EP0098973A2 - Closure device for flexible containers - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Closure (8) for a flexible container of tubular or bag shaped semi-finished materials for transport and storage of flowable or pourable goods, with a clamping arrangement (11) of a plurality of bars, which are adapted to be placed next to one another and an unwrapping preventing means (12, 14, 16) arranged adjacent to the periphery of a wrapping bar (10) for the container opening (7) to be closed, which particularly comprises a bar characterised in that, the rolling bar (10) comprises a slot (9), so that an upper part (2) and a lower part (3) of the container (1) can be inserted into the slot (9) and can be wrapped through at least 270 degrees tightly and without folds with at least two passes around the edges of the wrapping bar (10) defined by slot (9).

Description

The invention relates to a closure for flexible containers made of tubular or sack-shaped semifinished products for transporting and storing flowable or pourable goods, with a clamping device made of several rods that can be fixed against each other.

Such containers have a volume of 1000 l or 2000 l, for example, and are primarily intended for use in the event of a disaster. For example, they can be used to supply the population with drinking water. However, they are also suitable, for example, for storing drinking water or waste water on ships or for storing other liquids. The containers are generally transported by truck, the permissible total weight of which must not be exceeded. As a result, when using smaller trucks, it may be necessary not to fill the container completely.

In this case, however, dynamic inertial forces of the liquid can put the vehicle at risk during the journey, so that a closure is required which reduces or completely eliminates the free volume.

It is also necessary to make the closure as easy to use as possible, especially for rapid use in the event of a disaster. Finally, in some cases it may be necessary to design the closure to be as space-saving as possible, for example to enable a stacking of several containers.

A closure suitable for this purpose with the features mentioned at the outset is known, for example, from DE-OS 30 04 884. The closure described in this laid-open document consists of clamping bodies arranged one above the other in side holders, through the separating joints of which one end of the semifinished product is passed. The clamping bodies are arranged to be displaceable relative to one another and can be braced against one another with a clamping device that can be inserted into each holder.

A disadvantage of the known closure is given by the construction of a relatively large number of individual parts, which complicate its handling and increase the susceptibility to faults. Furthermore, the dimensions of this closure are relatively large, so that stacking of several containers on top of one another is greatly hindered. The dimensions of the closure are particularly disadvantageous for containers with a small capacity.

The object is therefore to provide an improved closure for flexible containers made of tubular or sack-shaped semifinished products for transporting and storing flowable or pourable goods, with a clamping device comprising a plurality of rods which can be fixed against one another.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that the clamping device has a winding rod provided with a slot, that the upper part and the lower part of the container can be inserted into the slot and can be wrapped tightly and without creases by at least 270 ° with at least two deflections around the edges of the winding rod formed by the slot, and that the winding rod can be wound through at least one other rod is secured against winding.

Such a closure consists of only a few parts and is hardly susceptible to failure. In addition, it has a significantly lower weight than the known closures.

In a practical embodiment of the invention, the length of the slotted winding rod corresponds at most to the width of the filled container and the height of the entire closure corresponds to at most the height of the filled container. This embodiment has the particular advantage that several containers can be stacked one above the other, for example in wire mesh boxes, or a container can be transported in a folding box. Such a configuration is facilitated if a neck is attached to the open end of the container.

According to a further feature of the invention, the further rod is formed by a rod-shaped clamping element which is connected to the winding rod by means of clamping screws. The tensioning element can be designed as a rail with a U-shaped profile, which partially or completely accommodates the slotted winding rod. This embodiment has the advantage that the upper and lower part of the flexible container to be sealed against the ge on two edges of the U-shaped profile slotted rod are squeezed and thus additional seals of the closure are given.

The other rods can also be formed from two opposing rectangular tubes or profiled rods which are connected to one another by means of tensioning screws leading through the slotted winding rod outside the slot length of the winding rod.

In a further embodiment, the further rod is formed by a sleeve which firmly encompasses the wound container opening and can be pushed onto the winding rod and which, in the pushed-on state, is fixed non-rotatably with respect to the winding rod.

By designing the further rod as a sleeve, a quick and reliable fixation of the container opening wound on the winding rod is achieved. Additional elements such as Tensioning screws, which can be lost when the closure is open and during cleaning of the container, are not required. The sleeve can be pushed onto the winding rod in the axial direction. Since it is fixed non-rotatably in the pushed-on state, the wound-up container opening cannot come loose by itself, so that the container is closed properly at all times. The handling of the closure is even easier and the susceptibility to faults is reduced.

