EP3980346A1

EP3980346A1 - Assembly for closing a tube and tube comprising said assembly

Info

Publication number: EP3980346A1
Application number: EP20729092.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sylvain DEFERT
Original assignee: Albea Services SAS
Current assignee: Albea Services SAS
Priority date: 2019-06-07
Filing date: 2020-06-03
Publication date: 2022-04-13
Also published as: FR3096967A1; CN113966300B; US20220234800A1; MX2021015050A; FR3096967B1; CN113966300A; WO2020245228A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly for closing a tube, said assembly comprising a tube head (3) that has a neck (10) and a closing cover (5) for closing said neck (10), the assembly further comprising a cap (30) which is provided with a piercing element (7) designed to perforate said closing cover (5), the neck (10) and cap (30) being configured such that the cap (30) is guided into a closed position in which said piercing element (7) has perforated the closing cover (5), said piercing element comprising one or more teeth (50) for cutting through the closing cover (5), which extend from a free edge (80) of the piercing element (7), at least one angular portion (81) of said free edge (80), referred to as the passage portion, being configured to remain in the neck (10) when in said closed position.

Description

DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Set for closing a tube and tube including this set

The present invention relates to an assembly for closing a tube and tube comprising this assembly.

There are known tubes provided with a cover associated with a perforating cap comprising a punch adapted to perforate said cover.

The cap makes it possible to keep the product contained in the tube hermetically during its storage prior to its first use, which represents a very important part of the overall life of the tube.

There are plugs in which the punch is placed in the plug and protrudes therefrom so as to be able to perforate the cover when the plug is screwed onto the tube head. In order to ensure the preservation of the cap prior to the first use, a ring is placed between the cap and a shoulder of the tube head, so as to keep the punch away from the cap when the cap is screwed on. the bottleneck. In this position, the cap is in the so-called transport position or the standby position before first use.

To pierce and / or cut the cap, the user must first unscrew the cap, then remove the ring and finally screw the cap back on until the cap is pierced and / or cut once it has reached a position. limit switch, also called the closed position. The number of steps is restrictive for the user who often does not understand what the ring is for and does not necessarily understand either that a cover must be pierced before using the tube for the first time.

It is known from document LU 88845 a stopper provided with a punch, the maintenance of which in the waiting position is effected without a removable ring. The neck comprises a housing in which a portion of thread, located on the stopper, can be locked in such a position. The thread portion is then used for screwing the cap onto the neck to a position allowing the cap to be pierced and cut when the tube is used for the first time. The cap can then be screwed or unscrewed for later uses or stay permanently when equipped with a resealable service capsule-type dispensing system. However, this device has various drawbacks.

First of all, the placing of the stopper on the neck in the standby position is carried out according to processes operating at very high speed. It is therefore necessary for this operation to be able to be carried out with high reliability so as to obtain satisfactory repeatability.

With the device from document LU 88845, a rib serving to snap the thread portion into the housing allowing it to be held in the waiting position is produced by radial deformation of the stopper. The manufacturing tolerances remain relatively high, typically greater than a tenth of a millimeter, in such a direction, which is detrimental to a good ability to obtain the desired locking effect on all the stoppers produced, this in particular in the case of demoulding with slides.

To overcome this first drawback, the present invention provides, according to a first aspect, an assembly for closing a tube, said assembly comprising a tube head, provided with a neck, and a stopper, said assembly defining a guide, a thread and a portion of thread allowing the plug to be fitted on the neck by cooperation with the guide path and the thread, said assembly comprising a first and a second stop for said portion of thread, said stops being angularly spaced and defining a passage between the guide path and the thread, said assembly being configured to allow axial displacement of the portion of thread through the passage with a non-return effect by at least one of said stops.

According to this first aspect of the invention, the stops making it possible to position the stopper at the desired location while preventing its return to the previous configuration, in particular a configuration in which the stopper can be detached from the neck, are positioned relative to one another. the other angularly. In this way, the span of the corresponding passage is controlled with more precision, in particular in the case of a stopper and a neck removed from the mold with slides. This provides a manufacturing process whose repeatability is improved.

