WO1992008388A1

WO1992008388A1 - Stick refill

Info

Publication number: WO1992008388A1
Application number: PCT/EP1991/002098
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tilwin Lepsius; Gerhard Gierenz; Klaus Tranelis; Gerd-Rüdiger Reinfelder; Joachim Franken; Hans Halm
Original assignee: Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft Auf Aktien
Priority date: 1990-11-15
Filing date: 1991-11-06
Publication date: 1992-05-29
Also published as: JP3641262B2; CA2096440C; EP0702913B1; JP2000025853A; DE59109227D1; CA2269124A1; ES2172546T3; EP0557323B1; CA2096440A1; ATE213395T1; EP0702913A2; ES2104729T3; DE59108831D1; EP0702913A3; JP2005096868A; EP0557323A1; JP3583126B2; JP2003205979A; JPH06502372A; DK0557323T3

Abstract

A method is to be provided for a stick (14) of deodorant, adhesive, lipstick, releasing agent, shaving soap or colour pen, for example, optionally closable by a cap and surrounded by a casing (15) open at at least one end, with a piston (5, 11, 19) movable axially longitudinally along the casing (15) for dispensing a preferably brushable compound inside the casing, which allows the essential, non-consumable parts of the stick (14) to be repeatedly re-used. This is achieved by means of a refill (1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e) which consists essentially of a moulding (2) of the preferably brushable compound (23) shaped to fit the free internal volume and internal shape of the casing (15).

Description

"Refill cartridge for pen sleeve"

The invention is directed to a method for refilling a pen, such as deodorant, adhesive, lipstick, separating agent, shaving soap or colored pencil, which dispenses product by brushing a surface, and which comprises an optionally lockable with a cap and at least one End opening having a sleeve with therein for dispensing a, preferably spreadable, product mass located in the sleeve, such as deodorant stick, glue stick, lipstick, release agent stick, shaving soap stick or

Includes colored pencil mass along the length of the sleeve axially movable piston.

Furthermore, the invention is directed to a method for producing a refill cartridge for a pen, such as deodorant, adhesive, lip, release agent, shaving soap or colored pencil, which dispenses a product by brushing a surface, the one optionally with one Cap closable and having at least one end opening opening with therein for dispensing a, preferably spreadable, product mass, such as deodorant stick, glue stick, lipstick, release agent stick, shaving soap stick or colored stick stick, in the sleeve Sleeve includes axially movable piston. Finally, the invention is directed to a refill cartridge for a pen, such as deodorant, adhesive, lipstick, release agent, shaving soap or colored pencil, which releases a product by brushing a surface and which, if desired, can be closed with a cap and has at least one opening at the end having sleeve with therein for dispensing a, preferably spreadable, product mass, such as deodorant stick, glue stick, lipstick, release agent stick, shaving soap stick or colored stick stick, which can be moved axially along the length of the sleeve.

From the prior art, a multiplicity of pens emitting product by coating a surface, such as deodorant, adhesive, lipstick, releasing agent, shaving soap or colored pens, are known, which optionally have a cap that can be closed and have at least one end opening Include sleeve with therein for dispensing a, preferably spreadable, product mass located in the sleeve and axially movable piston over the length of the sleeve. These have the disadvantage that they are generally not refillable.

^" For example, the glue sticks known from the prior art have to be thrown away after the glue has been used up or has dried out, although the glue stick is usually still fully functional once the filling has been used once. As a result, the known sticks and glue sticks represent plastic waste In addition, new (plastic) material must always be used in the production of a new pen, which has an adverse effect on the manufacturing price in addition to the manufacturing costs, since consumers are also forced to buy a completely new pen every time. The object of the invention is to enable the above-mentioned types of pens to be reused several times over the essential, non-consuming parts of a pen.

In a method for refilling the type mentioned at the outset, this object is achieved according to the invention in that a shaped body made of the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass, adapted to the internal volume free for receiving the respective product mass and the inner configuration of the sleeve end opening is inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve.

The invention is thus based on the basic idea that the user of a pen of the type described above is provided with a shaped body which is matched to the internal volume free for receiving the product and the internal configuration of the sleeve and is made of the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass, which it is made of insert the end opening into the sleeve of the pin and / or if the pin is provided with a threaded spindle, for example, it can pull into the sleeve. After the first product filling has been used up, the consumer can refill the pen. The consumer no longer needs to buy a completely new pen. By reusing the essential, non-wearing parts of a pin, the waste, usually plastic waste, is reduced since the usual pins are made of plastic. Plastic consumption is also reduced since the manufacturer no longer has to sell each product filling together with a pen that contains the entire pen mechanism. The refilling of a pin is facilitated by placing a tube with a molded body from the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass on the inside, with the internal volume that is free to accommodate the respective product mass and the interior configuration of the sleeve and the molded body is inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve, as the invention provides in a further development. In this way it is avoided that during refilling the product plastic mass, which is soft in particular in the case of glue sticks, is peeled off in regions at the end edge of the pin sleeve and the pin is thereby contaminated. ^•

