EP3704032B1 - Container - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a container with the features in the preamble of claim 1.

Plastic containers of this type are known. Such containers can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner using a blow molding, filling and closing process (BFS process), as is known to experts under the bottelpack ^® brand. The assembly consisting of cap and locking ring can preferably be manufactured using injection molding. The document discloses relevant prior art WO 2014/169979 A1 a container of the type mentioned at the beginning.

In particular, if such containers are intended to hold a sensitive filling material, such as food or in particular pharmaceutical or cosmetic substances, the locking ring, which is separated from the cap by loosening the connecting device, comes out of the mounting position of the structural unit, ie for The first use of the container is of particular importance. Since the detachment of the locking ring from the remaining part of the assembly provides a clear indication that the opening/closure system has been actuated, the locking ring fulfills the function of a quality assurance that indicates or even prevents possible manipulation.

The DE 10 2005 025 760 A1 discloses a container, at least consisting of a plastic material, with a container body for holding a fluid and with a neck part adjoining the container body, which has a discharge opening for the fluid at its free end, which is closed by a head part and covered by a cap , which penetrates the head part during a screwing-on movement in one direction of rotation by means of at least one opening part, which is connected via a connecting device to a locking ring, with which it forms a structural unit, and which, after loosening the connecting device, as part of an unscrewing movement in the opposite direction of rotation and when removed from the container body the discharge opening for fluid removal via the penetrated head part, with individual first blocking elements protruding outwards on the neck part, which interact with individual second blocking elements protruding inwards on the retaining ring in such a way that when the structural unit rotates from a position on the neck part, the connecting device is solved, the blocking elements interacting in such a way that rotational movements in both directions of rotation by a predeterminable distance are possible from the placement position, the container being set up in such a way that when the structural unit is screwed on further beyond the predeterminable distance, part of the second blocking elements first blocking elements completely passes over and the head part is penetrated by means of the respective opening part of the cap, and that during a subsequent unscrewing movement of the cap in order to release the delivery opening, the connecting device is released and the locking ring is at least temporarily over at least one blocking element against rotation in the unscrewing direction on the neck part is secured, wherein the first blocking elements of the neck part are formed by the ends of ramps which protrude beyond the outer circumference of the neck part, and wherein the neck part forms a ring body in the direction of the container body, which carries the individual ramps.

The US 5,040,692 , the US 5,590,798 , the US 2005/0279761 A1 and the US 5,197,620 describe further containers.

Based on this prior art, the invention sets itself the task of providing a container of the type under consideration which, while retaining the advantages achieved in the prior art, is characterized by improved user-friendliness.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a container which has the features of patent claim 1 in its entirety.

According to the characterizing part of claim 1, an essential special feature of the invention is that the second blocking elements of the locking ring consist of individual, inclined webs on the inner circumferential side of the locking ring, that the ramps are arranged equidistant from one another along the outer circumference of the ring body, that the ring body is on on its side facing away from the container body has a stop surface for the free end face of the cap, which comes into contact with the stop surface as soon as the respective opening part has penetrated the head part, and that when the cap is screwed on in the direction of the stop surface, the cap moves the locking ring via the connecting device takes along, which moves coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the container body in the direction of the container body axially along the ring body until the cap abuts the ring body.

Furthermore, the blocking elements work together in such a way that rotational movements in both directions of rotation are made possible from the placement position by a predeterminable distance, with a further When the structural unit is screwed on beyond the predeterminable distance, part of the second blocking elements completely passes over the first blocking elements and the head part is penetrated by means of the respective opening part of the cap and that during a subsequent unscrewing movement of the cap in order to release the delivery opening, the connecting device is released and the locking ring is released is at least partially secured against rotation on the neck part via at least one blocking element.

The fact that, in the invention, when the structural unit formed from the cap and locking ring is in place, i.e. in the delivery state of the container, the user has a distance available for rotational movements for the first opening before the connecting device on the locking ring is released Compared to the known container solution mentioned, the opening process is safer and therefore more user-friendly. In the known container, the blocking elements on the container neck part and on the locking ring engage with one another in such a way that practically no free angle of rotation is available before the connecting device is loosened, i.e. the locking ring comes off.