According to this first aspect, the invention can also comprise any one of the following characteristics, taken individually or in any technically possible combination forming as many embodiments of the invention, this including with the characteristics of the other aspects of the invention. invention described below: said tube head is also provided with a cap closing off said neck, said stopper is provided with a punch adapted to perforate said cap, said neck and said stopper are configured to guide the stopper from an initial position in which the stopper is not engaged with the neck in a standby position in which the punch is kept at a distance from said cap, in particular after the thread portion has passed said passage, then from said standby position to a closed position in which said punch has perforated said cover,

said guide path allows passage from the initial position to the waiting position and said thread allows passage from the waiting position to the closed position,

one of the two between the guide path and the thread induces screwing in a clockwise direction of rotation of the stopper, the other of the two between the guide path and the thread inducing screwing in a counterclockwise direction of rotation of the stopper,

the guide path induces a counterclockwise rotation of the cap and the thread induces a clockwise rotation of the cap,

the neck includes the guide path and the thread and the stopper includes the thread portion,

- the first stop forms one end of said guide path,

said assembly comprises a shoulder connecting an origin of a first thread of the thread and the first stop,

the second stop is formed by an axial wall,

the second stop forms the origin of a second thread of the thread,

- Said assembly comprises a third stop configured to block screwing of the stopper after the stopper has been placed on the neck,

said third stopper comprises a wall, extending transversely from a lower wall of the thread,

said wall is understood partially axially through said thread,

- An angular extension between the second and the third stop is just greater than an angular extension of the thread portion.

Another drawback of the device from document LU 88845 is the torque required to successfully close the cap during the first use. In fact, with the stopper used in this document, it is necessary to simultaneously pierce the cover and compress a gasket ensuring a tight closure of the cap. Such a couple can generate discomfort for the user.

To overcome this other drawback, the present invention provides, according to a second aspect, an assembly for closing a tube, said assembly comprising a tube head provided with a neck and a cap closing off said neck, said assembly comprising furthermore a stopper provided with a punch adapted to perforate said cover, said neck and said stopper being configured to guide the stopper on the neck to a closed position, in which the stopper has perforated the cover, passing through an intermediate position in which the punch has finished piercing said cover, as well as to cause a deformation of material making the closure watertight, said assembly being configured so that the passage through the intermediate position takes place prior to the deformation of material sealing the closing.

By material deformation is meant, for example, a crushing of material or the like causing sealing.

According to this second aspect of the invention, by sequencing the operations corresponding on the one hand to the drilling and on the other hand to the compression of material allowing the closure to be sealed, a configuration is obtained in which the torque to be exerted is more constant throughout the placement of the cap on the neck, which is more comfortable for the user. In fact, the deformation of the material used for sealing occurs only once the piercing of the cap is finished. In other words, during the deformation serving for sealing, a cutting of the cover can take place simultaneously but its drilling has taken place beforehand. In particular in the case of a punch provided with a plurality of teeth, all the teeth have pierced said cover. According to this second aspect, the invention can also comprise any one of the following characteristics, taken individually or in any technically possible combination forming as many embodiments of the invention, this including with the characteristics of the other aspects of the invention. invention described in the foregoing or in the following:

the stopper is screwed onto the neck when passing through the intermediate position and up to the closed position,

said neck and said stopper are configured to guide the stopper from an initial position in which the stopper is not engaged with the neck to a standby position in which the punch is kept at a distance from the cap, then from said standby position at said closed position, in particular by screwing, said stopper and said neck are configured so that said intermediate position is located downstream from the standby position in the direction of guiding the stopper towards the closed position,

said assembly comprises a thread portion and a thread for screwing the stopper onto the neck,

said assembly comprises a stopper configured to block the screwing of the cap in said standby position, said assembly being configured so that said portion of thread has passed said stopper before drilling of the cap begins,

said assembly further comprising a non-return stopper configured to prevent the stopper from leaving the closed position, said assembly being configured so that said stopper is crossed after passing into the intermediate position,

the punch comprises several teeth, said intermediate position being the position occupied by the punch while all the teeth have pierced said cover,

said punch comprises a base having an external cylindrical portion and said neck comprises an internal cylindrical portion,

said internal and external cylindrical portions are intended to come into crushing against one another to seal said closure, said stopper comprises a top from which extends said base of the punch, said punch comprising an external chamfer extending said base and connected to a distal part of the punch,

said portion of the neck against which the base of the punch is intended to come into crushing is located in the axial extension of a chamfer, located at an emerging end of the neck,

said distal part of the punch has an external diameter smaller than an internal diameter of the neck. According to another drawback of the device of document LU 88845, the stopper comprises a non-return stopper making it possible to keep the stopper in place once in the closed position. However, this stopper is located in the thread serving to guide the stopper on the neck and the thread portion used for screwing in the stopper must pass by force above this stopper. This risks damaging said stop and requires additional torque to be given by the user. This stop can also give the user has the impression of a hard point corresponding to a limit switch marking the closure of the stopper when this is not yet the case. There is a risk that the perforation of the cap by the punch will not be completed, which will affect the proper flow of the product contained in the tube. Sealing may also not be completely achieved.

