WO2016119799A1

WO2016119799A1 - Can closure, in particular for a milk can

Info

Publication number: WO2016119799A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/002005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rolf Zöller
Original assignee: Euro-Cap Gmbh
Priority date: 2015-01-26
Filing date: 2015-10-12
Publication date: 2016-08-04
Also published as: EP3250463A1; EP3250463B1; ES2856048T3; DE102015000914B3

Abstract

The invention relates to a can closure (1) for inserting into a can lid (2) of a can, in particular a milk can which is heated when sterilizing the can contents, comprising a pour opening (10) for pouring a liquid out of the can and a tamper-proof element (12) which seals the pour opening (10) in the original state and which can be broken open in order to release the pour opening (10) for pouring purposes. The invention additionally relates to a pressure partition (14) which seals the pour opening (10) on the inner face of the tamper-proof element (12) and thereby keeps the internal can pressure away from the tamper-proof element (12). The pressure partition (14) can be broken open in order to release the pour opening (10) for pouring purposes.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Can closure, especially for a milk can

The invention relates to a can closure, in particular for a milk can. Furthermore, the invention relates to a can lid with such a can closure and a can with such a can closure or a corresponding can lid.

From DE 10 2013 003 154 B3, such a can closure is known, which can be inserted into an opening in a metal can lid of a beverage can (eg a milk can). This known can closure has a closure outer part and a closure inner part, both of which are inserted in the assembled state in an opening in the can lid and are connected to each other, for example by a welded joint or an adhesive bond.

The closure outer part here consists of a closure bottom part and a closure top, wherein the closure bottom part is connected to the closure inner part, for example by a welded connection or an adhesive connection, as already mentioned above.

The closure top, however, is connected by a film hinge with the closure bottom and can be pivoted from a delivery position to a use position. In the delivery position, the closure top is pivoted away from the closure bottom and then lies flat on the can lid. In the use position, however, the closure top is on the closure bottom pivoted and then rests on the closure bottom, wherein a pouring opening extends through the closure inner part and through the closure base and the closure top.

On the closure top, a closure lid is also pivotally mounted by means of a further film hinge to open or close the pouring opening. Finally, there is a tamper-evident element in the known can closure, wherein the consumer can recognize on the basis of the state of the tamper-evident element whether the can is still in the original state or has already been opened. This tamper-evident element is broken out of the pouring opening when the closure top is pivoted onto the closure bottom. Namely, a projection on the underside of the closure top pushes on the tamper-evident element and breaks it out of the pouring opening.

The problem with this known can closure is the use z. Example, in a can, which is subjected to the filling of a pasteurization or sterilization, wherein the can content is heated, resulting in a corresponding increase in pressure in the can. In practice, the resulting internal pressure of the can can lead to an unwanted breaking out of the tamper-evident element, since the tamper-evident element does not withstand the resulting internal pressure of the can.

WO 2008/054 636 A2 shows a can closure with a solid closure part, which forms a kind of pressure bulkhead. However, there is no breakable, the pouring opening closing tamper evident element described. The invention is therefore based on the object to improve the known dose closure described above accordingly.

This object is achieved by a can closure according to the invention according to claim 1, by a corresponding can lid according to claim 14 or by a corresponding box according to claim 15.

The can closure according to the invention initially has, in accordance with the known dose closure described above, a pouring opening, through which liquid can be poured out of the can.

In addition, the invention can closure in accordance with the ^■ described known can closure a tamper-evident element which closes the pouring opening in its original condition and Ausgie- can be broken SEN to release the pouring. Based on the condition of the original safety element, the consumer can thus determine whether the can is in its original locked state or whether the can has already been opened in the meantime.