A convenient and also a peeling of a soft plastic mass during the insertion of the molded body into the existing pen to prevent refilling can also be achieved by providing a molded article provided with a piston, for which purpose the invention provides in a development that first the piston of the pin removed from the product-depleted sleeve and subsequently an end having a piston shaped body from the respective, preferably spreadable, Pro¬ duktmasse with the piston side in the sleeve inserted and / or is drawn ^{^.}

For the refilling of a pin, which is inserted from a sleeve with a closed bottom and into which a pin rotatable about its longitudinal axis is inserted by means of a snap connection and which projects over the entire longitudinal axis of the sleeve beyond one side of the snap connection as a threaded spindle and beyond the other side the Schπappverbinduπg outside of the sleeve is designed as a hand-operated knurled nut, and a piston which is secured against rotation in the sleeve via the in a continuous The threaded bore of the piston-engaging threaded spindle is displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and, if appropriate, there is a cover cap that can be pushed over the upper edge of the sleeve, the invention provides in a further development that an internal volume that is free for accommodating the respective product mass and the internal configuration of the sleeve is adapted Shaped bodies made of the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass with a bore formed concentrically to the longitudinal axis, preferably a pocket bore, are inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve from the opening at the end. Because a molded body with a hole or blind hole is inserted into the sleeve during refilling, no or only a small amount of product mass needs to be displaced when inserted through the threaded spindle, so that no volume has to be provided in the pin or the pin sleeve in which the product mass could evade. Also, no excess volume of product mass emerges from the pen, which could contaminate the pen.

In order to be able to refill a pin with a threaded spindle just as conveniently and with regard to a possible risk of contamination as advantageously, as is explained above for refilling a pin with a shaped body without a blind hole, the invention provides in a further development that a Pipe with a molded body made of the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass with a bore formed concentrically to the longitudinal axis, preferably a blind bore, placed on the sleeve and adapted to the internal volume that is free to accommodate the respective product mass and the internal configuration of the sleeve the molded body is inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve. A further development of the invention is that first the piston of the pin is removed from the product-empty sleeve and then a molded body having a piston with a threaded bore at the end is screwed from the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass with the piston side onto the threaded spindle and through Actuation of the knurled nut of the piston with the product mass is drawn up to the bottom of the sleeve.

A particularly convenient refilling of the pin is possible if the molded body, which is preferably spreadable product mass, is surrounded by a tube and provided with a piston at the end. To this end, the invention provides in a further embodiment that the piston is inserted into the sleeve at its upper edge and, when the product mass is drawn into the sleeve, the tube is completely pushed or pulled off the piston and from the molded body and finally removed . The main idea here is that the preferably spreadable product mass is filled into a tubular sleeve, the bottom of which is formed by the piston in such a way that the upper part of the outer piston skirt is gripped by the sleeve. If, for example, the threaded bore of the piston is screwed onto the threaded spindle and, by actuating the knurled nut of the piston, together with the product mass, is pulled to the bottom of the sleeve, the tube is simultaneously pushed away from the molded body so that it can finally be removed. It is essential for the dimensioning of the tube that its end face meets the opposite sleeve wall end face when the piston is screwed down, as a result of which the tube is pushed off the molded body. In a method for producing a refill cartridge of the type mentioned at the outset, the object stated above is achieved according to the invention in that product mass is poured into a mold which is shaped to accommodate the respective product mass and the internal configuration of the sleeve, and after solidification as the predominant part of the refill cartridge forming molded body from preferably spreadable product mass is ejected from the mold. In this way, a refill cartridge is created in the simplest way, which can be inserted into an emptied pen, whereby the pen can also be refilled in a simple manner.

In an embodiment of the manufacturing method, the invention provides that a piston, if desired having a continuous threaded bore in its center, is inserted into the base of the casting mold and then the product mass is poured into the piston and the casting mold. As a result, a unit of piston and molded body is formed from a preferably spreadable product mass, which is advantageously to be inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve of a pin. In particular, when the molded body is drawn in, the risk that the piston tears off the product mass is reduced.

For the manufacture of a refill cartridge, in which the molded body, preferably made of spreadable product mass, is encased by a tube, it is particularly expedient according to a further embodiment of the invention that an extension for receiving a tube is formed in the casting mold and before the Pouring the product mass a tube with its outer surface adjacent to the inner surface of the casting mold is inserted into the casting mold. In order to be able to supply the piston specifically to the base of the casting mold during the manufacturing process and, if desired, to be able to form a bore or blind bore in the molded body, the manufacturing method according to the invention is further characterized in that, in the base of the casting mold, there is at least a portion of the concentric with the longitudinal axis Mold extending pin for receiving the threaded bore of the piston and / or for forming a bore or blind bore in the product mass is arranged.

