EP1976769B1 - Sealing cap comprising a snap-on hinge and a retaining ring - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention concerns a closure (10) consisting of a cap portion (1), a retaining ring (3), a tear strip and a snap hinge (20), the snap hinge connecting the cap portion and the retaining ring in a single piece along a first circumferential section, wherein the cap portion (1) has a top plate (14) and the closure having overall a substantially cylindrical or slightly tapered closure skirt which, inter alia, comprises a substantially cylindrical cap skirt and the retaining ring (3), wherein the snap hinge (20) is integrated into the skirt and wherein the retaining ring (3) and the cap portion (1), in addition to being connected via the snap hinge (20), are also connected together along a second circumferential section (30) via the tear strip (4) which is also integrated into the skirt. To produce such a closure but at low cost and preferably using only a little material, and in particular to provide improved protection of the inside of the closure against environmental influences, the invention proposes that the cap skirt, tear strip, snap hinge and retaining ring together define an essentially closed closure skirt wherein the tear strip and the ends of the snap hinge (20) in the circumferential direction are connected with the cap skirt and/or the retaining ring and optionally with one another via film-like, easily tearable lines of weakness.

Description

The present invention relates to a closure consisting of a cap member, a retaining ring, a tear strip and a snap hinge, which integrally connects the cap member and the retaining ring along a first peripheral portion, wherein the cap member has a top plate and the closure is a total of approximately cylindrical or having slightly conical closure jacket, which consists inter alia of an approximately cylindrical cap jacket and the retaining ring, wherein the snap hinge is integrated into the jacket and wherein the retaining ring and the cap member are connected to each other in addition to the snap hinge on the also integrated into the jacket tear strip , along a second peripheral portion outside of the sector claimed by the snap hinge.

A corresponding plastic closure is from the WO 031057585.A2 known. In this case, a hinge is understood as meaning a hinge which, in addition to the closed position of the closure cap, also has a stable open position. Such a snap hinge is formed integrally with the cap and the retaining ring in the present case. The peculiarity of a snap hinge, from which the present invention proceeds, lies in the fact that the snap hinge is integrated into an approximately cylindrical jacket wall of the closure cap, ie forms part of this approximately cylindrical jacket wall. This jacket wall can also be slightly conical or spherical and they can in particular gaps and fine structures, eg. B. in the form of lines of weakness, which define the boundaries or hinge films between the individual components (cap, tear strip, hinge, retaining ring) of the closure.

Earlier snap hinges have been formed in addition to and outside a first wall of the closure, so that the closures in the region of the snap hinge have effectively been double-walled, whereas the closure from which the present invention is based has integrated the hinge into the wall formed by the cap skirt and support. This makes it possible to produce the cap in one piece in the closed, appliable or ready-to-use state. On the other hand, prior snap-lock fasteners had to be made in an open, unfolded state, making integral fabrication with a tear strip virtually impossible.

In this case, the cap skirt and the retaining ring need not necessarily be formed with a circular cross section, but they can rather any circular, elliptical or polygonal. Have cross-section. The Schnappscharnierwirkung achieved by at least one or more substantially extending in the circumferential direction, thin, flexible and approximately linear wall sections of this hinge, to which connect more solid and dimensionally stable wall sections. By appropriate shaping manages to give the hinge a "dead center" property, ie when opening the cap, the hinge of the opening movement and the unfolding opposes some resistance, but it turns over after overcoming a dead center in a state in which the in and acting on the hinge elastic forces pull the cap into an open, unfolded position. This "dead center" feature, ie at least one labile position of the cap between at least two stable positions, preferably defining the closed or a fully open state, wherein the cap, starting from a first stable position, when moving over the dead center into a The second stable position "snaps" is the characteristic feature of each snap hinge, as it is expressed in the term "snap hinge" also.

The retaining ring holds the entire closure on the neck of a corresponding container, for. As a bottle, fixed. For this purpose, the bottleneck generally has an annular circumferential retaining flange. In the initial, closed position, the retaining ring engages behind the retaining flange on the bottle neck and thus holds the closure to the bottle neck. The retaining ring for this purpose preferably has a circumferential, inner annular bead, which engages behind the retaining flange. In this case, the guarantee band connecting the closure cap and the retaining ring has a securing function, since it connects the closure cap and the retaining ring fixed to the bottle neck along a circumferential sector outside the snap hinge, so that the closure cap is not removed until the guarantee band has been removed. after breaking the connection of the guarantee strip to the cap and the retaining ring, can be opened. After removal or tearing off this tear strip remains as the only connection between the retaining ring and cap, the snap hinge and the cap can be opened by being pivoted relative to the retaining ring about the over a certain small sector of the closure shell extending snap hinge up and out.

An inner plug or annular sealing web may additionally be provided, the outer diameter of which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the bottle neck, in order to engage in the closed cap in the interior of the container neck, thus providing a seal of the container interior to the outside.

