WO2004000672A1

WO2004000672A1 - Self-sealing container closure

Info

Publication number: WO2004000672A1
Application number: PCT/EP2003/006374
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wolfgang Heukamp
Original assignee: Rpc Wiko Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2002-06-20
Filing date: 2003-06-17
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: US20050139620A1; ATE332850T1; EP1513734B1; EA200401321A1; CN100430303C; EA005758B1; CN1662424A; EP1513734A1; DE50304238D1; DE20209615U1; ES2265113T3

Abstract

Container closures, for dispensing liquid to pasty products from flexible storage containers such as bottle or tubes, are known, which open independently for the discharge of the products on squeezing the storage container and then independently reseal as a result of the restoring force of the storage container. According to the invention, a complete ventilation of the storage container after finishing the discharge process and closing the container closure may be achieved whereby the container closure (1) is made from a housing (5) with an axially displaceable elastic annular disc (2) and a sealing stop (3) centrally arranged beneath the above, whereby stop ridges (6) are arranged in the housing (5) to limit the downward axial movement of the annular disc (2) and the upward axial movement of the sealing stop (3).

Description

Self-sealing container closure

The invention relates to a container closure for flexible storage containers containing liquid to pasty products, such as bottles or tubes, wherein the container closure opens automatically for the discharge of the products when the storage container is compressed and closes again automatically due to the restoring force of the storage container.

For dispensing liquid to pasty products, different devices are known for pressing the product out of a storage container through an application opening, which differ fundamentally with regard to the construction and the mode of operation.

A complex device is known from EP 0 048 420 B1, consisting of a hollow cylindrical storage container with a dispenser head with a dispenser pump, the product located in the storage container being pressed out of the storage container via the application opening by an external pressure directed downward on the dispenser pump.

Since, as a rule, the storage containers are no longer refilled after they are emptied, but are disposed of, this means that great value is placed on making the “disposable product dispenser” as inexpensive and simple as possible. Therefore, dispensers are known to be particularly simple Version in which the product is discharged by pressing the storage container together from an opening in the storage container, the opening of the storage container being directed downward depending on the intended use and viscosity of the product. A simple cap, a screw cap, is then used to open and close the opening or a dowel. Although the closures used in such storage containers generally function satisfactorily, there is a need for an improved closure, which has resulted in the development of a flexible self-sealing dispensing valve which is mounted above the container opening. When the storage container is compressed, this valve opens due to the increased internal pressure and the fluid product is discharged through the valve.

Such a closure of a storage container is described in DE 692 02 466 T2. It consists of a closure body which is closed with a lid and which is screwed onto the neck of a storage container, for example. A convex elastic valve with slots is located in the center of the closure body on a concave support member. When an external force acts on the storage container, the fluid product is pressed from below against the central section of the valve, causing it to bulge outwards. The fluid product can now escape to the outside through the opening slits. After the external pressure on the container has ended, the elasticity of the valve returns it to its normal, tension-free, sealing position.

A disadvantage of this known container closure, in addition to its complex and complicated construction with regard to its mode of operation, is that the vacuum remaining in the storage container when the external pressure is ended is only dissipated, if at all, unsatisfactorily.

Starting from this prior art, it is an object of the invention to design a container closure of the type mentioned with simple construction and manufacture such that, in addition to the automatic opening and closing, the storage container is also completely ventilated after the discharge process has ended. The stated object is achieved in a dispenser of the type mentioned at the outset with the characterizing features of claim 1 in that the container closure consists of a housing with a centrally arranged, axially movable elastic annular disc and an axially displaceable sealing pin arranged centrally underneath, the axial movement of the washer downwards is limited by several stop webs and the axial movement of the sealing pin upwards by at least one stop web.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Due to the arrangement according to the invention of an elastic washer on a sealing pin, a closable discharge opening is produced between these two sealing elements with simple means. During the discharge process, in which the product to be discharged is pressed against the elastic washer from below by pressure on the storage container, the latter is lifted outwards from the center of the sealing pin, thereby opening up a discharge gap between the ring disk and the sealing pin. After the discharge process has ended, the annular disc sits on the sealing pin as a result of the negative pressure now prevailing in the storage container and thus closes the storage container again. The elasticity of the sealing washer is adapted to the viscosity of the product to be discharged and to the restoring force of the storage container in order to ensure that the washer is completely reset.

