EP2897878B1 - Lid of a container - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the lid of a container, in particular a beverage can, with at least one lid opening penetrating spout which is reclosable via at least one closure element, wherein the at least one closure element via an actuating element from a closed position in which the at least one pouring opening is closed , in an open position, wherein the pouring opening is at least partially exposed, is movable.

WO2010 / 094793 A describes a lid with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Containers of the type mentioned above are produced, for example, as resealable beverage cans. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of such cans, a pouring opening is provided in the lid mirror, which, like the rest of the metal can, is usually made of aluminum or tinplate. This opening is closed by a closure element. This closure element is moved by an actuating element, for example by means of a flap or a (rotary) slide from a closed position to an open position, whereby the pouring opening is exposed for emptying the can and is closed again after the first opening.

An essential requirement for resealable beverage cans is their tightness even after repeated opening and closing of the pouring opening. For example, the AT 507 950 A1 and the AT 505,756 B1 the Applicant a closure element can be removed, which is made of plastic and has a ring-encircling gas and liquid-tight seal. However, such a closure element is expensive to manufacture because of its two-component construction (two different plastics - a bearing, hard component and a soft, sealing component in a single injection-molded component combined). In addition, this technology allows only limited design options of the closure part, because this particular requirements of the plastic injection molding process with respect to parting planes, sprue positions, wall thickness ratios, etc. must be followed. It would be cheaper to realize the sealing function not by a two-component structure, but by means of a more readily available and thus more economical planar sealing component of industrially established standard production processes or semi-finished products.

In the WO 2011/124552 A1 Another container closure device is disclosed in which between
a lid and a closure part a seal is arranged. The contacting of Closure part and seal is flat. The disadvantage here is that high contact forces are necessary to securely seal the container.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a lid for a resealable container, which ensures a gas- and liquid-tight closure of the pouring even with repeated resealing and prolonged storage of the container and at the same time is inexpensive and easier to manufacture.

This object is achieved with a generic cover of the type mentioned above with the features of claim 1. Flat sealing elements, so-called "liners" are known per se, for example, from caps made of bottles. These are substantially flexible films that prevent the escape of liquid and / or gas, especially carbon dioxide from the bottle. The at least one sealing region is designed according to the invention as a sealing edge. As a result, the pressure exerted by the sealing region when closing on the planar sealing element, compared to the prior art increased due to the reduced contact surface, so that the sealing edge pushes into the planar sealing element and thus an improved sealing effect is achieved with lower forces.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one closure element and the flat sealing element are arranged on the underside of the lid mirror, wherein the at least one closure element cooperates with the flat sealing element when closing the pouring opening, and particularly preferably the at least one sealing region on the underside of the Lid mirror facing surface of the closure element is arranged.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the closure element is pivotable from the open position to the closed position and from the closed position to the open position. Due to the pivoting movement, the at least one sealing region, in particular, at least one sealing edge pressed against the substantially substantially against and in the planar sealing element when the closure element is moved in the closed position, so that a well-defined sealing of the pouring opening is obtained.

In order to achieve a sufficient tightness of the re-sealed beverage can even when filled with carbonated drinks, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one sealing area encloses the at least one pouring opening entirely when the closure element is in the closed position. In this case, the sealing region extends at a distance from the edges of the pouring opening, which is elliptical, for example. In a preferred embodiment, the sealing region, ie the sealing edge, can have a uniform (substantially constant) distance from the edge of the pouring opening, if appropriate also in the case of further openings. Since the at least one sealing region is pressed against and into the surface of the planar sealing element when the closure element is in the closed position, the sealing element must be made of an at least partially elastic material. According to the invention, it is provided that the flat sealing element is designed as a film, in particular as a foam film or rubber film.

In the embodiment of the invention, the flat film may be smaller than the surface of the lid and thus at least partially cover the underside thereof, wherein, however, the pouring opening is in turn completely surrounded by the flat sealing element.

In a particularly simple variant of the invention, the planar sealing element completely covers the underside of the cover, wherein only the region of the pouring opening and possibly openings for the arrangement of an actuating element remain uncovered.

In the production of the lid according to the invention is particularly preferably provided that the flat sealing element by means of inserting, gluing, printing or casting at the bottom the lid of the container is applied. Furthermore, the flat sealing element can be applied by compression molding on the underside of the lid, wherein the material of the flat (film) sealing element preferably comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. The thickness of the planar sealing element may be in the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, preferably from 0.2 mm to 1 mm.

In a further variant of the invention, the planar sealing element covers the cover mirror virtually entirely, but is not fixed to the cover over the entire surface, but only in small, spaced-apart areas.

A particularly cost-effective production of the lid according to the invention is given when the closure means and / or the actuator are made of plastic, wherein the production is simple and inexpensive by means of injection molding in large quantities.

