EP4200228A1

EP4200228A1 - Container assembly

Info

Publication number: EP4200228A1
Application number: EP22707386.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Erwin Steiner; Carl-Johann HENTZEN; Andreas Geiger
Original assignee: Hoffmann Neopac AG
Current assignee: Hoffmann Neopac AG
Priority date: 2021-04-26
Filing date: 2022-02-10
Publication date: 2023-06-28
Also published as: WO2022228742A1; CH718563A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a container assembly comprising a container (1) having a withdrawal opening and a lid (3) for resealably closing said withdrawal opening. When the lid (3) is in a closed position, a tubular end portion (9) of the container (1) and a collar (15) of the lid overlap. The lid (3) and/or the container (1) have an adhesive metered sealing element (19) in the region of the overlap.

Description

container arrangement

The subject matter of the invention is a container arrangement according to the preamble of patent claim 1, comprising a container and a cover with which a removal opening of the container can be closed tightly.

Many containers that are intended for storing contents include a dispensing opening that can be closed with a lid and opened again if necessary.

Depending on the type of content to be stored, the container and lid can be tightly connected to one another, in particular airtight and/or watertight. As a result, e.g. food can be protected from harmful environmental influences.

Containers and lids can be made of the same or different materials such as glass, metal or plastic. The cover and container preferably comprise connecting means which correspond or interact with one another, such as screw threads or latching elements which can be connected to one another in a non-positive and/or positive manner.

It is known to arrange a sealing element between the lid and the container for tightly closing a container, for example a sealing element molded onto the inside of the lid or detachable again between the Lid and the container edge can be clamped sealing ring made of rubber or other elastically deformable material. Such arrangements are particularly common in jars for storing food. In order to seal the container tightly, the sealing element must be pressed against the edge of the container with a sufficiently high force in the axial direction. A sufficiently high axial compressive force can be provided, for example, by means of a rotary or screw cap or by means of a clip fastener. In the case of arrangements with a swing-top closure, as are used, for example, in the case of jars, the sealing elements are generally exchangeable sealing rings. Their thickness is comparatively large and is usually more than 1mm. As a result, when the cover is closed, sufficient travel is available for the elastic deformation of the sealing element, even taking into account manufacturing tolerances.

When the cover moves against the elastic spring force of the sealing ring into its closed position, the length of the closing path in the axial direction is comparatively large. Without the action of other forces, the closing force is essentially determined by the elastic restoring force of the sealing ring and by the closing path in the axial direction. In arrangements with a screw cap, the sealing elements can be, for example, rings molded directly onto the inside of the cover, made of an elastic be deformable material. The thickness of such sealing elements can be comparatively small. Without additional force effects, the closing force with which the sealing element is clamped axially between the lid and the container rim in the closed position of the lid is essentially determined by the torque when the lid is closed and by the thread pitch. When the lid is moved into its closed position, the length of the closing path in the axial direction is comparatively small.

The closing force and the sealing effect in such container arrangements can also be increased by a negative pressure inside the container compared to the ambient pressure. When preserving food, this is usually achieved by the temperature when the container is filled being significantly higher than the temperature range during subsequent storage.

In further arrangements, the container and lid may include cooperating fasteners or securing members which, when the lid is closed, are in a locking position being in positive axial engagement with one another. An example of this are spring-loaded or elastically deformable latching elements that counteract when the lid is closed be displaced from a rest position by their elastic restoring force and, when they reach the closed position, spring back into a blocked position by their elastic restoring force.

A container arrangement in the form of a can and a lid made of metal or plastic is known from CH698643A2. To attach the lid to the container, the container and the lid can have mutually cooperating threaded sections and threads or locking cams and

Have locking projections. An annular sealing element with a sealing lip projecting downwards and curved radially outwards in cross section is arranged on the inside of the cover surface. If the lid is placed loosely on the container, the free edge of the sealing lip rests on a rolled edge of the container at the removal opening. By exerting a compressive force in the axial direction and/or in the event of a

Threaded closure of a torque, the lid can be moved to a closed position. The sealing lip is elastically deformed by the force exerted by the rolled edge or bent further radially outwards and possibly slightly squeezed. Shortly before reaching the closed position, locking cams and locking projections come into contact with one another. They are shaped and arranged so that a rim portion of the lid is elastically deformed when pressed, so that each Locking cam can overcome the obstacle of the respective locking projection. When the closed position is reached, the locking cams are moved back into their rest position by the restoring spring force of the lid edge, so that the lid is held in place by the form-fitting system

Locking cam is secured to the locking projections on the container.