The methods are particularly advantageous when the stick is a glue stick and the shaped body consists of glue, which the invention also provides in one embodiment.

In the case of a refill cartridge of the type described in the introduction, the above object is achieved according to the invention in that it essentially consists of a shaped body which is matched to the internal volume which is free to accommodate the respective product mass and the inner configuration of the sleeve and which is preferably spreadable, product mass. The shaped body made of preferably spreadable product mass can be placed on the pin from the opening at the end of the pin sleeve and inserted and / or drawn into the pin. This makes the pen refillable. There is no need to dispose of the pen after the first product filling.

In order to facilitate the introduction of the refill cartridge into the sleeve of the pen, the invention provides in a further development that the molded body has a piston, if desired, in its center, with a continuous threaded bore. In order to be able to insert the refill cartridge into pins with a threaded spindle without risk of contamination of the pin sleeve, it is expedient according to an embodiment of the invention that the shaped body has a bore or blind hole concentric to its longitudinal axis.

In order to prevent air from being trapped in the pen sleeve when the refill cartridge is inserted into the pen sleeve, the invention is characterized according to a further development in that the molded body has a longitudinal groove or notch on its outer circumference.

As already explained above for the manufacturing method and method for refilling a pin, the refilling of the pin can also be simplified in that the shaped body is arranged in a tube, as is also provided by the invention.

The invention further relates to a refill cartridge for a pen, which consists of the following parts:

a sleeve with a closed bottom, into which, by means of a snap connection, a pin rotatably rotatable about its longitudinal axis is inserted, projecting over the entire longitudinal axis of the sleeve beyond one side of the snap connection as a threaded spindle and beyond the other side of the snap connection outside of the The sleeve is designed as a manually operable knurled nut, and a piston, which is secured against rotation in the sleeve and can be moved along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve via the threaded spindle which engages in a continuous threaded bore of the piston. and optionally a cover cap which can be pushed over the upper edge of the sleeve. This refill cartridge is characterized by a tube which is adapted to the inner volume and the inner configuration of the sleeve and which is free to accommodate the respective product mass, from the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass-encasing tube with a length which is adapted to the free sleeve inner height of the pin and has an inner diameter of Sleeve adapted inner diameter and a bottom which is formed as a piston for the pin, the upper piston edge being gripped by the tube.

As already indicated above, this refill cartridge has a tube covering the preferably spreadable product mass, the length of which corresponds approximately to the free inner sleeve height of the pin, but it can also be only a part of the inner sleeve height. The tube has an adapted inner diameter like the pin sleeve, which makes it possible to pull the molded body into the interior of the sleeve while simultaneously stripping the tube. When the refill cartridge is used, the part of the piston that is not covered by the tube is inserted into the sleeve. far that the spindle thread engages in the threaded bore of the piston when the knurled nut is actuated. With further rotation of the knurled nut, the piston is gradually pulled in the direction of the sleeve bottom, the threaded spindle tip equally pulling the product mass into the cylinder after passing through the threaded hole in the molded body while simultaneously "cutting" a thread. The rotation of the knurled nut is continued until the piston has reached the bottom of the sleeve. In this position, the molded body has been completely pulled out of the tube so that it can be removed. The refilled pen can now, as is known from the prior art, with a cover cap at the open end of the sleeve. The refilling process can be repeated any number of times, since the plastic parts are not subject to any significant wear when the knurled nut is actuated - both when the respective product is being driven out and when it is refilled.

In order to prevent the product mass from drying out on the side facing the piston, the threaded bore can be closed by a (thin) skin which can be pierced by means of the threaded spindle. The threaded bore of the piston preferably has a single or multiple thread.

The threaded spindle of the pin, like all other parts, is made of inexpensive plastic, which may have a certain flexibility. In order to facilitate the insertion of the spindle tip into the threaded bore of the piston of the refill cartridge, the piston crown has an inner cone as an insertion aid.

The tube can also be closed at the end opposite the piston to prevent the product mass from drying out. For example, in this embodiment it is possible to prefabricate the tube in a cup shape and to fill the prefabricated cup sleeve with product mass before it is closed with the piston on the open cup side.

All that is important when dimensioning the tube is the inner diameter adapted to the sleeve. On the other hand, the tube wall thickness can in principle be chosen as desired, but for reasons of material savings it should at most be the same size as the sleeve wall. Likewise, the choice of the tube material is fundamentally optional, provided that the tube behaves rigidly when the molded body is pulled out of preferably spreadable product mass. The tube is preferably made of plastic or paper board, which can be coated. The piston, however, should preferably be made of plastic.

To allow easy insertion of the molded body into the sleeve. lent, a central blind hole for the threaded spindle can be provided along the longitudinal axis of the fitting. This embodiment allows an inner diameter of the tube which is of the same size as the sleeve. If no central blind bore is provided for the threaded spindle, the inside diameter of the tube should be chosen smaller in accordance with the increase in diameter of the shaped body caused by the cutting threaded spindle.

