EP2179932B1 - Locking device to close a container - Google Patents

Abstract

The closing device (10) has an insert (22) associated to an effusion opening (16) of a container (12) and covered by a closing flap (24). The insert includes a hollow cylindrical ground body with passage openings, which form an aeration opening (30) and a through-flow opening (28), respectively. The through-flow opening is formed in a lower cylinder section (32) of the insert and is in fluid connection with a container volume (14). The aeration opening is formed in an upper cylinder section (36) of the insert and is in air-line connection with an aeration line (18).

Description

The invention relates to a closure device for closing a container for storing liquids.

From the EP 1 451 070 B1 Such a container with a container volume and thus standing in fluid connection pouring opening is known. The container further comprises a vent line which extends from the region of the pouring opening and opens into the container volume. In the known container, the container volume is divided into a storage volume and a withdrawal volume in fluid communication therewith. In an upright position of the container, that is, for example, in a position in which the contents of the container is to be stored, the removal volume is arranged above the storage volume. An overflow of liquid from the storage volume into the withdrawal volume is prevented until the container is tilted beyond a predetermined limit angle out of the upright position.

When the predetermined limit angle is exceeded, the liquid flows from the storage volume into the withdrawal volume and from a discharge volume arranged on the discharge opening from the container. The vent line now ensures that the removal of liquid for aeration of the supply volume is taken care of. In this case, air flows in the region of the pouring opening into the ventilation line and out of its mouth opening from the ventilation line into the storage volume. This allows a uniform flow when removing a quantity of liquid. In addition revealed DE 296 05 112 U1 a closure device according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is an object of the invention to provide a closure device for closing such a container, wherein the closure device according to the invention should be particularly simple and inexpensive to manufacture. In addition, the closure device according to the invention should be mounted on the container in a particularly simple manner. In particular, the ventilation function of the container should be improved.

It is another object of the invention to provide a container with such a closure device.

This object of the invention is achieved by a closure device with the features of claim 1 and by a container with a closure device having the features of claim 12. Advantageous developments are each described in the subclaims.

Accordingly, it is provided in the closure device according to the invention that it has an insert, which can be assigned to the pouring opening. The insert can be covered with a closure cap and has at least one flow-through opening which can be brought into fluid connection with the container volume and at least one ventilation opening which can be brought into air-line connection with the ventilation line.

The use of the closure device can be easily introduced into the pouring opening of the container. As a result of the at least one flow-through opening formed on the insert, the liquid can flow out evenly from the pouring opening, with the air being able to flow into the ventilation line through the at least one ventilation opening on the insert, so that the container volume is ventilated during the liquid removal.

According to a preferred embodiment, the insert may have a substantially hollow cylindrical base body. According to claim 1, at least one first passage opening is provided on the insert, which forms the ventilation opening which can be brought into air-line connection with the ventilation line. Furthermore, a second passage opening can be attached to the base body, which forms the flow-through opening which can be brought into fluid communication with the container volume. The insert can be made in a very simple and inexpensive way as a plastic injection molded part.

In order to achieve a uniform outflow of the liquid from the pouring opening and at the same time a sufficient ventilation of the container volume with appropriate tilting of the container, the at least one throughflow opening can be formed in the lower cylinder section of the insert. In this case, the lower cylinder portion is associated with the insertable into the pouring opening lower end of the insert. On the other hand, the at least one ventilation opening may be formed in the upper cylinder portion of the insert. In this case, the upper cylinder section is arranged between the lower cylinder section of the insert and the upper end of the insert, which protrudes therefrom upon insertion of the pouring opening.

In order to ensure that no liquid inadvertently flows into the ventilation line when pouring the liquid out of the pouring opening, a partial line piece extending in the direction of the pouring opening and open toward the environment can be arranged on the at least one ventilation opening. Thus, it is ensured during the pouring of the liquid, that the ventilation opening through the Spout opening is in the air line connection with the environment, so that a reliable connection of the container volume is given.

