EP1725470A1

EP1725470A1 - Lock provided with a film hinge

Info

Publication number: EP1725470A1
Application number: EP05716019A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nicola Delli Venneri
Original assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 2004-03-16
Filing date: 2005-03-12
Publication date: 2006-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-12
Also published as: JP2007529367A; AU2005223311A1; EP1725470B1; RU2006136213A; WO2005090185A1; US20070075030A1; DE502005010040D1; ATE476371T1

Abstract

A closure for a container, which specifically may contain cosmetic product, the closure having a hinged lid which is connected in one piece to a base part via a film hinge, the film hinge having a pivot axis, there being a latching mechanism which keeps the hinged lid in a first stable position, and a springy element acting on the hinged lid. The springy element is tensioned in the first stable position and, after the release of the latching mechanism, automatically displaces the hinged lid by means of a driving spring force and with a pivoting movement into a second stable position. There is a separate control element which, at least during part of the pivoting movement, controls the spring force acting on the hinged lid. The control causes a delay in comparison to an uninfluenced pivoting movement caused by the spring

Description

Closure with film hinge

The present invention relates to a closure for a container, which in particular contains a cosmetic composition, the closure having a hinged lid which is connected in one piece to a base part via a film hinge, the film hinge having a pivot axis, with a latching mechanism being present, which Hinged lid holds in a first stable position, wherein a spring element engages the hinged lid, which is tensioned in the first stable position of the hinged lid and which automatically transfers the hinged lid into a second stable position by means of a driving spring force after releasing the latching mechanism.

Such a hinged closure cap is known in a wide variety, particularly in the case of cosmetic products which are bottled in particular as more or less liquid lotions. Most of the time, the hinged covers snap into the closed position, for example by a pin attached to the inside of the hinged cover engaging in a form-fitting manner in the outlet opening opening into the base part. This ensures a permanently tight seal.

On the one hand, the differences between the different caps, which are visible to the consumer, lie in their visual and haptic design. On the other hand, the known caps differ in the characteristics of the pivoting movement. For example, caps are known in which the user first releases the latched lock, pivots the hinged cover against a counterforce about half the pivoting path before it snaps automatically into an open position after overcoming an upper vertex and remains there in a stable position. The characteristic of the pivoting movement is determined by the shape and arrangement of the film hinges or by additionally provided bands which stretch or compress when the flap cover is pivoted. Through the A combination of hinges and hinges allows the characteristics to be adjusted accordingly.

The advantage of the mentioned sealing caps, which use a spring element, is the simple operation, since the hinged lid opens "automatically" after releasing the locking mechanism. This operation can easily be carried out with one hand by the user - usually with his Thumb - press under the protruding hinged lid at the front until it releases from the locked position, whereupon the hinged lid jumps to a position that completely clears the outlet opening so that the contents can be removed easily. Bands made of elastic rubber are used as spring elements Plastic used in combination with the hinge.

The problem with these self-snapping closures, however, is that the opening happens with a quick movement. This can result in the composition, which is inevitably still on the closure from the last use, splashing out in an uncontrolled manner. It can easily happen that the user gets a splash of the composition in the eye or on clothing. Another disadvantage is that such a snapping hinged lid sometimes causes an uncontrolled slap on the fingers of the user, which causes audible pain, which especially children will not tolerate. These types of snap caps are therefore only conditionally user-friendly and reduce the attractiveness of the product.

The object of the present invention is now to provide a closure for a container which ensures user-friendly and safe handling, which can be opened easily with one hand and which is simple and inexpensive to produce.

This object is achieved by a closure with the characterizing features of claim 1. Particular embodiments of the closure are described in the subclaims.

The main basic idea lies in the separate control element, which causes the rapid snap movement of the spring element caused by the spring element Hinged lid controls in that it specifically causes a certain delay at least during part of the pivoting movement compared to a pivoting movement caused only by the spring force.

