WO2017118602A1

WO2017118602A1 - Bottle seal

Info

Publication number: WO2017118602A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/000005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sven Steffmann
Original assignee: Krallmann Kunststoffverarbeitung Gmbh
Priority date: 2016-01-07
Filing date: 2017-01-04
Publication date: 2017-07-13
Also published as: DE102016000076B3

Abstract

The bottle seal according to the invention has a bottle head part (15), which can be attached on a bottleneck in an immovable and non-twisting manner and has at least one through-opening (28) for a liquid to be poured out, a pouring-out part (22), which is axially adjustable in relation to the bottle head part, a valve body (19), which is arranged between the bottle head part and the pouring-out part and can be brought into sealing contact with the bottle head part, and an outer cap (11), which is fitted on the bottle head part in a non-twisting and movable manner, and has a lower sleeve part (11b), which is in engagement with the bottle head part, and an upper cap part (11a), which is integrally connected to the sleeve part by way of a removable tear-off strip (11c), wherein the cap part has on its upper side a moulded-on lid (12), which forms an originality indicator, wherein after detachment of the integrally moulded-on tear-off strip the cap part is axially adjustable in relation to the pouring-out part and wherein the lid can be torn off from the cap part the first time the cap part is axially adjusted in relation to the pouring-out part.

Description

Flushing s

The invention relates to a bottle cap which is firmly attached to a neck of a bottle in the region of the pouring opening and on the one hand enables a secure closing of the bottle even after its initial opening-and on the other hand, the user facilitates the pouring out of the liquid from the bottle.

Bottle caps are known in many forms. The simplest form of a bottle cap is a screw cap which is unscrewed from the neck of the bottle and screwed back onto it after the liquid has been poured out. There is the disadvantage that the screw cap is completely detached from the bottle and thus can be lost in the unscrewed state, so that the bottle can no longer be closed.

When pouring the liquid from the bottle often occurs the problem that no sharp spoiler is formed on the spout, so that a small portion of the liquid to be poured down the bottle or drips down. This is absolutely important to avoid particularly expensive liquids, such as very expensive drinks or oils, as well as a dropwise loss of liquid leads to considerable economic damage.

When the bottle is closed again, it must be ensured that the liquid in the bottle can not evaporate, even if it should remain unused for a long period of time.

WO 01/79074 AI shows a bottle closure with a lower bearing part, which is mounted on the opening of a bottle neck, and an upper bearing part, which acts as a spout part, wherein between the two bearing parts, a valve body is floatingly mounted. In addition, a lid is provided, which must be unscrewed before the liquid can be poured out.

WO 2014/122590 AI shows a closure with an axially adjustable valve stamper, which is axially adjusted as a result of an internal pressure generated in the container relative to its housing under elastic deformation of spring elements, that the discharge opening is free. As soon as the internal pressure is no longer present, the valve stem returns to its closed position as a result of the spring force. Again, a lid is provided, which must be lifted.

It is desired that a bottle cap be provided with a so-called tamper-evident indicator that clearly indicates to an outside user whether the bottle cap has been opened before or is still intact.

The invention has for its object to provide a bottle closure having a tamper-evident indicator, ensures a safe reclosure of the once opened bottle and on the other hand allows a loss-free pouring the liquid. This object is achieved by a bottle closure with the features of claim 1.

The term "bottle" for the purposes of this invention includes not only the usual plastic or glass bottles, but in addition also each container having a spout formed on a neck on which a corresponding closure can be placed.

The term "axial" in the sense of the present invention describes the direction along the longitudinal axis of the bottle neck and thus essentially the pouring direction of the liquid. In a conventional bottle standing upright on a horizontal surface, the term "axial" describes the direction of the vertical center axis of the bottle or the bottle stopper placed thereon. For the purposes of the invention, the terms "top" and "bottom" are based on a vertical orientation of the bottle, wherein the bottle cap is arranged at the upper end of the bottle.

