EP0226783A2 - Safety closure - Google Patents

Abstract

The safety closure for liquid containers has an insert ring (6), which is to be inserted into a generally circular opening of the container, with a flange (5), a pouring spout (10), a closure lid (1) closing the pouring spout (10), a bellows (11), connecting the insert ring (6) and the pouring spout (10), and a swivellable ring bar (2) which is attached to the closure lid at at least one point. In order to be able to guarantee that no manipulation can take place to the contents of the container and, additionally, to make any manipulation undertaken clearly visible on the outside, it is proposed that, with the closure unopened, the ring bar (2) together with the closure lid (1) largely covers and encloses the flange (5), that the ring bar rests snugly on the container surface (7) surrounding the opening, that it is connected to the closure lid (1) by manually tear-off tabs at least in its swivellable region, and/or that the closure lid (1) and/or the ring bar (2) are connected to the insert ring (6) or the container surface (7) by corresponding tabs (3a). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a guarantee closure for liquid containers with an insert ring with flange to be inserted into a generally circular opening of the container, a pouring spout, a closure lid closing the pouring spout, a bellows connecting the insert ring and the pouring spout and a hinged ring bracket attached to the closure lid in at least one point . Such closures have long been known both for metal and for plastic or cardboard containers. The insert ring of the closure serves to fix the closure in the container opening in a liquid-tight manner.

Etalldeckeln in closures for metal containers and for containers with _M includes this insert ring has a circumferential annular groove, into which the flanged edge of the container mounted in the cover and engages a generally circular opening. This groove is formed by an annular bead-like projection, which is formed below the groove on the outside of the insert ring, and by a flange, which generally forms the upper edge of the insert ring and which rests on the surface of the container lid immediately surrounding the opening.

Below the ring-like projection of the insert ring, the latter still has a short cylindrical extension, by means of which the insertion of the closure into the container opening is facilitated. Since the insert ring is made of a relatively soft plastic (e.g. high-pressure polyethylene), it is possible to insert it into the container opening with a certain amount of force, whereby the annular bead-like projection, which has a larger outer diameter than the container opening, is briefly compressed and collapses then expands back to its previous extent.

The diameter of the ring groove, the projection, the container opening and the flange are chosen so that the inserted plastic ring rests liquid-tight on the edge of the container opening, the flange preventing the closure from being pressed fully into the interior of the container, while the projection pulls out the entire closure prevent container opening.

The insert ring is generally connected via a bellows to a pouring spout, which in turn is closed by a cover. The bellows can be turned in and out, and the pouring spout and bellows are dimensioned such that the closure lid sitting on the pouring spout is essentially flush with the surface of the container or protrudes only slightly over the surface of the container, while the pouring spout is in the turned-out state is located at a clear distance above the container surface, which makes it easier to pour out the liquid in the container.

For eversion of the bellows, one _R is attached to the closure cap, which is screwed, in general, with the pouring spout attached ingbügel so that is pulled out in a strong train on the ring-pull of the cap with the spout by the eversion of the bellows out of the insert ring. The projection of the insert ring must absorb the forces that occur without sliding through the container opening.

The above also applies in a similar way to plastic containers, but the corresponding “groove” is considerably wider and the projection has a much larger diameter than the neck.

Even if the projection of the insert ring is shaped and designed so that it easily withstands the pull when the bellows is put out, a disadvantage of the aforementioned closures is that an intentional origin removal of the closure by ovalizing the insert ring cannot be prevented in practice. Although the pouring spout so a their free Querschnittverschlie- _ß forming membrane seal contains, which provides some protection against the manipulation of the container contents, it is still possible to lateral compression (ovalization) of the insert ring remove the entire closure from the container opening and thus to remove, replace or otherwise manipulate all or part of the liquid inside the container.

Although the area around the opening on the surface of such containers is, for example, stepped down or provided with an outwardly projecting annular bead in order to prevent access to the insert ring and to prevent ovalization and removal thereof, these measures are not sufficient to really achieve one Guarantee against tampering with the contents of the container.

In particular, such manipulation is practically no longer recognizable after the insert ring has been reinserted into the container opening and the bellows has been pushed in from the outside.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a closure for liquid containers with the features mentioned at the outset, which can practically not be removed from the container opening without externally clearly visible changes.

This object is achieved in that covers at unopened closure of the annular strap, together with the closure lid flange broadly and encompasses that the _R closely abuts the opening surrounding container surface ingbügel that by manually tearable tabs he at least in its flip-up region with the Closure cover is connected and / or that the closure cover and / or the ring bracket by appropriate tabs with the insert ring or Container surface are connected.

