FR3009287A1 - CAP FOR RECEPTACLE AND RECEPTACLE, IN PARTICULAR TUBE, ESPECIALLY FLEXIBLE TUBE FOR COSMETIC PRODUCT, PROVIDED WITH SAID STOPPER - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug for a receptacle, in particular a tube, in particular a flexible tube of cosmetic product, said receptacle comprising a neck (3) and a solid insert (8) forming a lid closing one end of the neck (3) opening into a volume interior (4) of the receptacle, said cap (1) comprising a punch (14), adapted to cut and / or pierce the cap, said cap (1) being adapted to be positioned on said neck (3), in a position in which the punch (14) is in the neck (3) leaving the lid intact and in a position of use in which the lid has been cut and / or pierced by said punch (14), said punch (14) comprising a shaped body (30) configured to cut and / or pierce said lid.

Description

The invention relates to a stopper and a receptacle, in particular a tube, in particular a flexible tube for a cosmetic product, provided with said stopper, in particular a tube for a receptacle and receptacle, in particular a tube, in particular a flexible tube for a cosmetic product. Tubes provided with a lid associated with a perforating plug comprising a punch adapted to perforate said lid at the first use of the tube are known.

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

Many solutions have been presented to this effect. Known plugs including a punch adapted to cut and / or pierce the lid, said plugs being configured to be positioned on a neck of the tube, in a waiting position leaving the lid intact, and in a position d use in which the lid has been cut and / or pierced by said punch.

The passage from one position to another is effected, for example, by removing a spacer ring disposed on the tube to hold the cap in the waiting position. During the first use, the user removes the cap and the ring. He can then reposition the cap which, in the absence of the ring, sinks sufficiently into the tube so that the punch pierces the lid. To allow a better protection of the product, it has already been proposed to arrange the lids at one end of the neck opening into the interior volume of the tube, that is to say at the end of the neck opposite to that leading to the outside. Such a configuration requires the production of punches having a longitudinal extension sufficient to reach the lid so as to cut it during the first use and the punch must penetrate inside the neck, including in the waiting position.

The distal end of the punch may then be damaged during the positioning of the cap on the neck, when plugging the tube at the factory. Indeed, if the cap is poorly centered on the tube, then the punch may be damaged, for example coming crashing against the neck, or even between the neck and an outer skirt of the cap. The punch may then be unable to perform its function during the first use of the tube. This risk is all the more critical if, if such a fault occurs, it is particularly difficult to detect. Indeed, the deformation of the punch is not visible from the outside. Moreover, even if one could think of a calibration of the plug positioning machines so that it detects a resisting torque from a deformation of the punch, such a calibration is particularly complex given the level of precision that should be achieved. Such machines are also very expensive.

The invention aims to overcome the aforementioned problems and proposes for this purpose a plug for a receptacle, in particular a tube, in particular a flexible tube of cosmetic product, said receptacle comprising a neck and a solid insert forming a cap closing one end of the opening mouth. in an interior volume of the receptacle, said stopper comprising a punch adapted to cut and / or pierce the lid, said cap being adapted to be positioned on said neck, in a waiting position in which the punch is in the neck. leaving the lid intact and in a position of use in which the lid has been cut and / or pierced by said punch, said punch comprising a shaped body was configured to cut and / or pierce said lid. By giving the end of the punch a form of fut, the punch can remain effective even if a portion of the latter has been damaged against the walls of the neck during the introduction of the cap, in case of moderate decentering. In case of excessive decentering, it will have sufficient strength to prevent the introduction of the cap. This avoids the introduction of a plug whose punch would have been rendered inoperative. According to various features of the invention which may be taken together or separately: - said was substantially in the form of a hollow cylinder, - said punch comprises a transverse partition separating it into two cavities, - said partition is located in a upper half of the punch, - said partition is located in a lower half of the punch, - one of said cavities is intended to be turned towards the outside of the receptacle and / or the other of said cavities is formed by said fut, - said there is a distal end provided with cutting means, - said cutting means comprise a beveled shape of said distal end, - said beveled shape extends around the entire perimeter of the - said cutting means comprise at least one cutting tooth, - said cutting means comprise at least one cutting notch, - said cutting means comprise a plurality of teeth and / or notched cutting teeth, in particular at least two, or even at least three, or even at least four, - said tooth or teeth and / or said cutting notch or notches are evenly distributed all around the perimeter of the - said cutting tooth or teeth have a height hd and said has an external diameter De, such that the ratio hd / De is less than 1/3, even 1/5 or 1/10, - said punch comprises a projecting portion having a height hp, such that the ratio hd / hp is less than 1/3, even 1/5, or even 1/10, - the said cutting notches or have a height he, such that the ratio he / De is less than 1/3 or 1/5, or even 1/10, - said one or more cutting notches are configured so that the ratio he / hp is less than 1/3, even 1/5, even 1/10, - said was configured for performing a partial cut of the insert to open said neck so that the lid remains connected to the uncut portion of the insert by a bridge of material, in said position of use of the plug, - said plug is adapted to be screwed onto said neck, - said cap is monobloc.

