FR3108316A1 - CLOSING CAP FOR CONTAINER WITH THREADED NECK SUITABLE FOR USE IN A CLOSED TRANSFER SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a cap for a container with a threaded neck and intended for use in a closed transfer system, said cap comprising: - a main body; - a shutter disposed inside the main body and being provided to cooperate with an external opening mechanism belonging to the closed transfer system; and- a protective cap (3) mounted on the main body. According to the invention, the protective cap (3) comprises a fixing collar (31), a hinge and a cover (32) pivotally mounted with respect to the fixing collar (31) through the hinge. Further, the fastening collar (31) comprises a thin web of material (35) shaped to break under the effect of traction exerted on the fastening collar. Abstract figure: 3

Description

CLOSING PLUG FOR CONTAINER WITH THREADED NECK AND SUITABLE FOR USE IN A CLOSED TRANSFER SYSTEM

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a cap for a container with a threaded neck.

The invention relates more particularly to a stopper intended for use in a closed transfer system for safely transferring the liquid product contained in the container to another container.

Technical background

As is known, in the field of agriculture, various phytosanitary products are used for the treatment of plant species. These products are often in liquid form and stored in containers closed with conventional caps, in particular in large-volume plastic canisters.

However, in the case of certain phytosanitary products, to obtain authorization for placing on the market, the manufacturers must prove that the exposure of the user to the product is negligible during the handling of the original container for the spillage of the product. to another container, in particular to a storage chamber of a product dispensing machine.

In order to meet this requirement, we have seen the appearance of closed transfer systems and caps specific to this system which make it possible to avoid any contact between the user and the product contained in the container.

The closed transfer system is described in document WO 99/05446 and the cap compatible with this system is described in document WO 2018/034567.

Briefly, the stopper for the closed transfer system is composed of a cylindrical body and a shutter. The cylindrical body defines a flow space through which the product circulates. The shutter is placed inside the cylindrical body to seal this flow space and to prevent the flow of the product out of the container.

As for the closed transfer system, this comprises a piston which moves in translation and is designed to cooperate with the stopper of the stopper.

To transfer the product from the original container to another container, the user puts the original container upside down on the transfer system and then activates the system to raise the piston. During its rise, the piston came into engagement with the obturator and carries the obturator in its race. As a result, the shutter is detached from the cylindrical body of the stopper and is moved towards the container. The flow space is thus freed up and the product can flow from the original container to the new container via the closed transfer system.

Thus, to prepare the transfer and throughout the transfer operation, the user does not handle the cap and therefore avoids the risk of being in contact with the phytosanitary product.

In addition, a protective cap is put on the body of the plug to prevent dust or other foreign bodies from settling on the shutter. In this way, the shutter remains clean during the time of transport and storage of the product in the original container. Additionally, the protective cap adds a second layer of protection to prevent product leakage in the event the original container is knocked over.

Existing protective caps include a plate closing off the upper opening of the cylindrical body of the cap. The plate is connected to a tamper evident band fitted around the neck of the cylindrical body.

To remove the cap before the very first opening, the user removes the tamper evident band from the collar by grasping a tab placed on this band. By removing the tamper evident band, the user causes a rupture of the frangible bridges connecting this band to the plate. Once the tamper evident band is removed, the user removes the plate to free access to the obturator.

However, the removal of the protective cap as described is not practical because it is done in two steps with the tamper evident strip detached to be put elsewhere after the first step. In addition, the tab on the tamper evident strip, given its small size, is difficult to grip, especially when the user is wearing gloves. Finally, the connection between the tamper evident band and the plate can be rigid, which allows removal of the entire cap without breaking the tamper evident band. This therefore renders the initially intended function of the tamper evident band ineffective.

Thus, the aim of the invention is to provide a cap for a closed transfer system equipped with a protective cap that is easier to remove, more practical to use while guaranteeing a good tamper-evident function.

With these objects in view, the invention provides a cap for a container with a threaded neck and intended for use in a closed transfer system. This cap includes:
- a main body having a cylindrical shape with a longitudinal axis X-X' and comprising:
- a first axial opening and a second axial opening facing the first axial opening;
- an outer skirt and a concentric inner skirt, extending in the direction of the first axial opening and connected to each other, the inner skirt surrounding an inner axial bore;
- a cylindrical wall extending axially in a direction opposite to the first axial opening, and comprising a free end delimiting the second axial opening;
- a shutter with a circular section, centered around the longitudinal axis X-X' and shaped to cooperate with the internal skirt of the main body so as to cover the internal axial bore in a sealed manner, the shutter being provided to cooperate with a mechanism external opening belonging to the closed transfer system; And
- a protective cap covering the second axial opening.