The bottle cap according to the invention has a bottle head part which is non-slidably and non-rotatably mountable on a bottle neck and which has at least one passage opening for a liquid to be dispensed, a spout part which is axially adjustable relative to the bottle head part, a valve body which is located between the bottle head part and the spout part and an outer cap rotatably and slidably seated on the bottle head portion and having a lower sleeve portion engaging the bottle head portion and an upper cap portion integral with a removable tear strip is connected to the sleeve part, wherein the cap portion has on its upper side a molded lid, which forms a tamper-evident indicator, wherein the cap member after releasing the integrally formed tear strip is axially adjustable relative to Ausgießerteil and wherein the lid at first axial adjustment of the cap member relative to the spout part can be torn off from the cap part.

In the still unused initial position, the outer cap, which surrounds the bottle head part and the spout part, is held both axially non-displaceably and non-rotatably on the bottle head part. Actuation of the closure is not possible in this state. Rather, the user must first remove the tear strip by its one-piece connection with the cap part and the sleeve part is destroyed. This is a first originality indicator there.

After removal of the tear strip, the outer cap is separated into the lower sleeve part and the upper cap part. The sleeve part is further axially fixed and rotatably held on the bottle head part, while the cap part can be adjusted at least axially, as created by the removal of the tear strip a space that allows this axial adjustment. The user presses the cap member after removing the tear strip axially downwards, whereby an adjustment is achieved relative to the spout part. This axial relative displacement causes the lid to be torn or punched out of the top of the cap member, thereby providing a second tamper-evident indicator.

The lid is arranged in its initial state with an axial offset to the top of the cap member. The axial Movement of the cap member to separate the lid is so dimensioned or limited that the spout part which disengages the lid from the cap member does not protrude above the cap member so as to avoid injury to the user upon depression of the cap member.

A secure and reliable detachment of the lid from the cap part can be achieved if the cover is formed over a predetermined breaking section to the outer cap or the cap part. Preferably, the lid is pierced in the region of the predetermined breaking section by means of the spout part.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the cap member after removal of the tear strip not only relative to the bottle head part and the spout part axially adjustable, but in addition is also rotatable relative to the bottle head part. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the spout part is in engagement with the bottle head part via a thread and is rotatable relative to the bottle head part.

Preferably, the cap member with the spout part rotationally fixed, but axially displaceable in engagement, so that by means of a rotation of the cap member, an axial adjustment of the Spout part is effected.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the spout part biases the valve body in a lower axial position against the bottle head part and protrudes in an upper axial position on the upper side of the cap part from this. The spout part fulfills different functions in its different axial positions. In its upper axial position, in which it protrudes on the top of the outer cap of this, it forms a salient, preferably completely encircling Ausgießkrone with a sharp tear-off, so that a secure pouring of the liquid is achieved while avoiding drop losses. In its lower axial position, the spout portion biases the valve body against a sealing surface of the bottle head portion so that the liquid passage of the bottle closure is reliably sealed and no liquid can escape even if the bottle erroneously slants or should fall over. In addition, an evaporation of the liquid is excluded even with prolonged non-use.

The bottle closure according to the invention preferably has no individual parts, which the user must remove before operating the closure, so that the danger is also that individual parts of the closure can be lost.

After opening the bottle for the first time and after removing the tear strip and the lid, the bottle cap is actuated by the user turning the cap part. The cap part, which preferably partially or in particular completely surrounds the spout part, is seated freely rotatably on the bottle head part in a possible embodiment of the invention and is held secure against withdrawal therefrom. It is rotatably with the spout part, but axially displaceable engaged. When the cap member is rotated, thus the spout part is rotated. However, since the spout part over a thread is engaged with the bottle head portion, the spout portion is imparted, during rotation, with axial movement relative to the bottle head portion and relative to the cap portion, by which the spout portion can be adjusted between the upper axial position and the lower axial position.

