EP0137824A1

EP0137824A1 - Container

Info

Publication number: EP0137824A1
Application number: EP19840901114
Authority: EP
Inventors: Finn Hesthaven
Original assignee: Haustrup Plastic AS; PLM AB
Current assignee: Haustrup Plastic AS; Rexam AB
Priority date: 1983-03-04
Filing date: 1984-02-29
Publication date: 1985-04-24
Also published as: DK150726B; GB8427659D0; DK150726C; GB2146613B; DK522084A; WO1984003436A1; SE8301193D0; GB2146613A; DK522084D0

Abstract

Un récipient en plastique pour le stockage stérile de produits, par exemple des pâtes ou des liquides, est doté d'un dispositif de fermeture (11) possédant une section de fixation (13) et une section (12) amovible le long d'une zone de moindre résistance (14). Un bouchon protecteur (25) est fixé de manière hermétique au récipient. Conformément à la présente invention, le corps (1) du récipient et le dispositif de fermeture sont produits en pièces séparées qui sont jointes en un joint étanche permanent entre la section de fixation (13) et l'orifice (6) du récipient. La section amovible à une forme longitudinale et est conçue pour être ouverte à sa partie extérieure pour la formation d'une ouverture de remplissage temporaire qui est refermée d'une manière étanche et durable après le remplissage. Un anneau d'étanchéité (23) est placé près du bord inférieur du bouchon protecteur entre le bouchon protecteur (25) et le col (2) du récipient et il empêche le passage d'éléments contaminants vers l'intérieur de la région située entre le col du récipient et le bouchon protecteur du récipient fermé hermétiquement. La fermeture étanche originale du récipient est ouverte à la zone de moindre résistance (14), ce qui provoque la formation d'une ouverture de vidange (34) qui est enveloppée par la section de fixation (13).A plastic container for the sterile storage of products, for example pasta or liquids, is provided with a closure device (11) having a fixing section (13) and a section (12) removable along a zone of least resistance (14). A protective cap (25) is hermetically attached to the container. According to the present invention, the body (1) of the container and the closure device are produced in separate pieces which are joined in a permanent seal between the fixing section (13) and the orifice (6) of the container. The removable section has a longitudinal shape and is designed to be open at its outer part for the formation of a temporary filling opening which is closed in a sealed and durable manner after filling. A sealing ring (23) is placed near the lower edge of the protective cap between the protective cap (25) and the neck (2) of the container and it prevents the passage of contaminating elements into the interior of the region between the neck of the container and the protective cap of the container tightly closed. The original sealed closure of the container is open to the zone of least resistance (14), which causes the formation of a drain opening (34) which is enveloped by the fixing section (13).

Description

Container

The present invention relates to a device in a container of thermo¬ plastics material, where the container is intended for sterile stor¬ age of e.g. liquid,powder, paste or similar materials. The container includes a container body, a neck and an orifice portion enclosing an orifice aperture. The neck is disposed with a retention device for an interaction with a protective cap. Furthermore, the contain¬ er includes a closure device for closing the orifice aperture, whereby the closure device has a circumferential attachment sec¬ tion and a removable section delimited from the attachment section by means of a weakening zone.

Many applications exhibit a need for containers where it is neces¬ sary that a product stored in the container remain sterile, and that the risk of contamination of the product in conjuction with its leaving the container be minimised as far as is economically, technically and practicably reasonable with regard to the use of the product.

The need to maintain the sterility of the product during its storage in the container implies that the container after fill¬ ing and closure shall form a closed and sealed space, and that in those cases where the container is composed of several sec¬ tions, there shall be a reliable and tight connection between these sections. In order to ensure the sterility of the pro¬ duct that is stored in the container, it is naturally also neces¬ sary, at least in applications where the sterilisation of the container with its contents cannot be performed, that the in¬ terior of the container be kept sterile during the entire per¬ iod from the manufacture of the container up to and including the operations of filling and closing.

In order to avoid contamination of the product when the contents of the container are emptied, it is necessary that the emptying area of the container be as clean as possible, which requires that once the container has been filled with the product, the emp¬ tying area be protected against contamination during the closing, storage, transportation and opening of the container. In order to ensure the cleanliness of the emptying area, it is also required that the container is easy to open and that no contamination of the emptying area occurs e.g. through contact with the fingers in conjuction with opening. In certain applications it is also desir- able that the container can be opened by mechanical means.