According to a further preferred embodiment, at least on a partial circumference of the insert, a plurality of ventilation openings and a venting channel in air-line connection with the ventilation openings can be formed on the outside of the insert.

In this case, the ventilation channel extending around at least a partial circumference of the insert can be molded into the lateral surface of the insert. Alternatively, however, the ventilation channel may be formed on the container itself in the region of the pouring opening. The ventilation duct may generally be predetermined by the geometry of the insert and / or by the geometry of the region of the pouring opening on the container.

The majority of the ventilation openings ensures that, with almost any tilting or swiveling of the container during the pouring out of the liquid, sufficient ventilation of the container volume is achieved by air flowing into one or more of the ventilation openings and flowing into the ventilation line via the ventilation channel. Furthermore, the majority of the ventilation openings simplify installation in the container mouth, since the inner part does not have to be aligned radially with respect to the ventilation opening.

Additionally or alternatively, at least on a partial circumference of the insert, a plurality of flow openings and a flow channel in fluid communication with the flow openings may be formed on the outside of the insert. Similar to the ventilation duct, the flow channel can either be formed on the outer jacket surface of the insert or be formed on the container in the region of the pouring opening. In this case, the flow channel can generally be predetermined by the geometry of the insert and / or by the geometry of the region of the pouring opening on the container.

By the plurality of flow-through openings ensures that almost any tilting or pivoting of the container during pouring the liquid flows out uniformly. Furthermore, the assembly in the container mouth is simplified by the plurality of throughflow openings, since the inner part does not have to be aligned radially to the flow opening.

In order to prevent the insert is inserted too deeply into the pouring opening of the container and thereby optionally falls into the container volume, at the spout opening side upper end of the substantially hollow cylindrical body of the insert, an outwardly extending, circumferential fold for support against the edge region be provided the pouring opening. With this measure, on the one hand, the maximum insertion depth of the insert is determined and, on the other hand, a sealing flange is provided which is effective between the insert and the pouring opening.

According to a manufacturing technology particularly simple embodiment, the closure cap can be pivoted on a lockable bottom part of the pouring opening. The closure bottom part can surround the pouring opening substantially annularly. The pivotable articulation of the cap on the bottom closure part can be particularly easy to manufacture realized by a film hinge.

In order to achieve a fixed and tight sealing connection between the outwardly extending circumferential fold of the insert and the edge region of the pouring opening, the closure lower part can be fixed to the pouring opening such that the closure lower part annularly surrounds the fold of the insert and against the edge region of the pouring opening suppressed. The fixation between the closure bottom and he pouring opening can be realized by a latching or threaded connection.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, the substantially hollow cylindrical body of the insert at its lower end, which faces away from the spout-side upper end, have a bottom element. As a result, the insert is closed on the bottom side, wherein the open hollow cylinder end can be covered by the closure cap.

According to the invention, a container is further specified, to which the closure device according to the invention is attached.

The at least one flow-through opening of the insert of the closure device can be in direct fluid communication with the withdrawal volume, so that with appropriate tilting of the container from the vertical position, the liquid flowing from the storage volume into the withdrawal volume can be poured out of the pouring opening through the flow-through opening of the insert.

Between the removal volume and the storage volume, an additional passage opening may be formed, which is substantially aligned with the pouring opening. The additional passage opening, in the non-closed state, releases an additional, direct liquid connection between the pouring opening and the storage volume. Through the pouring opening and further through the thus aligned additional passage opening between the sampling volume and the storage volume, the container can be filled from the outside simply with liquid. When pouring the liquid from the container, however, the additional passage opening between the sampling volume and the storage volume should be closed, since otherwise the ventilation is disturbed via the ventilation line and no uniform liquid flow is achieved. For this purpose, the bottom element of the insert may be formed as a closure element for closing the additional passage opening.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

