EP1215167B1 - Dispensing pourer for flowable media - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser drain attachment includes a threaded cap having a tapered drain socket and an associated drain tube. The interior of the drain tube has a double diaphragm which seals the drain tube, as well as an elastic gas bellows for dispensing liquid portions by alternating deformation of the diaphragm disks of the double diaphragm, which acts as a one-way valve. Such deformation is the result of pressure conditions which change when the gas bellows is compressed and then again released. The dispenser drain attachment is assembled from only two one-piece structural parts, each of which is produced by a two-component injection molding procedure.

Description

This invention relates to a dispensing nozzle for containers for various liquid, viscous and gelatinous media, for example for liquid soaps, disinfectants, cleaning or care products, but also for other liquids or flowable media of all kinds, which must be dosed in portions. If the spout diameter is sufficiently large, a gel will also be able to flow and thus the dispenser spout can also be used to portion media in gel form. A dispenser nozzle with the features mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 is made US 4168020 known.

Such dispenser spouts are known in various designs. They are basically screwed to the underside of a container, close this container there tight and allow the removal of predetermined portions of the medium in the container. If the dispenser spouts are mounted on the underside of the container, this may also mean that the container is a bottle in which the dispenser spout is then screwed on top of the bottle mouth. To remove portions, the entire bottle is mounted in a crashed position on a wall or on a support frame, so that the dispenser nozzle is ultimately mounted at the bottom of the container. The dispenser spout itself consists of a substantially downwardly directed tube, in the interior of which a membrane seal is incorporated, which acts as a one-way valve. In a particularly well-functioning design, this membrane is a double membrane, that is, there are two spaced-apart membranes in the form of rubber discs arranged in the spout, which tightly close the spout at different locations and each act as a one-way valve, so that basically liquid only from top to bottom can flow around these rubber membranes. For this purpose, the rubber discs have a bevelled edge, so that this edge, like a lip, bears sealingly against the inner wall of the pouring tube from below. With the space enclosed by the two spaced rubber washers, the interior of an elastic gas bladder exterior to the spout communicates. This gas bellows is formed, for example, by a rubber-elastic hemisphere, but may also have a different shape, as long as it elastically regresses after compression in the original shape. To actuate the dispenser nozzle, the bellows is pressed in with a finger. If you do not have a hand free or dirty hands, so the bellows can be compressed by means of a bracket of a special wall bracket by the bracket is operated with the elbow and presses with its other end on the bellows. If such a dispenser spout is screwed onto a container, the container liquid initially flows only as far as the first rubber membrane seen from top to bottom. When the gas bellows is compressed for the first time, the gas pressure in the space between the two spaced rubber membranes increases. The upper rubber membrane remains tight and their edge acting as a sealing lip is pressed even more against the inner wall of the spout, which increases their tightness, while the lower rubber membrane yields under the gas pressure and subsequently gas or air around them down through escapes the spout. If the gas bellows is released, it forms due to its elasticity back to its original shape and creates a negative pressure between the two rubber membranes. The result is that under this negative pressure, the lower rubber membrane tightly seals the spout, because its sealing lip is pressed firmly under the increased external, that is atmospheric pressure from below to the inner wall of the tube, while the upper rubber membrane yields under the atmospheric pressure acting from above and Liquid around the sealing lip flows down so that the space between the two rubber membranes with fluid approximately fills. Upon renewed compression of the gas bladder under the pressure generated in the space between the two rubber membranes, the lower membrane is opened and liquid flows around it down and flows out of the mouth of the spout, while the upper rubber membrane remains tight or its tightness below that from below acting increased pressure is even increased. After releasing the bellows, a negative pressure is again created in relation to the external pressure, which causes the lower rubber membrane to be closed, while the upper one opens and new liquid flows into the space between the two rubber membranes. Thus, this chamber is filled for a further portioning, but the liquid is retained by the lower rubber membrane until the next actuation of the gas bladder.

