FR2994951A1 - Perforator cap for flexible tube containing product, has moving part movable relative to body according to longitudinal axis of body, so as to allow perforation of cover placed in neck of tube by punch when cap is screwed onto neck of tube - Google Patents

Abstract

The cap (10) has a body (12) intended to be screwed onto a neck of a flexible tube so as to fix the body on the neck of the tube. A moving part (16) includes a punch (17), where the moving part is movable relative to the body according to a longitudinal axis of the body, so as to allow perforation of a cover placed in the neck of the tube by the punch when the cap is screwed onto the neck of the tube. The body includes grooves, and the moving part includes ribs (42), where the grooves and the ribs limit the displacement of the moving part compared to the body. An independent claim is also included for a tube and perforator cap assembly.

Description

GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of perforating plugs, which are typically used for the perforation of a membrane closing the neck of a flexible tube prior to its first use. STATE OF THE ART Perforating caps are commonly used in combination with containers such as flexible tubes having a lid which is pierced when first used. Such containers make it possible to provide improved protection for a product contained in the tube, especially during extended periods of storage, the duration of which is frequently very high compared to the period of use. The seal of the tube makes it possible to ensure a completely hermetic closure of the tube as soon as it is filled, in addition to making it easy to identify an already used tube.

Figure 1 shows an example of a perforating cap according to the state of the art. The perforating plug 1 as presented comprises a body 2 which is divided into two parts suitable for use alternately: A lower closure part provided with an internal thread 3, adapted to be screwed onto a threaded neck so as to close a container such as a flexible tube, an upper perforation portion provided with a punch 4, dimensioned so that when the cap 1 is pressed against the neck of a tube on the side of this upper part, the punch 4 s' inserts into the neck and comes to perforate a lid placed in the neck. The user then removes the cap 1, and will no longer use this upper part.

This type of perforator plug 1 thus has a simple structure, but is not very pleasant for the user who must turn the cap to pierce the lid of a tube, which may in particular leave traces of product on the punch 4. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to propose a solution that does not have these disadvantages. For this purpose, the present invention provides a perforating plug for a tube having a neck, said cap comprising a body having a longitudinal axis XX and adapted to be screwed onto a neck in order to fix the body on the neck of the tube, said plug being characterized in that it comprises a movable part comprising a punch, said part being movable relative to the body along the longitudinal axis XX of the body so as to allow the perforation of a lid placed in the neck of the tube by the punch when the cap is screwed onto the neck of said tube. As a variant, said plug has one or more of the following characteristics, taken independently or in combination: said body and said punch comprise means for guiding in translation the displacement of the mobile part so as to limit the displacement of the moving part relative to the body to a translation along the longitudinal axis XX of the body, or means for limiting the displacement of the movable portion relative to the body to a helical movement along the longitudinal axis XX of the body; the guiding means comprise a helical rib formed on the movable part and comprising a stud, a groove formed on the body and a helical ramp which cooperates with the helical rib of the mobile part in order to guide the displacement of the mobile part relative to to the body, said helical ramp further comprising a notch which cooperates with the pad of the helical rib, for housing said stud in said notch so as to lock said moving part in displacement with respect to the body when the relative displacement of said movable part by relation to the body reaches a given value. - The movable portion is provided with bosses adapted to cooperate with a shoulder of the plug body so as to lock said movable portion in displacement relative to the body when the relative displacement of said movable portion relative to the body reaches a given value; said plug comprises a bridge of material linking the mobile part to the body of the plug, said bridge of material being adapted to break under the application on the mobile part of a thrust force along the longitudinal axis X-X of the body; the plug is made of a single piece of plastic material; - The cap is made of polypropylene. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a perforating plug as defined above and a tube having a tube head provided with a neck closed by a cap, the neck and the plug having complementary engagement means adapted to allow screwing cap on the neck, characterized in that the neck defines an internal duct dimensioned to cooperate with the punch to achieve a sealed closure of said tube. PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and nonlimiting, and which should be read with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show four views of a perforating plug according to one aspect of the invention in two configurations, - Figures 6 and 7 show two views. a perforator plug according to an aspect of the invention positioned on the head of a tube, - Figures 8 and 9 show another variant of perforator plug according to one aspect of the invention.

In all the figures, the common elements are identified by identical reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show four views of a perforating plug according to one aspect of the invention. The perforating plug 10 as presented comprises a body 12 which is typically frustoconical, having an internal thread 13 so as to enable it to be screwed onto the neck of a tube, for example a flexible tube, having a thread and thus to make the closure of this tube . The body 12 of the perforator plug 10 has a proximal end 14 adapted to bear against a tube head, and a distal end 15, opposite to said proximal end 14.

A longitudinal axis X-X of the body 12 of the perforating plug 10, corresponding to the axis of the internal tapping 13, is defined. The perforating plug 10 as presented further comprises a mobile part 16 comprising a punch 17 and a plate 19.

The mobile part 16 is movable in translation along the longitudinal axis XX of the body 12 of the perforating plug 10, so as to allow the moving part 16 to move in the direction from the distal end 15 to the proximal end 14 of the perforator cap 10.

