RU2815845C2 - Lid assembly for container refilled with concentrated product - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: refillable containers.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a lid assembly for a refillable container. The technical result is achieved by a lid assembly (200) for a refillable container, which contains an inner wall (202), a defining tube (203) passing through the lid assembly (200), an outer wall (204), a surrounding inner wall (202) along the first part thereof length, with the outer wall (204) spaced from the first part of the inner wall (202) to define a circumferential cavity (214) between the inner and outer walls (202, 204), a connecting wall (212) extending between the inner and outer walls (202, 204), wherein the cap assembly (200) includes a closure element (208) configured to seal the tube (203), wherein the closure element (208) includes an upstream side (208a), a downstream side (208b) and a support surface (220) on its downstream side. The closure element (208) is sealed to the inner wall (202) by a peripheral frangible connection (210). The peripheral frangible joint (210) extends in a plane (P) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203). The inner surface of the inner wall (202) upstream of the closure (208) is offset radially from the inner surface of the wall (202) downstream of the closure (208). In this case, the container body (100) contains an opening surrounded by a rim (108), which abuts against the connecting wall (212) of the lid assembly (200).

EFFECT: providing a safe and convenient supply of fluid into a refillable vessel, wherein the assembly can be simply and reliably connected to the refillable vessel for releasing concentrated liquid into the refillable vessel.

15 cl, 10 dwg

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a cap assembly for a refillable system configured to contain a concentrated cleaning product. The lid assembly contains a fragile seal, designed to be broken when the lid assembly engages with the neck of the refilled vessel.

Prior Art

Any discussion of prior art throughout the specification should in no way be construed as an assumption that such prior art in the field is generally known or forms part of the general knowledge in the field.

WO2007/145773 describes a mixing unit comprising a sealed container connected to a second container.

JP2012-158361 describes a refillable container that can make refilling easier.

Liquid cleaning and hygiene products, such as multi-purpose surface cleaners, glass cleaners or degreasers, are often supplied in ready-to-use concentrations in a wide variety of containers with a wide variety of dispensing systems. In general, such liquid cleaning products contain one or more active ingredients diluted with water (or other solvent) to a concentration suitable for use in a home or commercial environment.

Cleaning agents supplied in ready-to-use concentrations are preferred because the products can be supplied in a safe and effective concentration and can be labeled accordingly. Ready-to-use products are also more user-friendly as they do not need to be diluted or changed in consistency before use.

One example of a commonly used container system for cleaning products is a spray bottle containing a trigger actuator. Such systems generally comprise a bottle having a body and a neck; wherein the neck is configured to interact with the removable spray head. The spray head is generally attached to the neck of the bottle by means of mating screw threads on the neck and on the head. After use, the container or vessel in which the cleaning product was supplied is usually thrown into the trash and a new one is purchased as a replacement.

Although the spray bottle in which cleaning products are generally supplied has a lifespan that extends beyond the time the cleaning product is used up, the practice of refilling spray bottles with cleaning product is not widespread in households.

In commercial or industrial applications, spray bottles are sometimes refilled for reuse by diluting a predetermined volume of concentrated liquid with water. Concentrated cleaning liquid can be supplied in a bottle, which usually has a larger capacity than the spray bottles used by professional cleaners because the container of concentrated product is not used throughout the cleaning process.

However, although it is known to supply concentrated cleaning fluids for dilution prior to use, the practice of refilling spray bottles with water and concentrated cleaning fluid is not widespread due to the many challenges associated with the safety and effective disposal of concentrated products, especially in the home environment.

Handling concentrated cleaning fluids requires attention both during refilling of the spray vessel and in terms of storing the concentrated liquid. To eliminate health risks, even more so than when using diluted cleaning fluids, concentrated cleaning fluids should be transported and stored safely, and kept out of the reach of children and animals.

In addition, concentrated (undiluted) cleaning fluids can cause damage to household surfaces and thus spillovers must be avoided to prevent damage to clothing and household items.

Additional difficulties may be encountered in ensuring that a concentrated cleaning product is diluted to a safe and effective concentration. Excessive dilution of concentrated cleaning fluid with water may result in poor cleaning results. Insufficient dilution of concentrated cleaning fluid may pose a health risk, result in damage to household items and excessive consumption of concentrated cleaning fluid.

Despite the desire to reduce plastic waste generated by discarding empty bottles and the desire to reduce the cost and resources required to transport and store ready-to-use cleaning products, refillable systems suitable and convenient for use in households and professional settings are not widely available.

The inventors have been able to solve many of the problems associated with conventional cleaning product dispensing systems and have been able to develop a refillable container system for use with spray bottles (and other cleaning product containers) that can overcome many of the above problems.

It is an object of the invention to provide a refillable container and associated lid assembly that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages associated with the current use of cleaning products, allowing cleaning product containers or containers to be reused.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refill system comprising a cap assembly that allows a user to safely and reliably dispense a predetermined volume of concentrated cleaning fluid into a spray bottle or similar dilution vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refillable container and associated lid assembly that allows concentrated cleaning fluid to be safely and reliably supplied to the refillable container.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a refillable container and associated lid assembly that can be simply and securely attached to a refillable container for releasing concentrated liquid into the refillable container.

These and other objects are accomplished by the invention disclosed in the following text and drawings.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, a lid assembly is provided for a refillable container, the lid assembly comprising: an inner wall, an outer wall and a connecting wall. The lid assembly according to the invention is disclosed in the claims. Optional features are disclosed in the dependent claims.

By means of the cap assembly according to the invention, it is possible to safely and conveniently supply a volume of concentrated cleaning fluid into a refill vessel or a spray bottle or similar dilution vessel. The assembly can be simply and securely connected to a refill container to release concentrated liquid into the refill container.

Detailed Disclosure of the Invention

It should be noted that in the following description, the term “comprising” covers the concepts “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of”. Where the term “comprising” is used, the steps or features listed are not intended to be exhaustive, and additional steps or features may be included. When used in this specification, an element in the singular means at least “one” or “one or more” elements unless otherwise indicated.

The terms "upstream" and "downstream" as used herein refer to the direction of fluid flow through the replenishment system during use, with the fluid flowing from the upstream side to the downstream side. In the context of the invention, the fluid flows from the upstream side of the refill container system into the downstream refill vessel. The near direction is the upstream direction, while the far direction is the downstream direction.

When describing any range of quantities or quantities, any particular larger quantity or larger quantity may be associated with any particular smaller quantity or smaller quantity.

Various features of the invention indicated above in individual sections apply, accordingly, to other sections, mutatis mutandis. Therefore, features specified in one section can be combined with features specified in other sections accordingly. Any section headings are added for convenience only and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The invention is not limited to the examples illustrated in the drawings. Accordingly, it should be understood that where reference numbers follow features mentioned in the claims, such numbers are included simply for a better understanding of the claims and in no way to limit the scope of the claims.

The invention relates to a lid assembly for a container body. The lid assembly is configured to seal the container body until the fragile seal breaks, after which it is possible for the concentrated cleaning fluid contained inside the container body to flow out through the lid assembly into the refillable vessel.

The lid assembly generally includes an inner wall defining a tube extending through the lid assembly, the tube extending from an upstream end to a downstream end. The outer wall surrounds the inner wall along at least a first portion of the length of the inner wall. The outer wall is spaced radially from the inner wall to define a circumferential cavity between the inner and outer walls. The connecting wall extends between the inner and outer walls to prevent fluid from flowing out through the cavity between the inner and outer walls.

It should be understood that depending on the location of the connection wall, the cavity between the inner and outer walls of the lid assembly may be located completely upstream, open in the region of the upstream end and ending in a closed downstream end formed by the connection wall. Alternatively, the connection wall may be positioned such that the cavity is configured as a downstream cavity comprising an open downstream end and a closed upstream end terminating in a region of the connection wall. By means of one connecting wall extending between the inner and outer walls, both upstream and downstream cavities can be formed, separated from each other by the connecting wall.

By providing an upstream cavity, leakage protection between the lid assembly and the container body can be improved since the neck of the container body can be inserted into the cavity between the inner wall and the outer wall. For example, the outer wall may be provided with threads on its inner surface configured to engage threads on the outer surface of the neck of the container body to form a sealing engagement between the outer wall of the cap assembly and the outer surface of the neck. The inner wall can be made in the form of a barrel-shaped seal with the possibility of sealing against the inner surface of the neck of the container body. Finally, a third sealing relationship may be formed between the rim of the container body and the connecting wall of the lid assembly. One skilled in the art will recognize that any combination of these seal designs can be implemented to provide enhanced leakage protection.

In addition to or as an alternative to the upstream cavity, a downstream cavity may also be formed to provide additional alternatives. For example, the downstream cavity may completely surround the plug to prevent accidental contact with the plug, which could result in accidental failure of the fragile joint. In addition, the downstream cavity may receive a distal stopper surface facing in the distal direction and be configured to receive the neck of a refillable container. The downstream cavity may receive a skirt wall provided on the plug, which is described in more detail below.

The lid assembly additionally contains a capping element configured to seal the tube. The closure element includes an upstream side and a downstream side. A support surface is provided on the downstream side of the closure element.

The closure element is sealed to the inner wall by a peripheral frangible connection located between the proximal and distal ends of the tube. If necessary, the peripheral frangible connection may extend in a plane (P) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

The inner surface of the inner wall located immediately upstream of the frangible joint is offset radially from the inner surface of the wall located immediately downstream of the frangible joint. Preferably, the upstream inner surface is offset radially outward from the downstream inner surface.