The invention also relates to a receptacle, in particular a tube, in particular a tube of cosmetic product. This is, for example, a flexible tube. Said receptacle comprises a neck and a solid insert forming a seal closing one end of the neck opening into an interior volume of the receptacle. It further comprises a plug as described above. According to various features of the invention that may be taken together or separately: said neck has an inner diameter Di and said has been an external diameter De, such that the ratio De / Di is greater than 0.8, or even 0, 9, - said was configured to penetrate into said interior volume, in the use position, a distance h greater than the distance required to achieve a deformation of the insert beyond the elastic deformation capabilities of said insert, said insert is a multilayer insert comprising a barrier layer coated on each of its faces with one or more protective layers and the penetration distance h of it in the receptacle is such that the h / De ratio is greater than 0.6. , or 0.7, - said insert is attached to an inner wall of a body of said receptacle, - said receptacle comprises a removable spacer ring disposed on the body of the receptacle around of the neck, in the standby position, - said spacer ring comprises a plurality of ribs adapted to center the spacer ring around the neck.

In the case of an application to a tube, said tube may comprise a tube head comprising said neck, a shoulder and said insert. Said removable spacer ring is advantageously arranged in support on the shoulder.

Other features, 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 accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. , in a diametrical plane, an example of a receptacle portion, in this case a tube head, according to the invention, said tube head being illustrated without plug; - Figure 2 shows Figure 1, an example of plug according to the invention being in the waiting position on the tube; - Figure 3 shows Figure 2, the plug being in the use position; - Figure 4 is an elevational view showing an alternative embodiment of the cap of Figures 2 and 3 above; FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the part marked V in FIG. 4; - Figure 6 is a sectional view showing an alternative embodiment of the cap of Figures 2 and 3 above; - Figure 7 is an elevational view showing an alternative embodiment of the cap of Figures 2 and 3 above; - Figure 8 is another view showing the embodiment of the plug of Figures 7; FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the portion marked IX in FIG. 8; - Figure 10 is an elevational view showing an alternative embodiment of the cap of Figures 2 and 3 above; - Figure 11 is another view showing the embodiment of the plug of Figure 10. In all the figures, the common elements are identified by identical reference numerals. The invention relates to a receptacle, in particular a tube, in particular a tube for a cosmetic product, for example a flexible tube. By this we mean a tube whose body can be deformed, by resuming its original shape or not.

In the drawings, only a head 2 of said tube is shown, with or without its plug 1. Said tube head 2 is intended to be connected to a skirt, not shown, of the tube, typically by overmolding the tube head 2 on the skirt, or for example by welding or gluing by assembling the skirt on the previously formed tube head 2, in particular by injection or compression injection, or by any other technique. Said receptacle comprises a neck 3, defining a longitudinal axis Z-Z and opening on the one hand outwards and on the other hand in an interior volume 4 of the receptacle. The neck 3 comprises, for example, a thread 6 on its outer periphery, adapted to allow screwing the cap 1 on the neck 3. Said receptacle further comprises a solid insert 8 forming a seal closing the end of the neck 3 turned towards the inner volume 4. In other words, said lid closes said interior volume 4. Said insert 8 is, for example, in contact, particularly in abutment, against an inner wall 11 of said receptacle. The insert 8 comprises, for example, a peripheral section 10 and a central section 12, defining said cap, the diameter of which corresponds to the internal diameter of the neck 3. Said insert 8 is typically disk-shaped. Alternatively, its peripheral section 10 may be slightly frustoconical or comprise a planar zone surrounding the neck and, around said planar zone, one or more slightly frustoconical successive zones to its periphery which may be formed, for example, of a folded edge 13.