To overcome this other drawback, the present invention provides, according to a third aspect, an assembly for closing a tube, said assembly comprising a tube head provided with a neck and with a cap closing off said neck, said assembly comprising furthermore a stopper comprising a punch adapted to perforate said cover, said neck and said stopper being configured to guide the stopper to a closed position in which said punch has perforated said cover, said stopper comprising a side skirt provided with at least one notch opening out radially, said neck comprising a protuberance configured to cooperate angularly with said notch to block withdrawal of the stopper, once said stopper is in said closed position.

According to this third aspect of the invention, the protuberance making it possible to block the stopper in the closed position does not come into contact with the forms serving to guide the stopper to its closed position. On the contrary, it is located at a distance and cooperates with a specific shape, namely the notch provided in the stopper to effect the desired blocking. In this way, deterioration of the shapes used for guiding the stopper on the neck is avoided and the correct identification of the end-of-travel position is made reliable.

According to this third aspect, the invention can also include any of the following characteristics, taken individually or in any technically possible combination forming as many embodiments of the invention, this including with the characteristics of the other aspects of the invention. invention described in the foregoing or in the following:

said notch is open on a free edge of said skirt so as to give radial elasticity to the stopper in the vicinity of said notch,

said protuberance is configured to radially separate said skirt before the stopper arrives in the closed position,

said protuberance has an edge provided with an inclined portion and with a straight portion, said inclined portion being configured to radially separate said plug and said straight portion being located at a part of the protuberance forming a non-return stop for the stopper once in the closed position,

said assembly comprises a thread and a portion of thread configured to cooperate with said thread for screwing the cap to said closed position,

said assembly is configured so that said portion of net reaches said closed position while passing away from said protuberance,

said protuberance extends axially from an end end of a lower thread of the thread,

- said assembly further comprises an end stop for the stopper, in the closed position,

the end-of-travel stopper is configured to cooperate with said portion of thread, once said protuberance is engaged in one of said notches,

said assembly comprises several said notches and several said thread portions, each of the thread portions being located angularly between two neighbors of said notches,

said stopper comprises a service capsule.

According to another drawback of the device of document LU 88845, the punch protrudes into the interior volume of the receptacle in the closed position of the stopper. This limits the refund rate of the product. Indeed, the product located in the receptacle at the punch is blocked by the latter and cannot penetrate into the neck.

To overcome this other drawback, the present invention provides, according to a fourth aspect of the invention, an assembly for closing a tube, said assembly comprising a tube head provided with a neck and with a cap closing off said neck. , said assembly further comprising a stopper provided with a punch adapted to perforate said cover, said neck and said stopper being configured to guide the stopper to a closed position in which said punch has perforated said cover, said punch comprising a or several cutting teeth of the cover extending from a free edge of the punch, at least one angular portion of said free edge, called the passage portion, being configured to remain in the neck in said closed position.

According to this fourth aspect of the invention, an angular portion of the punch does not enter the tube and nothing therefore opposes the flow of the product which can thus be more completely distributed. According to this fourth aspect, the invention can also comprise any one of the following characteristics, taken individually or in any technically possible combination forming as many embodiments of the invention, this including with the characteristics of the other aspects of the invention. invention described in the above or in the following:

said passage portion of the free edge of the punch is flush with a lower end of the neck,

said teeth are distributed over an angular portion of the punch, called the cutting portion, delimited by two of said teeth located angularly on either side of said cutting portion, said passage edge being formed by an angular portion of the punch complementary to said cutout portion, said teeth have vertices offset axially from each other, the axial offset of the peaks of the teeth is increasing in a direction of movement of the stopper towards said closed position,

said teeth have a substantially identical height and extend axially from an angular portion of the free edge having an axial offset from one tooth to another,

said teeth have a substantially identical profile,

said cover is located in the lower part of the neck,

said stopper is screwed onto said neck over at least part of its stroke, said stopper comprises a service cap.

