WO2003004841A1

WO2003004841A1 - Sealing cover with an anti-unscrew safety device

Info

Publication number: WO2003004841A1
Application number: PCT/EP2002/007033
Authority: WO
Inventors: Heinrich Reutter
Original assignee: Heinrich Reutter
Priority date: 2001-07-05
Filing date: 2002-06-26
Publication date: 2003-01-16
Also published as: EP1402157B1; EP1402157A1; US20040099668A1; DE10132661A1; DE50208903D1

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing cover (11) for openings radiators in vehicles. Said cover comprises an outer part (10) which is provided with a sealing element (13) which can be connected to a container pipe, and a grip element (12) which is rotationally maintained in relation thereto, and a rotational-prevention device which comprises a coupling insert (80) which is rotationally fixed with the handling element (12) and which can be axially engaged or disengaged in the sealing element (13) for detachably rotationally fixing the sealing and the grip element. The aim of the invention is to produce a sealing cover which can only be unscrewed by a specialist and not an amateur when the anti-unscrew safety device is activated. As a result, an axial displacement of the grip element (12) is possible in at least a central area in relation to the sealing element (13) when the coupling insert (80) is disengaged and the grip element (13) is simultaneously rotated, a rotating sealing connection (95) in an axially sealing and radially active manner occurring on a peripheral area.

Description

Title: Sealing cap with unscrew protection

description

The present invention relates to a closure lid for openings on containers, in particular on motor vehicle radiators, according to the preamble of claim 1.

The particular advantage of such sealing caps is that the sealing cap cannot be unscrewed from the motor vehicle radiator if there is overpressure in the cooling system due to heating of the cooling liquid. This protects the users of motor vehicles from scalding due to hot coolant. Since the cover can therefore only be unscrewed when the

Motor vehicle cooler is essentially depressurized, there is a problem in that this also applies to the workshop or the motor vehicle service. In other words, the motor vehicle must be left in the workshop for a correspondingly long time or the motor vehicle radiator must be artificially cooled in some way. This is time consuming or cumbersome.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a closure cover of the type mentioned, which is prepared in such a way that, when the unscrew protection is switched on, it is not by the amateur user but nevertheless by the service or. Workshop specialist can be unscrewed in a conscious manner.

To achieve this object, the features specified in claim 1 are provided in a closure cover of the type mentioned.

The measures according to the invention are based on Combination of movement requirements or sequences a way of overcoming the anti-rotation protection achieved by a specialist. This special position for bypassing the unscrewing protection is unconsciously not attainable by the layperson.

An advantageous constructive embodiment results from the features according to claim 2. In this way there is a direct rotational connection between the handle element and the closure element. In order to make the possibility of bypassing the anti-rotation device more conscious or more difficult, the features according to claim 3 are provided. This means that an opening movement of the closure element is only possible if the axial pressure on the grip element is deliberately maintained and this axial pressure is maintained sufficiently.

The axial mobility of the grip element relative to the closure element can be made possible, for example, by an elasticity of the central region of the grip element relative to its peripheral edge. In an advantageous embodiment, however, the features are provided according to claim 4, which offers the possibility of an axial movement relative to the closure element in a rigid handle element.

In order to achieve an increase in the positive or non-positive connection in the opening movement overcoming the locking mechanism, the features according to claim 5 are provided. In other words, the twist-lock connection is not based solely on the direct connection of the grip element and the closure element, but is increased and guaranteed by the indirect twist-lock connection via the coupling insert.

The features according to one or more of claims 6 to 8 are expediently provided. Another An advantageous embodiment of the coupling insert, the anti-rotation of which is possible as a direct function of and in time from the conditions prevailing in the interior of the container, results from the features according to claim 9. According to the features of claim 10, the coupling insert is actuated by the valve body in a direct manner.

Further advantageous constructive configurations of the coupling insert result from the features of one or more of claims 11 to 13.

Further details of the invention can be found in the following description, in which the invention is described and explained in more detail with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawing. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic, perspective, half-section of a closure cover for a motor vehicle radiator with an overpressure / underpressure valve arrangement and an anti-rotation device in the respectively closed or non-activated starting position according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention,

2 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 1, but during the build-up of an overpressure in the interior of the container in an overpressure position of the valve arrangement and when the anti-rotation lock is activated,

3 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 2, but with the anti-rotation lock deactivated by deliberate circumvention, and

Figure 4 is an axial section in an enlarged view by the auxiliary rotary connection according to FIG. 3.