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 thus show two configurations of a perforating plug 10 according to one aspect of the invention. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the configuration in which the plate 19 of the movable part 16 is in an initial position, spaced from the distal end 15 of the body 12, the punch 17 not making or slightly protruding relative to the proximal end 14. In this configuration, the plate 19 is not in contact with the distal end 15 of the body 12. This configuration is called "initial configuration". FIG. 5 shows the configuration after translation of the mobile part 16 in the direction from the distal end 15 towards the proximal end 14 of the perforating plug 10. The plate 19 of the mobile part 16 is thus resting against the distal end 15 of the body 12, and the punch 17 is then projecting relative to the proximal end 14 of the body 12, so as to allow the perforation by the punch 17 of a cap of a tube head when said perforator plug 10 is screwed onto the neck of the tube head. This configuration is called a "final position".

The plate 19 forms a gripping means for perforating a lid by the punch 17. It also forms a bearing surface to allow a user to move the movable part 16, and further forms a stop limiting the movement of the movable portion 16 in the direction from the distal end 15 to the proximal end 14 of the piercing cap 10 In the embodiment shown, the movable portion 16 of the piercing cap 10 comprises an optional flange 18.

The moving part 16 and the body 12 of the perforating plug 10 advantageously comprise means for guiding the displacement of the mobile part 16 with respect to the body 12, typically grooves and ribs or lugs adapted to cooperate in order to limit the relative displacement of these two elements to a translation along the longitudinal axis XX of the perforator plug 10 or to a helical movement along this axis.

In the embodiment shown, the translational guiding means comprise grooves 41 made in the body 12, and ribs 42 made on the movable part 16. According to one particular embodiment, the perforating plug 10 also comprises stops adapted to prevent the separation of the body 12 and the movable portion 16. These stops are typically adapted to limit the displacement of the movable portion 16 relative to the body 12 in the direction from the proximal portion 14 to the distal portion 15. In the embodiment shown, the movable portion 16 further comprises bosses 31 adapted to prevent movement of the movable portion 16 once it has come into contact with the distal end 15 of the body 12 of the perforator plug 10. The bosses 31 of the movable part 16 cooperate here with a shoulder 32 of the body 12 of the perforating plug 10 disposed near the distal end 1 5. Thus, once the movable part 16 is moved so as to perforate the cover 24, the bosses 31 abut against the shoulder 32 so that the movable part 16 is locked in this position relative to the body 12. This position corresponds to the final configuration. The perforating plug 10 thus forms a unitary assembly whose different parts are fixed relative to one another, which is more pleasant and easy to handle for the user, and in particular makes it possible to reinforce the tightness achieved by the perforating plug 30. by ensuring that the surfaces cooperating to achieve the seal are fixed relative to each other.

The plug 10 typically comprises molded material bridges 62 and connecting the mobile part 16 to the body 12 of the perforating plug 10. These material bridges 62 adapted to break when the user exerts a thrust force on the moving part 16.

These bridges of material are typically made at the distal end 15 of the body 12, and form a connection between the body 12 and the movable part 16 to ensure a mechanical connection between these two elements when the perforating plug 10 is in the initial configuration shown in Figure 2.

In addition, in the final position, the contact between the body 12 and the movable part 16 ensures a seal; these two elements advantageously comprise sealing means adapted to cooperate when the movable portion 16 is in the bearing position against the distal end 15 of the body 12. In fact, prior to the perforation of the cover 24 by the punch 17 it is the seal 24 which seals the tube and thus protects the product it contains. Bosses and grooves 40 are formed at the proximal end 14 of the plug 10, for immobilizing the plug 10 in rotation following its formation, so as to allow its withdrawal from an injection mold by unscrewing. Figures 6 and 7 show the perforating plug 10 presented previously in association with a tube head 20.

The tube head 20 as shown comprises a shoulder 21, a neck 22 having an external thread 23, and an insert forming a cap 24 closing an inner conduit 25 defined by the neck 22. As seen in FIG. the initial configuration of the cap 10, the punch 17 does not come into contact with the lid 24, and the tube is thus closed by this lid. During the first use, the user presses on the mobile part 16 of the perforator plug 10 so as to move the mobile part 16 relative to the body 12 so that the punch 17 comes to perforate the lid 24, the moving part 16 then coming in abutment against the body 12. During this first use, the material bridges 62 are broken by the support exerted by the user. The perforating plug 10 is dimensioned so that the maximum displacement of the movable portion 16 allows the punch 17 to perforate the cover 24 of the corresponding tube head. In addition, the punch 17 and the inner conduit 25 defined by the neck 22 are advantageously dimensioned so as to provide a tight connection between the neck 22 and the punch 17, and thus ensure the sealing of the closure of the tube by the plug perforator 10 when the latter is screwed onto the neck 22 of the tube and the punch 17 has been moved to the final position shown in Figure 5.