Figur 1

in schematischer Seitenansicht und im Schnitt einen Behälter mit einer ers- ten Ausführungsform einer Verschlusseinrichtung;

Figur 2

in vergrößerter schematischer Ansicht und im Schnitt die in der Figur 1 ge- zeigte erste Ausführungsform der Verschlusseinrichtung;

Figur 3

in schematischer, perspektivischer Ansicht und im Teilschnitt die in den Fi- guren 1 und 2 gezeigte erste Ausführungsform der Verschlusseinrichtung;

Figur 4

in schematischer Seitenansicht und im Schnitt einen Behälter mit einer zweiten Ausführungsform einer Verschlusseinrichtung;

Figur 5

in vergrößerter schematischer Seitenansicht und im Schnitt die in der Figur 4 gezeigte zweite Ausführungsform der Verschlusseinrichtung; und

Figur 6

in schematischer perspektivischer Ansicht und im Teilschnitt die in den Fi- guren 4 und 5 gezeigte zweite Ausführungsform der Verschlusseinrichtung.

Show it:

FIG. 1

in a schematic side view and in section a container with a first embodiment of a closure device;

FIG. 2

in an enlarged schematic view and in section in the FIG. 1 showed first embodiment of the closure device;

FIG. 3

in a schematic, perspective view and in partial section the first embodiment of the closure device shown in Figures 1 and 2;

FIG. 4

in a schematic side view and in section a container with a second embodiment of a closure device;

FIG. 5

in an enlarged schematic side view and in section in the FIG. 4 shown second embodiment of the closure device; and

FIG. 6

in a schematic perspective view and in partial section the second embodiment of the closure device shown in the figures 4 and 5.

The FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view and in section a container 12 for storing liquids, such as engine oil, with a first embodiment of a closure device 10. Die FIG. 4 shows in a schematic side view and in section the same container 12 with a second embodiment of a closure device 10. Hereinafter in the two FIGS. 1 and 4 shown container 12 described

The container 12 has a container volume 14 and a pouring spout 16 in fluid communication therewith.

The container volume 14 is divided into a storage volume 54 and a withdrawal volume 56 in fluid communication therewith. The storage volume 54 is designed to be substantially larger than the withdrawal volume 56 and includes the stored liquid. In the upright position of the container 12, as in the FIGS. 1 and 4 is shown, the removal volume 56 is disposed above the storage volume 54, wherein formed between the storage volume 54 and the removal volume 56, a transition 64, which in the illustration of FIGS. 1 and 4 is arranged at the left upper end of the storage volume 54. From the transition 64, the removal volume 56 extends above the storage volume 54 to the right, wherein at the removal volume 56, a pouring sleeve 26 is arranged, which forms a kind of bottleneck and at its upper end has the upwardly open pouring opening 16.

An overflow of liquid from the storage volume into the removal volume is prevented by this arrangement until the container 12 is tilted beyond a predetermined critical angle out of the vertical position in the direction of the arrow s.

Between the removal volume 56 and the storage volume 54 of the container 12, a passage opening 52 is formed, which is substantially aligned with the pouring opening 16.

The storage volume 54 and the removal volume 56 are spaced apart from one another by a passage 60 formed on the container 12. At the penetration, the container 12 can be manually grasped and carried. The removal volume 56 is accommodated in a kind of handle.

Furthermore, a handle 62 is integrally formed on the left side of the container, on which a vent line 18 is guided along. The vent line 18 extends from the region 20 of the pouring opening 16 and opens at the mouth 19 in the container volume 14 and in the storage volume 54th

The FIG. 2 shows in an enlarged schematic side view and in section that in the FIG. 1 shown first embodiment of the closure device 10, whereas the FIG. 5 in an enlarged schematic side view and in section in the FIG. 4 shown second embodiment of the closure device 10 shows.