It should also be noted that, according to another aspect, the invention relates to an assembly for closing a tube, said assembly comprising a tube head provided with a neck and a cap closing off said neck, said assembly comprising furthermore a stopper provided with a punch adapted to cut said cover, said neck and said stopper being configured to guide the stopper to a closed position in which said punch has perforated said cover, said punch comprising several cutting teeth of the cover extending from a free edge of the punch, said teeth having vertices offset axially from each other, said teeth having a substantially identical height and extending axially from an angular portion of the free edge having an offset axial from one tooth to another.

According to this aspect of the invention, an axial offset of the top of the teeth is achieved without having to use teeth that are smaller and therefore more fragile than others. The invention also relates to a tube comprising a closure assembly as described above.

Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, which is purely illustrative and non-limiting, and which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

- [Fig. 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tube head for an assembly for the tube closure according to a first embodiment of the invention, according to a first angle of view,

- [Fig. 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tube head of Figure 1 from another viewing angle,

- [Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a side view of the tube head of Figure 1 from the first viewing angle

- [Fig. 4] figure 4 is a side view of the tube head of figure 1 from the other viewing angle

- [Fig. 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of an assembly according to the invention comprising the head of FIG. 1 and a stopper illustrated in transparency, according to the first viewing angle, in a first position of the stopper,

- [Fig. 6] Figure 6 is a side view of the assembly of Figure 5 from the other viewing angle, in the first position of the cap

- [Fig. 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the assembly according to FIG. 5, according to the first viewing angle, in a second position of the plug,

- [Fig. 8] Figure 8 is a side view of the assembly according to Figure 5, from the other viewing angle, in the second position of the cap,

- [Fig. 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the assembly according to FIG. 5, according to the first viewing angle, in a third position of the plug,

- [Fig. 10] Figure 10 is a side view of the assembly according to Figure 5, according to the other viewing angle, in the third position of the cap,

- [Fig. 11] Figure 11 is a side view of the assembly according to Figure 5, according to the first viewing angle, in a fourth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 12] Figure 12 is a side view of the assembly according to Figure 5, according to the other viewing angle, in the fourth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of the assembly according to FIG. 5, according to the first viewing angle, in a fifth position of the plug, - [Fig. 14] Figure 14 is a side view of the assembly according to Figure 5, according to the other viewing angle, in the fifth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 15] FIG. 15 is a side view of the assembly according to FIG. 5, according to the first viewing angle, in a sixth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 16] FIG. 16 is a side view of the assembly according to FIG. 5, according to the other viewing angle, in the sixth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 17] FIG. 17 is a view in diametral section of the assembly according to FIG. 5 in the fourth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 18] FIG. 18 is a view in diametral section of the assembly according to FIG. 5 in the fifth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 19] FIG. 19 is a view in diametral section of the assembly according to FIG. 5 in the fifth position of the plug,

- [Fig. 20] Figure 20 is a perspective view of a distal edge of a punch of the plug of the assembly of Figure 5, the orientation of the plug having been reversed from the previous figures.

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 19, the invention relates to an assembly for closing a tube, in particular a flexible tube.

Said assembly comprises a tube head 3 and a stopper 30. The tube head 3 comprises a neck 10 and a cap 5 closing off said neck 10, here in the lower part of the latter. In other words, the cap is disposed at the end of the neck in fluid communication with the reservoir of the tube. The stopper 30 comprises a punch 7 adapted to perforate said cap 5. Said punch 7 is in particular configured to pierce and then cut said cap 5. Advantageously, said cap is only partially cut so that it remains attached to the head of the cap. tube 3 by a portion of material.

The neck 10 and the stopper 30 extend substantially along a longitudinal axis A (see FIG. 17) passing through their center. In the following, the term "axial" is understood to mean oriented parallel to said longitudinal axis A. The stopper 30 is movable in rotation and / or in translation with respect to said neck 10 along said longitudinal axis A.

Said neck 10 and said stopper 30 are configured to allow the stopper 30 to be guided, in particular from an initial position, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, to a standby position, illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, then from said position d 'hold in a closed position, shown in Figures 15 and 16. When the stopper 30 is in the initial position, said stopper 30 is not engaged with the neck 10. Said stopper 30 is in this initial position at the start of the movement of placing the stopper 30 on the tube head 3. This installation, also called corking, is carried out in particular on production lines. It is therefore important to allow simple, reliable and repeatable kinematics in order to limit production incidents. Advantageously, when placing the stopper 30 on the tube head 3, on the production lines, the stopper 30 is guided on the neck 10 along a guide path 21 along which it is simultaneously pushed towards the head of the tube. tube and rotated counterclockwise.