In the known closure, the snap hinge extends over a first sector of the circumference of the cap and retaining ring, and the tear strip extends over most of the remaining sector, in parallel to a plane inclined at less than 90 ° to the axis of the closure, while keeping a certain distance to the sector of the snap hinge, so that between the ends of the tear strip (seen in the circumferential direction) and the ends of the snap hinge openings remain in the shell of the closure. This requires on the one hand a certain axial length of the closure and the open areas between the tear strip and the hinge can lead to the ingress of dirt, dust, germs and small animals or insects under the cap, so that the mouth of the bottle neck concerned possibly certain dirt or even microbial contamination, although the closure is fully closed and the guarantee band is intact.

In addition, because of the tendency of the tamper-evident band with respect to a perpendicular to the closure axis, this known closure has an axial length greater than the sum of the minimum (axial) widths of the cap skirt, the tamper-evident band, and the retaining ring.

Compared to this prior art, the present invention has the object to provide a closure with the features mentioned, but which should still be produced with little effort and preferably only little material needed, and especially better protects the closure interior from environmental influences

This object is achieved in that cap casing, tear strip, snap hinge and retaining ring together define a substantially closed closure shell, wherein the tear strip and pointing in the circumferential direction ends of the snap hinge on film-like, easily tearable lines of weakness with the cap coat, and / or the retaining ring and optionally connected to each other.

Thus, in the case of the closure according to the invention, the cap jacket, the snap hinge, the tear strip and the retaining ring form a closure jacket closed along the entire circumference, these parts being connected to one another via thin films formed integrally with the closure which are at least partially easily rupturable. In particular, the tear strip is connected on all sides only by easily rupturable films or weakening lines of the closure material with the adjacent closure elements. If the tear strip extends only over a part of the outside of the snap hinge lying jacket sector, the cap or more precisely the cap jacket and the retaining ring are directly connected to each other via a thin film of material defining a tear line. Also, in the circumferential direction of the closure facing the ends of the snap hinge are connected to the adjacent parts, ie the tear strip or possibly (also) the cap jacket or the retaining ring via a slightly tearable film or a weakening line. In the axial direction, however, the snap hinge with the cap part and the retaining ring is fixed, but pivotally connected.

In the closure of the present invention, the tear strip is configured to extend circumferentially completely along the remaining peripheral sector from one end of the snap hinge to the opposite end of the snap hinge, and thus no openings or spaces between the ends of the tear strip Ends of the snap hinge remain. This allows the production of a completely closed shell of the closure, the interior of which is better protected against environmental influences.

In the preferred embodiment, the tear strip extends along the circumference of the closure skirt substantially parallel to the lower edge of the retaining ring and the top plate of the cap member, except for axial extensions, especially in the direction of the cap bottom, along smaller peripheral sectors, e.g. B. in the adjacent to the ends of the snap hinge areas and possibly also on the snap hinge diametrically opposite side. This embodiment allows a short axially constructed closure and saves space and material for the closure in its manufacture. An axially very short built closure also allows in particular a very short and thus save material produced bottleneck, the material savings at the bottleneck can be far greater than in the closure itself.

According to claim 1, the tear strip on both sides reaches up to the snap hinge with its adjoining the snap hinge ends are so wide that they extend over the entire axial height of the snap hinge, wherein a tear formed by a thin film of material the ends of tear strip and Snap hinge connects. Since the tear strip is generally narrower (has a smaller axial height) than the snap hinge, it expediently has corresponding extensions at its ends adjoining the snap hinge.

The according to claim 1 adjacent to the snap hinge recesses or axially extending weakening lines and the hinge so extend into axial areas, which are otherwise detected by the cap skirt, which in turn for engagement with a container neck on at least part of the circumference must have a sufficient axial height for the intervention. This axial minimum height of the cap skirt should not be less than 2 mm and is preferably at least 3, more preferably at least 4 mm, measured from the outside of the top plate. So if there is talk of a "close to the top plate Heranreichens" of the recesses and the snap hinge, this means that the corresponding parts replace or omit a part of the cap skirt.

According to claim 1, the tear strip is connected to both ends of the snap hinge, preferably over a thin film of material or a tear, so that the tear strip can be separated not only from the retaining ring and the cap, but also from both ends of the snap hinge or got to.

For the separation of the tear strip preferably a grip tab is provided, which, starting from an end portion of the tear strip, extends radially outside the closure shell and in the circumferential direction over the snap hinge and is held by easily tearable webs, preferably in the region of the snap hinge, close to the closure jacket ,

Such a grip tab is appropriate because you would otherwise need a tool for releasing the tear strip. This pull tab of the Abreißschamiers can be connected, for example via easily breakable webs with the closure or the outside of the snap hinge on the closure.

