DE102010044338B4 - Container with a safety rupture point - Google Patents

Abstract

Container for holding liquids, in particular beverage liquids, which can be loaded by internal overpressure, the container body being provided with a safety bursting point, characterized in that the safety bursting point (7a, 7b) has a connection bar (9a; 9b) that is completely complete with the exception of one remaining connection web bursting flap (10) cut out of the material of the container body and sealed.

Description

The invention relates to a container for holding liquids, in particular beverage liquids, which can be loaded by internal excess pressure, the container body being provided with a safety bursting point.

Such a safety bursting or predetermined breaking point having container is through the EP 0 686 120 B1 known. This container made of metal has a hollow body which holds the filling material or the beverage liquid and consists of a substantially cylindrical jacket and two end bases curved outwards. At least one of the end bases has a formation which preferably protrudes from the base curvature as a so-called base cup, with a container connecting piece advantageously being provided in the base cup. At least one of the end bases is provided with a notch formed on its outside as a predetermined breaking point, which fulfills the function of overpressure protection.

The overpressure safety device is intended to prevent the internal pressure in the container from rising to very high values until it bursts if the container is handled improperly or in the event of incorrect operation or a functional failure of pressure-reducing devices. Rather, the resulting overpressure should be discharged in a defined pressure distance from the maximum bursting pressure of the container in a safe manner by automatically opening the predetermined breaking point in the container wall.

These containers, which are mainly used for transporting and storing liquids and are primarily used in the beverages industry to hold beer or non-alcoholic beverages, are intended for operating pressures of up to 7 bar overpressure. at z. B. a container with a plastic coating, the predetermined breaking point in the area of the notch should open at a maximum overpressure of 25 bar, with the bursting pressure of this container without a predetermined breaking point being at least 60 bar. In order to ensure this, the notch of the predetermined breaking point of the known container has different depths and has its maximum depth in that area of the end base which is subject to the greatest deformation when exposed to a defined internal compressive stress exceeding the permissible operating pressure.

The function as overpressure protection of the surface area of the predetermined breaking point, which is completely or partially enclosed by the notch and has a diameter of about 15 to 25 mm, requires that this has a low minimum residual thickness of the wall in the area of the notch. This is because the opening pressure can be changed via a varying residual material thickness, which is measured at the thinnest point of the notch, by either removing material such as by milling or laser processing or displacing material by embossing a closed or partially interrupted, usually circular notch . Depending on the container design, minimum residual material thicknesses can in practice be around 0.15 mm, with the associated manufacturing tolerances being extremely low and having to be maintained, for example, in the range of just +/- 0.015 mm. The lower the opening pressure should be, the lower the residual material thickness must be provided. Due to the high demands on manufacturing accuracy, the limits of technical controllability are very quickly reached with demands for ever lower opening pressures, especially with thin-walled containers in the range of less than/= 2.5 x operating pressure.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a container of the type mentioned at the outset, in particular made of thin-walled metal, which enables a safety bursting point which is also responsive at low opening pressures, without being subject to restrictions in production.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the safety bursting point is designed with a bursting flap that is completely cut out of the material of the container body and sealed, with the exception of one remaining connecting web. Since, in contrast to all previous developments, the remaining thickness of the material is dispensed with and instead of the notch, the material or the container body is completely severed over a more or less large partial circumference, exposing the bursting flap down to the connecting web, no more manufacturing tolerances need to be taken into account and the manufacturing process is easier to control. The sealing of the safety bursting point prevents the contents or beverage liquid from escaping the container despite the release of the severed or cut bursting flap. The remaining small connecting web, which has not been separated from the material, assumes the retaining function of the released bursting flap and prevents it from detaching from the container during the pressure relief. The remaining locking force of the severed, released bursting flap is significantly lower than with a safety bursting point that is only notched, so that the opening pressure required to open or fold away the bursting flap is reduced accordingly.