By displacing the inner surface of the inner wall immediately upstream and immediately downstream of the closure element, many advantages can be achieved. For example, by shifting the radial position of the inner wall immediately upstream and downstream of the closure element, the width of the frangible connection at its thinnest part can be adjusted. This provides a well-defined area in which the brittle joint fails. In addition, by shifting the radial position of the upstream inner wall relative to the downstream inner wall, the closure can be pushed into a region of the tube having a larger cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the closure. This can ensure that the closure element is pushed into an area where it cannot block the tube.

The supporting surface of the closure member preferably extends in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube.

If desired, the closure element may be hollow and may taper from a downstream base to an upstream apex. In some configurations, the closure element is open in the base area. In such configurations, the support surface extends along the periphery of the base, and is thus located adjacent to the frangible connection. By providing an inverted hollow closure as described above, the likelihood of the closure settling and blocking the tube after seal failure can be reduced because the closure can be configured to float in a fluid contained in the container body.

The tube may have a first cross-sectional diameter at a brittle joint region upstream and a second cross-sectional diameter downstream of the brittle joint, wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is greater than the second cross-sectional diameter.

A frangible connection may be formed between the closure member and the tube in the region of the tube having a second, smaller cross-sectional diameter. The plug may be configured to push the closure element in the region of the large diameter tube as the plug moves in an upstream direction. In other words, the system may be configured such that the proximal direction facing stop surface of the plug is located in the wider portion of the tube in the second position of the plug.

By providing an area of the tube having a larger cross-sectional diameter than the maximum diameter of the closure, the likelihood of the closure blocking fluid passage through the tube is reduced.

The outer wall downstream of the connecting wall may include engagement means, for example a screw thread, configured to engage with corresponding engagement means on the refillable container.

The outer wall upstream of the connecting wall may include engagement means, for example one or more screw threads, configured to engage corresponding engagement means on the container body.

Optionally, the inner wall may include a protrusion or rib extending radially inward from the inner surface of the inner wall.

The cap assembly is preferably formed to form at least a closure member, a connecting portion, and a tube as a continuous molded article. The connecting portion may be configured to be the thinnest portion of the lid assembly. The connecting part may have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, more preferably 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm. The lid assembly may be formed from a moldable polymeric material, such as polypropylene material. The polymer material can be injection molded. This can cause a crack or click to be heard by the user when the fragile seal breaks.

The lid assembly may be configured to engage the refillable container such that the frangible connection is broken upon engagement of the lid assembly with the refillable container. For example, the support surface may be configured so that the rim of the refill container abuts the support surface when the lid assembly is screwed onto the neck of the refill container.

The lid assembly may form part of a lid system, i.e. the lid assembly described above and further comprising a plug. The plug may be movably mounted within the cap assembly to move axially from a first position to a second position. In the first position, the proximal thrust surface of the plug is located downstream of the frangible joint. In the second position, the proximal thrust surface of the plug is located upstream of the frangible joint. With this configuration, the plug is designed to rest against the supporting surface of the closure element to destroy the fragile connection.

For convenience, the tubular body of the plug and the tube of the cap assembly can have a round cross-section. This can make it easier to manufacture and assemble. However, it should be understood that other cross-sectional shapes are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, polygonal cross sections are also possible, such as elliptical cross sections.

The plug may comprise a tubular body with an open proximal end and an open distal end, the open proximal end being surrounded by a first rim that provides a proximally facing abutment surface for abutting the abutment surface of the closure member. The plug also includes a flange containing a distal direction facing abutment surface for resting the rim of the refillable container against it when the plug is moved from a first position to a second position.

If necessary, the outer wall of the skirt can be positioned coaxially with respect to the tubular body, with the skirt wall spaced radially from the tubular body to form a recess in the plug between the skirt wall and the tubular body.

The skirt wall may extend from a distal end of the skirt, in the region of which it is connected to a distal end of the tubular body, to a free proximal end. The free end may include a flange on which a distal abutment surface is provided, and may further have additional members configured to engage the cap assembly to more securely hold the plug in place.

For example, the free end of the skirt may include a radially outwardly projecting flange that provides a far-facing abutment surface for engagement with the rim of the refill container. The free end of the skirt may also include at least one radially outwardly projecting claw configured to engage with at least one screw thread on the inner surface of the outer wall of the lid assembly. The grippers are configured to slide along the threads when pushing the plug from the first position to the second position. However, the grips can prevent or limit the extent to which the plugs may become loose in the cap assembly during transport.

Additionally or alternatively, protection of the position in which the plug is installed in the first position during transport and/or storage may also be improved by providing a circumferential rib or projection on the inner surface of the tube and/or on the outer wall of the tubular body.

To further improve fluid flow through the cap system, the plug may include one or more cutouts to create discontinuities in the rim of the tubular body. By means of one or more interruptions, fluid flow can be ensured through the cap assembly even if the closure member settles on the rim of the tubular body.

To provide additional leakage protection between the container body and the lid system, a shrink film covering may be provided around at least a portion of the container body and at least a portion of the lid assembly.

A refillable system is also provided which may include the cap assembly described above and, if necessary, a stopper, and a container body for containing the concentrated cleaning fluid. In such a system, the container body is engaged with the lid assembly, and the interior of the container body is in fluid communication with the upstream end of the tube.

Advantageously, the container may comprise an opening surrounded by a rim, wherein the rim may fit tightly against a connecting wall of the lid assembly. Thanks to this configuration, the connecting wall is strengthened against bending.

The refill system may also include a shrink film covering extending around at least a portion of the container body and at least a portion of the lid assembly.

The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the non-limiting drawings.

It should be understood that the benefits provided by use of the cap assembly disclosed according to the invention are not limited to the combinations described below. For example, the cap assembly disclosed according to the invention may be combined with the plug explained in the examples or with other comparable plugs. For example, although illustrative examples include a cap assembly in combination with a plug comprising a skirt wall, the cap assemblies of the invention may also be combined with seal-breakable plugs. Additionally, in some examples, the stopper may be eliminated or removed entirely, and the cap assembly may be configured such that the seal is ruptured when the cap assembly is screwed onto the neck of a refillable container.

As used herein, the term “refillable container” means a container body suitable for containing concentrated cleaning fluid.

Brief description of drawings

By way of example, the invention is explained with reference to the drawings.

In fig. 1 shows a refillable container system comprising a refillable container, a stopper and a closure assembly according to the invention, in longitudinal section;

in fig. 2A – system being replenished before the fragile seal breaks, longitudinal section view;

in fig. 2B – replenishable system after the destruction of a fragile seal, longitudinal section view;

in fig. 3A is a cover assembly according to the first configuration containing a frangible seal, a longitudinal section view;

in fig. 3B is the frangible seal shown in FIG. 3A, according to the first configuration, is an enlarged view;

in fig. 3C is the brittle seal shown in FIG. 3A, according to the second configuration, is an enlarged view;

in fig. 4A – plug according to the first configuration, longitudinal section view;

in fig. 4B – plug according to the second configuration, longitudinal section view;

in fig. 4C is the plug shown in FIG. 4B is a perspective view;

in fig. 5 – proximal end of the refillable container system, containing the lid system shown in FIG. 1, longitudinal section view on an enlarged scale.

Embodiments of the Invention

Throughout the detailed description of the drawings, like reference numerals are used to designate like components of the various exemplary devices of the invention.

In fig. 1 shows a refillable system for containing a concentrated cleaning fluid configured for use with a refillable vessel. In fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the assembled refill system comprising a container body 100, a cap assembly 200, and a plug 300.

As shown in FIG. 1, the container body 100 is a generally hollow container configured to receive a volume of concentrated cleaning fluid. The concentrated cleaning fluid is contained in the internal volume 102 of the container body 100. The container body 100 includes a neck 104 having an open end surrounded by a rim 108. The neck 104 includes a container thread 106 configured to engage a corresponding screw thread on the lid assembly 200.

As shown in FIG. 1, a longitudinal axis A extends through the open end of the container body 100 from the closed end of the container body 100, through the lid assembly 200 and the plug 300.

The lid assembly 200 is configured to seal the container body 100 and extends from an upstream end to a downstream end. The upstream direction is the direction towards the container body 100, and the downstream direction is the direction towards the refill vessel when using the system.

Cap assembly 200 defines a tube 203 extending through cap assembly 200 through which fluid can flow from container body 100. Tube 203 extends through cap assembly 200 from the open upstream end to the open downstream end. The closure 208 seals the tube 203 to prevent fluid communication between the upstream end and the downstream end of the tube 203. The closure 208 is sealed to the inner wall of the tube through a frangible connection 210 that can be broken by applying pressure to closure element 208.

The stopper 300 is located within the cap assembly 200 and is configured to abut the closure 208 to break the frangible connection 210 when the cap assembly 200 is screwed onto (or otherwise interacts with) a refillable vessel. Plug 300 has a tubular body that provides an internal passage through which cleaning fluid can exit after plug 300 has been used to break the seal in cap assembly 200.

Advantageously, the refillable system may be wrapped in a shrink film covering. The shrink film coating may cover the entire lid assembly 200 and container body 100, or it may cover only a portion of the container body 100 and lid assembly 200. Advantageously, the coating may extend around the lid system such that the connection between the container body 100 and lid assembly 200 is surrounded by a covering of shrink film. By shrink film wrapping around the container body 100 and the lid assembly 200 (together), the likelihood of unauthorized removal of the lid assembly 200 from the container body 100 is further reduced.

