EP0588765B1 - Explosion proof bottle spout - Google Patents

Abstract

The bottle spout (1) consists of an integral piece of plastic and contains a spout tube (4) and a tubular stub (10) which is intended to protrude into the bottle interior. Between said tube and stub there is a part with a narrow, comparatively long, annular gap (2). The bottle spout (1) can be inserted into the neck of a squeeze bottle by means of an elastic ring part (8). Due to the narrow, relatively long gap (2), no spark backflash into the interior of the bottle can take place, thus ensuring that the bottle is protected against explosion in the case of flammable contents. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an explosion-proof bottle spout for flammable liquids or pastes.

Explosive fuel-air mixtures can form in bottles that are used to store flammable liquids or pastes after partial emptying. If they reach the area of an open flame, they can ignite and cause an explosion inside the bottle, which can have serious consequences.

The document DE-U-9004674 discloses an explosion-proof bottle spout for flammable liquids or pastes, as well as a suitable squeeze bottle made of plastic, the flashback or spark back into the bottle inside being avoided by means of a check valve.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, safe-acting, explosion-proof bottle spout that can be mass-produced and has no moving parts and that can be connected to conventional bottles, in particular squeeze bottles.

This object is achieved by the features mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The mode of action is based on the fact that an explosion of an explosive mixture can only take place when the ignition temperature is reached. At a temperature below this mixture-specific ignition temperature there can be no explosion. Since the pouring spout has a narrow, elongated gap, there is no flashback or spark back into the bottle interior, because the narrowed point causes a flame or spark to cool below the explosion temperature and therefore no explosion can take place, even though an ignitable mixture is present.

In addition to an annular opening, “gap” is also to be understood to mean a straight or otherwise shaped slot shape.

Fig. 1

einen Längsschnitt durch den Flaschenausguss

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt nach der Linie II-II in Figur 1

Der Flaschenausguss 1 besteht aus einem einstückigen Kunststoff-Spritzgussstück, beispielsweise aus Polyaethylen, und ist zur Befestigung in einem Flaschenhals, vorzugsweise einer Quetschflasche aus Kunststoff, bestimmt. Ein Ausgussrohr 4 enthält eine im wesentlichen zylindrische Innenwand 5. Am Grund 16 dieser Rohröffnung befindet sich ein durch einen Haltesteg 6 unterbrochener ringförmiger Spalt 2, der an seinem unteren Ende in eine durchmessergrössere Bohrung 11 eines Rohrstummels 10 einmündet. Der Spalt 2 wird innen durch einen länglichen Kern 3 begrenzt. Zwischen Kern und Umgebungswand 9 ist mindestens ein Haltesteg 6 vorhanden. Versuche haben ergeben, dass bei einer Spaltbreite von weniger als 1,3 mm, vorzugsweise 1,2 mm oder weniger, und einer Länge von mehr als 5mm, vorzugsweise 8-10 mm, die angestrebte Explosionssicherheit erreicht wird. Etwa auf der Höhe des Spaltes 2 befindet sich aussen ein von der Umgebungswand 9 radial distanzierter Ringteil 8, der oben mit einer Schulter 17 versehen ist. Zwischen diesem Ring 8 und der Umgebungswand 9 befindet sich eine ringförmige Ausnehmung 12, die sich bis nahe an den Grund 13 des Ringes 8 erstreckt. Dieser Ring 8 dient dazu in den Hals einer Flasche eingesetzt zu werden, wobei infolge der Elastizität des Ringes 8 eine Haft- oder Klemmbefestigung stattfindet. Da dieser Ring kein Gewinde aufweist, ergibt sich eine sichere Befestigung dieses Flaschenausgusses 1 im Flaschenhals, aber im unwahrscheinlichen Fall eines starken Ueberdruckes oder einer Explosion im Flascheninnern kann dieser Flaschenausguss ausgestossen werden ohne dass deswegen die Flasche selbst explodiert. Am Eingang des Spaltes 2 befindet sich auf der oberen Stirnseite des Kerns 3 eine kegelförmige Ausnehmung, welche vor dem Spalteingang eine Art Wirbelkammer 16 bildet. Die Länge der Rohrbohrung entspricht vorzugsweise mindestens der Länge des Spaltes 2; bei einer praktischen Realisation hat sich eine Länge von etwa 11 mm als zweckmässig erwiesen, um eine ausreichende Distanz von einer allfällig vorhandenen Flamme sicherzustellen.An exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawing:
Show it:

