EP0224863B1 - Closure with integrated aeration means - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a closure with integrated ventilation for metal or plastic containers, with a plastic ring attachable to the container opening with a pouring spout and with at least one ventilation channel, which is arranged at least partially in the region of the pouring spout and extends at least over part of the length of the pouring spout , wherein the ventilation channel or its walls are integrally connected to the pouring spout, the ventilation channel is annular and its walls defining it are an inner and an outer cylinder jacket, which are connected to form a double tube at the lower end facing the container interior, and wherein Ventilation openings are arranged in the lower region of the double pipe.

Such a closure is known from British Patent No. 1,349,535. The ventilation channel has the sense of simultaneously allowing air to flow into the interior of the container while pouring liquid out of a container, so that a strong "breathing" of the canister when pouring out the filling material, that is to say a brief interruption of the liquid jet when air flows in and intermittent reinstallation of the liquid jet is omitted.

In the closure known from GB-A-1349535, the annular ventilation channel extends only a short distance from the end of the pouring spout inside the container into the pouring spout, while the pouring spout itself is relatively long. This has the disadvantage that, in particular when pouring liquids with a higher viscosity than water, for example oil, the entire cross section of the pouring spout is nevertheless filled with liquid, so that air cannot penetrate continuously into the ventilation duct.
A closure is known from US Pat. No. 2,898,014, in which a ventilation channel runs along the entire length of the pouring spout. However, this has the disadvantage that the ventilation channel is attached to the pouring spout on one side. This means that the closure has to be inserted into the container neck in a certain, fixed orientation and in such a way that when liquid is poured out of the pouring spout, the ventilation channel is as high as possible. Otherwise, it can happen that liquid penetrates into the ventilation channel and also flows out of it, so that it is robbed of its function.

Closures with ventilation channels that are otherwise commercially available are either only very complex and expensive to manufacture or are not fully functional in the desired manner.
In contrast, the present invention has for its object to improve a closure with the features mentioned so that it is easy to manufacture on the one hand and on the other hand works safely in any position and orientation and in all cases ensures the inflow of air when pouring liquid .

This object is achieved in that the ventilation channel extends over most of the length of the pouring spout, the ventilation openings in the outer cylinder jacket are recessed, the pouring spout is formed by the inner cylinder jacket and the plastic ring is designed as an insert which can be inserted into the container opening and is in one piece with the pouring spout. The one-piece design of the entire closure, consisting of the as Insert ring designed plastic ring and the double tube, with ventilation openings only recessed on the outer cylinder jacket and an annular ventilation duct concentric with the central pouring spout, enables relatively simple and inexpensive production.

In addition, the fact that the ventilation channel is annular and extends essentially over the entire length of the pouring spout ensures that the ventilation of the closure functions completely independently of its orientation when pouring out and also completely independently of the viscosity of the liquid to be poured out.

Due to the arrangement of the ventilation openings as recesses in the outer cylinder jacket, their cross-sectional design is largely free, whereby it must also be taken into account that when pouring out, the part of the ventilation openings lying at the bottom is exposed to liquid. In general, the cross-sectional area of the pouring spout is larger than the air intake area.

For example, in a preferred embodiment, the pouring area is 227 mm², and if you then design the air intake area to be 93 mm², the pouring works well with ventilation. In another embodiment, the pouring area is 453 mm², in which case an air intake area of 138 mm² is preferably provided in order to have a very good ventilation function. In the latter embodiment, the opening diameter for the pouring jet of the filling material is, for example, 24 mm, and 6 slots have been used for the air intake surface.

In some preferred exemplary embodiments, it is advantageous if the width of the ventilation duct (measured in the radial direction) is 2 mm or more so that the function is flawless. It has been shown that, for example, by placing the canister or other positions of the double tube, the filling material more or less runs into the ventilation duct and, with a width of less than 2 mm, closes it in such a way that the adhesive forces of the filling material so that the air can no longer flow in , even if the ventilation openings were open to the inside of the canister. The size of the ventilation duct with the (radially measured) Clear width of more than 2 mm also gives the further advantage that the ventilation duct for the incoming air can then act as a calming space before the air flows out at the ventilation openings at the bottom or to the interior of the canister. This calming improves the inflow of air when the contents flow out.

With regard to a closure which is additionally provided with a bellows which can be inserted and re-inserted into a container opening and which produces the one-piece connection between the plastic ring and the pouring spout, the invention provides that the ventilation channel is formed independently of the bellows.