The FIG. 3 shows in a schematic perspective view and in partial section in the FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrated first embodiment of the closure device. The FIG. 6 shows in a schematic perspective view and in partial section in the FIGS. 4 and 5 shown second embodiment of the closure device 10th

Below are the common features of the in the Figures 2 and 3 shown first embodiment of the closure device 10 and in the Figures 5 and 6 Shown second embodiment of the closure device 10 described.

The closure device 10 has an insert 22 with a substantially cylindrical base body. The insert 22 can be, as in the Figures 2 and 5 shown, in the pouring opening 16 of the substantially hollow cylindrical pouring sleeve 26 insert. At the upper end 38 of the substantially hollow-cylindrical basic body of the insert 22, an outwardly extending, circumferential fold 46 is formed, with which the insert 22 is supported relative to the edge region of the pouring opening 16.

The insert 22 can be covered with a closure cap 24. The closure cap 24 is pivotably connected via a film hinge 25 to a closure lower part 48.

The closure lower part 48 has a substantially annular shape, and encompasses the pouring opening 16 in a substantially annular manner, wherein on the pouring sleeve 26 facing inner wall of the closure lower part 48, a circumferential locking projection 48 is formed, which is formed in a molded on the lateral surface of the pouring sleeve 26 (not shown). Locking groove comes in latching engagement. At the upper end of the closure 48, a circumferential retracted edge 80 is formed on which a circumferential, upwardly projecting pouring opening 68 is integrally formed. The bottom of the retracted edge 80 comes with the at the upper end 38 of the insert 22 circumferentially integrally formed fold 46 of the insert 22 to the plant. The closure lower part 48 presses the fold 46 against the edge of the pouring opening 16.

The cap 24 has a substantially circular cap bottom, of which a circumferential cap skirt 70 and a concentric in the direction of the center of the cap 24 offset circumferentially arranged, protruding sealing lip 74 are integrally formed. On the cap skirt 70, a grip bottle 76 protruding at an angle for manual opening of the cap 24 is formed on the cap skirt 70.

When closed, the cap 24 comes with the closure part 48 in abutment. In this case, the circumferential pouring opening 68 protruding from the closure lower part 48 comes into sealing engagement with the groove formed on the cover cap 24 between the cap casing 70 and the circumferential protruding sealing lip 74. At the pouring opening 68, an outwardly extending, partially circumferential locking projection 82 is formed, which is in the closed position, not shown, of the cap 24 with a (not shown) locking groove on the cap 24 is engaged.

The substantially hollow-cylindrical basic body of the insert 22 has a bottom element 50 at its lower end 34.

The passage opening 52 formed between the removal volume 56 and the storage volume 54 of the container 12 is substantially aligned with the pouring opening 16. The bottom element of the insert 22 is designed as a closure element, which extends into the additional passage opening 52 and this closes. The closure element in this case has a disk set with superposed lamellae, which have an outer circumference which substantially corresponds to the cross section of the additional passage opening 52 or is dimensioned slightly larger. The lamellae of the disk pack 66 seal off the additional passage opening 52.

The FIG. 3 shows in a schematic perspective view and in partial section, the first embodiment of the in the FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrated closure device. Based on FIG. 3 In the first place, those features of the first embodiment of the closure device 10 which differ from the features of the second embodiment of the closure device 10 will be described.

The essentially hollow-cylindrical main body of the insert 22 has a passage opening or ventilation opening 30 which can be brought into air-line connection with the ventilation line 18 of the container 12. Furthermore, the hollow cylindrical base body of the insert 22 on the lateral surface of a second passage opening or through-flow opening 28, which are brought into fluid communication with the container volume 14 and the discharge volume 56.

The flow-through opening 28 is formed in the lower cylinder section 32 of the insert 22. The lower cylinder portion 32 is associated with the insertable into the pouring opening 16 lower end 34 of the insert 22.

