EP2711307B1 - Lid of a container - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a lid of a container, in particular a beverage can, with the features of the preamble of claim 1, comprising WO2011 / 026993 A are known, inter alia, with at least one pouring opening which penetrates the lid mirror and which can be reclosed via at least one closure element, the at least one closure element being in an open position via an actuating element from a closed position, in which the at least one pouring opening is closed. in which the pouring opening is at least partially exposed, is movable.

Containers of the type described above are produced, for example, as resealable beverage cans. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of such cans, a pouring opening is provided in the lid mirror, which, like the rest of the metal can, is usually made of aluminum or tinplate. This opening is closed by a closure element. This closure element is moved by an actuating element, for example by means of a flap or a (rotary) slide from a closed position to an open position, whereby the pouring opening is exposed for emptying the can and is closed again after the first opening.

An essential requirement for resealable beverage cans is their tightness even after repeated opening and closing of the pouring opening. For example, the AT 507 950 A1 and the AT 505,756 B1 the Applicant a closure element can be removed, which is made of plastic and has a ring-encircling gas and liquid-tight seal. However, such a closure element is expensive to manufacture because of its two-component construction (two different plastics - a bearing, hard component and a soft, sealing component in a single injection-molded component combined). In addition, this technology allows only limited design options of the closure part, because this particular requirements of the plastic injection molding process with respect to parting planes, sprue positions, wall thickness ratios, etc. must be followed. It would be cheaper to realize the sealing function not by a two-component structure, but by means of a more readily available and thus more economical planar sealing component of industrially established standard production processes or semi-finished products.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a lid for a resealable container, which ensures a gas- and liquid-tight closure of the pouring even with repeated resealing and prolonged storage of the container and at the same time is inexpensive and easier to manufacture.

This object is achieved by a lid according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

In the present invention, a sealing edge is provided on the closure element, which presses in the closed position of the closure element in the flat sealing element
is, and thus seals the pouring opening and prevents leakage of the contents of the beverage can.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the closure element is pivotable from the open position to the closed position and from the closed position to the open position. As a result of the pivoting movement, the at least one sealing region, in particular at least one sealing edge, is pressed essentially normal against the planar sealing element when the closure element is moved in the closed position, so that a precisely defined sealing of the pouring opening is obtained.

In order to achieve a sufficient tightness of the re-sealed beverage can even when filled with carbonated beverages, encloses in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one sealing area the at least one pouring opening wholly when the closure element is in the closed position. In this case, the sealing region extends at a distance from the edges of the pouring opening, which is elliptical, for example. In a preferred embodiment, the sealing region, in particular a sealing edge, can have a uniform (substantially constant) distance from the edge of the pouring opening, if appropriate also in the case of further openings. As the at least one sealing area against and into the surface of the area
Sealing element is pressed when the closure element is in the closed position, the sealing element must be made of an at least partially elastic material. Particularly preferably, it is provided that the flat sealing element is designed as a film, in particular as a foam film or rubber film.

In a particularly simple variant of the invention, the planar sealing element completely covers the underside of the cover, wherein only the region of the pouring opening and possibly openings for the arrangement of an actuating element remain uncovered.

Alternatively, in a further embodiment of the invention, the flat film, from which the flat sealing element is executed, smaller than the surface of the lid and thus covers the bottom only partially, but the pouring is in turn completely surrounded by the flat sealing element.

In the production of the lid according to the invention is particularly preferably provided that the flat sealing element is applied by means of insertion, gluing, printing or casting on the underside of the lid of the container.

In a further variant of the invention, the planar sealing element covers the cover mirror virtually entirely, but is not fixed to the cover over the entire surface, but only in small, spaced-apart areas.

A particularly cost-effective production of the lid according to the invention is given when the closure means and / or the actuator are made of plastic, wherein the production is simple and inexpensive by means of injection molding in large quantities.

In a preferred, optional embodiment, the pin of the actuating element tapers in the direction of
Ventilation opening conical. Thus, the ventilation opening or the passage opening can be sealed tight by pushing the pin.

The passage opening may comprise a sealing ring, in particular a hose section or an O-ring, for fluid-tight closing of the ventilation opening and / or the passage opening with the pin.

Alternatively or additionally, the pin may have on its outer side a sealing ring for fluid-tight closing of the ventilation opening and / or the passage opening with the pin, wherein the sealing ring preferably comprises a hose section or an O-ring.