According to the invention, the protective cap comprises:
- a fixing collar;
- a hinge;
- A cover pivotally mounted relative to the fixing collar via the hinge.

In addition, the fixing collar comprises a thin veil of material shaped to break under the effect of a traction exerted on the fixing collar.

Thus, the user can break the thin web by pulling on the lid after it has been tilted to its open position. The force applied to the cover is then transmitted to the fixing collar via the hinge and has the effect of breaking the thin web. The radial dimension of the fixing collar is thus increased, which allows the collar to untie from the wall of the cylindrical body. The protective cap can therefore now be removed from the cylindrical body.

The removal of the protective cap is carried out continuously in a single step during which the user tilts the cover then pulls on the cover to break the thin veil in order to separate the protective cap from the cylindrical body. There is no longer a separate tamper evident strip to throw away in the middle of the cap removal operation. The proposed cap is therefore easier to remove.

In addition, the configuration of the protective cap of the proposed cap no longer includes the tamper-evident strip to be detached and its tab. The cap is therefore more convenient to use.

Finally, the function of inviolability is well ensured by the thin veil of material because by notifying the state of the veil, the user is informed if the cap has already been opened.

According to other characteristics of the invention:
- the fixing collar is formed by an open ring ending on one side with a first end and on the other side with a second end; moreover, the thin veil of material connects the first and second ends;
- According to the previous paragraph, the fastening collar comprises a first zone of progressive thinning in a radial direction up to the first end and a second zone of progressive thinning in a radial direction up to the second end;
- the fixing collar comprises a tapered flange; the first and second zones of progressive thinning and the thin veil of material extend axially to the vicinity of a free end edge of the frustoconical collar;
- the thin web of material is located diametrically opposite the hinge;
- The cylindrical wall of the main body comprises a shoulder made on an outer face of said wall; on the other hand, the fixing collar comprises at least one abutment surface arranged below the shoulder of the cylindrical wall;
- According to the preceding paragraph, the fixing collar comprises at least one notch open towards the lid; in addition, the notch comprises a bottom extending in a radial plane and having a radial dimension greater than the thickness of the fixing collar, the surface of the bottom of the notch forming the abutment surface;
- the protective cap comprises a positioning member resting on an internal face of the cylindrical wall of the main body;
- By way of example, the positioning member is formed of a first internal cylindrical sleeve which comprises a bead shaped to bear against the internal face of the cylindrical wall;
- the shutter comprising a circular plate and elastic attachment lugs extending in the direction of the second axial opening; on the other hand, the protective cap comprises a second internal cylindrical sleeve extending as far as the level of the elastic attachment lugs of the shutter and arranged so that the elastic attachment lugs rest on one face external of the second internal cylindrical sleeve;
- the protective cap comprises a gripping tab extending radially outwards from the peripheral of the lid and located diametrically opposite the hinge;
- the cover and the tamper evident ring are joined together by means of frangible bridges designed to break when the protective cap is first opened.
Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which will follow for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plug according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 is a sectional view along a vertical plane passing through the line II-II shown in Figure 1 of the plug without the protective cap;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the protective cap forming part of the cap of Figure 1;

- Figure 4 is another perspective view of the protective cap;

– Figure 5 is a front view of the protective cap;

- Figure 6 is a detailed view of the area referenced VI in Figure 3 and in section along a horizontal plane passing through the line VV illustrated in Figure 3;

- Figure 7 is a partial view in section along a vertical plane passing through the line VII-VII illustrated in Figure 1; said view shows the upper part of the stopper;

- Figure 8 is a partial sectional view along a vertical plane passing through the line VIII-VIII illustrated in Figure 3; said view shows a notch made in the protective cap;

- Figure 9 is a partial sectional view along a vertical plane passing through the line II-II illustrated in Figure 1; said view shows the upper part of the cap of Figure 1;

- Figure 10 is a side view of the cap of Figure 1 during a first step of opening the cap;

- Figure 11 is the same view as Figure 10 showing a second step of opening the cap;

- Figure 12 is the same view as Figure 10 showing a third step of opening the cap; And

- Figure 13 is the same view as Figure 10 showing a fourth step of opening the cap.

Detailed description of the invention

Figures 1 to 13 illustrate an embodiment of the stopper according to the invention. The cap 1 shown is designed for use in a known closed transfer system. The cap 1 closes a container containing a liquid product, in particular a phytosanitary product.

