EP0777776A1

EP0777776A1 - Container for a laundry treatment agent

Info

Publication number: EP0777776A1
Application number: EP95929869A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rainer Bergner
Original assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 1994-08-22
Filing date: 1995-08-14
Publication date: 1997-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 2015-08-14
Also published as: DE4429774C1; ATE213791T1; DE59510081D1; ES2173191T3; WO1996006214A1; PT777776E; EP0777776B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a container (1) for a laundry treatment agent, in particular a washing powder (3), to be placed in a washing machine. During the course of a washing process, the laundry treatment agent is dispensed from the container (1) into the suds. The container (1) comprises a wall (6, 7). In order to attenuate the noises caused by the container hitting the washing drum when it is inside the washing machine, the container wall (6, 7) has slot-like apertures (8), each aperture (8) terminating at its ends in the container wall (6, 7).

Description

'Container for holding a laundry treatment agent'

The invention relates to a container for holding a laundry treatment agent, in particular a washing powder, for introducing it into a washing machine and for dispensing the laundry treatment agent into the wash liquor during a washing process, the container having a container wall, which in particular consists of a Container side wall and a container bottom there.

Such containers have already become known in many forms in the prior art. For this, z. For example, reference is made to French Offenlegungsschrift 2570720, European Patent Application 261713 and German Offenlegungsschrift 3804665.

Even if such containers have proven useful for introducing a laundry treatment agent, in particular washing powder, but possibly also a liquid detergent, they can be improved with regard to the noises which the container in the washing machine causes when it strikes the washing drum. In this context, it has also already been proposed to manufacture such a container from a textile material or to enclose it with a textile material. On the one hand, such containers are relatively complex to produce, on the other hand, the dispensing of the detergent during the washing process or the acceptance by a user is not always satisfactory.

On the basis of the above-described prior art, the invention is concerned with the technical problem of reducing the noise development during the washing process in a container of the type mentioned which can be produced inexpensively. According to the invention, this technical problem is solved in that the container wall has slit-like openings, with an opening running out at both ends g in the container wall.

According to the invention it has been recognized that it is possible in such a container to hold z. B. washing powder slot-like openings, without affecting the use properties of the container. It is readily possible to provide the slit-like openings only in such a size or width that the washing powder filled does not run out or practically does not run out. In terms of production technology, the slot width can easily be reduced to 0.2 mm. However, especially for dust-free detergent granules, slot widths close to the smallest grain diameter can also be selected. On the other hand, there is even a desirable improvement in the properties of the container in that wash liquor can also enter the container through the slot-like openings during the washing process and in addition to the usual opening. It is essential to the object of the invention that a drum effect occurring in known containers is suppressed in the container according to the invention by the slot-like openings. The vibration behavior of the container has changed fundamentally, so that the structure-borne noise cannot develop or propagate significantly. Another advantage lies in the considerably lower manufacturing costs compared to containers with or made of textile material.

The slot-like openings can be formed in different areas of the container. They are preferably provided in the side wall of the container and / or in the bottom of the container. For noise reduction, it is particularly preferred that the openings are arranged exclusively in the transition from the bottom of the container into the side wall of the container. Further breakthroughs are not necessary, but can also be provided. Said transition can be designed, for example, as an edge, rounded corner, radius or other part of the container which stiffens the shape and can lie, for example, between a side wall of the container and the bottom of the container. The alignment of the openings is preferably such that an opening in the container base is oriented on a radial. An opening in a side wall of the container is preferably oriented on a vertical. Furthermore, it is also preferred that the openings are designed to overlap one another. This means that, for example, a first opening runs over a certain length in a side wall and a second opening, which is offset essentially parallel to it, starts before the first opening runs out and then extends vertically or beyond a transition beyond one End of the first breakthrough. This is particularly preferred with regard to openings which extend on the one hand essentially in a container side wall and on the other hand essentially in the container bottom. The overlap can be achieved in that one of the openings also penetrates the wall transition, as mentioned above, while the other opening runs out before the wall transition.