According to the invention, the control element is to be provided in such a way that the hinged lid carries out a harmonious and appealing pivoting movement. It is advantageous to include structurally specified parameters such as e.g. the inertia of the hinged cover to be taken into account. Ultimately, the main advantage of the control element is that it gives the designer the opportunity to put special creativity into the "swivel design" of the lock, as is known, for example, from automobile construction, especially doors and flaps the automatic movement of the hinged lid therefore controls and does not cause painful blows through the hinged lid or splashing of the composition.

A relatively uniform and "serious" restrained movement of the hinged lid can thus be achieved with the control element. As is known, such movement gives an elegant, noble and dignified character. The closure according to the invention therefore increases in the same way the value conception of the user of that contained in the container A product which is therefore particularly elegant. With the invention, the attractiveness of the products can be increased significantly. Now, noble compositions can also be offered in correspondingly noble containers. The "easy open" closure according to the invention is suitable for any container, which contains a liquid, semi-viscous, viscous, powder-like, granulated or solid product.

As already mentioned, however, the closure according to the invention can be used particularly advantageously in disposable containers for liquid cosmetic compositions, such as hair shampoos. Even if the containers themselves are sometimes made of glass or ceramic, the closure parts are usually made of plastic. In this respect, it is advantageous if the base part and the hinged lid connected to it via the film hinge are injection molded in a known manner as a one-piece part made of plastic. In this In addition, it is particularly advantageous if the spring element and / or the control element are also attached, in particular molded or glued, to the closure, that is to say to the base part and / or to the hinged cover.

The spring element is advantageously formed by an elastic band made of deformable plastic, for example made of TPE or PE, which overlaps the film hinge. The elastic band can be attached with the same tool immediately after the injection molding and hardening of the base part and hinged lid in a further step ("coinjection"). Thus, the production of the closure according to the invention is relatively simple and inexpensive to perform, which should be seen as a further advantage is.

Overall, the invention can be used for any closures in which a hinged lid is connected in one piece to a base part via a film hinge. So the base part itself can form a lower part of a container. In this case, the hinged lid, such as in a powder or cream jar, is directly connected to the container. In the case of a large number of containers, in particular in the case of bottles for liquid or viscous cosmetic products, a cap body, which consists of a base part and a hinged lid, is placed in a sealing or non-positive manner on the container, for example screwed on. In this case, the lower part of the cap body forms the base part.

The separate control element according to the invention is advantageously designed in one of the two variants shown below:

On the one hand, it is possible to design the control element as a separate damping element, which counteracts the rapid snap movement of the hinged lid, which is caused by the spring element, with a compensating damping force. This is "targeted" insofar as it is used deliberately to achieve a damping that goes beyond the "normal" damping caused by the other inert elements of the closure. It is initially irrelevant whether the hinged lid performs an opening or closing movement accelerated by the spring element. However, it is advantageous to provide the damping for an opening movement. In this case, the first stable position is the position in which the hinged cover seals a closure opening, while the second stable position is the position in which the hinged cover completely releases the closure opening. The invention thus enables a damped opening movement, which is initiated by simply releasing the latching mechanism, in particular by finger pressure, on or against the hinged lid, the hinged lid forming the upper closure part. After release, this opens with a slow and continuous movement without additional force, until it reaches its end position. An intention of the invention is also to set the manner of the opening movement via the damping element.

In order to ensure such a slow and continuous movement, it is advantageous if the damping force acts at least over a substantial portion of the pivoting movement and approximately compensates for the accelerating component of the spring force. For example, the damping force should have a compensating characteristic in relation to the accelerating spring force in that it initially assumes a high value and then strives towards a low value during the movement. The size of the damping force should be slightly less than the opening spring force acting at the respective waypoint. Even if it is structurally not particularly easy to realize this ideal characteristic, it can still be approximated comparatively easily by a damping force that is almost constant on the section

The damping element can be designed in different ways. In a particularly simple and therefore preferred form, it is a band which has a relaxed rest position in the first stable position and which deforms under the spring force when the hinged cover is pivoted. The deformation can be a torsion, a bend or flexion and a compression, but can also be a mixture of the above-mentioned forms of deformation. Because of the particularly simple production, it can be advantageous To produce tape from elastically deformable plastic, in particular from PP, the tape then bending or bending when the hinged lid is pivoted. Even a "spring band" made of rigid plastic, which bends resiliently when pivoted, can offer special advantages depending on the design of the closure.