The inventive design of the closure ensures that the closure interior is completely encapsulated before the first use with respect to the outside space. This is especially true because the tear strip with the holder and the cap and at its end faces with the end faces of the holding hinge preferably via a thin, easily tearable material film is connected instead, as is known from the prior art in other applications, in principle, by a plurality of easily breakable connecting webs, but between which a separating gap remains, which would constitute an opening between the outside and inside of the closure. However, a portion of the material films connecting the individual fastener elements could possibly also be replaced by a separating gap which is bridged by easily tearable connecting webs, namely, for example, at the connection between the retaining ring and the tear strip when the tear tape is tight against a container neck or closure neck, or possibly also on the front sides of the snap hinge, where one could even dispense with connecting web, and in particular when the elements adjacent to the separating gap lie very tightly and preferably in contact with each other.

At the same time such a closure is inexpensive to produce, because it can be made at least in its simple variants by two relatively simple, only axially collapsible tools, even if more complex configurations and appropriate tools are appropriate in some applications. The cap skirt, the tear strip and the retaining ring form a continuous cylindrical or slightly conical or from the cap jacket to the retaining ring gradually slightly widening, continuous wall. For example, the cap skirt may have an outer diameter of about 36.5 mm, while the retaining ring has a slightly larger outer diameter of z. B. 39.5 mm, wherein the tear strip and the snap hinge together form a conical transition from the cap jacket to the retaining ring. Minor undercuts, for example, at the lower inner edge of the cap skirt, at the lower inner edge of the retaining ring and also to form weakening lines or film hinges on the snap hinge can be produced without multi-part inner shapes and can be incorporated directly into the inner punch, as long as these structures only one small radial depth of z. B. less than 1 mm. The shutter is then z. B. made by injection into a two-part mold, which consists of an outer mold and an inner punch, the outside has no significant structures and the outer mold can therefore be easily deducted from the reason of slight undercuts on the inner punch seal. After the outer mold is removed, the inner punch can be easily detached from the closure, the areas axially below undercuts during demolding undergo a slight expansion, but is reversible because of the elasticity of the commonly used closure materials.

If the tear strip additionally has a gripping tab extending parallel to the outer casing or to the snap hinge of the closure, the mold must, of course, be supplemented with corresponding shaping elements which, however, do not require excessive additional effort and, if necessary, the use of a relatively simple, two-part injection molding tool enable.

In the inventive embodiment, the tear strip is designed so that it extends in its adjacent to the snap hinge areas at the same time up to the top plate or in the vicinity of the top plate, thus forming a part of the cap skirt in this area, as long as the tear strip not yet removed is. Conveniently, the tear strip is simply extended in its two adjacent to the snap hinge ends in the axial direction to the top plate zoom, for example, over a length of 2 to 6 mm in the circumferential direction, while the upper axial limit of the tear strip, ie formed between tear strip and cap jacket Line of weakness is then removed again from the top plate and in the remaining area of the second sector at a distance of z. B. 1 to 5 mm parallel to the top plate in the circumferential direction runs. This distance of the tear line between tear strip and cap to the top plate then corresponds to the remaining axial length of the cap skirt. As a result, therefore, the cap jacket is removed in the two, adjacent to the peripheral ends of the snap hinge areas to near the top plate and replaced by the extensions of the tear strip. This is particularly advantageous when the snap hinge extends substantially to the top plate zoom.

Essential parts of a snap hinge z. B. two film-like, easily bendable connecting lines of slightly thinner material, which are also referred to as "film hinges" and connect the adjacent relatively rigid and thicker material portions of the hinge together and extend substantially in the circumferential direction, but also have axial components, so that they approximately in the middle of the snap hinge lie relatively close together and then diverge in their further course in the circumferential direction to the ends of the snap hinge out (in the axial direction). The (three) thicker and more rigid sections of the snap hinge lie between the two film hinges or close above the top and bottom of the lower hinge.

The course of the upper film hinge corresponds for example to the intersection of a cylindrical surface with a plane inclined to the cylinder axis and thus extends along a circular or more precisely elliptical arc in a plane inclined to the top plate with a center of the arc above the top plate, since the two ends of this arcuate film hinge approach the top plate. The lower hinge then follows, for example, also an elliptical arc, which also extends in a plane inclined to the top plate, but with a center well below the top plate and, for example, below the retaining ring, so that the ends of the lower hinge away from the top plate and in extend the vicinity of the retaining ring. The overall axial height of the snap hinge is essentially determined by the distance of the film hinges diverging from each other towards the ends of the snap hinge. Of course, this distance also depends on the width (measured in the circumferential direction) of the film hinge and the diameter of the closure, but is about 5 mm in a typical closure with a diameter of 35 to 40 mm.

The above-described measures, such as the snap hinge extending close to the top plate and the tear strip extending in sub-sectors also close to the top plate, allow the production of a corresponding closure with very small axial dimensions of e.g. B. less than 15, in particular less than 12 mm, for example, a diameter of 35 to 40 mm. In this way, a considerable amount of material for the closure and especially for the associated container neck can be saved, the closure in the unopened state, ie with intact tear strip, yet a very stable, tight closure, if according to the preferred embodiment cap shell, tear strip , Snap hinge and retaining ring define a continuous cylindrical or conical or part-conical shell of the closure without any gap or interruption.