Because the ventilation channel is only arranged in the area of the pouring spout and is connected to it in one piece, a corresponding plastic closure can be produced more easily than the known two-part closure. Since the ventilation channel is only arranged in the region of the pouring spout and is furthermore formed independently of the bellows, its function is also independent of the position of the bellows, so that its function is in no way impaired if the bellows is not completely or, for example, only by tilting the pouring spout is pulled out on one side. Greater operational safety also results from the fact that the ventilation duct extends over most of the length of the pouring spout. The risk of the liquid jet escaping inside the pouring spout and beyond the venting duct is practically eliminated.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ventilation duct extends essentially over the entire length of the pouring spout, but ends at a distance from the upper edge thereof. In this way, a seal can be attached above the ventilation duct in the pouring spout, which covers both the actual pouring opening and the ventilation duct.

However, the invention also provides that even in the case of the embodiment in which the ventilation duct extends to the edge of the pouring spout, on a seal covering the pouring opening is attached to the upper edge of the pouring spout.

In the aforementioned cases, either a seal or a tear tape attached to a cap on the outside can be provided, so that there is a guarantee against manipulation of the contents, for example by emptying, refilling or refilling.

Furthermore, it is advantageous and expedient if, according to the invention, a plurality of ventilation channels are formed in that webs divide the annular space into sectors between the inner and the outer cylinder of the pouring spout.

The ventilation device remains independent of the tilting direction of the container.

In this case, an embodiment is preferred in which the cross section of the openings of each ventilation duct directed towards the interior of the container is substantially smaller than the cross section of the outward opening of the respective ventilation duct. The ratio of the two opening areas to each other must be determined depending on the viscosity of the product.

It is particularly important that the cross section of the opening facing the interior of the container, which is generally acted upon by liquid, is not too large, because only then, due to the dynamic pressure conditions and the different viscosities of liquids and air, air bubbles through the openings enter the inside of the container, provided that liquid flows out through a larger opening at the same time. The larger inlet openings for air at the other end of the ventilation channels ensure an adequate supply of air.

It is further provided according to the invention that the openings of the ventilation channels directed into the container interior point outwards in the radial direction as seen from the center of the closure.

Practical tests have shown that air bubbles pass through the openings even more easily in this way and the function of the ventilation device and the bellows seal is thus further improved.

According to the invention, the pouring spout is expediently provided in its upper region with a thread or snap edge for an additional closure lid

Such a closure lid can be provided with a tear ring for pulling the bellows out of the container opening.

Another measure according to the invention is that the closure lid is sealed liquid-tight with the bellows closure or with the container.

This embodiment is particularly preferred when the liquid channels extend to the upper edge of the pouring spout, so that a seal can no longer be easily applied. The seal can then be replaced by an appropriately sealed or torn closure lid.

Figur 1

einen erfindungsgemäßen Balgverschluß mit eingestülptem Balg im Querschnitt,

Figur 2

den gleichen Verschluß wie Figur 1 jedoch ohne Verschlußdeckel und in ausgezogenem Zustand,

Figur 3

eine Ansicht auf den in Figur 2 dargestellten Verschluß von oben,

Figur 4

eine Ansicht auf den in Figur 2 dargestellten Verschluß von unten,

Figur 5

die gleiche Ansicht wie Figur 4 jedoch bei einer Ausführungsform mit emer größeren Zahl von Belüftungskanälen,

Figur 6

eine weitere Ausführungsform speziell für Kurststoffbehälter in einer Ansicht entsprechend Figur 1,

Figur 7

die gleiche Ausführungsform in einer Ansicht entsprechend Figur 2,

Figur 8

eine Draufsicht auf den Balgverschluß der Figur 6, wobei allerdings der Balg nicht zu erkennen ist,

Figur 9

eine andere Ausführungsform eines Kunststoffverschlusses ohne Balg für Weißblechgebinde und

Figur 10

eine weitere andere Ausgestaltung des Verschlusses ohne Balg, wobei dieser Verschluß auf den Standardkanisterdeckel aufgeschraubt werden kann.

Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention will become clear from the description of preferred embodiments and the associated drawings. Show it:

Figure 1

a bellows closure according to the invention with an indented bellows in cross section,

Figure 2

the same closure as Figure 1 but without the closure lid and in the extended state,

Figure 3

2 shows a view of the closure shown in FIG. 2 from above,

Figure 4

3 shows a view of the closure shown in FIG. 2 from below,

Figure 5

4 the same view as FIG. 4, however, in an embodiment with a larger number of ventilation channels,

Figure 6

a further embodiment especially for plastic containers in a view corresponding to Figure 1,

Figure 7

the same embodiment in a view corresponding to Figure 2,

Figure 8

6 shows a plan view of the bellows closure of FIG. 6, although the bellows cannot be seen,

Figure 9

another embodiment of a plastic closure without bellows for tinplate containers and

Figure 10

another different embodiment of the closure without bellows, which closure can be screwed onto the standard canister lid.

The bellows closure with integrated ventilation shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 is specially designed for metal containers. A plastic ring 11 of the bellows closure is inserted in a liquid-tight manner into a circular opening 18 of the container 1. For this purpose, the container opening 18 blows a folded edge 17 which can be snapped into an annular circumferential groove 19 in the plastic ring 11. Furthermore, in FIG. 1 a closure cap 12 screwed onto the pouring spout 2 can also be seen, which additionally has a partially circumferential tear ring 20 which can also serve as a seal for the closure cover 12.

The further details of the bellows closure according to the invention are described with reference to FIG. 2. The rear end of the bellows 7, which is at the top in FIG. 1 and at the bottom in FIG. 2, is firmly connected to the plastic ring 11. The front end of the bellows 7 is fixed and liquid-tight in the lower region of the pouring spout 2. In this embodiment, the pouring spout 2 consists of a double-walled hollow cylinder, the two cylinder jackets 8, 9 being connected to one another via webs 13 visible in FIGS. 3 and 5. The inner cylinder 8 forms the pouring opening 3 for the liquid to be poured out. The space divided into sections by the webs 13 between the inner cylinder 8 and the outer cylinder 9 forms the ventilation channels 4. The ventilation channels 4 extend essentially over the entire length of the pouring spout 2. The upper openings 5 of the ventilation channels 4, into which the Air enters, as can be seen in Figure 3, part-circular slots. In contrast, the lower openings 6 of the ventilation channels directed into the interior of the container are essentially vertical running slits, which are also visible in FIGS. 4 and 5, and which have a small cross section in comparison to the upper openings 5 and especially in comparison to the pouring opening 3. The lower openings 6 practically point outwards in the radial direction. In the upper area of the outer cylinder 9, a thread 10 can still be seen, onto which the closure cover 12 can be screwed.

As can be easily seen, the ventilation channels 4 and above all the cross section of the lower openings 6 are practically independent of the position of the bellows 7. In particular, the pouring spout 2 can be inclined in any direction relative to the container surface without the function of the ventilation device being impaired thereby . The ventilation device is functional even when the pouring spout 2 is in the position shown in FIG. 1 and the closure cap 12 is unscrewed.

In Figure 3 you can see very clearly the upper openings 5 of the ventilation channels 4, which have the shape of part-circular slots in cross section. The space between the hollow cylinders 8 and 9 is divided by the webs 13 into sectors which form the ventilation channels 4. The cross section of the ventilation channels 4 is retained over almost the entire length of the pouring spout 2 and only tapers in the lower region of the pouring spout 2 to the cross section of the slit-shaped lower openings 6 of the ventilation channels 4. These can be clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. With the exception of the interruptions through the lower openings 6, the inner cylinder 8 and the outer cylinder 9 are connected at their lower end by a common floor 21.

In FIG. 5, double the number of lower openings 6 can be seen compared to FIG. 4, to which the double number of ventilation channels 4 and webs 13 also belong.

The embodiment of a bellows closure with integrated ventilation shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 differs from the previously described embodiment only in the design of the plastic ring 11. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is intended for plastic containers 1 with an attached container neck 16, in which a relatively wide plastic ring 11 is inserted. This plastic ring 11 has on its outer circumference sealing lips 15 which are liquid-tight with the inner wall of the container neck 16. Furthermore, in the lower area of the plastic ring 11 there is still a securing edge 14 which, after the plastic ring has snapped into place, engages under the container neck and secures the closure against unintentional removal, for example when the bellows 7 is put out. All other features correspond to the previously described embodiments.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of the closure cap 12, which is designed as a screw cap, with a guarantee tape 30. Below the safety edge 14, three ventilation openings 6 can be seen, which are designed as narrow slots with a width of 2.5 mm. In contrast to that of FIGS. 6 and 7, this embodiment additionally shows an annular separation lip 31 in the area under the air inlet openings 6, which is also shown in the other FIGS. 9 and 10 shown in the following other embodiments. This edge or this annular separating lip 31 ensures that the outflowing filling material is not disturbed by the inflowing air. The separation lip 31 guides the inflowing air better in the desired direction laterally away from the outflowing filling material.