Application of the system

The following describes the use of the system in more detail (see FIGS. 2A and 2B).

In fig. 2A and 2B, in an enlarged view, show a refill system including a cap assembly 200 and a plug 300. The container body 100 has been removed for clarity. In fig. 2A and 2B also show the top of the refill vessel 400 with a neck 402 that defines an opening for fluid communication with the interior of the refill vessel 400.

In fig. 2A shows the system before use with closure 208 sealed within tube 203. As shown in FIG. 2A, the refill system is supplied with a plug 300 located within the cap assembly 200. In the configuration shown in FIG. 2A, plug 300 occupies a first position in which it is spaced from (i.e., not in direct contact with) closure 208.

The plug 300 is mounted within the cap assembly 200 so that it is secured and held in place against accidental movement (eg, during transportation or storage). However, the plug 300 and cap assembly 200 are configured to push the plug 300 axially toward the closure 208 by pressing against a distal end-facing abutment surface provided on the plug 300.

The plug 300 may be secured or installed within the cap assembly 200 in other ways. The example combination of plug and cap assembly is discussed in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 3A-5.

The cap assembly 200 includes one or more first screw threads 230 (or other engagement means) configured to engage with corresponding screw threads on the refill container 400. The screw threads 230 enable the cap assembly 200 to be screwed onto the neck 402 of the refill container 400. The turn(s) of the first screw thread(s) 230 are provided on the interior surface of the cap assembly 200, while the thread(s) 404 of the refill vessel 400 are provided on the exterior surface of the refill vessel 400. Thus, when screwing the cap assembly 200 onto the neck 402 of the refill vessel 400, the neck 402 of the refillable vessel 400 and the rim 406 that ends the neck 402 are directed to the lid assembly 200.

The plug 300 is located (see FIG. 2B) within the cap assembly 200 such that when the neck 402 is inserted into the cap assembly 200, it will tend to abut the plug 300, pushing it in an upstream direction toward the container body 100 and into contact with sealing element 208.

As shown in FIG. 2B, as the rim 406 advances into the cap assembly 200, the stopper 300 first abuts the closure 208 and then begins to apply force to it as the rim 406 causes additional movement relative to the cap assembly 200. As the plug 300 abuts the closure 208, the force applied to the closure element 208, increases to the point where the fragile connection between the closure element and the tube 203 is broken and the closure element 208 is pushed in the upstream direction so that it no longer seals the tube 203. FIG. 2B thus shows a second position of the plug 300.

Upon breaking the seal provided by the closure 208, the concentrated cleaning fluid can flow from the interior volume 102 of the container body 100 through the tube 203 of the lid assembly 200, through the internal channel of the plug 300 into the refill vessel 400 located below.

Once the container body 100 is empty, the cap assembly 200 can be unscrewed from the neck 402 of the refill container 400 and safely disposed of in the trash.

By providing the refill system described above, it is possible to provide a safe, convenient and effective method for delivering a controlled amount of concentrated cleaning fluid to the refill vessel.

Several advantages can be achieved through the use of the disclosed system, which can result in improvements to the replenishment system.

Improved cap assembly

The lid assembly 200 is described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3A-3C. In fig. 3A is a sectional view showing the lid assembly 200 described above. In fig. 3B shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a frangible connection 210 according to the first exemplary configuration. In fig. 3C shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a frangible connection 210 according to a second exemplary configuration. For clarity, plug 300 has been removed in FIG. 3A-3C.

The disclosed cap assembly 200 includes a number of improvements that can provide improved performance. The lid assembly 200 may include an improved wall design, improved frangibility, improved safety features, and improved audible and tactile feedback for the user. Each of these improvements is described in more detail below. In addition, it should be understood that the features described below may only be included in a replenishment system or in combination with other features to create a new and improved product.

As shown in FIG. 3A, cap assembly 200 includes an inner wall 202 that defines a tube 203 extending from an open upstream end to an open downstream end. The closure 208 is located within the tube 203 and includes an upstream side 208a and a downstream side 208b. The closure 208 is sealed at its periphery to the inner wall 202 by a frangible joint 210. The frangible joint 210 is located between the open upstream end and the open downstream end of the tube 203, and is described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3B and 3C.

The outer wall 204 extends around the inner wall 202. The outer wall 204 is connected to the inner wall 202 by a connecting wall 212. The connecting wall 212 extends between the inner and outer walls 202, 204, preventing fluid from flowing through the cap assembly 200 in the space between the inner and outer walls 202. 204. The only route that fluid can take through the cap assembly 200 is therefore through the tube 203 when the frangible joint 210 is broken.

The inner wall 202 is positioned coaxially within the outer wall 204 to form a circumferential cavity 214 between the inner and outer walls 202, 204. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the connecting wall 212 is connected to each of the inner and outer walls 202, 204, in a portion along their length. This creates an upstream cavity 214a, between the inner and outer walls 202, 204 upstream of the connection wall 212, and a downstream cavity 214b between the inner and outer walls 202, 204 downstream of the connection wall 212.

By providing an upstream cavity 214a, the seal between the container body 100 and the lid assembly 200 can be improved since the inner wall 202 can be specifically adapted to form a seal between the lid assembly 200 and the container body 100 inside the neck 104 of the container body 100, then how the outer wall 204 may be specifically adapted to form a seal between the lid assembly 200 and the container body 100 around the neck 104 of the container body 100.

In at least some examples, the outer wall 204 may provide a child-resistant closure to the container body 100. For example, the outer wall 204 may include a plurality of ratchet teeth (not shown) that may mate with a plurality of ratchet teeth on the container body 100 to allow the lid assembly 200 to be screwed onto the container body 100 but to prevent the lid assembly 200 from being unscrewed from the container assembly. By providing a child-resistant closure, the lid assembly 200 can be prevented from unscrewing completely from the container body 100 (or at least without destroying the lid assembly 200), or it can be configured to prevent the lid assembly 200 from being unscrewed from the container body 100 if a predetermined axial force is not applied to the lid assembly 200 towards the container body 100.

In addition, by providing an upstream cavity 214a to receive the neck 104 of the container body 100, the neck 104 can be used to provide structural reinforcement to the lid assembly 200 to minimize the extent to which it flexes when pressure is applied to break the frangible joint 210. By By minimizing the extent to which the cap assembly 200 can be flexed under pressure from the plug 300, the frangible connection 210 is more likely to break abruptly under pressure, resulting in a cracking or clicking sound that provides an audible and tactile response to the user indicating that the seal is broken and that the concentrated liquid can be consumed.

By providing a downstream cavity 214b, at least a portion of the plug 300 can be positioned between the inner and outer walls 202, 204 downstream of the connection wall 212. This provides a space in which the plug 300 can be held in the cap assembly 200 during transport. and storage, and is held securely in place until the user screws the refill system onto the refill vessel. By providing the plug 300 in the downstream cavity, the plug can be protected from accidental contact with a handler, thereby preventing the risk that the plug may be accidentally moved from the first position to the second position during transportation or storage.

It should be understood that although the provision of an upstream cavity 214a and a downstream cavity 214b can be combined to provide improved benefits compared to prior art systems, in at least some examples, the lid assembly 200 may only comprise an upstream cavity 214a or just the downstream cavity 214b.

The tube 203 provided by the inner wall 202 of the cap assembly 200 may have a variable diameter along its length. For example, the diameter of the tube 203 upstream of the frangible connection 210 may be greater than the diameter of the tube 203 downstream of the frangible connection 210. By increasing the diameter of the tube 203 upstream of the frangible connection 210, the closure 208 can be pushed by the plug 300 into the area tube 203 that has a larger diameter than closure 208. This further reduces the likelihood that closure 208 may occlude tube 203, causing cleaning fluid to be prevented from exiting container body 100 through closure assembly 200 and plug 300 once the plug has moved into her second position.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the inner wall 202 is shaped with a barrel-shaped or bulbous end upstream portion to provide a barrel-shaped seal for sealing the neck 104 of the refill container body 100. The inner wall 202 is configured to fit inside the opening of the container body 100 and form a seal between the outer surface of the inner wall and the inner surface of the opening.

Instead of a cylindrical shape in which the sides are substantially parallel, the upstream end of the tube 203 may be barrel-shaped in shape, with a cross-sectional diameter (i.e., a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A) gradually decreasing in diameter from a maximum diameter upstream from the frangible connection 210 to the rim of the upstream inner wall 202. By changing the diameter of the tube 203 at the upstream end, changes in manufacturing tolerances can occur and/or tighter seals can be provided between the container body 100 and the lid assembly 200 because the narrower open end of the tube 203 can be inserted into the neck 104 of the container body 100, and an airtight seal may be formed between the barrel sealing rim and the neck of the container body 100.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the connecting wall 212 may further include a circumferential recess 234 or channel adjacent the inner wall 202 on the upstream side. The notch 234 reduces the thickness of the connecting wall 212 at the location where the inner wall 202 is connected to the connecting wall 212. This can increase the extent to which the upstream portion of the inner wall 202 can be bent inwardly to fit inside the neck 104 of the container body 100 (as shown in Fig. 5).

The inner wall 202 downstream of the closure 208 has a generally cylindrical shape with substantially parallel walls. The downstream end of the inner wall 202 is configured to be mounted within the neck 402 of the refill container 400.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the inner surface of the inner wall 202 may include a radially inwardly projecting rib or projection 216. The rib or projection 216 may advantageously engage a corresponding projection on the plug 300, as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 3A, closure 208 is located within tube 203 and seals the tube to prevent fluid from passing through unless frangible joint 210 is broken.