It is of course also possible to provide a continuous bore along the longitudinal axis of the shaped body instead of a blind bore.

^"In order to _facilitate. Withdrawal of the shaped body, the tube or the tube inner jacket is preferably slightly conical, wherein the conical taper to form a cone angle of at most 3 ° the piston opposite end.

According to a development of the invention, the tube has at one end a sleeve surrounding the piston in a ring at a distance, the inside diameter of which is dimensioned such that the sleeve can be pushed over the upper part of the sleeve outer jacket. The sleeve also has an inner annular stop surface for the end face of the sleeve. This way is not just a safe one Fixing the refill cartridge on the pen sleeve, but also and above all a centering of the tube of the refill cartridge and the sleeve is guaranteed. The wall thicknesses of the sleeve and tube no longer need to be exactly coordinated.

The sleeve is preferably dimensioned such that its free sleeve end is flush with the piston crown or slightly projects above it. This creates a sufficiently long annular space, seen in the axial direction, between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

In a first embodiment, the sleeve and the tube are formed in one piece, in particular by injection molding, a radial cross-sectional widening then being formed in the region of the connection point between the tube and the sleeve, which creates an annular stop face for the cylinder end face.

As an alternative to this, however, it is also possible to form the tube and the sleeve in two parts, the parts being connected to one another via a preferably annular snap or snap connection.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the piston is connected to the sleeve via a plurality of webs which tear off when the piston is pulled in the direction of the sleeve base, that is to say serve as predetermined breaking points. In this embodiment, the piston and the sleeve can be manufactured as a one-piece injection-molded part, optionally together with the pipe. As an alternative to this, it is possible to engage the piston and the sleeve by means of a detent or snap action that can be released when the piston is pulled in the direction of the sleeve base - 14 -

To connect the connection to one another, for example in such a way that small latching lugs or latching hooks or the like are also molded on during manufacture. These connections also become detached from the sleeve after the threaded spindle has been inserted during the refilling process.

The above-mentioned individual designs or refinements of the refill cartridge, the method for refilling and the manufacturing method relate both to the method and to the refill cartridge, even if they are only given for one subject of the invention.

The invention is explained below with reference to the drawing, for example. This shows in

Figure 1 is a refill cartridge in side view;

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of a refill cartridge in supervision;

FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a refill cartridge with a casting mold partially shown;

Figure 4 shows another embodiment of a refill cartridge;

Figures 5 + 6 each side views of an adhesive stick with a refill cartridge attached according to another embodiment in a partially broken and sectioned representation and in

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional / side view of a refill cartridge according to a further exemplary embodiment.

The example listed below relates to a glue stick. The stick is therefore called the glue stick and the product mass is called the glue mass.

Analogously, there would be talk of the deodorant stick mass for a deodorant stick, of the lipstick stick for a lipstick, of the release agent stick stick for a release agent stick, of a shaving soap stick stick for a shaving soap stick and of the colored stick stick for a colored stick. Generalized it is the respective product mass. This is preferably spreadable and soft plastic.

The refill cartridge, designated overall by 1 in FIG. 1, consists of a cylindrical shaped body 2 made of soft, plastic, spreadable adhesive mass 23. The three-dimensional extent of the shaped body 2 is adapted in this way to the internal volume that is free for adhesive absorption and the internal configuration of the sleeve of a glue stick that it is to be inserted into the sleeve of the glue stick in the direction of arrow 3 and to be pushed fully into the sleeve and / or to be drawn in. An example of such a pen is described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. In the simplest form, the refill cartridge 1 is a smooth, cylindrical molded body 2.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a refill cartridge 1 a, the cylindrical shaped body 2 of which is provided on its outer circumference with a longitudinal groove or notch 4. Along this notch 4, air can escape from the interior of the glue stick sleeve when the shaped body 2 is inserted into the sleeve of a glue stick.

FIG. 3 shows a refill cartridge 1b, the shaped body 2 of which is made of a spreadable adhesive compound 23 and is provided with a piston 5 at the end. FIG. 3 shows the refill cartridge 1b in the partially illustrated casting mold 6 immediately after the casting of the adhesive composition 23, which was initially still liquid during production, and its solidification. The piston 5 is generally cup-shaped with a cylindrical elevation 7 in its center. On the inside of the piston 5 and the outside of the cylindrical elevation 7, collar-like projections 8 and 9 are formed. These collars securely anchor the adhesive - 1 ,

material 23 in the cup-shaped piston 5 and prevent tearing or shearing off of the soft plastic adhesive mass 23 when the refill cartridge 1b is inserted into the sleeve of an adhesive stick.

