EP0326641A2

EP0326641A2 - Seal device for a container and containers thus obtained

Info

Publication number: EP0326641A2
Application number: EP88112187A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cesare Gussoni
Original assignee: ADIMPLAST SpA
Current assignee: ADIMPLAST SpA
Priority date: 1988-02-01
Filing date: 1988-07-28
Publication date: 1989-08-09
Also published as: IT1215784B; EP0326641A3; IT8819269A0

Abstract

The proposed seal device comprises a capsule (1) and a container insert (11). The insert (11) ends in a hole sealed by a membrane (13) having a thinner joining edge (14a) so as to be breakable and equipped in the centre with a first engaging means. The capsule (11) is equipped with a second engaging means matching the first, facing towards the first and having in its lower part a cutting surface (6) facing the breakable joining edge (14a) of said membrane (13). The capsule (1) preferably has a band (9) at its lower end attached with small breakable ribs, forming an outer guarantee seal, limiting the movement of the capsule (1) when the product is new, so as to prevent the membrane (13) from being broken.

Description

The invention refers to an insert and relative capsule for a cylindrical laminated plastic or aluminium container, for example for containing sanitary or cosmetic products or foodstuffs.
Cylindrical squeezable aluminium containers of the known type are equipped at their outlet with a thin aluminium foil, formed together with the opening, which tightly seals the container and can be broken only by a pointed object, such as the bottom of the cap. This thin foil forms a seal serving as a guarantee for the contents of the container and at the same time protects the product. In this case, however, when the protecting foil is detached it adheres to the product and must be removed with the first product discharged.
On the other hand, known cylindrical containers in laminated or non laminated plastic cannot be provided with any simple plastic seal that makes it possible to obtain a seal as a guarantee for the contents of the container and as a protection for the product.
The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, i.e. to create a protection for the product that is easily and permanently removable. Another object is to create a separate guarantee seal.
The problem has been solved with an insert for a container terminating in a hole sealed by a membrane the joining edge of which made thinner so as to be breakable, while a first engaging means is provided at its centre, the relative cap being equipped with a second engaging means matching the first and facing towards it, the inner part of its surface having a cutting rim facing the breakable joining edge of said membrane.
A breakable band is also preferably provided on the lower edge of the cap, forming an external guarantee seal easily visible to the customer; at the same time it also limits the movement of the cap thus preventing the membrane from being broken.
The first and second engaging means are preferably a projection and a cavity having matching shapes and dimensions forming a slight negative allowance. Rough or grooved surfaces can also be provided to improve adhesion of the membrane to the capsule.
The inside surface of said cavity can also have a thread, which engages with the outer surface of said projection which is preferably made of soft material.
The present invention will be explained below with reference to non restrictive exemplary embodiments which will be described with the aid of the attached drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is part sectional view of an insert and a capsule according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 2 is a sectional view of the cap in fig. 1 separate from the insert and before assembly;
fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device in fig. 1, when completely screwed down;
fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the cap only once it has been unscrewed and removed from the relative insert of the device in fig. 1;
fig. 5 is a sectional view of the device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention applied to a plastic insert mounted on the outlet of an aluminium container;
fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the top part of an insert and a capsule according to a second exemplary embodiment.

Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a device comprising an insert 11 with a blind hole and a cap 1 for cylindrical laminated plastic containers. The insert 11 has, as is known, a thread 12 and terminates in a hole sealed by a membrane 13. This membrane is connected to the insert 11 by means of a thinner joining edge 14a so as to be breakable. The membrane is equipped at its centre with a first engaging means in the form of an upper projection 14, for example a small cylinder with vertical grooves on its side surface; these will serve, as will be seen further on, to improve adhesion of the small cylinder to a second engaging means provided in the capsule 1.
This capsule 1 consists essentially of a cap portion 2, of the known type, having a thread 3 on its inside surface and, at its top 4, again facing the inside, a cylindrical crown 5, facing the insert 11, and having in its lower part a cutting surface 6 of such a size as to face the breakable joining edge 14a of the above membrane 13.
The inner walls 5a of the crown 5 are such as to form a cavity 5b to receive and hold the projection 14 and thus the membrane 13.
The capsule 1 has in its lower end a band 9 joined with small breakable ribs 10, which forms an external guarantee seal and when the product is new limits movement of the capsule.
When the band 9 is removed and the cap 2 is turned clockwise until the shoulder 11 is completely inserted, the cutting surface 6 pierces the joining edge 14a, separating the membrane 13 from the insert 11, while the projection 14 is progressively inserted into the cylindrical crown 5 of the capsule 1 adhering to it. The blind hole in the insert 11 is opened and the product held in the container may be discharged.
The seal device described herein has been applied to a insert for a laminated plastic container. Nothing would change, except for the size of the attaching parts, if the device according to the invention was applied to a plastic insert 11′ (fig. 5) mounted on the oulet of an aluminium tube 16. In the same figure 5 the remaining parts of the device are also illustrated, bearing the same numbers as those described earlier since they correspond exactly.
Figure 6 shows a device according to a further embodiment which differs from the preceding one only in the part concerning the cylindrical crown 5 and the membrane 13.
The inside walls of said cylindrical crown 5 have a thread 5c having the same pitch as the thread 12 of the insert 11.
The upper projection 14 of the membrane 13 is of soft material. After having removed the band 9, by turning the cap 2 until the insert 11 is completely inserted, the cylindrical crown 5 threads by means of its thread 5c provided at its inside surface the projection 14 made from soft material. The membrane 13 thus remains inserted and blocked by means of the projection 14 in the cylindrical crown 5 of the capsule 1.

Claims

1. A seal device for a container comprising a capsule (1) and a container insert (11), characterized in that the insert (11) ends in a hole sealed by a membrane (13), with a joining edge (14a) that is made thinner so as to be breakable and having a first engaging means (14) in the centre, and in that the capsule (11) is equipped with a second engaging means (5b) matching the first, facing toward the first and having in its bottom part a cutting surface (6) facing the breakable edge (14a) of said membrane (13).

2. A seal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capsule (1) has at its lower end a band (9) joined with small breakable ribs (10), forming an external guarantee seal, limiting the movement of the capsule (1) when the product is new, so as to prevent the membrane (13) from being broken.

3. A seal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second engaging means are respectively a projection (14) and a cavity (5b), having dimensions creating a slight negative allowance.

4. A seal device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and second engaging means have rough or grooved surfaces to improve adhesion of the membrane (13) to the capsule (1).

5. A seal device according to claim 3, characterized in that the inside surface of the cavity (5b) has a thread (5c) and the projection (14) is of soft material.

6. A container characterized in that it uses a seal device according to any one of the preceding claims.