There is also a requirement that when the container is opened, i.e. when the product stored in the container is finally made available to the user, this opening shall proceed quickly. On the other hand, it is generally accepted that the preparations for opening may take a certain time. Rapid opening is most simply attained in that the container is provided with a weakening zone in which the final open¬ ing takes place. Such a design requires in turn that the container be disposed so that the material wall in the weakening zone does not risk being penetrated (not even along a short stretch thereof) during the handling of the container in conjunction with its dis¬ tribution and storage. Even a small crack in the material wall of the weakening zone risks that the sterility of the contents will be lost. In order to maintain the sterility of the product when it leaves the container, as far as possible, it is also important that the weakening zone be kept free from abutment against other objects and protected from contact. The contamination of the emp¬ tying area which would otherwise occur contains the risk that the product would be contaminated by contact with the area in conjunc¬ tion with the emptying of the container.

The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a container which fulfils the aforementioned requirments. A container in ac¬ cordance with the invention makes possible the long-term sterile -. storage of products such as liquids, powders, pastes, pills, etc. and in conjunction with removal of the contents of the container minimises the risk of contamination of the product. The container has an original seal which after the container is filled is pro¬ tected from external action so that it is kept intact, it has a weakening zone which is protected from contamination, in addition to which the container is so disposed that until filling it is able to be stored empty in a sealed, sterile state, and after filling can be closed (and in certain applications also autoclave-sterilised) so that its sterility is maintained until it is opened (the seal of the container is broken). Maintained sterility here refers both to the stored contents and to that section of the container which forms its weakening zone.

In accordance with the invention the container body is closed by a closure device that is joined to the container body in a per a- nently tight join, whereby the closure device is disposed with an attachment section in which the affixing to the orifice section of the container body takes place. The end of the closure device that faces away from the attachment section contains a removable section, as a rule longitudinal in shape, whereby the removable section is delimited from the attachment section by means of a weakening zone. The removable section is in a preferred embodiment additionally disposed in order to form through the removable of an exterior portion a temporary filling aperture for the supplying of the con¬ tents with which the continer is to be filled. A permanent and tight closure of the temporary filling aperture then takes place.

The closure device is enclosed in the case of the sealed container by a protective cap which includes one or more sealing-lip devices disposed in order to act within the region of the attachment sec¬ tion for the realisation of a seal between the attachment section and the protective cap, whereby the sealing-lip devices are acti¬ vated when the protective cap is placed around the neck of the container. The weakening zone is disposed behind the attachment sec¬ tion. The originally sealed container is disposed to be opened at

OMPI W1P0 ^ the weakening zone, whereby there is formed an emptying aperture which is enclosed by the attachment section. The container pre¬ ferably also includes devices disposed to form a seal between the protective cap and the neck portion of the container. In certain embodiments the protective cap comprises a device for the displace¬ ment of the removable section, and thus for the breaking open of the closure device in the weakening zone for the opening of an ori¬ ginally sealed filled container.

The invention is described hereinafter in conjunction with a number of figures, where:

figs. 1 a and b show the upper section of a container in accord¬ ance with an embodiment of the invention provided with a thread, whereby one half of the container is shown in cross-section,

fig. 2 shows the upper section of a container in accord¬ ance with an embodiment of the invention with a snap-on function, whereby one half of the contain¬ er is shown in cross-section,

figs. 3 a-d show in cross-section details of embodiments of the container in the region for the affixing of a closure device forming part of the closure device,

figs. ^"4 a and show in cross-section alternative embodiments of sealing devices disposed on the protective cap of the container,

