WO2015090696A1

WO2015090696A1 - Closure for a container

Info

Publication number: WO2015090696A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/073055
Authority: WO
Inventors: Salvatore Fileccia
Original assignee: Henkel Ag & Co. Kgaa
Priority date: 2013-12-17
Filing date: 2014-10-28
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: EP3084088A1; KR20160100338A

Abstract

A closure (1) for fitting on a suitable opening (3) such as an opening (3) of a container (2), comprising an openable fluidic passage (6) for flow of washing and/or cleaning agents (4), optionally connected to a pipe (7) wherein if the fluidic passage (6) is closed, the closure (1) tightly seals the opening (3) not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents (4) to escape, and if the fluidic passage (6) is open, the closure (1) tightly seals the opening (3) not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents (4) to escape other than through the fluidic passage (6) wherein the closure (1) further comprises at least a first passage for gas (9) between then opening (3) and the outer environment (10), which passage for gas (9) is configured to allow the pressure (11) in the opening (3) and from the outer environment (10) to be compensated.

Description

Closure for a container

The invention concerns a closure for a suitable opening such as an opening of a container for liquids, specially liquids containing washing and/or cleaning agents. This invention also concerns a Rimblock device comprising a container with such closure.

Previous Art

Accurate dispensing of washing and/or cleaning agents is increasingly having a higher significance. Although the substances for domestic use are being produced in larger quantity, they are not necessarily getting cheaper. The cleaning agents are being increasingly engineered and tailored to satisfy the user needs, which translates into an overall higher efficiency and lower volumes of agent needed. Further, there is a need optimize and finally reduce the amounts of released substances into the environment, reducing the environmental impact. To achieve these goals, the washing and/or cleaning agents should be dispensed in the correct amount, position, and at the correct time.

Devices which deliver certain determined amounts of washing and/or cleaning agents are known, for example, in US201 1296598, US201 1302706.

US201 1296598 A1 discloses a rimblock device (WC freshener) which includes a dispenser, a container which can be coupled to the dispenser for storing the cleaning agent, and a release element for releasing the cleaning agent into the toilet bowl.

US201 1302705 A1 discloses a method for operating a rimblock device (WC rinser), in which a sensor unit detects the rinsing water flow and sends a signal to a controller which controls a dispensing element to deliver the cleaning agent from a container into the toilet bowl.

A disadvantage of the rimblock device disclosed in US201 1302705 is that the closure of the container has a seal, which inhibits the passage of mass, for instance inhibiting the pressure equalization.

Problem of the Invention

The problem of the invention is thus to provide a closure for a container, which, enables the pressure equalization while at the same time, avoiding any leakage of the product.

This problem is solved by providing a closure according to the features of claim 1 , and a container according to claims 8 and 9. The dependent claims describe advantageous further developments of the invention. The invention concerns a closure for fitting on a suitable opening, such as an opening of a container, the closure comprising an openable fluidic passage for liquids, which passage is suitable for flow of washing and/or cleaning agents, the passage being optionally connected to a pipe. If the fluidic passage is closed, the closure tightly seals the opening not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents to escape, and if the fluidic passage is open, the closure tightly seals the opening not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents to escape other than through the fluidic passage. The closure further comprises at least a first passage for gas between then opening and the outer environment, which passage for gas is configured to allow the pressure in the opening and from the outer environment to be compensated.

In one further development of the invention, the fluidic passage is configured to hold an external pipe which can be inserted into the fluidic passage. If a pipe is present, it is one further advantage of the invention to provide a fluidic connection between the pipe and the external pipe. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms "external pipe", and "pipe" without the qualifier "external", refer to different "pipes".

It is advantageous that the fluidic passage is at the centre of the closure.

In another advantageous development of the invention, the first passage for gas is off the centre of the closure. This is especially advantageous if the fluidic passage is at the centre of the closure.

Preferably, the fluidic passage is, if closed, closed by a pinch-to-open closure. The pinch-to-open closure, and thus the fluidic passage, is openable by inserting an opening means into the passage, for example a pin. In one advantageous further development of the invention, the opening means is part of an external pipe, such as a sharp corner of an external pipe.