To open the cap by penetrating the head part, the user must turn the cap in the direction of rotation that produces the screwing-on movement. There is a risk here that the rotary movement will end before the head part is completely penetrated and the cap will be removed by unscrewing it without the container actually being opened. The risk that the user is left with a closed container after the cap has been removed and the quality assurance has been removed is prevented with the invention because the user has a distance available to the user for the screwing movement penetrating the head part due to the possibility of driving over blocking elements in which it can be completed Penetration of the opening part of the cap on the head part occurs. Since the locking ring is secured against rotation on the neck part of the container during the subsequent rotation in the unscrewing direction made by the user to remove the cap, the quality assurance is now canceled by loosening the connecting device, so that after unscrewing the cap, the container is safely open to the user is available.

While the ramps enable the second blocking elements to be driven over when rotating in the unscrewing direction, the ends of the ramps simultaneously form blocking surfaces which, after driving over, secure the locking ring against rotation in the unscrewing direction by resting on the respective second blocking element.

The arrangement can advantageously be such that the second blocking elements of the locking ring are combined in pairs to form fixing groups and that each second blocking element is at a distance from the further second blocking element of a fixing group that is equal to or greater than the longitudinal extent of a ramp in the circumferential direction of the neck part seen.

The blocking elements of the fixing groups are advantageously positioned on the locking ring in such a way that when the cap is screwed on from the placement position, the blocking element of a fixing group arranged adjacent to a ramp of the neck part slides along the ramp until the ramp, which has been completely traversed by this blocking element, comes into locking engagement comes with the assigned setting group of second blocking elements.

The neck part advantageously has a multi-start thread between the head part and the ring body, which, designed as an external thread, has a Internal thread on the interior side of the cap interacts for the screwing and unscrewing processes. With particular advantage, the external thread can have a sawtooth shape, which enables the component consisting of the cap and locking ring to be easily attached by snapping it onto the external thread, but secures the structural unit against axial movement directed away from the neck part.

In advantageous embodiments, the head part, which is cylindrical, connects to the external thread of the neck part via a removal cone, the free end face of which, designed in the manner of a membrane, can be penetrated by the opening part in the form of a mandrel in the cap.

With particular advantage, the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the head part can serve as a guide surface for a guide body of the cap, which surrounds the edge of the mandrel.

As an assembly aid when attaching the closure system to the container, the locking ring can have a marking on the outer circumference, which can be brought into line with a marking on the container body in such a way that the structural unit on the neck part assumes its predetermined placement position, in which the fixing groups of the locking ring in the circumferential area between the Ramps of the neck part are freely movable back and forth in opposite directions of rotation.

The connecting device between the locking ring and the cap can be implemented via predetermined breaking points, which act as projecting predetermined breaking webs with a reduced cross section on the outer circumference of the cap until the connecting device is released.

The structural unit consisting of the cap, the locking ring and the connecting device can be formed from a one-piece plastic molding, in particular an injection molded part.

In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments, the retaining ring has support webs on the inside circumference outside of the fixing groups and the predetermined breaking webs, which, preferably starting from an upper annular surface of the retaining ring, extend axially to a length such that in the placement position of the structural unit there is a travel space for the support webs below Ramps of the neck part remain free within the locking ring.

Advantageously, the arrangement can be such that when the container body is turned over and the container opening is released, the locking ring slides down from the neck part and detaches from the container, which can be advantageous for hygiene reasons.

Furthermore, the arrangement can be such that the external thread of the neck part is penetrated at at least one point parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container body by a longitudinal channel, which preferably crosses the thread path and, serving for air exchange, allows the cap to be screwed on and unscrewed without any inhibition the neck part allows.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the filled container body, together with the neck and head part, can be produced using a blow molding, filling and closing process.