fig. 5 shows the upper section of a container in an embo¬ diment, where the protective cap forms a de¬ vice for the displacement of the removable section during the opening of the container, where one half of the container is shown in cross-section. Figs. 1 a and b show an embodiment of the invention where a con¬ tainer with a container body 1 is disposed with a protective cap 25 (shown only in fig. 1b). The protective cap is disposed with internal threads 27 which interact with external threads 5 formed on a portion 3 of a neck 2 of.the container body 1. The top of the neck is disposed with an orifice portion 5 which encloses the ori¬ fice aperture 7 of the container body. The orifice portion 6 has an inner surface 8 and a circumferential flange 9 projecting there¬ from which forms an upper primarily flat circumferential surface 10 adjoining the inner surface .8. The latter and the flat surface 10 thus form in the embodiment shown a primarily right angle with one another. In the embodiment shown the orifice portion 6 is dis¬ posed closer to the axis of the container than the threaded portion 3 of the neck and is also axially displaced therefrom in a direc- tion away from the container body 1.

The container body which in certain embodiments consists of rigid and in other, of flexible thermoplastics material, is designed in order to provide a possibility of keeping the interior sterile un¬ til the time of filling and for subsequent sterile storage of the products mentioned in the introduction. The container is for this purpose provided with a closure device 11 composed of a removable, preferably longitudinal section 12 which is located above the ori¬ fice portion 6 of the container, and of an outer, in relation to the removable section, circumferential attachment section 13 for tight attachment of the closure device to the container neck 2. The attachment section 13 and the removable section 12 are formed in one piece and are united by means of a circumferential weaken¬ ing zone 14 which in the embodiment shown is formed by a circum¬ ferential groove 15 on the inside of the closure device 11. The weakening zone 14 is in the embodiment shown disposed in the vi¬ cinity of the orifice portion 6 of the container neck 2. In the embodiment shown the weakening zone is preferably disposed closer to the axis of the container than the orifice portion 6. The attachment section 13 of the closure device has in the embodi¬ ment shown in figs. 1 a and b a downwards-facing device 16 match¬ ing the shape of the inner surface 8 for guiding the closure device into a correct position relative to the orifice portion 6 of the container body in conjunction with the affixing of the closure de¬ vice to the container body. Compare fig. 1a which shows the clo¬ sure device is a position above the orifice portion 6 of the con¬ tainer body before the closure device is attached to the circum¬ ferential flange 9 of the orifice portion. The attachment section is moreover disposed with an outwards-facing flange 17 which is lo¬ cated beyond the weakening zone 14 and disposed to be tightly affix¬ ed to the circumferential surface 10 of the flange 9 of the orifice portion. The attachment section 13 has a lower surface 35 facing the upper surface 10 of the flange 9, where the attachment section is affixed to the container.

The embodiment shown in fig* 1a is adapted for affixing by means of ultrasonic welding, whereby the lower surface 35 Of the attach¬ ment section is disposed with a weld notch 36 which initiates the formation of a welded joint 18 when the surfaces are brough together under pressure at the same time as ultrasound is conveyed to the area. It will be evident to a person skilled in the art that more than one weld notch can be employed, and that the weld notch(es)^"are located alternatively on the upper surface 10 of the outwards-facing flange of the orifice portion. In other applications of the in- vention the container body 1 and the closure device 11 are united by means of a joint which is achieved e.g. by hot welding, glue¬ ing, ("hot melt") etc.

The flange 17 of the attachment section 13 and the flange 9 of the orifice edge portion 6 are joined to the said surfaces 10,35 by means of the circumferential endless joint 18 which provides a fixed, i.e permanent, tight join which is not broken open when the container is opened. As long as the weakening zone 14 is intact, the container body and the closure device thus constitute a tight original seal which ensures that the contents of the con¬ tainer remain sterile. The figure shows moreover an embodiment in which the outwards-facing flange 17 of the attachment section 13 is extended outwards and upwards in order to for an obliquely outwards-and upwards-facing collar 19 which forms a drip edge 20, whereby the collar delimits between itself and the removable sec¬ tion 12 a circumferential channel 21.

In the embodiment shown the downwards-facing device 16 and the out¬ wards facing flange 17 of the attachment section 13 pass into one another, in addition to which they adjoin the orifice portion 6 at its inner surface 8 and the upper surface 10 of the flange.

The container neck 2 is provided on its outside immediately below the threaded portion 3 with a circumferential groove 22 in which an elastic sealing ring 23 is disposed.