In one development of the invention, the cover mirror may have a ventilation opening and the closure element may be provided with a passage opening aligned with the ventilation opening, wherein the ventilation opening and / or the passage opening can be closed and opened fluid-tight with a pin.

In a preferred, optional embodiment, the pin tapers conically in the direction of the ventilation opening. Thus, the ventilation opening or the passage opening can be sealed tight by pushing the pin.

The pin may be part of the actuating element or provided separately, for example as part of a pivotable tab.

The passage opening may comprise a sealing ring, in particular a hose section or an O-ring, for fluid-tight closing of the ventilation opening and / or the passage opening with the pin.

Alternatively or additionally, the pin may have on its outer side a sealing ring for fluid-tight closing of the ventilation opening and / or the passage opening with the pin, wherein the sealing ring preferably comprises a hose section or an O-ring.

According to a development, the passage opening can have a holding region, in particular a rivet head, which prevents slipping out of the sealing ring; and / or the pin may have a holding region, in particular a rivet head, which prevents the sealing ring from slipping off.

The cover according to the invention or one of its developments can be further developed such that the cover mirror may further comprise an actuator opening, wherein the flat sealing element is preferably formed integrally, and wherein the planar sealing element can surround both the pouring and the actuator opening and the pouring opening and the Actuator can be uncovered, and in the presence of a ventilation opening and the ventilation opening can be uncovered.

According to another embodiment, the sealing edge may be formed as part of the closure element, in particular, the sealing edge may be formed integrally with the closure element.

The sealing edge may have in cross-section a V-shape, a V-shape with a flattened tip, a V-shape with a rounded tip, a rounded shape, in particular a semicircular shape, or a rectangular shape. These shapes are advantageous in that the sealing edge pushes well into the planar sealing element when the closure element is moved to the closed position, whereby an effective seal is achieved, which is particularly relevant for carbonated drinks, for example.

The dimensioning of the sealing edge is preferably such that in the case of a V-shaped sealing edge the V-shape has an angle of 30 ° to 120 ° and / or in the case of a V-shape with a flattened tip the width of the flat area in the range of 0, 05 mm to 0.2 mm and / or in the case of a V-shape with a rounded tip, the radius of curvature of the rounded tip is in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm.

If the cover mirror has an actuating element opening, in each case a sealing edge can be provided for the pouring opening and for the actuating element opening, which encloses and seals the respective opening in the closed position. Alternatively, both openings may be enclosed by a sealing edge.

According to another embodiment, the flat sealing element may additionally have a thickening on a circumferential edge of the planar sealing element, which is formed integrally with the flat sealing element, and with which an edge region of the lid opposite the container is sealed. The thickness / height of the sheet-like sealing member may be in the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, wherein the thickening is a height in the range of a factor of 1.1 to 5 the thickness of the flat area, the thickening of 10% to 400th % is higher.

• Fig. 1 eine Draufsicht auf den erfindungsgemäßen Deckel in einer ersten Ausführung,
• Fig. 2a eine Schnittdarstellung des Deckels aus Fig. 1 in der Geschlossen-Stellung des Verschlusselementes,
• Fig. 2b eine Schnittdarstellung des Deckels aus Fig. 1 in der Offen-Stellung des Verschlusselementes,
• Fig. 3 eine Draufsicht auf eine weitere Ausführung des erfindungsgemäßen Deckels,
• Fig. 4a,b,c, eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Zapfens zum dichten Verschließen einer Ventilierungsöffnung, und
• Fig. 5a,b eine abgedichtete Öffnung in dem Verschlusselement zur Aufnahme eines Zapfens.
• Fig. 6a,b,c,d illustriert verschiedene Ausführungsformen der erfindungsgemäßen Dichtkante.
• Fig. 7a,b illustriert ein flächiges Dichtelement mit einem Wulst an dessen Rand.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to non-limiting exemplary embodiments with associated figures. Show in it

• Fig. 1 a top view of the lid according to the invention in a first embodiment,
• Fig. 2a a sectional view of the lid Fig. 1 in the closed position of the closure element,
• Fig. 2b a sectional view of the lid Fig. 1 in the open position of the closure element,
• Fig. 3 a top view of a further embodiment of the lid according to the invention,
• Fig. 4a, b, c , A schematic representation of a pin according to the invention for sealing a ventilation opening, and
• Fig. 5a, b a sealed opening in the closure member for receiving a pin.
• Fig. 6a, b, c, d illustrates various embodiments of the sealing edge according to the invention.
• Fig. 7a, b illustrates a flat sealing element with a bead at its edge.