The can closure according to the invention is now characterized by an additional pressure bulkhead, which closes the pouring opening on the inside of the tamper-evident element and thereby keeps the can internal pressure away from the originality assurance element, whereby the pressure bulkhead can be broken open for pouring in order to release the pouring opening. In the case of the can closure according to the invention, the pouring opening is thus closed by two separate components, namely on the one hand by the known per se ginalitätssicherungselement and on the other by the pressure bulkhead. The pressure bulkhead in this case only has the task of keeping the inside pressure of the can of the tamper-evident element, so that the tamper-evident element is not broken out at a high dose pressure inside the can. This is particularly useful when the can is subjected to a pasteurization or sterilization after filling and mounting the can closure according to the invention, since the high temperatures occurring lead to a correspondingly high dose internal pressure, the tamper-evident element could be broken out by the high dose internal pressure ,

Therefore, the pressure bulkhead preferably has a much greater compressive strength against the internal pressure of the can than the tamper-evident element. For example, the pressure bulkhead may have a compressive strength of up to 2 bar, 3 bar, 4 bar, 5 bar, 6 bar or even 7 bar compared to the internal pressure of the can.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pressure bulkhead is substantially disk-shaped and is inserted in the original state in the pouring opening, for example, in the closure inner part or in the closing part of the closing closure closure part, if the can closure according to the invention is constructed in this way.

In addition, the pressure bulkhead preferably has a sealing lip which runs annularly around the peripheral edge of the sealing bulkhead and projects outwards from the pressure bulkhead to the outside of the can and seals against a circumferential sealing surface on the inside wall of the pouring opening. The sealing lip of the pressure bulkhead thus leads to a good sealing effect. Preferably, the pressure bulkhead is designed so that the

Sealing effect between the sealing lip of the pressure bulkhead ^{¬ on the one} hand and the sealing surface of the can closure on the other hand, with increasing inside dose pressure is better. This can be achieved that the discs ^¬ shaped can closure bulges under a pressure loading by the pressure inside the can to the outside, said protrusion resulting in that the projecting sealing lip with its free end circumferential axially and radially outward against the sealing ^¬ at ^¬ playing characterized surface is pressed. The contact pressure of the sealing lip on the sealing surface in this case therefore increases with the inside pressure of the can, so that the sealing effect improves with increasing internal pressure of the can.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the printing scrap on a stiffening rib, which is preferably mounted on the outside of the pressure bulkhead and rotates in an annular manner.

It has already been mentioned at the beginning of the known can closure that a projection can be located on the underside of the pivotable closure upper part in order to break the tamper-evident element when folding the can closure. When pivoting the closure shell on the closure bottom of this projection so presses on the tamper-evident element and breaks it out of the pouring. Preferably, this projection is adapted in its shape and position to the stiffening rib in the pressure bulkhead. In the folded state, the stiffening rib in the pressure bulkhead on the one hand and the projection on the underside of the closure top are thus preferably in cover one above the other. The closure upper part therefore preferably has at least one on its underside Projection on which protrudes downwards and facilitates the breaking out of the tamper-evident element and the sealing element, this projection is preferably also substantially annular, but may also have any other geometric shape.

Otherwise, the can closure according to the invention is preferably of similar construction to the known can closure described in the introduction according to DE 10 2013 003 154 B3. The inventive can closure therefore preferably has a closure inner part and an outer closure part, wherein the closure outer part comprises a closure lower part and a closure upper part which can be pivoted thereto. In this case, a can lid is preferably attached to the closure top, in order to close the pouring opening, so that the can is closed again. In addition, may be attached to the closure outer part of a pouring spout.

It should also be mentioned that the individual components (eg outer closure part, inner closure part, upper closure part, lower closure part, closure cover, film hinges, etc.) are preferably made of plastic.

The problem with such a can closure is the fact that plastic is not completely gas-tight. During storage of a filled can with such a can closure, therefore, at least small amounts of oxygen may enter the inside of the can through the can closure and oxidize the contents of the can, thereby reducing the shelf life. It is therefore desirable to minimize the disruptive oxygen entry through the can closure as much as possible. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the can closure therefore has, in addition to the tamper evident element and the pressure an additional gas barrier, which is preferably substantially more gas-tight than the tamper-evident element and / or the pressure bulkhead. The additional gas barrier minimizes oxygen ingress through the can closure and thereby extends the shelf life of the sealed can.