The closing distance when moving the cover against the elastic restoring force of the sealing lip into its closed position is comparatively long. Also in the

In the closed position, the lid is only comparatively loosely connected to the container. By further pressure in the axial direction on the cover, it can be moved further in the axial direction against the restoring force of the sealing lip beyond the closed position. The restoring force of the sealing lip causes the latching projections and latching cams that rest against one another to exert an axial force on one another. This can cause an unwanted deformation or displacement of the locking elements from their rest position and unintentional opening of the lid.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container assembly comprising a container and a lid which can be releasably connected to the container, the lid being easily moved into a closed position can be, in which he reliably closes a removal opening of the container tightly.

This object is achieved by a container arrangement according to the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the container arrangement are specified in the dependent claims.

The removal opening of containers whose wall delimits a receiving space is usually delimited by a tubular end section of the wall. This wall section defines the direction of a container axis. Lids, with which such removal openings can be closed, comprise a cover surface and a tubular collar peripherally adjacent to this cover surface. The collar defines the direction of a lid axis. Its shape and size are matched to the tubular end section of the container wall in such a way that, when the lid is in a closed position, it overlaps the end section of the container wall on the inside or outside. In order to securely connect the lid to the container in the closed position, the lid and the container can comprise connecting elements that interact with one another in the common overlapping area. Such connecting elements are, for example, structures that protrude radially outwards or inwards on the respective wall section or collar, which in the closed position of the lid engage behind in a form-fitting manner in the axial direction. The connecting elements which interact with one another are arranged and designed in such a way that they can be brought into a release position relative to one another in order to close and open the container. In particular, sections with radially protruding locking knobs can be arranged, for example, on the collar and/or on the end section of the container wall. The collar and/or the end section of the container wall can, for example, be designed to be elastically deformable in such a way that the locking knobs can be moved from a rest position into the release position by locally acting radial compressive forces. When the container is closed, the rest position corresponds to the closed position. As an alternative or in addition, in further embodiments of the container arrangement, the latching elements themselves could also be designed to be elastic.

The container and the lid can generally have any desired cross-sectional shape or contour with straight and/or curved edge sections in the overlapping area. In arrangements with a circular cross-section, the

Connecting elements or latching elements on the container and on the lid also include threads of internal or external threads or sections of such threads. Such connections are well known from the prior art and are not described in detail here. In order to seal the container tightly, the container arrangement comprises one or more elastically deformable sealing elements. Each of these sealing elements is captively attached to the collar of the lid or to the end section of the container so that it is arranged in the radial overlapping area between the lid and the container when the lid is closed.

Such sealing elements can be applied to the respective part with great precision, in particular by means of dosing systems. In this case, a sealing bead made of a preferably highly viscous sealing material is applied to the respective section of the lid or of the container by means of a dosing needle. The composition of the sealing material can be selected according to the requirements of the particular application. In particular, factors such as chemical resistance, food compatibility, sealing properties or temperature ranges can be taken into account. The sealing material is preferably PVC-free. It can comprise one or more components, for example based on SBR rubber, silicone, polyurethane (PUR) or polyester. Dosing systems can use dosing needles to automatically apply closed, ring-shaped sealing beads to lids and/or containers with very high precision along almost any three-dimensional contour. By specifying values for parameters such as feed rate of the sealing material, relative feed rate of the The dosing needle, contour and cross-sectional area of the outlet opening of the dosing needle can be influenced, for example the thickness and possibly the cross-sectional shape of the sealing bead when it is applied to the collar of the lid or to the end section of the container. In contrast to spraying methods, which are conventionally used for applying sealing material, the arrangement and effect of sealing elements that are applied using metering methods can be controlled very precisely. Sealing elements that have been metered or metered can be arranged and formed in each container arrangement according to the geometric conditions in the overlapping area without impairing the effect of any additional connecting elements that may be present. It can thereby be ensured that a cover can be moved into the closed position and out of the closed position by the sealing element in a simple manner or without any significant hindrance. At the same time, it is also ensured that the lid reliably and tightly closes the removal opening of the container in the closed position. Furthermore, the material consumption when dosing up sealing elements is comparatively small. The material composition can easily be adapted to the respective requirements in order to produce different container configurations. Compared to prefabricated sealing elements eliminates high costs for the production, management and storage of different such parts.