The ventilation opening 30 is formed on the upper cylinder portion 36 of the insert 22. The upper cylinder portion 36 is disposed between the lower cylindrical portion 32 of the insert 22 and the upper end 38 of the insert 22 protruding from the pouring opening 16. On the inside of the hollow cylindrical insert 22, a partial line piece 40 extending in the direction of the pouring opening 16 is arranged on the ventilation opening 30. The sub-line piece 40 adds opened cap 24, the ventilation opening 30 through the pouring opening 16 with the environment in air line connection.

The FIG. 6 shows in a schematic perspective view and in partial section in the FIGS. 4 and 5 shown second embodiment of the closure device 10. Based on FIG. 6 In the first place, those features of the second embodiment of the closure device 10 that differ from the features of the first embodiment of the closure device 10 will be described.

The substantially hollow cylindrical body of the insert 22 has a plurality of ventilation openings, of which in the illustration of FIG. 6 only the ventilation openings are shown by the reference numerals 30a and 30b. In the representations of the FIGS. 4 and 5 a further ventilation opening is shown by the reference numeral 30c. The ventilation openings 30a, 30b and 30c can be in the air line connection with the vent line 18 of the container 12.

The ventilation holes 30 a, 30 b and 30 c are formed in the upper cylinder portion 36 of the insert 22. In this case, the ventilation openings 30a, 30b and 30c spaced from each other at least on a partial circumference of the insert 22 are arranged. A ventilation channel 42 formed on the outer side of the insert 22 on the upper cylinder section 36 and also extending on a partial circumference of the insert 22 communicates with the ventilation openings 30a, 30b and 30c on the one hand and with the ventilation duct 18 on the other hand in air line connection. The ventilation channel 42 may be predetermined by the geometry of the insert 22 and / or by the geometry of the pouring sleeve 26.

The substantially hollow cylindrical basic body of the insert 22 furthermore has a plurality of throughflow openings, of which in the illustration of FIG FIG. 6 only the flow openings are shown by the reference numerals 28a and 28b. In the FIGS. 4 and 5 In addition, a further flow opening is shown by the reference numeral 28c.

The flow-through openings 28 a, 28 b and 28 c are formed in the lower cylinder portion 32 of the insert 22. In this case, the throughflow openings 28a, 28b and 28c are arranged at a distance from one another on a partial circumference of the insert 22. The flow-through openings 28a, 28b and 28c are in fluid communication with a flow channel 44 formed on the outside of the insert 22 on the one hand and with the removal volume 56 of the container 12 on the other hand. The flow channel 44 may be predetermined by the geometry of the insert 22 and / or by the geometry of the pouring sleeve.

Claims (14)

