EP0904237A1

EP0904237A1 - Container cap and container mouth

Info

Publication number: EP0904237A1
Application number: EP97916298A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Udo Bösl; Lino Dreyer
Original assignee: Crown Cork AG
Current assignee: Crown Cork AG
Priority date: 1996-05-09
Filing date: 1997-04-21
Publication date: 1999-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-21
Also published as: MY132632A; ID18171A; WO1997043188A1; ATE190029T1; CA2250886A1; AU2501997A; EP0904237B1; DE59701183D1; AR006885A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a snap-on cap or a screw cap which has a multiple thread and comprises auxiliary retention means (10) which can hold the cap in the axial direction on both sides of a container mouth (8) which is to be closed, before the cap retention elements (6) engage with the retention elements (7) on the container mouth (8) and close the latter sealingly in a leaktight position. The force (F1) required to press on the auxiliary retention means (10) is less than the closure force (F2). The auxiliary retention means (10) prevent the cap from popping off or tilting in a filling plant. Instead of the cap (1), the container mouth (8) can also be provided with auxiliary retention means (30), a conventional cap then being used.

Description

Container closure and container mouth

The invention relates to a container closure, a container and a combination of a container closure and a container according to the preamble of the independent patent claims.

Conventional closures for closing a container are placed in industrial filling systems with a high hourly output on the containers to be closed. Regardless of whether it is a snap or screw closure, the installation processes are essentially the same. The closures are issued by a so-called hopper and placed on the mouths of the rapidly passing containers by a transfer device. In a next process step, depending on the type, the closures are pressed or screwed onto the container mouth.

Due to the high speed of the passing containers, problems can arise before the closures are firmly attached. The closures can tilt when they are placed on the container mouth or, due to the high speed of the containers, jump off the container mouth before they are pressed on or screwed on.

For example, plastic snap locks have been proposed which have flexible tabs on the inside, by means of which the lock can be held on a container mouth. Because of their flexibility, however, these tabs only allow the closure to be held inadequately before it is actually placed on the container mouth; still possible.

The object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages of the known, in particular to create a container closure and / or a container which reliably prevents the container closures from jumping off or tilting in filling systems. The closures and containers according to the invention are also said to be usable without problems in conventional filling plants and to be producible in a rational manner.

According to the invention, these objects are achieved with a container closure, a container mouth and a combination of a container closure and a container mouth according to the features of the characterizing part of the independent patent claims.

A closure for a container has a closure base and a closure jacket. Retaining elements are attached to the inside of the sealing jacket and can be brought into engagement with retaining elements at the mouth of the container when the container is closed by the closure. The retaining elements can be (preferably multi-start) threads or retaining beads of a snap lock.

So that the closure in the filling system does not jump off or jam with the container mouth before it is finally screwed on or snapped open, the closure jacket also has auxiliary retaining means which can be brought into engagement with the container mouth. The retaining elements at the mouth area of the container are preferably used as retaining means - but it is also conceivable to provide additional retaining means in addition to the retaining elements at the container mouth or to simply lock the closure with the aid of the auxiliary retaining elements to press.

The auxiliary retaining elements can be brought into engagement with the container neck and / or its holding means when the closure is placed on the container, before the retaining elements of the closure come into engagement with the retaining elements of the container mouth. The auxiliary retaining elements and the retaining elements each have a stop which can be brought into engagement with a surface of the retaining elements of the container mouth. The position of the closure is thereby limited in a first intermediate position in the axial direction on both sides of the container mouth. It is essential here that the auxiliary restraining means are constructed in such a way that the force required to apply them is less than during the actual closing. If the closure is then screwed on, a pressing force acting on a closure is required for application by means of the auxiliary retaining means and a torque is required for screwing on. With this construction, the closure can be placed on the container mouth without great effort and is held there before the actual closing process (snapping or screwing) takes place. A construction with such auxiliary restraining means is particularly advantageous in the case of plastic closures with an elastic wall. The auxiliary retaining elements are snapped onto the mouth by elastic deformation of the closure jacket and / or by their own elastic deformation.

The stop of the auxiliary restraining means is arranged on its side facing the cap bottom, while the stop of the restraining means is arranged on its side facing away from the cap bottom. In the intermediate position, the retaining elements of the container mouth lie between the two stops, as a result of which the closed position is limited on both sides in the axial direction. A particularly effective stop of the auxiliary retaining means is achieved when the auxiliary retaining means are formed as a material accumulation on the inside of the sealing jacket. An accumulation of material forms a stop which, in contrast to flexible tabs, effectively opposes the closure jumping off in the intermediate position.