FIG. 4 shows, as a further exemplary embodiment, a refill cartridge 1c, the molded body 2 of a spreadable adhesive composition 23 has a piston 11 at its end with a continuous threaded bore 10 in its center. Like the piston 5, the piston 11 is also cup-shaped and is provided on its inside with a collar 12 which is annularly projecting on its inside. A blind bore 13 is formed concentrically to its longitudinal axis in this shaped body 2.

The refill cartridges 1, la, lb and lc shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 can be encased in the longitudinal direction by a tube in a manner not shown, as described below for the exemplary embodiments of the refill cartridges ld and le.

The glue stick 14 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is known in principle according to the prior art. It consists of a sleeve 15 with a closed bottom 16, into which a pin, rotatable about its longitudinal axis, is inserted by means of a snap connection (not shown), which extends over the entire longitudinal axis of the sleeve beyond one side of the snap connection as a threaded spindle 17 and beyond other side of the snap connection outside the sleeve 15 is designed as a manually operable knurled nut 18. In the sleeve 15, a piston 19 is slidably disposed along the longitudinal axis via the threaded spindle 17. Since in Figures 5 and 6, the patch Refill cartridges ld are shown, the cover cap which can usually be pushed over the upper sleeve edge is not shown. This is to be releasably attached to the sleeve outer jacket by means of snap connections 20 or threaded or snap connections.

The piston 19 has at its bottom a continuous threaded bore 21, in which the threaded spindle 17 can engage. The piston 19 forms the base part of the refill cartridge 1d, which for the rest consists of a tube 22, the lower edge region of which encompasses and / or encompasses the upper piston edge. The upper tube end 22a can be closed so that the spreadable adhesive composition 23 does not dry out. The piston crown of the refill cartridge 1d, which has not yet been used, can also have a pierceable skin 24 which closes the threaded bore 21. The piston crown inner cone 25 serves as an insertion aid. Furthermore, the piston 19 has on its outer jacket in the longitudinal axial direction to the piston underside triangularly widening groove-shaped depressions 26 which, together with corresponding ribs 32 of the sleeve inner jacket, rotate the piston 19 when the knurled knives are actuated prevent mother 18.

A further alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 7, which differs essentially from the refill cartridges 1, la, lb, lc, ld described above by the design and use of a sleeve 27. This sleeve 27, like the pipe 22, is cylindrical and is connected to the pipe 22, for example, via an annular snap connection 28. This sleeve 27 has an inner diameter 29 which is dimensioned such that the sleeve 27 can be pushed onto the outer jacket of the sleeve 15 (see FIGS. 5, 6). The sleeve 15 slides into the annular cavity 30 between the sleeve 27 and the piston 19, the refill cartridge le is securely fixed and centered with respect to the glue stick 14.

In the present case, the sleeve 27 is pushed over the sleeve 15 until the end face 15a (see FIG. 5) and the annular stop face 27a are in contact with one another.

However, the sleeve 27 can also be designed as a one-piece body with the tube 22, in which case there is an internal radial cross-sectional widening in the area of the connection point between the tube 22 and the sleeve 27, forming an annular end face analogous to the stop face 27a.

The piston 19 is connected to the sleeve 27 via radially extending webs 31, which tear off during the refilling process, i.e. when the piston 19 is moved in the direction of the sleeve base 16, whereby the piston is detached from the sleeve 27. In particular in the embodiment in which the tube 22 and the sleeve 27 are formed in one piece, the piston 19 can also be connected to said one-piece piece 22, 27 via a releasable snap or snap connection. All parts can consist of injection molded parts which, as far as they should be in one piece or connected to each other, can also be produced in one operation.

Of course, the cross-sectional geometry of the refill cartridges 1, la, lb, lc, ld, le is to be adapted to that of the sleeve 15 of the glue stick 14, for example the glue stick could also deviate from the tubular cylinder shape and be polygonal.

The diameter of the blind bore 13 is preferably such that the threaded spindle 17 as it enters the pocket drilled hole 13 only slightly into the adhesive mass 23, so that a radial expansion of the molded body 2 and a displacement of the adhesive mass 23 is largely avoided when it is inserted into the sleeve 15.

For the production of the shaped bodies 2 of the refill cartridges 1 and 1 a, the adhesive mass which is initially liquid in the manufacturing process is poured into casting molds 6, which is shaped to match the internal volume free for the adhesive intake and the internal configuration of the sleeve 15. The casting molds can consist of metal, plastic or silicone rubber. The casting molds are preferably integrated in a cooling belt. The casting molds run through a cooling section until the adhesive mass 23 has solidified and the molded body 2 has formed. To produce the refill cartridge 1, the corresponding casting mold is designed as a cylindrical hollow body with a closed bottom surface. For the manufacture of the refill cartridge 1a, a longitudinal rib or a web, which projects into the casting mold, is additionally formed in the corresponding casting mold to form the notch 4. To produce the refill cartridge 1b, the piston 5 is first inserted into the casting mold and then the still liquid adhesive mass 23 is poured into the piston 5 and the casting mold 6. Likewise, for the manufacture of the refill cartridge 1c, the piston 11 is first inserted into a casting mold. In this case, a pin extending in its longitudinal extension at least over a partial region of the casting mold for receiving the threaded bore 10 of the piston 11 and for forming the blind bore 13 is arranged beforehand in the base of the casting mold, concentrically with the longitudinal axis. If the shaped body 2 of the refill cartridge 1c is not to have a blind bore 13, the pin only has a length corresponding to the threaded bore 10. In contrast, a blind bore in the molded body 2 _

