ES2746959T3 - Original seal for compressed gas bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

Original seal for compressed gas bottles comprising an annular sleeve (11, 11 '), which can be firmly attached with a collar (3) or a connection thread (5) for a protective cap (6), and a piece of closure (14, 14 ', 18) pierced during the stipulated use of the original seal (10, 10') on the protective cap (6), whose closing part, in the assembled state, is connected to the annular sleeve by means of fixing straps (15, 15 '), in at least two eyelets (12, 13) associated with the annular sleeve (11, 11'), in the manner of a single-use cable tie and is pierced on the protective cap being applied to it so closely that said cap can no longer be unscrewed without previously having destroyed the original seal.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Original seal for compressed gas bottles.

The invention concerns an original seal for compressed gas bottles.

Compressed gas cylinders, which are generally made of steel or aluminum and are used to store compressed gases and liquids, are identified, due to legal provisions, by a specific paint for the gas class and a sticker giving information on the content, filling pressure and manufacturer. In addition, some suppliers additionally apply a sticker with nominal break points that overlaps the protective cap and neck of the compressed gas bottle. The presence or completeness of this sticker serves to indicate the original state after filling at the supplying company. However, such stickers can be easily detached on their own or can be easily manipulated. To deal with this danger, the protective cap and shoulder of the bottle can also be completely covered with a self-adhesive film or a flexible contractile tube, which is certainly very complicated.

DE 197 18 818 A1 describes an original closure for compressed gas bottles consisting basically of two parts, namely a "wrapper" and an "adhesive".

DE 10062867 A1 and DE 19611970 A1 disclose original seals for compressed gas cylinders on whose collar or neck a protective cap can be detachably attached, for example with a screw or bayonet closure. The originality seals described therein always comprise an identification ring that is positioned on the collar and that is provided with at least two nominal break points. As the protective cap is seated or screwed onto the bottle collar or neck, such pressure is exerted on the identification ring that the identification ring breaks into pieces at the nominal break points, but is trapped between the protective cap and the collar in such a way that said ring remains positioned between the collar shoulder and the front surface of the neck of the bottle. By removing the protective cap from the collar or neck of the compressed gas bottle and simultaneously relieving the pressure of the different parts of the identification ring, these are released from the compressed gas bottle. In document DE 19611 970 A1 additionally toothed gear profiles are provided with which a connection is established between the segments as long as the bottle cap is seated on the neck of the bottle. However, if the cap of the bottle is released from the neck of the bottle, the joints are automatically undone and the segments come off the neck of the bottle.

The originality seals known from the state of the art suffer from the drawback that, in order to be destroyed, the protective cap has to settle as completely as possible. If this is omitted, for example due to negligence or because they are bottle threads that are very difficult to maneuver, there is a danger that the original seal remains intact and thus simulates an originality of the contents of the bottle that no longer exists. Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of creating an alternative original seal for compressed gas bottles that overcomes the drawbacks of the state of the art.

This problem is solved in an original seal with the characteristics of claim 1.