In another advantageous embodiment, the damping element has a body filled with air or to be filled with air, which compresses or stretches the pivoting of the hinged lid, air escaping from the body through a defined opening or being sucked into it. As is known, for example, from air pumps, the damping by such an element leads to a relatively linear movement irrespective of the applied force. In the case of the manual countermovement, in particular when the lid is closed, the damping element charges or discharges accordingly. A number of embodiments are conceivable for such a damping element: for example, such elements can be realized by hoses which are used instead of the bands mentioned and which have corresponding nozzles. It is certainly particularly easy to manufacture the body from an elastic foam that, like a sponge, compresses or stretches when applied with force. Such an element could be attached during manufacture or immediately thereafter.

The separate control element according to the invention can also be designed in the variants shown below:

According to the invention, an actuating element is provided which acts directly on the spring element with an actuating force and thus influences its characteristic. Thus, the pivoting movement of the closure can be “adjusted” with the adjusting element. In particular, the linear change of the pure spring force via the pivoting movement can be modified in such a way that the uncontrolled snapping on of the hinged cover becomes a balanced and at least almost uniform pivoting movement Spring element at least during part of the pivoting movement directly with the actuating force, the actuating force sets the force and / or direction of the spring force acting on the hinged cover and thus influences the speed of the pivoting movement. It is in turn irrelevant whether the hinged lid is caused to open or close by the spring element. However, the actuating element advantageously acts on the spring element that relaxes during opening. The interaction of the forces used according to the invention leads to the desired controlled opening movement, which is initiated by releasing the latching mechanism. In order to ensure the slow and continuous movement which is desirable, it is advantageous if the actuating force acts not only over a small section but also over at least a substantial part of the pivoting movement.

The control element can be designed in different ways. In a particularly simple and therefore preferred manner, it is designed as a knee-like projection which protrudes from the back of the closure cap and around which the elastic band is stretched when the hinged lid is closed. The control element thus presses a bay into the elastic band and thus leads to an extension of the stretch. In this embodiment, the knee-like actuating element has one or more contact surface (s) on which the elastic band bears under tension when the hinged cover is in the first stable position. The special mode of action of this actuating element on the pivoting movement can be explained by the fact that the direction of action of the spring force caused by the contraction of the stretched band is predetermined by the contact surfaces. The course of the change in the force resulting on the hinged cover can be adjusted by the formation of the contact surfaces. In a relatively simple case, the contraction takes place in several discrete movement stages along the angularly arranged contact surfaces, which differ in the direction of the spring force acting. The adjusting element can also be equipped with a contact surface describing a curve, along which the elastic band contracts.

While in the case of the known hinged lid that opens with spring force, the force decreases continuously in accordance with that of a tensioned elastic band and the direction of the force does not change or I only swings continuously around a point, the force now acts in predeterminable directions, which are defined by the contact surfaces of the control element. In this way, the force component resulting on the hinged cover, which causes the final, in particular * uniform movement, can be influenced via the direction of action.

In another embodiment, the elastic band is provided on its surface facing the contact surfaces in the manner of a toothed belt with one or more projections or notches which engage behind corresponding edges formed by the contact surfaces and which gradually release when the band is relaxed. By this measure a portion of the band is still under tension while a first portion is already relaxing. The total spring force can be divided into several subsequent individual amounts.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached FIGS. 1 to 4. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a cap body with a damping element,

Figure 2 shows a hinged lid in different positions.

Figure 3 shows a cap body with actuator and

Figure 4 shows a hinged lid in three positions.