Openable means it is closed but can be open. After it is open it is highly preferably that it cannot be "re-closed" to its original state after being open, thus having the additional tamper-proof function.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first passage for gas is a tube comprising a tightly fit porous element. The porous element is preferentially inserted by press-fitting. The tube is

preferentially made of an elastic deformable material. The tube preferentially has a cross section shape matching the cross section shape of porous element. It is preferred that one end of the tube has a smaller cross section, than the cross section of the porous element, and the other end of the tube has a larger cross section, than the cross section of the porous element. For a cylindrical tube of a circular geometry, the cross section is a circle.

In one embodiment of the invention, the tube is a conical section. For instance, if the porous element has a circular cross section with a certain diameter x, the tube would preferably be a conical section, in which one end has a diameter slightly smaller than x and the other end a diameter slightly larger than x. This allows the porous element to be easily inserted by press-fitting from the larger end.

The invention also provides for a container comprising a closure as described herein. ln a preferable development of the invention, the container is a tank for a rimblock device. Rimblock device within the meaning of this invention means a device which can be positioned at the rim of a toilet bowl such as to refresh and/or clean the interior of the toilet bowl. That includes, among others, devices which are positioned over the rim, under the rim, and over the rim having a nozzle positioned inside the toilet bowl.

Further elements of the invention will be described in details below.

The container can be any kind of container suitable for holding liquid. It has preferentially only one opening, such that when the fluidic passage is still closed, the liquid is completely sealed within the container. Preferentially, the container is made of a synthetic material, examples of synthetic material are: polypropylene, polyethylene, and their derivatives. It is further preferred that the container is transparent, such that it can be determined if the container still contains liquid or is empty, especially for rimblock devices.

The container defines an inner region and an outer environment. The outer environment is the region which is not enclosed by the container. When the container is at least partially filled, gas cannot be exchanged between within and out of the container through the fluidic passage because the passage is covered by liquid. Also if an external pipe is available, gas cannot be exchanged through the external pipe, because either the external pipe is filled with liquid or the liquid level is covering the end of the external pipe or, if available, its extension such as the pipe.

The closure can be for instance a cap or a bottle top. It closes the opening of a container, such as the pouring opening of a bottle such that no liquid of the container can escape or leak. The closure may be partially opened by opening the fluidic passage for liquids, in this manner controlled passage of fluid is allowed in and out of the container. At the same time, the uncontrolled passage of fluid out of the container opening, which does not use the fluidic passage for liquids, is still not possible. Thus the closure can completely close an opening of a container, when the fluidic passage is closed.

When the fluidic passage is open it may be optionally connected to a pipe. The closure is then able to form a tight connection between a container and a pipe connected to the fluidic passage, avoiding any leakage.

The closure is preferably made of plastic or any other comparable material.

The opening of the closure is, when closed, preferably closed by a thin membrane, which is strong enough to hold the liquid inside the container, but still can be easily broken by inserting an appropriate means to open the opening the closure. This breakable membrane can be made, for example, of thin rigid plastic material, which can be easily broken, or of a thin elastic membrane which ruptures after excessive elongation. The means to open the opening of the closure may be for instance, the end of the external pipe, cut in an angle different than 90 degrees to the direction of the pipe's length.

Pinching the tube's end into the membrane will open it. Another example is a pipe with thin and/or sharp walls. Such a membrane is also a pinch-to-open kind of closure.

If no pipe is used within the container, the opening of the closure can be closed by a small insert, which is hold in place by pressure from the elastic wall of the closure opening. To open it is necessary to pull the small insert towards the inside of the container. That can be done, for instance with the external tube as pinch-to-open insert. Such an insert is also a pinch-to-open kind of closure.

The at least a first passage for gas allows the exchange of gas between within the container and the outer environment, thus allowing the pressure difference to be compensated. At the same time, the passage for gas does not allow the passage of liquid. This function can be realized by means such as a membrane valve or a small opening in the container wall.