The operation of the snap hinge can be described as follows. The snap hinge consists from top to bottom of an adjacent to the top plate section, which has approximately the shape of a circular section. The outer edge of this section is defined by the arcuate, upper film hinge. This is followed again by a somewhat more stable hinge section, which in turn is bounded below by a curved film hinge with opposite curvature. This more stable part of the snap hinge thus has approximately the shape of a horizontal "X" with curved side lines in the side view.

At the same time, the snap hinge thus described in a plan view is also curved in a radial plane, i. it forms the part of a cylindrical (or slightly conical) shell of the closure.

This means that when lifting the cap, i. upon opening of the closure, after the tear strip has been removed, the initial effective axis of rotation about which the closure poppet pivots is approximately in the region of a tangent to the central portion of the hinge, concretely within the upper film hinge and in the central region thereof. The top plate and the film hinge adjacent, circular portion portion of the cap skirt move substantially rigidly as a unit about this axis. This necessarily results in the two ends of the film hinge which are spaced from the effective initial axis of rotation being stretched while the hinge is in the middle region, i. Where the two hinges come closest to each other tends to be upset.

At the same time, by the rigid connection of the top plate with the circular portion portion of the cap skirt, the central portion of the hinge is displaced radially inwardly while the ends of the hinge move radially outward. The elastic stretching of the ends of the hinge as well as the compression of the central region of the hinge thereby cause an elastic restoring force in the closing direction.

However, as soon as the middle part of the hinge is in one plane due to its radial inward movement and the ends of the hinge due to its radial outward movement, the hinge is at a dead center and further pivoting of the cap causes the outer ends of the hinge to move beyond. ie radially outward of the course of the effective pivot axis, which are still substantially through the film hinge in the central region of the snap hinge and parallel to a tangent to the cap skirt in this Area runs. The elastic tensile forces acting in the hinges then effect a support of the opening movement.

It is understood that for the proper functioning of such a snap hinge, the ends of the hinge must be exposed in the region of the two hinges, which means for the object of the present invention that the ends of the tear strip, which are integrally connected to the ends of the snap hinge itself should also extend over the entire width of the snap hinge so that after removal of the tear strip these ends are completely exposed. It is particularly material-saving, if, as already chosen, the snap hinge extends to near the top plate and therefore the tear strip should extend in the embodiment described above in turn close to the top plate, at least in the vicinity of the snap hinge.

In the other areas, it is expedient if the tear strip maintains a sufficient distance from the top plate, so that a corresponding jacket of the closure cap remains, which stabilizes the cap on the one hand and on the other hand holding properties, and for example a small radial projection on its lower inner edge may engage behind a radially outwardly bulging edge of a container mouth and hold the cap to it.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, however, it is provided that the tear strip in a diametrically opposite to the snap hinge area again approaches the top plate, so that in this area a small portion of the cap skirt in a length of z. B. 10 to 15 mm in the circumferential direction is removed. This recess in the cap skirt, which preferably extends to the top plate, effectively forms a kind of grip tab into which one can easily reach in with a fingertip to open the cap, i. to release from the edge of the container opening.

Moreover, the tear strip preferably has a constant axial width of z. B. 2 to 3 mm, which is approximately doubled only in the area near the ends of the snap hinge and in the opposite region of the snap hinge, because there the tear strip extends to or close to the top plate, on the one hand, a proper function of To ensure snap hinge by the ends are exposed and on the other hand to form a grip tab on the cap.

In this case, the tear strip does not necessarily have to extend exactly to the top plate in the areas mentioned, but it may possibly even a small portion of the cap jacket remain in these areas, but should in a cap jacket of only a few (For example, 3-6) mm axial height, this height of the cap skirt in the mentioned extended areas of the tear strip to be reduced by at least half, so that the above-mentioned functions are ensured.

Alternatively, however, a short grip tab may be integrally formed on the side opposite the snap hinge side of the cap skirt to the cap skirt or in extension of the top plate. In this case, of course, you do not need a recess in the cap coat to form a grip tab. This embodiment is preferred in connection with an inner retaining bead on the cap jacket to be described below.

Where the cap coat has its full maximum height, i. substantially outside the snap hinge and adjacent recesses of the cap skirt, the cap skirt has an inwardly protruding bead or bead near its lower edge which can latch behind a corresponding projection on the mouth of a bottle neck or the like.

Such a bead preferably has its full radial thickness only in the region opposite the hinge, where, where appropriate, the grip tab is located. The peripheral portion along which the bead has its maximum radial thickness preferably comprises not more than 120 °, more preferably not more than 90 ° and in particular not more than 60 °, the center of this portion being diametrically opposite the center of the snap hinge. Particularly preferably, the bead, starting from a maximum value in a small central portion or point, a continuously decreasing thickness and runs at the latest at about 90 ° either side of the central point completely or to a minimum bead thickness.