In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve and the winding rod are held non-rotatably due to a profile cross section of the sleeve and the winding rod that deviates from the circular shape. The profile cross section of the sleeve and the profile cross section of the winding rod can be rectangular, in particular square, or oval. This special design of the profile cross-sections means that there is no need for an additional anti-rotation lock.

In another embodiment, the sleeve is held non-rotatably on the winding rod by means of anti-rotation devices engaging in both parts. For this purpose, the end of the sleeve can be provided with a notch,

into which a pin arranged at the corresponding end of the winding rod and extending in the radial direction engages after the sleeve has been pushed on, as a means of preventing rotation. This embodiment opens up the possibility of also using winding rods and sleeves with a round cross section. In a preferred development, the longitudinal slot also serves as a notch, this preferably being used at both ends of the sleeve for receiving one pin each, which is arranged at the two ends of the winding rod. In addition to dispensing with an additional notch in the sleeve, the longitudinal slot together with the pins serves as a guide for pushing the sleeve onto the winding rod. This prevents the sleeve from twisting relative to the winding rod during the sliding on.

According to a further feature of the invention, the sleeve consists of an elastic material and is in frictional connection with the outside of the wound-up container opening. The height of the longitudinal slot is preferably somewhat less than the height of the flattened container opening, the longitudinal edges of the longitudinal slot of the sleeve abutting the upper and lower part of the container after being pushed open. An inadvertent shifting of the sleeve in the pushed-on state relative to the winding bar is made more difficult.

According to a further feature of the invention, the opening opposite the front entry opening of the sleeve is closed by a plate. This plate serves as a stop, which ensures easy positioning in the axial direction when the sleeve is pushed onto the winding rod.

To develop the closure according to the invention, it is proposed that two sleeves, which can be pushed onto the two ends of the winding rod, are provided, the length of each sleeve being less than half the total length of the winding rod. This simplifies the fixing of the container opening wound on the winding rod, since it is not necessary to slide on a sleeve corresponding to the total length of the winding rod, but only two small sleeves which are pushed onto the two ends of the winding rod. This is particularly advantageous with wide container openings if, due to the length of the sleeve, a large frictional resistance occurs when pushed on.

In a further embodiment, the sleeve has a U-shaped profile cross section and can be pushed on transversely to the axial direction of the winding rod, with a locking device being arranged at the two ends of the sleeve. A lock, which is articulated on the sleeve and is rotatable and engages behind the winding rod, can be provided to prevent displacement.

A ring that can be pushed onto the end is also conceivable as a means of securing against displacement. The U-shaped sleeve is used when wide container openings are closed must be, which would lead to a high frictional resistance with an axial displacement of the sleeve.

Finally, it is proposed with the invention that the edge of the container opening protruding into the slot of the winding rod is arranged within the winding rod. This avoids disturbing elevations of the wound container opening, which make it difficult, if not impossible, to slide the sleeve open.

• Fig. 1 einen gefüllten, flexiblen Behälter mit Verschluß in Seitenansicht;
• Fig. 2 eine Draufsicht auf den Behälter nach Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 den Verschluß entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 2 geschnitten in einer ersten Ausführungsform mit einem Spannelement;
• Fig. 4 den Verschluß entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 2 geschnitten in einer zweiten Ausführungsform mit einem Rechteckrohr;
• Fig. 5 den Verschluß entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 2 geschnitten in einer dritten Ausführungsform mit einer Hülse und mit quadratischem Profilquerschnitt;
• Fig. 6 den Verschluß entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 2 geschnitten in einer vierten Ausführungsform mit einer Hülse und mit dreieckigem Profilquerschnitt;
• Fig. 7a den Verschluß entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 2 geschnitten in einer fünften Ausführungsform mit einer Hülse und mit rundem Profilquerschnitt;
• Fig. 7b den Verschluß nach Fig. 7a in Draufsicht im Endbereich mit einer Verdrehsicherung;
• Fig. 8a den Verschluß entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 2 geschnitten in einer sechsten Ausführungsform mit einer U-förmigen Hülse;
• Fig. 8b den Verschluß nach Fig. 8a mit einem Riegel als Verschiebesicherung in Längssicht;
• Fig. 9a den Verschluß entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 2 geschnitten in einer der Fig. 8a entsprechenden Ausführungsform, jedoch mit einem Ring als Verschiebesicherung;
• Fig. 9b den Verschluß nach Fig. 9a in Draufsicht mit dem auf das Ende aufgeschobenen Ring.