The invention is described by way of example for container arrangements in the form of metal cans with reference to a number of figures. However, the invention is not limited to metal cans, but also applies in general to container assemblies in which the container and/or the lid are made of a different material. Show it

Figure 1 shows a can according to the prior art, in a side view on the right and in an axial section on the left,

FIG. 2 shows a detail of a can arrangement in axial section,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cover,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the lid from Figure 3,

Figure 5 shows an enlarged axial section of the cover along the line V-V in Figure 4.

FIG. 1 shows a container arrangement in the form of a can with a round cross section, comprising a container 1 and a lid 3 which is connected to the container 1 in a closed position. The container arrangement is shown in a side view on the right half of the figure, and in an axial section on the left half of the figure. The container 1 comprises a container wall with a round bottom 5 and a container wall 7 projecting upwards peripherally on this base 5 in order to delimit a receiving space. The container wall 7 includes a tubular end section 9 with a flanged edge 11 which delimits a removal opening of the container 1 . The end section 9 defines the direction of a container axis A.

The cover 3 comprises a round cover surface 13 and a tubular collar 15 which projects downwards peripherally on this cover surface 13 and defines the direction of a cover axis A′. When the lid 3 is connected to the container 1 in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, the container axis A and the lid axis A' are congruent. The collar 15 of the lid 3 overlaps with the tubular end section 9 of the container 1. On the collar 15, locking elements or generally connecting elements 17′ projecting radially inwards and on the end section 9 of the container 1 radially outwardly projecting locking elements or generally connecting elements 17 engage behind one another in the closed position in relation to the direction of the container axis A.

Between the top surface 13 of the lid 3 and the flanged edge 11 of the container 1, the container arrangement comprises an annular, elastically deformable sealing element 19. This sealing element 19 comprises an axially downwardly projecting, curved sealing lip 21, which in the closed position of the lid 3 due to the Edge 11 exerted axial compressive force elastically deformed and is excited. The cover 3 is held in the closed position only by the connecting elements 17, 17' which engage behind one another, counter to the acting spring force of the sealing element 19. FIG. 2 shows a detail of a container arrangement which, like the can in FIG. 1, comprises a container 1 and a lid 3, the lid 3 being connected to the container 1 in a closed position. The container 1 comprises a tubular end section 9, the edge 11 of which can be formed, for example, as a flanged edge. In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the container 1 is made of metal, preferably of thin sheet metal with a thickness in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, in particular 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm. Optionally, the container 1 can have a radially inwardly projecting flange 23 at the upper edge 11 for welding on a film or for attaching a first-use protection. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the flange 23 is crimped onto the upper edge 11 of the container 1. FIG. When the container 1 is closed, the lid 3 lies in its closed position with an edge area 13a of the top surface 13 on the edge 11 of the container 1 . The edge area 13a can optionally be an axially lower lying shoulder of the top surface 13, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the top surface 13 could have any other contour and, for example, a curvature or others

have structures. In particular, the top surface could 13, including the edge area 13a, can be in the form of a flat surface (not shown).

Peripherally to the edge region 13a, the cover 3 comprises a radially outer, axially downwardly projecting collar 15 which, in the closed position, the end section 9 of the

Container 1 overlaps.

The closed position of the lid 3 is defined by the axial levels of the container edge 11 and the underside of the edge area 13a of the top surface 13. The closed position also determines the relative axial positions of

Connecting elements 17, 17 ', the cover 3 in the

Hold closed position on container 1 and secure if necessary.