The container has an opening through which the laundry treatment agent, in particular the washing powder, can be filled into the container. In this context, it is preferred that the slit-like perforations run out in front of an edge of the mouth which surrounds or forms the opening.

An increased strength of the container against the mechanical loads during the washing process is achieved with minimal use of material if the thickness of the side wall of the container is greater in the edge area than in the rest of the area and is in particular 0.8 to 1.5 mm. For the same reason, a thickness of the container base of 0.8 to 1.2 mm is also preferred.

An opening further preferably has blunt ends. To reduce the tendency to break caused by sharp-edged corners, it is particularly advantageous if an opening has rounded ends, the radius of curvature at the ends being in particular half the width of the opening. Furthermore, the invention proposes that an opening is interrupted along its length by intermediate webs, the distances between which are in particular 0.5 to 5 mm. The thickness of the intermediate webs is essentially uninfluenced areas of the other container wall. A width of an intermediate web can correspond approximately to the width of a slot-like opening or can be a little larger or smaller. In absolute terms, this can e.g. B. be a width of 0.1 to 1 mm.

In detail, the container can also have an oval shape. A container as in question here can initially be manufactured in one piece, in particular in the shell-like or spherical form. However, it is also possible to manufacture such a container in two parts, the division plane being given by a plane perpendicular to the opening plane and the opening penetrating approximately centrally. This is particularly preferred in connection with a container which has the addressed oval shape. This has the advantage that a z. B. half-shell produced by injection molding up to the parting plane with openings in a sufficiently dense arrangement. The two half-shells are connected to each other by locking elements or by gluing or welding. The two half-shells can already be connected by a film hinge on the manufacturing side. The undivided containers can also preferably be produced by injection molding.

A highly transparent container, which is resistant to at least 100 washing cycles even when exposed to washing temperatures of 95 ° C. in the presence of surfactants, preferably consists of a block copolyethylene.

The slit-like openings mentioned in the context of this invention can also be designed such that they are not actual openings in the sense of a passage opening. They can be closed, for example, by a thin film, for example with the thickness of a film joint. A significant reduction in the wall thickness in the area of the opening compared to the uninfluenced is essential Wall thickness and a sound wave attenuation or sound wave interruption achieved thereby.

The invention is further explained below with reference to drawings, which, however, only represent exemplary embodiments. Show here

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a container with openings according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the container according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the container according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the container according to FIG. 1,

5 shows a section through the container according to FIG. 1 along the line V-V in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 shows a perspective illustration of a second embodiment of the container,

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the container according to FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 shows a representation according to FIG. 7 with the container halves not yet assembled,

FIG. 9 shows a detailed representation of an alternative breakthrough design,

FIG. 10 shows a partial representation of a container wall with openings with intermediate webs,

FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal section through a container according to a third, particularly preferred embodiment, FIG. 12 the view X according to FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 shows a plan view of the container according to FIG. 11,

FIG. 14 shows a longitudinal section through the upper region of the container according to FIGS. 11 and

Figure 15 is a side view of this container.

Shown and described is a container 1 for holding a laundry treatment agent, in particular a washing powder 3. However, it is also possible to fill a liquid detergent into such a container 1, in particular a liquid detergent of high viscosity. Such a container 1 is placed after the laundry treatment agent has been poured into the washing machine, the laundry treatment agent being released from the container 1 into the wash liquor in the course of a washing process. The water or the wash liquor can penetrate into the container 1 through the opening 2 and dissolve and rinse out the washing powder 3 contained therein.

The container shown is designed as a whole cup-shaped, with a retracted upper edge region 4, which ends in a mouth edge 5. In detail, the bottom of the container is formed with a circular plan. The container side wall is cylindrical with transitions rounded in cross section to the mouth edge 5 or to the container bottom 7. The transitions can be semicircular or quarter-circular. It is essential that a retraction, which is illustrated in FIG. 1 by the dimension e, of the mouth edge 5 is chosen to be relatively small compared to a container side wall 6. With regard to the diameter in the cylindrical region of the container side walls 6, the dimension e can amount to approximately 5%, for example.