The closure 208 shown in FIG. 3A has a tapered shape and extends from a downstream base 219 to an upstream top 218. For example, the closure may have a conical or frustoconical shape. The base 219 is preferably open to provide access to the hollow interior of the closure element 208 from the downstream side. By providing a hollow, pointed closure member 208, the likelihood of the closure member 208 settling over the hole formed in the inner tube upon failure of the seal is reduced. Conversely, the buoyancy provided by the hollow closure 208 means that the closure has a tendency to float away from the tube 203.

The closure base 219 provides a support surface 220 against which the plug 300 can abut to apply pressure to break the frangible joint 210. The support surface 220 preferably extends in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. The frangible joint 210 preferably also extends in a plane perpendicular to longitudinal axis A. The frangible connection 210 may extend in the same plane as the support surface 220 or in a plane parallel to the plane R.

In fig. 3B and 3C (each), in an enlarged view, show the frangible connection 210 formed between the closure member 208 and the inner wall 202, in accordance with the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3B and 3C, the frangible joint 210 extends between the inner wall 202 and the outer perimeter of the closure 208. The thickness of the frangible joint 210 is preferably between 0.05 mm and 0.2 mm. However, one skilled in the art will determine that other sizes may be selected depending on the materials used and the dimensions of the lid system.

The thickness (longitudinal direction) and width (radial direction) of the frangible joint are preferably carefully controlled. By adjusting the width and thickness of the frangible joint 210, the reliability with which the frangible joint 210 breaks can be made higher. This can provide a clearer user experience.

The thickness and width of the frangible joint can be adjusted in other ways.

For example, in the exemplary configuration of FIG. 3B, a frangible joint 210 is formed between two opposing recesses or recesses 222, 224. The recesses or recesses 222, 224 are shown in FIG. 3B, in a sectional view. However, it should be understood that in the closure member 208 having a circular cross-section, the recesses or recesses 222, 224 may be formed as circumferential channels or annular grooves.

A first recess 224 is formed upstream of the frangible joint 210, between the upstream side 208a of the closure element 208 and the inner surface of the inner wall 202. A second recess 224 is formed downstream of the frangible joint 210, between the downstream side 208b of the closure element 208 and the inner surface of the inner wall 202. By forming a frangible joint 210 between two opposing recesses or channels, the thickness (in the longitudinal direction) and width (in the transverse direction) of the frangible joint 210 can be adjusted and minimized.

Recesses 222 and 224 (or channels) extend from the open end to the closed end, with the frangible connection 210 forming the closed end in each case. The closed end of each recess or channel may advantageously have a rounded profile, as shown in FIG. 3B. By providing a frangible connection 210 between opposing rounded recesses or channels, the width of the frangible connection at the thinnest portion can be carefully adjusted.

It should be understood that the lateral width of the thinnest portion of the frangible joint 210 can be adjusted by varying the radius of curvature of the rounded recesses. The radius of curvature of the first recess or recess 222 may be selected to be substantially the same as that of the second recess or recess 224, or it may be different.

The second (downstream) recess or channel 224 in the example shown in FIG. 3B means that the frangible connection 210 extends in a different plane relative to the support surface 220. However, in an alternative exemplary configuration, the second circumferential recess 224 may be eliminated.

An alternative exemplary configuration is shown in FIG. 3C. In fig. 3C shows a first (upstream) recess 222. In the illustrated configuration, recess 222 includes a closed end having a flat bottom surface 223. The flat bottom surface 223 of recess 222 extends between the inner wall 202 and the closure 208, and constitutes the top surface of the frangible joint 210 .

The bottom surface of the frangible connection 210 extends in the same plane and is adjacent to the support surface 220. As shown in FIG. 3C, the width of the frangible joint 210 at its thinnest portion can be adjusted by forming a recess 222 such that the inner surface of the inner wall 202 immediately upstream of the frangible joint 210 is positioned radially outward from the inner surface of the inner wall 202 immediately downstream of frangible joint 210. By shifting at the location where the inner surface of the inner wall 202 located upstream of the frangible joint 210 relative to the inner surface of the wall located downstream of the frangible joint 210, the width of the frangible joint 210 at its thinnest point can be reduced to a size less than the width of the recess 222. This allows a frangible joint to be formed having a size that is smaller than any of the parts required to form the joint (eg, mold parts). This can further improve the fragile connection.

The frangible joint 210 (see FIG. 3A) preferably extends in a plane P perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the cap assembly 200. By providing a flat seal (relative to the longitudinal axis A), the frangible joint 210 tends to crack around its circumference, substantially while at the same time that the plug 300 (its proximally facing abutment surface 305, also oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A) abuts the supporting surface 220. This contrasts with the frangible joint 210 extending in a plane not at right angles to the longitudinal axis A which tends to peel from the “bottom” end (the part of the frangible joint 210 that is first brought closer to the plug 300) to the “top” end (the part of the seal furthest from the forward plug 300). Such peeling is often unnoticeable to the user of the assembly, and may result in the user prematurely removing the lid assembly from the refill vessel while the seal is partially intact.

In contrast, one advantage of breaking the frangible joint 210 around the perimeter of the closure 208 at the same time is that the frangible joint 210 can break abruptly, causing a crack or click as the frangible joint 210 breaks. cause an audible and/or tactile response to the user indicating that the component that sealed the refill system has been destroyed and that the concentrated cleaning fluid contained within the container body 100 can be consumed.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A-5, the system is configured such that the movable plug 300 abuts the support surface 220 of the closure 208 when the plug 300 is moved from a first position to a second position. The plug 300 is moved from its first position to its second position by the force applied to the plug 300 by the rim of the refill container 400 as the neck of the refill container 400 is advanced into the cap assembly.

However, it should be understood that the stopper 300 may be omitted from certain exemplary configurations, and the cap assembly 200 may be configured such that the supporting surface 220 of the closure member 208 is brought into contact with the rim 406 of the refillable container directly to break the frangible connections 210. Such exemplary configurations fall within the scope of protection of the invention.

For example, the frangible connection 210 described above may be provided in a refill system comprising a cap assembly 200 screwed directly onto the neck of a refill container 400. In such systems, the cap may be configured such that the rim of the refill container 400 abuts directly against the closure to be broken frangible connection 210 and allowing a stream of concentrated cleaning fluid to flow through cap assembly 200 into refill vessel 400.

Cork

The plug 300 will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4A-4C.

The plug 300 disclosed in accordance with the invention includes a number of improvements that may provide improved performance. The plug 300 may have an improved wall design, an improved support surface for breaking the frangible joint 210, improved safety features, and features that contribute to improved audible and tactile feedback for the user. Each of these improvements is described in more detail below. In addition, it should be understood that the features described below may be included only in a replenishable system or in combination with other features to create a more advanced product.

In fig. 4A is a sectional view showing a plug 300 including a proximal abutment surface configured according to the first exemplary configuration. In fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view of a plug 300 including a proximal thrust surface configured according to a second exemplary configuration. In fig. 4C is a perspective view of the plug 300 shown in FIG. 4B.

As shown in FIG. 4A, plug 300 includes a generally tubular body 302 defining an internal passage therethrough, with a proximal rim 304 surrounding the upstream opening of the tubular body 302. The proximal rim 304 includes a proximally facing abutment surface 305 configured to abut the abutment surface 220 of the closure 208 when the plug 300 is moved from a first position to a second position, as described above.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, plug 300 further includes a generally tubular skirt wall 306 positioned coaxially with respect to tubular body 302 and surrounding tubular body 302 along at least a portion of its length to provide a double-wall plug 300. Skirt wall 306 is spaced from tubular body 302 (at radially) to form a recess 308 in the plug between the skirt wall 306 and the tubular body 302.

The skirt wall 306 is connected at its distal end to the distal end of the tubular body 302 and includes a free proximal end. The free proximal end of the skirt wall 306 further includes an outwardly projecting flange 310 that provides a distal abutment surface 312 for abutting the rim 406 of the refill container 400 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B).

By providing a plug 300 including an inner tubular body 302 and an outer skirt wall 306, the plug 300 can be more securely retained within the cap assembly 200. For example, a recess 308 in the plug may accommodate a component (e.g., an inner wall 202) of the cap assembly 200 for holding plugs 300 are securely inside cap assembly 200 until the user screws the system onto the refill vessel 400.

The proximal abutment surface 305 may be configured in other ways, as described below with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B.

As described above, the proximal abutment surface 305 of the plug 300 is configured to engage the support surface 220 of the closure member 208 when the plug 300 is moved from its first position to its second position (see FIGS. 2A and 2B). When the proximal abutment surface 305 is brought into contact with the support surface 220 of the closure 208 and further advanced in the proximal direction, the frangible connection 210 is broken and the closure 208 is lifted from the position in which it overlapped the tube 203.

The proximal stopper surface 305 may be configured to uniformly distribute an applied force around the circumference of the frangible joint 210. In other words, the proximal abutment surface 305 may be configured to result in a net force applied to the closure member 208 along the longitudinal axis A and perpendicular to the plane in which the frangible connection 210 extends. Accordingly, the proximal direction facing abutment surface 305 of the plug 300 preferably has at least bilateral rotational symmetry about the longitudinal axis A.

In the one shown in FIG. 4A, as an example configuration, the proximal direction abutment surface 305 of the plug 300 is provided with a circumferential rim 304 of the tubular body 302 ending in a plane. By providing the circumferential rim in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A, the proximal direction facing abutment surface 305 is simultaneously brought into contact with the circumferential abutment surface 220 of the closure member 208.