For example, the gas barrier may consist of a gas-tight film, but other configurations are possible within the scope of the invention.

There are also various possibilities with regard to the arrangement of the gas barrier in the can closure according to the invention. For example, the gas barrier may be mounted between the originality assurance element and the pressure bulkhead, for example on the outside of the pressure bulkhead. Alternatively, there is the possibility that the gas barrier is attached to the inside of the pressure bulkhead. It should also be mentioned that the pressure bulkhead can be mounted in the can closure by a latching connection, preferably in the closure bottom part of the closure outer part. In the assembled state, the closure outer part is connected to the closure inner part, for example by a welded connection or by an adhesive connection.

It should also be mentioned that the invention not only claims protection for the can closure according to the invention described above. Rather, the invention also claims protection for a can lid, in which such an inventive can closure is already pre-assembled. Finally, the invention also claims protection for a can (eg. Milk can, beverage can) with such a can lid with a pre-assembled can closure or with a can closure according to the invention. Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to FIGS. 1 shows a perspective view of a can lid (eg.

a milk can or beverage can) with the pre-assembled can closure according to the invention in a delivery position, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the can lid according to Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the can lid from the

FIGS. 1 and 2 in a position of use,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the top of the can lid with the can closure in a removal position, a cross-sectional view through the can lid according to Figures 1-4 in the delivery Stel development of the can closure, a cross-sectional view through the can lid according to the. FIGS. 1-5 in the removal position,

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure bulkhead in the

Can closure according to FIGS. 1-6, Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pressure bulkhead with an additional gas barrier at the

Inside of the pressure bulkhead, as well

Figure 9 shows a modification of Figure 8, wherein the gas barrier is attached to the outside of the pressure bulkhead.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of a can closure 1 according to the invention for a can

Metal, wherein the can closure 1 according to the invention is particularly suitable for a can, which is pasteurized or sterilized in the filled state before delivery. In fact, during this pasteurization or sterilization, the nozzle is partially heated to above + 120 ° C., which leads to a correspondingly high inside pressure of the can, which in the case of conventional can closures can lead to an unwanted breaking out of a tamper-evident element. During assembly, the can closure 1 in a. Opening used in a metal can end 2 of the beverage can.

The can closure 1 consists essentially of a closure inner part 3 and a closure outer part 4, both of which are made of plastic and are connected together in the assembled state by an adhesive connection or a welded connection. The closure inner part 3 is in the mounted state inside the can, while the closure outer part 4 is in the mounted state outside the beverage can and rests on the can lid 2.

The closure outer part 4 in turn consists of a closure bottom 5 and a closure top 6, wherein the Closure top 6 is pivotally mounted by a film hinge 7 on the closure part 5. The closure upper part 6 can thus be pivoted from a delivery position shown in FIG. 1 relative to the closure lower part 4 into a use position shown in FIG. In the delivery position according to FIG. 1, the upper closure part 6 lies flat on the can lid 2. In the position of use according to FIG. 3, on the other hand, the upper closure part 6 is folded onto the lower closure part 4.

In the closure top 6 is still a closure lid 8, which is mounted by means of a film hinge 9 pivotally mounted on the closure top 6. The closure lid 8 can therefore be pivoted from a closed position shown in FIG. 3 into a removal position shown in FIG.

Through the closure inner part 3, the closure bottom part 5 and the closure top part 6, a pouring opening 10 extends through which liquid can be poured out of the can.

To facilitate pouring, a pouring spout 11 is hereby attached to the closure top 6 as a dosing aid.

