SK15812001A3 - Screw cap with sealing disk - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a cap (40) with sealing disk which can be positioned on, and notably screwed onto, the opening of a container (10). The sealing disk consists of several layers. The upper layers (24) are designed to remain in the cap when the container is opened while the lower layers (21, 22, 23) are sealed to the opening of the container. The upper layers can be used to reclose the container and are not glued in the screw cap. When the container is opened for the first time the upper layers are lifted vertically upwards by the lower layers, which prevents damage to the top side of said lower layers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a screw cap with a sealing disc for a container closure for use in a container having an aperture bounded by a peripheral rim, wherein the sealing disc consists of a plurality of layers. the discs are releasably connected and these top layers may form a renewed temporary closure of the container opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When closing a container, it is often desirable or necessary to provide the mouth of the container with a disc seal which tightly closes the contents, for example of a liquid or a variety of substances, such as food.

There are several reasons for requiring this tight closure. Firstly, the contents of the container must be protected against external influences, such as water vapor or oxygen, and secondly, the closure must remain impermeable to flavorings. Another reason applies to aggressive cartridges for which optimum leak protection must be ensured. Finally, it is possible to create protection of original content for sale by such a tight closure because you are using it! can immediately tell if someone has previously tampered with the contents of the container.

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In addition, the container closure is then closed by a screw cap or other similar element which serves to mechanically and stably close off the foil. The first time it is used, it will break the user! foil to reach the contents of the container, and then closes the container (unless all of the contents have been consumed) with a screw cap that can temporarily close the remainder of the container for a reasonably short time.

If the sealing requirements are small, as in the solution according to DE 94 10 934 U1, a paper disc can be used as the sealing element, which can be applied to the mouth of the container or, if necessary, clamped with screw-on caps. By means of a small shut-off flap in the screw-on cap, the sealing disc can be punched out so that the cartridge can leak out of this shut-off flap after the screw-on cap is re-screwed. Therefore, after the first opening, there is a loss of tightness and the possibilities of use for demanding cartridges are limited.

The foil which closes the contents of the container is often, as inter alia disclosed in EP 0 717 710 B1 and DE 39 20 324 A1, fixed by melting by means of induction heating. For this purpose, a complete sealing disc is placed on the opening of the container, the bottom layer of which forms a sealable layer. Above it there is a second layer, which is mostly made of aluminum, which serves to generate and transfer heat during induction heating, and possibly additional mechanical protection. This second layer is rigidly connected to the first layer, which is particularly advantageous for heat transfer. Above the second layer of aluminum, there are additional sealing disc components which remain in the lid when the screw cap or other cap is opened.

These additional or above-mentioned parts of the sealing disc are fixed in the screwdriver lid by gluing. When the screw cap is rotated when the container is first opened, the torque will automatically be transmitted to the above-mentioned parts of the sealing disc. Thus, the aforementioned portions of the sealing disc also rotate relative to the container opening. In contrast, the lower parts of the sealing disc remain firmly adhered to the mouth of the container and do not rotate. In this way, the upper part of the sealing disc is cut off from the lower part precisely in the partition. The upper part will remain in the screwdriver lid and the lower part will remain on the container and may be grasped and broken by the user.

But there are problems. To enjoy! the lower part with the sealable layer can be pulled away from the neck of the container, appropriate measures are taken in this area. For example, according to EP 0 395 660 B1 or EP 0 534 949 B1, the top layer is foldable by not partially sticking to the induction layer. Therefore, precisely this non-glued region is naturally very sensitive to the action of force, moreover still in the direction of rotation, where, due to the lack of adhesive, there can be no opposite resistance. Therefore, there may be a breakage or damage, in particular an inexperienced user may have the impression that the container closure is defective or possibly leaking or equally unclosed. Indeed, in the extreme case, this process can already lead to a partial breakdown of the fusible layer.

The object of the invention, on the other hand, is to provide a screw cap with a sealing disc in which the components of the sealing disc are gently separated from each other.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This is accomplished by a screw cap with a sealing disc for a container closure for use with a container with an aperture bounded by a peripheral rim, wherein the sealing disc consists of a plurality of layers, the bottom layers sealing the opening of the container before opening the container for the first time; releasably bonded discs and these top layers may form a restored transient closure of the container opening according to the invention, wherein the screw cap includes a device for defining the spacing of the highest layers of the sealing disc from the underside of the screw cap when the screw cap is opened and the tops are without glue towards the bottom of the screw cap and are rotatable relative thereto.