According to a development, the passage opening can have a holding region, in particular a rivet head, which prevents slipping out of the sealing ring; and / or the pin may have a holding region, in particular a rivet head, which prevents the sealing ring from slipping off.

• Fig. 1 eine Draufsicht auf einen Deckel ohne Ventilierungsöffnung in einer ersten Ausführung,
• Fig. 2a eine Schnittdarstellung des Deckels aus Fig. 1 in der Geschlossen-Stellung des Verschlusselementes,
• Fig. 2b eine Schnittdarstellung des Deckels aus Fig. 1 in der Offen-Stellung des Verschlusselementes,
• Fig. 3 eine Draufsicht auf eine Ausführung des erfindungsgemäßen Deckels,
• Fig. 4a,b,c, eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Zapfens zum dichten Verschließen einer Ventilierungsöffnung, und
• Fig. 5a,b eine abgedichtete Öffnung in dem Verschlusselement zur Aufnahme eines Zapfens.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to non-limiting exemplary embodiments with associated figures. Show in it

• Fig. 1 a top view of a lid without ventilation opening in a first embodiment,
• Fig. 2a a sectional view of the lid Fig. 1 in the closed position of the closure element,
• Fig. 2b a sectional view of the lid Fig. 1 in the open position of the closure element,
• Fig. 3 a plan view of an embodiment of the lid according to the invention,
• Fig. 4a, b, c , A schematic representation of a pin according to the invention for sealing a ventilation opening, and
• Fig. 5a, b a sealed opening in the closure member for receiving a pin.

In the Fig. 1 a lid 100 is shown in a view from above, with a lid mirror 101 and a peripheral portion 102, wherein a pouring opening 103 is provided, which is an emptying of the lid 100 with Container (not shown) allowed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an opening 104 for the attachment of an actuating element is arranged substantially in the center of the lid mirror, with the aid of the exposure of the pouring opening 103 is carried out. On the underside of the lid mirror 101, a liner 130 functioning as a planar sealing element is arranged, the edges of which are shown in dashed lines. As a liner 130, for example, an elastic film, a foam sheet or a multilayer film can be used. Alternatively, the liner 130 can be made by a molding process, such as injection molding or injection-compression molding. Another possibility is that the liner 130 is printed. Another embodiment is that the liner is provided as an insert, which is introduced into the lid. In this case, for example, a circumferential bead may be provided on the inner edge of the lid, which prevents the liner from falling out.

In the Fig. 2a and 2 B the lid 100 is shown in each case in a sectional view, wherein in the Fig. 2a a closure member 120 which is disposed on the underside of the lid mirror 101, the pouring opening 103 closes. On the underside of the lid mirror 101, the planar sealing element 130 is arranged, wherein the region of the pouring opening 103 is recessed.

Now, the pouring opening 103 is exposed by pivoting the closure member 120 into the interior of the container, as in Fig. 2b illustrated, the contents of the container via the pouring opening 103 can be removed. The pivoting of the closure element 120 by means of an actuating element is for example in the AT 505,756 B1 the applicant described. When re-closing the pouring opening 103, the closure element 120 is again in the in the Fig. 2a pivoted closed position shown, wherein a sealing edge 121 is pressed on the underside of the lid facing surface of the closure member 120 in the flat sealing member 130 in order to obtain the required tightness.

When in the Fig. 1 The flat sealing element 130 is arranged as a punched-out part in the region of pouring opening 103 and opening 104 for the confirming element, as shown in FIG Fig. 1 indicated by dashed lines, while the remaining areas on the underside of the lid mirror 101 remain uncovered by the flat sealing element 130.

At the in Fig. 3 illustrated embodiment of the lid 100 according to the invention, however, the flat sealing member 130 covers the bottom of the lid mirror 101 practically to Whole, only the pouring opening 103 and the opening 104 for the actuating element are free. In addition, here a ventilation opening 105 is provided in the lid mirror 101 via the prior to opening the pouring opening 103, a pressure equalization between the inner and outer space of a container provided with the lid can be done.