When the stopper 30 is in the waiting position on the neck 10, the punch 7 is kept at a distance from the cover 5. Said stopper 30 is in this waiting position at the end of the movement of the initial positioning of the stopper. 30 on the tube head 3. It is in this position that the assembly is sold before filling the tube. It is also in this waiting position that the assembly is sold to the consumer, after filling the tube. Such an assembly ensures maintenance in the waiting position without the use of an additional part such as a spacer ring.

As illustrated in FIGS. 15, 16 and 19, when the stopper 30 is in the closed position, said punch 7 has perforated said cover 5. The stopper 30 then hermetically closes the tube on which the assembly is fitted. The closed position can also be qualified as the position of use insofar as the cutout of the cover 5 determines the starting point of the use of the tube on which the closure assembly 1 according to the invention is mounted. The stopper 30 may in particular be intended to remain in the closed position. This is particularly the case when the punch 7 has the shape of a hollow barrel and has an opening, not shown, at the level of the upper face of the stopper 30. Thus, once the stopper 30 is in the closed position on the neck 10, access to the internal volume of the tube on which the assembly is fitted is possible through said opening. According to an embodiment not shown, the opening of the neck 30 is closed by a cover connected to the stopper 10, the stopper and the cover optionally forming a service capsule. Thus, the stopper 30 can be kept in the closed position on the neck 10 while allowing access to the internal volume of the tube and the closing of this access.

In addition to said guide path 21, said assembly comprises a thread 22 and a thread portion 11 allowing the plug 30 to be placed on the neck 10 by cooperation with the guide path 21 and the thread 22. The guide path 21 and the thread 22 are more particularly visible in Figures 1 to 4 while the portion of thread 11 is more particularly visible, in transparency, in Figures 5 to 16.

As more particularly illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, when guiding from the initial position to the standby position, said thread portion 11 cooperates with the guide path through a front end 12 of said thread portion 11.

As more particularly illustrated in Figures 11 to 16, said thread portion 11 is intended to cooperate with said thread 22 by screwing.

Said stopper comprises a side skirt 23 having an internal face at the level of which said portion of thread 11 is located. Said thread portion 11 has a substantially trapezoidal section, intended to cooperate with the thread 22. Said thread portion 11 extends longitudinally along the axis A, radially towards the inside of the plug 30 from the skirt 23 and angularly between its front end 12 and a rear end 13. The angular span of said portion of net is comprised, for example, between 30 and 90 °.

According to a first aspect of the invention, said assembly comprises a first stop 24 and a second stop 25 for said thread portion 11. Said stops are angularly spaced and define a passage 26 between the guide path 21 and the thread 22. Said stopper assembly is configured to allow axial displacement of the thread portion 11 through the passage 26. In addition, once said passage 26 has passed through said thread portion 21, at least one of said stops, here the first stop 24 is configured to prevent said portion of thread 21 from returning through said passage 26. The stopper 30 is then locked on the neck 10 by snap-fastening and can no longer be detached from the neck 10.

Such kinematics make it possible to clearly identify the arrival in the waiting position by modifying the trajectory of the stopper 30 which passes here from a movement including a rotation along the guide path 21 to an axial movement to cross said passage 26 rather that a kinematics according to which the arrival in the waiting position is done in the continuity of a screwing. Furthermore, the neck 10 has an outer wall 14 which remains smooth without rib or groove at the level of said passage 26, the snap effect of said portion of thread 11 being solely due to the angular span of said passage 26, chosen to be lower. to a span of said portion of thread 11. The precision of such dimensions is more easily controlled than a radial dimension and can drop below a tenth of a millimeter, in particular in the case of injection molding of said head of tube 3 and / or said stopper 30. In the illustrated embodiment, said plug is in said standby position after having passed said passage 26. In other words, said guide path 21 allows passage from the initial position to the standby position and said thread 22 allows the passage from the waiting position to the closed position.

Advantageously, one of the two between the guide path 21 and the thread 22 induces a screwing in a clockwise direction of rotation of the plug 10, the other of the two between the guide path 21 and the thread 22 inducing a screwing in a counterclockwise direction of rotation of the cap 10. Here, the guide path 21 induces a counterclockwise rotation of the cap 10 and the thread 22 induces a clockwise rotation of the cap 10.

Preferably, the neck 10 comprises the guide path 21 as well as the thread 22 while the stopper 30 comprises the thread portion 11.