The pouring opening 10 is closed in the unopened original state by a tamper-evident element 12, the tamper-evident element being broken out of the pouring opening 10 when the closure top 6 is folded onto the closure bottom 5 into the position of use according to FIG. Namely, in this pivoting process, a molded on the underside of the closure top 6, in this embodiment, annularly circulating Projection 13 from the top of the tamper-evident element 12 and thereby breaks this out of the pouring opening 10 out. In addition, the pouring opening 10 is closed in the original state by a pressure bulkhead 14, which has the task to keep the dose internal pressure of the tamper-evident element 12. This is particularly useful if the beverage can is a can that is pasteurized or sterilized after filling. During pasteurization or sterilization, the can is heated to a temperature of more than + 120 ° C, which leads to a correspondingly high dose pressure inside the can. The tamper-evident element 12 alone does not withstand this high dose internal pressure during pasteurization or sterilization and would therefore break out during the pasteurization or sterilization, rendering the can unusable. The pressure bulkhead 14 prevents this damage to the tamper-evident element 12. For this purpose, the pressure bulkhead 14 has a substantially higher pressure resistance than the tamper-evident pressure 12 than the tamper-evident element 12.

It should be mentioned here that the pressure bulkhead 14 is also broken out of the pouring opening 10 when the closure upper part 6 is pivoted into the position of use shown in FIG. FIG. 6 shows the broken-out originality-securing element 12 and also the pressure bulkhead 14, which has also been broken out, in the position of use according to FIG

Swiveling the closure top 6 on the closure bottom part 5.

The pressure bulkhead 14 is constructed substantially disc-shaped and has at its peripheral edge on a sealing lip 15 which projects from the bottom 16 to the outside of the can, ie upwards, as can be seen from FIG. In the case of an increased inside pressure of the can p, for example during pasteurization or sterilization of a can, the bottom 16 of the pressure bulkhead 14 is bulged toward the outside of the can, ie upwards. This bulge of the bottom 16 of the pressure bulkhead 14 in turn causes the sealing lip 15 is bent at the pressure bulkhead 14 with its free end in the arrow direction radially outward. As a result, the contact pressure of the sealing lip 15 of the pressure bulkhead 14 on the associated sealing surface in the can closure 1 increases. The sealing effect of the pressure bulkhead 14 thus increases with increasing internal pressure of the can.

It can further be seen from FIG. 7 that the pressure bulkhead 14 has a reinforcing rib 17, which runs around the ring in an annular manner depending on the embodiment, wherein the reinforcing rib 17 can lie in the position of use under the likewise annular projection 13 on the underside of the closure top 6. FIG. 8 shows that the pressure bulkhead 14 is mounted in the closure lower part 5 in the unopened state of delivery of the can by a latching connection. For this purpose, the annular circumferential sealing lip 15 at its free end a locking projection 18,. which engages in a likewise annular circumferential locking receptacle 19 in the closure part 5.

On the one hand, the latching projection 18 and the latching receptacle 19 together form the latching connection which fixes the pressure bulkhead 14 in the closure base 5.

On the other hand, the latching projection 18 and the latching receptacle 19 also form a seal which seals the pouring opening 10. The above-mentioned bulge of the bottom 16 of the pressure bulkhead 14 due to the can internal pressure p then leads both axial and radial sealing forces between the locking projection 18 and the locking receptacle 19, whereby a good sealing effect is achieved, which is even better with increasing internal pressure cp.