It has proven to be advantageous to push or pull back the bursting flap, which protrudes slightly after cutting out of the container body, into a functional position which is flush with the container body before a bursting process or is offset from the container body. The bursting flap thus has no or a defined offset to the generated section plane, which influences the opening behavior and the locking force.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the container is provided with an inliner that acts as a seal. Such an inner shell, such as from the DE 2 224 796 A1 known, absorbs the beverage liquid and thus simultaneously seals it against the ruptured flap of the safety bursting point.

It is advantageously proposed that the bursting flap has a separating cut contour formed with a point, prong or similar tearing means. By the separation cut course with a z. B. is provided in the bursting flap or in the connecting web reaching into the tip, even when using resistant inliners (single- or multi-layer composite foils) can be achieved that at the same opening pressure, the inliner foil tears at the same time as the bursting flap is folded away or opened during the bursting process. Because the point, prong or the like tears in or destroys the inliner film protruding in the form of a balloon.

In an alternative embodiment of the container without an inner shell or inliner, the invention provides that the bursting flap is covered with a partial inner and/or outer coating, e.g. B. from a thermoplastic material is sealed. It only needs to be provided with a small thickness, namely just to ensure tightness, so that the opening pressure is not affected by it.

According to the proposals of the invention, the locking force and the opening behavior of the bursting flap can be determined by the course of the separating cut contour, by forming at least one stiffening bead extending from the container body beyond the connecting web into the area of the bursting flap, by the position of the safety bursting point on or in the container body , influenced by the size of the bursting flap and/or by the rotational position of the connecting bridge.

• 1 eine Gesamtansicht eines Einweg-Behälters, der in seinem Inneren einen mit Getränkeflüssigkeit befüllten Inliner (Innenhülle) aufweist und in seinem oberen, gekrümmten Bereich unterhalb der Tasse mit dem zentralen Fitting bzw. Behälteranschluss (Anschlussstutzen) mit einer über einen großen Teilumfang, bis auf einen verbleibenden Anbindungssteg, aus dem Behälterkorpus völlig herausgetrennten Sicherheitsberststelle ausgebildet ist;
• 2 die Oberseite des Behälters nach 1 als Teilansicht ohne den Anschlussstutzen;
• 3 die Behälter-Teilansicht der 2 in der Draufsicht;
• 4 die Sicherheitsberststelle des Behälters nach den 1 bis 3 als Einzelheit mit durch einen Trennschnitt freigestellter Berstklappe;
• 5a als Einzelheit die bündig in den Trenn-Ausschnitt in ihre Funktionslage, d. h. zum Berstvorgang zurückgedrückte bzw. -gezogene Berstklappe der 4;
• 5 b als Einzelheit die mit einem Versatz in den Trennausschnitt in ihre Funktionslage zurückgedrückte bzw. -gezogene Berstklappe der 4;
• 6 in einem verkleinerten Maßstab eine perspektivische Ansicht der Behälteroberseite der 2 mit einem gestrichelt eingetragenen, im Ausführungsbeispiel äußeren Überzug der Sicherheitsberststelle;
• 7 eine Teilansicht eines Behälters mit in der Tasse der Behälteroberseite ausgebildeter Sicherheitsberststelle;
• 8 die Behälteroberseite der 7 in der Draufsicht;
• 9 in einem verkleinerten Maßstab eine perspektivische Draufsicht der Behälteroberseite der 7;
• 10 als Einzelheit in stark vergrößertem Maßstab eine Draufsicht auf eine Sicherheitsberststelle mit einem beispielhaft ersten Verlauf der Trennschnittkontur der herausgetrennten bzw. freigestellten Berstklappe und eingebrachter Versteifungssicke sowie einer in der Trennschnittkontur ausgebildeten Spitze;
• 11 eine der 10 entsprechende Darstellung mit einem anderen Verlauf der Trennschnittkontur;
• 12 eine der 4 entsprechende Darstellung der nach dem Heraustrennen aus dem Material des Behälterkorpus freigestellten, hier demgegenüber mit einer Versteifungssicke versehenen Sicherheitsberststelle;
• 13 eine der 5 entsprechende Darstellung der nach dem Heraustrennen aus dem Material des Behälterkorpus in ihre Funktionslage zurück gedrückten bzw. -gezogenen Berstklappe der 12; und
• 14 eine der 10 entsprechende Darstellung, demgegenüber ohne Versteifungssicke und mit einer in der Trennschnittkontur im Bereich des Anbindungsstegs ausgebildeten Spitze.