This embodiment has the advantage of an improved and safer sealing of the closure during resealing. The consumer who has grasped the closure on the opposite side of the hinge, if necessary on a gripping tab and has opened and wants to close the closure, typically detects when closing again only the part of the cap, which is in the vicinity of the handle tab or the hinge diametrically opposite and presses this side of the cap from above on the corresponding bottle neck or container neck on which the closure is attached. As already mentioned, the upper edge of this bottle neck, which is designed for the attachment of a corresponding closure, has an outwardly projecting retaining bead. By pressing down the cap of the provided on the cap skirt, inwardly projecting bead slides over the outwardly projecting bead on the bottleneck edge away and locked behind this. However, if the inwardly protruding bead extends over the entire circumference of the cap skirt, or at least along a peripheral sector of more than 180 °, starting from the central point opposite the snap hinge, would extend, but only in the region of this central point or in the grip tab pressure from above on the top plate or the grip tab is exercised, it may happen that although the bead of the cap skirt slides in the region of the grip tab on the retaining bead of the bottleneck, but in the rest, especially in the areas offset by about 90 ° from the center of the grip tab, on which retaining bead of the bottleneck edge would rest, without sliding over it. The closure would bulge somewhat in the middle between the hinge and the grip tab, whereby a tight resealing would no longer be guaranteed, above all because of this deformation of the closure cap. Thereby, however, that according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the inwardly projecting bead on the jacket of the cap only at one point or in a portion near the grip tab, ie the hinge diametrically opposite, its full maximum thickness, which increases with increasing distance from this central area continues to decrease and preferably at least at a distance of 90 ° from the central area has reached a minimum value and possibly completely disappears, the cap with the cap bottom lowers over its full extent on the edge of the bottle neck, even if Pressure is exerted from above on the cap part only in the area of the grip tab. In this case, an optionally smaller, radially inwardly projecting bead, which is located at a distance from the gripping tab, only a small amount of resistance to sliding over the bead of the bottleneck, so that there is no bulging of the closure cap in the middle region between the hinge and the gripping tab comes.

In addition, a ring-shaped circumferential sealing web is expediently provided on the top plate, which is dimensioned so that it engages in the interior of a bottle neck or a container opening and thus acts as a plug, and has expediently along its outer periphery a bead-like projection, as Seal on the inner surface of a corresponding bottle neck, therefore, must have an outer diameter which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of a corresponding neck or neck opening.

In a specific embodiment, the closure is made for a bottleneck with 33 mm inner diameter and 35 mm outer diameter, wherein, as already mentioned, the outer diameter of the inner sealing ridge in the region of the bead is accordingly slightly larger than 33 mm, z. B. 33.5 mm, and the inner edge of the (not completely circumferential) cap skirt has an inner diameter of, for example, 35.5 mm.

For purposes of the original disclosure, it is to be understood that all such features as will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the present description, the drawings and the dependent claims, even if concretely, only in connection with certain others Characteristics have been described, both individually and in any combination with other of the features or feature groups disclosed herein are combinable, unless this has been expressly excluded or technical conditions make such combinations impossible or pointless. On the comprehensive, explicit representation of all conceivable combinations of features is omitted here only for the sake of brevity and readability of the description.

Figur 1

eine Seitenansicht einer Ausführungsform eines auf einem Behälterhals applizierten Verschlusses,

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht des Verschlusses nach Figur 1, gesehen von der Seite des Schnappscharniers und ohne Grifflasche für das Abreißband,

Figur 2a

einen Schnitt durch den Verschluß nach Figur 1 entsprechend der Schnittebene D-D in Figur 4,

Figur 3

eine Seitenansicht entsprechend Figur 2, jedoch mit der Grifflasche des Abreißbandes, die das Schnappscharnier teilweise verdeckt, wobei der linke Teil des Verschlusses im Schnitt dargestellt ist,

Figur 4

eine axiale Schnittansicht entsprechend der Schnittebene C-C in Figur 1,

Figur 5

eine axiale Ansicht auf den Verschluß von oben,

Figur 6

eine Schnittansicht durch den auf einem Flaschenhals applizierten Verschluß,

Figur 7

ein Detail der Schnittansicht aus Figur 6,

Figur 8

ein weiteres Detail der Schnittansicht aus Figur 6 und

Figur 9

ein weiteres Detail entsprechend dem Kreis E in Figur 2a.

Further advantages, features and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the associated figures. Show it:

FIG. 1

a side view of an embodiment of a applied on a container neck closure,

FIG. 2

a side view of the closure after FIG. 1 , seen from the side of the snap hinge and without a tab for the tear tape,

FIG. 2a

a section through the shutter after FIG. 1 according to the cutting plane DD in FIG. 4 .

FIG. 3

a side view accordingly FIG. 2 but with the pull tab of the tear strip partially obscuring the snap hinge, the left part of the fastener being shown in section,

FIG. 4

an axial sectional view corresponding to the sectional plane CC in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5

an axial view of the closure from above,

FIG. 6

a sectional view through the applied on a bottle neck closure,

FIG. 7

a detail of the sectional view FIG. 6 .