In addition, FIG. 8 shows that an additional gas barrier 20, which in this exemplary embodiment consists of a gas-tight foil, is attached to the underside of the pressure bulkhead 14. The gas barrier 20 reduces the entry of oxygen into the can during storage of the can, thereby improving shelf life.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of FIG. 8, so that in order to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description of FIG. 8, the same reference numerals being used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this exemplary embodiment is that the gas barrier 20 is not arranged on the underside of the pressure bulkhead 14, as in FIG. 8, but on the upper side of the pressure bulkhead 14.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above. Rather, a variety of variants and modifications is possible, which also make use of the inventive idea and therefore fall within the scope. In particular, the invention also claims protection for the subject matter and the features of the subclaims independently of the respective claims taken in relation to it, ie without the features of the main claim. Reference sign list:

1 dose closure

2 can ends

3 closure inside

4 closure outer part

5 closure part of the closure outer part

6 Lock upper part of the closure outer part

7 Film hinge between the upper closure part and Verschlussun terteil

8 cap

9 Film hinge between cap and cap

10 pouring opening

11 pouring spout on the closure bottom

12 originality assurance element

13 projection on the underside of the closure top

14 pressure bulkhead

15 sealing lip on the pressure bulkhead

16 bottom of the pressure bulkhead

17 Stiffening rib at the top of the pressure bulkhead

18 locking projection on the sealing lip

19 locking receptacle in the closure bottom

20 gas barrier

p can internal pressure

Claims

1. can closure (1) for insertion into a can lid (2) of a can, in particular a beverage can, in particular a milk can, which is heated in a sterilization of the contents of the can, with

a) a pouring opening (10) for. Pouring liquid out of the can, and

b) a tamper-evident member (12) which closes the pouring spout (10) in the original state and can be broken for pouring to release the pouring spout (10);

marked by

c) a pressure bulkhead (14) which closes the pouring opening (10) on the inside of the tamper-evident element (12) and thereby keeps the inner pressure of the can (p) away from the tamper-evident element (12);

Pressure bulkhead (14) can be broken for pouring to release the pouring opening (10).

2. can closure (1) according to claim 1,

characterized,

a) that the pressure bulkhead (14) has a much larger

Compressive strength against the can internal pressure (p) than the tamper-evident element (12), and / or

b) that the pressure bulkhead (14) against the internal pressure of the can

(p) has a compressive strength of at least 2 bar, 3 bar, 4 bar, 5 bar, 6 bar or at least 7 bar, and / or

c) that the pressure bulkhead (14) substantially gas impermeable is as the tamper evident element (12) to prevent oxygen entry into the can and thereby improve the shelf life of the can contents.

3. can closure (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized

a) that the pressure bulkhead (14) is substantially disc-shaped and is inserted in the original state in the pouring opening (10), and

b) that the pressure bulkhead (14) one at the peripheral edge of

Pressure bulkhead (14) has annular circumferential sealing lip (15) which projects from the pressure bulkhead (14) to the outside of the can outwardly and sealingly against a circumferential sealing surface on the inner wall of the pouring opening (10).

4. can closure (1) according to claim 3,

characterized,

a) that the disc-shaped can closure (1) bulges at a pressure load by the inner tube pressure (p) with its bottom (16) upwards and outwards, whereby the outer end of the annular circumferential sealing lip (15) of the pressure bulkhead (14) axially and radially is pressed outwards against the circumferential sealing surface (19), and / or

b) that improves the sealing effect between the sealing lip (15) of the pressure bulkhead (14) on the one hand and the sealing surface (19) of the can closure (1) on the other hand with increasing inside pressure doses (p).

5. can closure (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized

a) that the pressure bulkhead (14) with the integrally formed sealing lip (15) is in one piece, or that the pressure bulkhead (14) is multi-part and has a main body and a separate seal.

6. can closure (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized

a) that the pressure bulkhead (14) in the closure inner part

(3) or in the closure lower part (5) of the closure outer part (4) is mounted, and / or

b) that the pressure bulkhead (14) has a stiffening rib (17), and / or

c) that the stiffening rib (17) in the pressure bulkhead (14) circulates annularly, and / or

d) that the stiffening rib (17) on the outside of

Pressure bulkhead (14) is mounted.