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the claims and the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention shown schematically in the drawings. Show it:

• 1 an overall view of a disposable container, which has an inliner (inner shell) filled with beverage liquid in its interior and in its upper, curved area below the cup with the central fitting or container connection (connecting piece) with a large partial circumference, except for one remaining connection web, is formed from the container body completely separated safety bursting point;
• 2 the top of the container 1 as a partial view without the connection piece;
• 3 the container partial view of the 2 in top view;
• 4 the safety bursting point of the container according to the 1 until 3 as a detail with a bursting flap exposed by a separating cut;
• 5a as a detail, the bursting flap of the 4 ;
• 5 b as a detail, the bursting flap of the 4 ;
• 6 on a reduced scale is a perspective view of the container top of FIG 2 with a dotted line, in the exemplary embodiment, the outer coating of the safety bursting point;
• 7 Figure 13 is a partial view of a container with a rupture safety point formed in the container top cup;
• 8th the top of the container 7 in top view;
• 9 on a reduced scale is a top perspective view of the container top of FIG 7 ;
• 10 as a detail, on a greatly enlarged scale, a top view of a safety bursting point with an exemplary first course of the separating cut contour of the severed or exposed bursting flap and introduced reinforcement bead and a tip formed in the separating cut contour;
• 11 one of the 10 corresponding representation with a different course of the separating cut contour;
• 12 one of the 4 Corresponding representation of the safety bursting point, which is exposed after being cut out of the material of the container body and is provided with a stiffening bead;
• 13 one of the 5 Corresponding representation of the bursting flap pressed or pulled back into its functional position after being cut out of the material of the container body 12 ; and
• 14 one of the 10 Corresponding representation, on the other hand without a stiffening bead and with a point formed in the separating cut contour in the area of the connecting web.

a in 1 The container 1 shown for filling with beverage liquids and capable of withstanding internal overpressure consists of an upper and a lower half-shell 2a, 2b, made of thin-walled, for example about 0.8 mm thick, in particular metallic material, which are connected to one another by a central weld seam 3. Both the lower and the upper half-shell 2a, 2b are provided with a centrally arranged formation designed as a so-called bottom cup 4a, 4b. A fitting 5 protrudes from the upper base cup 4b, which serves as a connecting piece or sleeve when filling the container or removing the beverage liquid. Inside the container 1 there is an inner sleeve or an inliner 6 which rests against the inner wall of the container 1 when it is filled with the beverage liquid.

The container 1 is designed with a safety bursting point 7a or 7b provided in the upper half-shell 2b in the exemplary embodiments. The safety bursting point 7a is after the 1 until 6 arranged in the curved surface area 8 laterally outside of the upper bottom cup 4b, while the safety bursting point 7b after 7 until 9 is provided within the bottom cup 4b. Alternatively, it is possible to provide the safety bursting point 7a or 7b in the lower half-shell 2a.

Unlike the known, only notched predetermined breaking points or safety bursting points, the safety bursting point 7a or 7b, the diameter of which is about 15 to 25 mm, except for a remaining, small connecting web 9a, 9b (cf. the 10 and 11 ) completely separated from the material of the container body, so that a free bursting flap 10 is achieved, as more clearly in the 4 and 12 can be seen. After being cut out, the bursting flap 10 that is pushed back or pulled back into its functional position, which closes the separating cut 11 and runs flush with the container body, is in the 5 a and 13 shown. After 5 b the pushed-back bursting flap 10 has an offset 15 to the container body.