Here, the first stop 24 forms one end of said guide path 21. Said assembly further comprises a shoulder 27 connecting an origin of a first thread 28 of the thread 22 and the first stop 24. Thus, the origin of the first thread 28 and the first stop 24 are axially distant. The first stop 24 in particular forms a rounding joining said guide path 21 and said shoulder 27.

The second stop 25 is formed, for example, by an axial wall. The second stop 25 forms the origin of a second thread 29 of the thread 22.

Said second thread 29 advantageously forms a bottom axial stop when said portion of thread 11 passes said passage 26.

Preferably, said assembly comprises a third stop 31 configured to block screwing of the stopper 30 after placing the stopper 30 on the neck 10 and more precisely, here, when said stopper 30 is in the standby position.

In other words, in the standby position, the thread portion 11 is axially blocked upwards by the first stop 24 and downwards by the second thread 29, unscrewing by the second stop 25 and screwing by the third stop 31 .

In Figures 7 and 8, the portion of thread 11 is crossing passage 26 while in Figures 9 and 10, said portion of net 11 is positioned between the various stops mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Said third stop 31 comprises, for example, a wall 32, extending transversely from a lower wall of the thread 22. Said wall 32 here has a constant thickness. Said assembly has a sharp angle between the wall 32 and the second thread 29. Said wall 32 extends radially between a bottom of the thread 22 and a free distal edge and axially between said second thread 29 and a free radial edge. Preferably, said wall 32 is understood axially partially through said thread 22. The axial extension of said wall 32 makes it possible to adjust the torque necessary to pass said third stop 31.

Preferably, an angular extension between the second 25 and the third 31 stops is just greater than an angular extension of the thread portion 11. Said third stop 31 is here positioned under said first thread 28 while being slightly angularly offset from said first stop 24 in the direction of screwing.

Said guide path 21 is formed, for example, by a third thread ending on the first stop 24.

Once said third stop 31 has been passed, said portion of thread 11 is configured to slide by screwing between the first 28 and the second 29 threads.

Following the movement of the stopper 30, said neck 10 and said stopper 30 are configured to guide the stopper 30 on the neck 10, here by screwing, to the closed position, passing through an intermediate position, illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, in which the punch has finished piercing said cover 5. In the case where, as illustrated, the punch 7 comprises several teeth 50, said intermediate position is the position occupied by the punch 7 while all the teeth 50 have pierced said cover 5.

In addition, as already mentioned, said neck 10 and said stopper 30 are configured so that the guiding, here the screwing, of the stopper 30 on the neck 10 causes a deformation of material making the closure watertight.

According to a second aspect of the invention, said assembly is configured so that the passage through the intermediate position takes place prior to the deformation of material making the closure watertight. Such a configuration is obtained by the choice of the axial ribs of the punch 7 and neck 10. Such a sequencing makes it possible to avoid having to provide too high a torque compared to a configuration in which the sealing would start before the sealing. end of drilling. On the other hand, the sealing can be carried out during the cutting of the cover 5, after the end of the drilling. It has in fact been observed by the applicant that the torque required for cutting is much lower than that for drilling.

Advantageously, said plug 10 and said neck 30 are configured so that said intermediate position is located downstream from the standby position in the direction of guiding, in particular of screwing, of the plug 30 towards the closed position. In other words, in the example illustrated in relation to the first aspect of the invention, said assembly is configured so that said portion of thread 11 has passed said third stop 31 before drilling of the cover begins. By taking FIGS. 11 and 12 as well as FIG. 17 in combination, it can be seen that the punch 7 comes into contact with the cap 5 while the thread portion 11 is still in interaction with the third stop 31. This being the case, the piercing of the cover 5 does not begin immediately after the screwing movement. Indeed, the cap 5 has an elasticity so that it is deformed before being pierced. Thus drilling only begins in a position between that illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 and that illustrated in Figures 13 and 14.

Advantageously, as will be developed below in relation to the third aspect of the invention, said assembly further comprises a non-return stop 33 configured to prevent the stopper 30 from exiting the closed position. Even more advantageously, said assembly is configured so that said non-return stop 33 is crossed by the plug 10 after passing into the intermediate position. In other words, as illustrated in Figures 13 and 14, said plug 10 does not yet cooperate with said non-return stop 33 when plug 10 is in said intermediate position.

The tightness of the closure can be obtained in different ways. Here, it is a seal obtained by cooperation of an internal wall of the neck 10 and an external wall of the punch 5.