In the embodiment of the container arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the outwardly flanged edge 11 is a connecting element 17 that protrudes radially at the end section 9 of the container wall 7. On the collar 15 of the lid 3, connecting elements 17' are distributed at several points along the circumference in the form of radial to arranged inside projecting locking projections or cambers. In the closed position of the lid 3, the interacting connecting elements 17, 17' slightly undercut or engage behind one another in the radial direction. The connecting elements 17 ′ of the lid 3 bear against the connecting element 17 of the container 1 . This causes a positive connection of the lid 3 with the container with respect to the direction of the container axis A and the cover axis A', which is congruent in the closed position. The surface of the connecting element 17' is inclined at the contact point relative to the axial direction by an angle of inclination α, the value of which can generally be between 0° and 180°. In FIG. 2, the directions of a tangential plane at the contact point and the cover axis A' are represented by broken lines 25, 25'.

At angles of inclination a between 0° and 90°, in particular between approximately 15° and approximately 75° as in the arrangement in FIG 3 is exercised. The greater the angle of inclination a, the greater the axial tensile force required to

To displace connecting elements 17 from their locking position radially outwards in a release position.

At angles of inclination α, which are on the order of about 90°, the cover 3 is secured to the container 1 by the form fit of the connecting elements 17, 17'. The connecting elements 17' cannot be displaced from their locked position solely by a tensile force acting axially on the cover 3. The required radial displacement force acting locally on the connecting elements 17' must be provided in some other way, for example by the collar 15 being positioned at between the connecting elements 17' is locally pressed radially inwards.

In the case of angles of inclination a that are greater than 90°, the connecting elements 17' are designed like hooks and, in the closed position, can also engage behind the associated connecting elements 17 of the container 1 in a radially form-fitting manner. This enables covers 3 to be additionally secured in the closed position, so that they cannot be opened unintentionally.

On the inside of the collar 15, between the edge region 13a of the top surface 13 and the connecting elements 17', an elastic sealing element 19 running around in the manner of a ring is dosed. The size and cross-sectional shape of this sealing element 19 are defined such that the sealing element 19 rests laterally or radially on the flanged edge 11 of the container wall 7 so that the cover 3 tightly closes the removal opening of the container 1 . Preferably, the sealing element 19 is in the closed position by small radially acting

Compressive forces between the collar 15 and the container wall 7 clamped. As a result, the sealing element 19 is slightly elastically deformed and optimally adapts to the shape of the intermediate space to be sealed. Alternatively or additionally, one or more

Sealing elements 19 in an analogous manner also at other points in the overlapping area on the collar 15 of the lid 3 and/or be added to the end section 9 of the container wall 7.

In the case of radially acting, dosed sealing elements 19, the sealing effect in the closed position is insensitive to small relative changes in the position of the lid 3 and the container 1 in the axial direction.

Furthermore, in the case of container arrangements with radially acting, dosed sealing elements 19, the closed position of lids 3 can be determined independently of these sealing elements 19, e.g.

Sealing elements 19 acting radially can also be used as a means for positively connecting a cover 3 to the associated container 1 . When the lid 3 is closed, the sealing elements 19 are elastically deformed by being in contact with the container 1 . The clamping force of the sealing elements 19 acting radially on the container 1 causes a holding force due to static friction. To open the cover 3, an axial force must be applied that is greater than the static friction force. Additional interacting

Connecting elements 17, 17' on the container 1 and on the lid 3 are therefore not required for every container arrangement. By applying sealing elements 19 using dosing technology, various parameters such as number, position, cross-sectional shape, thickness or material properties of these sealing elements 19 can be flexibly and easily adjusted according to the desired effect to be achieved by these sealing elements 19 .

Some examples of this:

By arranging a plurality of sealing elements 19 in parallel or by a sealing element 19 with a plurality of radially protruding parallel ribs, its sealing effect can be further improved according to the principle of a labyrinth seal.

The elastic holding force in the closed position of the cover 3 can be optimized by means of sealing elements 19 with a different, in particular larger, cross-sectional area and/or with a different, e.g. larger, modulus of elasticity.