In a container design with an inliner 6, this also acts as a seal for the safety bursting point 7a, 7b or the bursting flap 10. If a container 1 is to be used without such an inliner 6, the safety bursting point 7a, 7b or the bursting flap 10 can be partial, over the separating cut 11 or its contours 14a, 14b going beyond, from the outside applied coating 12 are sealed, as in 6 indicated by dashed lines as an example. Alternatively, the separating cut can be covered and sealed from the inside with a cover.

The locking force and the opening behavior of the safety bursting point 7a, 7b or its bursting flap 10 can be changed or influenced in many ways. This is possible by changing their size and their position on or in the container body, for example inside or laterally outside the bottom cup 4a, 4b in the lower or upper half-shell 2a, 2b and by offsetting 15 to the cutting plane or by pushing back the bursting flap 10 with a flush finish to the container body. Other options are in the 10 and 11 shown, namely by shaping at least one reinforcement bead 13 extending from the container body beyond the connecting web 9a, 9b into the area of the bursting flap 10 or by varying the course of the separating cut contour 14a, 14b. The course of the separating cut contour 14a follows suit 10 to a wider connection web 9a, while due to the separating cut contour 14b after 11 a connection bar 9b that is very much narrower in comparison results. Deviating from the more circular separating cut contours 14a, 14b, their course can also be oval, for example.

The 10 , 11 and 14 show variants of the formation of the separating cut contours 14a, 14b or the course of the separating cut of the severed bursting flap in a container with an inliner 6. Both after 10 as well as after 11 a point 16a is formed in the course of the separating cut contour 14a, 14b opposite the connecting web 9a or 9b, which during the bursting process ensures that the liner 6 is torn and thus destroyed at the same time as the bursting flap 10 is folded away. Alternatively, the 14 remove a tip 16b, which is located within the connecting web 9 b (or 9 a at the connecting web of the 10 ) is located and has a behavior that is also proportional to the opening of the bursting flap 10 and tears an inliner 6 .

Due to the connecting web 9a, 9b, which only assumes a retaining function of the released bursting flap 10, so that the bursting flap cannot become detached from the container during the pressure release, a low locking force of the connecting web 9a, 9b influenced to open or open the bursting flap 10 of the safety bursting point 7a, 7b low opening pressure, especially with thin-walled containers.

Reference List

1

container

2a

lower half shell

2 B

upper half shell

3

Weld

4a, b

bottom cup

5

fitting

6

Inliner/inner sleeve

7a, b

safety rupture point

8th

surface area

9a, b

connecting footbridge

10

bursting flap

11

parting cut

12

coating

13

stiffening bead

14a, b

parting cut contour

15

offset

16a, 16b

Tip, spike or the like

Claims (10)

Container for holding liquids, in particular beverage liquids, which can be loaded by internal overpressure, the container body being provided with a safety bursting point, characterized in that the safety bursting point (7a, 7b) has a connection bar (9a; 9b) that remains completely bursting flap (10) cut out of the material of the container body and sealed. container after claim 1 , characterized in that it is provided with an inliner (6) acting as a seal for the safety bursting point (7a, 7b). container after claim 2 , characterized in that the bursting flap (10) has a separating cut contour (14a, 14b) formed with a point (16a, 16b). container after claim 1 , characterized in that the bursting flap (10) is sealed with an inner and/or outer coating (12) that partially covers the contour of the separating cut (11). container after one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the bursting flap (10) protruding after being separated from the container body is pushed back into a functional position which is flush with the container body before a bursting process. container after one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the severed bursting flap (10) is pushed back into a functional position having an offset (15) relative to the container body prior to a bursting process. container after one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the locking force and opening behavior of the bursting flap (10) can be influenced by the course of the separating cut contour (14a; 14b). container after one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the closing force and opening behavior of the bursting flap (10) can be influenced by shaping at least one reinforcement bead (13) extending from the container body beyond the connecting web (9a, 9b) into the region of the bursting flap (10). container after one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the locking force and opening behavior of the bursting flap (10) can be influenced by the position of the safety bursting point (7a, 7b) on or in the container body. container after one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the locking force and opening behavior of the bursting flap (10) can be influenced by the rotational position of the connecting web (9 a, 9 b).

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