"A CONTAINER FOR A FLUID PRODUCT"
This invention relates to a package for a fluid product, more particularly a correction fluid comprising an opening that is provided with a removable closure cap with an integrated brush-like applicator and into which a sleeve-like extractor is inserted. it is provided with strip-like extraction skirts that rest resiliently against one another at their ends and at least locally close the cross section of the exhaust passage. The containers for the correction fluid have been known for a long time. To remove the correction fluid and apply it to the paper, the closure cap is unscrewed so that the integral brush-like applicator is removed from the container, the tip of the brush being automatically guided along a sleeve-like extractor that allows the amount of fluid removed is controlled to a certain degree. However, it has now been found that, after repeated use, the fluid can no longer be satisfactorily extracted in this estractor. Instead, the cross section of the exhaust passage gradually locks after prolonged use of the container so that the removal of the applicator
similar to a brush and the extreme extraction of the brush and re-inserting it without damage, are considerably difficult or even impossible. In addition, packages such as these are a disadvantage when using fluids containing solvent. This is because under the effect of temperature and reduction in the volume of fluid through consumption, the volume ratio of the fluid space to the vapor space above the fluid in the container changes during use. Accordingly, part of the solvent vapor escapes to a considerable degree each time the container is opened. Naturally, these solvent losses are undesirable. Patent Number DE 87 13 273 Ul discloses a package in which the sleeve-like extractor is in the form of a separating tube extending to the bottom of the container which is formed at its lower end with through-flow openings relatively small fluid. Accordingly, the separation tube is immersed in the fluid accommodated in the container and in so doing, is intended to separate the vapor space above the fluid surface from the container removal opening. This is supposed to prevent vapor mixtures of high solvent content from being expelled directly out of the vapor space above the fluid and thus
both of the container by the pumping effect of the applicator similar to a brush that is immersed in the fluid. However, the separation tube does not act as an extruder so that it is virtually impossible to remove the amounts of fluid from the container with the brush-like applicator. Extraction is only possible in the upper flange of the opening and therefore, becomes dirty and sticky. In addition, the fluid through-flow openings towards the lower edge of the separation tube can be easily blocked so that the satisfactory flow of fluid from the actual container space to the separation tube is no longer guaranteed. A package of the type in question is known from Patent Number WO 95/11839. This package has a sleeve-like extractor with strip-like extraction skirts that rest resiliently against each other in its interior and which at least locally closes the cross section of the extractor passage. The extraction flaps are supported against the brush-like applicator on all sides and when the brush-like applicator is removed from the package, it leads to fluid extraction on all sides that only a quantity of fluid measured at the top is present. tip of the brush. Even when a container of this type is
able in principle to avoid the problems mentioned above, it has been found that the strip-like purging skirts which are normally made of plastic in these containers, gradually lose their resilience because when the container is not in use, that is, when the brush-like applicator is completely inserted , the resilient extraction skirts are permanently folded outwards against the force of the spring. The result of this is that the extraction effect of the extraction flaps especially their sealing effect decreases considerably over a prolonged period and after a certain time, their sealing effect at least is no longer guaranteed when opened the container. A similar solution with the same disadvantages is known from Patent Number DE 92 05 308 Ul. Accordingly, the program focused by the present invention was to improve a package of the type in question in such a way that, even over a prolonged period, the satisfactory measured removal of the fluid and the losses of the vaporous product present in a package are guaranteed. they avoid greatly when the container is opened to remove the fluid. In accordance with the invention, the solution to this problem is provided by a package of the type
described at the beginning and characterized in that the brush-like applicator is provided on its rod with a surrounding indentation wherein the free ends of the strip-like extraction skirts are engaged when the closure cap is in place. This design of the package ensures that the satisfactory measured removal of the fluid and the protection against the desired escape of the vaporous product from the package is ensured, even after prolonged use. This is because by virtue of the specific configuration of the brush-like applicator, the pull-outs do not bend so far outwardly against their spring force when the closure cap is in place and the applicator is similar to a brush. It inserts completely, with the result that the extraction flaps are in a degree of resting position and can relax so that they effectively seal the opening of the passage, that is, resiliently supporting one another sufficiently when the lid Closing is removed, even after prolonged use of the container. The result of this is that the extraction flaps remain effective, that is to say, they carry out both of their extraction functions their sealing function even after prolonged use of the container. This provides the greatest advantage particularly
for solvent-containing fluids and immediately after removal of the brush-like applicator, the extraction skirts rest resiliently against each other at their ends and close almost completely the cross section of the sleeve-like extractor passage. These small spaces are greatly closed by the vapor pressure of the fluid in the container so that leakage of the vaporous product, particularly the solvent vapor, is reliably avoided. In order to obtain an essentially complete sealing of the cross section of the exhaust passage, the strip-like extraction skirts advantageously form a continuous cone in the closed position. In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the sleeve-like extractor is cylindrical at its insertion end while the brush-like applicator is provided with a surrounding sealing surface which cooperates sealingly with the cylindrical part of the extractor. This provides the further advantage that the package is hermetically sealed even when the closure cap has not been completely accidentally screwed into the package. This is due to when the brush-like applicator is