- 21 -

13 are formed, the pin projects into the area of the shaped body 2 corresponding to the length of the blind bore 13, which corresponds to the length with which the threaded spindle 17 of the adhesive stick 14 is to penetrate the shaped body 2 later. Here, too, the liquid adhesive mass 23 is poured into the mold after the piston 11 has been inserted into the mold or the threaded hole 10 has been placed on the central pin. After solidification, the refill cartridges lb and lc are also ejected from the respective molds.

In the cases in which the refill cartridge or the adhesive molded body 2 is still to be encased by a tube 22, the tube 22 is first inserted into the casting mold and then, if desired, a piston 5, 11 or 19 through the Tube 22 is pushed into the casting mold before the adhesive compound 23 is then poured into the tube 22.

For the production of refill cartridges with the tube 22 enveloping the molded body 2, casting molds are used which have an extension over a partial area of their longitudinal extent, into which the respective tube 22 is to be inserted in a form-fitting manner. The reason

^" These molds lie somewhat lower than the lower edge of these recesses, so that either an inserted piston or the inflowing adhesive mass can penetrate deeper into the mold, so that afterwards in the finished refill cartridge either adhesive or the piston protrudes over the tube and the refill cartridge first This area can thus be inserted into the sleeve of the glue stick to be refilled.

In the case of multi-part casting molds which can be divided after the adhesive mass has solidified, it is basically also possible to provide recesses or extensions in the casting mold, into which the pistons 5, 11 or 19 are to be inserted with a precise fit, so that a crack forms at the end of the piston between the outer diameter of the piston and the outer diameter of the respective molded body made of spreadable adhesive. As a result, the risk of coming into contact with the adhesive mass is reduced when handling the piston as an insertion aid when inserting the refill cartridge into the glue stick sleeve by hand.

After the various refill cartridges 1 - le have been ejected from the respective casting molds, they can be packaged in the usual way in foils, paper or combinations thereof. For example, the following are possible also sealed edge bags, deep-drawn parts, wood pulp or starch derivative molded parts. Several refill cartridges can also be packed in one package, from which individual refill cartridges can be removed or removed individually, for example by tearing or breaking off.

It is also possible to line the casting mold 6 with packaging material, such as, for example, plastic film, before filling the adhesive mass 23. The packaging material then acts as a separating aid and makes it easier to eject the solidified mass from the casting mold 6. In this way, a refill cartridge 1 -le, which is already virtually finished, is obtained. For this purpose, the packaging material is introduced into the mold 6 before the adhesive compound 23 is poured and the piston 5, 11, 19 and / or tube 22, possibly with a socket 27, is inserted, preferably in such a way that it is tight abuts the inner surfaces of the mold. To refill glue sticks, the packaging surrounding the respective refill cartridge is first removed in whole or in part.

An end of the refill cartridge which has been freed from the packaging, which is either part of the shaped body 2 or which is a piston, is then fitted or inserted onto the end opening of a glue stick sleeve 15 and the refill cartridge is then pushed into the sleeve 15 and / or moved in. It is always retracted when the glue stick 14 has a threaded spindle 17, the threads of which engage in a threaded bore of a piston and / or a blind bore 13. If the glue stick to be refilled does not have a threaded spindle, the respective refill cartridge is pushed into the glue stick sleeve by hand. The refilling of the glue stick 14 according to FIGS. 5 and 6 is listed below as an example. In this case, the refill cartridge 1d with the piston 19 is first inserted slightly into the sleeve 15 until the threaded spindle tip 17a abuts the skin 24. With a slight jerk, possibly with simultaneous rotation of the knurled nut 18, the threaded skin 24 is pierced-and the piston 19 is pressed down until the thread of the

Threaded spindle 17 engages in the threaded bore 21. With continuous operation of the knurled nut 18, the piston 19 is pulled further down until the edge-side end face 22b abuts the opposite end face 15a of the sleeve 15. When the threaded spindle 17 is further rotated by rotating the knurled nut 18, the piston 19 is continuously pulled downward, the threaded spindle 17 simultaneously cutting a thread in the adhesive compound 23 and pulling the molded body 2 evenly downward. Here, the position of the tube 22 relative to the sleeve 15 remains unchanged, so that the material column of the adhesive 23rd is finally completely removed from the tube 22. Since the tube length is matched to the interior height of the sleeve, the free adhesive end face is finally flush with the upper edge of the sleeve 15, so that the tube 22 can be removed without content. The glue stick 14 is refilled and can be used again.