As already mentioned at the beginning, the insert ring must be ovalized and pried out or pulled out of the opening in order to remove the closure from the container. In the closure according to the invention, however, the insert ring cannot be reached without first lifting the ring bracket and / or the closure cover and thus at least partially bulging out the bellows. However, this provides a noticeable resistance to the lifting of the cover, whereby the tabs, which connect either the ring bracket and the cover ring or the ring bracket and the insert ring or the closure cover and the insert ring, tear and so make any attempt at manipulation obvious.

The different connection options of the tabs are not mutually exclusive and can be present at the same closure at the same time. In general, however, one type of connection is sufficient to ensure the purpose of the invention.

It is expedient if, according to the invention, the tabs have predetermined breaking points.

Such predetermined breaking points can be arranged so that the torn tabs are clearly visible from the outside.

Furthermore, it is considered to be expedient in the closure according to the invention if the tabs are under a pretension, by means of which, after they have been torn off, their free end visibly protrudes from their previous attachment point.

Such a design of the tabs facilitates the detection of tampering with the container closure.

In one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the Ringbü ^g el and / or the closure cover with tabs diametrically opposite welding strips are connected, which in turn have a large-area welded connection to the flange of the insert ring.

In this embodiment, it is not possible to lift the ring bracket and / or the closure cover from the flange of the insert ring without tearing the tabs connecting the flange and the moving parts.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that with an unopened closure the ring bracket covers a bead concentrically surrounding the container opening and the flange of the insert ring in the container surface.

In this way, the insertion of a tool between the ring bracket and the container surface is made impossible, as a result of which a compression of the insert ring would otherwise be possible.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is that the closure cap is a screw having a toothing in the outer region of its underside which engages with un ^g eöffnetem closure in a counter toothing which is mounted on the surface of the flange, in the form of an anti-rotation .

In this way, both an intentional and unintentional rotation of the cap is prevented, so that can be dispensed embransiegels apart from the already disruptive when turning tabs on further guarantee of _M, which in turn material costs can be saved.

With regard to the method for producing a guarantee closure according to the invention, it is provided that all welded connections are made by ultrasonic welding.

• _Fig. 1 eine erste Ausführungsform eines Verschlusses in einer Schnittansicht,
• Fig. 2 die Sicht auf denselben Verschluß von oben,
• Fig. 3 eine Ansicht entsprechend Fig: 1 auf eine weitere Ausführungsform,
• Fig. 4 eine Ansicht auf Fig. 3 von oben,
• Fig. 5 den in Fig. 3 dargestellten Verschluß mit ausgestülptem Balg,
• Fig. 6 einen Querschnitt entsprechend Fig. 1 durch einen Verschluß mit geschweißten Seitenstreifen,
• Fig. 6a einen Ausschnitt aus Fig. 6 und
• Fig. 7 eine Ansicht auf Fig. 6 von oben.

Further advantages, features and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and bevorzugter.Ausführungsformen to the ^g ehö- membered drawings. Show it

• _F ig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a closure in a sectional view,
• 2 the view of the same closure from above,
• 3 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1 of a further embodiment,
• 4 is a view of FIG. 3 from above,
• 5 shows the closure shown in FIG. 3 with the bellows turned out,
• 6 shows a cross section corresponding to FIG. 1 through a closure with welded side strips,
• Fig. 6a shows a detail from Fig. 6 and
• Fig. 7 is a view of Fig. 6 from above.

The closure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has practically along the entire circumference of the closure cover 1 tabs 3 which are connected to the ring bracket 2 at predetermined breaking points 4. The _R ingbügel 2 encloses both the cap 1 and the flange 5 of the insert ring 6. closure cap 1 and ring bracket 2 together cover the flange 5 of the insert ring 6 completely. The container surface 7 also has a step-shaped shoulder 8 which surrounds the container opening in a ring, so that the flange 5 lies in a corresponding recess.

The ring bracket 2 lies outside the shoulder 8 on the container surface 7.

If now, for example, by means of a tool, the insert ring 6 by gripping under the flange 5 to be levered out of the container opening, the ingbügel _R 2 must be raised a considerable piece for this purpose necessarily. The tabs 3 tear off at the predetermined breaking points 4 from the ring bracket 2 and thus make the attempt at manipulation obvious.

The closure cap 1, as in all the other embodiments shown here, is designed as a screw cap, which is screwed onto the pouring spout 10 firmly and in a liquid-tight manner via the thread 9. The pouring spout 10 is connected to the insert ring 6 via the bellows 11.

It can be seen that in the inverted state shown in FIG. 1, the closure essentially closes with the surface 7 of the container and protrudes only slightly above it.

In Fig. 2 also tabs 3 'can be seen, which have no predetermined breaking points 4 and thus produce a flexible, but nevertheless firm connection between the semicircular parts of the ring bracket 2 and the closure cover 1.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 3 to 5 differs from the aforementioned embodiment in several respects.