An extraordinarily preferred configuration of the passage for gas, to allow the pressure in the opening and from the outer environment to be compensated, is that the passage for gas is a tube, comprising a porous element, more preferably a tightly fit porous element.

It was found that with a porous element, especially with a tightly fit porous element, the passage for gas is even able to avoid leakage of liquid, and of any of washing agents and cleaning agents as comprised in the liquid, out of the container.

Tightly fit means that the fit does not allow the passage of liquid and further does not allow the passage of any of washing agents and of cleaning agents comprising in the liquid. It further means that the means which is tightly fit to another means is stably kept in place.

In a further development of the invention, the closure comprises at least a second passage for gas having the same characteristics as the first passage for gas. Preferably the at least first passage for gas and the at least second passage for gas are distributed at opposite sides of the fluidic passage. This reduces the risk that both passages are accidentally clogged at the same time. In case at least a further passage for gas is present, the first, second, and further passages for gas are preferably distributed around the fluidic passage at equal angles.

The invention will be described further with the following embodiments and figures. The figures show in:

Fig. 1 - a closure 1 for an opening 3 of a container in unattached form, and the fluidic passage 6 being closed; Fig. 2 - a closure 1 attached to the opening of a container, and the fluidic passage 6 being open;

Fig.3 - an embodiment of the closure 1 in which the passage for gas 9 is a tube 15 comprising a porous element 16.

The A-A cross section of an exemplary closure 1 is shown in Fig.1. The closure 1 fits on a suitable opening 3. The closure 1 comprises a closed fluidic passage for liquids 6 which is openable. The fluidic passage 6 allows the flow of liquids, especially liquids containing washing and/or cleaning agents 4. The fluidic passage 6 is optionally connected to a pipe 7 (see Fig .2). When the fluidic passage 6 is closed, such as shown in Fig. 1 , the closure is suitable to tightly seal the opening 3, not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents 4 to escape. The tightly fit can be accomplished by any known means, for example if the closure (1 ) has a circular base for a circular opening (3), by choosing its diameter such that it fits on the opening (3) only with application of pressure.

The fluidic passage 6 is preferably closed by a pinch-to-open closure 14. One example in Fig. 1 is a thin layer 14 which is preferably made as one piece with the closure wall, for example by injection moulding the closure 1 together with the pinch-to-open closure 14 as a single piece.

In another variant of the invention the pinch-to-open closure 14 is a stopper which closes the fluidic passage. For opening, the stopper is pushed away from the passage, for instance by an external pipe.

When the fluidic passage 6 is open, the closure 1 tightly seals the opening 3, not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents 4 to escape other than through the fluidic passage 6. Fig. 1 also shows a closure 1 comprising first passage for gas 9 and a further passage for gas 9. Two passages 9 are shown, but in certain embodiments, a single passage 9 is foreseen, and in further embodiments also more than two can be foreseen. The passages for gas 9 allow the transfer of gas (schematically represented by dotted line 18) between the opening 3 and the outer environment 10. The transfer 18 is preferably bi-directional. The passage for gas 9 is configured to allow the pressure in the opening 3 and from the outer environment 10 to be compensated, meaning that passage(s) 9 avoid pressure difference.

The closure 1 may have a groove 19 as depicted in Fig.1 , but it is only optional. The groove 19 is preferably available in the case in which the pinch-to-open closure 14 is a stopper which is then assembled into the fluidic passage 6 during assembly, and held in place by the wall 20. Another possible function of the groove 19 and wall 20 is to hold an external pipe, which can be tightly inserted into the fluidic passage and thus be hold in place by the elastic force from the wall 20.

Fig. 2 shows a closure 1 coupled to an opening 3 of a container. The closure 1 is similar to the closure depicted in Fig.1 , with the difference that the fluidic passage 6 is open. An external pipe 12 is shown connected into the fluidic passage and into fluidic connection with a pipe 7. In this configuration the fluidic passage 6 is already open. The closure 1 tightly seals the opening 3 not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents 4 to escape other than through the fluidic passage 6. Thus a fluidic connection is made between the container and the outer environment, which connection is leakage free while, at the same time, pressure compensation is enabled by the passage for gas 9.