In Figure 1 and Figure 2, the cap 1 comprises a main body 2 of longitudinal axis X-X ', a shutter 4 installed inside the main body 2 and a protective cap 3 covering an upper opening of the body main 2.

Here, cap 1 is described in a position where the X-X' axis is vertical. The terms "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower" refer to the X-X' axis. A location close to the X-X' axis is called "interior", as opposed to a location at a distance from the X-X' axis, called "exterior".

The main body 2 has a cylindrical shape whose axis of revolution coincides with the longitudinal axis X-X'. The main body 2 is through and comprises two axial openings opposite to each other. Specifically, the main body 2 comprises a first axial opening 21 intended to receive a neck of the container and a second axial opening 22 facing the first opening 21. Here, the first axial opening 21 is at the bottom while the second axial opening 22 is at the top. Thus, the second axial opening 22 is also called the upper opening.

The main body 2 comprises an outer skirt 23 and an inner skirt 24 concentric which extend in the direction of the first axial opening 21. The outer skirt 23 and the inner skirt 24 are connected to each other so as to form between it a semi-open annular slot 26 which is designed to receive an upper portion of the neck of the container.

The internal skirt 24 surrounds an internal axial bore 27 through which the stored product flows out of the container.

The outer skirt 23 comprises helical ribs 28 shaped to cooperate with complementary ribs of the neck of the container in order to mount the stopper on the neck and to remove the stopper from the neck by screwing.

The outer skirt 23 here forms an outer side wall of the main body 2.

The main body 2 further comprises a cylindrical wall 25 extending axially in a direction opposite to the first axial opening 21. The cylindrical wall 25 ends in a free axial end 252 delimiting the second axial opening 22.

Cylindrical wall 25 is also an outer side wall of main body 2.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the shutter 4 is installed inside the main body 2. The shutter 4 here comprises a plate 41 extending in a horizontal plane and elastic attachment lugs 42 extending vertically towards the second axial opening 22.

The elastic hooking lugs 42 are designed to grip an external opening mechanism, in particular the head of a piston, belonging to the closed transfer system.

The shutter is fixed to the internal skirt 24 of the main body 2 by support.

Specifically, the shutter 4 comprises a lower crown 43 which bears on a lower end 240 of the inner skirt 24. On the other hand, each elastic attachment lug 42 comprises a nose 421 extending radially outwards . One face of the nose 421 rests on a sealing lip 241 of the outer skirt 24.

Thus, the two supports of the obturator 4 on the internal skirt 24 ensure a sealed cover of the internal axial bore 27, which prevents leakage of the product in normal times and in the event of the container overturning.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show the protective cap 3 from different angles.

According to the invention and as in the example illustrated, the protective cap 3 comprises a fixing collar 31 which is mounted fixed around the cylindrical wall 25 of the main body 2. Here, the fixing collar 31 comprises a cylindrical trunk 317 which ends in a tapered flange 315 flared downwards.

The protective cap 3 further comprises a hinge 33 and a lid 32 pivotally mounted with respect to the fixing collar 31 by means of the hinge 33. The hinge 33 is for example a film hinge.

Here, the cover 32 is formed by a plate entirely covering the upper opening 22 of the main body 2. The cover 32 further comprises a grip tab 34 which extends radially outward and which is located diametrically opposite the hinge 33. The user can therefore easily handle the cover 32 by grasping the grip tab 34.

The flat surface of the cover 32 makes it possible to eliminate the zones for retaining dust or liquid and to keep the cap 1 clean.

Furthermore, the lid 32 is connected to the fixing collar 31 by frangible bridges 37 which break during the first opening of the cap.

A special feature of the protective cap 3 lies in the shape of an open ring of the fixing collar 31. Indeed, the fixing collar 31 is an open ring which ends on one side with a first end 311 and the other side by a second end 312.

Another particularity of the cap is that the two ends 311 and 312 are connected to each other by a thin web of material 35.

Here, the thin veil 35 is located diametrically opposite the hinge 33 and below the grip tab 34 when the cover 32 is in a closed position.

The thin veil 35 is designed to break under a traction exerted on the fixing collar 31. This traction can be manifested by an effort consisting in separating one radial end from the other which is equivalent to an action tending to enlarge the diameter of the mounting collar. This causes the thin veil to break in the axial direction, which unties the two radial ends of the collar and thus forms two circular branches connected on one side and untied on the other side. These two branches are therefore free to move away from each other in order to increase the radial dimension of the fixing collar, which makes it possible to release the fixing collar from the main body.