It is essential that slot-like openings 8 are formed in the container side wall 6 as well as in the container bottom 7. The slot-like openings 8 are oriented vertically in the container side wall 6, while they are oriented radially in the container bottom 7. Individual openings 8, such as in particular the openings 8 ' - 7 -

and 8 "in FIG. 2, penetrate a wall transition, in the embodiment example between the container side wall 6 and the container bottom 7. The breakthrough 8 'and 8" also change their orientation when the wall transition is implemented. They change from an initially radial orientation in the container base 7 to a vertical orientation in the side wall 6.

The slot-like openings 8 run out at both ends, at a first end 9 and a second end 10, in the container wall 6 and 7 respectively or begin there. They do not run up to a mouth edge 11. Rather, the entire mouth edge 5 remains unenforced. It is preferred that the ends 9 and 10 are formed to run out bluntly. For example, they can be rounded.

It can be seen from the top view according to FIG. 3 that the slot-like openings 8 formed in the container bottom 7 all begin only at a distance a from the center of the container bottom. Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, the ends 9, 9 "etc. of the slot-like openings 8 in the container base 7 are oriented on a circular line 12.

It is also important, as can be seen in particular from FIGS. 4 and 5, that the slot-like openings 8 are arranged to overlap one another. A slot-like opening 8 ' ¹ ' formed in the side wall of the container runs, for example, to the end point 9 ' ¹ ' in FIG. 4, while the slot-like opening 8 "" extending from the container bottom 7 overlaps. It is essential that the overlap area is formed in the area of the wall transition.

In the illustration in FIG. 10 it is indicated that a slot-like opening 8 may in turn be interrupted by transverse webs 20 with regard to their longitudinal extension. The transverse webs 20 have an advantageous effect with regard to a further desired overall stability of the container 1, 1 '. The width of the transverse webs 20 can be oriented, for example, on a width of the slot-like openings 8 and in absolute dimensions range between 0.1 and 1.0 mm. The distance between the transverse webs 20 of an opening is preferably 0.5 to 5 cm.

The container 1 'according to FIG. 6 has an oval shape. Furthermore, the container 1 'is composed of two half-shells 13, 14. A parting plane runs essentially vertically and passes through an opening plane approximately in the middle. In the embodiment, the division plane is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the oval-shaped plan.

Otherwise, the slot-like openings 8 also run in this embodiment, as described in principle above. It is essential that the openings 8 can run to the parting plane of the half-shells 13, 14, ie. H. can run open in the parting line. A sufficiently dense arrangement is advantageous.

It can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 8 that the two half-shells 13 and 14 can be latched to one another by means of latching elements 15, 16 and latching recesses 17, 18. Deviating from this, a film joint connection between the two half-shells can also be provided from the outset, if appropriate additionally. The half-shells can also be glued or welded to one another.

It can be seen from the illustration in FIG. 9 that the openings 8 can also be closed by a film-joint-like (in terms of thickness) connection 19. An opening 8 is formed here only by a significant reduction in the wall thickness s of the otherwise closed container wall . The wall thickness s of the container wall has a thickness in the area of an opening 8, for example corresponding to a plastic film joint. While the wall thickness s is, for example, 1 or 1.5 mm, a thickness d of the connection 19 is, for example, 0.01 mm to 0.1 mm. The slot width b can preferably be between 0.2 and 0.6 mm. This also applies to the slot-like openings 8, as described above, that is to say with a complete opening. FIGS. 11 to 15 show a third embodiment of the container according to the invention. Here, as in the other drawings, the same reference symbols have the same meaning and may only be mentioned once. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 11, it is a container with a cylindrical symmetrical shape. The upwardly conically opening lower region of the container merges into an annular upper edge region 4, which narrows slightly towards the top. All transitions in this upper edge area are rounded, as FIG. 14 clearly shows. The edge region 4, which is reinforced with respect to the wall region of the container side wall 6, is also clearly recognizable.

