DE102012111738A1 - Container closure for overhead emptying - Google Patents

Abstract

Container closure for overhead emptying, which has a closure cap (1) for placement on a container neck, the closure cap having an approximately cylindrical cap shell (2) and a circular disc-shaped head plate (3) which has a central opening (4), one of which is inward Directed pipe socket (5) goes out, in which a sealing plug (6) is locked, the sealing plug (6) can also be brought into locking engagement with an emptying pipe and displaced into the interior of the container. In order to create a corresponding container closure, which after the first use cannot easily be brought back into (apparently) the same state as it was before the first use, even if a corresponding label is stuck on the head plate again, the invention proposes that in the pipe socket (5) above the stopper (6) a sealing disk (7) fixed to the pipe socket (5) is provided with a tear-out sealing membrane (8).

Description

The present invention relates to a container closure for overhead emptying, which has a closure cap for mounting on a container neck, wherein the closure cap has an approximately cylindrical cap skirt and a circular disk-shaped top plate having a central opening, from which an inwardly directed pipe socket emanates, in turn Closure stopper is latched, wherein the sealing plug is also engageable with an emptying tube in latching engagement and displaceable into the container interior.

Corresponding container closures are known from large drinking water containers, which are marketed as "5 gallon" or also as "25 liter containers", and which are usually overhead, i. with the bottleneck and the container closure attached to the bottom, be included in a holder. The closure or top plate of the closure has a central opening from which an inward, i. in the interior of the cap and thus also in the interior of the bottle neck, protruding pipe socket emanates. In the pipe socket in turn a sealing plug is locked sealed. Typically, the container opening is covered by a glued-on closure seal, which is pulled off before opening the closure.

Then, an emptying tube is inserted into the sealing plug which is hollow from the outside and the entire sealing plug is pressed into the interior of the container with the aid of the emptying tube, so that after the sealing stopper has been disengaged from the tube stub, the container interior communicates with lateral openings in the emptying tube and the water (or any other liquid) can escape via the emptying tube.

The emptying tube is in locking engagement with the sealing plug, so that after emptying the container, when the emptying tube is pulled out of the pipe socket, the sealing plug gets back into the pipe socket, there again locked and closes the closure opening formed by the pipe socket again. The emptying tube is then withdrawn and the container returned to the bottler for reuse. The container closure and the container neck are all designed so that the closure can not be removed from the container neck nondestructive.

However, in some countries with only modest drinking water supplies, where especially good quality drinking water is only available against payment, the problem is that a container returned by the consumer, typically a firm, office or business, but also individuals, is in fact unavailable Returned bottler. Frequently, transport companies and smaller intermediate distributors take over the task of picking up corresponding containers from consumers, collect them and return them to the bottler. On this transport often containers are stolen and refilled by third parties with drinking water, but as a rule has a lower quality without this being readily apparent to the consumer.

In this case, the opening seal covering the closure, which was simply glued for simplicity after pulling off the outside of the container, glues back onto the top plate of the cap and thus gives the appearance that it is the original bottling with drinking water higher quality.

Through corresponding fraudulent sales of water, which may not correspond to the usual standards for drinking water, not only losses for the bottler of the original, but the so in the trade reaching water of inferior quality may also lead to adverse health effects of consumers.

To remedy this problem, the present invention, the object of the invention to provide a corresponding container closure, which after the first use can not be brought back into (apparently) the same state as it was before the first use, even if a corresponding label is glued back to the top plate.

This object is achieved in that in the pipe socket above the plug a fixed to the pipe socket sealing plate is provided with a tear-out seal membrane. The sealing disc, more specifically a part thereof, is fixed to the pipe socket and a membrane part of the sealing disk can be torn off the fixed part of the sealing disk. This connection between a torn seal membrane and the pipe socket can not be restored, so that a consumer can recognize on an intact sealing disk that the original filling is actually in a corresponding container.

In an expedient embodiment of the invention, the pipe socket to the top plate towards a step-like extension, in which the sealing disk is received and fixed at least in sections. The step-like extension allows, for example, that a sealing disk is used, which has a circumferential annular flange which can be glued or welded to the bottom of the step-like widened portion of the pipe socket. The fastening of the sealing disc takes place, preferably by welding, in such a way that it is practically impossible to loosen the sealing disc as a whole with the sealing membrane from the central opening or the tube socket of the closure, without clearly damaging or destroying the sealing disc. For example, the step-like extension of the pipe socket at the lower end of the enlarged portion could have a small undercut which receives the outer edge of the annular flange of the circular sealing disk and thus prevents any access to the edge of the annular flange with a tool.

The annular flange of the sealing disc is connected via a weakening line with a sealing membrane, which forms the central portion of the sealing disc and in turn connected to a handle ring, in which one can engage with a finger to lift the handle ring first or to fully engage the pipe socket lift out and then by a suitable train to separate the sealing membrane from the annular flange and rip out the associated sealing membrane with the handle ring.