FIGS. 1 and 3 each show a closure, molded in one piece from plastic, for a container, in particular a bottle, which has a hinged lid 1 as the upper closure part. The hinged lid 1 is connected in one piece to a base part 2 via a film hinge 8, the base part 2 forming a lower closure part. In the exemplary embodiment shown, base part 2 and hinged lid 1 form a cap body which can be placed on the container. The film hinge 8 forms a pivot axis 9 about which the hinged cover 1 pivots. The base part 2 is in this case from Lower part of a closure which can be placed sealingly on a container, in particular on a bottle for a liquid or viscous cosmetic composition. However, the base part 2 could also be formed by the container itself.

The hinged lid 1 is held in the closed position by a latching mechanism, which is designated by A in FIGS. 2 and 4 and which in this case forms the first stable position. The locking mechanism is realized by a pin 3 located in the bottom of the hinged cover 1, which engages in the closure opening 4 in the closed state. The pin 3 has a bead 10 which, like a barb, engages behind a corresponding edge in the closure opening 4. In this position A, the pin 3 seals the container. As soon as a slight upward pressure is exerted on the hinged cover 1 at point 5, the pin 3 is released from the closure opening 4.

On the hinged cover 1 acts as a spring element 6, which is tensioned in the closed position A of the hinged cover 1. The band 6 is made of elastic material, for example made of TPE or PE, and on the other hand is attached to the back of the base part 2 in such a way that it acts outside the pivot axis 9 or overlaps the pivot axis and causes the pivoting about the pivot axis 9. The elastic band 6 is molded on the one hand on the hinged cover 1 and on the other hand on the base part. After the slightly upward pressure on the hinged cover 1 and the release of the latching mechanism, the hinged cover 1 is thus automatically transferred into its second stable position C, which represents a rest position, by means of the driving spring force of the band 6. Hinged lid 1 and base part 2 thus form a snap lock, which has a dead center in the open position.

According to the invention, a damping element 7 is provided in the closure according to FIG. 1, which opposes the pivoting movement of the hinged cover 1 accelerated by the spring force with a targeted damping force. In this case, the damping element 7 is made of less elastic material, for example PP, and is relaxed in the first stable position. The Damping element 7 is, so to speak, a "pressure band" which is made of a less elastic material and which opposes the "tension band" of elastic material with a damping force. The relationship between the two forces is influenced in particular by the selection of the corresponding materials, by the geometry, by the length, by the material thickness and by the design of the straps 6 and 7 going beyond this.

In this case, the damping force caused by the damping element 7 acts over a substantial portion (distance 11) of the swiveling movement and at least almost completely compensates for the accelerating component of the spring force, so that the hinged cover 1 performs a movement at near & constant speed.

After releasing the locking mechanism, the tension stored in the band 6 is released and acts on the hinged cover 1. Because of the mounting in the hinge 8, the spring force causes the hinged cover 1 to oscillate about the axis 9 (FIG. 2, position B). During the oscillating movement, the band 7 is brought out of its rest position and counteracts the oscillating movement by counteracting its flexion to the rear. The manner of this movement is determined by the relationship between the tensile force exerted by band 6 and the counterforce exerted by band 7. Towards the end of the movement, the hinged lid reaches its rest position C. The rest position is in turn determined by the arrangement of the axis 9 in the hinge 8 and the geometry, the length and the material thickness of the straps 6 and 7.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4, a knee-shaped adjusting element 17 is provided, which is molded onto the base part 2 in the rear region. This actuating element 17 acts directly on the spring element 6 with an actuating force at least during part of the pivoting movement, the actuating force exerted by the actuating element 17 in this case essentially adjusting the direction of the spring force acting on the hinged cover. The actuating element 17 has a front-side contact surface 18 with an upper 12 and lower curvature 13 (FIG. 4A, detail), the elastic band 6 being in tension against the contact surface 18 and the curvatures 12 and 13 when the hinged lid 1 is in the closed position (position A). The actuating element 17 acts on the elastic band 6 directly via the contact surfaces 18, 12 and 13 with an actuating force, the direction of which varies over an angular range during the pivoting movement. The merging contact surfaces are inclined at an angle to each other. The actuating element 17 "forces" the elastic band 6 to describe a curve when it contracts.