The rim 304 providing the proximal abutment surface 305 may be continuous or may include one or more cutouts 316.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4B, the proximal abutment surface 305 may include a discontinuous rim containing a plurality of projections 307 (extending in the proximal direction) uniformly spaced around the circumference of the rim 304 of the tubular body 302, the projections 307 terminating in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. The projections may take the form of teeth spaced evenly around the circumference of the rim. For example, if the thrust surface contains two teeth, the teeth may be diametrically opposed to each other. A perspective view of a plug 300 containing two diametrically opposed teeth is shown in FIG. 4C.

By providing a rotationally symmetrical abutment surface configured to apply a resultant force along the longitudinal axis A and perpendicular to the plane in which the frangible joint 210 extends, the frangible joint 210 can be configured to crack at failure around its circumference rather than peeling asymmetrically from the original destruction around the seal. Such failure around the circumference of the seal may result in a crack or click audible by the user, thereby providing positive feedback that the fragile joint has been successfully broken and that the liquid contained in the container body can be released.

In addition or alternative to the features described above, the plug configurations described above may have additional features to improve the functionality of plug 300. The following additional features may be combined with the abutment surface configurations described above with reference to FIGS. 4A-4C.

The distal abutment surface 312 at the free end of the skirt wall 306 may be configured to provide many additional advantages. For example, the free end of the skirt wall 306 may include a proximal seal 318 configured to seal against the connecting wall 212 of the lid assembly 200. The proximal seal 318 may include a circumferential rib containing an apex. The apex has a small surface area to be brought into contact with the connection wall 212, thereby improving the seal.

The free proximal end of the skirt wall 306 may also include one or more claws 320 configured to engage threads 230 in the cap assembly 200. By engaging the claw(s) 320 with the threads 230, additional security can be provided to ensure that the plug 300 remains in place. inside the lid assembly 200.

The grip(s) 320 may also retain the plug 300 within the cap assembly 200 after use of the product. Because the plug 300 must be forced into the cap assembly 200 to break the frangible connection 210, the jaws are preferably configured to slide along the threads 230 of the cap assembly 200 as the plug 300 is advanced toward the closure 208. The jaw(s) 320 may ), thus containing a far concave surface and a near convex surface.

As shown in FIG. 4, plug 300 may further include a circumferential rib or protrusion 314 on the outer surface of the tubular body 302. The rib or protrusion 314 may be configured to engage with a corresponding rib or protrusion (eg, rib 216) on the mating cap assembly 200. This can further improve retaining the plug 300 within the cap assembly 200 prior to use, such as during transportation and storage.

As shown in FIG. 4, plug 300 may also include one or more cutouts or slots 316 in the wall of tubular body 302. The cutouts or slots preferably extend from the proximal rim 304 of tubular body 302 in a distal direction. The discontinuity in the rim 304 formed by the cutouts or grooves 316 may advantageously improve the flow of fluid through the cap assembly 200 and plug 300 following failure of the frangible connection 210 by ensuring that the closure 208 cannot form a seal against the rim 304 of the plug 300.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A-4C, plug 300 includes two diametrically opposed cutouts 316 (although only one is visible in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4). However, one cutout may be provided in the tubular body 302, or three or more cutouts may be provided.

By providing discontinuity in the proximal abutment surface 305 of the tubular body 302, it may also provide the additional benefit of reducing the area of the proximal abutment surface 305 that is brought into contact with the support surface 220 of the closure 208, thereby increasing the force applied to unit area of the closure element 208.

Although not shown in the drawings, it should be understood that closure 208 may be modified (in addition to or as an alternative to plug 300) to improve the flow of cleaning fluid through plug 300 and cap assembly 200 in a similar manner. For example, closure 208 may be modified to provide discontinuity, such as by providing a cut or recess in the support surface 220 of closure 208, thereby preventing closure 208 from forming a seal with plug 300 once the frangible connection 210 fails.

As defined, plug 300, including a flat rim 304, and closure element 208, including a flat supporting surface 220, can form a seal against each other if closure element 208 sits over the opening of tubular element 302 of plug 300. If the flat surfaces are aligned and come into contact to form a seal around the perimeter of the rim 304, the closure 208 can prevent fluid from escaping from the container body 100 after the frangible joint 210 fails.

However, by providing one or more cutouts or slits (or both) in each rim 304 or support surface 220, if the closure 208 is seated against the tubular body 302 of the plug 300, the fluid contained in the container body 100 , may still flow through the tubular body 302 of the plug 300 through the openings formed by the cutouts or slits.

As shown in FIG. 4, plug 300 may further comprise at least one barrier or beam 322 extending across a distal opening of tubular body 302. Beam 322 may extend across the diameter of the distal opening, or a plurality of beams may extend across the opening. The beam is configured to allow fluid to flow around it, but prevent or inhibit the insertion of an object (such as a finger) into the tube formed by the tubular body 302. This minimizes the likelihood of unauthorized or improper failure of the frangible joint 210 by an object passing through the tubular body. 302.

Refillable system

As further described with reference to FIGS. 5, when assembled, the container body 100, lid assembly 200, and plug 300 may constitute a system that provides even further benefits.

In fig. 5, an enlarged view, shows the distal end of the replenishment system. The neck 104 of the container body 100 is clearly shown and the rim 108 that surrounds the opening in the neck 104. The neck 104 of the container body 100 also includes one or more threads 106 extending around the neck 104 (on the outer surface) that are configured to engage with corresponding threads. threads in the lid assembly 200.

The lid assembly 200 is also clearly shown. The lid assembly 200 has the double-wall structure described above with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. The inner surface of the outer wall 204 includes one or more second screw threads 232 configured to engage with threads 106 on the container body 100.

The cap assembly 200 is screwed onto the container body 100 so that the rim 108 of the neck 104 is located within the upstream cavity 214a. Advantageously, the rim 108 of the neck 104 abuts the connecting wall 212 of the lid assembly 200. By engaging the container body 100 with the lid assembly 200 so that the rim 108 of the container body 100 abuts the connecting wall of the lid assembly 200, the neck 104 prevents the connecting wall 212 from bending when the stopper 3 is abutted. 00 into the closure member 208. In addition, by abutting the rim 108 of the container body 100 against the connecting wall 212 of the lid assembly 200, additional protection against leakage from the container body 100 can be provided.

The lid assembly 200 is further configured such that the upstream end of the inner wall 202 (which is optionally configured as a barrel-shaped seal as described above) is located within the neck 104 of the container body 100. The inner wall 202 thus forms a further seal with the neck 104 of the container body 100.

The interaction between the plug 300 and the cap assembly 200 is also further described with reference to FIGS. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, a plug 300 is located within the cap assembly 200. The plug 300 shown in FIG. 5 is structurally similar to the plug 300 described with reference to FIG. 4.

As shown, plug 300 is located within the cap assembly 200 such that the distal end of the inner wall 202 of the cap assembly 200 is located within a recess 308 formed between the tubular body 302 and the skirt wall 306. During assembly, a rib 314 on the plug 300 is pushed past a corresponding rib 216 on the inner wall 202 of the cap assembly 200. The interlocking of the ribs 216 and 314 can help retain the plug 300 within the cap assembly 200 during transport and storage of the system 10.

The use of one or more claws 320 of the plug 300 may also assist in retaining the plug 300 within the cap assembly 200 by engaging the threads 230 on the inner surface of the outer wall 204. Preferably, the use of at least two claws may provide secure engagement with the thread(s) 230 on lid.

The combination of closure 300 and cap assembly 200 disclosed in accordance with the invention may be configured to prevent closure 208 from blocking the flow of fluid through cap assembly 200 following failure of the frangible connection 210.

For example, as explained in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the inner wall 202 of the cap assembly 200 may be configured to have a first diameter downstream of the frangible joint 210 and a second, larger diameter upstream of the frangible joint 210. To ensure that the closure 208 is pushed or lifted into a position in which it would not block the passage of the inner wall 202 of the cap assembly 200 after failure of the frangible joint 210, the plug 300 may be configured such that the rim or abutment surface 304 could move upstream past the location of the frangible joint 210 connects the closure element 208 to the inner wall 202. This can be achieved by ensuring that the maximum distance of movement of the plug 300 is not limited by the cap assembly 200 while the rim 204 pushes the closure element 208 into the increased diameter portion of the tube 203.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the maximum movement of the plug 300 toward the frangible joint 210 is where the seal 318 on the skirt wall 306 abuts the connecting wall 212 of the cap assembly 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the rim 304 of the tubular body 302 and the seal 318 terminate in the same transverse plane. . To ensure that the movement of the plug 300 is not limited until after the closure has been lifted from the narrower portion of the tube 203, the frangible joint 210 is positioned downstream of the connection wall 212.

Alternatively (or additionally), the rim or abutment surface 304 of the plug 300 may extend closer to the sealing surface 318 of the skirt wall 306.

The container body 100, lid assembly 200, and stopper 300 may be made from any suitable material known in the art. For example, the container body 100, lid assembly 200, and stopper 300 may be made of polyethylene or polypropylene, and may be formed by injection molding. Advantageously, the container body 100 may be formed from polyethylene, while the lid assembly 200 and stopper 300 may be formed from polypropylene.

It should be understood that aspects of the invention include embodiments in which the features described above are provided alone or in combination with other features disclosed in accordance with the invention. For example, the frangible connection described above may be provided in a refill system comprising a cap assembly screwed directly onto the neck of the refill container. In such systems, the lid may be configured so that the rim of the refillable container abuts directly against the closure to break the fragile connection and allow concentrated cleaning fluid to exit through the lid assembly into the refillable container.