Therefore, the originality seal according to the invention for compressed gas bottles comprises an annular sleeve and a closure piece connected to it. In the assembled condition of the original seal, the annular sleeve is firmly attached to the collar or a connecting thread for a protective cap. In the assembled state, the closure part is connected to the annular sleeve by means of fixing tapes, in at least two eyelets associated with the annular sleeve, in the manner of a single-use cable tie and is pierced over the cap protector being applied to it so closely that said cap can no longer be unscrewed without previously having destroyed the original seal. This guarantees a tamper-proof seal of originality. To establish the connection with the eyelets of the annular sleeve, the fastening tapes of the closure part have sections that have a profile in the form of grooves or saw teeth. The eyelets formed in the annular sleeve are themselves equipped with a locking tongue or a corresponding profiling that ensures that, after passing the tapes with their profiled sections through the eyelets, the joint can no longer be released without destroying it. In order to achieve a reliable original seal, the closure piece is fixed with two, three or more tapes, in the aforementioned manner, in a corresponding number of eyelets of the annular sleeve. It is also possible to provide several closure pieces, for example two tapes arranged in a cross, correspondingly cooperating with a total of four eyelets always arranged at equal angular distances in the peripheral direction of the annular sleeve. The closure pieces and / or the annular sleeve can also be equipped with one or more identification banners that can be labeled with information, for example on the content or origin of the bottle. The annular sleeve is firmly attached to the collar, thread, or an omni-directional groove of the existing gas cylinder below the thread of the collar. This can be done according to the invention, for example, by screwing, gluing or welding, but for most application cases these joining possibilities are linked to considerable drawbacks, since the pressure resistance of the bottle can be impaired by subsequent tapping and tacking or welding would lead to considerable expense to remove a damaged annular sleeve. Thus, the annular sleeve is preferably immobilized by pressing, pinching, or contracting against the collar or thread. On the one hand, the annular sleeve is thus fixed so reliably in the collar or in the thread that said sleeve can already come off without being destroyed, and, on the other hand, it can be removed, if necessary, in a simple way and without producing damage to the compressed gas cylinder.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the annular sleeve is pressed with the collar. To this end, the annular sleeve comprises a first ring and a second ring, the second ring at least sectionally presenting a diameter smaller than that of the first ring. During assembly, both rings are pierced on the collar and moved towards each other in an axial direction by means of a suitable pressing tool until the second ring is pressed between the first ring and the collar of the compressed gas bottle. In EP 2284433 A1 a comparable fixing ring is described in connection with the fixing of an RFID emitter to compressed gas bottles. The inner surface of the first ring and the outer surface of the second ring are conically shaped there and provided with stepped profiling. In addition, the second ring has axial grooves. The creasing and the staggered profiling ensure that, after pressing, the ring constructions can no longer come loose from each other or from the collar of the compressed gas bottle. To ensure an even firmer seat, the second (inner) ring can also be constructed as a cutting ring that, when pressed, fits on the surface of the collar.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the annular sleeve comprises a first main ring suitable for seating on a shoulder of the collar and a cooperating clamping ring, the clamping ring being adapted in its internal diameter to the diameter of the connecting thread for the protective cap, to the external diameter of a groove that runs omnidirectionally below the thread or to the external diameter of the collar and presenting preferably elastic retention tabs protruding inwards. The retaining tabs are dimensioned in such a way that, in the assembled state, they fit tightly on the thread, in a groove usually present under the thread or on the collar and cannot be released again without destroying the clamp ring . With the help of suitable connecting means between the eyelet-bearing main ring and the clamping ring, the main ring is reliably immobilized on the collar or on the thread. For this purpose, the main ring can be equipped, for example on the inner side, with an omnidirectional groove that is adapted to the outside diameter of the clamp ring and into which the clamp ring fits after it is pierced onto the main ring. Such a fixing arrangement is described, for example, in US 5697 173 A, but is not related there to originality seals.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the annular sleeve is constructed in one piece as a clamping ring equipped with eyelets to fix the closure piece. The clamping ring is then configured in a similar way to that described in the previous paragraph and has tabs protruding inwards and intended to fit in a slot or in the collar. The immobilizing action is then produced exclusively by the ring retention tabs.

A still more advantageous possibility for attaching the annular sleeve to the collar provides that the annular sleeve is equipped with a contractile element. The annular sleeve is then constituted wholly or in part by a contractile material which permanently shrinks, for example upon heating, and thus provides a firm seating of the annular sleeve in the collar.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a material is used for the annular sleeve which expands by heating and can thus be drawn in the heated state on the collar, and which then contracts again by cooling to room temperature until the ring is no longer can be removed without destroying it. For example, a material is chosen that, in order to enable it to settle on the collar, must be heated to a temperature higher than 100 ° C. After cooling, the annular sleeve remains attached to the collar and cannot be easily detached from it.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the aforementioned possibilities for fixing the annular sleeve to the collar; on the contrary, all the fixing possibilities are included that allow a firm and at the same time non-detachable immobilization without destruction of the annular sleeve in the compressed gas bottle, as well as a combination of several of the possibilities of union above or others more .

