GB2108094A

GB2108094A - Packaging unit

Info

Publication number: GB2108094A
Application number: GB08132161A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Albert Geiger
Original assignee: GEIGER PLASTIC GmbH AND CO KG
Current assignee: GEIGER PLASTIC GmbH AND CO KG
Priority date: 1981-10-26
Filing date: 1981-10-26
Publication date: 1983-05-11
Also published as: GB2108094B

Abstract

A packaging unit comprises a container for receiving solid or liquid contents and has a filling opening (1) and a plug (3) for closing the filling opening. The plug has a flange-like part (7) extending above the edge of the filling opening (1) of the container (2) and having a maximum external diameter which equals the external diameter of the filling opening (1) and decreases from the edge (6) in an axially outward direction, so that no grippable peripheral area is formed. Also a slide (11) is mounted in the flange-like part (7) for radial movement so as to form a finger grip by which the plug may be removed from the container. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging unit The invention relates to a packaging unit for containers intended to receive solid or liquid contents the removal of which by persons having no understanding of the prescribed use of such contents is to be prevented or at least rendered very difficult.

Such packaging units, in the form of containers closed with a plug are widely used, for example, not only as tubes, glasses, or bottles for medicinal preparations, but also as containers for paints, varnishes, cleansing agents, rust removal agents, and the like. The plug intended for closure of such units consists essentially of an internal cylinder having sealing lips or beads and of a continuation of the cylinder in the form of a flange-like part mounted on the edge of the filling opening or hole of the container, and if desired, a retaining means for the packaged material projecting into the interior of the container.

These piugs, which cannot be readily removed are often termed "safety plugs" or "safety closures", and inasmuch as primarily children make up the group of persons to whom unwarranted opening is to be denied, they are also often called "childproof closures".

The object of the invention is to develop a packaging unit with a safety closure such as this which is simple and cheap to produce and which, as regards filling and sealing, can be filled and sealed on standard automated packing lines such as are in existence in industry, and in the pharmaceutical industry in particular, without the need for significant modification work.

In accordance with the present invention the flange-like part of the sealing plug projecting above the edge of the filling opening of the container has a maximum external diameter which at its maximum equals the external diameter of the filling opening and which decreases from the edge of the filling opening in the direction of the centre of this filling opening, so that no grippable peripheral area is created, and in that a slide movable radially over the external diameter of the filling opening is mounted in the flange-like part.

The invention is hereafter described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate three embodiments by way of example. In these drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a packaging unit in the area of its filling hole; Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view, partly cut away, of a slide as shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section, corresponding to Figure 1, of a modified embodiment:: Figure 5 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side view, also partly cut away, of a slide as shown in Figures 4 and 5; Figure 7 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a plug closure without slide; Figure 8 is a plan view of the pertinent slide; Figure 9 is a longitudinal section through the plug closure shown in Figure 7; Figure 10 is a longitudinal section through the slide shown in Figure 9; and Figure 11 is a section along line XI-Xl in Figure 9, with the slide inserted.

Only the upper part of the container 2 of the packaging unit directly adjoining the filling hole is shown in the embodiments exemplifying the invention.

A plug closure, generally designated 3, consists of an internal cylinder 5 with sealing means in the form of a torus 4, and of a flangelike part 7 projecting above the edge 6 of the filling hole 1, the maximum external diameter of which flange-like part, as is shown in Figures 1 through 6, equals the external diameter of the filling hole 1 and which diameter decreases in the direction of the centre of the diameter M so that a tapered surface 8 is formed, with the result that no peripheral surface is created which can be gripped for removal of the plug, for which reason the container cannot be readily opened.

Another internal cylinder 9 in the plug closure 3 can accommodate a retaining means in the form of a beliows.

Opening of the container is made possible by a slide 11 which can be displaced radially over the external diameter of the filling hole 1 (Figures 1 through 3), 12 (Figures 4 through 6) or 22 (Figures 7 and 11).

The slide 11 is movably mounted in a slot 13 in the flange-like part 8, the forward part 14 of the latter being accessible from above so that it is possible to withdraw the slide in the direction of the arrows A from the withdrawn position to the position indicated by broken lines or to return it to the withdrawn position. To facilitate this process, the forward end of the slide has an indentation 1 5 into which the user can insert a fingernail.