In addition, the plug disclosed according to the invention may be provided in a cap assembly having a different seal structure than disclosed according to the invention. For example, cutouts and slots in the cap assembly, which prevent the closure element from tightly abutting the opening in the stopper, can be used in closure assemblies with other structures and with other closure elements.

Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplified or preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or material, according to the spirit of the invention, without departing from its essential scope. Thus, it is intended that the invention is not limited to particular or preferred embodiments, or to the preferred features disclosed, but that the invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

The invention also includes systems according to the following points:

Item 1. Stopper (300) for use in the lid assembly of a refillable container, containing:

a tubular body (302) with an open proximal end and an open distal end, wherein the open proximal end is surrounded by a first rim (304), and the rim (304) further includes at least first and second projections (307) extending in a proximal direction from the rim ( 304), wherein the proximal surface of the projections forms a proximally facing abutment surface (305) for abutting the frangible sealing component of the lid assembly against the abutment surface (220);

wherein the proximal thrust surface (305) extends in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tubular body (302);

a skirt extending around the tubular body (302) and comprising a tubular skirt wall (306) positioned coaxially relative to the tubular body (302), wherein the skirt wall (306) is spaced radially from the tubular body (302) to form a recess (308) in the plug between the skirt wall (306) and the tubular body (302);

wherein the plug (300) further comprises an outwardly projecting flange (310) containing a distal facing abutment surface (312) for abutting the rim (406) of the refillable vessel (400); And

wherein the proximally facing thrust surface (305) has at least bilateral rotational symmetry relative to the longitudinal axis (A).

Clause 2. A plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the free end of the skirt wall (306) further comprises a proximal sealing rim (318) for sealing against the sealing surface (212) of the cap assembly (200).

Item 3. Plug (300) as per any previous item, in which the proximal sealing rim (318) converges to the apex.

Item 4. A plug (300) as defined in any of the preceding items, wherein the sealing apex (318) terminates in the same plane as the proximal abutment surface (305).

Claim 5. The plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the tubular body (302) further comprises at least one notch (316) or slot formed in a distal direction in the wall of the tubular body (302).

Claim 6. A plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein a cutout (316) extends in a distal direction from the rim to form a discontinuity in the rim (304) of the plug (300), the rim (304) preferably comprising two or more cutouts, and preferably two diametrically opposed cutouts (316).

Claim 7. A plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the tubular body (302) includes a protrusion or ridge (314) extending around the outer surface of the tubular body (302).

Clause 8. A plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the free proximal end of the skirt wall (306) further comprises at least one claw (320) extending radially outward from the distal abutment surface (312).

Claim 9. A plug (300) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one jaw (320) is curved away from the distal abutment surface (312) to form a distal concave surface and a proximal convex surface.

Item 10. A plug (300) according to any of the previous items, wherein at least one jaw (320) comprises two jaws, preferably three jaws, and more preferably four or more jaws (320).

Item 11. A lid system for a refillable container, comprising:

a plug (300) according to any previous embodiment; And

lid assembly (200) containing:

an inner wall (202) defining a tube (203) extending through the cap assembly (200), the tube (203) extending from an upstream end to a downstream end;

an outer wall (204) surrounding the inner wall (202) along at least a first portion of its length, the outer wall (204) spaced from the first portion of the inner wall (202) to define a circumferential cavity (214b) between the inner and outer walls (202 , 204) extending from the open downstream end to the closed upstream end;

a connecting wall (212) extending between the inner and outer walls (202, 204) to prevent fluid from flowing out through the cavity (214b); wherein the connecting wall (212) forms a closed upstream end of the cavity (214b);

wherein the cap assembly (200) further comprises a closure member (208) configured to seal the tube (203), the closure member (208) comprising an upstream side (208a) and a downstream side (208b);

wherein the closure element (208) is sealed to the inner wall (202) by a peripheral frangible connection (210) located between the proximal and distal ends of the tube (203);

wherein the frangible connection (210) extends in a plane P perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203); And

wherein the plug (300) is located within the cap assembly (200) such that the outer wall (204) of the cap assembly (200) surrounds the plug (300), and the inner wall (202) of the cap assembly (200) extends into a recess (308) in the plug ; And

wherein the proximal abutment surface (304) of the plug (300) is aligned with and opposed to the support surface (220) of the closure element (208).

Claim 12. The system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the frangible connection (210) is located between the first peripheral recess (222) formed between the inner wall (202) and the downstream side (208b) of the closure element (208), and the second peripheral a recess (224) formed between the inner wall (202) and the upstream side (208b) of the closure element (208).

Clause 13. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support surface (220) extends in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203).

Clause 14. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the closure member (208) is conical or frustoconical in shape and extends from the base to the apex (218).

Claim 15. A system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the closure element (208) is hollow and open at the base, and preferably, the closure element (208) is oriented with its apex (218) in the upstream direction and its base in the downstream direction .

Clause 16. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the outer wall (204) includes engagement means, such as a screw thread (230), on its inner surface, wherein the jaws (320) are configured to engage the engagement means (230).

Clause 17. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner wall (202) includes a protrusion or rib (216) extending radially inward from the inner surface of the inner wall (202).

Clause 18. A refill system (10) comprising a system according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising: a container (100) for containing a concentrated cleaning product, the container (100) being engaged with a lid assembly (200), and the internal volume of the container (100) being communicated through the fluid with the upstream end of the tube (203).

Clause 19. A refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the container (100) includes an opening surrounded by a rim (104) and the rim (104) abuts a connecting wall (212) of the lid assembly (200).

Clause 20. The refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a shrink film covering extending around at least a portion of the container (100) and at least a portion of the lid assembly (200).

Item 21. A lid assembly (200) for a refillable container, comprising:

an inner wall (202) defining a tube (203) extending through the cap assembly (200), the tube (203) extending from an upstream end to a downstream end;

an outer wall (204) surrounding the inner wall (202) along at least a first portion of its length, wherein the outer wall (204) is spaced from the first portion of the inner wall (202) to define a circumferential cavity (214) between the inner and outer walls ( 202, 204);

a connecting wall (212) extending between the inner and outer walls (202, 204) to prevent fluid from flowing out through the cavity (214) between the inner and outer walls (202, 204);

wherein the cap assembly (200) further comprises a closure member (208) configured to seal the tube (203), the closure member (208) comprising an upstream side (208a) and a downstream side (208b), and a support surface (220) on its downstream side;

wherein the closure element (208) is sealed to the inner wall (202) by a peripheral frangible connection (210) located between the proximal and distal ends of the tube (203);

wherein the peripheral frangible connection (210) extends in a plane P, preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203);

wherein the inner surface of the inner wall (202), located immediately upstream of the closure element (208), is offset in the radial direction from the inner surface of the wall (202), located immediately downstream of the closure element (208).

Clause 22. A cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support surface (220) extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203).

Clause 23. A closure assembly (200) as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein the closure member (208) is hollow and tapers from a downstream base (221) to an upstream apex (218).

Clause 24. A cap assembly (200) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the closure member (208) is open at the base.

Clause 25. A cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support surface (220) is adjacent to the frangible connection (210).

Clause 26. The cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the tube (203) has a first cross-sectional diameter in the upstream end region and a second cross-sectional diameter in the downstream end region, wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is larger second cross-sectional diameter.

Clause 27. A lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity comprises a downstream cavity (214b) extending from an open downstream end and terminating at a closed end in a region of a connecting wall (212).

Clause 28. A lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity comprises an upstream cavity (214a) extending from an open upstream end and terminating at a closed end in a region of a connecting wall (212).

Clause 29. A lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity comprises an upstream cavity (214a) and a downstream cavity (214b), wherein the upstream and downstream cavities (214a, 214b) separated from each other by a connecting wall (212).

Clause 30. The lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the outer wall (204) downstream of the connecting wall (212) includes engagement means, for example, a screw thread (230) configured to engage a corresponding means (404 ) engagement on the refillable vessel (400).

Clause 31. The lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the outer wall (204) upstream of the connecting wall (212) includes engagement means, for example, a screw thread (232) configured to engage a corresponding means (106 ) engagement on the refill container (100).

Clause 32. A lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inner wall (202) includes a protrusion or rib (216) extending radially inward from the inner surface of the inner wall (202).

Clause 33. A cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, comprising polypropylene.

Clause 34. A cap system comprising a cap assembly (200) according to any preceding embodiment, and further comprising a plug (300), wherein the plug (300) is movably mounted within the cap assembly (200) for movement in an axial direction, wherein the plug (300) is configured to abut the supporting surface (220) of the closure element (208) to destroy the fragile connection (210).

Clause 35. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the plug (300) contains:

a tubular body (302) with an open proximal end and an open distal end, the open proximal end being surrounded by a first rim (304) defining a proximal abutment surface for abutting the abutment surface (220) of the closure member (208);

a skirt extending around the tubular body (302) and comprising a tubular skirt wall (306) positioned coaxially relative to the tubular body (302), the skirt wall (306) being radially spaced from the tubular body (302) to form a recess (308) in a plug between the skirt wall (306) and the tubular body (302);

wherein the skirt wall (306) extends from the distal end of the skirt, in the region of which it is connected to the distal end of the tubular body (302), to the free proximal end;

wherein the free proximal end of the skirt contains:

an outwardly projecting flange (310) containing a distal direction facing abutment surface (312) for abutting the rim (406) of the refillable vessel (400); And

wherein the plug (300) is located within the cap assembly (200) such that the downstream end of the inner wall (202) is located within the recess (308) in the plug.