The invention is explained in detail below using an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht des Ausführungsbeispiels des erfindungsgemäßen Behälters, wobei eine aus Kappe und Sicherungsring bestehende Baueinheit teilweise in Längsrichtung aufgeschnitten dargestellt ist;

Fig. 2

einen gegenüber Fig. 1 in größerem Maßstab gezeichneten Längsschnitt der aus Kappe und Sicherungsring bestehenden Baueinheit;

Fig. 3 und 4

abgebrochene Seitenansichten des sich an den Behälterkörper anschließenden Halsteils des Ausführungsbeispiels, wobei zwei um 90° zueinander versetzte Drehpositionen des Behälters dargestellt sind;

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht des Behälters mit abgenommener Baueinheit;

Fig. 6

eine perspektivische Schrägansicht des Halsteils ohne aufgesetzte Baueinheit;

Fig. 7

eine in größerem Maßstab gezeichnete Draufsicht des Ausführungsbeispiels des Behälters; und

Fig. 8 und 9

vereinfachte Funktionsskizzen, in denen zur Verdeutlichung des Zusammenwirkens von Blockierelementen die Baueinheit in der Aufsetzstellung bzw. in gegenüber dem Halsteil verdrehter Stellung dargestellt ist.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the container according to the invention, with a structural unit consisting of a cap and locking ring being shown partially cut away in the longitudinal direction;

Fig. 2

one opposite Fig. 1 Longitudinal section of the structural unit consisting of cap and retaining ring, drawn on a larger scale;

3 and 4

broken side views of the neck part of the exemplary embodiment adjoining the container body, showing two rotational positions of the container offset by 90° to one another;

Fig. 5

a top view of the container with the assembly removed;

Fig. 6

a perspective oblique view of the neck part without an attached structural unit;

Fig. 7

a larger-scale plan view of the embodiment of the container; and

8 and 9

simplified functional sketches in which the structural unit is shown in the placement position or in a position twisted relative to the neck part to illustrate the interaction of blocking elements.

This in Fig. 1 The exemplary embodiment shown of the container according to the invention has a container body 1 which has a substantially circular cylindrical shape Shape with a vertical axis 3. At its end region 5 of the body 1, which is located at the top in the figure and tapers in diameter, there is a neck part 7, the details of which are most clearly visible Fig. 3 to 6 are removable. As shown, the free end of the neck part 7 is adjoined by a tapering removal cone 9, which in turn merges into a circular cylindrical head part 11. The free end face of the head part 11 is closed by a membrane 13 which is integral with the head part 11 and which can be penetrated to open the container. Like that Fig. 3 to 6 can also be removed, the transition from the end region 5 of the container body 1 to the neck part 7 is formed by a circular cylindrical ring body 15, which has a larger diameter than the end region of the neck part 7 adjoining it.

A structural unit 17, to which a cap 19 belongs, is provided as an opening system by means of which the container can be opened and closed again by penetrating the membrane 13. As most evident in Fig. 2 shown, the cap 19 has the shape of a pot with a closed pot base 23 at the top in the figure and a side wall 25 which extends from the bottom end of the pot in an almost circular cylindrical shape, more precisely, tapering with only a very small cone angle, to the pot base 23. A locking ring 21 completing the structural unit 17 is detachably connected to the lower edge of the cap 19 via a connecting device 27. As the Fig. 7 shows, the connecting device 27 is formed by a ring of web bridges 29 which extend from the upper edge of the locking ring 21 to the lower edge of the cap 19, the web bridges 29 tapering towards the connection point with the cap 19. Like also Fig. 7 shows, the cap 19 has a longitudinal corrugation 31 on the outside, which is in Fig. 7 , for the sake of clarity, is only partially quantified. To form a screw connection between the structural unit 17 and the neck part 7, the cap 19 has an internal thread 33 and the neck part 7 has an external thread 35 which adjoins the removal cone 9. The Threads of the external thread 35 have a sawtooth shape, so that the cap 19 with its internal thread 33 can be brought into engagement with the external thread 35 by snapping it on without any rotational movement. So that the placement and screwing and unscrewing processes can take place without hindrance, a longitudinal channel 37 ( 4 and 6 ) educated. As an opening part for penetrating the membrane 13, a mandrel 39 (protruding coaxially from the inside of the pot bottom 23 of the cap 19) is provided. Fig. 2 ) is provided, which is surrounded by a guide body 41 which has the shape of a coaxial hollow cylinder. In this arrangement, the circular cylindrical peripheral surface of the head part 11, in cooperation with the guide body 41, forms an axial guide for the cap 19.