The fact that, according to the invention, not only the sealing washer, but also the sealing pin is designed to be axially displaceable, not only the automatic opening and closing of the container closure is possible, but also the desired complete ventilation of the storage container after the discharge process has ended, the sealing pin being displaced by the in the storage housing prevailing negative pressure is shifted inwards and releases a ventilation gap between the washer and sealing pin. So there is an alternate axial displacement of the washer and sealing pin in opposite directions.

So that this alternate axial displacement is also possible, the stop webs limiting the axial displacement of the annular disk and the sealing pin are arranged between the annular disk and the annular projection of the sealing pin. They prevent the sealing spigot from being displaced in the same direction when the sealing washer is axially displaced while the product is being discharged, and the ring washer does not follow the inwardly displaced sealing spigot after the product has been discharged. Alternatively, it is also possible for a stop web to be guided centrally from above through the annular disc onto the sealing pin and to prevent its upward displacement during product discharge.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the sealing pin is mounted on a resilient element, through which the sealing pin is pressed from below against the stop webs and against the annular disc. The spring force of the spring element is dimensioned such that the restoring force of the storage container and the resulting negative pressure are sufficient to move the sealing pin inward against the spring force.

Various axially active springs can be used as spring elements, for example spiral springs or radially arranged leaf springs.

The interaction of the washer and sealing pin in connection with the stop bars enables the following positions: • Closed position: In this initial position, the storage tank is depressurized; the washer lies sealingly on the sealing pin and the stop Web on and the sealing pin is from below through the spring element against the stop webs.

• Austraqstellunq: Due to external force acting on the storage tank there is an overpressure; the washer is lifted from the sealing pin and the stop bars by the product pushing from below and the sealing pin continues to rest against the stop bars from below by the spring element; the material is discharged through the upward gap between the washer and the sealing pin.

• Ventilation position: due to the restoring force of the storage container, there is a negative pressure in it; Due to its elasticity, the annular disc rests on the stop webs, the sealing pin is moved downwards against the spring force of the spring element, the container is ventilated through the gap between the annular disc and the sealing pin, which may also result in product residues (drops ) are pulled back into the storage container, the closure remains clean. After the pressure has been equalized, the sealing pin returns to its original position.

Further advantages, features and properties of the invention are explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments illustrated in schematic drawing figures.

Show it:

1 shows a container closure in a vertical section in the starting position, FIG. 2 shows the container closure of FIG. 1 in the discharge position,

3 the container closure of FIG. 1 in the ventilation position,

Fig. 4 shows the container closure of Fig. 1, arranged in a possible

5 a spring element made of U-shaped leaf springs, 6 a spring element made of smooth leaf springs,

7 is a spring element made of radially angled leaf springs,

8 shows an alternative embodiment of a container closure, arranged in a possible dispenser head, in a top view,

9 the container closure of FIG. 8 in a vertical section,

Fig. 10 shows the container closure of Figure 9 in an enlarged partial section.

1, 2 and 3, a container closure 1 according to the invention is shown in different closing or opening positions caused by the internal pressure of the storage container. 1 to 3, the storage container itself is not shown.

The container closure 1 shown in FIG. 1 in the starting position, the closed position, consists of an outer annular housing 5 with stop webs 6 arranged radially at the upper end. From the inside - in the drawing from below - against this stop webs 6 by the central head 17 Spring element with a spiral spring 4 pressed a sealing pin 3, wherein an annular projection 9 at the lower end of the sealing pin 3 limits a possible, additional axial displacement to the outside - upwards in the drawing.

There is an elastic washer 2 on top of the stop webs 6 and on the sealing pin 3. The inner diameter of the washer 2 corresponds to the outer diameter of an annular groove 10 in the sealing pin 3, so that the washer 2 and the sealing pin 3 have a common upper surface and a sealing one Form closure.

In Figure 2, the container closure 1 of Fig. 1 is in the discharge position. Due to an increased internal pressure in the storage container, caused by the compression of the storage container, this was carried out Product pressed from below against the stop webs 6, the sealing pin 3 and the washer 2. Since the stop webs 6 firmly connected to the housing 5 and also the sealing pin 3 resting against the stop webs 6 cannot follow this product pressure, only the washer 2 bulges outwards. As a result, a discharge gap 7 is formed between the annular disc 2 and the sealing pin 3, through which the product leaves the container closure 1 to the outside in the direction of the arrow 11.