As has previously been stated, the container is.designed in order to make it possible to keep the interior of the container sterile until the time of filling. Its sterility is preserved by means of the aforementioned closure of the container body by the special closure device 11. Closure is thus performed sterilely at a time of manufacture which in the matter of time and place may differ and usually differs from the time of filling.

In filling the container, an upper piece, i.e. an outer portion of the removable section 12 of the closure device is removed, .e.g. by a horizontal cut or break at an upper weakening in the removable section of the closure device, after which the container is filled with the required product via the temporary filling aperture thus formed at the top of the removable section of the closure device. After filling the closure device is sealed in that the walls are brought together at said filling aperture and joined to form a permanent tight joint 24 by preferably welding between welding jaws. The protective cap 25 is then placed on the tightly and permanently closed container body and the finished container with its contents are subjected in certain embodiments to autoclave treatment in order to attain complete sterility, whereby the pro¬ tective cap ensures that the closure device and its weakening zone are not contaminated in subsequent handling of the container.

The protective cap 25 encloses the closure device 1 of the con¬ tainer and neck 2 and thus has a lower portion 26 with internal threads 27, which are disposed to form a screw engagement with the threads 5 of the container neck. The protective cap 25 has a cylin- drical section 28 which is disposed below the threaded portion 26 for sealing interaction with the sealing ring 3 on the container neck 2 in order to form a first, outer seal between the protective cap and the container body.

Above and at some distance from the portion 26 with the threads 27 the protective cap is formed with an outwards-facing ledge 29 which delimits an inner pocket 30 for reception of the attachment section 13 of the closure device 11. The ledge 29 has an inner, circumfer¬ ential, primarily flat surface 31 which with the protective cap in position on the container is located at a predetermined distance from and above the flange 17 of the attachment section 13. The ledge is formed with an inner, elastic circumferential sealing lip 32 which protrudes from said surface 31 of the ledge a predetermined distance in order to interact sealingly with a bottom surface 33 of the channel 21 of the attachment section 13 during the formation of a second, inner seal between the protective cap and the closure device 11 affixed to the container body. The sealing lip 32 already faces obliquely inwards before it is brought to abutment against the closure device and, when the protective cap is screwed on, will thereby achieve the required seal in that the sealing lip is de- formed (bent to one side) during abutment against the bottom sur¬ face 33 of the channel 21 of the attachment section 13. The func¬ tional exterior of the sealing lip thereby has suitably a convex shape in order to further facilate the inwards guiding of the

OMPI sealing lip. The said inner seal effectively prevents infection of the closure device around the weakening zone 14 and additionally ensures that the contents, e.g. a liquid, in the case of an already opened and subsequently re-sealed container do not run out into the space between the protective cap and the neck 2 of the con¬ tainer body, e.g. if the container is overturned.

The embodiment shown in fig. 2 is adapted for retention of the protective cap 25a to the container body 1a by means of a snap action. The protective cap is for this purpose disposed in its lower section with a snap device (bead) 37 facing the centre axis of the cap, which snaps into a corresponding groove 39 in the neck 2a of the container. Above the groove the neck is disposed with a downwards-outwards-facing limitation surface 44 which the snap device abuts and against which it expands during the stage just before its snapping into the groove 39. The bead 37 has where it joins the lower edge surface 40 of the protective cap an inwards-facing circumferential oblique surface 38 in order to guide the bead 37 of the protective cap outwards when the protective cap is placed on the container body. Above the oblique surface 38 the bead is provided with a limitation surface (sealing surface) 43 facing the axis of the cap.

The closure device 11a is in this example shown in an embodiment with an outer downwards-facing guide device 16a which joins the upwards-facing collar 19, whose upper limitation edge forms the drip edge 20. When the closure device is placed on the container body, the guide device interacts with an outer limitation surface 45 of the outwards-facing circumferential flange 9a of the orifice portion, in order to direct the closure device to the correct posi¬ tion for its affixing to the container body.

The flange 9a has in this embodiment of the invention a somewhat bent upper surface 10a to which the interacting circumferetial attachment section 13a of the attachment device is affixed. The upper surface 33a of the attachment section has a shape corres-

OMPI

AA>_j, VVIPO - corresponding to the upper surface 10a, which means that once the removable section 12 has been removed, the upper surface 33a of attachment section forms an inwards-and downwards-facing upper limitation surface on the orifice aperture which is formed when the removable section is broken off.