The cover 11 shown in the drawing according to a preferred exemplary embodiment for a motor vehicle radiator, for example, has an outer cover part 10 provided with a grip element or an actuating handle 12, on the closure element 13 of which is designed as a screw-on element, an inner cover part 14 with an underpressure / overpressure valve arrangement 15 hanging and is held relatively rotatable. In the position of use, the closure cover 11 is fixed, for example screwed on, to a radiator neck, not shown. The inner cover part 14 protrudes in the direction of the interior of the radiator into the radiator neck. An O-ring 16 seals the inner cover part 14 against the radiator socket wall. In the two-part outer cover part 10, the cap-like actuating handle 12 is fixed on the screw-on element 13 such that it can be moved axially by a few millimeters, but can be rotated in the circumferential direction by 360 °. This rotatability is blocked at normal pressure in the interior of the cooler by an axially movable coupling insert 80 for screwing the cap 11 on and off.

The overpressure part of the valve arrangement 15 is designed in two stages and serves to prevent the cooler from boiling dry in a first overpressure stage and to ensure security against damage to the cooler system due to excessive overpressure in a second overpressure stage. The overpressure part of the valve arrangement 15 has a first valve body 17 and a second valve body 18 and a third valve body 19 in the interior of the cover inner part 14. The first valve body 17 is arranged above the second valve body 18 in the direction of the outside of the cover, while the third valve body 19 coaxially inside of the second valve body 18 is received. The first two-part valve body 17 has a radially inner valve body part 65 in the form of a valve disk and a radially outer valve body part 66 which overlap one another at the edge, the radially inner part being seated on the radially outer valve body part. On the side of the two valve body parts 65, 66 facing the interior of the cooler, an annular membrane seal 21 is provided with sealing surfaces facing axially inwards. The radially outer step-shaped valve body part 66 of the first valve body 17 is acted upon from a side facing away from the inside of the cooler by a closing pressure spring 22 which is supported with its end facing away from the first valve body 17 on a spring plate 23 which in turn is supported on the inner cover part 14. The radially outer valve body part 66 of the first valve body 17 is prestressed in the direction of the cooler interior by means of the closing pressure spring 22. Via the radially outer flat sealing edge 68 of the membrane seal 21, the radially outer valve body part 66 sits on a first annular sealing seat 24 of the second valve body 18. The radially inner valve body part 65 of the first valve body 17 has a central recess 37, the annular boundary edge of which extends from the inner part of the valve body Diaphragm seal 21 is encompassed. This radially inner U-shaped sealing edge 67 of the membrane seal 21 forms a sealing surface for a vacuum valve 57 towards the inside of the container. The radially inner valve body part lies on the outside edge

65 on the inner edge of the radially outer valve body part

66 of the first valve body 17. The radially inner valve body part 65 is guided axially within the spring plate 23 and connected to it in a rotationally fixed manner via, for example.

The radially inner valve body 65 has a stepped annular surface 69 near its radial outer edge, on which a cylinder part 82 of the coupling insert, which is rotatable relative to the valve body 65, carries an intermediate disk 85 80 sits under the action of a compression spring 81, which is supported on the inside of the grip element 12 of the outer cover part 13 on the intermediate plate 85. Both the intermediate plate 85 and the inside of the grip element 12 are provided with a cylindrical guide projection for the compression spring 81. The lower ring end, which sits on the valve body 65, faces away and near its upper end, the cylinder part 82 of the coupling insert 80 has a first toothing 86 on the outer circumference side of a rotary connection 90 between the grip element 12 and the closure element 13. A second toothing 87 of the rotary connection 90 is on A cylinder shoulder 91 projecting axially from the inside of the grip element 12 on the inner circumference side and a third toothing 88 of the rotary connection 90 is provided on the inner circumference of a radial ring edge 92 which is integral with the closure element 13. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the axial length of the first toothing 86 of the rotational connection 90 on the coupling insert 80 is such that in the starting position shown in FIG. 1, a rotational connection of the first toothing 86 on the coupling insert 80 with both the second toothing 87 on the grip element 12 and is also present with the third toothing 88 on the closure element 13. In other words, in this initial or normal pressure position there is a rotationally fixed connection via the coupling insert 80 by interlocking the axially directed teeth between the grip element 12 and the closure element 10 of the outer cover part 13, so that the closure cover 11 is screwed onto the filler neck of a container, not shown and can be unscrewed from it.