The previously known dispenser spouts, which work according to the type described above, are very expensive to manufacture. They consist of a large number of small parts, which are produced in plastic injection molding from different types of plastic. Individual parts or small parts can also consist of metal. First, such dispenser nozzles have a threaded cap for screwing onto the external thread of the spout of a container. This threaded cap has a tapered spout on which in a circumferential groove a rubber O-ring is inserted. This spout is closed at the front with a closing surface, but has several holes through which the liquid can flow. On this nozzle then a spout is inserted, which is also tapered towards its mouth end, but not coaxial, but offset to the side, so that the outer wall of the spout on one side along a straight line, whereas they are on the opposite side accordingly the rejuvenation of the pipe mouth is offset towards the center of the spout. In the center of the spout is in its interior, at the point where the large diameter merges into the smaller, an extension formed, which extends in the axial direction against the pipe side with the larger diameter. This extension has a central axial bore, the serves for receiving a metal or plastic pin on which a double membrane made of rubber is attached. This double membrane forms a one-piece rubber body, which has two substantially parallel to each other and over a hollow axis spaced rubber discs, each with bevelled edge of the disc. The metal or plastic pin passes through this double membrane and protrudes into a central bore in the end face of the spout. Thus, the double membrane is mounted centrally in the spout and held on both sides, that is above and below. On the spout is on the one side, where the tube outer extends along a straight line, formed a receiving sleeve, the interior of which communicates via a bore with the space between the two rubber discs of the double membrane and the edge is slightly thickened on the inside. In this sleeve, a gas bellows made of elastic material, which essentially forms a hemisphere, are pressed. It is held therein by means of an additional sealing ring, which is slipped from the outside over the gas bellows and is clicked behind the thickened edge of the sleeve. All these small parts, in the example described seven, must be made separately and assembled in complex assembly work. However, where a lot of assembly work is necessary, mounting errors can not be ruled out, which often have a dysfunctional effect, in that the dispenser spouts are leaking and can not retain the container liquid or are leaking at the edge of the bellows.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a dispenser nozzle with the type of function described above, which is made of substantially fewer components, which alone is therefore much less expensive to manufacture and whose assembly is significantly simplified by the few parts, the next is free of malfunctions and in particular is 100% tight.

This object is achieved by a dispenser nozzle, consisting of a threaded cap with tapered spout and an associated spout, in the interior of which a double membrane seals the spout, and an elastic gas bellows for dispensing Flüssigkeitssportionen by alternately deforming the membrane discs acting as one-way valves of the double membrane as a result of the changed pressure conditions during compression and release the gas bellows, and characterized by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Figur 1:

Den zusammengesetzten Spenderausguss in einer Schnittzeichnung von der Seite her gesehen;

Figur 2:

Die beiden einstückigen, je in Zweikomponenten-Spritztechnik hergestellten Bauteile nebeneinander vor dem Zusammenstecken, je in einer Schnittzeichnung von der Seite her gesehen;

Figur 3:

Das Ausgussrohr mit dem Aufnahmering für den Gasbalg in Spritzlage nach dem Spritzen der ersten Spritzkomponente;

Figur 4:

Das Ausgussrohr mit dem Gasbalg in Spritzlage nach dem Spritzen der zweiten Spritzkomponente;

Figur 5:

Die beiden je in Zweikomponenten-Spritztechnik gespritzten, einstückigen Bauteile vor dem Zusammenstecken.

In the drawings, an advantageous embodiment of such a dispenser nozzle from two one-piece, each produced in two-component injection molding parts is shown in different views. The dispenser nozzle is described in detail below with reference to these drawings and its function will be explained.
It shows:

FIG. 1:

The composite dispenser nozzle seen in a sectional view from the side;

FIG. 2:

The two one-piece, each manufactured in two-component injection molding components next to each other before mating, each seen in a sectional drawing from the side;

FIG. 3:

The spout with the gas ring receiving ring in the spray position after spraying the first spatter component;

FIG. 4:

The spout with the gas bellows in spray position after spraying the second injection component;

FIG. 5:

The two one-piece components, each sprayed in two-component injection molding technology, prior to assembly.