A further cover 3 is shown in FIG. 3 in a perspective view and in FIG. 4 in a plan view. This is a deep-drawn metal cover with a material thickness D1 of about 0.2 mm, a height D2 in the range of about 9 mm and an outside diameter D3 of the order of about 76 mm. On the collar 15, it comprises three connecting means 17' in the form of deep-drawn locking cams projecting radially inwards. These are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to rotations about the lid axis A' with an angle of rotation β of 120°. Figure 5 shows an enlarged section of the cover 3 in an axial section along the line VV in Figure 4.

The edge portion 13a is a heel height D4 of approximately 2mm below the level of the central portion of the top surface 13. The middle level of

Connecting element 17' is at a distance D5 of about 3mm below the edge region 13a of the top surface 13. The connecting element 17' have a cam height D6 of less than 1mm. The sealing element 19 is between the edge portion 13a and the connecting elements 17 'on the

Inside of the lid 3 metered. Its contour is adapted to that of the end section 9 of the container wall 7 such that it rests tightly against this end section when the lid 3 is in the closed position and preferably allows the edge region 13a to rest directly on the edge 11 of the container 1 .

The dimensions given in this exemplary embodiment show that high precision is required when attaching adhesive sealing elements 19 . Sealing elements 19 can be attached to the respective parts automatically and at high speed and with great precision by dosing by means of dosing machines.

The dimensions given are not to be understood as a limitation for a large number of other embodiments which are not described in detail here.

Claims

patent claims

1. A container arrangement comprising a container (1) and a lid (3), the container (1) comprising a container wall which delimits a receiving space with a removal opening, the removal opening being delimited by a tubular end section (9) of the container wall which defines the direction of a container axis (A), wherein the lid (3) can be releasably connected to the container (1) in a closed position in order to seal this removal opening tightly, and wherein the lid (3) has a cover surface (13) and adjoins it peripherally Top surface (13) comprises a tubular collar (15) which defines the direction of a lid axis (A'), the directions of the container axis (A) and the lid axis (A') matching in the closed position of the lid (3), and wherein the end section (9) of the container wall and the collar (15) of the lid (3) each have an overlapping area in which they radially adjoin one another in the closed position of the lid (3), characterized nzeichn that on the lid (3) and / or on the container (1) in the overlapping area at least one adhesive sealing element (19) for radial sealing of the gap between the end portion (9) of the container wall and the collar (15) of the cover (3) is arranged.

2. Container arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (3) and/or the container (1) are made of metal.

3. Container arrangement according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the container (1) and the lid (3) in the overlapping area comprise interacting connecting elements (17, 17') in the form of structures projecting radially inwards and/or outwards, such that each connecting element (17') of the lid (5) and the respective corresponding connecting element (17) of the container (1) in the closed position of the lid (3) with respect to the direction of the lid axis (A') and the container axis (A) are in positive engagement with each other.

4. Container arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the collar (15) of the

Lid (3) in the closed position overlaps the end section (9) of the container wall on the outside, and that the sealing element (19) is metered radially on the inside on the collar (15) or radially on the outside on the end section (9).

5. Container arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the collar (15) of the lid (3) in the closed position overlaps the end section (9) of the container wall on the inside, and that the sealing element (19) lies radially on the outside

Collar (15) or is dosed radially on the inside at the end section (9).

6. Container arrangement according to one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the sealing element (19) in the closed position of the lid (3) is located axially between the connecting element or elements (17') of the lid (3) and an edge region (13a) the top panel (13) is adhesively bonded to the collar (15) or end portion (9) of the container (1).

7. Container arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the sealing element (17) is designed and arranged such that it is in the closed position of the lid (3) a direct concern of the

Allows edge area (13a) of the top surface (13) at the edge (11) of the container (1).

8. Container arrangement according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the cooperating

Connecting elements (17, 17 ') of the container (1) and the lid (3) abut each other, and that the surface of each connecting element (17') at the point of contact is inclined with respect to the axial direction by an angle of inclination α, the value of which is between 15° and 75°.