Fig. 1

a longitudinal section through the bottle spout

Fig. 2

a section along the line II-II in Figure 1

The bottle spout 1 consists of a one-piece plastic injection molding, for example made of polyethylene, and is intended for attachment in a bottle neck, preferably a plastic squeeze bottle. A pouring pipe 4 contains an essentially cylindrical inner wall 5. At the base 16 of this pipe opening there is an annular gap 2 interrupted by a holding web 6, which opens at its lower end into a larger-diameter bore 11 of a pipe stub 10. The gap 2 is delimited on the inside by an elongated core 3. At least one retaining web 6 is present between the core and the surrounding wall 9. Tests have shown that with a gap width of less than 1.3 mm, preferably 1.2 mm or less, and a length of more than 5 mm, preferably 8-10 mm, the desired explosion safety is achieved. Approximately at the level of the gap 2 there is a ring part 8 radially distanced from the surrounding wall 9, which is provided with a shoulder 17 at the top. Between this ring 8 and the surrounding wall 9 there is an annular recess 12 which extends close to the base 13 of the ring 8. This ring 8 is used to be inserted into the neck of a bottle, with an adhesive or clamping attachment taking place due to the elasticity of the ring 8. Since this ring has no thread, this bottle spout 1 is securely fastened in the bottle neck, but in the unlikely event of a strong excess pressure or an explosion inside the bottle, this bottle spout can be ejected without the bottle itself exploding. At the entrance of the gap 2 there is a conical recess on the upper end face of the core 3, which forms a kind of swirl chamber 16 in front of the gap entrance. The length of the pipe bore preferably corresponds to at least the length of the gap 2; In a practical implementation, a length of approximately 11 mm has proven to be expedient in order to ensure a sufficient distance from any flame that may be present.

The flammable liquid or paste can thus be pressed out by pressure on the bottle wall of the squeeze bottle, whereby it flows through the gap 2 and then exits through the pouring opening 5. Even if an explosive mixture should emerge from the bottle and get into the area of a pilot flame or a spark, it is not possible for a spark to flash back into the bottle at normal ambient temperature, since cooling takes place in the narrow gap 2, which extinguishes the Flame leads. The narrow gap 2, together with its relatively large length, results in a large cooling surface which prevents the ignition temperature behind the gap 2 from being reached.

Due to the relatively simple design of such a Plastic injection molding processable bottle spout 1 without moving parts, the spout of flammable and thus flammable and explosive liquids or pastes from bottles can be made explosion-proof.

Claims (8)

1. An explosion-proof bottle spout for combustible liquids or pastes,
   characterised in that the spout aperture has a gap (2) having a width narrow enough and a length long enough to prevent a spark-back into the interior of the bottle.
2. A bottle spout according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that the gap (2) has a width of less than 1.3 mm, preferably 1.2 mm, and a length of more than 5 mm, preferably at least 8 mm.
3. A bottle spout according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that the gap (2) has an annular construction, with at least one attachment rib (6) for the core (3) to a wall (9) surrounding the gap (2).
4. A bottle spout according to one of Claims 1-3,
   characterised in that it consists of a single plastic injection moulded part.
5. A bottle spout according to one of Claims 1-4,
   characterised in that a tubular part (4) of the spout is provided in front of the gap (2).
6. A bottle spout according to Claim 5,
   characterised in that the tubular part (4) of the spout has a length corresponding at least to the length of the gap.
7. A bottle spout according to one of Claims 1-6,
   characterised in that between the tube part of the spout and a tube end (10) intended to project into the interior of the bottle a ring part (8) having a larger diameter, which is intended to fit tightly in a bottle neck, is located roughly at the level of the gap (2).
8. A squeezable bottle made from plastics, in particular having a bottle spout according to one of Claims 1 - 7,
   characterised in that the bottle spout is retained by a threadless tight-fit part in the bottle neck.

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