Figure 1 shows the already assembled dispenser nozzle, with all parts are visible. It consists of two one-piece components 21,22, which were each manufactured in two-component injection molding. The one component 21 forms the Thread cap 1, which has a tapered spout 2 on the bottom, which is closed at the front with a closing surface 3, but which is penetrated by a number of holes 4. Along the inner edge of the threaded cap and above its thread are aligned obliquely to the circumference many inwardly projecting ribs 24, each with a sharp edge edge 25 is arranged. These ribs 24 develop when screwing the threaded cap on a mouth with external thread a Rätschenwirkung and thus ensure that the screwed threaded cap is secured in this position. Central to the end surface 3 of the spout 2 an extension 5 is formed, which extends like a bolt along the axis of symmetry of the threaded cap 1 a piece down. All these parts of the first component 21 are made of a first injection component, namely of a suitable polyolefin, that is a polypropylene or polyethylene, or of a polyamide. At this extension 5 on the end surface 3, the double diaphragm 6 is now molded as a second injection component of the first component 21. This double membrane 6 consists of a rubber-elastic, sprayable material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer or a sprayable rubber and forms two spaced-apart membrane discs 7,8, which sit on a common axis 9. The outer edge of these membrane discs is inclined towards the bottom, so that this edge rests like a lip from bottom to top of the spout 10. The spout with the gas bellows 11 forms the second integral component 22 of the dispenser spout. This second component 22 also consists of two separate injection components. From the first injection component, the spout 10, the lateral sleeve 16 and the retaining ring 12 are injected for the rubber-elastic gas bellows 11, while the gas bellows 11 itself is injected from a second component. As this spout 10 is constructed and sprayed with gas bellows 11 in detail, will be explained in more detail. The two components 21,22 are merely stacked together for assembly. For this purpose, a circumferential collar 13 is formed on the threaded cap 1 around the nozzle spigot 2, which is integral with the threaded cap 1. As a result of this collar, a circular groove between itself and the spout 2 is formed, which runs all around the spout 2. On the upper inside of the collar 13, this has a circumferential recess 14. The end portion of the spout 10 and thus of the second integral component 22, by contrast, has on the outside a peripheral thickening 15 which, when the two components 21, 22 are plugged together, snaps into the recess 14 and fits tightly in the recess 14. As a result, the two components 21,22 can only be plugged together, creating a tensile and tight connection. The spout 10 also fits snugly against the outer surface of the spout 2, so that it is well guided and ensures that the double membrane 6 is nicely centered in the interior of the spout 10 comes to rest and therefore the dispenser nozzle securely seals against unwanted leakage of liquid. The compound is also so strong that it applies the reaction force, which is necessary to hold the dispenser spout in place even when squeezing the bellows.

Figure 2 shows the two integral, each produced by two-component injection molding components shown separately, capable of each other before their mating. The threaded cap 1 with the spout nozzle 2 and the projection 5 formed thereon from the first injection component and the molded-on second injection component as a double diaphragm 6 together form the first one-piece component 21 of the dispenser spout. It consists of the spout 10 and the molded sleeve 16 and the retaining ring 12 for the gas bellows 11. The spout 10, the sleeve 16 and the retaining ring 12 are made from the first injection component while the elastic gas bellows 11 is made of a second injection component.

3 shows the spout 10 with the receiving sleeve 16 and the retaining ring 12 for the gas bellows 11 in spray position after spraying the first injection component. The second component 22 can be seen here from the right side in FIGS. 1 and 2. The receiving sleeve 16 has an edge 17 which is slightly thickened on its inside, or the inner wall of the sleeve 16 is slightly offset behind the edge 17 to the outside. The retaining ring 12 is connected via a film hinge 18 with the receiving sleeve 16. He has in turn an edge that is slightly thickened on its outside in the edge region 20. Of the Retaining ring 12 can be folded 180 ° about the film hinge 18 and click into the receiving sleeve 16 by its thickened edge 20 snaps behind the thickened inner edge of the sleeve 16 and then rests positively on the inner wall of the receiving sleeve 16.