In an analogous manner, the other refill cartridges 1-le are to be inserted or pulled into the respective glue stick sleeve in such a way that they are then arranged flush with the front edge of the glue stick sleeve in the glue stick.

Claims

25 patent claims

1. A method for refilling a pen (14) which releases product by painting a surface, such as a deodorant, adhesive, lipstick, release agent, shaving soap or colored pencil, which optionally has a cap that can be closed and has at least one end opening Sleeve (15) with therein for dispensing a, preferably spreadable, product mass located in the sleeve (15), such as deodorant stick, glue stick, lipstick, release agent stick, shaving soap stick or colored stick material, along the length of the sleeve (15) be axially axial ¬ movable piston (5, 11, 19), characterized in that a molded body (2) adapted from the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass (23) to the internal volume free for receiving the respective product mass and the internal configuration of the sleeve (15) ) is inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve (15) from the opening at the end.

^" Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a tube (22) with a molded body (2) from the respective one, arranged therein and adapted to the internal volume that is free to accommodate the respective product mass and the internal configuration of the sleeve (15). preferably spreadable, product mass (23) placed on the sleeve (15) and the molded body (2) is inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve (15).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that first the piston (5, 11, 19) of the pin (14) is removed from the product-empty sleeve (15) and then a molded body (2) with a piston (5, 11, 19) at the end of the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass (23) with the piston side is pushed into the sleeve (15) and / or drawn in.

4. A method for refilling a pen (14), such as deodorant, adhesive, lipstick, release agent, shaving soap or colored pencil, which consists of a product and is composed of a sleeve (15) with a closed bottom (16). , in which, by means of a snap connection, a pin which can be rotated about its longitudinal axis is inserted, projecting over the entire longitudinal axis of the sleeve beyond one side of the snap connection as a threaded spindle (17) and beyond the other side of the snap connection outside the sleeve (15) as a manually operable knurled nut (18 ) and a piston (19), which secures against rotation in the sleeve (15) via the threaded spindle (17), which engages in a continuous threaded bore (21) of the piston, along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve to release one in the sleeve (15), preferably spreadable, product mass, such as deodorant stick, glue stick, lipstick, release agent stick, shaving soap stick or paint pin mass, is displaceable, and possibly a cover cap which can be pushed over the upper sleeve edge, characterized in that a molded body (2) from the respective, preferably spreadable, adapted to the internal volume which is free to accommodate the respective product mass and the internal configuration of the sleeve (15) , Product mass (23) with a bore formed concentrically to the longitudinal axis, preferably a bag - 27 -

bore (13), is inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve (15) from the opening at the end.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that a tube (22) arranged therein, to the internal volume free for receiving the respective product mass and the internal configuration of the sleeve adapted molded body (2) from the ^' respective, preferably spreadable, Product mass (23) with a bore which is concentric to the longitudinal axis, preferably a blind bore (13), is placed on the sleeve (15) and the molded body (2) is inserted and / or drawn into the sleeve (15).

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that first the piston (19) of the pin (14) from the product-empty sleeve (15) is removed and then a piston at the end (19) with threaded bore (21) having molded body (2) from the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass (23) with the piston side screwed onto the threaded spindle (17) and pulled in by actuating the knurled nut (18) of the piston (19) with the product mass (23) to the sleeve base (16) becomes.

7. The method according to claim 3 or 6, characterized in that the piston (5, 11, 19) at its upper edge (19a) detected by the tube (22) is inserted into the sleeve (15) and when pulling in the product mass ( 23) into the sleeve (15) the tube (22) from the piston (5, 11, 19) and from the molded body (2) is completely pushed off or pulled off and finally removed.

8. Process for the production of a refill cartridge (1, la, lb,. Lc, ld, le) for a pen (14), such as deodorant, adhesive, lip, separating agent, which is produced by painting a surface. , Shaving soap or colored pencil, which has a sleeve (15), which can be closed with a cap and has at least one opening at the end, with a product mass, such as deodorant stick, glue stick, lipstick, which is located in the sleeve (15) and is preferably spreadable -, Release agent pen, shaving soap pen or colored pencil compound, over the length of the sleeve (15) comprises axially movable piston (5, 11, 19), characterized in that the product compound (23) into a free one for receiving the respective product compound Shaped the internal volume and the inner configuration of the sleeve (15) in a shaped mold (6) and, after solidification as the predominant component of the refill cartridge (1, la, lb, lc, ld, le), preferably from molded bodies (2) spreadable product mass (23) is ejected from the mold (6).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that in the base of the casting mold (6) a desired threaded bore (10, 21) having piston (5, 11, 19) inserted in its center, if desired, and then the product mass (23 ) is poured into the piston (5, 11, 19) and the casting mold (6).