1. Closure device (10) for closing a container (12) for storing liquids, having a container volume (14) and a pouring opening (16) which is in liquid communication therewith, wherein the container (12) furthermore has a ventilation line (18) which extends from the region (20) of the pouring opening (16) and opens into the container volume (14),
   wherein the closure device (10) has an insert (22) which can be assigned to the pouring opening (16), can be covered with a closure cap (24) and has at least one through-flow opening (28; 28a, 28b, 28c) which can be brought into liquid communication with the container volume (14),
   characterized
   in that the insert (22) of the closure device has at least a first through-passage opening, which forms a ventilation opening (30; 30a, 30b, 30c) that can be brought into air-passage communication with the ventilation line (18).
2. Closure device (10) according to Claim 1,
   characterized
   in that the insert (22) has a substantially hollow-cylindrical basic body, which forms, via at least a second through-passage opening, the through-flow opening (28; 28a, 28b, 28c) that can be brought into liquid communication with the container volume (14).
3. Closure device (10) according to Claim 2,
   characterized
   in that the at least one through-flow opening (28; 28a, 28b, 28c) is formed in the lower cylinder section (32) of the insert (22), said lower cylinder section (32) being assigned to the lower end (34) of the insert (22), it being possible to introduce said lower end (34) into the pouring opening (16), and
   in that the at least one ventilation opening (30; 30a, 30b, 30c) is formed in the upper cylinder section (36) of the insert (22), said upper cylinder section (36) being arranged between the lower cylinder section (32) of the insert (22) and the upper end (38) of the insert (22), it being possible for said upper end (38) to project out of the pouring opening (16).
4. Closure device (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 3,
   characterized
   in that a partial line element (40) that extends in the direction of the pouring opening (16) is arranged at the at least one ventilation opening (30) and brings the ventilation opening (30) into air-passage communication with the environment through the pouring opening (16).
5. Closure device (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 4,
   characterized
   in that a plurality of ventilation openings (30a, 30b, 30c) are formed on at least part of the circumference of the insert (22) and a ventilation duct (42) which is in air-passage communication with the ventilation openings (30a, 30b, 30c) is formed on the outside of the insert (22)
6. Closure device (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 5,
   characterized
   in that a plurality of through-flow openings (28a, 28b, 28c) are formed on at least part of the circumference of the insert (22) and a flow duct (44) which is in liquid communication with the through-flow openings (28a, 28b, 28c) is formed on the outside of the insert (22).
7. Closure device (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 6,
   characterized
   in that an outwardly extending encircling lip (46) that is intended to provide support with respect to the edge region of the pouring opening (16) is provided at the upper end (38), on the pouring-opening side, of the substantially hollow-cylindrical basic body of the insert (22).
8. Closure device (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 7,
   characterized
   in that the closure cap (24) is articulated in a pivotable manner to a lower part (48), which can be fixed to the pouring opening (16), of the closure, wherein the lower part (48) of the closure engages in a substantially annular manner around the pouring opening (16).
9. Closure device (10) according to Claim 8,
   characterized
   in that the lower part (48) of the closure can be fixed to the pouring opening (16), wherein the lower part (48) of the closure engages around the outwardly extending encircling lip (46) of the insert (22) and presses against the edge region of the pouring opening (16).
10. Closure device (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 9,
    characterized
    in that the substantially hollow-cylindrical basic body of the insert (22) has a base element (50) at the lower end (34), which is remote from the upper end (38) on the pouring-opening side.
11. Closure device (10) according to Claim 10,
    characterized
    in that the base element is formed as a closure element (50) for closing an opening (52) provided on the container (12).
12. Container (12) for storing liquids, having a container volume (14) and a pouring opening (16) which is in liquid communication therewith, wherein the container (12) furthermore has a ventilation line (18) which extends from the region of the pouring opening (16) and opens into the container volume (14), wherein a closure device (10) for closing the container (12) is provided on the container (12),
    wherein the closure device (10) has an insert (22) which can be assigned to the pouring opening (16), can be covered with a closure cap (24) and has at least one through-flow opening (28; 28a, 28b, 28c) which can be brought into liquid communication with the container volume (14), and at least one ventilation opening (30; 30a, 30b, 30c) which can be brought into air-passage communication with the ventilation line (18).
13. Container (12) according to Claim 12,
    characterized
    in that the container volume (14) has a storage volume (54) and a removal volume (56) in liquid communication therewith, wherein, when the container (12) is in an upright position, the removal volume (56) is arranged above the storage volume (54), wherein liquid is prevented from overflowing out of the storage volume (54) into the removal volume (56) until the container (12) has been tipped beyond a predetermined limit angle out of the upright position, wherein the at least one through-flow opening (28; 28a, 28b, 28c) in the insert (22) of the closure device (10) is in direct liquid communication with the removal volume (56).
14. Container (12) according to Claim 12 or 13,
    characterized
    in that an additional through-passage opening (52), which is substantially aligned with the pouring opening (16) and can be closed by the closure element (50) of the insert (22), is formed between the removal volume (56) and the storage volume (54), said through-passage opening (52) enabling liquid communication between the pouring opening (16) and the storage volume (54) in the non-closed state.

Images