A particularly advantageous use of the retaining elements results in combination with snap locks. Such snap fasteners have a circumferential bead on the inside of the fastener jacket and running approximately parallel to the fastener bottom. The bead serving as a retaining element is snapped onto the container mouth via a correspondingly shaped bead when the container is closed. Thanks to the auxiliary retaining means, the snap lock can be placed on the retaining bead of the container mouth with a lower frictional connection during the attachment process before the actual snap-on. This reliably prevents the closure from jumping off or tilting.

Auxiliary restraint devices in combination with multi-start threads are similarly advantageous as restraint elements. In a first step, the screw closure provided with auxiliary retention means is snapped onto the multi-start thread and thereby positioned precisely in relation to the thread. The screw cap can then be screwed on or, in the case of a snap-on and unscrewable cap, snapped on.

The stop of the multi-start thread is formed by the thread inlet on the side of the thread facing away from the cap bottom.

When using snap locks with a shark The retaining bead preferably has interruptions. These interruptions increase the flexibility of the sealing jacket and thereby facilitate the fitting process.

A particularly simple embodiment results if projections projecting radially inwards from the inside of the closure jacket are used as auxiliary retention means. These projections can be brought into engagement with the retaining elements of the container mouth, these retaining elements fulfilling the function of the retaining means described above. The projections must be dimensioned in such a way that the force required to overcome the auxiliary restraining means is smaller than the force for the actual closing. This can happen, for example, in that the auxiliary restraint means define a larger inner diameter than the restraint elements. A similar result is achieved with projections that only extend over a small angular range. In addition, it is conceivable to make the projections so thin that they can snap flexibly over the retaining bead at the container mouth.

A particularly favorable exemplary embodiment results if the retaining bead of a snap closure has interruptions, an auxiliary retaining means in the form of a protruding projection being fitted in alignment with one of these recesses. The projections, so that they come into engagement with the retaining elements on the container mouth before the retaining bead, must be arranged between the retaining bead and the free end of the closure jacket. The auxiliary retention means are preferably arranged adjacent to the free edge of the closure jacket. This results in a material-saving construction of the closure.

In order to reliably avoid tilting of the closure before the actual fitting process, the auxiliary Restraint means are preferably arranged axially symmetrically over the circumference of the closure jacket, at least two and preferably approximately four to six auxiliary restraint means in the form of projections being used.

Similar advantageous forms of training result in connection with a screw cap.

From a manufacturing point of view, the simplest are auxiliary retaining means which, like the retaining elements, are attached to the inside of the closure jacket and which interact with the retaining elements of a container. However, it is conceivable to achieve the same result with other auxiliary restraining means which can be brought into engagement with holding means provided specifically for this purpose at the mouth of the container. For example, closures with an inner seal on the inner seal can be provided with auxiliary retaining means which can be brought into engagement with retaining means on the inside of the container mouth.

A similar behavior during the fitting process can also be achieved if, instead of auxiliary retaining means on the closure, auxiliary retaining means are provided in the area of a container mouth. In this case, analog embodiments as in the closure described above lead to particularly advantageous results. The auxiliary retention means can be designed as projections protruding from the outer surface of the container mouth. The projections are arranged between the edge of the container mouth and the retaining elements of the container mouth (ie between a retaining bead or the top of a thread and the edge of the container mouth). So that the force required to apply the auxiliary retaining means is less than the closing force or the closing torque, the auxiliary retaining means (in the preferred embodiment, the outward protruding projections). A simple design results if the projections define an outer diameter on the container mouth which is smaller than the outer diameter defined by the retaining elements of the container.

The stop of the auxiliary retaining means of the container mouth is in this case arranged on the side of the projections facing away from the container opening. The stop of the retaining elements of the container mouth is formed by the side of the retaining elements facing the container opening.

The size of the adhesion can also be defined by the angular range over which the auxiliary restraint means, i.e. the projections extend. The smaller the segments, the smaller the force required to press them on.