Surprisingly, this concept solves the task completely differently from the prior art. Indeed, it has hitherto been assumed that the rotational movement of the screw cap must of course be used to separate the two respective components of the sealing disc from one another. Now, however, the sealing disc is not consciously adhering to the screwdriver lid, but remains loose in it. This leads to the fact that, when the screw cap is rotated, the still existing gasket of the sealing disc with the lower parts of the sealing disc still causes the entire sealing disc to remain stationary and is not driven by the screw cap. Again, this only leads to the fact that the relative rotational movement of the various layers relative to each other can cause no failure at all. The flaps, creases or other suitable treatments on the top layer leave the bottom layers of the sealing disc completely intact.

The highest part of the sealing disc, which later forms the re-sealing part, is only lifted vertically upwards. Perpendicular up in this case means exactly in the direction of or parallel to the axis of the opening of the container. This elevation is effected by the fact that, on the one hand, the elastic pressure exerted initially by the screw-on cap ceases to apply, and on the other hand, by means of appropriate mechanical measures, a slight force exactly perpendicularly upwardly directed by the screw-cap is moved.

However, for this movement, a controlled, easy connection, for example by means of a polymer separating layer, between the re-sealing part and the lower layers of the sealing disc is just adjustable. This connection can also be made in such a way that, although it will be stronger than any transmitted rotational forces and torques, it will be subjected to this perpendicular force action. However, the perpendicular elevation of the upper layers from the lower layers leaves the upper side of the lower layers intact. The lower layers cannot move or fold relative to each other or to each other, but remain intact.

Taking! it can now carry out the offered manipulations, for example to lift the partially adhered parts, to erect the folds and the like. The user can then completely remove the lower part from the container. Again, just like the known solutions, the screw cap has a resealable part which is very well suited for reclosing the container. Now, it is no longer a matter of whether and how this resealable part moves because it is simply screwed together with the screw cap. This part does not fall out of the screw cap although it has not been glued to it, since it is held in the screw cap by mechanical engagement, for example by means of grooves and circumferential projections.

It is particularly advantageous if all the layers of the sealing disc have a constant outer diameter. Therefore, a single pressing device can be used and only one pressing procedure is required. According to the prior art, it has sometimes been advantageous to have protruding flaps which act against this sensitivity on the individual layers due to the sensitivity of the upper layers, see EP 0 697 345 A2.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. 1 schematically shows a section through a screw cap with a sealing disc during opening, the dimensions of which do not correspond exactly to the reality.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows the area of the opening 11 of the container 10. This may be, for example, a bottle, an agrochemical container, a container to be sealed impermeable to flavorings, for example ground coffee or the like. The opening 11 is bounded by a peripheral edge 12. The peripheral edge 12 has a substantially circular shape.

At the opening 11, after the container 10 has been filled and before the first opening of the opening 11, a sealing disc 20 consisting of a plurality of layers is provided, which is closed upwards and sideways by the base body of the screw cap 40.

Towards the container 10, the sealing disc 20 begins with a sealable layer 21. This sealable layer 21 is followed by an induction layer 22, usually made of aluminum. This induction layer 22 serves to transfer the heat generated in the induction layer 22 by induction to the fusible layer 21, which is fused to the peripheral edge 12 of the opening 11 of the container 10 during manufacture or packaging.

The induction layer 22 is followed by a further layer 23. Using this additional layer 23, the to remove the fusible layer 21 together with the induction layer 22 when it wants to reach the contents of the container 10. This additional layer 23 is for this purpose provided, for example, with an outwardly projecting flap or a corresponding folding grip. In the illustration of FIG. 1, such a protruding fold is indicated. Of course, in the fully closed state, this fold adjoins flatly to the next layer 23 and occupies virtually no additional space. In practice, there is no intermediate space between the next layer 23 and the next uppermost layer 24, which is referred to as the resealable portion. Thus, the uppermost layer 24 directly engages the next layer 23 or the flat lay of the next layer 23.

All layers 21, 22, 23, 24 are bonded to each other, the layers 21, 22, 23 being very firmly bonded by the adhesive layers, since they do not have to be separated from each other. The layers 23 and 24, on the other hand, are connected to each other by a relatively easy-to-release joint, the adhesive force of which is in any case well adjustable. When choosing adhesive and separating material between

With the further layer 23 and the topmost layer 24, it is to be understood that any separation of these layers 23 and 24 will substantially leave the material on the next layer 23.

The overall thickness of the layers 21, 22, 23 is very small relative to the other dimensions of the container 10 and the opening 11. Its presence or absence plays virtually no role in screwing or inserting the screw cap onto the container 10. Again, it should be recalled that FIG. 1 does not in any way correspond exactly to reality.