Withdrawal of the slide is limited by lateral projections 1 6 in conjunction with an extension 17 of the slot 13. A slot 18 in the form of a circular sector in the area of the tapered surface 8 is employed to insert the slide 11 into the slot 13 in manufacture of the plug, the slide, which like the plug consists of a plastic material, being for a short period bent slightly until its projections 1 6 are locked in the extension 1 7.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 6 differs from the one shown in Figures 1 and 3 primarily in that the slide 12 is in this case mounted not in a closed slot but in an open groove 1 9 or more or less swallowtail shape. Its cross-section is accordingly not rectangular, as in the case of the slide 11 (see Figure 1), but rather, as is to be seen from Figure 4, is adapted to the shape of this groove. The lateral projections 1 6 on the slide and the extension 1 7 of the groove, by means of which accidental withdrawal of the slide from the groove 1 9 is prevented, are present in this case as well.

As indicated in Figure 2 by broken lines, the slide projecting above the flange-like part 7 forms a handle making it possible to lift the plug upward and at the same time to overcome the resistance created in the embodiment shown by the torus 4 engaged in an undercut 20 of the inner surface 21 of the filling hole.

An especially childproof and thus preferable embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 7 through 10. The slide 22 in this case has a T-shaped cross-section, for example, and is mounted in a groove 23 of corresponding shape.

The depth of the groove 23 is greater in the rear area 24 of the groove than in the forward area.

The cross-section, also larger in this area, of the lateral undercuts 25 corresponding to the T-arm of groove 23, in which undercuts corresponding projections 26 of the slide 22 are mounted, is reduced to approximately the size of the crosssection present in the forward part of the undercuts by strips 27 projecting downward into the undercuts.

Working in conjunction with the strips 27 are slots 28 in the lateral projections 26 of the slide 22, into which slots the strips 27 project when the slide 22 is inserted and block withdrawal into the position indicated by broken lines in Figure 2.

Such withdrawal is possible only when the rear part 30, marked by an indentation 29, of the slide 22 is pressed downward into the indented rear area 24, the slots 28 being freed in'the process of elastic deformation of the slide, such deformation being facilitated by a transverse groove 31 in the bottom surface 32 of the slide, and it then being possible to pull the slide into its outer position.

Complete withdrawal of the slide from the groove 23 is in this embodiment prevented by a lip 33 projecting from the bottom surface 32.

When the slide 23 is withdrawn, the lip 33 strikes against a step 34 in an indentation 35 in the groove 23, although in this case as well use could be made of the lateral projections 1 6 and the extension 1 7 as shown in Figure 5, just as in this embodiment the lip 33, the step 34, and the indentation 35 as illustrated in Figures 7 through 11 could be incorporated in the version illustrated in Figures 4 to 6.

An additional safety feature preventing undesired opening of the packaging unit is illustrated in Figures 9 and 11; it is to be understood that this feature can also be provided in the embodiments discussed in the foregoing.

As is to be seen from the drawing, the flange-like part 7 of the plug closure 3 projecting above the edge of the filling hole 1 has an external diameter which is slightly smaller than that of the filling hole and is engaged in an annular recess 36 in the filling hole; this feature prevents insertion of a flat object such as the blade of a knife or a screwdriver into the gap between the upper edge 6 of the filling hole and the bottom annular surface of part 7 mounted on this upper edge in the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 through 6 and prising of the plug 3 out of the container.

Claims

1. A packaging unit comprising a container for receiving solid or liquid contents and having a filling opening and a plug for closing the filling opening, characterised in that the plug has a flange-like part extending above the edge of the filling opening of the container, said flange-like part having a maximum external diameter which equals the external diameter of the filling opening and which decreases from the dge of the filling opening in the direction of the centre of the filling opening, so that no grippable peripheral area is formed, and wherein a slide movable radially over the external diameter of tpe filling opening is mounted in the flange-like part.

2. A packaging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the filling opening has an undercut into which a toroidal sealing means of the plug can be snapped.

3. A packaging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange-like part of the filling opening has a slightly smaller external diameter than that of the filling opening and is inserted into a recess in the filling opening.

4. A packaging unit as claimed in claim 1, and having extensions in the end areas of the guide for the slide, as well as projections mounted in extensions on the slide, to prevent complete extraction from the guides.

5. A packaging unit as claimed in claim 1, having on the bottom surface of the slide a lip which projects into an indentation in the guide of the slide and which strikes against a step on extraction of the slide.

6. A packaging unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slide is of T-shaped cross-section and the correspondingly shaped groove is of greater depth in its rearward area than in its forward area, and wherein there are lateral projections of the slide slots into which strips narrowing the lateral undercuts of the groove project when the slide is inserted.

7. A packaging unit as claimed in claim 6, and having a transverse groove in the bottom surface of the slide.

8. A packaging unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, Figs. 4 to 6 or Figs. 7 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.