The grip element 12 covers the closure element 13 in a hood-like manner, wherein in each case near the lower edge the grip element 12 has a circumferential groove 71 running on the inside and the closure element 13 has a circumferential nose on the outside 72 which engages in the circumferential groove 71 and permits circumferential rotation of the grip element 12 with respect to the closure element 13 when the coupling insert 80 is disengaged accordingly, as will be described below. The axial width of the circumferential groove 71 is greater than that of the circumferential nose 72 in such a way that, as can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 3, the grip element 12 is pressed axially downwards from this position relative to the closure element 13, ie in the direction of the container neck can.

The grip element 12 is kept at a distance from the closure element 13 by means of a wave-shaped spring ring 73. The just described axial movement of the grip element 12 with respect to the closure element 13 towards the container neck runs counter to the action of the spring ring 73. Between the grip element 12 and the closure element 13 there is also an annular seal 74 which prevents the passage of hot water or steam from the interior opening valve assembly 15 prevented. The spring ring 73 and the sealing ring 74 are arranged on the inside of the grip element 12 in an annular space 75 which is delimited by the radially inner cylinder extension 91 and a radially outer cylinder extension 76 of the grip element 12. In the initial state shown in FIG. 1, both the free end 93 of the radially inner cylinder extension 91 and the free end 77 of the radially outer cylinder extension 76 are at a distance from the top of the ring edge 92 of the closure element 13.

Between the handle element 12 and the closure element 13 is an emergency or to bypass the disengaged rotary connection. Service rotary connection 95 is provided, which only acts when certain unique circumferential areas of the grip element 12 and the closure element 13 are brought into register with one another and when that Handle element 12 is moved axially against the action of the spring ring 73 and against the internal pressure of the container to the closure element 13. For this purpose, an axially projecting closure lug 78 is provided on the free end 77 of the radially outer cylindrical extension 76 of the grip element 12 at a circumferential location and a closure recess 97 that fits into one another at a circumference location of the ring edge 92 of the closure element 13. The locking lug 78 and the locking recess 97 only interlock when the grip element 12 is moved by the axial length of the locking lug 78, which otherwise slides along the surface of the ring edge 92 of the locking element 13. The locking lug 78 and the locking recess 97 each have an inclined surface 79 or 99 (FIG. 4) in the direction of the opening movement, the angle of which is such that a

Rotary connection is possible, but only if the locking lug 78 is completely immersed in the locking recess 97 while maintaining the axial locking pressure.

The one-piece second valve body 18 has a hood part 26, which is provided on its free face with the first sealing seat 24, and a concentric and hollow-cylindrical receiving part 27 for the third valve body 19 pointing from the bottom of the hood part 26 to the interior of the cooler Circumferential groove received a second ring seal in the form of an O-ring 31, which is assigned a second sealing seat 32, which is formed by a collar edge on the inner cover part 14. In the lower area, the inner cover part 14 is provided with an axial opening 33. The closing pressure spring 22 presses the radially outer valve body part 66 of the first valve body 17 with the sealing edge 68 of the first ring seal 21 against the first sealing seat 24 of the second valve body 18, which in turn is pressed with its second ring seal 31 against the second sealing seat 32 on the inner cover part 14 , Between the bottom of the first ring seal 21 of the first valve body 17 and the top of the second valve body 18 there is a cylindrical chamber 34, the outer circumference of which is constant in the axial direction. The chamber 34 is connected in the center via a bore 36 in the base to a recess 38 in the second valve body 18. The recess 37 opens out at a cone region arranged at the free end of the receiving part 27 into the axial opening 33 of the inner cover part 14. Between the bore 36 and the recess 38, the second valve body 18 has a shoulder pointing towards the interior of the cooler, on which a third flat annular seal 39 is held is.