Fig. 3 shows a closure 1 , in which the fluidic passage 6 is already open. The closure of Fig. 3 has four aspects which can be implemented in all aspects of the invention independently or in combination, namely:

(i) an elastic wall 20 for coupling with an external pipe (12);

(ii) an elastic wall 24 for coupling with a pipe (7);

(iii) a pair of elastic walls 22 and 23 for coupling with the container. While an elastic wall 22 would be sufficient in principle, it was found that a pair of walls 22 and 23 which tightly couples to the wall of the opening (3) of the container does provide a much stronger and tighter fit, and lower risk of leakage;

(iv) elastic walls 21 for coupling with the porous elements 16. The figure shows two identical air passages 9 displaced around the fluidic passage 6.

All walls 20, 24, 22, 23, 21 can at least be partially segmented but are preferably the wall of a cylinder. For instance, if the closure has a cylindrical shape (as in Fig. 1 ), the wall 22 is consequently also the external lateral wall of the closure 1.

Such an elastic wall is especially advantageous for all closures according to the invention involving a porous element. It was found that due to the elasticity of the wall the porous element can be fitted under application of force. The spring force of the elastic wall holds the porous element tightly in place. The application force can be such as to partially plastically deform the walls, better adapting to the shape of the porous element. The combination of plastic deformation and spring force of the elastic walls form a tight and leakage proof fit for the porous element. In an embodiment of the wall and porous element, the wall for the porous element forms a tube and the porous element is cylindrical, providing the best results regarding leakage protection. List of reference numerals

1 closure

2 container

3 opening

4 washing and/or cleaning agents

6 fluidic passage

7 pipe

8 gas

9 passage for gas

10 outer environment

12 external pipe

13 centre of the closure

14 pinch-to-open closure

15 tube

16 porous element

17 rimblock device

Claims

1. A closure (1 ) for fitting on a suitable opening (3), such as an opening (3) of a container (2), comprising an openable fluidic passage for liquid[s] (6) for flow of liquid comprising washing and/or cleaning agents (4), optionally connected to a pipe (7) wherein: if the fluidic passage (6) is closed, the closure (1 ) tightly seals the opening (3) not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents (4) to escape; and if the fluidic passage (6) is open, the closure (1 ) tightly seals the opening (3) not allowing washing and/or cleaning agents (4) to escape other than through the fluidic passage (6); characterized in that the closure (1 ) further comprises at least a first passage for gas (9) between then opening (3) and the outer environment (10), which passage for gas (9) is configured to allow the pressure (1 1 ) in the opening (3) and from the outer environment (10) to be compensated.

2. The closure (1 ) according to at least one of the previous claims, wherein the fluidic passage (6) is configured to hold an external pipe (12) which can be inserted into the fluidic passage (6), and optionally further connecting the pipe (7) to the external pipe (12).

3. The closure (1 ) according to at least one of the previous claims, wherein the fluidic passage (6) is at the centre of the closure (13).

4. The closure (1 ) according to at least one of the previous claims, wherein the first passage for gas (9) is off the centre of the closure (13).

5. The closure (1 ) according to at least one of the previous claims, wherein the first passage for gas (9) is a tube (15) comprising a tightly fit porous element (16), preferably inserted by press fitting.

6. The closure (1 ) according to at least one of the previous claims, wherein the tube (15) is conical section.

7. The closure (1 ) according to at least one of the previous claims, wherein the fluidic passage (6) is, if closed, closed by a pinch-to-open closure (14).

8. The closure (1 ) according to claim 7, wherein the fluidic passage (6) is, if closed, closed by a pinch- to-open thin layer (14), preferably wherein the thin layer (14) forms a single element with the closure's wall material.

9. The closure (1 ) according to claim 7, wherein the fluidic passage (6) is, if closed, closed by a pinch- to-open insert (14).

10. A container (2) comprising a closure (1 ) according to any of the previous claims.

1 1. The container (2) according to claim 8, wherein the container (2) is a tank for a rimblock device (17).