In the Fig. 1 a cover 100 according to the invention is shown in a view from above, with a cover mirror 101 and an edge region 102, wherein a pouring opening 103 is provided which allows emptying of the container (not shown) provided with the lid 100 according to the invention. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an opening 104 for the attachment of an actuating element is arranged substantially in the center of the lid mirror, with the aid of the exposure of the pouring opening 103 is carried out. On the underside of the lid mirror 101 is a flat sealing element 130 acting liner arranged whose edges are shown in dashed lines. The liner used is an elastic film, for example a foam film or a multilayer film. Alternatively, but not within the scope of the present invention, the liner may be made by a molding process, for example by injection molding or injection compression molding. Another possibility, not according to the invention, is that the liner is printed. Another embodiment is that the liner is provided as an insert, which is introduced into the lid. In this case, for example, a circumferential bead may be provided on the inner edge of the lid, which prevents the liner from falling out.

In the Fig. 2a and 2 B the lid 100 is shown in each case in a sectional view, wherein in the Fig. 2a a closure member 120 which is disposed on the underside of the lid mirror 101, the pouring opening 103 closes. On the underside of the lid mirror 101, the planar sealing element 130 is arranged, wherein the region of the pouring opening 103 is recessed.

Now, the pouring opening 103 is exposed by pivoting the closure member 120 into the interior of the container, as in Fig. 2b illustrated, the contents of the container via the pouring opening 103 can be removed. The pivoting of the closure element 120 by means of an actuating element is, for example, in the aforementioned AT 505,756 B1 the applicant described. When re-closing the pouring opening 103, the closure element 120 is again in the in the Fig. 2a pivoted closed position shown, wherein a sealing edge 121 is pressed on the underside of the lid facing surface of the closure member 120 in the sheet (foil) sealing member 130 to obtain the required tightness.

When in the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the invention, the flat sealing element 130 is arranged as a punched part in the region of pouring opening 103 and opening 104 for the confirmation element, as in the Fig. 1 indicated by dashed lines, while the remaining areas on the underside of the lid mirror 101 remain uncovered by the flat sealing element 130.

At the in Fig. 3 illustrated embodiment of the cover 100 according to the invention, however, covers the flat sealing element 130, the bottom of the lid mirror 101 virtually entirely, only the pouring opening 103 and the opening 104 for the actuating element are free. In addition, a ventilation opening 105 is provided in the lid 101 above the pressure equalization between the inner and outer space of a container provided with the lid can take place before opening the pouring opening 103.

Fig. 4 shows embodiments of a pin 106 for closing the ventilation opening 105 in the lid mirror. This pin 106 may, for example, part of the actuating element for actuating the closure element according to Fig. 2 be. In Fig. 4a an elastic sealing ring 107 is provided on the journal 106 which, in cooperation with the ventilating opening or a complementary passage opening in the closure element, can close the ventilating opening or the passage opening in a fluid-tight manner, ie close to liquid and gas. The sealing ring may for example be a suitably cut tube section made of rubber or an O-ring made of elastic material. In Fig. 4b a rivet head 108 is provided at the end of the pin 106 to prevent slipping of the sealing ring, in particular when opening the ventilation opening. In Fig. 4c the pin 106 is conically shaped, namely tapering towards the valve opening facing end of the pin.

Fig. 5 shows a sealed passage opening 109 in the closure member 120 for receiving a pin. Here, a tight closure of the ventilation opening is achieved by the provision of a sealing ring 107 in the passage opening 109 of the closure element, wherein the passage opening 109 is aligned with the ventilation opening. By interaction with a complementary pin (eg with the in Fig. 4 shown pin 106), the passage opening 109 and the ventilation opening can be closed fluid-tight. In Fig. 5a is the sealing ring 107 (again preferably a tube portion or an O-ring) inserted only in the opening 109. In Fig. 5b a rivet head 108 for securing the ring against slipping out is further provided on the closure element.

Fig. 6 illustrates various embodiments of the sealing edge Fig. 2 wherein the sealing edge is formed integrally / integrally with the closure element. Fig. 6a shows a V-shaped sealing edge. Fig. 6b shows a V-shaped sealing edge with a flattened tip. Fig. 6c shows a V-shaped sealing edge with rounded tip. Fig. 6d shows a semicircular sealing edge. The material of which the sealing edge is made harder than the material from which the sheet-like (film) sealing element (eg thermoplastic elastomer) is made, so that the sealing edge can press into the flat sealing element for sealing.

The dimensioning of the sealing edge in embodiments according to the invention is such that a maximum height A of the sealing edge is in the range of 0.2 mm to 1 mm and / or a maximum width B of the sealing edge is in the range of 0.3 mm to 1 mm. In the case of a V-shaped sealing edge, the V-shape has an angle α of 30 ° to 120 °. In the case of a V-shape with a flattened tip, the width C of the flat is in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, and / or in the case of a V-shape with a rounded tip, the radius of curvature R of the rounded tip is in the range of 0, 05 mm to 0.3 mm. In this way, the sealing edge can be pressed in the closed position of the closure element according to the invention by about 0.1 mm to 1 mm in the flat sealing element.

