other gases in the region of the Daraformschicht. The preferably over the polyvinylidene chloride provided polyethylene foam layer provides compression force (with elastic elastic recovery) for the corresponding clamping pressure and thus a seal. Through the thickness of the layer and its elastic design tolerances of the closures and bottle necks are compensated. So for example, any liquid is prevented (in vapor form) that could penetrate from the outside into the bottle from penetrating. Moreover, the polyethylene foam layer of the seal disc imparts compared to the two other layers stability and a particularly good handleability due to its significantly greater thickness.

p0024For further explanation of the invention, several embodiments of washers are described with reference to the drawings.

p0025These show in:<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>figure 1</dt><dd>a perspective view of a bottle with a closure cap with an inventive sealing washer,</dd><dt>figure 2</dt><dd>a perspective view of the washer of the invention according to FIG. 1,</dd><dt>figure 3</dt><dd>a perspective view of a second embodiment of a gasket according to the invention and</dd><dt>figure 4</dt><dd>is a view in section of a third embodiment of a washer according to the invention.</dd></dl>

p0026<b>Fig. 1</b> shows a perspective view of a bottle 1 having a closure cap 2 with a washer 3. The cap 2 is a screw cap. It is shown broken to illustrate the inner gasket 3 in part. The cap 2 is made for example of aluminum.

p0027The sealing disc 3 consists of three layers. The top, attached to the cap 2 layer 4 is made of polyethylene foam. Below the layer 4, a layer 5 is provided from polyvinylidene chloride. Underneath the layer 5, and thus directly to the bottle neck rim adjacent and on its opening auflagernd, is a layer 6 of a deoxidizer substance, for example Daraform provided.

p0028The layer 6 of Daraform escapes the closed bottle, the filling operation of the example, alcoholic beverage, in particular wine, the introduced into the bottle with oxygen. The in conventional wine bottle stoppers, especially cork, but also with screw caps with conventional sealing discs with entrapped oxygen can lead to the so-called "tipping" of the wine. Anyway, it can lead to changes in taste of the wine. The Daraformschicht 6 removes this oxygen and thus makes possible the consistent quality of the bottle contents, particularly wine.

p0029By covering the layer 6 of Daraform through layer 5 of polyvinylidene chloride is ensured that only the oxygen from below, namely from the inside of the bottle, is absorbed by the Daraformschicht 6, but not from the outside of the area of ​​the bottle. The amount of the thus withdrawn and soaked up oxygen is therefore manageable and is relatively low. The Daraformschicht 6 therefore should not be removed from a once opened and then resealed bottle the penetrated during opening and partial emptying of the bottles of oxygen out of it again and make the bottle contents preserved, but it is only intended to accommodate the originally penetrated with the bottle filling oxygen, as well as the possibly still emerging from the wine oxygen.

p0030The layer 5 of polyvinylidene chloride thus makes a possible gas passage in the interior of the bottle and the bottle interior from the outside. From the inside of the bottle can in particular not the issue to the exterior alcohol as a gas component. Oxygen from the environment of the bottle can not pass inwardly into the region of the Daraformschicht or therethrough.

p0031The layer 4 of polyethylene foam is used on the one hand as connecting means of the two other layers with the sealing cap 2. In place of the polyethylene foam layer but may also be a layer of another material having corresponding properties can be selected.

p0032In <b>FIG. 2</b> 1 is shown a perspective view of the sealing disk 3 according to the invention according to FIG.. The top layer 4 of polyethylene foam for example, has a density of 250 g / m² on. The thickness of the layer is, for example 2 mm. The top 7 of the layer 4 of polyethylene foam overlaid after insertion into the cap 2 directly to the inside and is held in a holding bead in the closure. However, it can also be fixed by an adhesive in the closure. Some of the own adhesion or adhesive action already extends from the layer for securing the cap. 2

p0033From its underside 8 establishes the layer 4 is completely covered from polyethylene foam from the middle layer 5 of polyvinylidene chloride. Polyvinylidene chloride is a double chloride, which is also referred to as PVDC film. The Dow Chemical Company provides polyvinylidene ago under the brand name "Saran". The thickness of the layer 5 of polyvinylidene chloride is, for example 19 microns. This very small thickness of the layer 5 is sufficient for unfolding the blocking effect, in particular of the gaseous alcohol and against the entry of the gaseous oxygen.