This tightness achieved in the inner conduit of the neck 22 makes it possible, in particular, to omit additional sealing means on the perforating plug 10. FIGS. 8 and 9 show an alternative perforating plug 10 according to one aspect of the invention, in which the movable part 16 and the body 12 are provided with means for guiding the relative displacement of the movable part 16 relative to the body 12 so that the mobile part performs a helical movement along the longitudinal axis of the plug 10. FIG. a sectional view of the body 12 taken alone from the movable portion 16. The movable portion 16 thus comprises helical ribs 43, and the body 12 comprises grooves 44 adapted to cooperate with these helical ribs 43. These grooves 44 allow the passage of helical ribs 43 inside the body 12 during the helical movement of the movable portion 16 relative to the body 12. The user can then for example use the flange 18 as a gripping area of the movable portion 16 to perform a screwing movement, causing the helical movement of the movable portion 16 relative to the body 12, which results in a displacement of the movable portion 16 relative to the body 12 along the longitudinal axis of the cap 10 and thus allows the perforation of a cap as described above.

Such a helical movement is indeed the combination of a translational movement as described above and a rotation about the same longitudinal axis of the plug 10; this embodiment therefore also makes it possible to translate the mobile part 16 with respect to the body 12.

In a particular embodiment, the body 12 comprises helical ramps 47 which cooperate with the helical ribs 43 of the movable part 16 in order to go from the initial configuration to the final configuration.

At least one of the helical ramps 47 then advantageously comprises a notch 45 which cooperates with a stud 46 of the helical rib 43, to accommodate said stud 46 in said notch 45 when the mobile part reaches the final configuration, in order to maintain the mobile part 16 in the final configuration, and thus prevent its return to the initial position. Alternatively, each of said helical ramps 47 and helical ribs 43 respectively comprise a notch 45 and a stud 46. The perforator plug 10 as shown is typically made of a single piece of plastic, for example polypropylene. In particular, the perforating plug is injection molded in its initial configuration, the body 12 and the mobile part 16 being connected by the material bridges 62.

A user who wishes to use a tube provided with such a perforator plug will therefore, during the first use, press the movable part 16 to move it relative to the body 12 so as to perforate the lid 24 of the tube, advantageously until the movable part 16 comes into abutment against the body 12 of the perforating plug 10. Following this perforation of the lid during the first use, the perforating plug 10 as shown is used in the same manner as a conventional plug; the user can screw / unscrew it to use the product contained in the tube, which is accessible because of the perforation of the lid 24.

Claims (9)

REVENDICATIONS1. Dropping cap (10) for a tube having a neck (22), said cap (10) comprising a body (12) having a longitudinal axis XX and adapted to be screwed onto a neck (22) in order to fix the body (12) on the neck of the tube, said plug (10) being characterized in that it comprises a movable part (16) comprising a punch (17), said portion being movable relative to the body (12) along the longitudinal axis XX of the body (12) so as to allow perforation by the punch (17) of a lid (24) disposed in the neck (22) of a tube when the cap (10) is screwed onto the neck (22) of said tube . The perforating cap (10) according to claim 1, wherein said body (12) and said movable part (16) comprise means for translational guiding (41, 42) the displacement of the movable part (16) so as to limiting the displacement of the movable portion (16) relative to the body (12) to a translation along the longitudinal axis XX of the body (12). 3. perforator cap (10) according to claim 1, wherein said body (12) and said movable part (16) comprise means for guiding the displacement of the movable part (16) so as to limit the displacement of the moving part. (16) with respect to the body (12) at a helical displacement along the longitudinal axis XX of the body (12). The piercing plug (10) according to claim 3, wherein said guide means comprises a helical rib (43) formed on the movable portion (16) and comprising a stud (46), a groove (44) provided on the body (12) and a helical ramp (47) which cooperates with the helical rib (43) of the movable part (16) to guide the displacement of the movable part (16) with respect to the body (12), said helical ramp ( 47) further comprising a notch (45) which co-operates with the stud (46) of the helical rib (43), for accommodating said stud (46) in said notch (45) so as to lock said moving part (16) in displacement relative to the body (12) when the relative displacement of said movable portion (16) relative to the body (12) reaches a given value. 5. perforator cap (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the movable portion (16) comprises bosses (31) adapted to cooperate with a shoulder (32) of the body (12) of the plug (10). so as to lock said moving part (16) in displacement relative to the body (12) when the relative displacement of said movable part (16) with respect to the body (12) reaches a given value. 6. The perforating cap (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a material bridge (62) connecting the movable portion (16) to the body (12) of the plug (10), said bridge material ( 62) being adapted to break under the application of a thrust force on the movable portion (16) along the longitudinal axis XX of the body (12). 7. perforating cap (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, made in one piece of plastic material. 8. perforator cap (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7 made of polypropylene. 25 9. An assembly comprising a perforator plug (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8 and a tube having a tube head (20) provided with a neck (22) closed by a lid (24), the neck (22). ) and the plug (10) having complementary engagement means adapted to allow the plug (10) to be screwed onto the neck (22), characterized in that the neck (22) defines an internal conduit (25) dimensioned by in order to cooperate with the punch (17) in order to seal said tube.