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the closure part comprises a cap that, in the assembled state, at least partially embraces the protective cap. The cap then covers at least the upper part of the protective cap and thus ensures that the protective cap cannot be removed from the compressed gas bottle without destroying the original seal. The cap can be a net, a fabric or a film, it can consist, for example, of plastic or metal and / or it can form a single piece with the fastening tapes.

An alternative or complementary execution of the original seal comprises a closure piece with a connecting eyelet that is adapted to the perimeter of a hexagonal profile arranged on the protective cap. Such hexagonal profiles are found as standard elements in protective caps and facilitate the removal of the Protective cap on threaded joints that are difficult to maneuver. The closure piece sits on the threaded protective cap during the mounting of the original seal so that the hexagonal profile is passed through the union eyelet, thereby immobilizing the closure piece radially against the protective cap. Preferably, the closure part is of integral construction and is advantageously configured as an injection molded part. Also, the annular sleeve or parts thereof to be joined to each other can be made by injection molding. A preferred material for the annular sleeve or parts thereof and / or the closure part consists of plastic, preferably polyamide, for example polyamide (PA) 6.6. Apart from PA6.6 and PVC, stainless steel or other metal also comes into consideration as a material. In particular, stainless steel constructions have a very high tensile force and are highly resistant to UV radiation and corrosion.

Embodiment examples of the invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of the drawings. They show in schematic views:

Figure 1, a compressed gas bottle with a screw-on protective cap on it,

FIG. 2 shows the fragment of a compressed gas bottle with the protective cap seated and with an original seal according to the invention in a first embodiment, in a side view,

FIG. 3 shows the fragment of a compressed gas bottle with the protective cap seated and with an original seal according to the invention in a second embodiment, in a side view,

FIG. 4a shows the annular sleeve of an original seal in a first embodiment, in plan view,

FIG. 4b shows the parts of the annular sleeve according to FIG. 4a in a side view,

Figure 5a, the annular sleeve of an original seal in a second embodiment, in a plan view,

FIG. 5b shows the parts of the annular sleeve according to FIG. 5a in a side view,

FIG. 6 shows the closure part of an original seal in a first embodiment and

FIG. 7 shows the closure part of an original seal in a second embodiment.

The compressed gas bottle 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises in a known manner a bottle body 2 with a collar 3 and a bottle valve 4. The collar 3 is equipped with a thread 5 for screwing on a protective cap 6 serving to protect the bottle valve 4. The protective cap 6 has an internal thread 7 corresponding to the thread 5 of the collar 3 and, in addition, it is equipped in a similarly known way with a hexagonal profile 8 formed at its upper end.

In figures 2 and 3 the compressed gas bottle 1 is shown with the protective cap 6 screwed on and with respective embodiments of an original seal 10, 10 'according to the invention.

The originality seal 10 according to figure 2 comprises an annular sleeve 11 which is immobilized on the collar 3 of the compressed gas bottle. The annular sleeve 11 is equipped with several eyelets 12, 13, two in the exemplary embodiment. Likewise, the originality seal 10 comprises a closure piece 14 that is always fixed to the eyelets 12, 13 of the annular sleeve 11, in the manner of a single-use cable tie, by means of several fixing tapes 15, 16 (corresponding to the number of eyelets on the annular sleeve). To allow this, the eyelets 12, 13 are equipped with retaining tabs not shown here which cooperate with corresponding profiles of the fixing straps 15, 16, whereby the closure piece 14 can no longer be detached from the annular sleeve 11 as soon as the fastening tapes 15, 16 are immobilized on the eyelets 12, 13. The closing part 14 of figure 2 also comprises a fastening opening 17 whose inner diameter, as will be explained in more detail below, is adapted to the external diameter of the hexagonal profile 8. In the assembled state, the fastening opening 17 is stamped on the hexagonal profile 8 and the closure piece 14 is immobilized in this way.