Instead of a stepped shoulder around the container opening, in this embodiment the surface of the container has an annular bead 14 running around the container opening. In the unopened state, this ring bead 14 is completely covered by the ring bracket 2. In this embodiment, too, the flange 5 cannot be levered up by tools or the like without the ring bracket 2 being raised and the tabs 3 thus being torn off. 3 to 5, in particular in FIG. 4, are additional to the tabs 3 and 3 'to recognize further tabs 3a, which establish a connection between the closure cover 1 and the flange 5 of the insert ring 6. This ensures that a lifting of the ring bracket 2 and the cap 1 from the side of the connecting elements 3 'ago, which do not tear off easily, without tearing off the tabs 3a, so that removal of the insert 6 and thus the entire closure from the container opening without the injury of individual tabs is practically impossible.

In addition to the features already described, the embodiment shown here also has an inner membrane seal 12 which closes the pouring spout 10 in its interior and can be pulled out by a ring 13. Furthermore, the already mentioned toothing 15, which acts as an anti-rotation device, is indicated in FIG. 4 by dashed lines.

Fig. 5 shows the closure just described in everted condition, whereby the individual parts, in particular the closure cap 1, the _R ingbügel 2 and the torn off flap 3a can be seen very clearly. The fastening ^g ung the tab 3a on the flange 5 is effected by ultrasonic welding.

The insert ring 6 shown in FIG. 5 has a notch or a groove 16 in its lower region, through which the residual emptying of the container is improved.

In Figs. 6, 6a and 7, another embodiment is shown, in which the _R 2 ingbügel- 3b via tabs welding strips 18 attached, which are joined by ultrasonic welding firmly to the flange 5 of the insert ring 6. This in turn ensures that the ring bracket 2 and / or the closure cover 1 can only be lifted off the flange 5 by tearing the tabs 3b, so that any manipulation of the Contents of the container, which would be accomplished by prying out or pulling the entire closure out of the container opening, are immediately visible.

Strength in _F. 6a is a detail from FIG. 6, but is shown before the welded connection is made. In this ar- _D position to recognize the energy directors 17, which can be seen as a wedge-shaped elevation of the flange. 5 Such _e nergierichtungsgeber is very convenient for the placement of the ultrasonic energy in the desired range.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 have locking cams 19 on the outer edge of the closure cover 1, which is designed as a screw cap in all other embodiments, which can be locked into locking grooves 20 of the insert ring 6, so that this also results in a certain stiffness when lifting the cover 1 and the parts of the ring bracket 2 connected to it is reached. This ensures that the tabs tear off prematurely when the ring bracket 2 is lifted.

These advantages are thus achieved, that is below the _A 1 uflagerand of the closure cover, a cylindrical extension with latching cams 19 are arranged which engages and unopened closure in a corresponding locking groove 20 of the insert ring. 6

Claims (7)

1. Guarantee closure for liquid containers with an insert ring (6) with flange (5) to be inserted into a generally circular opening of the container, a pouring spout (10), a closure cover (1) closing the pouring spout (10), and an insert ring (5) and the pouring spout (10) connecting bellows (11) and a hinged ring bracket (2) attached to the closure lid (1) in at least one point, characterized in that when the closure is unopened, the ring bracket (2) together with the closure lid (1) the flange (5) largely covers and encompasses that the ring bracket lies closely against the container surface (7) surrounding the opening, that it is connected to the closure cover (1) by hand-tearable tabs (3) at least in its fold-up area and / or that the closure cover (1) and / or the ring bracket (2) are connected to the insert ring (6) or the container surface (7) by corresponding tabs (3a, 3b). 2. Guarantee closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the tabs (3, 3a, 3b) have predetermined breaking points (4). 3. Guarantee closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tabs (3, 3a, 3b) are under a pretension, by means of which they visibly protrude with their free end from their previous fastening point after they have been torn off. 4. guarantee closure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the _R ingbügel (2) and / or the Sealing covers (1) are connected via tabs (3b) to diametrically opposite welding strips (18), which in turn have a large-area welded connection to the flange (5) of the insert ring (6). 3. Guarantee closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that with an unopened closure of the ring bracket (2) concentrically covers the container opening and the flange (5) of the insert ring (6) surrounding bead (14) of the container. 6. Guarantee closure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the closure cover (1) is a screw cap, which has a toothing (15) under its outer support edge, which in the case of unopened closure in a counter-toothing on the surface of the flange (5th ) engages in the form of an anti-rotation device. 7. guarantee closure according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a cylindrical extension with Rastnokken (19) is arranged below the supporting edge of the closure cap (1), which in un ^g eöffnetem closure into a corresponding locking groove (20) of the insert ring ( 6) intervenes.

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