On the screwdriver lid 40, on the one hand, there is a fastening device 43, for example an internal thread, which engages the corresponding fastening elements of the container 10 (not shown). Thus, the screwdriver lid 40 can be screwed in this case.

In contrast to the prior art, not only free space for the sealing disc 20 is located between the uppermost plane of the screw cap 40 and the attachment device 43, but in this free space there is an inwardly projecting peripheral projection 41 and beyond the peripheral groove 42 forming the peripheral projection. 41 deepening outwards. The size ratios in this case are slightly exaggerated.

Similarly to the known solutions, there is no adhesive bond between the sealing disc 20 or the topmost layer 24 of the sealing disc 20 on the one hand and the underside of the upper part of the screw cap 40 on the other. Thus, the sealing disc 20 is rotatable relative to the screw cap 40 as a whole.

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The peripheral projection 41 is positioned precisely such that the uppermost layer 24 fits precisely into the circumferential groove 42. When screwing the screw cap 40 onto the vessel 10, the uppermost layer 24 overcomes the low resistance of the peripheral projection 41 without any problem due to slight mechanical stress or appropriate thermal measures. Thus, before the first opening of the container 10, the uppermost layer 24 is not yet separated from the underside layers 21, 22, 23 of the sealing disc 20. These layers 21, 22, 23 are held together as before.

Only when the container 10 is first opened when the screw cap 40 is unscrewed will this joint be released. In a manner other than the known screw caps k. however, this is not the case when the torque of the screw cap 40 is transferred to the uppermost layer 24 upon opening, and in this way the connection of the uppermost layer 24 to the underside layers 21, 22, 23 of the sealing disc 20 is twisted. The uppermost layer 24, on the other hand, remains simply standing and only the lack of top-down contact force associated with the mechanical engagement of the peripheral projection 41 with the uppermost layer 24 causes the uppermost layer 24 to rise up without any rotation. Thus, the uppermost layer 24 remains positioned in the screw cap 40 while the underlying layers 21, 22, 23 remain on the container 10.

In FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the phase in which complete separation of the topsheet 24 from the next layer 23 has been formed. However, the two layers 23, 24 have not rotated with respect to each other and have spaced apart along the axis of the container 10. The fold shown begins to straighten. In practice, however, manual assistance is required for this purpose.

After first opening the screw cap 40, the user has free access to another layer 23 equipped with handling means, for example a flap or a protruding fold.

When the user then releases these bottom layers 21, 22, 23 and partially removes the contents of the container 10, the user can close the container 10 again with the screw cap 40 and the topmost layer 24 therein. Although the container 10 is then no longer originally closed, it can be closed in this way for a transient period. Of course, the opening may then be repeated to gradually consume the contents of the container 10.

Claims (6)

A screw cap with a sealing disc for closing a container for use for a container (10) with an opening (11) enclosed by a peripheral edge (12), wherein: - the sealing disc (20) consists of a plurality of layers (21, 22, 23, 24), of which the lowermost layers (21, 22, 23) tightly close the opening (11) of the container (10) before the first opening of the container (10), - the lowest layers (21, 22, 23) are releasably connected to the highest layers (24) of the sealing disc (20) and these highest layers (24) can form a restored temporary closure of the opening (11) of the container (10), - the screw cap (40) comprises a device (41, 42) for defining the spacing of the topmost layers (24) of the sealing disc (20) from the underside of the screw cap (40) when the screw cap (40) is opened; - the uppermost layers (24) of the sealing disc (20) are free of glue towards the underside of the screw cap (40) and are rotatable relative thereto. Screw-on cap with sealing disc according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer diameter of all the layers (21, 22, 23, 24) of the sealing disc (20) is constant and without protrusions. Sealing disc screwdriver according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spacing devices (41, 42) for defining the topmost layers (24) of the sealing disc (20) comprise an inwardly extending circumferential projection (41) and / or an outwardly extending groove (42). Screw-on cap with sealing disc according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a defined separating layer is arranged between the lower layers (21, 22, 23) and the upper layers (24) of the sealing disc (20) to allow the layers to be separated perpendicularly. by lifting the groups of layers apart without relative relative rotation of the layers. A sealing disc screw cap according to claim 4, characterized in that the separating layer forms a stronger connection than the release force due to the torque transmitted by mechanically contacting the upper layer (24). Screw-on cap with sealing disc according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower layers (21, 22, 23) are provided on their upper side with a release device, in particular an intermediate fold, which does not extend beyond the outer periphery of the sealing disc (20). ť * z xx · C * /