FIG. 8

another detail of the sectional view FIG. 6 and

FIG. 9

another detail corresponding to the circle E in FIG. 2a ,

One recognizes in the FIGS. 1 to 6 the generally designated 10 closure, which consists of a closure cap 1, a retaining ring 3 and a between cap 1 and retaining ring 3 arranged tear strip 4. The tear strip 4 connects the retaining ring 3 and the closure cap 1 via a respective weakening line designated 15 and 19 with each other. The lines of weakness 15, 19 consist of film-like diluted, line-to-strip-shaped sections of the closure jacket. As you can see, the closure widens from top to bottom, especially in the region of the tear strip 4, stepwise something, the cap skirt 2, the tear strip 4 and the retaining ring 3 are substantially cylindrical in itself. The retaining ring 3, which has a slightly smaller inner diameter than a radially outwardly projecting retaining flange 32 of the bottle neck 30 (see Figures 3 . 6, 7 and 8 ) has, engages behind this flange 32 and thus holds the shutter 10th Total stuck to the radially outwardly projecting flange 32 or projection of a false neck 30 or an opening socket.

From the top plate 14 from an annular circumferential sealing ridge 18 extends (see FIGS. 2a and 3 ) having at its outer periphery a small, circumferential bead which engages as a sealing bead in the interior of a corresponding bottle neck 30 when the closure is placed on the bottle neck and the cap 1 is closed.

Also, the cap skirt 2 has at its lower edge a small, inwardly directed projection 12 (FIG. FIG. 7 ), which can engage behind an outwardly bulging snap edge 33 of the bottle neck 30 to hold the cap 1 in the closed state securely on a container mouth, even if the tear strip 4 is removed and the cap only on the snap hinge 20 with the retaining ring third connected is.

FIG. 3 shows an outside view of the closure in the region of the snap hinge, in FIG. 3 partially covered by the pull tab 13 of the tear strip 4, wherein two lines of weakness or film hinges 6, 7, which form the snap hinge 20 with the intermediate section 8 and the top and bottom adjoining sections 16, 17 are indicated by arcuate, dashed lines. As can be seen, these film hinges 6, 7 are arcuate in such a way that they have a small distance from each other approximately in the middle of the hinge 20, and diverge outwardly towards the ends of the hinge. Between these two film hinges 6, 7 remains a slightly more massive web 8, which is accordingly tapered in the middle and widens towards its two ends, while the film hinges on the other hand by a curved extended portion 17 of the retaining ring 3 and a arcuate portion 16 of the cap skirt 2, additionally reinforced by an approximately rectangular base 9, limited, which also contribute to the snap function of the hinge 20 by forming a relatively rigid connection of the hinge with the retaining ring 3. The right and left side ends 21, 22 of the snap hinge 20 are defined by thin, filmy and easily tearable connections to the adjacent portions of the tear strip 4, which in its adjacent to the ends 21, 22 has axial extensions 5, the corresponding recesses 25th of the cap coat. In order to avoid tearing of the also relatively thin-walled film hinges 6, 7 of the snap hinge from the ends 21, 22, 22 end reinforcements 23 are provided on both sides of the snap hinge 20 immediately before the ends 21, which the ends of the film hinges 6, 7 of separate the ends 21, 22.

This type of hinge has the property that when the cap 1 is lifted or folded up, the elastic restoring forces in the hinge initially tend to move the cap back to the closed state, but the elastic forces retard Overcoming a dead center, turn in an effective direction in the opening direction, so that then the cap 1 is held in the unfolded state.

How to look at the FIGS. 1, 2 . 6 and 8 , the side views and through the hinge 5 extending axial sections through the closure show, can easily imagine the top plate 1 and the cap skirt 2, which is formed in the region of the hinge 20 through the arcuate limited portion 16, when pivoting the cap first in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 8 a relatively rigid unit. The pivot axis for the cap is initially close to the taper of the ridge 8. How to get out FIG. 8 recognizes moves when pivoting the cap 1, the central portion of the hinge 20 and the web 8 radially inwardly and is thereby compressed, while the outer edge portions or ends 21,22 of the hinge 20 moves radially outward and thereby stretched, which causes elastic restoring forces. The dead center is defined by the fact that the web 8 passes in the middle of the hinge in the radial direction between the two hinges 21, 22 plane spanned and then radially inwardly snaps, while the ends 21, 22 of the hinge 20 move radially outwards so that the web 18 and the ends 21, 22 in the view according to the FIGS. 6 and 8 lie one above the other and finally pass each other, and exert beyond the dead point an elastic force that pulls the cap 1 in the open position.

This is to ensure that liquid can be poured out of a bottle without having to keep the cap away from the pouring spout so that the effluent does not flow against the cap and become uncontrollably deflected and spilled.