As illustrated in FIGS. 17 to 19, said punch 7 comprises a base 34 having an external cylindrical portion 35 and said neck comprises an internal cylindrical portion 36, said internal cylindrical 36 and external 35 portions being intended to come into crushing one another. against the other to seal said closure. In this way, a cylinder-to-cylinder seal is produced which has the advantage of requiring a lower torque than that required for the compression of a seal which would be located on an upper free edge of the neck.

Said plug 30 here comprises a top 37 from which extends said base 34 of punch 7. Said punch 7 further comprises an external chamfer 38 extending said base 34 and connected to a distal portion 39 of punch 7. Said neck 10 comprises at its end opening outwardly an internal chamfer 40 extended axially by said portion 36 of the neck 10 against which the base 34 of the punch 7 is intended to come into crushing.

In FIG. 17, upstream of the intermediate position, according to the screwing direction of the stopper 30, it can be seen that the chamfer 38 of the punch is axially at a distance from the chamfer 40 of the neck. In FIG. 18, in said intermediate position, the chamfer 38 of the punch has just come to bear against the chamfer 40 of the neck. In figure 19, in position of closure, a material compression has taken place between the base 34 of the punch and the corresponding portion 36 of the neck 10.

Advantageously, in order to limit the necessary torque, said distal part 39 of the punch has an external diameter smaller than an internal diameter of the neck 10.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the side skirt 23 is provided with at least one notch 60 opening radially and said neck 10 comprises a protuberance 61 configured to cooperate angularly with said notch 60 to block a withdrawal of the cap 30, once said plug in said closed position. Said protuberance 61 forms the non-return stop 33 mentioned above.

Such a non-return stop 33 has the advantage of not being located in the thread 23. It is therefore not liable to be damaged by the portion of the thread 11 during the passage of the latter towards the closed position. In other words, in the illustrated embodiment, said portion of thread 11 reaches said closed position while passing away from said protuberance 61.

Preferably, said notch 60 is open on a free edge of said skirt 23 so as to give radial elasticity to the stopper 30 in the vicinity of said notch 60. Such elasticity has many advantages. First of all, it limits the torque necessary to reach the closed position by crossing said non-return stop 33. In addition, it facilitates axial demoulding of the thread portion 11. The notch 60 is, for example, substantially rectangular.

Advantageously, said protuberance 61 is configured to radially separate said skirt 23 before the stopper 30 arrives in the closed position. For this, here, said protuberance has an edge provided with an inclined portion 62 and a straight portion 63. Said straight portion 63 axially extends the inclined portion 62 towards a base of the neck 10. Said inclined portion 62 is configured to separate radially said plug 10 by pressing on a free edge of said skirt 23 before the plug 10 reaches the closed position. Said straight portion 63 is located at a part of the protuberance 60 forming the non-return stop 33 for the cap 10 once in the closed position. More precisely, the notch 60 has an axial edge 64 bearing against a flank of said protuberance 33, the latter forming said non-return stop 33.

The protuberance 61 is formed, for example, by a wall extending radially from the outer wall 14 of the neck. Said wall has an upper free edge 65 terminating the second thread 29. Said protuberance 61 extends axially from the terminal end 65 of said second thread 29, here forming a lower thread of the thread 22, to the base of the neck. 10. Said non-return stop 33 is intended to cooperate with the rear end 13 of the portion of net 11.

Advantageously, said assembly further comprises a stop 70, in particular angular, end of travel for the stopper 10, in the closed position. Said end-of-travel stop 70 is configured to cooperate with said portion of thread 11, once said protuberance 61 is engaged in said notch 60. Said end-of-travel stop 70 is intended to cooperate with the front end 12 of the portion of thread 11. Said return stopper 70 here extends axially between the first thread 28 and the base of the neck.

In the illustrated embodiment, said assembly comprises several said thread portions 11 and several said corresponding threads 22, in this case three, spaced 120 ° apart. Said assembly further comprises several said notches 60 and several said corresponding protuberances 61, here three, each of the thread portions 11 being located angularly between two neighbors of said notches 61. Said side skirt 23 thus has pastes exhibiting good radial flexibility. between said notches 60, said portions of fillets being situated at the level of said pasta.

In this configuration with several threads 22, the first thread 28 of one of the threads forms the second thread 29 of the neighboring thread 22.

At the top, the second stops 25 extend axially between an origin of the third thread forming the guide path 21 associated with one of the threads 22 and the second thread 29 of the neighboring thread 22 in a clockwise direction.