In order to ensure a secure seal of the bottle closure by means of the valve body, this should be accurately positioned at least in its closed position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the valve body has a guide pin, which is guided and accommodated a receptacle of the spout part. It is thereby achieved that the valve body has a precisely defined movement.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings. Show it:

1 is a perspective external view of a bottle closure according to the invention,

2 shows a longitudinal section through a bottle closure in the closed starting position,

Fig. 3 is a figure 2 corresponding sectional view of

Bottle stopper with extended spout part and

Fig. 4 is a perspective outside view of the bottle cap with extended spout part. Figure 1 shows a perspective outside view of a bottle closure 10, wherein only the substantially cylindrical outer cap 11 made of plastic is visible, which has on its upper face a cover 12, the integral over a circumferential predetermined breaking portion 13, for example in the form of a ring of reduced material thickness to the outer cap 11 is formed. The cover 12 is from the upper end face of the outer cap 11 down to form a circumferential outer projection lld reset the outer cap 11 has a lower substantially zylin derförmiges sleeve part IIb, at the upper edge of a umlau fendes tear strip 11c is formed, the upper edge of a piece is connected to a cap part IIa. The Kappent eil IIa, the sleeve part IIb, the tear strip 11c and the cover 12 are thus ausgebil det as a one-piece plastic part.

The cap portion IIa has an outside circumferential structuring 14 in the form of a plurality of juxtaposed vertical ribs, which prevent a loading user slip on actuation of the bottle closure 10

From Figures 2 and 3, the individual components of the Fla rule closure 10 can be seen. In this case, a lower Flenkenkopfteil 15 is provided, which consists of plastic and fixed, ie immovable and rotatably mounted on the neck of a bottle, not shown in the region of the Ausgießöff voltage and in particular snapped. The bottle head part 15 has a sleeve-shaped base body 16 which has inner fastening elements 26 for fastening the bottle head part on the bottle. Above the fastening elements, a substantially horizontal partition wall 27 is provided in the bottle head part 15, in the Passage openings 28 are formed. When the bottle head part 15 is mounted on the bottle, liquid from the inside of the bottle can be poured out only through the passage openings 28 on the bottle.

On the fastening elements 26 and thus the bottle facing away from the upper side of the partition 27, the bottle head portion 15 has an axially upwardly extending, circular cylindrical sleeve-shaped circumferential projection 17, on the outside of an external thread 18 is formed.

In the middle of the dividing wall 27 in the region of the passage openings 28 there is provided a freely projecting upwardly projecting pin 30 and the dividing wall 27 forms a trough-shaped recess 31 in the region of the passage openings 28, which is formed by a circumferential immersion groove 29 formed on the upper side of the dividing wall 27 is surrounded.

In its outer edge region, the bottle head part 15 has an upwardly cantilevered molded circumferential retaining ring 42 which has a radially outwardly projecting nose 42a, which engages with an undercut of the cap portion IIa and an axial withdrawal of the cap portion IIa of. prevents the bottle head part 15.

To shut off the passage openings 28 in the partition wall 27 and thus to close the bottle, is a valve body

19 provided. The valve body 19 has a substantially plate-shaped base part 20, on the upper side facing away from the partition 27, an axially extending guide pin 21 is formed. The plate-shaped base

20 has a to its underside, ie in the direction of the partition wall 27 conically tapering cross section, the is adapted in its dimensions to the shape of the trough-shaped depression 31 of the partition wall 27 and can come into contact with this large area. As Figure 2 shows, the valve body 19 has at its lower, the partition

27 facing side a central recess 32 which can engage with the positioning pin 30 of the partition wall 27 into engagement.

The valve body 19 is preferably made of a relatively heavy material such as glass, metal, stone, especially natural stone or granite or clay as a one-piece, monolithic component. Alternatively, it is also possible to produce the valve body 19 made of plastic and to complain by deposits and / or ballast parts. The relatively high weight of the valve body 19 ensures that the valve body 19 due to its own weight in sealing manner with the trough-shaped depression 31 of the partition wall 27 in abutment and thereby the passage openings

28 either directly seals or forms a seal downstream of them.

