Sealing cap and closure comprising the same

Abstract

A sealing cap, which engages a neck of a bottle, including a top wall from which extend a sidewall and a sealing skirt. The sidewall includes a cap thread to be screwed onto a neck thread of the neck of the bottle around a screwing axis. The sealing skirt includes an inclined sealing surface to be pressed against a corresponding surface of the neck on an opposite side from the surface including the neck thread, upon screwing the cap thread onto the neck thread. The inclined sealing surface is formed by a wall of the sealing skirt surrounding a cavity. An inclination angle between the inclined sealing surface and the screwing axis is between 7° and 25°. An axial length of the cap thread, taken parallel to the screwing axis, is higher than or equal to 1.5 times a pitch of the cap thread.

1 . A sealing cap to engage a neck of a bottle, the sealing cap comprising a first top wall from which extend a first sidewall and a sealing skirt, wherein:
 the first sidewall comprises a cap thread to be screwed onto a neck thread of the neck of the bottle around a screwing axis,   the sealing skirt comprises an inclined sealing surface to be pressed against a corresponding surface of the neck of the bottle on an opposite side from the surface comprising the neck thread, upon screwing the cap thread onto the neck thread,   the inclined sealing surface is formed by a wall of the sealing skirt surrounding a cavity,   an inclination angle between the inclined sealing surface and the screwing axis is between 7° and 25°, and   an axial length of the cap thread, taken parallel to the screwing axis from a level of a proximal end of the inclined sealing surface to a level of a distal end of the cap thread, is higher than or equal to 1.5 times a pitch of the cap thread.   
     
     
         2 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein, in an assembled configuration of the sealing cap screwed at a targeted screwing torque on the neck of the bottle, the inclined sealing surface is pressed against the corresponding surface of the neck so that a continuous peripheral contact is formed on the inclined sealing surface, wherein an axial extension of the continuous peripheral contact, taken parallel to the screwing axis, is higher than or equal to 0.05 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein, in an assembled configuration of the sealing cap screwed at a targeted screwing torque on the neck of the bottle, the inclined sealing surface is pressed against the corresponding surface of the neck so that a continuous peripheral contact is formed on the inclined sealing surface, wherein an axial extension of the continuous peripheral contact, taken parallel to the screwing axis, is less than or equal to 0.6 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the inclined sealing surface of the sealing skirt is pressed against a substantially cylindrical portion of the corresponding surface of the neck, or a bulge of the corresponding surface of the neck, so that a continuous peripheral contact of limited axial extension, taken parallel to the screwing axis, is formed on the inclined sealing surface. 
     
     
         5 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the sealing cap is mounted on the neck of the bottle, the cap thread engages with the neck thread before any contact between the inclined sealing surface and the corresponding surface of the neck. 
     
     
         6 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing cap engages an externally threaded neck of the bottle, and the cap thread is provided on an inner face of the first sidewall while the inclined sealing surface is provided on an outer face of the sealing skirt, wherein the corresponding surface of the neck against which the inclined sealing surface is pressed is an inner surface of the neck, wherein an outer diameter of the sealing skirt at a distal end of the inclined sealing surface, and beyond said distal end, is less than an inner diameter of the neck of the bottle on which the sealing cap is mounted. 
     
     
         7 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap thread is screwed onto the neck thread of the bottle at a targeted screwing torque and, in the assembled configuration at the targeted screwing torque, an angular length of engagement of the cap thread with the neck thread is higher than or equal to 270°. 
     
     
         8 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap thread is screwed onto the neck thread of the bottle at a targeted screwing torque, wherein an evolution of the screwing torque as a function of the angle of rotation of the sealing cap around the screwing axis is substantially linear from a first contact of the inclined sealing surface with the corresponding surface of the neck to the assembled configuration at the targeted screwing torque. 
     
     
         9 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap thread is screwed onto the neck thread of the bottle at a targeted screwing torque and, in the assembled configuration at the targeted screwing torque, a gap is formed between an upper surface of the neck and a wall of the sealing cap facing the upper surface of the neck. 
     
     
         10 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein an axial length that of the inclined sealing surface, taken parallel to the screwing axis from the level of a proximal end of the inclined sealing surface to the level of a distal end of the inclined sealing surface, is higher than or equal to 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein a radial distance between the cap thread and a proximal end of the inclined sealing surface is higher than or equal to 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing skirt deforms the neck of the bottle on which the sealing cap is mounted such that, in the assembled configuration at a targeted screwing torque, a variation in a diameter of the neck is higher than or equal to 0.5%. 
     
     
         13 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing skirt having the inclined sealing surface comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the assembled configuration of the sealing cap screwed at a targeted screwing torque on the neck of the bottle, a radial sealing interference between the sealing skirt of the sealing cap and the neck is higher than or equal to 1% of a diameter of the neck. 
     
     
         15 . The sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall of the sealing skirt forming the inclined sealing surface surrounds a chamber for receiving an active material for regulating an atmosphere in the bottle equipped with the sealing cap. 
     
     
         16 . The sealing cap according to  claim 15 , wherein the wall of the sealing skirt forming the inclined sealing surface comprises a peripheral wall of the chamber having the inclined sealing surface on its outer face. 
     
     
         17 . The sealing cap according to  claim 15 , wherein the wall of the sealing skirt forming the inclined sealing surface externally surrounds a peripheral wall of the chamber, with a gap between the wall of the sealing skirt and the peripheral wall of the chamber. 
     
     
         18 . A closure comprising the sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing cap is an inner cap to attach the closure to an externally threaded neck of the bottle, wherein the closure further comprises an outer cap with a second top wall and a second sidewall, wherein the sealing cap is coaxially nested in the outer cap. 
     
     
         19 . A bottle with the sealing cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing cap is fixedly screwed onto the thread of a neck of the bottle and closes the bottle. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The sealing cap according to  claim 5 , wherein, when the inclined sealing surface first contacts the corresponding surface of the neck of the bottle, an angular length of engagement of the cap thread with the neck thread is higher than or equal to 110°.