inserted into the container through the extraction skirts, the surrounding sealing surface of the applicator is placed in sealing contact with the cylindrical insertion section of the sleeve-like extractor, through a corresponding arrangement even before the cap closure has been completely screwed. This prevents any leakage of the fluid before the cap is screwed into the container. The invention is described by way of example in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, of part of a package according to the invention with its extractor and closure lid; plus the applicator similar to an integral brush in the open position, that is, with the closure lid removed. Figure 2 is a plan view of the extractor shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the closure cap during the insertion of its brush-like applicator into the extractor. Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figures 1 and 3 showing the closure cap and the applicator
similar to a brush inserted completely in the extractor. Figure 5 is a partially sectioned view of another embodiment of an extractor and a closure cap of a brush-like applicator in the open position, that is, with the closing lid removed. Figure 6 shows the closure cap used in Figure 5 during insertion of the brush-like applicator into the extractor. Figure 7 shows the closure cap with its brush-like applicator in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, inserted completely inside the extractor. Only those parts of the container that are crucial to the invention have been shown. Of the actual package, only the upper part is shown and is represented by reference numeral 1. The package is an opening 2 having a large outside diameter and therefore forming a support shoulder 3. In addition, the opening 2 is formed in its interior with a surrounding annular groove 4. The purpose of this configuration of the opening 2 of the container 1 is to firmly receive a sleeve-like extractor 5 which, for this purpose, has an upper rest wall 6 and a surrounding pressure rim 7. Therefore, when
the extractor 5 is similar to a sleeve inserted in the opening 2, the flange 7 jumps towards the slot 4 and the upper rest stop rests on the support shoulder 3 of the opening 2. In the region of the opening 2, the Container 1 may take the form of a tubular extension of the body of the actual container (not shown) even though this has not been shown in detail. The sleeve-like extractor 5 is provided with conical tapering strip-like pull-down flaps that rest resiliently against one another at their ends and which are represented by reference numeral 8. The extraction flaps 8 are formed internally in the inner wall of the sleeve-like extractor 5 at the upper end thereof and in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, form an essentially continuous cone that almost completely closes the opening of the passage of the hose-like extractor 5. Furthermore, the package 1 comprises a removable closure lid 9 with an applicator 10 similar to an integrated brush, that is to say, a single piece of which the tip of the brush is represented by the reference number 11. In its rod, the brush-like applicator 10 comprises a surrounding indentation 13 which is
shape by conical tapers 12 on either side and of which the function will be explained below. When it becomes the brush-like applicator 10, the closure cover 9 comprises a rest stop 14 which rests on the surface of the container or rather on the rest shoulder 6 of the extractor 5 after being screwed into the container ( Figure 4). In the shoulder 14, the closure cap 9 can still be fused in a sleeve-like section with internal screw threads (not shown) and can be screwed into an external screw-thread tubular extension of the container 1 containing the opening 2 (not shown) as shown per se with the containers for the correction fluid. In Figure 1, in package 1 it is shown in its open position, that is, with the closure lid 9 removed. In this position, the opening of the passage of the extractor 5 is closed because the stripping flaps 8, similar to strips, rest essentially hermetically against each other under their spring tension. Accordingly, no product above all no solvent vapor or the like is capable of leaking from container 1 in this position. To re-close the container, the brush-like applicator 10 of the closure cap 9 is inserted
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in the extractor 5 as shown in Figure 3, so that the stripping flaps 8 similar to strips are forced to separate against their spring tension and form an insertion opening. When the closure cap 9 is completely in place so that the brush-like applicator 10 is completely inserted into the container and therefore, through the extractor 5 (Figure 4) the free ends of the extraction flaps 8 placed in the vicinity of the indentation 13 and the rod of the brush-like applicator 10. The resilient extraction skirts 8, therefore, are able to relax slightly inward from their fully open position. At the same time, the brush-like applicator 10 and thus the closure lid 9 are also retained in the closed position in the container opening so that as mentioned above, the closure lid 9 does not have to Conventionally equipped with a screw thread sleeve. In that case, only an original seal has to be provided in the closing lid 9 which is removed before the container 1 is opened for the first time. To open the container 1 to remove the fluid, the inverted procedure is adopted. The fluid adhering to tip 11 of the brush-like applicator is uniformly peeled off on all sides as the
brush passes the free ends of the extraction flaps 8 so that precisely, the required amount of the fluid is available in the brush-like applicator 10 and can be applied satisfactorily to paper or a similar material, without danger of dripping or dripping. Figures 5 to 7 show a modified embodiment of the invention, and the same reference numbers as those in Figures 1 to 4 are followed by the letter "a" when they relate to the same parts. The embodiment differs from the modality described above, in that it also comprises an exhaust protector which prevents the escape of unwanted fluid from the container even when the closure cap has not been completely screwed into the container. For this purpose, the sleeve-like extractor 5a has a cylindrical insertion section 15a while the brush-like applicator 10a is provided with a surrounding sealing surface 16a sealingly cooperable with the cylindrical section 15a of the extractor 5a, as will be described continuation. The sealing surface 16a is placed above the indentation 13a. If the closure cap 9a with the brush-like applicator 10a is inserted into the extractor 5a as
shown in Figure 6, the sealing surface 16a is placed in sealing contact with the cylindrical insertion section 15a of the extractor 5a. This means that adequate sealing against unwanted leakage of fluid from the package is ensured even if the closure cap 9a has not been completely screwed into the package. The closure cap 9a is shown in its fully screwed position in Figure 7. In this position, the landing shoulder 14a of the closure cap 9a rests on the shoulder 6a of the extractor 5a. Even in this fully screwed position, the sealing surface 16a further contributes toward sealing the package. The invention is of course not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept. Therefore, if desired, the extractor 5 can also be an integral part of the container 1, etc.