Above the dividing wall 27 of the bottle head part 15 and above the valve body 19, a spout part 22 is arranged, which has a sleeve-shaped main body 23, on its outer side a circumferential structuring in the form of a plurality of spaced-apart vertical, tapered upwards in cross-section ribs 24th has. In the upper, the partition 27 remote from the region of the base body 23 is a circular cylindrical, axially upwardly projecting, circumferential sleeve-shaped pouring crown 25 is formed. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the base body 23 has three vertically spaced apart adjacent peripheral walls 33, 34 and 35. The outer wall 35 carries on its middle wall 34 facing the inside of an internal thread 36 which is connected to the external thread 18 of the approach 17 of the bottle head part 15 is engaged. The projection 17 of the bottle head part 15 is arranged between the outer wall 35 and the middle wall 34 of the main body 23 of the spout part 22, wherein the central wall 34 ensures that the internal thread 36 with the external thread 18 of the bottle head part 15 remains engaged. The radially inner wall 33 of the base body 23 forms at its lower end an engagement ring 37, which can dive into the immersion groove 29 of the partition 27 under close fit.

In the inner wall 33 are passage openings 41, through which the liquid from the bottle with open bottle closure can flow into the interior of the pouring crown 25.

In the middle region of the main body 23 of the pouring part 22, a cup-shaped receptacle 38 is formed, which is downwardly, i. opens in the direction of the partition wall 27 and is adapted in its dimensions to the dimensions of the guide pin 21 of the valve body 19 so that the guide pin 21 of the valve body 19 is received and guided axially displaceable in the receptacle 38 under close fit. The receptacle 38 is integrally formed on the inner wall 33 of the Grundköpers 23 via a transverse wall 39.

The outer cap 11 covers in the assembled state both the bottle head part 15 and the spout part 22 and the valve body 19 located between these two parts. The bottle head portion 15 is non-rotatably and immovably on the neck of a bottle in the region of the outlet opening. The cap 11 is seated in its initial state axially immovable and rotationally fixed on the bottle head part 15. The cap portion IIa has on its inside vertical guide grooves 40, in each of which one of the guide ribs 24 of the main body 23 of the Spout 22 engages axially displaceable. In this way, the spout part 22 is rotatable relative to the cap part IIa, but mounted axially displaceable.

FIG. 2 shows the initial state of the bottle closure 10 before it is opened for the first time. The valve body 19 is in a sealing manner on the trough-shaped depression 31 of the partition wall 27 and the positioning pin 30 engages in the lower recess 32 of the valve body. The spout part 32 is in its lower starting position, in which it engages with its engagement ring 27 at the lower end of the inner wall 33 in the submerged groove 29 of the partition wall 27 and on the transverse wall 39 exerts a compressive force on the base part 20 of the valve body 19 and this in addition in the trough-shaped depression 31 presses. As Figure 2 shows, the valve body 19 is completely encapsulated in this state of the spout part 22 and the partition wall 27 and thus inaccessible, whereby manipulations of the bottle, in particular their refilling with an undesirable liquid, are reliably avoided.

The pouring crown 25 is located with its upper edge immediately below the predetermined breaking section 13 of the lid 12 of the outer cap 11. To open the bottle cap 10, the user first removes the tear strip 11c by destroying its molded connections, for example webs, on the one hand to the upper cap part IIa and on the other hand to the lower sleeve part IIb. The cap part IIa and the sleeve part IIb are thereby completely separated from each other and in the space in which the tear strip 11c is arranged so far, creates a free space. This allows the user to push the upper cap portion IIa vertically downward, whereby an axial relative movement between the cap portion IIa and the spout portion 22 occurs, which causes the Ausgießkrone 25 of Ausgießerteils 22 presses against the predetermined breaking portion 13 of the cap portion IIa and destroys this and thereby completely releases the lid 12 from the cap part IIa. In this way, a double originality indicator is formed. On the one hand, it is recognizable to an outsider user that the tear strip 11c has been released, and on the other hand, it is irreversibly indicated by the breaking out of the cover 12 that the bottle closure has already been opened once.

After removal of the tear strip 11c, the cap part IIa is freely rotatable relative to the bottle head part 15.