7. can closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by

a) a closure outer part (4), which is in the mounted state outside the can and is inserted into a can opening in the can lid (2), and

b) a closure inner part (3), which in the mounted state is joined together with the closure outer part (4) and is supported on the can lid (2) from below and is located inside the can,

c) wherein the can internal pressure (p) the closure inner part

(3) preferably presses from below against the underside of the can lid (2),

d) while the pouring opening (10) through the inner closure part (3) and through the closure outer part

(4) extends.

8. Can closure (1) according to one of the preceding ^¬ claims, characterized in that the closure outer portion comprising:

a closure lower part (5), which is inserted into the can opening in the can lid (2) in the mounted state, wherein the pouring opening (10) extends through the closure lower part (5),

a closure top (6) pivotally connected to the closure bottom (5), the pouring opening (10) extending through the closure top (6) and the closure top (6) being pivotable from a delivery position to a use position, and

preferably a first film hinge (7) between the closure top (6) and the closure bottom (5) to allow pivotal movement of the closure top (6) relative to the closure bottom (5), preferably a closure lid (8) pivotally attached to the closure top (6) is mounted, in particular by a second film hinge (9), in particular to close the pouring opening (10) in the upper closure part (6) either in a closed position o- open in a removal position.

9. can closure (1) according to claim 8,

characterized,

a) that the closure upper part (6) the tamper-evident element (12) and the pressure bulkhead (14) breaks out of the pouring opening (10) when the closure top (6) is pivoted from the delivery position to the use position, and / or

b) that the closure top (6) on its underside at least one projection (13) which protrudes downward and facilitates the breaking out of the tamper-evident element (12) and the pressure bulkhead (14), and / or in that the projection (13) on the underside of the closure top (6) is substantially annular when the closure top (6) is folded onto the closure bottom (5), preferably in register over the annular reinforcement rib (17) in the pressure bulkhead (14).

10. can closure (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized

a) the can closure (1) has an additional gas barrier (20) in addition to the originality assurance element (12) and the pressure bulkhead (14) to prevent oxygen entry into the can and thereby improve the shelf life of the can contents;

and or

b) that the gas barrier (20) is less permeable to gas than the tamper-evident element (12) and the pressure bulkhead (14), and / or

c) that the gas barrier (20) is a gas-tight film.

11. can closure according to claim 10,

characterized,

a) that the gas barrier (20) between the tamper-evident element (12) and the pressure bulkhead (14) is arranged, in particular on the outside of the pressure bulkhead (14), or

b) that the gas barrier (20) on the inside of the pressure bulkhead (14) is arranged.

12. can closure (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized

a) that the pressure bulkhead (14) by a latching connection

(18, 19) in the can closure (1) is fixed, in particular in the closure inner part (3) or in the Closure lower part (5) of the closure outer part (4), and / or

b) that the latching connection (18, 19) consists of an annular circumferential latching projection (18) in the pressure bulkhead (14) and an annular circumferential latching receptacle (19) in the closure lower part (5), and / or

c) that the annular peripheral latching projection (18) at the free end of the sealing lip (15) is located, and / or d) that the latching connection (18, 19) between the can closure (1) and the pressure bulkhead (14) are released can by pressing the pressure seal (14) into the inside of the can out of the can closure (1) is pushed out.

13. can closure (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized

a) that the closure outer part (4), the inner closure part (3), the upper closure part (6), the lower closure part (5) and / or the closure cover made of plastic, and / or

b) that the closure outer part (4) is connected by a welded connection or an adhesive connection with the closure inner part (3), in particular by a welded connection or an adhesive connection between the closure inner part (3) and the closure lower part (5), and / or

c) that on the closure top (6) has a pouring spout

(11) is molded to facilitate a drip-free pouring of the liquid from the can, and / or d) that the tamper-evident element (12) in the

Closure inner part (3) or in the closure lower part (5) of the closure outer part (4) is mounted.

14. can lid (2), in particular made of metal, with a can closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

15. can, in particular beverage can, in particular milk can, which is heated in a sterilization of the can contents, with a can closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13 or a can lid according to claim 14.