Another embodiment of a closure without bellows is shown in section in FIG. 9, again with the annular separating lip 31, the air inlet openings 6, the ventilation duct 4 and the inner cylinder jacket 8. The thread 39 is immediately formed on the outer cylinder jacket, for example for screwing on a screw cap , and below are the annular flanges and recesses of the insert 11 ', which here represents practically the entire plastic ring. This closure according to FIG. 9 also allows the ventilation system to be transferred to the tinplate containers.

Finally, FIG. 10 shows a plastic can 1 with a screwed-on closure cap 12, on the left of the dash-dotted center line in section and on the right in plan view. This embodiment is not an impact closure, but the closure shown here is screwed onto the container neck 32 as a unit. Previously, the insert 11 was screwed into the outer screw cap (sealing cover 12) via the thread 40. This unit is then screwed over the conical surface (at the air inlet openings 6) with good centering on the external thread of the container neck 32.

The insert 11 shown in Figure 10 is designed so that it practically takes over the function of a screw cap, because it is simply screwed on in the manner described above and then seals in a double manner, namely on the narrow annular surface at the top of the container neck 32 and also measured on a perpendicular, namely the inner ring surface at a height of about 2 mm from above from the end face. Here, a sealing pressure is generated on the end face on the container neck 32 by the screw.

The above-described embodiments are characterized in that, on the one hand, they are simple and inexpensive to manufacture and, on the other hand, they have such functional reliability that a glug-free pouring can also take place “overhead”.

Claims (12)

1. A closure means with integrated ventilation and intended for metal or synthetic plastics containers, and comprising a synthetic plastics ring (11) with a pourer (2) which can be fitted on the container opening (18) and which comprises at least one ventilation passage (4) which is at least partially disposed in the region of the pourer (2) and which extends at least over a part of the length of the pourer (2), the ventilation passage (4) or its walls (8, 9) being integrally connected to the pourer (2), the ventilation passage (4) being annular and its boundary walls being an inner (8) and an outer cylinder shell (9) which, forming a double-walled tube, are connected at the bottom end which is directed towards the interior of the container, characterised in that the ventilation passage (4) extends over the major part of the length of the pourer (2) while the ventilation apertures are provided in the outer cylinder shell (9), the pourer (2) being formed by the inner cylinder shell and in that the synthetic plastics rings (11) is constructed as an inserted nozzle which can be inserted into the container aperture (18) and which is in one piece with the pourer (2).
2. A closure means according to claim 1, characterised in that the total cross-section of the ventilation apertures is substantially smaller than the cross-section of the outwardly directed aperture (5) of the annular ventilation passage.
3. A closure member according to claim 1 with a bellows 7 which can be fitted into a container aperture and then pulled out again and which at its rear end is connected to the synthetic plastics ring (11) which can be inserted into the container aperture or is connected directly to the edge of the container aperture and is at its front end integral with the pourer (2), at least one ventilation passage (4) being disposed on the bellows closure member, characterised in that the ventilation passage (4) is formed independently of the bellows (7).
4. A bellows closure member according to claim 3, characterised in that the ventilation passage (4) ends at a distance from the upper edge of the pourer (2).
5. A bellows closure member according to claim 4, characterised in that a seal is provided above the ventilation passage (4) in the pourer (2).
6. A bellows closure member according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that a seal which covers the pourer orifice (3) is provided at the upper end of the pourer (2).
7. A bellows closure member according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the cavity formed between the inner (8) and outer (9) cylinders is sub-divided by webs (13) into a plurality of segments which form ventilation passages.
8. A bellows closure member according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that the cross-section of the aperture (6) of each ventilation passage (4) which is directed towards the interior of the container is substantially smaller than the cross-section of the outwardly directed aperture (5) of each ventilation passage (4).
9. A bellows closure member according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that the aperture (6) of the ventilation passages (4) which is directed towards the interior of the container are directed radially outwardly as seen from the centre of the closure member.
10. A bellows closure member according to one of claims 3 to 9, characterised in that in its upper portion the pourer (2) is provided with a screwthread (10) or a snap-action rim for an additional closure cap (12).
11. A bellows closure member according to claim 10, characterised in that the closure cap (12) is sealed in fluid-tight manner to the bellows closure member or to the container.
12. A closure member according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the radially measured inside clearance of the ventilation passage is at least 2 mm.

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