CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of European Patent Application No. 17382708.0, filed on Oct. 24, 2017, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an aluminum monolayer capsule for bottles intended to cover the neck and the finish of a bottle.

BACKGROUND

The capsule is the element that covers the neck and the finish of a bottle, in this way covering the stopper thereof. Apart from being an aesthetic element, it has a hygiene function, as it protects the upper portion of the bottle from dust, dryness or deterioration, besides offering a guarantee that the bottle has not been opened.

Said capsules can be made of tin or they can be made of complex multipiece aluminum where aluminum sheets are attached to polyethylene. Other capsules are: made of multipiece plastic shrink wrap and monopiece injected plastic.

Furthermore, these capsules are usually configured in two elements: a cylindrical skirt upon which a circle is adhered that closes at the portion above the capsule. It is also common that they have some element for opening said capsule.

The European patent with publication number EP1254059 describes a metallic cap for liquor or wine bottles that is defined in a cylindrical metallic covering that has two elements, a top and a skirt. The closure also comprises a cover made of rigid plastic material designed to be received inside the metallic covering.

The development of capsules that are easily recycled, cheap and easy to obtain is necessary.

SUMMARY

The inventors have developed a new aluminum capsule that comprises a cone-shaped skirt, an upper closure disc and an aluminum tab that facilitates the opening thereof.

The present capsule is advantageously simple by being monolayer, in addition to being more easily recycled than capsules with different materials as it is made solely from aluminum. The method of obtaining it is easy and it enables all of the process to be performed for mass production, making the capsule of the invention cheap.

The inventors have found the suitable thickness of the aluminum monolayer in order for the folds created in the bottling process with conventional machines to be eliminated.

The capsule of the invention does not have folds, it is malleable and adapts to the different geometries of the bottles.

Thus, the first aspect of the invention relates to a capsule that comprises a cone-shaped skirt and an upper closure disc wherein the cone-shaped skirt is an aluminum monolayer with a thickness comprised in a range from 60 microns to 150 microns and the disc is made of an aluminum monolayer with a thickness comprised in a range from 40 microns to 100 microns and wherein one of the edges of the skirt has an aluminum tab, transversely adhered to the inside of the skirt.

The aluminum tab facilitates the opening of the bottle without needing perforation lines.

Thus, a second aspect of the invention relates to a method of obtaining the capsule of the invention that comprises the steps of:

- a) cutting an aluminum monolayer sheet of the size suitable for forming the skirt of the capsule;
- b) fixing an aluminum tab in a transverse position on the inside of the sheet such that one end is on the edge of the sheet;
- c) gluing one of the edges of the cut sheet;
- d) forming the skirt of the capsule, covering and pasting the opposite edges;
- e) fixing an aluminum disc in the upper portion of the body formed in step d).

This method of the invention enables the capsule to be decorated prior to it being shaped and mass produced, instead of it having to be subsequently decorated and done one at a time, such as in the case of the capsules for which the method for obtaining is embossing. The latter occurs for example in the method for obtaining capsules made of tin wherein the method consists of melting the tin and making it into sheets, obtaining the capsule by embossing and finally applying the decoration to the capsule. Furthermore this embossing process can tear or crack the capsule.

As said, the object of the capsules of the invention is to cover the upper portion of the bottle; therefore, a third aspect of the invention relates to a bottle that comprises the capsule of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As we have said, the first aspect of the invention relates to a capsule that comprises a cone-shaped skirt and an upper closure disc wherein the cone-shaped skirt is an aluminum monolayer of a thickness comprised in a range from 60 microns to 150 microns and the disc is made of an aluminum monolayer of a thickness comprised in a range from 40 microns to 100 microns and wherein in one of the edges of the skirt there is an aluminum tab, transversely adhered to the inside of the skirt.

Preferably, the cone-shaped skirt is an aluminum monolayer with a thickness comprised between 70 microns to 100 microns. Preferably, the disc is an aluminum monolayer with a thickness comprised between 70 microns and 90 microns.

Preferably, the aluminum tab has a thickness in a range from 40 microns to 70 microns. More preferably from 50 microns to 60 microns. Preferably the tab projects from the edge of the skirt.

The capsule of the invention adapts to the bottle without folds during the bottling process using traditional means.

Preferably, the aluminum tab that facilitates the opening has an easy-opening end joined to it. In particular, the aluminum tab is rectangular and is fixed in the upper third of the skirt. In particular, the fixing is performed by means of gluing.