Due to the generally higher material strength of the container mouth compared to the closure, the retaining bead should preferably be formed all the way round. The arrangement of recesses (as in the case of the closure) would bring no great advantages apart from saving material. For this reason, the auxiliary retaining means (projections) can be arranged as desired in relation to the container in the case of a continuous circumferential retaining bead. However, it is also advisable in this case to arrange at least two, preferably four to six, projections, preferably axially symmetrically to the container axis.

An essential basic idea of the invention is therefore that, apart from the retaining elements on a closure and a container mouth, which allow the closure to be fastened on the container mouth, auxiliary retaining means are arranged on the closure and / or the container mouth, which are attached to the container with retaining means Container mouth and / or the closure can be brought into engagement. In this case, the auxiliary retaining means must engage with the retaining means in an intermediate position before the retaining elements of the closure and the container mouth come into engagement with one another. The retaining elements and the auxiliary retaining means each have a stop which holds the closure in this intermediate position on both sides in the axial direction on the container mouth. The two stops are in the intermediate position on both sides of the holding means and thus limit the axial movement of the closure. The engagement of the auxiliary restraining means should also advantageously be designed in such a way that the force required for the application is less than the closing force or the closing torque.

In a method for closing a container mouth with a closure, the closure is placed on the container mouth in a first step and fastened thereon in an intermediate position. A first press-on force is used to fasten the closure in this intermediate position.

In the intermediate position, the locking position is limited on both sides in the axial direction.

In a second process step, the closure is pressed into a second, sealing position with a second pressing force (or a screwing torque). The first contact force is chosen to be smaller than the second contact force. The fact that the closure is already held in the intermediate position on the container mouth reliably prevents the closure from jumping or tilting before the second pressing force is applied.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings and in exemplary embodiments. Show it: 1 shows a closure according to the invention, which with the

Auxiliary restraint is held in an intermediate position on a container (in cross section),

FIG. 2 shows a closure according to FIG. 1, which is firmly placed on a container in a sealing position,

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of a closure according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a container mouth according to the invention with a closure placed in an intermediate position, in cross section,

Figure 5 is a plan view of a container mouth according to the invention, and

Figure 6 shows a modified embodiment with a multi-start thread.

Figure 1 shows a closure 1 according to the invention, which is placed in an intermediate position P1 on a container mouth 8 of a container 2. The closure has a closure base 3 and an attached, downwardly extending closure casing 4. Retaining elements 6 are attached to the inside of the closure jacket 4 and can be brought into engagement with retaining elements 7 on the outside of the container mouth 8. The retaining elements 6 on the inside 5 of the closure jacket 4 are formed by a circumferential bead which runs approximately parallel to the closure base 3. The bead is interrupted by individual interruptions 17, which increase the flexibility of the closure jacket 4. The retaining elements 7 of the container mouth 8 are also formed by a circumferential bead on the outside of the container mouth 8. The closure 1 has auxiliary retaining means 10 on the inside, which can also be brought into engagement with the retaining elements 7 on the container mouth 8. The auxiliary retention means 10 are designed as projections projecting radially inwards from the inside 5 of the closure jacket 4. The auxiliary restraint means have a stop 13 which is arranged on its side facing the cap base 3. The retaining elements 6 have a stop 14 on their side facing away from the cap base 3. The retaining elements 7 of the container mouth 8 lie in the intermediate position P1 between the two stop surfaces 13, 14 of the auxiliary retaining means 10 and the retaining elements 6. The projections are solid, so that the stop 13 enables the closure to be reliably held axially on the container mouth. In FIG. 1, the closure 1 is held in the intermediate position P1 on the container mouth 8 by the auxiliary retaining means 10. The auxiliary retention means 10, ie the inwardly projecting projections are arranged adjacent to the lower edge of the closure 1, so that when the closure 1 is placed on a container mouth in front of the retention elements 6 it engages with the retention elements 7 of the container mouth 8 to step. The auxiliary retaining means 10 define a free inner diameter that is larger than the free inner diameter defined by the retaining elements 6. The force required to release the auxiliary restraining means 10 is therefore less than the actual closing force.

FIG. 2 shows the closure from FIG. 1, which is placed completely on a container mouth 8 in a sealing position P2. Since the retaining elements 6 of the closure 1 define a smaller free inner diameter than the auxiliary retention means 10, the closure 1 in the position shown in FIG. 2 is held more firmly on the container mouth 8 than in the position shown in FIG. The position in Figure 1 only serves to temporarily open the closure to hold the container mouth 8, so that jumping or tilting is avoided. In the position shown in FIG. 1, however, the container is not sealed.