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that an extension for receiving a tube (22) is formed in the casting mold (6) and a tube (22) with its outer surface adjacent to the inner surface of the casting mold (6) before the casting of the product mass (23) the mold (6). is set.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that in the base of the casting mold (6) concentrically to the longitudinal axis at least over a portion of the casting mold (6) er¬ extending pin for receiving the threaded bore (10, 21) of Piston (11, 19) and / or to form a bore or blind bore (13) in the product mass (23).

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the pin (14) is a glue stick and the shaped body (2) consists of adhesive mass (23).

13. Refill cartridge (1, la, lb, lc, ld, le) for a pen (14), such as deodorant, adhesive, lipstick, separating agent, shaving soap or colored pencil, which is produced by painting a surface which, if desired, can be closed with a cap and has at least one opening at the end with a sleeve (15) therein for dispensing a preferably spreadable product mass, such as deodorant stick, glue stick, lipstick stick, located in the sleeve (15). Release agent stick, shaving soap stick or colored stick compound, comprising piston (5, 11, 19) which can be moved axially along the length of the sleeve (15), characterized in that - 30 -

that it essentially consists of a molded body (2) which is adapted to the internal volume which is free to hold the respective product mass and the inner configuration of the sleeve (15), and which consists of the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass (23).

14. Refill cartridge according to claim 13, characterized in that the shaped body (2) has at the end, if desired, a continuous threaded bore (10, 21) having pistons (5, 11, 19) in its center.

15. Refill cartridge according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the shaped body (2) concentrically to its longitudinal axis has a bore or blind bore (13).

16. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the shaped body (2) has on its outer periphery a longitudinal groove ^_".. Or notch (4).

17. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the shaped body (2) is arranged in a tube (22).

18. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 13 to 17 for a pin (14), which consists of the following parts: a sleeve (15) with a closed base (16), in which a pin rotatable about its longitudinal axis by means of a snap connection is let in about the entire sleeve longitudinal axis protruding beyond one side of the snap connection as a threaded spindle (17) and beyond the other side of the snap connection outside the sleeve (15) as a manually operable knurled nut (18), and a piston (19) which prevents rotation in the The sleeve (15) is secured over the threaded spindle (17) which engages in a continuous threaded bore (21) of the piston (19) and can be displaced along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, and optionally a cover cap which can be pushed over the upper edge of the sleeve, characterized by a for the the inclusion of the respective product mass free internal volume and the internal configuration of the sleeve (15) adapted molded body (2) from the respective, preferably spreadable, product mass (23) enveloping tube (22) with a length adapted to the free sleeve inner height of the pin (14), with an inner diameter adapted to the inner diameter of the sleeve (15) and a base which acts as a piston (19) for the pin (14) is formed, the upper piston rim (19a) being gripped by the tube (22).

19. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that the threaded bore (10, 21) is closed by a skin (24) which can be penetrated by means of the threaded spindle (17).

20. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that the threaded bore (10, 21) has a single or multi-start thread.

21. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 14 to 20, characterized in that the piston head has an inner cone (25) as an insertion aid for the spindle tip (17a).

22. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that the tube (22) at the piston (5, 10, 19) opposite end (22a) is closed.

23. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 17 to 22, characterized in that the tube (22) has an at most equally thick (thick) wall as the sleeve (15).

24. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 14 to 23, characterized in that the tube (22) and / or the piston (19) consist of paper cardboard or plastic.

-25. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 17 to 24, characterized in that the tube (22) or the tube inner jacket is slightly conical, the conical taper to the end opposite the piston (5, 11, 19) having a cone angle of at most 3 ° forms.

26. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 17 to 25, characterized in that the tube (22) is connected at one end to a sleeve (27) surrounding the piston (19) in a ring at a distance is, the inside diameter of which is such that the sleeve (27) can be pushed on over the upper sleeve outer and the. has an annular stop surface (27a) for the sleeve end face (15a).

27. Refill cartridge according to claim 26, characterized in that the free sleeve end terminates with the piston crown or slightly exceeds it.

28. Refill cartridge according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that the sleeve (27) and the tube (22) are integrally formed.

29. Refill cartridge according to claim 26, characterized in that the sleeve (27) and the tube (22) are connected to one another via a preferably annular latching or snap connection.

30. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 26 to 29, characterized in that the piston (19) is connected to the sleeve (27) via a plurality of webs (31) which, when the piston (19) is pulled in the direction of the sleeve base (16) tear off.

31. Refill cartridge according to claim 30, characterized in that the piston (19) and the sleeve (27) are designed as a one-piece injection molded part.

32. Refill cartridge according to one of claims 26 to 29, characterized in that the piston (19) and the sleeve (27) via detachable when pulling the piston (19) in the direction of the sleeve base (16) detent or snap connections are connected .

33. Refill cartridge according to one or more of claims 13 to 32, characterized in that the pin (14) is a glue stick and the shaped body (2) consists of spreadable adhesive composition.