Clause 36. A refill system (10) comprising a cap system as defined in any of the preceding clauses and further comprising a container body (100) for containing a concentrated refill fluid, the container body (100) being engaged with the cap assembly (200), and an internal the volume of the container body (100) is in fluid communication with the upstream end of the tube (203).

Clause 37. A refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the container (100) includes an opening surrounded by a rim (108) and the rim (108) abuts a connecting wall (212) of the lid assembly (200).

Clause 38. The refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a shrink film covering extending around at least a portion of the container (100) and at least a portion of the lid assembly (200).

Item 39. A lid assembly (200) for a refillable container, comprising:

an inner wall (202) defining a tube (203) extending through the cap assembly (200), the tube (203) extending from an upstream end to a downstream end;

an outer wall (204) surrounding the inner wall (202) along at least a first portion of its length, wherein the outer wall (204) is spaced from the first portion of the inner wall (202) to define a circumferential cavity (214a, 214b) between the inner and outer walls (202, 204);

a connecting wall (212) extending between the inner and outer walls (202, 204) to prevent fluid from flowing out through the cavity between the inner and outer walls (202, 204);

wherein the cap assembly (200) further comprises a closure member (208) configured to seal the tube (203), the closure member (208) comprising an upstream side (208a) and a downstream side (208b), and a support a surface (220) on its downstream side;

wherein the closure element (208) is sealed to the inner wall (202) by a peripheral frangible connection (210) located between the proximal and distal ends of the tube (203);

wherein the peripheral frangible connection (210) extends in a plane P perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203);

wherein the frangible connection is located between the first peripheral recess (222) formed between the inner wall (202) and the downstream side (208b) of the closure element (208), and the second peripheral recess (224) formed between the inner wall (202) and the upstream side (208b) of the closure element (208).

Clause 40. A cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support surface (220) extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203).

Clause 41. A cap assembly (200) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cap (208) is tapered, such as conical or frustoconical, and extends from the base (220) to the apex (218).

Clause 42. A cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the closure member (208) is hollow and open at the base.

Clause 43. A cap assembly (200) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cap (208) is oriented with its apex (218) in the upstream direction and its base in the downstream direction.

Clause 44. A cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support surface (220) is adjacent to the frangible connection (210).

Clause 45. The cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the tube (203) has a first cross-sectional diameter upstream of the frangible joint (210) and a second cross-sectional diameter in the region downstream of the frangible joint (210), wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is greater than the second cross-sectional diameter.

Clause 46. A lid assembly (200) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the circumferential cavity includes a downstream cavity (214b) extending from the open upstream end and terminating at a closed end in the region of the connecting wall (212).

Clause 47. A lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity comprises an upstream cavity (214a) extending from an open upstream end and terminating at a closed end in a region of a connecting wall (212).

Clause 48. A lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cavity comprises an upstream cavity (214a) and a downstream cavity (214b), wherein the upstream and downstream cavities (214a, 214b) separated from each other by a connecting wall (212).

Clause 49. The lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the outer wall (204) downstream of the connecting wall (212) includes engagement means, for example, a screw thread (230), configured to engage a corresponding means (404 ) engagement on the refillable vessel (400).

Clause 50. The lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the outer wall (204) upstream of the connecting wall (212) includes engagement means, for example, a screw thread (232), configured to engage with a corresponding means (106 ) engagement on the refill container (100).

Clause 51. A lid assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inner wall (202) includes a protrusion or rib (216) extending radially inward from the inner surface of the inner wall (202).

Clause 52. A cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, comprising polypropylene.

Clause 53. A cap system comprising a cap assembly (200) according to any of the preceding clauses, and further comprising a plug (300), wherein the plug (300) is movably mounted within the cap assembly (200) for movement in an axial direction, wherein the plug (300 ) is configured to abut the supporting surface (220) of the closure element (208) to destroy the fragile connection (210) when moving in the near direction.

Clause 54. The system according to any previous embodiment, wherein the plug (300) comprises:

a tubular body (302) with an open proximal end and an open distal end, the open proximal end being surrounded by a first rim (304) providing a proximally facing abutment surface for abutting the abutment surface (220) of the closure member (208);

a skirt extending around the tubular body (302) and comprising a tubular skirt wall (306) positioned coaxially relative to the tubular body (302), the skirt wall (306) being radially spaced from the tubular body (302) to form a recess (308) in a plug between the skirt wall (306) and the tubular body (302);

wherein the skirt wall (306) extends from the distal end of the skirt, in the region of which it is connected to the distal end of the tubular body (303), to the free proximal end;

wherein the free proximal end of the skirt contains:

an outwardly projecting flange (310) containing a distal facing abutment surface (312) for abutting the rim (406) of the refillable vessel (400); And

wherein the plug (300) is located within the cap assembly (200) such that the downstream end of the inner wall (202) is located within the recess (308) in the plug.

Clause 55. A refill system (10) comprising a system according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising: a container (100) for containing a concentrated refill fluid, the container (100) being engaged with a lid assembly (200), and an internal volume of the container (100 ) is in fluid communication with the upstream end of the tube (203).

Clause 56. A refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the container (100) includes an opening surrounded by a rim (108) and the rim (108) abuts a connecting wall (212) of the lid assembly (200).

Clause 57. The refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a shrink film cover extending around at least a portion of the container (100) and at least a portion of the lid assembly (200).

Item 58. A stopper (300) for use in the lid assembly of a refillable container, comprising:

– a hollow tubular body (302) with an open proximal end and an open distal end, the open proximal end being surrounded by a first rim (304) that forms a proximal abutment surface for abutting the frangible sealing component of the lid assembly;

wherein the proximal abutment surface lies in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, and the surface surrounds generally at least half of the open proximal end;

– a skirt extending around the tubular body (302) and containing a tubular skirt wall (306) positioned coaxially relative to the tubular body (302), wherein the skirt wall (306) is spaced radially from the tubular body (302) to form a recess (308) in the plug between the skirt wall (306) and the tubular body (302);

– wherein the skirt wall (306) extends from the distal end of the skirt, in the region of which the skirt wall (306) is connected to the tubular body (302), to the free proximal end;

– wherein the free proximal end of the skirt contains:

– an outwardly projecting flange (310) containing a thrust surface (312) facing in the far direction for resting the rim (406) of the refillable vessel (400) against it.

Clause 59. A plug (300) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the free end of the skirt wall (306) further comprises a proximal sealing rim (318) for sealing against the sealing surface (212) of the cap assembly (200).

Item 60. A plug (300) as defined in any of the preceding items, in which the proximal sealing rim (318) converges to the apex.

Clause 61. A plug (300) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the sealing apex (318) terminates in the same plane as the rim (304).

Clause 62. The plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the tubular body (202) further comprises at least one cutout (316) or slot for discontinuity in the first rim (304), preferably two or more cutouts, and preferably – two diametrically opposite cutouts.

Clause 63. A plug (300) as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular body (302) includes a protrusion or ridge (314) extending around an outer surface of the tubular body (302).

Clause 64. The plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the free proximal end of the skirt wall (306) further comprises at least one claw (320) projecting radially outward from the distal abutment surface (312).

Clause 65. A plug (300) as defined in any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one jaw (320) is curved away from the distal abutment surface (312) to form a distal concave surface and a proximal convex surface.

Clause 66. A plug (300) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one jaw (320) comprises two jaws, preferably three jaws, and more preferably four or more jaws (320).

Item 67. A lid system for a refillable container, comprising:

plug (300) according to any previous paragraph; And

lid assembly (200) containing:

an inner wall (202) defining a tube (203) extending through the cap assembly (200), the tube (203) extending from an upstream end to a downstream end;

an outer wall (204) surrounding the inner wall (202) along at least a first portion of its length, wherein the outer wall (204) is spaced from the first portion of the inner wall (202) to define a circumferential cavity (214b) between the inner and outer walls (202 , 204) extending from the open downstream end to the closed upstream end;

a connecting wall (212) extending between the inner and outer walls (202, 204) to prevent fluid from flowing through the cavity (214b), the connecting wall (212) defining a closed upstream end of the cavity (214b);

wherein the cap assembly (200) further comprises a closure element (208) configured to seal the tube (203), the closure element (208) comprising an upstream side (208a) and a downstream side (208b);

wherein the closure element (208) is sealed to the inner wall (202) by a peripheral frangible connection (210) located between the proximal and distal ends of the tube (203);

wherein the frangible connection (210) extends in a plane (P) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203); And

wherein the plug (300) is located inside the lid assembly (200) so that the outer wall (204) of the lid assembly (200) surrounds the plug (300), and the inner wall (202) of the lid assembly (200) extends into the recess (308) in traffic jam; And

wherein the proximal abutment surface (304) of the plug (300) is aligned with and opposed to the support surface (220) of the closure element (208).

Clause 68. The system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the frangible connection (210) is located between the first peripheral recess (222) formed between the inner wall (202) and the downstream side (208b) of the closure element (208), and the second peripheral a recess (224) formed between the inner wall (202) and the upstream side (208b) of the closure element (208).

Clause 69. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the support surface (220) extends in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203).

Clause 70. A system as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein the closure member (208) is conical or frustoconical in shape and extends from the base to the apex (218).