Embodiments of the closure according to the invention are shown in the drawings, namely:

• Figure 1 shows a filled, flexible container with closure in side view.
• Fig. 2 is a plan view of the container of Fig. 1;
• 3 shows the closure along the line AA in FIG. 2 cut in a first embodiment with a tensioning element;
• 4 shows the closure along the line AA in FIG. 2 cut in a second embodiment with a rectangular tube;
• Figure 5 shows the closure along the line AA in Figure 2 cut in a third embodiment with a sleeve and with a square profile cross-section.
• Fig. 6 shows the closure along the line AA in Fig. 2 cut in a fourth embodiment tion form with a sleeve and with a triangular profile cross-section;
• 7a shows the closure along the line AA in FIG. 2 cut in a fifth embodiment with a sleeve and with a round profile cross section;
• 7b shows the closure according to FIG. 7a in a top view in the end region with an anti-rotation device;
• 8a shows the closure along the line AA in FIG. 2 cut in a sixth embodiment with a U-shaped sleeve;
• 8b shows the closure according to FIG. 8a with a bolt as securing against displacement in a longitudinal view;
• FIG. 9a shows the closure along the line AA in FIG. 2 cut in an embodiment corresponding to FIG. 8a, but with a ring as a protection against displacement;
• Fig. 9b the closure of Fig. 9a in plan view with the ring pushed onto the end.

The bag-shaped, flexible container 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists of an upper part 2 and a lower part 3, which are joined together on their two longitudinal sides and on one end face to form a common edge 5, for example glued or welded to one another. The upper part 2 is provided with a filling opening 4. The second end face of the container 1 serves as a container opening 7, which opens into a neck 6. The container opening voltage 7 is closed by a closure 8.

When the container 1 is closed, the neck 6 is passed through the winding rod 10 provided with a slot 9 in the middle and then wound tightly and without folds by rotating the winding rod 10 in the direction towards the center of the container in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 by at least 360 ° . The layers of the container opening 7 can also overlap by repeated turning. The neck 6, as can be seen in FIG. 3, is deflected at several points. As soon as the desired winding has taken place, the rotation achieved can be fixed by tightening clamping screws 13, which are suitably provided near the ends of the winding rod 10. The clamping screws 13 pass through a clamping element 12 with a U-profile and through the winding rod 10 and are e.g. tightened by a mother.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4, there is wrapping by at least 270 ^° . Here, the fixing element has the shape of two rectangular tubes 14, which are connected with clamping screws 15, which lead through the winding rod 10 outside the area of the slot 9.

5 to 9 show further embodiments of the closure 8, which differ in particular by the fixing element. The flattened container opening 7 of the empty container 1 is in turn inserted into the slot 9 of the winding rod 10, the edge of the container opening 7 coming to rest within the winding rod 10.

To fix the container opening 7 wound on the winding rod 10, in the embodiments according to FIGS. 5 to 9, a sleeve 16 with a longitudinal slot 21 is pushed onto the winding rod 10 in the axial direction by firmly gripping the wound container opening 7. The longitudinal slot 21 of this sleeve 16 comes with its two longitudinal edges on the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 of the container 1 to the plant. In Fig. 5, both the winding rod 10 and the sleeve 16 have a rectangular profile cross section, so that both parts are non-rotatably fixed to each other. In this way, the container opening 7 is closed, the pushed-on sleeve 16 ensuring that the container opening 7 no longer detaches from the winding rod 10.

In the embodiment in FIG. 6, the profile cross sections of both the winding rod 10 and the sleeve 16 are triangular. Here, too, the two parts are fixed so that they cannot rotate.

In the embodiment of the closure 8 shown in FIG. 7a, the winding rod 10 and the sleeve 16 have a round profile cross section, so that in this embodiment an additional anti-rotation device must be provided. This is shown in Fig. 7b. The end of the sleeve 16 is provided with a notch 20, into which, after the sleeve 16 has been pushed on, a pin 19 arranged at the corresponding end of the winding rod 10 and extending in the radial direction engages as an anti-rotation device. The longitudinal slot 21 in the sleeve 16 can also serve as the notch 20. In this case, the longitudinal slot 21 also serves as a guide for pushing on the sleeve 16.

In the embodiment of the closure 8 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the sleeve 16 has a U-shaped profile cross section and is pushed on transversely to the axial direction of the winding rod 10, that is to say from the right in the drawing. In order to prevent the sleeve 16 from slipping off the container opening 7 wound on the winding rod 10, an additional locking device is provided. For this purpose, a bolt 17 is rotatably arranged on the sleeve 16 in FIG. 8b, which is in the dashed position before and during the sliding of the sleeve 16 onto the winding rod 10. After being pushed on, the bolt 17 is rotated downward and thus prevents the sleeve 16 from coming loose. Another possibility is shown in Fig. 9a and 9b, in which a clip-like ring 18 is pushed onto each of the ends of the sleeve 16.