Such traction can be applied to the fastening collar via the lid 32. Indeed, when the lid 32 is in an open position, the user can pull on it to move it away from the main body 2 and to cause the rupture of the web 35. This action is illustrated for example in Figure 12.

According to another characteristic and as illustrated in FIG. 6, the fixing collar 31 comprises a first progressive thinning zone 313 in a radial direction up to the first end 311 and a second progressive thinning zone 314 in a radial direction. as far as the second end 312. In other words, next to each end, the fastening collar comprises a zone whose thickness gradually decreases towards the end in question.

The first and second thinning zones 313 and 314 extend over the entire length of the cylindrical trunk 317 and up to the vicinity of a lower end edge 316 of the tapered collar 315.

It should be noted that on the cylindrical trunk 317, the thickness of the first and second thinning zones 313 and 314 decreases only in the radial direction. On the other hand, on the collar 315, the thickness of the first and second thinning zones 313 and 314 decreases not only in the radial direction but also in the axial direction. The closer one is to the cylindrical trunk, the more the thickness decreases.

Seen from the outside, this gives a triangular shape to the two zones of progressive thinning at the level of the cylindrical trunk 317.

Like the zones of progressive thinning 313 and 315, the thin veil 35 extends from the cylindrical trunk 317 to the vicinity of the lower end edge 316 of the collar 315. The thin veil forms a breakable part of the fastening collar.

Overall, the two areas of thinning 313 and 314 with the thin web 35 have the appearance of a negative imprint seen from the outside of the cap.

According to a characteristic of the cap and as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 to 5, the fixing collar 31 further comprises notches distributed uniformly in the circumferential direction of the collar. Here, the notches 36 are four in number and all have the same shape.

The notches are open towards the cover 32. Specifically, each notch 36 comprises two parallel axial slices 362 and a bottom 361 connecting these two slices. The bottom 361 of the notch extends in a radial plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X-X'.

As illustrated in Figure 7 and in Figure 8, the bottom 361 has a radial dimension p greater than the thickness e of the fixing collar. This results from the presence of a portion of local extra thickness 363 towards the inside of the fixing collar. This extra thickness portion 363 ends with an upper end edge extending the radial plane. This upper end edge of portion 363 constitutes the bottom 361 of the notch 36.

The extension of the bottom 361 of the notch 36 towards the inside makes it possible to have an abutment surface 360 which is located below a shoulder 250 formed on an outer face 251 of the cylindrical wall 25.

Such an arrangement makes it possible to retain the fixing collar 31 in place during the tilting of the cover 32 towards the open position. On the other hand, once the thin veil 35 is broken, the arms of the fixing collar formed following this break will move away from the wall 25, which radially offsets the abutment surface 360 with respect to the shoulder and allows to the fixing collar 31 to cross this shoulder.

According to another characteristic of the protective cap 3, the latter comprises a positioning member 38 which serves to properly center the cap when it is placed on the main body 2.

Here, the positioning member 38 is formed by a first internal cylindrical sleeve, hereinafter called the first sleeve 38.

As illustrated in Figure 8 and Figure 9, the first sleeve 38 includes an annular bead 380 facing outward. When the cap is mounted on the main body 2, the annular bead 328 faces an internal face 252 of the cylindrical wall 25 and presses against it.

The protective cap 3 further comprises a second internal cylindrical sleeve 39 located closer to the longitudinal axis X-X' than is the first sleeve 38. The second sleeve 39 extends in the axial direction up to the level elastic hooking tabs 42.

In addition, the second sleeve 39 is arranged so that the elastic attachment lugs 42 rest on an outer face 390 of the second sleeve 39. Specifically, the second sleeve 39 here has a diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the shutter 4. Note that the internal diameter of the shutter 4 is measured between two fastening lugs 42 opposed. Thus, when the protective cap 3 is in the mounted position on the main body 2, the hooking lugs 42 cling to the outer face of the second sleeve 39, which makes it possible to firmly retain the shutter 4 in place and to prevent any movement of the shutter towards the center of the cap.

We will now describe the steps from the opening of the protective cap 3 to the first use of the cap 1 with reference to figures 10 to 13.

In Figure 10, a first opening step is performed. During this step, the user grasps the grip tab 34 to lift the cover 32 as shown by arrow A. The frangible bridges 37 break following the removal of the cover 32 from the fixing collar 31.

Then, at the second opening step shown in Figure 11, the user pivots the cover 32 around the hinge 33 to bring it to the open position. As explained above, during this tilting, the fixing collar 31 is held in position on the main body thanks to the notches 36 and the shoulder 250.