The third valve body 19 is received in the recess 38 of the second valve body 18 so as to be axially movable. It has a small-diameter neck area that is movable in the bore 36 and within the third ring seal 39, a shoulder area that forms a third sealing seat 43 in association with the third ring seal 39 on the second valve body 18, and also a cylindrical belly area. A second compression spring 46 is provided within the recess 38 and is supported at one end on the underside of the third ring seal 39 of the second valve body 18 and at the other end on a shoulder of the third valve body 19. The third valve body 19 is biased in the direction of the interior of the cooler by the second compression spring 46. Between the belly area of the third valve body 19 and the inner circumference of the recess 38 of the second valve body 18 there is an annular gap of very small width which, like the bore 36 and the chamber 34, is part of a first flow connection 50 between the inside of the cover and the outside of the cover. A second flow connection 51 leads past the outer circumference of the second valve body 18. In the center of the radially inner valve body part 65 of the first valve body 17 there is the opening which, on the side facing the interior of the cooler, through the

Vacuum valve body 57 of the valve assembly 15 is closed. The vacuum valve body 57 projects with its main part through the central opening and is acted upon by a third compression spring 59, which is supported at one end on a shoulder of the main part and at the other end on the surface of the radially inner valve body part 65 on the outside of the cover. In this way, the vacuum valve body 57 with its annular sealing seat 61 is sealingly applied to the underside of the radially inner sealing edge 67 of the first ring seal 21 of the first valve body 17. The sealing seat 61 of the vacuum valve body 57 is located radially on the inside of the first sealing seat 24 of the second valve body 18, while the latter is located radially on the outside against the second sealing seat 32 of the inner cover part 14 and the latter in turn radially on the outside of the third sealing seat 43 on the third valve body 19. All sealing seats 24, 32, 43, 61 point axially outwards, while all sealing surfaces 21, 31, 39 point axially inwards.

In the initial operating position shown in FIG. 1, in which a first limit value of the internal container pressure has not yet been exceeded, the first flow connection 50 is through the sealing contact of the first valve body 17 with its first ring or membrane seal 21 on the first sealing seat 24 of the second valve body 18 locked. In other words, in the chamber 34 and thus on the underside of the first ring seal 21 of the first valve body 17, the pressure prevailing in the interior of the container in the form of the air cushion located above the liquid coolant is present through the annular gap. The second flow connection 51 along the outer circumference of the second valve body 18 is due to the sealing contact of the second seal 31 of the second valve body 18 on the second sealing seat 32 of the inner lid part 14 closed.

If the internal pressure of the container rises to a certain amount, which is above normal or ambient pressure, but below a first limit value of the internal pressure of the container, the unscrewing protection of the closure cover 11 is activated. According to FIG. 2, the radially inner valve body part 65 of the first valve body 17 is moved upwards, the second valve body 18 remaining in its sealing position. In addition, the radially outer valve body part 66 of the first valve body 17 remains in its sealing position with respect to the second valve body 18. The membrane ring seal 21 allows this relative movement between the radially inner valve body part 65 and the radially outer valve body part 66 due to its meandering shape between its two sealing edges 67 and 68. With the movement of the radially inner valve body part 65 in the direction of arrow A outward, the seated clutch insert 80 is moved counter to the action of the compression spring 81 and with its first toothing 86 is moved away from the third toothing 88 on the closure element 13, the toothings 86 and 88 except Intervention. This axial movement ends when the radially inner valve body part 65 strikes with its upper face against a stop 28 of the spring plate 23 (FIG. 2). A gap remains between the upper end of the cylinder part 82 and the inside of the grip element 12, so that the cylinder part 82 in the valve body part 65 remains easily rotatable. Due to this disengaging movement of the coupling element 80 from the closure element 13 of the outer cover part 10, the handle element 12 is turned empty relative to the closure element 10, so that from a certain defined excess pressure (here, for example, 0.3 bar), the closure cover 11 is unscrewed from the container filler neck is no longer possible. This rotation lock remains even if the Tank pressure.

