EP0954487B1 - Fermetures aerees - Google Patents

Fermetures aerees Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0954487B1
EP0954487B1 EP97912337A EP97912337A EP0954487B1 EP 0954487 B1 EP0954487 B1 EP 0954487B1 EP 97912337 A EP97912337 A EP 97912337A EP 97912337 A EP97912337 A EP 97912337A EP 0954487 B1 EP0954487 B1 EP 0954487B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
closure
venting
combination
converter
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP97912337A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0954487A1 (fr
Inventor
Michel Boulang
Philippe Davous
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Greif International Holding BV
Original Assignee
Koninklijke Emballage Industrie Van Leer BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB9624036.1A external-priority patent/GB9624036D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB9703311.2A external-priority patent/GB9703311D0/en
Application filed by Koninklijke Emballage Industrie Van Leer BV filed Critical Koninklijke Emballage Industrie Van Leer BV
Publication of EP0954487A1 publication Critical patent/EP0954487A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0954487B1 publication Critical patent/EP0954487B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D51/16—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas
    • B65D51/1605—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas whereby the interior of the container is maintained in permanent gaseous communication with the exterior
    • B65D51/1622—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas whereby the interior of the container is maintained in permanent gaseous communication with the exterior by means of a passage for the escape of gas between the closure and the lip of the container mouth
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D51/16—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas
    • B65D51/1605—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas whereby the interior of the container is maintained in permanent gaseous communication with the exterior
    • B65D51/1616—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas whereby the interior of the container is maintained in permanent gaseous communication with the exterior by means of a filter