In order to be able to pour out a liquid from the bottle, the user turns the cap part IIa relative to the bottle head part 15. A lifting of the cap part IIa of the bottle head part 15 is prevented by the engagement between the nose 42a of the retaining ring 42 of the bottle head part 15 and the cap part IIa , This rotational movement is transmitted via the engagement of the guide ribs 24 of the main body 23 of the spout part 22 in the guide grooves 40 of the outer cap 11 to the spout part 22. This leads to a Since the bottle head part 15 is engaged via the external thread 18 with the internal thread 36 of the outer wall 35 of the spout part 22, the spout part 22 is thereby forced on an axially upwardly directed movement. Upon further rotation of the cap portion IIa, the spout portion 22 is further axially displaced upward until the spout 25 on the top of the cap portion IIa protrudes therefrom, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In this state, the spout part 22 is from the base part

20 of the valve body 19 lifted, wherein the guide pin

However, 21 of the valve body 19 is still partially accommodated in the receptacle 38 of the Spout 22 slidably. The upward movement of the spout part 22 is limited by suitable stops between the spout part 22 and the cap part IIa. The bottle cap 10 is now basically open, but prevents the valve body 19 due to its own weight that liquid can evaporate from the bottle. Only when the user tilts the bottle, the valve body 19 lifts from the trough-shaped depression 31 of the partition wall 27, whereby the liquid from the interior of the bottle through the passage openings 28 in the partition wall 27 and the passage openings 41 in the inner wall 33 of the spout part 30th can get into the interior of the pouring crown 25.

After completion of pouring the bottle is again positioned in a conventional manner in a vertical orientation, whereby the valve body 19 due to its own weight with its bottom of the base 20 in the trough-shaped recess 31 applies to this. The user is turning then the cap member IIa in the opposite direction, whereby the spout part 22 is forced downwardly directed axial movement. Due to this, the spout part 22 retracts the valve body 19 into the cap part IIa until it is completely inside the cap part IIa. In this state, the transverse wall 39 of the Spout 22 presses the valve body 19 into the trough-shaped depression 31, whereby the sealing effect is increased. At the same time, the engagement ring 37 of the spout part 22 in turn dips into the submerged groove 29, as a result of which the valve body 19 is encapsulated in relation to the environment.

Claims

claims

Bottle closure (10) with a bottle head part (15) which is immovably and rotatably attached to a bottle neck and which has at least one passage opening (28) for a liquid to be dispensed, a spout part (22) which is axially adjustable relative to the bottle head part, a valve body (19) disposed between the bottle head portion (15) and the spout portion (22) and engageable with the bottle head portion (15) in sealing engagement, and an outer cap (11) non-rotatably and immovably on the bottle head portion (15) sits and a lower sleeve part (IIb) engaged with the bottle head part (15) and an upper cap part (IIa) integrally connected to the sleeve part (IIb) via a removable tear strip (11c), the cap part (IIa ) has on its top a molded lid (12) which forms a tamper-evident indicator, wherein the cap part (IIa) after release of the integrally formed A Bite band (11c) relative to the Ausgießerteil (22) is axially adjustable and wherein the lid (12) at the first axial displacement of the cap part (IIa) relative to the spout part (22) from the cap part (IIa) is torn off.

Bottle stopper according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid (12) over a predetermined breaking off section (13) to the outer cap (11) is formed ..

3. Bottle closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover (12) in the region of the predetermined breaking portion (13) by means of the Außgießerteils (22) is pierceable.

4. Bottle closure according to one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized in that the cap part (IIa) after removal of the tear strip (11c) is rotatable relative to the bottle head part (15).

5. Bottle closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the spout part (22) with the bottle head part (15) via a thread (18, 36) is engaged and relative to the bottle head part (15) is rotatable.

6. Bottle closure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cap part (IIa) with the spout part (22) rotatably but axially displaceable engaged, so that by means of a rotation of the cap part (IIa) an axial adjustment of the Spout ( 22) is feasible.

7. Bottle closure according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the spout part (22) spans the valve body (19) in a lower axial position against the bottle head part (15) and in an upper axial position on the top of the cap part (IIa ) protrudes from this.

8. Bottle closure according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the outer cap (11) surrounds the bottle head part (15) and the spout part (22).

9. Bottle closure according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the valve body (19) has a guide pin (21) which in a receptacle (38) of the spout part (22) displaceably leads and is received.