FIG. 4 shows the pouring spout 10 with the gas bladder 11 already injection-molded as a second injection component in spray position in a section along the line A-A of FIG. It can be seen the receiving sleeve 16 for the retaining ring 12, which is connected via the film hinge 18 with this. This film hinge 18 makes it possible to inject the spout 10 together with the receiving sleeve 16 and the retaining ring 12 in a flash. In the illustration selected here, one sees the thickened inner edge 19 of the receiving sleeve 16 as well as the thickened outer edge 20 of the retaining ring 12. The elastic gas bellows 11 are molded onto this retaining ring 12 by means of a second injection component. Thereafter, the second one-piece component 22 is ready for the dispenser nozzle.

Finally, FIG. 5 shows the two finished one-piece components 21, 22, which are each injection-molded in two-component injection molding technology, prior to assembly. It can be seen the holes 4 in the end face of the spout 2, as well as the collar 13 which surrounds the spout 2. The threaded cap 1 is provided on the outside with a knurling 23, so that the dispenser spout can be screwed securely on a bottle mouth. Below the spout 2 you can see the double diaphragm 6 with the two spaced diaphragm discs 7.8. The laterally mounted receiving sleeve 16 for the retaining ring 12 and held by this gas bellows 11 can be seen on the spout 10 shown below. At the upper mouth edge of the spout, the thickened edge 15 can be seen, which when plugged into the first component 21 in a corresponding recess in Inside edge of the collar 13 fits.

Claims (4)

1. A dispenser drain attachment, comprising a threaded cap (1) with a tapering drain socket (2) and a drain tube (10) having a double diaphragm (6) for sealing said drain tube (10) and an elastic gas bellows (11) for dispensing a portion of a flowable media by alternately deforming the deformable diaphragm disks (7,8) of said double diaphragm (6) whereby said diaphragm disks (7,8) function as one-way valves as a result of changed pressure conditions occurring between the diaphragm disks (7,8) when said elastic gas bellows (11) is deformed via compression and release, characterized in that the dispenser drain is composed solely of two one-piece structural parts, each of said parts produced in a two-components injection-molding-technique, namely as a first single-piece structural part a threaded cap (1) with a tapering drain socket (2) and perforated terminating element (3) that comprises a central extension (5) made of the first injection-material component, and with double diaphragm (6) of soft-elastic, injection-moldable rubber material which is injection molded with a second injection-material on the one hand, and on the other hand a of the drain tube (10) with the elastic gas bellows (11) a second one-piece structural part (22), whereby there is a lateral receiving sleeve (16) which is shaped on the outer side of said drain tube (10) merges on one side into a film hinge (18) onto which a retaining ring (12) with a collar is molded, said collar being capable of being tightly clipped into said lateral receiving sleeve (16), whereby these parts are made of a first injection material component, and whereby onto this ring (12) a half-ball-shaped gas bellows (11) of elastic material is injected in a second injection material component.
2. A dispenser drain attachment according to claim 1, characterized in that the threaded cap (1), its tapering drain socket (2), the collar as well as the extension (5) on the first structural part (21) as well as the drain tube (10), the receiving sleeve (16) and the retaining ring (12) on the second structural part (22) are made of polyolefin, that is a member selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene and polyamide, whereas the double diaphragm (6) on the structural part (21) as well as the gas bellow (11) on structural part 22) are made of a thermoplastic elastomer or of an injection moldable rubber.
3. A dispenser drain attachment according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a collar (13) is molded around said drain socket (2) on said threaded cap, said collar having a recess (14) extending entirely around its inner wall, with a bulge (15) extending entirely around an upper edge of a mouth of said drain tube (10) and fitting into said recess (14).
4. A dispenser drain attachment according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lateral receiving sleeve (16) is injection-moleded onto an outer side and laterally on said drain tube (10) comprising a bulging inner edge, with a retaining ring connected with said lateral receiving sleeve via a film hinge (18) comprising a collar with a bulging outer edge, so that said retaining ring (12) is clipable onto said lateral receiving sleeve (16) in a sealing manner so that said collar of said retaining ring (12) is able to fit tightly into said lateral receiving sleeve (16).

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