In the plan view from the outside according to the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 The tear strip 4 is extended in the region adjacent to the ends 21, 22 of the snap hinge 20 in the axial direction by the width of the cap skirt 2 and projects with its extensions 5 in this area up to the top plate 14 and thus gives after the separation of the closure, the ends 21, 22 of the snap hinge 20 completely free.

It is understood that in a hinge and a tear strip with a greater distance from the top plate of the cap skirt must have no corresponding recesses 25.

A special feature of the closure shown in the figures is that it before the first use, ie in the in the FIGS. 1 to 8 illustrated state, fully closed on all sides. As can be seen, the cap 1, the tear strip 4 and the retaining ring 3 by tear lines 15, 19 connected to each other, which thinned by line or strip-like, film-like Sections of the closure material are formed. Another tear line, which is likewise formed by a thin, film-like material, runs along the ends 21, 22 of the hinge 20. When the tear strip is removed, first the grip tab 13 is grasped, whereby the easily rupturable bridges or webs (not illustrated here), which connect the pull tab 13 with the outside of the snap hinge 20 are demolished. By sufficiently strong pull on the grip tab 13 and the closure material along the line 22 is then torn open, which defines one end of the snap hinge, which is followed by the provided with the grip tab 13 extended end of the tear strip 4. By pulling on the grip tab 13, the tear lines 15, 19 are then torn further, up to the extension 5 of the tear strip 4, which adjoins the end 21 of the snap hinge 20. Finally, the tear line is torn open along the end 21. Thereafter, the tear strip 4 is completely separated from the closure and also cap 1 and retaining ring 3 are largely separated from each other and hang only on the snap hinge 20 together.

In the in the FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrated, unopened shape, however, the closure is closed on all sides and also the retaining ring 3 preferably, when he engages the projection 32 of the bottle neck, on this projection 32 and preferably also still on the underlying flange 31, so that the closure interior, at least above the engagement of the retaining ring 3 with the flange or projection 32, at least dustproof is completed to the outside.

Also, the tear strip 4 is close to the flange 32 of the bottle holder 30, so that you could possibly replace the thin film of the tear line 19 by a separating gap, which is bridged only by individual, easily tearable webs between tear strip and retaining ring, without that the dustproofness would be impaired from the outer flange 32.

In an embodiment not shown here, the tear strip on the opposite side of the snap hinge 20 is again extended in the axial direction by the height of the cap skirt 2 and extends here as far as the top plate 14, so that the cap skirt 2 after removing the Abreißbandes also has a recess in this area, which effectively exposes a grip edge, since in this area the top plate 14 is exposed and can be detected at its free edge. This facilitates the operation of the closure, since the cap 1, as already mentioned, on the inside of the cap skirt 2 has one or more bead-like projections 12 which engage behind an outwardly bulging bottleneck edge and thus oppose the opening of the cap 1 a certain resistance.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, however, a gripping tab 11 is formed on the outside of the capper jacket 2.

How to get in FIG. 6 and in particular in the detail view according to FIG. 7 detects, the cap skirt 2 at its lower edge on a radially inwardly projecting projection or snap edge 12 which engages behind a corresponding, outwardly projecting projection or snap edge 33 at the upper edge of the bottle neck 30. This projection 12 extends as shown in FIG FIG. 4 can recognize, over a relatively small circumferential sector of less than 60 °, the center of which is diametrically opposed to the center of the snap hinge 20. However, the imperial sector, over which the snap edge 12 extends, but may also be much larger and z. B. 160 ° or even up to 270 °, in which case, however, the radial thickness of the snap edge, especially in the opposite to the center of the snap hinge offset by about 90 ° areas should be significantly less than in the snap hinge diametrically opposite area. In particular, this snap edge or bead 12 has its greatest radial thickness in the central, the snap hinge 20 diametrically opposite area. In the peripheral portions which are farther away from this central region, in particular in the peripheral portions diverging by approximately 90 to 120 ° from the central region, the bead 12 has a substantially smaller radial thickness and possibly even completely disappears. This is clear in the sectional view of the embodiment shown here in the FIGS. 2a and 9 , which show a section or a corresponding detail E along a plane DD, which is offset from the center of the snap hinge by 90 °. As you can see, no snap edge is provided on the cap skirt 2 in this area.

It has proved to be expedient if the radial thickness of the bead 12 tapers from the center opposite the snap-action hinge 20, either stepwise or continuously. For example, could the contour of the radial thickness of the projection 12 a scale adapted but in the axial view according to FIG. 2 similar crescent-shaped course, like the gripping projection 11, wherein, however, this projection or bead 12, in contrast to the gripping tab 11 extends radially inwardly.

Of course, but also other gradients and shapes of the snap edge or bead 12 are conceivable, such. In FIG. 4 recognizable, where the ends of a bead 12 from a previously constant thickness along a rounded, oblique step decrease and pass into the wall of the cap skirt.

In the unopened state, ie as long as the tear strip 4 is still intact and connected to the retaining ring 3 and the cap 1, the closure is completely closed on its outer side, and there is no tear between 4 on the one hand and the retaining ring or the cap jacket 2 Gaps, openings or gaps in which any contaminants could penetrate.