The same characteristics are identified in figure 3 with the same reference numbers as in figure 2. The originality seal 10 'of figure 3 differs from the originality seal 10 of figure 2 only by another closure piece 18. In this, the fixing straps 15, 16 (which otherwise act in the same way) are not connected with a fixing opening 17 cooperating with the hexagonal profile 8, but with a cap 19 that at least partially covers the protective cap 6 The cap 19 can be made of the same material as that of the fixing tapes 15, 16, also forming a single piece with them, but other materials can also be used, such as, for example, plastics or fabric or a net made eg metal. Furthermore, the cap 19 can also have a graphic impression, for example an indication of the manufacturer or the contents of the compressed gas bottle 1. In the assembled state, the cap 19 is applied so closely to the screwed-on protective cap 6 that, the fastening tapes 15, 16 being immobilized in the eyelets 12, 13, the the cap can no longer be removed from the protective cap. Only after the destruction of the original seal 10 ', for example by cutting the fastening tapes 15, 16, is it possible for the cap 19 to be removed from the protective cap 6.

Figures 4a, b and 5a, b show examples of embodiment of different annular sleeves of originality seals according to the invention. The annular sleeve 11 shown in Figures 4a, b comprises a main ring 21 which is equipped with radially protruding profiles 22, 23 with eyelets 12, 13 to fix a closure piece 14, 18. Also, the annular sleeve 11 comprises a clamping ring 24. The clamping ring 24 is equipped with flexible tabs 26 protruding inwards which, in the assembled state, fit into a groove 25 present under the connection thread 5 for a protective cap 6 and take care of that the clamping ring 24, after final positioning on the thread, can no longer be detached, or can only be detached with great difficulty, without destroying said clamping ring 24. Furthermore, the outer perimeter of the clamping ring 24 is dimensioned of so that, in the assembled state, it fits into a groove 27 which extends along the periphery of the inner surface of the main ring 21 and immobilizes said main ring 21 in this way.

The annular sleeve 11 'of Figures 5a, b also comprises two cooperating rings 28, 29 in the assembled state. The inner surface of the outer ring 28, which also carries the eyelets 12, 13 to fix the closing piece 14, 18, and the outer perimeter of the inner ring 29 are conically shaped and have respective meshed gear profiles 30, 31 mutually corresponding, for example two staggered profiles. During assembly the rings 28, 27 are pushed towards each other and these are pressed with a suitable pressing tool in such a way that the inner ring 29 is caught between the outer ring 28 and the collar 3. The toothed gear profiles 30, 31 here prevent the rings 28, 29 from detaching from each other.

Figure 6 and Figure 7 show two executions of closure pieces 14, 14 'of original seals according to the invention. The closing part 14 shown in figure 6 comprises two fixing tapes 15, 16 which are joined in one piece with a fixing opening 17. The fixing opening 17 is configured as a hexagonal ring whose inner diameter is dimensioned in such a way. that is adapted to the external diameter of the hexagonal profile 8 of the protective cap 6. The fixing straps 15, 16 are sectionally equipped with toothed mesh profiles 32, 33 that are designed so that they can cooperate, in the manner of a tie single-use cables, with the respective eyelet 12, 13 of an annular sleeve 11, 11 'equipped with a retention tab.

The closing part 14 'shown in figure 7 differs from the closing part 14 in figure 6 only by a round execution of the fixing opening 17. This embodiment is simpler to manufacture and can be more easily inserted on a hexagonal profile 8 of a compressed gas bottle, but does not provide the same security of fixation as the embodiment shown in figure 6. Likewise, the closure piece 14 'of figure 7 is equipped with an identification banner 34 which is attached to a fixing strap 16, for example by gluing or by means of eyelets, and which can be labeled with information, for example on the content of the bottle or the supplier. Of course, this identification flag 24 can also be attached to the closure pieces 14, 18.