At the bottom, the end-of-travel stop 70 of one of the threads 22 is located angularly, in the clockwise direction, just upstream of the protuberance 60 of the neighboring thread 22 in the counterclockwise direction. The first thread 28 of one of the threads 22 continues with an end portion of the second thread 29 of the neighboring thread 22 in a counterclockwise direction. As illustrated in FIGS. 17 to 20, said tooth or teeth 50 are advantageously configured to pierce and then cut said cover 5. Said tooth or teeth 50 extend from a free edge 80 of the punch 7.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, at least one angular portion 81 of said free edge 80, called the passage portion, is configured to remain in the neck 10 in said closed position as emerges more particularly from FIG. 19. A such a configuration improves the rate of release of the product contained in the tube by allowing circulation of a fraction of the product located in the vicinity of a shoulder 4 of the tube head 3 in the neck 10 at the level of said passage portion 81 Advantageously, said passage portion 81 is flush with a lower end of the neck 10 opening into the internal volume of the tube. Here, said teeth 50 are distributed over an angular portion 82 of punch 7, called cutout portion, delimited by two of said teeth 50 located angularly on either side of said cutout portion 82. Said passage edge 81 is formed by 'an angular portion of the punch complementary to said cutting portion 82.

As best illustrated in FIG. 20 where a fictitious plane P extending orthogonally to said longitudinal axis A has been shown, said teeth 50 have vertices 51 which are axially offset from one another. Such a configuration makes it possible to limit the screwing torque by ensuring that the teeth 50 pierce the cover 5 successively. The axial offset of the tops of the teeth 50 is increasing, in particular regularly, even more particularly linearly, in a direction of movement of the stopper 10 towards said closed position, in other words, here, in the direction of screwing or clockwise (which corresponds to a counterclockwise direction to figure 20 since it is reversed). Thus the tooth 50 located at one terminal end of the cutting portion 82 in the clockwise direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 20) has the most protruding top and meets the cap 5 first.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, said teeth 50 have a substantially identical height and extend axially from an angular portion of the free edge of the punch 7 having an axial offset from one tooth 50 to the other. For this, here, said free edge, in said cutout portion 82, is in the form of a ramp of increasing height in the clockwise direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 20). Such an identical height of the teeth makes it possible to limit their risk of breakage compared to a configuration in which teeth of too small sizes would be encountered.

As illustrated, said teeth 50 preferably have a substantially identical profile. It is, for example, a profile with a leading edge 52 extending substantially axially between said free edge 80 and each vertex 51 and a return edge 53 extending in an inclined manner between each vertex 51 and said free edge 80. Said vertices 51 are here formed at the junction of the leading edge 52, of the return edge 53, of an outer flank 54 of the tooth and of an inclined surface 55 formed in the thickness of the teeth 50.

In addition to the assembly shown in the preceding figures, said tube according to the invention comprises a skirt 102, partially illustrated, connected to said tube head 3.

Claims

1. Assembly for closing a tube, said assembly comprising a tube head (3) provided with a neck (10) and a cap (5) closing off said neck (10), said assembly further comprising a stopper (30) provided with a punch (7) adapted to perforate said cover (5), said neck (10) and said stopper (30) being configured to guide the stopper (30) to a closed position in which said punch (7) has perforated said lid (5), said punch comprising one or more teeth (50) for cutting the lid (5) extending from a free edge (80) of the punch (7) , at least one angular portion (81) of said free edge (80), called the passage portion, being configured to remain in the neck (10) in said closed position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said passage portion (81) of the free edge (80) of the punch (7) is flush with a lower end of the neck (10).

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said teeth (50) are distributed over an angular portion (82) of the punch (7), said cutting portion, delimited by two of said teeth (50) located angularly on either side. of said cutting portion (82), said passage edge (81) being formed of an angular portion of the punch (7) complementary to said cutting portion (82).

4. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein said teeth (50) have vertices (51) offset axially from each other.

5. Assembly according to the preceding claim wherein the axial offset of the tops (51) of the teeth (50) is increasing in a direction of movement of the plug (30) towards said closed position.

6. An assembly according to any one of claims 4 or 5 wherein said teeth (50) have a substantially identical height and extend axially from an angular portion of the free edge (80) having an axial offset of a tooth (50). ) to the other.

7. Assembly according to the preceding claim in said teeth (50) have a substantially identical profile.

8. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said cover (5) is located in the lower part of the neck (10).

9. An assembly according to any preceding claim configured so that said stopper (30) is screwed onto said neck (10) over at least part of its stroke.

10. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein said plug (30) comprises a service cap.

11. Tube comprising a closure assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.