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for providing a vented closure for a container and it particularly relates to venting members for container-closure combinations.
  • a known type of container-closure combination has complimentary, non-gas tight features by which the closure may be removeably attached to close the container and a sealing member to form a fluid-tight seal between the closure and the container; such a combination is illustrated by Document CH-A-357330.
  • Liquid containers can become over or under pressurised and the container damaged, such as by ballooning or crushing, depending on the liquid to be contained and the ambient temperatures.
  • One solution is to make the container strong enough to resist such changes, another solution is to fit the container with a gas vent.
  • the choice of solution is mainly an economic one, depending upon whether or not it is cheaper to make the container stronger or to fit a gas vent.
  • Document WO-A-95/26913 discloses a cap lining for bi-directional venting from the interior of a container to the ambient atmosphere through openings existing between the spiral screw threads of the cap closure and threads of the container neck; the only seal disclosed between the cap and the container is that provided by compression of the cap lining plies.
  • a method of converting a sealed container-closure combination to a vented container-closure combination comprises adding a venting converter to by-pass the sealing member and form a liquid-tight, gas-venting seal between the closure and the container and provide a venting gas path from the inside of the container through the venting converter to atmosphere via the complimentary closure and container features.
  • a venting converter is fitted as a liquid-tight, gas-venting seal between the closure and the container, the converter being shaped and configured to by-pass the sealing member of the container-closure combination; whereby, in use, a venting gas path is provided from the inside of the container through the venting member to atmosphere via the complimentary closure and container features.
  • a liquid container can be economically provided with a gas vent according to the present invention; no modification of the container or closure being required, simply by the provision of a suitable venting converter and taking advantage of the potential gas flow path already present between the closure and container attachment features.
  • the venting member is microporous; for example a microporous membrane.
  • microporous membranes for vented closures are that they work at zero differential pressures and are bi-directional; i.e. they vent gases in both directions, in and out of a container.
  • the main disadvantage of such use of microporous membranes is that their operating efficiency is severely reduced when wetted by a liquid, such that the membrane hardly works at all.
  • the closure is a cap having an integral sealing member and the container has a neck, the cap and neck having the complimentary features;
  • the venting converter is an insert for the cap shaped to generally conform to the inner shape of the closure cap and sealing member; whereby the venting converter can, in use, by-pass the sealing member.
  • Gas flow means may be provided between the insert and the cap.
  • the sealing member is a sealing flange depending from the cap;
  • the insert has a corrugated rim portion with two concentric peripheral grooves respectively opening upwards, to accommodate and by-pass the cap sealing flange, and downwards, to accommodate the rim of the container neck .
  • the present invention also includes a venting converter for a sealed container-closure combination as claimed in claim 12.
  • a microporous membrane vented closure 10 consists of a generally circular insert 12 moulded from a suitable rigid plastics material, such as LDPE, to generally conform to the inner shape of a container cap 14.
  • the insert 12 has a central aperture 16 with an air-side, surrounding, axially upwardly extending, cylindrical lip 18 and a radially extending liquid-side rim 20.
  • the rim 20 has a liquid-side, surrounding, axially downwardly extending, cylindrical rib 22.
  • the aperture 16 is closed on the liquid-side by a microporous membrane 24, for example of "GORETEX®", that is bonded, such as by welding, within the rib 22 to the rim 20 to form a liquid seal therewith.
  • the membrane 24 is protected on the liquid-side by a moulded plastic cup 26, having cylindrical upper part the external diameter of which is an interference, liquid-tight fit within a liquid-side, axially extending, cylindrical, outer rib 30, that co-axially surrounds rib 22.
  • the cup 26 has an external, radially outwardly extending flange that acts as a stop against the rim of rib 30, to control the depth of insertion of the cup upper part.
  • the cup 26 has a hemispherically-shaped bottom part that is provided with a central port 28; the port 28 is dimensioned so that it can act as a capillary port, using the surface tension of a liquid to be contained in the container act to prevent that liquid from normally entering the cup.
  • Outer rib 30 is an integral part of and depends from a dished central portion 32 of the insert 12 that flares upwardly and outwardly from lip 18 to a corrugated rim portion 34.
  • the rim portion 34 has two concentric peripheral grooves 36 and 38 respectively opening upwards, to accommodate an integral sealing flange 40 that depends within the container cap 14, and downwards, to accommodate the rim 42 of a container neck 44.
  • the air-side, cap facing surface of insert 12 is roughened and the dished central portion is provided with integral ribs 46 extending radially to the rim portion 34.
  • the vented closure 10 comprising insert 12 with membrane 24 and cup 26 is fitted within a conventional container cap 14 and the whole assembly is screwed onto the neck 44 of a container 48.
  • Gases within the container 48 can vent:-
  • a sealing ring 58 is located between the neck rim 42 and the insert groove 38 to seal the insert with the container; as the insert, perforce, by-passes the cap's integral sealing flange 40.
  • This complex gas passage effectively forms a labyrinth seal on the air-side of the microporous diaphragm; thus;
  • a non-vented cap-closure can readily and simply be converted to a vented closure by by-passing the existing sealing member within a conventional container cap 14 with insert 12, including membrane 24 and cup 26; provided that there is a sufficient gas leakage path between the cap and neck threads.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Procédé pour convertir une combinaison conteneur-fermeture étanche en une combinaison conteneur-fermeture aérée, la combinaison ayant des caractéristiques (52, 54) complémentaires, non-étanches aux gaz, par lesquelles la fermeture (10) peut être attachée de façon amovible pour fermer le conteneur (48) et un élément d'étanchéité (40) pour former un joint étanche aux fluides entre la fermeture et le conteneur ; caractérisé par l'ajout d'un convertisseur d'aération (12) pour contourner l'élément d'étanchéité (40) et former un joint de décharge de gaz, étanche aux liquides, entre la fermeture (10) et le conteneur (48) et pour fournir un trajet de gaz de décharge depuis l'intérieur du conteneur à travers le convertisseur d'aération, en passant par le joint étanche aux liquides, jusqu'à l'atmosphère via les caractéristiques complémentaires (52, 54) du conteneur et de la fermeture.
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le convertisseur d'aération (12) est microporeux.
  3. Combinaison conteneur-fermeture ayant des caractéristiques (52, 54) complémentaires, non-étanches aux gaz, par lesquelles la fermeture (10) peut être attachée de façon amovible pour fermer le conteneur (48) et un élément d'étanchéité (40) pour former un joint étanche aux liquides entre la fermeture et le conteneur si aucun convertisseur d'aération n'est appliqué ; caractérisée en ce qu'un convertisseur d'aération (12) est adapté en tant que joint de décharge de gaz, étanche aux liquides, entre la fermeture (10) et le conteneur (48), le convertisseur étant formé et configuré pour contourner l'élément d'étanchéité (40) de la combinaison conteneur-fermeture; moyennant quoi, lors de l'utilisation, un trajet de décharge de gaz est fourni depuis l'intérieur du conteneur à travers le convertisseur d'aération vers l'atmosphère via les caractéristiques (52, 54) complémentaires, non-étanches aux gaz.
  4. Combinaison selon la revendication 3, caractérisée en outre en ce que le convertisseur d'aération (12) est un élément microporeux (24).
  5. Combinaison selon la revendication 3 ou la revendication 4, dans laquelle la fermeture est un bouchon (14) ayant un élément d'étanchéité intégré (40) et le conteneur (48) a un collet (44), le bouchon et le collet ayant des caractéristiques complémentaires (52, 54), caractérisée en outre en ce que le convertisseur d'aération est un insert (12) pour le bouchon (14), formé pour être généralement conforme à la forme intérieure du bouchon de fermeture (14) et de l'élément d'étanchéité (40) ; moyennant quoi le convertisseur d'aération peut, lors de l'utilisation, contourner l'élément d'étanchéité.
  6. Combinaison selon la revendication 5, dans laquelle l'élément d'étanchéité est une collerette d'étanchéité (40) qui dépend du bouchon (14), caractérisée en outre en ce que l'insert (12) a une partie de bord ondulé (34) avec deux rainures périphériques concentriques (36, 38) s'ouvrant respectivement vers le haut, pour contenir et contourner la collerette d'étanchéité (40) du bouchon, et vers le bas, pour contenir le bord du collet (44) du conteneur.
  7. Combinaison selon la revendication 6, caractérisée en outre en ce que les surfaces tournées vers le bouchon desdites rainures concentriques et périphériques (36,38) sont configurées pour former des moyens d'écoulement de gaz de décharge entre l'insert (12) et le bouchon (14).
  8. Combinaison selon la revendication 6 ou la revendication 7, caractérisée en outre en ce que l'inser (12) a une ouverture centrale (16) fermée du côté liquide par une membrane microporeuse (24).
  9. Combinaison selon l'une des revendications 5 à 8, caractérisée en outre en ce que l'insert (12) a un orifice capillaire (28) du côté liquide qui, lors de l'utilisation, agit pour permettre un passage de gaz et empêcher le passage de liquide vers le convertisseur d'aération (24).
  10. Combinaison selon la revendication 9, lorsqu'elle dépend de la revendication 7, caractérisée en outre en ce qu'un élément en forme de coupelle (26) est monté de manière étanche aux liquides du côté liquide de l'insert (12), la membrane microporeuse (24) fermant l'ouverture de l'élément en forme de coupelle ; l'orifice capillaire (28) étant formé dans une paroi de l'élément en forme de coupelle.
  11. Combinaison selon l'une des revendications 5 à 10, caractérisée en outre en ce qu'un anneau d'étanchéité (58) est situé entre le bord du collet (42) et la rainure d'insertion (38) pour fermer de façon étanche l'insert (12) avec le conteneur (48).
  12. Convertisseur d'aération pour une combinaison de conteneur-fermeture étanche selon l'une des revendications 6 à 8, 10 et 9 lorsqu'elle dépend de la revendication 6 et 11 lorsqu'elle dépend de la revendication 6.
EP97912337A 1996-11-19 1997-11-18 Fermetures aerees Expired - Lifetime EP0954487B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9624036.1A GB9624036D0 (en) 1996-11-19 1996-11-19 Vented closures
GB9624036 1996-11-19
GB9624849 1996-11-29
GBGB9624849.7A GB9624849D0 (en) 1996-11-19 1996-11-29 Vented closures
GB9703311 1997-02-18
GBGB9703311.2A GB9703311D0 (en) 1997-02-18 1997-02-18 Vented closures
PCT/GB1997/003117 WO1998022363A1 (fr) 1996-11-19 1997-11-18 Fermetures aerees