Fig. 7 illustrates a sheet-like sealing element 730, which at a peripheral edge additionally has a thickening (a bead) 731, which is formed integrally with the planar sealing element, and with which an edge region (102) of the lid is sealed against a container / beverage can. In this embodiment, the flat sealing element is annular. In the illustrated embodiment, the flat sealing element is attached from below to the lid mirror 101. The thickening / bead protrudes beyond the edge of the closure element when in contact with the flat area of the sealing element and additionally seals the edge of the closure element. The thickness / height H1 of the planar sealing element can be in the range of 0.1 mm to 2 mm, the thickening being a height H2 in the range of a factor of 1.1 to 5 of the thickness of the flat region, ie by 10% to 400 % is larger.

It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. In particular, further openings, such as ventilation openings may be provided in the lid, which are also sealed by the interaction of sealing edge of the closure element with the flat sealing element against leakage of the contents of the beverage can. Likewise, it can be provided that the pouring opening and / or ventilation opening is sealed not over only a single sealing edge, but over a plurality of mutually parallel sealing edges. Finally, the closure element shown in the figures should not be considered restrictive, it need not necessarily be pivotable, it may also be substantially parallel to the lid mirror, for example along an axis to be movable to one of Closed position in a Offenstellung- and brought back again.

Claims (15)

1. Lid (100) of a container, in particular a beverage can having a lid panel (101) and at least one pour opening (103) penetrating said lid panel (101),
   which is reclosable by at least one closure member (120),
   where said at least one closure member (120) can be moved by an actuating element (110) to a closed position, in which said at least one pour opening (103) is closed, and to an open position, in which said pour opening (103) is at least partially exposed,
   where at least one planar seal element (130) is arranged between lid panel (101) and closure member (120),
   and at least one sealing area is provided at said closure member (120), said sealing area in the closed position of said closure member (120) co-acting with said at least one planar seal element (130),
   where said at least one sealing area is formed as a seal ridge (121),
   characterized in that
   said planar seal element (130) is designed as a film covering the underside of said lid panel at least partially, and
   a maximum height (A) of said seal ridge is in the range of 0.2 mm to 1 mm, a maximum width (B) of said seal ridge is in the range of 0.3 mm to 1 mm and said seal ridge is in the closed position pressed into said planar seal element by 0.1 mm to 1 mm.
2. Lid (100) according to claim 1, where said at least one closure member (120) and said planar seal element (130) are arranged on the underside of said lid panel (101).
3. Lid (100) according to claim 1 or 2, where said at least one sealing area is arranged on the surface of said closure member (120) facing the underside of said lid (100).
4. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, where said closure member (120) is pivotable from the open position to the closed position and from the closed position to the open position.
5. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 4, where said at least one sealing area in the closed position of said closure member (120) encloses said at least one pour opening (103) in its entirety.
6. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, where said film is designed as a foam sheet or a rubber sheet, and where the material of said film preferably comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.
7. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, where said planar seal element (130) is attached to said underside of said lid panel (101) by compression molding, bonding, printing, or casting.
8. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 7, where said closure member (120) and/or said actuating element (110) are made of plastic.
9. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 8, where said lid panel (101) comprises a ventilation opening (105) and said closure member (120) is provided with a passage opening (109) aligned with said ventilation opening (105), where said ventilation opening and/or said passage opening can be closed and opened with a peg (106) in a fluid-tight manner.
10. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 9, where said lid panel (101) further comprises an actuating element opening (104), where said planar seal element is preferably integrally formed, and where said planar seal element encloses both said pour opening (103) as well as said actuating element opening (104), and said pour opening as well as said actuating element opening are uncovered, where in combination with claim 9, said ventilation opening is also uncovered.
11. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 10, where said seal ridge (121) is formed as part of said closure member (120) integrally with said closure member.
12. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 11, where said seal ridge (121) has the cross-section of a V-shape, a V-shape with a flattened tip, a V-shape with a rounded tip, a rounded shape, in particular a semi-circular shape or a rectangular shape.
13. Lid (100) according to claim 12, where in the case of a V-shaped seal ridge, the V-shape has an angle (α) of 30° to 120° and/or in the case of a V-shape with a flattened tip, the width of the flat area (C) is in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm and/or in the case of a V-shape with a rounded tip, the curvature radius of the rounded tip is in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm.
14. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 13 in combination with claim 10, where a seal ridge is respectively provided for said pour opening as well as for said actuating element opening and encloses and seals the respective opening in said closed position.
15. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 14, where said planar seal element on a peripheral edge comprises a thickening with which an edge region (102) of said lid is sealed relative to said container.

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