Said insert 8 is preferably a multilayer insert comprising a barrier layer, for example formed of EVOH or metal, in particular aluminum, coated on each of its faces with one or more protective layers, in particular of polymerized materials.

Here, said neck 3 and said insert 4 are provided at said tube head 2. The latter may further comprise, for example a shoulder 20, from said neck 3. The material of the tube head 2 surrounds at least partially said folded edge 13 of the insert 8 to protect it, in particular to protect the metal layer of said insert 8. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, said cap 1 is here adapted to be screwed onto said neck 3. More specifically, said plug 1 may comprise an internal thread 16 adapted to cooperate with the thread 6 of the neck 3. Said plug has a longitudinal direction, corresponding to the longitudinal axis ZZ of the neck 3 when the cap 1 is screwed onto the neck 3. Said cap 1 comprises, for example, a peripheral wall 15 provided internally with said tapping 16. Said peripheral wall 15 may be provided with longitudinal grooves 18, located externally, in order to facilitate the manipulation 1.35 The cap 1 comprises a punch 14, adapted to cut and / or pierce the lid. Said cap 1 is configured to be positioned on said neck 3, in a standby position, illustrated in FIG. 2, in which the punch 14 is at least partly in the neck 3, leaving the cap intact.

Said receptacle may comprise a spacer ring 22, removable, disposed in abutment on a body of the receptacle, here on the shoulder 20 of said tube head 1, around the neck 3, in the waiting position. It thus maintains a spacing between the cap 1 and the shoulder 20 when the cap 1 is screwed onto the neck 3 while waiting for the first use. The punch 14 then extends inside the neck 3, at a non-zero distance from the insert 8, thus preserving the lid from any cutting or perforation. Said spacer ring 22 may comprise a plurality of ribs adapted to allow its centering around the neck 3. Said ring 22 is preferably independent of said plug 1 so that said plug 1 can be removed from said receptacle without said ring 22 is. Said spacer ring 22 is, for example, annular. As a variant, it may have a shape of a portion of a circle, one free end of which forms a tongue that is prehensible by a user. Said cap 1 is further adapted to be positioned on said neck 3, in a position of use, illustrated in FIG. 3, in which the lid has been cut and / or pierced by said punch 14. In FIG. 3, the insert 8 has been shown undrilled to better visualize the penetration of the punch 14 through it. During the first use, the user unscrews the cap 1 of the neck 3, then removes the spacer ring 22, and screws the cap 1 on the neck 3 until it abuts against the neck 3 or against the shoulder 20. The punch 14 then made a cut or a perforation of the insert 8, and more precisely of its central section 12 forming the cap of the tube head 2. According to the invention, said punch 14 comprises a shaped body 30 has been configured to cut and / or pierce said lid. Said was substantially the shape of a hollow cylinder. By "substantially the shape of a cylinder", it is understood, in particular, that said body may have a very slightly frustoconical shape for demoulding purposes, that is to say with an apex angle of less than 2, or even 1 degrees. In other words, the punch 14 has a substantially annular cross section, of revolution. The wall thickness of said punch 14 may be between 10 and 20% of its outer diameter De.

Said body 30 in the form of fut can extend all along said punch 14. Said punch 14 further comprises, for example, a transverse partition 34 separating it into two cavities 36, 38. One of said cavities 36 is intended for be turned towards the outside of the receptacle and / or the other 38 of said cavities is formed by said fut. Said other cavity 38 is thus intended to be turned towards the interior volume 4 of said receptacle. Said partition 34 is located, for example, in the upper half of the plug. In other words, said partition 34 is further from the distal end 32 of the punch 14 than from its opposite end. Such a characteristic makes it possible to reinforce the protection of the product contained in the receptacle, even after opening the lid. It has indeed been found that said cavity 38 formed by the drum accommodates product which may cover its walls, in particular the lower face of the partition 34. This part of the product advantageously provides a filter effect, limiting the exchange of oxygen with outside.