In contrast to the only superficially adhered (and still stickable to the inner surface) cover label such a sealing membrane with the handle ring located thereon can not be easily adhered to the outside of the container, but is generally disposed of as waste, which in principle also with the cover label would be possible, but often omitted for convenience. Apart from that, the simple cover labels, which generally consist of a thin plastic film, are relatively easy to forge or steal from unsold containers, which is not possible with the sealing disc.

After rupturing the sealing membrane, the closure can be used in the usual way, i. through the opening released from the sealing membrane, an emptying tube is inserted into the hollow plug open to the outside, latched with the stopper, and then the stopper is pushed inwards into the container by means of the emptying tube, so that the emptying tube is pushed through the inner tube opening into the container Container enters and the container interior has connection with side openings of the discharge tube.

Then, the water (or any other liquid in the container) can be removed via the drain pipe.

At the missing seal membrane, a consumer can readily recognize in this closure that the closure has already been opened once, while an intact sealing disc with an intact seal membrane is a sign of the originality of the contents.

The closure of the invention is thus tamper-proof than the known closures of this type, since the first consumer must tear off part of the closure, namely the sealing membrane and throw away so that the missing Sigelmembran indicates that the closure is no longer in the original state, as he said the original bottling.

According to one embodiment, it is further provided that, in addition to the sealing membrane, a label covering the central opening is nevertheless also applied to the top plate. This label is also used in the previously known closures already that can accumulate in the recess or the upper part of the pipe socket, which emanates from the top plate, even with prolonged storage of the sealed container no dust or dirt and the region of the central opening after removing the label is clean and hygienic.

It is provided in a particular embodiment that the applied to the top plate label is transparent, so that the seal membrane is visible in the unopened state of the closure through the label, and the consumer already at the time of purchase or during delivery and before removing the label Immediately recognize whether he has a container with original content in front of him.

It is particularly expedient in this context if the sealing membrane and expediently the entire sealing disc in its color and / or light reflection clearly distinguishable from the sealing plug. For example, the stopper could be a strong color such. Have signal red while the sealing disc is white. After removing the sealing membrane, the red sealing plug would then be conspicuously visible through a transparent label in the middle of a white edge of the sealing disc, which surrounds the sealing plug after the sealing membrane has been torn out.

Further advantages, features and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description a preferred embodiment and the associated figures. Show it:

1 a closure axis containing the section through an embodiment of a closure cap according to the invention,

2 a partially cutaway plan view of the top of the cap behind 1

3 a perspective view of a cap according to the invention with a sealing disc after removing a label applied to the top plate label, and

4 a sealing disc with ring flange, sealing membrane and handle ring.

One recognizes in 3 from a cap 1 existing container closure with a substantially cylindrical cap coat 2 and a circular disk-shaped head plate 3 which has a central opening 4 in which a sealing disk 7 it is recognizable which the opening 4 closes.

The exact structure of the closure can be seen better on the basis of 1 , one the axle 10 containing cut of the lock 1 shows. Again, you can see again the cylindrical cap coat 2 and the circular disk-shaped head plate 3 with a central opening 4 ,

The cap coat 2 has at its inner periphery Rastwülste 17 on, which engage behind the container neck, a projecting bead at the mouth of the (not shown here) container neck and make it virtually impossible to remove the entire cap without damage from the container neck. For a refill of the container you usually have to remove the cap in that you have a pull tab 15 the cap coat 2 can be separated along a line of weakness and remove in this way from the bottleneck. After that is the shutter 1 but unusable, so that manipulation can be virtually eliminated by removing and replacing the entire cap.

A pipe socket 5 extends from the top plate 3 in the interior of the cap and thus also in the interior of the container, on the neck of the cap 1 is attached. The pipe socket 5 is about a step-like extension 13 integral with the top plate 3 connected. The opening of the step-like extension of the pipe socket forms at the same time the central opening 4 in the headstock 3 ,

A stopper 6 is about locking elements 12 in the pipe socket 5 locked and seals the pipe socket 5 outwards. The sealing plug 6 is open at its top, but this open top through the membrane seal 8th the sealing disc 7 is covered.

To open the container, first the (transparent) label 9 from the top plate 3 replaced. The label 9 Can with a standard glue on the top plate 3 be attached and, for example, have a small tab for gripping and peeling. Thereafter, the sealing disc is visible in the head plate opening 4 like this in 1 is shown.

In the plan view of 2 is the label 9 not shown to simplify the figure, but in accordance with the perspective view 3 in which one is below the label 9 the sealing disc 7 clearly recognizes the in 4 again shown separately from the ünbirgen closure parts

4 alone shows the sealing disc in an enlarged view. It can be seen that the sealing disc has a central sealing membrane 8th has that on a peripheral section with a handle ring 16 connected is. Furthermore, the seal membrane 8th via a (not visible here) weakening line with a circumferential annular flange 18 connected. In addition, the seal membrane 8th with the handle ring 16 still from a protective edge 11 which has the shape of a short cylindrical neck, the axial length of which is large enough to prevent an externally applied object from reaching the grip ring 16 (especially near its connection with the sealing membrane 8th ) and thus the sealing membrane inadvertently presses inwards and thereby damaged or partially ruptures.