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0954487A1 EP0954487A1 (fr) 1999-11-10
EP0954487B1 true EP0954487B1 (fr) 2003-02-05

Family

ID=27268593

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97912337A Expired - Lifetime EP0954487B1 (fr) 1996-11-19 1997-11-18 Fermetures aerees

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0954487B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2001504068A (fr)
CN (1) CN1100709C (fr)
AU (1) AU731992B2 (fr)
BR (1) BR9714638A (fr)
DE (1) DE69718934T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2191832T3 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998022363A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3068597B1 (ja) * 1999-03-02 2000-07-24 日本酸素株式会社 内圧上昇防止容器
DE102004050679A1 (de) * 2004-10-13 2006-04-20 Ing. Erich Pfeiffer Gmbh Dosiervorrichtung
DE102005013659B3 (de) * 2005-03-24 2006-08-24 Hydac Filtertechnik Gmbh Belüftungseinrichtung, insbesondere für fluidspeichernde Behältnisse wie Tanks
JP4880239B2 (ja) * 2005-03-28 2012-02-22 積水成型工業株式会社 ポリ容器用ガス抜き蓋
SE0700771L (sv) * 2007-03-27 2008-09-28 Petrolia Ab Barnskyddad säkerhetskapsyl med ventileringsfunktion
GB201019769D0 (en) 2010-11-22 2011-01-05 Greif Int Holding Bv Vented container closure
CA3161851A1 (fr) * 2019-11-18 2021-05-27 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. Fermeture a couvercle rabattable

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH357330A (de) * 1956-10-16 1961-09-30 Wicuplastwerk Gmbh Kunststoffbehälter

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2403244C3 (de) * 1974-01-24 1980-12-04 Riedel-De Haen Ag, 3016 Seelze Für Gase permeable, flüssigkeitsdichte Absperrvorrichtung
US4789074A (en) * 1987-07-10 1988-12-06 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Cap liner
US5730306A (en) * 1994-03-31 1998-03-24 The Clorox Company Bi-directional venting liner

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH357330A (de) * 1956-10-16 1961-09-30 Wicuplastwerk Gmbh Kunststoffbehälter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69718934D1 (de) 2003-03-13
ES2191832T3 (es) 2003-09-16
BR9714638A (pt) 2000-10-03
CN1100709C (zh) 2003-02-05
AU731992B2 (en) 2001-04-12
DE69718934T2 (de) 2003-12-24
EP0954487A1 (fr) 1999-11-10
CN1237938A (zh) 1999-12-08
JP2001504068A (ja) 2001-03-27
WO1998022363A1 (fr) 1998-05-28
AU4957297A (en) 1998-06-10

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