The stop 13 of the auxiliary restraining means 10 is no longer required in the sealing position P2. However, it is conceivable to re-close containers once opened with the closure by using only a small pressing force to bring the closure back into the intermediate position. Sealing reclosing is not possible, but the container mouth can be protected against dirt or against the penetration of insects.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the closure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Retaining elements 6 in the form of a circumferential bead are attached to the inside 5 of the closure jacket 4. The bead is interrupted by five interruptions 17, which increases the flexibility and extensibility of the closure jacket 4. An auxiliary restraining means 10 in the form of an inwardly projecting projection is fitted in each of the interruptions 17. The auxiliary restraint means 10 are dimensioned such that the free inside diameter defined by them is smaller than the free inside diameter defined by the restraining elements 6. The five auxiliary restraining means 10 (like the interruptions 17) are distributed axially symmetrically to the closure axis via the closure jacket 4.

FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment with the features of the invention. A container mouth which can be closed with a conventional snap closure has auxiliary retaining means 30 on its upper edge 21. When a conventional snap lock is put on, the lock can be engaged with the retaining elements 6 without great force using its auxiliary retaining means 30 of the container mouth 8 are brought. The auxiliary retaining means 30 are designed as projections projecting radially outwards, the outer diameter of which is smaller than the outer diameter defined by the retaining elements 7 of the container mouth 8. The auxiliary restraint means 30 have a stop 34 which is arranged on its side facing away from the container opening. A circumferential bead is used as retaining elements 7, which has a stop 33 on its side facing the container opening. The auxiliary retaining means 30 are attached between the retaining elements 7 and the upper edge 21 of the container mouth 8.

Similar to a closure according to the invention, an axially symmetrical arrangement of the auxiliary restraining means 30 is also advantageous in a container mouth 8 according to the invention. FIG. 5 shows a top view of a container mouth 8, in which four auxiliary retaining means 30 in the form of projections projecting outward are arranged axially symmetrically. The auxiliary restraining means 30 define a smaller outer diameter than the restraining elements 7.

FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a closure according to the invention on a container mouth 8. Instead of a snap closure, a closure with a multi-start thread is shown here. The closure 1 has on its lower edge an auxiliary retaining means 10 which engages with the threads 36 of the container mouth 8 before the threads 16 of the closure come into engagement with the threads 36 of the container mouth 8. When the closure 1 is placed on the container mouth, the auxiliary restraining means 10 first engage with the uppermost portion of the thread 36 and are held on the container mouth 8 with a relatively low adhesion. The closure 1 can then be screwed tight with conventional screw-on heads or, in the case of a snap-on and unscrewable closure be pushed open.

Of course, an embodiment with auxiliary retention means at the container mouth 8 is also conceivable for closures with threads.

Claims

claims

1. closure (1) for a container (2), with a closure base (3) and a closure jacket (4), which has on its inside (5) at least one retaining element (6) which is used to close the container (2 ) can be brought into engagement and closed by the closure (1) with at least one retaining element (7) at the container mouth (8),

wherein the closure (1) has at least one auxiliary retaining means (10) which, when the closure (1) is placed on the container (2) with the container mouth (8), in particular the retaining element (7) at the container mouth (8) can be brought into engagement before the retaining element (6) of the closure (2) engages with the retaining element (7) of the container (2), characterized in that the auxiliary retaining means (10) and the retaining elements ( 7) each have a stop (13, 14) which can be brought into engagement with the retaining elements 7 of the container mouth (8) in such a way that the position of the closure (1) in the axial direction is limited on both sides of the container mouth (8) .

2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element (6) of the closure (1) from a, from the inner surface (5) of the closure jacket (4) projecting radially inward, approximately parallel to the closure bottom (3) There is a bead, the stop (14) being arranged on the side of the bead facing away from the cap base (3).

3. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that a multi-thread on the inside (5) of the closure jacket (4) is provided as the retaining element (6) is, the stop being formed by the thread inlet on the side of the thread facing away from the cap base.

4. Closure according to claim 2, characterized in that the circumferential bead has interruptions (17).

5. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that auxiliary retention means (10) are formed by projections projecting radially inwards from the inner surface (5) of the closure jacket (4), the stop (13) of the auxiliary retention means (10) is arranged on the side of the projections facing the cap base (3).