Accordingly, no contaminants can penetrate into the interior of the closure, which is formed overall by the retaining ring 3, the tear-off strip 4 and the closure cap 1. After removal of the tear strip 4 is further a good tightness to the container interior ensured by the fact that the annular peripheral sealing web 18 has a corresponding outer bead which comes into sealing engagement with the inner surface of a bottle neck, while the cap skirt 2 with its inwardly projecting projection 12 at its lower inner edge holds the cap 1 securely on the container mouth.

The closure of the invention is characterized by a relatively simple structure and manufacturability and can in particular in the in the FIGS. 1 to 9 form shown closed. He also requires little material, the essential parts retaining ring, tear strip and cap or cap jacket can be made very short in the axial direction, so that the closure at a diameter of 38 mm a total of z. B. 12 mm, each 4.5 mm on the height of the retaining ring and the cap skirt (including top plate) accounts, and the remaining part is claimed by the tear strip, which in principle could be made even narrower, on the other hand, however the snap hinge requires a certain axial height, so that a further reduction of the width or axial height of the tear strip on the overall height of the closure would have no appreciable influence. This axially short design has an even more advantageous effect on the material savings in a suitably adapted, short container neck.

Claims (15)

1. A closure (10) consisting of a cap portion (1), a retaining ring (3), a tear strip and a snap hinge (20), the snap hinge connecting the cap portion and the retaining ring with one another in a single piece along a first circumferential section, wherein the cap portion (1) has a top plate (14) and the closure having overall a substantially cylindrical or slightly tapered closure skirt which, inter alia, comprises a substantially cylindrical cap skirt and the retaining ring (3), wherein the snap hinge (20) is integrated into the skirt and wherein the retaining ring (3) and the cap portion (1), in addition to being connected via the snap hinge (20), are also connected together along a second circumferential section (30) via the tear strip (4) which is also integrated into the skirt, characterized in that the cap skirt, tear strip, snap hinge and retaining ring together define an essentially closed closure skirt, wherein the tear strip and the ends of the snap hinge (20) in the circumferential direction are connected with the cap skirt and/or the retaining ring and optionally with one another via film-like, easily tearable lines of weakness, wherein that the tear strip connects to both of the circumferential ends (21, 22) of the snap hinge (20) and extends over the entire remaining circumferential section of the closure skirt apart from the snap hinge, wherein the snap hinge or a film hinge (6) of the snap hinge (20) is less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm distant from the top plate (14), wherein the tear strip with its end sections (5) bordering the snap hinge extends substantially to the upper rim of the snap hinge and preferably over its entire axial height, and wherein in the cap skirt a recess (25) is provided on both sides of the snap hinge (20) which extends almost to the top plate, and is occupied by the end sections (5) of the tear strip.
2. A closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the axial height of the tear strip is smaller than that of the snap hinge with the exception of its end sections bordering the snap hinge.
3. A closure according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a tab grip of the tear strip which starts from one end section of the tear strip extends radially from the closure skirt and in the circumferential direction over the snap hinge and is retained close to the closure skirt by easily tearable tabs, preferably in the region of the snap hinge.
4. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper rim of the tear strip runs near to the top plate (14) in the region thereof opposite to the snap hinge.
5. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the snap hinge or a film hinge (6) of the snap hinge (20) is less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm distant from the top plate (14).
6. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a recess is provided in the cap skirt which extends almost to the top plate diametrically opposite to the snap hinge which, on the intact closure, is filled by the tear strip.
7. A closure according to claim 6, characterized in that the recess diametrically opposite to the snap hinge extends over an angle between 20° and 60°, preferably between 30° and 40°.
8. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height of the cap skirt (1) measured in the axial direction in the region of at least one of the recesses (25) is reduced by at least half, preferably by at least 75% of the height of the regions outside the recesses and in particular to a distance of less than 1 mm from the inner surface of the top plate.
9. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structures on the closure skirt and between the skirt sections have a radially shallow depth of less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm.
10. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tear strip (4), over the major portion of the second circumferential sector apart from the snap hinge (20), is at a distance from the top plate which is at least double that distance in the sectors which are close to the top plate.
11. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance of the tear strip from the top plate (14) in the sectors close to the top plate is at most 1 mm and outside these sectors is at least 2 mm.
12. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the overall axial height of the closure is less than 15 mm, preferably at most 12 mm whereby, apart from the recesses, more than a third is taken up by the retaining ring and the cap skirt and somewhat less than a third is taken up by the tear strip.
13. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that in the region outside the recesses the cap skirt has an inwardly projecting retaining bead (12).
14. A closure according to claim 13, characterized in that the radial thickness of the retaining bead (12) in the regions furthest from the snap hinge is larger than that in a circumferential sector of approximately 180° centred on the snap hinge.
15. A closure according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that on its inner side and in the proximity of its lower rim the retaining ring (3) has an inwardly projecting retaining bead (9) or tapers downwardly.

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