In the illustrated embodiments, the container 1 is bag-shaped so that only one closure 8 is required. However, it is also possible to use a tubular semifinished product open at both ends as the container 1, in which case two closures 8 are required. The volume of the container 1 can thus be reduced to a certain volume from two sides.

Reference symbol list:

• 1 container
• 2 top
• 3 lower part
• 4 filling opening
• 5 rand
• 6 neck
• 7 container opening
• 8 closure
• 9 slot
• 10 winding rod
• 11 clamping device
• 12 clamping element
• 13 clamping screw
• 14 rectangular tube
• 15 clamping screw
• 16 sleeve
• 17 bars
• 18 ring
• 19 cones
• 20 notch
• 21 longitudinal slot

Claims (22)

1. Closure for flexible containers made of tubular or sack-shaped semi-finished products for transporting and storing flowable or pourable goods, with a clamping device consisting of several rods which can be fixed against one another,
characterized ,
that the clamping device (11) has a winding bar (10) provided with a slot (9), that the upper part (2) and the lower part (3) of the container (1) can be inserted into the slot (9) and deflected at least twice the edges of the winding rod (10) formed by the slot (9) can be wrapped tightly and without folds by at least 270 ° and that the winding rod (10) is secured against winding up by at least one further rod (12, 14, 16). 2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the winding rod (10) corresponds at most to the width of the filled container (1) and that the height of the entire closure (8) corresponds at most to the height of the filled container (1). 3. Closure according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a neck (6) is attached to the open end of the container (1). 4. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the further rod is formed by a rod-shaped clamping element (12) which is connected by means of clamping screws (13) to the winding rod (10). 5. Closure according to claim 4, characterized in that the clamping element (12) is designed as a rail with a U-shaped profile for partially or completely receiving the winding rod (10). 6. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the further rods are formed by two opposing rectangular tubes (14) or profile rods which with the winding rod (10) leading tensioning screws (15) outside the slot length of the winding rod ( 10) are interconnected. 7. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the further rod is formed by a sleeve (16) which engages around the wound container opening (7) and can be pushed onto the winding rod (10) and which, in the pushed-on state, is opposite the winding rod (10) is fixed non-rotatably. 8. Closure according to claim 7, characterized in that the sleeve (16) on the winding rod (10) due to a deviating from the circular profile cross section both the sleeve (16) and the winding rod (10) is held non-rotatably. 9. Closure according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the profile cross section of the sleeve (16) and the profile cross section of the winding rod (10) is rectangular, in particular square. 10. Closure according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the profile cross section of the sleeve (16) and the profile cross section of the winding rod (10) is oval, 11. Closure according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the sleeve (16) on the winding rod (10) is held non-rotatably by anti-rotation locks engaging in both parts. 12. Closure according to claim 11, characterized in that the end of the sleeve (16) is provided with a notch (20) into which, after the sleeve (16) has been pushed on, a radial end arranged on the corresponding end of the winding rod (10) Direction extending pin (19) engages as anti-rotation. 13. Closure according to claim 12, characterized in that a longitudinal slot (21) in the sleeve (16) also serves as a notch (20). 14. Closure according to claim 13, characterized in that the longitudinal slot (21) at both ends of the sleeve (16) for receiving one, at the two ends of the winding rod (10) arranged pin (19) is used. 15. Closure according to one of claims 7 to 14, characterized in that the sleeve (16) consists of an elastic material and is in frictional connection with the outside of the wound container opening (7). 16. Closure according to claim 15, characterized in that the height of the longitudinal slot (21) is slightly less than the height of the flattened container opening (7), the longitudinal edges of the longitudinal slot (21) the sleeve (16) after pushing on the upper and lower part (2, 3) of the container (1). 17. Closure according to one of claims 7 to 16, characterized in that the front opening of the sleeve (16) opposite opening is closed by a plate. 18. Closure according to one of claims 7 to 17, characterized in that two sleeves (16) which can be pushed onto the two ends of the winding rod (10) are provided, the length of each sleeve being less than half the total length of the winding rod (10). 19. Closure according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the sleeve (16) has a U-shaped profile cross section and can be pushed on transversely to the axial direction of the winding rod (10), with a locking device at both ends of the sleeve (16) is arranged. 20. Closure according to claim 19, characterized in that as a locking device on the sleeve (16) articulated, rotatable, the winding rod (10) engaging behind latch (17) is provided. 21. A closure according to claim 19, characterized in that a ring (18) which can be slid onto the end of the sleeve (16) is provided as a securing means for displacement. 22. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that in the slot (9) of the the winding rod (10) projecting edge of the container opening (7) is arranged within the winding rod (10).

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