The attachment section 13a which remains attached to the flange 9a comprises a dimension-stabilising reinforcement of the flange, and it is especially the design of the guide device 16a and the collar 19 which contributes towards making the orifice aperture stable once the removable section 12 has been removed.

The protective cap 25a is, in the region between the outwards- facing ledge 29 and the snap device 37, disposed with a downwards- outwards-facing inner surface 41 which interacts with a similarly located outer abutment surface 42 of the neck 2a of the container body. The distance between and shape of the downwards-outwards- facing surface 41 and the snap device 37 of the protective cap are matched to the distance between and shape .of the aforementioned abut¬ ment surface 42 and the groove^"39 in the neck 2a, so that the pro¬ tective cap once it has been snapped on assumes a fixed axial posi- tion relative to the container body.

Likewise in the embodiment in accordance with fig. 2 the protec¬ tive cap after mounting realises an inwardly exerted force on the sealing ring 23, whereby the force deforms the sealing ring for sealing delimitation of the space between the protective cap 25a and the orifice portion 6 of the container body.

In a preferred embodiment the inwards-facing limitation surface 43 of the snap device is located further from the axis of the container than any part of the outer surface of the neck section 2a in the region between the circumferential flange 9a of the orifice portion and the downwards-outwards-facing limitation sur¬ face 44 immediately above the snap-in groove 39. This means en¬ suring thatthe sealing ring 23 is not displaced out of the groove 22 when the protective cap 25a is mounted.

Embodiments of the invention where the protective cap is snapped onto the container body possess great freedom of adaptation of the shape and size of the cross-section through the neck of the con- tainer and its orifice section as well as through the closure de¬ vice to the requirements made by the product stored. This cross¬ section must have a round shape only in a threaded protective cap.

Figs.3 a and b show an alternative embodiment of the invention where the circumferential projecting flange 9b of the orifice portion is provided with the weld notch 36a. Furthermore,- the cir¬ cumferential groove 15 and thus the weakening zone 14 of the clo¬ sure device 11b are disposed between the weld notch 36a (the welded joint 18) and the guide device 16. In this embodiment the removed removable section 12 also comprises after the opening of the ori- ginally sealed container a device for temporary re-sealing of the container, especially in those embodiments where the guide device 16 abuts the inner surface 8 of the orifice portion. The dimensions of the removable part prevent it from being able to be displaced to the interior of the container after the container is opened.

Figs.3 c and d show an embodiment where the weakening zone 14 of the enclosure device 11c is formed in that the groove 15 is dis¬ posed on the outside of the closure devjce. The figures show fur¬ thermore the possibility of disposing the closure device without any guide device.

Figs.4 a-b show alternative embodiments of the sealing device 32. In fig.4a this is disposed as an outwards-downwards-facing lip 32b, and in fig.4b as a downwards-facing pointed bulge 32c.

Fig. 5 shows an example of an embodiment of the invention where the protective cap 25d is disposed in order to achieve the breaking open of the weakening zone 14 through actuation of the removable

OMPI section 12d.

In the embodiment shown the attachment section 13d is disposed with an upwards-facing circumferential portion 46 which by means of the weaking zone 14 joins the removable section 12d. The weakening zone is thus disposed at a distance from the axis of the container pri¬ marily exceeding the corresponding minimum distance of the empty¬ ing aperture 34 which is formed when the removable section 12d is removed. The removable section is moreover disposed with a circum¬ ferential wall portion 47 primarily at right angles to the axis of the container, and which is joined to the weakening zone 14. In the figure this connection comprises a wall 49 orientated primari¬ ly in the axial direction. In certain applications however, the weakening zone 14 is directly joined to the aforementioned circum¬ ferential portion 47 of the removable section 12d. The weakening zone has moreover a position such that its distance from the axis of the container primarily exceeds the corresponding minimum dis- tance of the emptying aperture 34 which is formed when the removable section 12 is removed.