The protective edge 11 points to the attachment point of the handle ring 16 at the sealing membrane 8th on the opposite side a recess, which provides easier access to the handle ring 16 allows. The handle ring 16 is sized so that you reach comfortably with the finger of one hand in the ring and then by a corresponding pull up the seal membrane 8th from the annular flange 18 and the protective edge 11 can disconnect or tear off.

After that is the stopper 6 From the outside freely accessible and it can be a (not shown) emptying pipe in a known manner in the stopper 6 be introduced. By strong pressure on the emptying tube is the stopper 6 from its latching engagement with the locking elements 12 freed and pushed inwards into the container interior, until the emptying tube or openings in the emptying tube comes into contact with the container interior, so that the container contents can penetrate through the openings in the emptying tube and drain over this, since the whole arrangement at the neck of the on the Head container is located.

If the emptying tube (not shown) is withdrawn after emptying the corresponding container, it takes the stopper 6 with, which is latched via a radially inwardly projecting edge at the upper end of the sealing plug at a shoulder or Rastwulst or in a circumferential recess on the outside of the discharge tube, so that the closure plug 6 again in the betrayed position in the pipe socket 5 withdrawn. Because the stopper 6 then with its end flange 20 at the inner end of the pipe socket 5 is applied. Upon further retraction, the drain tube disengages from the latching engagement with the stopper 6 and can be completely deducted. The container closure is then returned to its original state, with the exception of the missing seal membrane 8th , which color of the closure plug 6 differs, so even in the case of a glued, transparent label 9 clearly visible to the consumer that the closure has already been opened once.

The ring flange 18 the sealing disc 7 is with the reason 14 of the extended section 13 of the pipe socket 5 firmly connected, for example, welded or glued with a very strong and durable glue. After tearing out the seal membrane 8th with the handle ring 16 It is clearly evident that the closure was already opened once and it is practically not possible to use a corresponding sealing membrane again, especially since such seal membranes are disposed of after opening the shutter usually immediately. By appropriate color design of the sealing membrane and / or the sealing plug you can get the missing seal membrane 8th make even more noticeable. In order to secure the annular flange even better against violent attempts of leveraging or detachment, the extension 13 before the transition to the ground 14 the extension have an undercut (not shown), in which the outer edge of the annular flange 18 could be included, but preferably also in addition to the reason 14 glued or even better welded.

For purposes of the original disclosure, it is to be understood that all such features as will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the present description, drawings and dependent claims, even though they have been specifically described only in connection with certain further features, both individually and can be combined in any combination with other features or feature groups disclosed herein, unless this has been expressly excluded or technical conditions make such combinations impossible or pointless. On the comprehensive, explicit representation of all conceivable combinations of features and the emphasis on the independence of the individual characteristics of each other is omitted here only for the sake of brevity and readability of the description.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

 cap

2

 cap casing

3

 headstock

4

 opening

5

 pipe socket

6

 Plug

7

 Siegel disk

8th

 seal membrane

9

 label

10

 axis

11

 protective edge

12

 locking elements

13

 extension

14

 reason

15

 pull tab

16

 grip ring

17

 latching beads

18

 annular flange

19

 sealing element

20

 end flange

Claims (7)

Container closure for overhead evacuation, which has a closure cap ( 1 ) for placement on a container neck, wherein the closure cap has an approximately cylindrical cap jacket ( 2 ) and a circular disk-shaped head plate ( 3 ) having a central opening ( 4 ), from which an inwardly directed pipe socket ( 5 ), in which a sealing plug ( 6 ) is latched, wherein the sealing plug ( 6 ) can also be brought into latching engagement with an emptying tube and is displaceable into the container interior, characterized in that in the tube stub ( 5 ) above the plug ( 6 ) one at the pipe socket ( 5 ) fixed sealing disc ( 7 ) with a tear-out seal membrane ( 8th ) is provided. Container closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipe socket towards the top plate towards a step-like extension ( 13 ) in which the sealing disc ( 7 ) and fixed at least in sections. Container closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sealing disc ( 7 ) a circumferential annular flange ( 18 ) with the reason ( 14 ) of the stepped extended section ( 13 ) is glued or welded. Container closure according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the widened portion of the pipe socket ( 5 ) at the transition to the ground ( 14 ) an undercut for receiving the outer edge of the annular flange ( 18 ) having Container closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the top plate ( 3 ) the central opening ( 4 ) covering label ( 9 ) is applied. Container closure according to claim 5, characterized in that on the top plate ( 3 ) applied label ( 9 ) is transparent, so that the sealing membrane in the unopened state of the closure ( 1 ) through the label ( 9 ) is visible. Container closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing membrane ( 8th ) and optionally the entire sealing disc ( 7 ) are clearly visible in their color and / or light reflection from the sealing plug ( 6 ).

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