In another variant according to the invention shown in Figure 6, said partition 34 may also be located in the lower half of the plug, i.e said partition 34 is closer to the distal end 32 of the punch 14 than its opposite end. Such a feature reinforces the punch 14 and make it more resistant, thus limiting the risk of damage in the case where it was crashing against the neck 3, for example. Said plug 1 is formed, for example, by injection, in particular of plastic.

Said punch 14 and said periphery wall 15 of the plug are connected, for example, by an upper wall 17 of said plug 1. Said upper wall 17 may have a point of injection of the plug.

Said punch 14 is advantageously configured so that the cutout of the lid is partial, so that the portion or portions of the lid having been cut remain connected to the rest of the insert 8, in the position of use, thus preventing any mixing of the material forming the insert 8 with a product contained in the associated receptacle.

By way of example, considering that a complete cut is a 360 ° cut of the lid, that is to say a circular cut made by rotation of the cap 1, advantageously a cut is made leaving a sufficient link to ensure cohesion between the central section 12 having been cut, and the peripheral section 10.

Said has a distal end 32 advantageously provided with cutting means. This is, for example, a beveled shape that can extend all around the futon. In other words, the free end 32 is beveled with respect to a plane normal to the axis ZZ of the neck 3, the lid formed by the insert 8 being typically disposed in such a plane normal to the axis ZZ of the neck 3 The bevel made in this way is formed, for example, facing the cavity 38 facing the interior volume 4 of the receptacle. Thus, the thickness of the blank is locally reduced to make the free end 32 sharp, which facilitates the cutting of the lid by the punch 14.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 and 7 to 11, it can be seen that said cutting means may comprise, as a variant, teeth 40 and / or notches 42 for cutting, for example, regularly distributed over the entire circumference of the end distal 32 of the punch.

In the variant shown in Figures 4 and 5, said teeth 40 have, for example, a sawtooth profile. In this case, a dozen teeth 40 are regularly distributed over the entire circumference of the distal end 32 of the punch.

In the variant shown in Figures 7 to 9, said means are four teeth 40 distributed over the entire circumference of the distal end 32 of the punch 14, the angle between each of the teeth being 90 °. In the variant shown in Figures 10 and 11, said means are two notches 42 diametrically opposed.

Said teeth 40 or said notches 42 are of limited size compared to the height of the punch 14 so that the latter essentially keeps a form of fut.

By way of example, said teeth 40 can be configured such that a hd / De ratio and / or a hd / hp ratio are less than 1/3, or even 1/5 or even 1/10, hd being the height of said tooth 40, the outer diameter of said was and hp the height of the protruding portion of the punch 14, as shown in Figures 5, 8 and 9 where the height hd and the height hp to be taken into account have been indicated.

Similarly, said notches 42 may be configured such that an he / De ratio and / or an he / hp ratio are less than 1/3, even 1/5 or even 1/10, where he is the height of the notch 42, the outer diameter of the fut and hp the height of the protruding portion of the punch 14, as shown in Figure 11 where the height he and the height hp to be taken into account have been indicated. Referring again to Figures 2 and 3, it is found that said neck 3 has an inner diameter Di and said was an outer diameter De, already mentioned. It has been found that a particularly effective cutting was obtained for values of the ratio De / Di greater than 0.8 or even 0.9, De and Di being measured in the same unit. Said was advantageously configured to penetrate into said interior volume 4, in the use position, by a distance h greater than the distance necessary to achieve a deformation of the insert 8 going beyond the elastic deformation capabilities of said insert 8 For an insert such as the one mentioned above, the penetration distance h of it was in the receptacle is, for example, such that the ratio h / De is greater than 0.6, or even 0.7, h and De being measured in the same manner. unit.