In the embodiment shown in the figure the protective cap 25d has its outwards-facing ledge 29d shaped as a step. The section of the ledge located closest to axis of the container forms a circum¬ ferential portion 48 which with the protective cap placed on the container assumes a position relative to the circumferential por¬ tion 47 of the removable section 12d, implying that the two cir- cumferential portions 47,48 are axially displaced relative to one another in order to be located at some distance from one another. Other reference designations used in the figure and details shown have their equivalents in figures previously described.

In alternative embodiments of the invention the weakening zone 14 is made as a weakening zone where the material in the wall has less strength than the surrounding material, e.g. through a material di¬ lution, a special molecular orientation or crystallisation. In alternative embodiments of the invention the outwards-facing collar 19 (cf fig. 2) is also disposed as a sealing device which abuts the inner circumferential surface of the ledge 29 of the protective cap. In certain applications the collar 19 constitutes the only sealing device in the region of the attachment section 13.

In the utilisation of an originally filled container, the protec¬ tive cap is first removed, after which the container body is opened by ripping open the weakening zone 14. An emptying aperture 34 is thus formed which is enclosed by the remaining attachment section 13. Evacuation of liquid products from the container takes place in a controlled manner in that the drip edge 20 or the upwards- facing circumferential portion 46 prevent the liquid from running along the outside of the container body. When the material takes the form of a paste, the drip edge 20 or the portion 46, respec- tively, serves as a guide edge for a thread or other implement that cuts off the line of paste so that paste does not flow or fall down along the outside of the container.

The container body can be re-sealed by means of the protective cap if a part of the contents is to be saved briefly until a later oc- casion, whereby the outer and inner seals 23,32,19 provide a satis¬ factory closure.

In those embodiments of the invention which are shown in the fig¬ ures 1-4 the container is opened most simply in that the removable section 12 is pressed laterally until its weakening zone breaks, after which the remaining parts of the weakening zone are ripped open. Opening may be done.either by the protective cap being unscrewed and removed, after which the removable section is broken off, or in that the protective cap is unscrewed so far that it sits re¬ latively loosely attached to the orifice section of the contain- er, after which it is moved to the side and thus achieves that action on the removable section which is required for opening the container. In the embodiment shown in fig. 5 the container is opened by dis¬ placing the protective cap 25d downwards towards the bottom of the container by screwing the protective cap downwards. The circumfer¬ ential portion 48 of the protective cap is thus first brought to abutment against the corresponding circumferential portion 47 of the removable section 12d, after which during the continued down¬ wards screwing of the protective cap the circumferential portion 47 of the removable section breaks the connection in the weaken¬ ing zone 14 during continued downwards-directed displacement. Since the distance of the weakening zone from the axis of the container primarily exceeds the corresponding minimum distance of the empty¬ ing aperture 34 which is formed, there is no risk of the removed section falling into the interior of the container. In a re-sealed container the seal 32 abuts the upper limitation surface of the attachment section.

In manual opening of the container the fingers come into contact only with the upper portion of the removable section, for which reason there is no risk of the weakening zone and the attachment section with the drip edge being contaminated by touch. Due to the design of the removable section and the location of the weakening zone the invention also offers the advantage that the container can be opened with a mechanical device which e.g. may have a hole which corresponds to and receives the removable section in order to enable a breaking and possibly also a rotary action. By means of such a device the removable section is removed without having been in contact with the fingers.

In application of the invention to a container for rinsing fluid the enclosure device is preferably dimensioned in order to form a relatively large emptying aperture of the order of magnitude of around 25 mm in the case of a circular cross-section, when the re¬ movable section is removed. Such a large opening makes it possible for air to flow into the containing during the emptying procedure, by which means an even flow of liquid is obtained. In those appli- applications where the container is used for storage of a powder, the aperture is generally chosen to be even larger in order to facili¬ tate removal of powder from the container. In the case of containers for pastes or similar products smaller dimensions are generally selected for the aperture in order to adapt it to the product stored in the container. In the case of e.g. pastes the container is usu¬ ally made compressible in order to feed out the paste.

In addition to the foregoing description the invention will also be revealed in the subsequent claims.