In FIG. 3, the container closure 1 of FIG. 1 is finally in the ventilation position after the discharge process has ended. The restoring force of the storage container created a negative pressure in the interior of the storage container, as a result of which the product was drawn back into the storage container through the discharge gap 7. Due to its elasticity, the annular disc 2 returned to its starting position in FIG. 1 and now lies flat again on the stop webs 6. Furthermore, the sealing pin 3 was pulled inwards against the spring force of the spiral spring 4 of the spring element due to the negative pressure. The ventilation gap 8 shown in FIG. 3, through which air flows into the storage container from outside in the direction of the arrow 12, thus resulted between the sealing pin 3 and the flat washer 2. After the pressure has been equalized, the spring element then presses the sealing pin 3 back into its starting position in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a possible arrangement of a container closure 1 according to the invention in the dispenser head 20 of a storage container. The dispenser head 20 consists of an outer annular housing 21 with a cover 23 that can be clipped on. At the upper end of the dispenser head 20 there is an inner ring 22 with a screw thread for attachment to a correspondingly dimensioned storage container. Within this inner ring 22 there is an annular inner chamber 24 into which the complete container closure 1 of FIG. 1 is inserted. The outer annular housing 21, the Inner ring 22 and the annular inner chamber 24 are made in one piece in the illustrated embodiment.

The spring element used to push up the sealing pin 3 in FIGS. 1 to 4 consists of an outer ring 16 with a spiral spring 4 arranged therein and a central head 17 which presses against the sealing pin 3 from below by the spiral spring 4. The upper end of the coil spring 4 is attached to the central head 17 and the lower end to the outer ring 16. The spring element consisting of the spring 4, the central head 17 and the outer ring 16 thus forms a constructional unit which is pushed into the housing 5 from below.

Further exemplary possibilities for forming a spring element that can be used in the container closure according to the invention are shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. These spring elements also consist of an outer ring 16 with a central head 17, with the central head 17 no longer being connected to the outer ring 16 by a spiral spring 4, but rather by leaf springs 18, 19, 25 guided radially inwards Central head, the leaf springs 18, 19, 25 are arranged so that they press it against the sealing pin 3 with a compressive stress from below after the installation of the spring element. Possible forms of formation are, for example, smooth leaf springs 18 (FIG. 6), U-shaped leaf springs bent downward (FIG. 5) or radially angled leaf springs 25 (FIG. 7).

An alternative embodiment of a container closure according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 8 to 10. FIGS. 8 and 9 show in a top view (FIG. 8) and in a vertical section (FIG. 9) a possible dispenser head 20 'with a housing 21 in which such an alternative container closure V is arranged. In contrast to the container closure 1, the annular disc 31 with the sealing pin 30 no longer form together with the sealing pin 30 in the form of a flat surface the upper end of the container closure V, where it could easily be damaged, but they are here at the lower end of an open top funnel-shaped dispenser opening 35 and thus protected within the upper part of the container closure 1 '. In the middle of this funnel-shaped dispenser opening 34 there is a mandrel-like stop web 33, which is fixedly connected to the housing 5 'via three support feet 34 and guided from above onto the sealing pin 30 and limits its axial displacement upwards. The sealing pin 30 is pressed from below with spring force by a spring element 4 against this mandrel-like stop web 33. The annular space remaining between the sealing pin 30 and the open funnel-shaped dispenser opening 35 is closed by an annular disk 31 which is clamped with its outer edge between the stop webs 32 from below and the annular wall 36 of the funnel-shaped dispenser opening 35 from above.

In FIG. 10, details of this container closure V are more clearly highlighted in an enlarged partial section of FIG. 9. In the same way as in the case of the container closure 1 (see FIGS. 1-4), in the container closure 1 'the ring disc 31 resting on the stop webs 32 and the sealing pin 30 is bulged outwards in the middle by the overpressure emanating from the storage container, as a result of which in the same way as in the case of the container closure 1, a discharge gap is formed between the sealing pin 30 and the annular disk 31, through which the material to be dispensed is discharged upwards. The sealing pin 30 can do this do not follow the axial displacement of the ring disk 31 upwards, since an axial displacement upwards is prevented by the mandrel-like stop web 33 which is connected to the housing 5 'in a fixed manner via the support feet 34.