If, in this disengaged position of the coupling insert 80, the cap 11 is to be unscrewable from the container neck by a specialist entrusted with it, the second or service rotary connection 95 is activated. This is done in such a way that under axial pressure in the direction of arrow S on the grip element 12 in the direction of the closure element 13, the grip element 12 is rotated in one or the other circumferential direction until the locking lug 78 of the grip element 12 via the closure recess 97 reaches the closure element 13 and the grip element 12 can be moved in the direction of the arrow S by the length of the closure lug 96. While maintaining this axial pressure in the direction of arrow S on the handle member 12 can in the direction of the opening movement, ie. H. in the counterclockwise direction due to the rotation, the closure element 13 is moved and the closure cover 11 is thus unscrewed.

When the grip element 12 moves axially in the direction of the arrow S by the length of the locking lug 78, the coupling insert 80, the upper end 84 of which rests against the inside of the grip element 12, is also moved axially in the direction of the arrow S, so that the first toothing 86 of the coupling insert 80 engages in the third toothing 88 by the path corresponding to the length of the locking lug 78. This causes an increase in the rotational connection between the grip element 12 and the closure element 13. The first to third teeth 86 to 88 are provided on the outer and inner circumferential side with axially directed and circumferential toothing, which is not shown in detail here. In the exemplary embodiment, the mutually facing end faces of the toothings 86 and 88 are provided with inclined surfaces in the direction 0 of the opening movement, similar to the configuration in FIG. 4, so that a rotational connection is also achieved here. if the grip element 12 is moved axially by the stated distance and the pressure in the direction of the arrow S is maintained.

Claims

claims

1.Closure cover (11) for openings on containers, in particular on motor vehicle radiators, with an outer cover part (10) which has a closure element (13) which can be connected to a container neck and a grip element (12) which can be rotated relative to it, with an anti-rotation device which one in the grip element

(12) non-rotatably and in the closure element

(13) axially engaging and disengaging coupling insert (80) is provided for the releasable, rotationally fixed connection of the locking and grip element, and with a valve body (17) which can be moved axially back and forth (15) for releasing and blocking flow connections between Inside and outside of the container as a function of predetermined values of the inside pressure of the container, characterized by an axial mobility of the grip element (12) at least in its central area relative to the closure element (13) when the grip element (13) is rotated at the same time with the clutch insert (80) disengaged. an axially engaging and radially acting rotary connection (95) is made possible at a peripheral region.

2. Closure cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the grip element (12) has an inward-facing axial ring shoulder (76) which has a nose (78) projecting from a circumferential area on the end face and that the closure element (13) has a circumferential area radial ring has an axial recess (97) in which the nose (78) can engage.

3. Cap according to claim 2, characterized characterized in that the locking lug (78) and the axial locking recess (97) have inclined surfaces (79, 99) lying against one another in the direction of the opening movement.

4. Cap according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the handle element (12) by an axially acting compression spring (73) from

Closure element (13) is kept at a distance and the grip element (12) is held axially in the direction of the action of the compression spring (73) on the pressure element (13).

5. Closure cover according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axial movement of the grip element (12) relative to the closure element (13) is accompanied by an engagement movement of the disengaged clutch insert (80).

6. Closure cover according to claim 5, characterized in that the disengaged clutch insert (80) abuts a stationary stop (28) radially within the rotary connection.

7. Cover according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the coupling insert (80) can only be engaged over an axial portion.

8. Closure cover according to at least one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the axially interlocking or juxtaposed elements of the coupling insert are provided at their mutually facing ends with inclined surfaces acting in the direction of the opening movement when the coupling insert (80) engages.

9. Cap according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axial disengagement and engagement movement of the

Coupling insert (80) is derived from the pressure-dependent axial movement of the valve body (17) of the valve arrangement (15).

10. Cap according to claim 9, characterized in that the coupling insert (80) sits on the valve body (17).

11. Closure cover according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling insert (80) is provided on the outer circumference side and the closure element (13) on the inner circumference side with an axially extending toothing (86, 88).

12. Closure cover according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling element (80) is acted upon by a compression spring (81) which is supported on the inside of the handle element (12).

13. Closure cover according to claim 12, characterized in that the compression spring (81) is arranged radially inside the coupling element (82) of the coupling insert (80) and the closure element (13).