Fig. 4 shows embodiments according to the invention of a pin 106 for closing the ventilation opening 105 in the lid mirror. This pin 106 is according to the invention part of the actuating element for actuating the closure element according to Fig. 3 , In Fig. 4a an elastic sealing ring 107 is provided on the journal 106 which, in cooperation with the ventilating opening or a complementary passage opening in the closure element, can close the ventilating opening or the passage opening in a fluid-tight manner, ie close to liquid and gas. The sealing ring may for example be a suitably cut tube section made of rubber or an O-ring made of elastic material. In Fig. 4b a rivet head 108 is provided at the end of the pin 106 to prevent slipping of the sealing ring, in particular when opening the ventilation opening. In Fig. 4c the pin 106 is conically shaped, namely tapering towards the valve opening facing end of the pin.

Fig. 5 shows a sealed passage opening 109 in the closure member 120 for receiving a pin. Here, a tight closure of the ventilation opening is achieved by the provision of a sealing ring 107 in the passage opening 109 of the closure element, wherein the passage opening 109 is aligned with the ventilation opening. By interaction with a complementary pin (eg with the in Fig. 4 shown pin 106), the passage opening 109 and the ventilation opening can be closed fluid-tight. In Fig. 5a is the sealing ring 107 (again preferably a tube portion or an O-ring) inserted only in the opening 109. In Fig. 5b a rivet head 108 for securing the ring against slipping out is further provided on the closure element.

It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. In particular, further openings, for example ventilation openings, can also be provided in the cover, which also with the aid of the interaction of the sealing edge of the closure element with the flat sealing element
are sealed against leakage of the contents of the beverage can. Likewise, it can be provided that the pouring opening and / or ventilation opening is not sealed via a single sealing edge, but over a plurality of mutually parallel sealing edges. Finally, the closure element shown in the figures is not to be considered limiting does not necessarily have to be pivotable, it may also be substantially parallel to the lid mirror, for example, along an axis movable to be brought from a closed position to an open position and back again. Also, the sealing area can be realized differently on the closure element, in particular it can be formed as a raised area with a wide variety of cross-sectional geometries.

Claims (10)

1. Lid (100) of a beverage can having a lid panel (101) and at least one pour opening (103) penetrating said lid panel (101), which is reclosable by at least one closure member (120), where said at least one closure member (120) can be moved by an actuating element (110) to a closed position, in which said at least one pour opening (103) is closed, and to an open position, in which said pour opening (103) is at least partially exposed, where at least one sealing area is provided at said closure member (120), said sealing area in the closed position of said closure member (120) co-acting with at least one planar seal element (130); and
   where said at least one sealing area is formed as a seal ridge (121);
   said at least one closure member (120) and said planar seal element (130) are arranged on the underside of said lid panel (101) and said at least one sealing area is arranged on the surface of said closure member (120) facing the underside of said lid (100); and
   said lid panel (101) comprises a ventilation opening (105) and said closure member (120) is provided with a passage opening (109) aligned with said-ventilation opening (105), where said ventilation opening and/or said passage opening can be closed and opened with a peg (106) in a fluid-tight manner and said peg (106) is part of said actuating element (110),
   characterized in
   that said at least one planar seal element (130) is arranged between lid panel (101) and closure member (120), and said seal ridge (121) provided on the surface of said closure member (102) facing the lid underside is pressed in the closed position of said closure member (120) into said planar seal element (130).
2. Lid (100) according to claim 1, where said closure member (120) is pivotable from the open position to the closed position and from the closed position to the open position.
3. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 2, where said at least one seal ridge in the closed position of said closure member (120) encloses said at least one pour opening (103) in its entirety.
4. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, where said planar seal element (130) is designed as a film, in particular as a foam sheet or a rubber sheet, which at least in part covers said underside of said lid panel (101).
5. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 4, where said planar seal element (130) is attached to said underside of said lid panel (101) by bonding, printing, or casting.
6. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, where said closure member (120) and/or said actuating element (110) are made of plastic.
7. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, where said peg (106) is conically tapering towards said passage opening.
8. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 7, where said passage opening comprises a seal ring (107), particularly a tube portion or an O-ring, for the fluid-tight closure of the ventilation opening and/or the passage opening with said peg.
9. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 8, where said peg (106) is provided on its outside with a seal ring (107) for the fluid-tight closure of the ventilation opening and/or the passage opening with the peg, where said seal ring preferably comprises a tube portion or an O-ring.
10. Lid (100) according to one of the claims 1 to 9, where said passage opening (109) comprises a holding portion (108), particularly a rivet button, which prevents the seal ring from slipping off; and/or where said peg comprises a holding portion (108), particularly a rivet button, which prevents the seal ring from slipping off.

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