In the ventilation position, in which the annular disk 31 is sucked back into its starting position by the negative pressure caused by the storage container, stop webs 32 arranged below the annular disk 31 prevent the annular disk 31 from being able to move axially downwards or to bulge inwards. For this purpose, the sealing pin 30 moves axially downward against the spring force of the spring element 4 and thus, just as with the container closure 1, opens a ventilation gap between the sealing pin 30 and the annular disc 31, so that the material still present in the funnel-shaped dispenser opening 35 is returned to the pressure compensation Storage container is sucked. In the pressureless closed position that follows after pressure equalization, the annular disk 31 then lies on the outside against the stop webs 32 and on the inside of the sealing pin 30, while the sealing pin 30 is pressed against the mandrel-like stop web 33 from below with the spring force of the spring element 4.

The container closure shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiments does not represent the sole design option for a container closure according to the invention. This can be varied within wide limits in terms of its dimensions depending on the product and the storage container adapted to it, without deviating from the concept of the invention with its formulated claims. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1 'container closure

2, 31 washer

3, 30 sealing pins

4 spring element with spiral spring

5, 5 'housing

6, 32 stop bars

7 discharge gap

8 ventilation gap

9 annular projection

10 annular groove

11 discharge route

12 ventilation path

16 outer ring

17 central head

18 smooth leaf spring

19 u-shaped leaf spring

20, 20 'dispenser head

21 housing

22 inner ring

23 cover

24 inner chamber

25 radially angled leaf spring

33 thorn-like stop bar

34 support feet

35 dispenser opening

36 annular wall

Claims

Expectations

1. Container closure (1, 1 ') for flexible storage containers containing liquid to pasty products, such as bottles or tubes, whereby the container closure (1, 1') opens automatically like a valve when the storage container is compressed to discharge the products and due to the restoring force of the storage container automatically closes again, characterized in that the container closure (1, 1 ') consists of a housing (5, 5') with a centrally arranged axially movable elastic washer (2, 31) and an axially displaceable sealing pin (3, 30), the axial movement of the annular disc (2, 31) downwards being limited by a plurality of stop webs (6, 32) and the axial movement of the sealing pin (3, 30) upwards by at least one stop web (6, 33).

2. Container closure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop webs (6) between the annular disc (2) and the annular projection (9) of the sealing pin (3) are arranged.

3. Container closure (1 ') according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop web (33) is guided centrally from above through the annular disc (31) on the sealing pin (30).

4. Container closure (1, 1 ') according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that for possible ventilation of the storage container (20, 20') of the sealing pin (3, 30) on a resilient element (4, 18, 19, 25) is mounted and the sealing pin (3, 30) is pressed by this resilient element (4, 18, 19, 25) from below against the stop webs (6, 33) and against the washer (2, 31).

5. Container closure (1, 1 ') according to claim 4, characterized in that the spring element (4) is a spiral spring.

6. Container closure (1, 1 ') according to claim 4, characterized in that the spring element is formed from smooth (18) or U-shaped curved (19) radially arranged leaf springs.

7. container closure (1, 1 ') according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the annular disc (2, 31) and the sealing pin (3, 30) in cooperation with the stop webs (6, 32, 33) are arranged so that the following positions are possible:

• closed position with pressureless storage tank; the washer (2, 31) lies sealingly on the sealing pin (3, 30) and the stop bars (6, 32) and the sealing pin (3, 30) lies against the stop bars (6, 33) from below.

• discharge position with overpressure in the storage tank; the annular disc (2, 31) is lifted off the sealing pin (3, 30) and the stop bars (6, 32) and the sealing pin (3, 30) continues to rest against the stop bars (6, 33) from below; the material is discharged through the discharge gap (7) between the ring disc (2, 31) and the sealing pin (3, 30).

• ventilation position with negative pressure in the storage tank; the washer (2, 31) rests on the stop webs (6, 32), the sealing pin (3, 30) is moved downwards against the spring force of the spring element (4, 18, 19, 25), the storage tank is ventilated due to the ventilation gap (8) between the washer (2, 31) and the sealing pin (3, 30).

8. container closure (1, 1 ') according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the elasticity of the annular disc (2, 31) and the spring force of the spring element (4, 18, 19, 25) to the viscosity of the auszutra- constricting the product and is adapted to the elasticity or the restoring force of the storage container _¬.