p0034At the bottom 9 of the layer 5, the bottom layer 6 is provided from the deoxidizer substance Daraform. Under the product name Daraform from Grace Chemicals hides chemically a mixture of Polyolefincarboxylsäure with other polyolefins, represented as copolymers. Daraform is completely PVC-free and binds oxygen. The third layer 6 of Daraform is for example, about 0.25 mm or 0.5 mm thick. For application to the underside 9 of the middle layer 5 made of polyvinylidene chloride, the lowermost layer 6 is extruded from Daraform. It receives thereby a clean, solid consistency.

p0035The total thickness of the sealing washer amounts to 3 according to which successive joining of the three layers 4, 5, 6 is about 2.3 mm. The washer 3 is either pre-inserted into a prefabricated aluminum cap 2 and fixed therein or pinched. The three layers 4, 5, 6 of the gasket 3 adhere to each other thereby already. When roll-on process or other fastening the aluminum cap 2 on the bottle neck it is additionally burdened with a load of 120 to 180 kg. The lying in the closure seal disc 3 is thereby compressed to approximately 1 mm thickness. The interior of the bottle is thereby sealed airtight by the gasket 3 and the cap. 2

p0036Depending on the application area for the washer 3, it may be advantageous to produce the layer 6 of Daraform in anything other than the aforementioned thickness. The washer 3 is used not only for wine closure or other alcoholic beverages, but wherever a container interior with enclosed, unwanted oxygen to be withdrawn.

p0037The underside 10 of the bottom layer 6 of Daraform is directly in contact with the inside of the bottle, so the trapped there oxygen. Daraform is resistant to alcohol, tartaric acid and other substances that are used in the food industry, and is beyond sensory properly. When using a different deoxidizer substance as Daraform it should be ensured that these other substance can not be attacked by the contents of the bottle. The substance thus should be resistant to, for example, alcohol and tartaric acid in wine bottles.

p0038<b>Fig. 3</b> shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a gasket according to the invention 3. The sealing disc 3 comprises an upper layer 5 of polyvinylidene chloride and a lower layer 6 of a deoxidizing substance, for example Daraform on. It would be possible to merely produce the seal disc 3 of Daraform. This would, however, comparatively expensive because Daraform costs multiples of polyethylene foam. Apart from this single layer would absorb from Daraform not only the oxygen from the bottle interior, but also the Sauerstof suck and suck f from around the bottle. Therefore, it is much cheaper to cover the Daraformschicht 6 on its upper surface 13 with the obstructing layer of polyvinylidene chloride. A cap 2 can then be provided directly on this layer 5 of polyvinylidene chloride.

p0039<b>Fig. 4</b> shows a view in section of a third Auführungsform a sealing washer according to the invention 3. Here, a middle layer is below the top layer 4 of polyethylene foam 5 of polyvinylidene chloride and including a lower layer 6 can be seen from Daraform. While layers 4 and 5, like surface diameter, the layer 6 is smaller.

p0040If one imagines the disc now in a cap and this on a container mouth as shown in Fig. 1 are present, the layer 6 of Daraform below the container mouth protrudes slightly into the container, while the layer 5 rests precisely on the container mouth. This makes, together with the container from each Sauestoffzutritt so that the layer 6 is faced to all the oxygen in the container interior.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

p0041<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>1</dt><dd>bottle</dd><dt>2</dt><dd>cap</dd><dt>3</dt><dd>sealing washer</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>Layer of polyethylene foam</dd><dt>5</dt><dd>Layer of polyvinylidene chloride</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>Layer of oxygen-removing substance / Daraform</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>top</dd><dt>8th</dt><dd>bottom</dd><dt>9</dt><dd>bottom</dd><dt>10</dt><dd>bottom</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>top</dd></dl>