As part of quality assurance, the opening device of the container on the ring body 15 of the neck part 7 has, as first blocking elements, three ramps 43 arranged at the same angular distance from one another, which protrude over the outer circumference of the ring body 15 and in the same direction when viewed in the same direction Fig. 5 , rising to an end 44. This extends in a radial plane and thereby forms the stop surface of the first blocking elements. The Fig. 7 , in which the structural unit 17 is shown separately and in a top view, as well 8 and 9 , show the design of the second blocking elements of quality assurance associated with the locking ring 21. As shown, the second blocking elements are formed by three pairs of blocking bodies 47, each pair of which forms a fixing group 49. The locking bodies 47, which project obliquely from the inner circumference of the locking ring 21, each form a locking surface 51 which is opposite to the ends 44 of the ramps 43. In the case of the fixing groups 49, which are arranged at equal angular distances from one another, the distance between the locking bodies 47 measured in the circumferential direction is slightly larger than the length of the ramps 43 in the circumferential direction. How Fig. 2 and 7 show, the structural unit 17 is divided by three at the same angular distance Support webs 53 arranged from one another are completed, which, starting from the upper edge of the retaining ring 21, extend in a direction parallel to the axis 3 on the inside of the retaining ring 21 only approximately over half the axial length of the retaining ring 21, so that there is space for rotational movements below the support webs 53 the ramps 43 remain free. Like just in 8 and 9 is shown, there is a marking 56 in the form of a notch on the outer circumference of the locking ring 21, which, when assembling the structural unit 17, specifies the placement position of the structural unit 17 by aligning it with a marking (not shown) on the container body 1, in which, as in Fig. 8 shown, the ramps 43 are located in the free peripheral area between successive fixing groups 49. Further markings include 19 direction of rotation arrows 59 and 61 as visible marks on the top of the cap.

For the opening process, the user turns the cap 19 from the placement position ( Fig. 8 ) out in the screwing direction. Here, the mandrel 39 penetrates the membrane 13 of the head part 11 and the blocking body 47, which leads in the direction of rotation, passes over the respective first blocking element by sliding on the ramp 43 until the ramp 43 comes into locking engagement with the respective fixing group 49 and the lower end face the cap 19 comes into contact with a stop surface 54 formed by the edge of the ring body 15. To remove the structural unit 17 in order to release the container opening formed by the mandrel 39, the user turns the cap 19 in the unscrewing direction indicated by the second rotary arrow 61, the locking ring 21 in cooperation with the respective locking surface 51 of the locking body 47 of the second blocking elements being secured against rotation is, so that the connecting device 27 is torn off and thus the quality assurance is replaced. After removing the cap 19, the container is available to the user in the open state for dispensing the container contents. When the container body 1 is turned over When fluid is removed, the now free locking ring 21 slides down from the neck part 7. Furthermore, the container can be closed again using the cap 19 if necessary.

Claims (13)