After the latching mechanism has been released, the tension stored in the elastic band 6 is released and acts on the hinged cover 1. The spring force of the elastic band 6, in accordance with the mounting in the hinge 8 and the axis 9, causes the hinged cover 1 to pivot (FIG. 4) , Position B). During the pivoting movement, the elastic band 6 detaches from the actuating element 17. In this case, the actuating force caused by the actuating element 17h acts over a considerable part of the pivoting movement and compensates for the accelerating component of the spring force by modifying its direction and thus its resulting Effect on the hinged cover: This results in an almost even movement of the hinged cover 1. The change in the spring force acting on the hinged cover is thus caused by the arrangement of the contact surfaces.

In the end, the hinged cover 1 comes into its rest position (FIG. -4, position C), in which the elastic band 6 is almost completely lifted off the actuating element 17 and is thereby relaxed.

Claims

Expectations

1. Closure for a container which contains in particular a cosmetic composition, the closure having a hinged lid (1) which is connected in one piece to a base part (2) via a film hinge (8), the film hinge (8) having a pivot axis ( 9), wherein there is a latching mechanism which holds the hinged cover (1) in a first stable position (A), a spring element (6) acting on the hinged cover (1) acting in the first stable position (A) of the hinged cover (1) is tensioned and automatically transfers the hinged cover (1) into a second stable position (C) by means of a driving spring force by means of a driving spring force, characterized in that a separate control element (7, 17) is present, which controls the spring force acting on the hinged cover (1) at least during part of the pivoting movement, the control controlling a swing in relation to the uninfluenced swing caused by the spring force movement causes a delay.

2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the first stable position (A) is the position in which the hinged cover (1) seals a closure opening (4) in the base part (2) and that the second stable position (C) is the position in which the hinged cover (1) completely clears the closure opening (4).

3. Closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spring element is formed by an elastic band (6) made of deformable plastic, in particular TPE or PE, which is tensioned in the first stable position (A) of the hinged cover (1) is, the elastic band (6) overlaps the pivot axis (9).

4. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control element is an independent damping element (7) which opposes the pivoting movement of the hinged lid (1) accelerated by the spring force, a targeted damping force.

5. Closure according to claim 4, characterized in that the damping force acts over a substantial portion (11) of the pivoting movement and at least almost compensates for the accelerating component of the spring force, the hinged cover (1) carrying out a movement at an almost constant speed.

6. Closure according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the spring element (6) and / or the damping element (7) are attached in a fixed connection to the closure and / or to the hinged cover, in particular molded or glued.

7. Closure according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the damping element (7) is a band made of elastically deformable plastic, which in the first stable position (A) has a rest position and which is when the hinged lid (1 ) deformed, especially bent.

8. Closure according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the damping element (7) has an air-filled body which is compressed by the pivoting of the hinged cover (1), air escaping from the body via a defined opening.

9. Closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control element is an actuating element (17) which acts directly on the spring element (6) with an actuating force at least during part of the pivoting movement, the actuating force adjusting the force and / or direction of the spring force acting on the hinged cover (1) and thus affects the speed of the swivel movement.

10. Closure according to claim 9, characterized in that the adjusting element (17) has a contact surface (18) on which the elastic band (6) rests under tension when the hinged cover (1) is in the first stable position (A) is located, wherein the actuating element (17) acts directly on the elastic band (6) with the actuating force via the contact surface (18).

11. Closure according to claim 10, characterized in that a plurality of contact surfaces (18, 12, 13) are present, each of which is arranged at an angle to one another and / or that the contact surface (18) has a curved surface curved to the elastic band (6) having.

12. Closure according to one of the preceding claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the elastic band (6) is provided on its surface facing the one or more contact surfaces with one or more projections or notches, the corresponding one of the contact surfaces (18, 12, 13) reach behind the formed edges and release them gradually when the belt (6) is relaxed.

13. Closure according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the actuating force acts on the spring element (6) over a substantial portion of the pivoting movement, the hinged cover (1) carrying out an approximately linear pivoting movement.