During the manufacture of the container, the lower region of the container with the lower edge region on the one hand and the upper edge region on the other hand are produced in a plastic injection molding process and then welded together along the dividing line 20 (FIG. 15).

The conically opening side wall of the container according to this embodiment enables these cups to be stacked.

Another advantage of this container is that the perforations, in this case in the form of slots, are made exclusively in the transition from the container base 7 to the container side wall 6. Experiments have shown that these openings alone are sufficient to achieve the desired low noise level. Furthermore, the rounding of the ends of the openings is particularly advantageous. Such a rounded end can be seen particularly clearly in the enlargement of FIG. 11. The radius of curvature here is equal to half the width of the opening. The outer longitudinal edge of the openings is also rounded, as shown in FIG.

The roundings reduce the tendency to break, which can emanate from sharp corners and edges and also reduce the risk of injury at such sharp edges and corners. To facilitate dosing, a scale is attached to the outside of the container (Figure 15).

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, the drawing and the claims can be of importance both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the invention. All the features disclosed are essential to the invention. The disclosure content of the associated / attached priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby also included in full in the disclosure of the application.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Container (1) for receiving a laundry treatment agent, in particular a washing powder (3), for introduction into a washing machine, the laundry treatment agent being dispensed from the container (1) into the wash liquor during a washing process, the container (1) has a container wall (6, 7), which consists in particular of a container side wall (6) and a container bottom (7), characterized in that the container wall (6, 7) has slot-like openings (8), an opening (8) runs out at both ends in the container wall (6, 7).

2. Container according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that an opening (8) in a container side wall (6) is formed.

3. Container according to one of the preceding claims, that a breakthrough (8) is formed in a container bottom (7).

4. Container according to one of the preceding claims, that the openings (8) are arranged exclusively in the transition from the bottom of the container (7) into the side wall of the container (6).

5. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an opening (8) passes through an edge-like wall transition such as between the container side wall (6) and the container bottom (7).

6. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, that a breakthrough (8) in the container base (7) is oriented on a radial.

7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, that a breakthrough (8) in the container side wall (6) is oriented on a vertical.

8. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that openings (8, 8 ', 8 ¹¹ ) are formed overlapping.

9. Container according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that an opening (8) runs out in front of a mouth edge (5).

10. Container according to one of the preceding claims, that the upper edge region (4) has a greater wall thickness than the remaining region of the container side wall (6).

11. Container according to the preceding claim, g e k e n n z e i c h n e t d u r c h a thickness of the container side wall (6) in the edge region (4) of 0.8 to 1.5 mm.

12. Container according to one of the preceding claims, g e k e n n z e i c h n e t d u r c h a thickness of the container bottom (7) of 0.8 to 1.2 mm.

13. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an opening (8) is formed by a significant reduction in the wall thickness (s) of the otherwise closed container wall.

14. Container according to one of the preceding claims, that the wall thickness (s) of the container wall in the region of an opening (8) has a thickness (d) corresponding to a plastic film joint.

15. Container according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that an opening (8) has butt ends (9, 10).

16. A container according to the preceding claim, that a breakthrough (8) has rounded ends, the radius of curvature at the ends being in particular half the width of the breakthrough.

17. Container according to one of the preceding claims, that a breakthrough (8) is interrupted by intermediate webs (20), the spacing of which from one another is in particular 0.5 to 5 cm.

18. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, that the container (1 ') has an oval plan.

19. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container (l ¹ ) is formed in two parts.

20. Container according to one of the preceding claims, that the container (1 ') is divided along a vertical, a division plane penetrating an opening plane in the middle.

21. container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container (1, 1 ') is produced by plastic injection molding.

22. Container according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the container consists of a block co-polypropylene.