1. Container, consisting of a plastic material, having a container body (1) for holding a fluid and with a neck part (7) connecting to the container body (1), which has at its free end a discharge opening for the fluid which is closed by a head part (11) and covered by a cap (19), which cap penetrates the head part (11) by means of at least one opening part (39) during a screwing open movement in one direction of rotation, which cap is connected via a connecting device (27) to a locking ring (21), forming an assembly (17) therewith and which, after releasing the connecting device (27) in the course of an unscrewing movement in the opposite direction of rotation and upon removal from the container body (1), releases the discharge opening for withdrawing the fluid via the penetrated head part (11), wherein individual first blocking elements protruding outwards are present on the neck part (7), which blocking elements cooperate with individual second blocking elements protruding inwards on the locking ring (21) in such a manner that the connecting device (27) is released out of an attached position on the neck part (7) during rotary movements of the assembly (17), wherein the blocking elements cooperate in such a manner that rotary movements out of the attached position are possible by a predefinable distance in both directions of rotation, wherein the container is adapted in such a manner that, during a further screwing open movement of the assembly (17) beyond the predefinable distance, a part of the second blocking elements passes completely over the first blocking elements and, in the process, the head part (11) is penetrated by means of the respective opening part (39) of the cap (19), and in that, during a subsequent unscrewing movement of the cap (19) for the purpose of releasing the discharge opening, the connecting device (27) is released and at the same time the locking ring (21) is secured on the neck part (7) against rotation in the unscrewing direction, at least temporarily, via at least one blocking element, wherein the first blocking elements of the neck part (7) are formed by the ends (44) of ramps (43) which protrude beyond the outer circumference of the neck part (7), and wherein the neck part (7) forms an annular body (15) towards the container body (1) which annular body bears the individual ramps (43), characterised in that, the second blocking elements of the locking ring consist of individual, sloping webs (47) on the inner circumference of the locking ring (21), in that the ramps (43) are arranged equidistant from one another along the outer circumference of the annular body (15), in that the annular body (15) has on its side directed away from the container body (1) a stop surface (54) for the free end face of the cap (19), which comes into contact with the stop surface (54) as soon as the respective opening part (39) has penetrated the head part (11), and in that the container is adapted in such a manner that, during the screwing open movement of the cap (19) towards the stop surface (54), the cap (19) carries with it the locking ring (21) via the connecting device (27), which locking ring moves coaxial to the longitudinal axis (3) of the container body (1) in the direction thereof, axially along the annular body (15), until the cap (19) strikes against the annular body (15).
2. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that the second blocking elements of the locking ring (21) are combined in pairs to form retaining groups (49) and in that every second blocking element assumes a distance from the further second blocking element of a retaining group (49) which is equal to or greater than the longitudinal extension of a ramp (43), viewed in the circumferential direction of the neck part (7).
3. Container according to claim 2, characterised in that the container is adapted in such a manner that, during the screwing open movement of the cap (19) out of the attached position, the blocking element of a retaining group (49) arranged adjacent to a ramp (43) of the neck part (7) slides along the ramp (43) until the ramp (43), which is passed over completely by this blocking element, comes into locking engagement with the associated retaining group (49) of second blocking elements.
4. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the neck part (7) has a multi-start thread between head part (11) and annular body (15), which thread, designed as an external thread (35) cooperates with an internal thread (33) on the interior side of the cap (19) for the screwing open and unscrewing operations.
5. Container according to claim 4, characterised in that the head part (11), formed cylindrically, connects via a withdrawal cone (9) to the external thread (35) of the neck part (7), the free end face of which, formed in the manner of a diaphragm (13), can be penetrated by the opening part in the form of a spike (39) in the cap (19).
6. Container according to claim 5, characterised in that the cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the head part (11) serves as a guide surface for a guide body (41) of the cap (19) which encompasses the spike (39) around the edge.
7. Container according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the locking ring (21) has a marking (56) on the outer circumference which can be brought into correspondence with a marking on the container body (1) in such a manner that the assembly (17) assumes its predefinable attachment position on the neck part (11), in which position the retaining groups (49) of the locking ring (21) are guided in the circumferential region between the ramps (43) of the neck part (7) so as to be freely movable back and forth in opposite directions of rotation.
8. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connecting device (27) between locking ring (21) and cap (19) is implemented via predetermined breaking points which engage as protruding web bridges (29) of reduced cross-section on the outer circumference of the cap (19) until the connecting device is released.
9. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the assembly (17) of the cap (19), the locking ring (21) and the connecting device (27) is formed of an integral plastic moulded part, in particular an injection moulded part.
10. Container according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the locking ring (21) has supporting webs (53) on the inner circumference which, preferably starting from an upper annular surface of the locking ring (21), extend axially to a length in such a manner that, in the attachment position of the assembly (17), a travel space for the ramps (43) of the neck part (7) remains free underneath the supporting webs (53) inside the locking ring (21).
11. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the container is adapted in such a manner that when the container body (1) is upended and the container opening is released, the locking ring (21) slides down off the neck part (7) and detaches from the container.
12. Container according to one of claims 4 to 11, characterised in that the external thread (35) of the neck part (7) is penetrated parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of the container body (1) at one point at least by a longitudinal duct (37) which preferably crosses the thread path and, used for air exchange, enables unobstructed screwing open and unscrewing operations for the cap (19) on the neck part (7).
13. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filled container body (1) together with neck part (7) and head part (11) is produced by means of a blow moulding, filling and sealing process.

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