Low gauge crown cap
View Patent ↗A crown cap that may use less steel than a conventional crown cap is disclosed. A crown cap comprises a shell formed of an increased hardness, including a peripheral skirt, a round panel integrally formed with the skirt, the panel including one to three radially symmetric grooves formed therein, each groove spaced apart from a contact portion of the panel that is adapted for contacting the rim of a bottle upon application of the crown cap onto the bottle, and a liner located on the underside of the panel. The radially symmetric grooves may be circular.
1. A lightweight crown cap for application to a glass beverage bottle, comprising:
a shell formed of a material comprising steel having an average hardness of greater than 62 on the 30T scale, the shell including:
a peripheral skirt having, flutes downwardly depending therefrom, the flutes are capable of being crimped to affix the crown cap to a bottle; and
a round panel integrally formed with the skirt, the panel including at least one recessed circular groove that has its center approximately at the longitudinal center of the panel; and
a liner located on the underside of the panel.
2. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed circular groove includes two or three recessed circular grooves.
3. The crown cap of claim 2 , wherein each recessed circular groove is spaced apart from a contact portion of the panel that is adapted for contacting the rim of a bottle upon application of the crown cap onto the bottle.
4. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein a first groove of the at least one recessed circular groove has a diameter to align it to the rim of a conventional bottle upon application of the crown cap to the bottle.
5. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein the shell has a hardness of greater than about 65.
6. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein the shell has a hardness of greater than about 68.
7. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein the shell has a hardness of greater than about 71.
8. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein the shell has a hardness of approximately 73.
9. The crown cap of claim 1 wherein the shell is formed of double reduced plate.
10. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein the panel further comprises at least one of a star, a cross, and dimples.
11. The crown cap of claim 1 , wherein the liner includes one or more beads that are compressible to enhance sealing.
12. A bottle and crown cap combination, comprising:
a bottle having a body and a neck extending up from the body, the top portion of the neck having a finish:
a lightweight crown shell formed of material comprising steel having an average hardness of greater than 62 on the 30T scale, the shell including:
a peripheral skirt having flutes downwardly depending therefrom, the flutes are crimped on the bottle finish to affix the crown cap to the bottle; and
a round panel integrally formed with the skirt, the panel including one to three circular grooves formed therein; and
a liner located on the underside of the panel.
13. The crown cap of claim 12 , wherein each of the one to three grooves is radially symmetrical and concentric about a center of the panel.
14. The crown cap of claim 12 , wherein the panel consists solely of a single circular groove that is has its center approximately at the longitudinal center of the panel.
15. The crown cap of claim 12 , wherein each of the one to three grooves is recessed relative to the panel.
16. The crown cap of claim 12 , wherein the liner includes a pair of concentric beads that engage the bottle.
17. The crown cap of claim 12 , wherein the liner includes a single, plug-like lip that engages the innermost rim of the bottle.
18. The bottle and crown cap combination of claim 12 , wherein the finish of the bottle is a pry-off finish.
19. The bottle and crown cap combination of claim 12 , wherein the finish of the bottle is a twist-off finish.
20. A method of crimping a crown cap onto a glass bottle, comprising the steps of:
providing a lightweight crown cap that includes:
a shell formed of a metal having an average hardness of greater than 62 on the 30T scale, the shell including:
a peripheral skirt having flutes downwardly depending therefrom, the flutes capable of being crimped to affix the crown cap to a bottle; and
a round panel integrally formed with the skirt, the panel including at least one recessed circular groove that has its center approximately at the longitudinal center of the panel; and
the liner located on the underside of the panel;
positioning the crown cap onto a rim of a bottle; and
moving a crimping tool downwardly relative to the crown cap, the crimping tool initially contacting the crown cap only on the flutes approximately at an outer edge of the crown cap.