Claims

1. Container of thermoplastics material intended for sterile storage of products, e.g. liquid, paste or powder materials, whereby the container includes a body (1)^* which in a filled and unopened container is terminated at its end intended for opening with a closure device (11) disposed with an outer re¬ movable section (12) for the formation of an emptying aperture (34) and whereby the container body (1) and the closure device (11) comprise separate elements joined to each other, charac¬ terised in that the container body is disposed with a ribbon— like, closed attachment portion (9) and the closure device with an attachment section (13) for interaction with the attachment portion, that the attachment portion (9) of the container body and the attachment section (13) of the closure device are permanently joined in a tight join (18), that the closure device is disposed with a weakening zone (14) which forms the transition between the attachment section (13) of the closure device and its removable section (12) and in which zone the removable section is separated from the attach¬ ment section during the opening of an originally sealed con- tainer, and that the container body and/or the closure device are, respectively, is disposed for interaction with a protec¬ tive cap (25) which sealingly encloses the attachment portion (9) of the container and a closure device (11) joined to the container in the case of an originally sealed unopened con- tainer or alternatively the attachment portion (9) and a section of the closure device affixed to the attachment por¬ tion in the case of a re-sealed container.

2. Container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the removable section (12) is disposed in order to be opened at its end facing away fron the attachment section (13) through the removal of an outer portion for the formation of a tem¬ porary filling aperture and that the removable section is

^•"BUREA

<S_fe OMPI wro disposed in order to be re-closed during the formation of a tight closure (24) at the temporary filling aperture after the filling of the container.

3. Container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the protective cap (25) is disposed with one or more sealing devices (32) preferably with a lip-like shape (32a,b) acting within the region of the attachment section (13) for achiev¬ ing a seal between the attachment section of the container with a protective cap mounted.

4. Container as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the protective cap (25) has a circumferential ledge (29) which delimits an inner space (30) for the reception of the attachment section (13) and that the ledge (29) on its inside is formed with at least one of the sealing devices (32) for sealing interaction with an opposite flange (17) of the attachment section.

5. Container as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that at least one of the sealing devices (32) is disposed so as in its unactuated state to extend at an oblique angle towards the axis of the container and that this, respectively, these sealing devices (32) thus have a surface facing the flange (17) that is preferably convex with regard to a cross-section in the axial direction of the container.

6. Container as claimed in any of claims 1-5, characterised in that an outer sealing ring (23) is disposed in a groove (22) in the neck (2) of the container body for sealing interaction with the inside of the lower portion (26) of the protective cap (25) and/or that the attachment portion (3) on the body (1) and the lower attachment portion (26) on the protective cap (25) are formed with threads (5,27) or with devices (37, 39) for a snap function.

7. Container as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the attachmentsection (13a,b) comprises a, in relation to the circumferential flange (9a,b) of the orifice portion (6a,b), downwards-facing circumferential flange (16a) disposed outside the weakening zone (14) in order to interact with a l mitation surface (8,45) of the orifice portion (6a,b) for centring the closure device relative to the container body during the attach¬ ment of the closure device to the container body.

8. Container as claimed in any of the preceding claims, charac- terised in that the attachment section (13b) includes a circumferential wall portion (46) facing upwards from the orifice, which portion by means of the weakening zone (14) passes into the removable section (12b) and that the dis¬ tance of the weakening zone from the axis of the container primarily exceeds the corresponding minimum distance of the emptying aperture (34) which is formed during the removal of the removable section (12).

9. Container as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the removable section (12b) and the protective cap (25b) are dis- posed with circumferential portions (47 and 48) which in a full container originally sealed and provided with a protective cap assume reciprocal positions where the portions are axially displaced relative to one another and where when the contain¬ er is opened the circumferential portion (48) during the axial displacement of the protective cap towards the bottom of the container abuts the circumferential portion of the removable section for its corresponding displacement and breaking open of the weakening zone (14).

10. Container as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the flange (17) is formed with an oblique, upwards-, outwards-facing collar (19) which forms a drip edge (20) disposed axially above the weakening zone (14) and/or that the collar (19) is disposed

OMPI fa A,y, WiPO in order to interact sealingly with the inner surface of the protective cap in the region of the attachment section (13).

OMPI , iPO