6. Closure according to claim 4, characterized in that an auxiliary restraining means (10) is arranged in one of the interruptions (17).

7. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the auxiliary retaining means (10) are arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the axis of the container closure.

8. Container mouth (8) with an opening (20) and an edge (21) surrounding the opening (20), and a peripheral outer surface (22) which extends downward from the edge (21) and which has at least one retaining element ( 7), which can be brought into engagement with at least one retaining element (6) of a closure (1) for closing the container mouth (8), wherein

the container mouth (8) has at least one auxiliary retaining means (30) which engages with retaining means (31), preferably the retaining element (6), of the closure (1) when the closure is applied can be brought before the retaining element (7) of the container mouth (8) engages with the retaining element (6) of the closure (1), characterized in that the auxiliary retaining means (30) and the retaining elements (7) Each have a stop (34, 33) which can be brought into engagement with the retaining elements (6) of the closure in such a way that the position of the closure (6) is limited on both sides in the axial direction on the container mouth (8).

9. container mouth (8) according to claim 8, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the retaining elements (7) consist of a, from the outer surface (22) radially outwardly projecting, circumferential and approximately parallel to the edge (21) extending bead, the Stop (33) of the retaining elements (7) is arranged on the side of the retaining elements (7) facing the container mouth.

10. container mouth (8) according to claim 8, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the retaining elements (7) consist of a preferably multi-start thread on the outer surface (22) of the container mouth (8), the stop

(33) is formed by the side of the retaining elements facing the container mouth.

11. The container mouth (8) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the auxiliary retaining means (30) are formed by projections projecting radially outward from the outer surface (22), the stop

(34) of the auxiliary retention means (30) is arranged on the side of the auxiliary retention means (30) facing away from the container opening.

12. Container mouth according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the at least two, preferably four to six auxiliary restraining means (30) axially are arranged symmetrically to the axis of the container mouth (8).

13. Combination of a closure (1) and a container mouth (8) which can be closed by the closure (1),

the closure having a closure bottom (3), a closure jacket (4) and retaining elements on the inside (5),

and wherein the container mouth (8) has an opening (20), an edge (21) surrounding the opening and an outer surface (22) which extends downward from the edge (21) and is provided with at least one retaining element (7),

wherein the retaining element (6) of the closure for closing the container mouth (8) can be brought into engagement with the retaining element (7) of the container mouth (8),

and wherein the closure (1) and / or the container mouth (8) have auxiliary retention means (10, 30) which, when the closure is put on, with holding means (11, 31) of the container mouth (8) and / or the closure (1) can be brought into engagement before the retaining elements (7) of the container engage with the retaining elements (6) of the closure, characterized in that the auxiliary retaining elements (10, 30) and one of the retaining elements (6, 7) unite Have stop (13, 14; 33, 34) which can be brought into engagement with the other of the retaining elements (7, 6) of the container mouth (8) in such a way that the position of the closure (1) in the axial direction on both sides is limited on the container mouth (8).

14. Combination according to claim 13, characterized in that the container mouth (8) is provided with auxiliary retaining means (30).

15. Combination according to claim 13, characterized in that the closure (1) is provided with auxiliary retaining means (10).

16. Combination according to claim 14, characterized in that the holding means (31) by the retaining elements

(6) of the closure (1) are formed.

17. Combination according to claim 15, characterized in that the holding means (11) by the retaining elements

(7) the container mouth (8) are formed.

18. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the auxiliary retaining means (10) is arranged such that the pressing force required for its application is smaller than the force required for closing the closure.

19. The container mouth according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the auxiliary retaining means (30) is arranged in such a way that the pressing force required to apply it is less than the force required to close the closure.

20. Combination according to one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that the auxiliary retaining means (10, 30) are arranged in such a way that the pressing force required for its application is smaller than the force required for closing the closure.

21. A method for closing a container mouth (8) with a closure (1), characterized by the following Steps :

Placing the closure (1) on the container mouth (8) in an intermediate position (Pl) by means of a first pressing force (FI), the closure in the intermediate position (Pl) being limited on both sides in the axial direction.

Pressing on the closure in a sealing position (2) by means of a second pressing force (F2), the second pressing force (F2) being greater than the first pressing force (FI).