Clause 71. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the closure element (208) is hollow and open in the base region, and preferably, the closure element (208) is oriented with its apex (218) in the upstream direction and its base in the downstream direction. flow.

Clause 72. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the outer wall (204) includes engagement means, such as threads (230) on its inner surface, and the grips (320) are configured to engage the engagement means (230).

Clause 73. A system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inner wall (202) includes a protrusion or rib (216) extending radially inward from the inner surface of the inner wall (202).

Clause 74. A refill system (10) comprising a system according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a container (100) for containing a concentrated cleaning agent, the container (100) being engaged with a lid assembly (200), the internal volume of the container (100) being fluidly communicated environment with the upstream end of the tube (203).

Clause 75. A refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the container (100) includes an opening surrounded by a rim (104) and the rim (104) abuts a connecting wall (212) of the lid assembly (200).

Clause 76. The refill system (10) according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a shrink film covering extending around at least a portion of the container (100) and at least a portion of the lid assembly (200).

Item 77. Lid system containing:

lid assembly (200) containing:

an inner wall (202) defining a tube (203) extending through the cap assembly (200), the tube (203) extending from an upstream end to a downstream end; And

an outer wall (204) surrounding the inner wall (202) and spaced from the inner wall (202) to define a circumferential cavity (214a, 214b) between the inner and outer walls (202, 204);

wherein the cap assembly (200) further includes a closure element (208) configured to seal the tube (203), wherein the closure element (208) includes an upstream side (208a) and a downstream side (208b), and a support a surface (220) on its downstream side (208b);

wherein the closure element (208) is sealed to the inner wall (202) by a peripheral frangible connection (210) located between the proximal and distal ends of the tube (203);

wherein the frangible connection (210) extends in a first plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203); And

the system additionally contains a plug (300) containing:

a tubular body (302) with an open proximal end and an open distal end, wherein the open proximal end is surrounded by a first rim (304), and the rim (304) further includes a proximal abutment surface (305) extending in a second plane to abut the abutment surface ( 220) closure element (208);

wherein the plug (300) further comprises an outwardly projecting flange (310) containing a distal facing abutment surface (312) for abutting the rim (406) of the refillable vessel (400); And

wherein the plug (300) is movable from a first position in which the proximal thrust surface (305) is located downstream of the frangible connection (210) to a second position in which the proximal thrust surface (305) is located upstream of the frangible connection ( 210) to thereby destroy the brittle connection (210); And

wherein the abutment surface (305) is configured to abut the supporting surface of the closure when the plug is moved from the first position to the second position so that a resultant force is applied to the closure along the longitudinal axis (A) and perpendicular to the first and second planes.

Clause 78. A cap system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the proximal stop surface of the plug has at least bilateral rotational symmetry about the longitudinal axis (A).

Clause 79. A closure system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the closure member (208) is hollow and tapers from a downstream base (219) to an upstream apex (218).

Clause 80. A lid system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the base (219) includes an opening and the support surface (220) surrounds the opening.

Clause 81. A cap system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the tube (203) has a first cross-sectional diameter in the upstream end region and a second cross-sectional diameter in the downstream end region, and the first cross-sectional diameter is greater than the second cross-sectional diameter. sections.

Clause 82. A closure system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the plug further comprises a skirt wall (306) disposed coaxially and extending around the tubular body (302), the skirt wall (306) being radially spaced from the tubular body (302) to form recesses (308) in the plug between the skirt wall (306) and the tubular body (302).

Clause 83. A lid system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inner wall (202) includes a projection or rib (216) extending radially inward from the inner surface of the inner wall (202).

Clause 84. A cap system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the outer wall of the cap assembly (200) includes at least one screw thread on the inner surface of the outer wall, and the wall (306) of the plug skirt (300) includes at least one outwardly projecting in the radial direction, a grip configured to engage with a turn of a screw thread.

Clause 85. A cap system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular body (302) includes a protrusion or ridge extending radially outward from an outer surface of the tubular body (302).

Clause 86. A cap system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the abutment surface (305) is provided with one or more projections (307) extending adjacent the rim (304), the projections (307) terminating at a proximal surface extending in a plane (P) , perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A).

Clause 87. A lid system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more protrusions (307) comprise a plurality of protrusions evenly spaced circumferentially around the rim (304).

Clause 88. A lid system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the abutment surface (305) is provided in the same plane as the rim (304).

Clause 89. A lid system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the rim (304) further comprises a cutout (316) to provide discontinuity in the rim (304).

Clause 90. The lid system of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the free proximal end of the skirt wall (306) further comprises at least one claw (320) extending radially outward from the skirt wall (306).

Item 91. A refillable system containing a lid system according to any previous item and additionally containing:

a container body (100) for containing a concentrated cleaning product, wherein the container body (100) is engaged with the lid assembly (200), and the internal volume (102) of the container body (100) is in fluid communication with the upstream end of the tube (203) .

Clause 92. The refill system of any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a shrink film cover extending around at least a portion of the container body (100) and at least a portion of the lid assembly (200).

Claims (29)

1. Lid assembly (200) for a refillable container, containing: an inner wall (202) defining a tube (203) extending through the cap assembly (200), the tube (203) extending from an upstream end to a downstream end; an outer wall (204) surrounding the inner wall (202) along at least a first portion of its length, wherein the outer wall (204) is spaced from the first portion of the inner wall (202) to define a circumferential cavity (214) between the inner and outer walls ( 202, 204); And a connecting wall (212) extending between the inner and outer walls (202, 204) to prevent fluid from flowing through the cavity (214) between the inner and outer walls (202, 204); wherein the cap assembly (200) further comprises a closure member (208) configured to seal the tube (203), the closure member (208) comprising an upstream side (208a) and a downstream side (208b), and a support a surface (220) on its downstream side; the closure member (208) is sealed to the inner wall (202) by a peripheral frangible joint (210) located between the proximal and distal ends of the tube (203); the peripheral frangible connection (210) extends in a plane (P) preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203); the inner surface of the inner wall (202) immediately upstream of the closure element (208) is offset radially from the inner surface of the wall (202) immediately downstream of the closure element (208); wherein the container body (100) contains an opening surrounded by a rim (108), and the rim (108) abuts the connecting wall (212) of the lid assembly (200). 2. The cap assembly (200) of claim 1, wherein the support surface (220) extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the tube (203), the support surface (220) being preferably located adjacent the frangible joint (210). 3. The closure assembly (200) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the closure (208) is hollow and tapers from a downstream base (221) to an upstream apex (218), wherein the closure (208) preferably open at the base. 4. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, wherein the tube (203) has a first cross-sectional diameter in the region of the upstream end and a second cross-sectional diameter in the region of the downstream end, the first cross-sectional diameter being larger than the second cross-sectional diameter. 5. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, in which the cavity includes a downstream cavity (214b) extending from an open downstream end and terminating at a closed end in the region of the connecting wall (212). 6. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5, in which the cavity includes an upstream cavity (214a) extending from an open upstream end and terminating at a closed end in the region of the connecting wall (212). 7. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of paragraphs. 1-6, wherein the cavity comprises an upstream cavity (214a) and a downstream cavity (214b), wherein the upstream and downstream cavities (214a, 214b) are separated from each other by a connecting wall (212) . 8. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of paragraphs. 5-7, wherein the outer wall (204) downstream of the connecting wall (212) includes engagement means, such as screw threads (230), configured to engage with corresponding engagement means (404) on the refill container (400). 9. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of paragraphs. 6-8, wherein the outer wall (204) upstream of the connecting wall (212) includes engagement means, such as screw threads (232), configured to engage with corresponding engagement means (106) on the refill container (100). 10. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of claims. 1-9, wherein the inner wall (202) includes a protrusion or rib (216) extending radially inward from the inner surface of the inner wall (202). 11. Cover assembly (200) according to any one of paragraphs. 1–10, containing polypropylene. 12. A lid system comprising a lid assembly (200) according to any one of claims. 1–11 and further comprising a plug (300), wherein the plug (300) is movably mounted within the cap assembly (200) for movement in the axial direction, wherein the plug (300) is configured to abut the supporting surface (220) of the closure element (208) to break the brittle joint (210). 13. The system according to claim 12, in which the plug (300) contains: a tubular body (302) with an open proximal end and an open distal end, the open proximal end being surrounded by a first rim (304) that provides a proximal abutment surface for abutting the abutment surface (220) of the closure member (208); a skirt extending around the tubular body (302) and comprising a tubular skirt wall (306) positioned coaxially relative to the tubular body (302), wherein the skirt wall (306) is spaced radially from the tubular body (302) to form a recess (308) in the plug between the skirt wall (306) and the tubular body (302); wherein the skirt wall (306) extends from the distal end of the skirt, in the region of which it is connected to the distal end of the tubular body (303), to the free proximal end; the free proximal end of the skirt contains: an outwardly projecting flange (310) containing a distal facing abutment surface (312) for abutting the rim (406) of the refillable vessel (400); And a plug (300) is located within the cap assembly (200) such that the downstream end of the inner wall (202) is located within a recess (308) in the plug. 14. A refillable system comprising a lid system according to claim 12 or 13 and further comprising a container body (100) for containing a concentrated fluid for replenishment, wherein the container body (100) is engaged with the lid assembly (200), and the internal volume of the housing (100 ) of the container is in fluid communication with the upstream end of the tube (203). 15. The refill system of claim 14, wherein the refill system preferably further comprises a shrink film coating extending around at least a portion of the container body (100) and at least a portion of the lid assembly (200).

Images