Then, once the cover 32 is in the open position as illustrated in FIG. 12, the user pulls on the cover 32 in a direction away from the cap body 2 illustrated by the arrow B. This traction causes the rupture of the thin veil 35 to separate the two ends of the fixing collar 31. The two arms formed following this rupture move apart. The notches 36 are therefore offset radially with respect to the shoulder 250. The fixing collar 31 is now untied from the main body 2.

Finally, in Figure 13, the user continues to pull on cover 32 to release protective cap 3 from main body 2. Cap 3 can now be used with the transfer system closed.

After the transfer of the product to another container, the protective cap 3 can be put back on the main body 2. The maintenance of the cap on the main body is ensured by the support of the first sleeve 38 against the internal face 252 of the cylindrical wall 25.

For a good understanding of the invention, the opening of the protective cap 3 is divided into several steps described above. Nevertheless, in practice, the opening of the cap is carried out continuously in a single operation. The cap remains in one piece during the entire opening.

The stopper, and in particular the protective cap, described above has several advantages. The protective cap is convenient to handle and easy to open. In addition, it improves the cleanliness inside the cap to avoid any contamination of the product contained in the container. Finally, the protective cap guarantees an effective inviolability function by breaking the frangible bridges and the thin veil.

Claims (10)

Cap (1) for a container with a threaded neck and intended for use in a closed transfer system, said cap comprising:
- a main body (2) having a cylindrical shape with a longitudinal axis (X-X') and comprising:
- a first axial opening (21) and a second axial opening (22) facing the first axial opening (21);
- an external skirt (23) and an internal skirt (24) concentric, extending in the direction of the first axial opening (21) and connected to each other, the internal skirt (24) surrounding an internal axial bore (27);
- a cylindrical wall (25) extending axially in a direction opposite to the first axial opening (21), and comprising a free end delimiting the second axial opening (22);
- an obturator (4) of circular section, centered around the longitudinal axis (X-X') and shaped to cooperate with the internal skirt (24) of the main body so as to cover the internal axial bore (27) of sealed manner, the shutter being provided to cooperate with an external opening mechanism belonging to the closed transfer system; And
- a protective cap (3) covering the second axial opening (22);
said assembly being characterized in that:
- the protective cap includes:
- a fixing collar (31);
- a hinge (33)
- a cover (32) pivotally mounted relative to the fixing collar (31) via the hinge (33);
- the fixing collar (31) comprises a thin veil of material (35) shaped to break under the effect of a traction exerted on the fixing collar. Stopper (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that:
- the fixing collar (31) is formed by an open ring ending on one side with a first end (311) and on the other side with a second end (312); And
- the thin veil of material (35) connects the first and second ends. Stopper (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the fixing collar (31) comprises a first zone of progressive thinning (313) in a radial direction as far as the first end (311) and a second zone of progressive thinning (314) in a radial direction up to the second end (312). Stopper (1) according to Claim 2 or according to Claim 3, characterized in that:
- the fixing collar (31) comprises a tapered collar (315);
- the first and second zones of progressive thinning and the thin web of material (35) extend axially to the vicinity of a free end edge (316) of the frustoconical flange. Stopper (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thin web of material (35) is located diametrically opposite the hinge (33). Cap (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that:
- the cylindrical wall (25) of the main body (2) comprises a shoulder (250) made on an outer face of said wall; And
- the fixing collar (31) comprises at least one abutment surface (360) arranged below the shoulder (250) of the cylindrical wall. Cap (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that:
- the fixing collar (31) comprises at least one notch (36) open towards the cover (32);
- the notch (36) comprises a bottom (361) extending in a radial plane and having a radial dimension (p) greater than the thickness (e) of the fixing collar, the surface of the bottom (361) of the notch (36) forming the abutment surface (360). Cap (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protective cap (3) comprises a positioning member (38) resting on an internal face (251) of the cylindrical wall (25) of the main body (2). Stopper (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the positioning member is formed of a first internal cylindrical sleeve (38) which comprises a bead (380) shaped to bear against the internal face (251) of the cylindrical wall (25). Cap (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that:
- the shutter comprising a circular plate (41) and elastic hooking lugs (42) extending in the direction of the second axial opening (22); And
- the protective cap (3) comprises a second internal cylindrical sleeve (39) extending up to the level of the elastic attachment lugs (42) of the shutter (4) and arranged so that the lugs of elastic attachment (42) rests on an outer face (390) of the second inner cylindrical sleeve (39).