To mount the original seal 10, 10 ', firstly, the annular sleeve 11, 11' is immobilized on the collar 3. Then, the fastening tapes 15, 16 are inserted into the corresponding eyelets 12, 13 and are dragged through either until the fixing opening 17 fits on the hexagonal profile 8 (in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 2, 6, 7) or the cap 19 fits on the protective cap 6 (in the exemplary embodiment according to the figure 3). The serrated meshing in the manner of a cable tie between the fixing straps 15, 16 and the retention tabs on the eyelets 12, 13 prevents the protective cap 6 from being removed without destroying the original seal 10, 10 '. In order to remove the protective cap, the closure piece 14, 14 ', 18 is destroyed, which is conveniently done by sectioning the fixing straps 15, 16. The annular sleeve 11, 11' remains in the collar 3 even after opening of the compressed gas bottle 1 and can be reused, that is to say that after filling the compressed gas bottle 1 it is generally sufficient to remove the remains of the fastening tapes 15, 16 of a destroyed closure part that may have been left still in the eyelets 12, 13 of the annular sleeve 11, 11 'and connect a new closure piece 14, 14', 18 with the existing annular sleeve 11 or 11 '.

List of reference symbols

1 bottle of compressed gas

2 Bottle body

3 Necklace

4 bottle valve

5 Thread

6 Protective cap

7 Inner thread

8 Hexagonal profile

9 -10 Originality seal

, 11 'Ring sleeve

Eyelet

Eyelet

, 14 'Closing piece

Fixation tape

Fixation tape

Fixing opening

Closing piece

Hood

-Main ring

Profile

Profile

Clamping ring

Groove

Tongue

Groove

Outer ring

Inner ring

Toothed gear profiling Toothed gear profiling Toothed gear profile Toothed gear profile Identification banner

Claims (10)

1. Original seal for compressed gas bottles comprising an annular sleeve (11, 11 '), which can be firmly attached with a collar (3) or a connection thread (5) for a protective cap (6), and a closing piece (14, 14 ', 18) pierced during the stipulated use of the original seal (10, 10') on the protective cap (6), whose closing piece, in the assembled state, is connected to the sleeve annular by means of fixing tapes (15, 15 '), in at least two eyelets (12, 13) associated with the annular sleeve (11, 11'), in the manner of a single-use cable tie and is pierced on the protective cap, being applied to it so closely that said cap can no longer be unscrewed without previously having destroyed the original seal. 2. Originality seal according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular sleeve (11, 11 ') comprises a first ring (28) and a second ring (29) that can be pressed between the first ring (28) and the collar ( 3) from the compressed gas bottle (1). Originality seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular sleeve (11, 11 ') comprises a main ring (21) and a clamping ring (24) cooperating with it, the clamping ring being adapted ( 24) in its internal diameter to the diameter of the connection thread (5) for the protective cap (6) or to the external diameter of the collar (8) and being equipped with retention tabs (26) preferably elastic and protruding inwards that , in the assembled state, they fit into a groove present under the thread (5) or on the outer surface of the collar (3). 4. Originality seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular sleeve (11, 11 ') is built in one piece and configured as a clamping ring equipped with eyelets (12, 13) to fix the piece closing (14, 14 ', 18) and with some retention tabs (26) protruding inwards. 5. Originality seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular sleeve (11, 11 ') is equipped with a contractile element by means of which the annular sleeve (11, 11') can be immobilized on the collar (3 ) after shrinkage occurs. 6. Originality seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular sleeve (11, 11 ') consists of a material in which the internal diameter of the annular sleeve (11, 11') expands by heating, but that Shrinks when cooled to room temperature. 7. Original seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure part (14, 14 ', 18) comprises a cap (19) which, in the state of assembly, at least partially embraces the protective cap (6 ). Originality seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure part (14, 14 ') is equipped with a fixing opening (17) that is adapted to the perimeter of a hexagonal profile (3) arranged on the protective cap (6). 9. Originality seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure part (14, 14 ', 18) is of integral construction and is preferably configured as a die-cast part. Originality seal according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular sleeve (11, 11 ’) and / or the closure piece (14, 14’, 18) are made of plastic, preferably polyamide.