WO1995021098A1

WO1995021098A1 - Closure for a container for pourable products

Info

Publication number: WO1995021098A1
Application number: PCT/EP1995/000241
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernhard Bongers; Andreas Flohr; Paul-Otto Weltgen; Volker Weiss
Original assignee: Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft Auf Aktien
Priority date: 1994-02-02
Filing date: 1995-01-24
Publication date: 1995-08-10
Also published as: DE4403080A1

Abstract

A closure (1, 13) for a container for pourable products, with a cap closure element (2, 14) that fits onto and seals the container opening and with an outlet component (4, 16) attached thereto ans provided with an outlet (12, 24), where in the open position the product is allowed to pass through the cap closure element (2, 14) to the outlet (12, 24), is to be improved so that with the simplest possible handling the product is delivered cleanly, in doses, without soiling buildup around the closure's outlet area. This is accomplished by fitting the cap closure element (2, 14) with a flexible membrane (8, 32) that has at least one slit (11, 33) which opens up when pressure is applied and that completely closes off the product outflow region of the cap closure element (2, 14).

Description

"Closure for a container for flowable products"

The invention relates to a closure for a container for flowable products with a cap-shaped closure part which can be placed sealingly on the container opening and an outlet part connected to it with an outlet opening, a product passage being released from the cap-shaped closure part to the outlet opening in the open position.

A large number of different closures are known for the targeted dosing of flowable products, in particular liquid products, from containers, in which the product removal by, for. B. Compressing the bottle with simultaneous product outflow takes place through a closure opening. In most cases, product flows out when the bottle is swiveled into the position of use. Known spray nipple, hinged hinge or so-called pull and push closures are usually used for the removal of concentrated detergents and cleaning agents, one of which is described, for example, in DE 3829 969 Cl of the applicant.

It has now been found that, in particular in the case of liquid products with a high proportion of wash-active substances (surfactants), metering with such closures leads to considerable contamination in the closure area, ie. H. Even with very careful handling, the product sticks to the closure mouth and runs off, which is undesirable and disadvantageous. A further disadvantage is that exact closures are often not possible with closures of this type, since the product inevitably emerges in gushes when the closure is open. This is particularly undesirable in the case of the aforementioned highly concentrated liquids with a high surfactant content, which are only required in very small amounts.

From EP 0 545 678 A2 a closure has become known which has a cap-shaped element, the end face of which is provided by a flexible closure membrane provided with an opening slot, which only opens when a sufficiently large pressure is exerted on the membrane surface is exercised, for which it is necessary to press the container walls vigorously by hand. Unlike a generic closure, however, such a membrane closure cannot be opened and closed in a targeted manner. A further disadvantage of this membrane closure is that, despite the slit-shaped opening, such a membrane made of silicone rubber is very tight and causes a clean product tear-off and closes the side wall of the container immediately after pressure is exited, but this leads to that the container side walls bulge after repeated actuation and then the application of pressure necessary for reopening the diaphragm valve is hardly or no longer possible.

The object of the invention is therefore to improve a generic closure in such a way that it enables clean and metered product delivery without contamination at the closure exit area while being as easy to handle as possible.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a closure of the type mentioned at the outset in that the cap-shaped closure part is equipped with a flexible membrane provided with at least one opening slot which opens when pressure is applied, and which covers the product outflow area of the cap-shaped closure part for the respective product because it is sufficiently tight, preferably completely sealed.

With such a closure, good and clean dosing is possible with easy handling, contamination of the product at the closure exit area being reliably avoided. The membrane prevents an uncontrolled outflow of product and consequent contamination of the closure, since a product can only be removed by compressing the container walls to a greater or lesser extent.

The product is then pressed through the opening membrane slot and can then be metered in a targeted manner, a drop-shaped product removal also being possible. If the squeezing process is interrupted, the membrane deformed towards the outlet acts in conjunction with the generated negative pressure in the container like a swinging blade. The product located in the closure outlet part is sucked back so far that the product jet can be torn off relatively cleanly. This surprising effect largely prevents product residues from adhering to the outlet opening. The outlet opening is adapted to the product used.

An advantageous embodiment of the membrane opening slit consists not only in making a cut to form the opening slit, but also in providing a lenticular gap in the diaphragm, which is matched to the respective product in its width. The gap can be punched, cut or already incorporated during the injection molding of the membrane. To this end, the invention provides in an embodiment that the opening slot is designed as a, preferably lenticular, gap with a maximum opening width of 0.4 mm, preferably 0.2-0.3 mm. This configuration has the advantage that the product can be metered more easily, can flow back into the container from the area between the membrane and the closure tip or outlet opening more quickly after the pressure relief, and good ventilation of the container is ensured.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the cap-shaped closure part is provided with a ventilation device, which is preferably designed as at least one hole in the freely flowable membrane surface. With this additional configuration, the manageability is significantly improved, since after the container walls have been pressed together and the product has passed through the opening slot in the membrane, the negative pressure created in the container is reduced again, so that the container walls bulge out again and are easy to push in during the subsequent product removal the same is possible, ie a correct product removal is then guaranteed regardless of the fill level of the container. At the same time, the reshaping of the container walls results in a faster return of the product located between the membrane and the closure tip. The ventilation device is preferably dimensioned or designed so that it can be closed, that the above-described oscillating leaf effect of the membrane is not impaired.

A structurally particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that in the region of a passage opening from the cap-shaped closure part to the outlet part an annular extension directed toward the interior of the cap-shaped closure part is formed, to which the membrane is attached all round. The membrane can then be glued or welded on, for example, or have a groove-shaped edge area which is pushed onto the ring-shaped attachment.

In order to further prevent product residues from sticking in the region of the outlet opening, it is advantageously provided that the outlet part is designed as a thin-walled nozzle tip, a wall thickness in the region of approximately 0.7 mm having proven particularly advantageous. In addition, additional constructive measures (e.g. height level of the product flow cylinder) can be taken for a clean product removal.

A particularly advantageous embodiment, with which an improved product suction behavior and the associated tearing off of the product jet when it emerges from the product outlet opening, can be achieved according to a further embodiment of the invention in that the outlet tip is at an angle between 30 ° and 60 ° with respect to the Ver¬ longitudinal axis is inclined. This more effectively prevents product residues from sticking in the area of the outlet opening.

The membrane can, for example, be a disc made of bicycle tube rubber, which is slotted, cross-slit, star-shaped slit or the like. Injectable elastomers can also be used as further materials. It can be advantageous to form the membrane curved inwards or outwards, but a straight or flat design also achieves the desired effect. The invention is explained below with reference to the drawing, for example. Each shows a cut in

1 shows a first embodiment of a closure according to the invention, designed as a spray nipple closure,

Fig. 2 shows a second, designed as a pull and push closure embodiment and in

Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the outlet part of a Pul1 and push closure.

A closure designed as a spray nipple closure for a container for flowable products, in particular for high-surfactant liquid concentrates (for example dishwashing liquid) is generally designated 1 in FIG. 1 and initially has a cap-shaped closure part 2 which is provided on the inside with a screw thread 3 is and with this screw thread 3 sealingly screwed onto a container opening, not shown, of a container containing the product. In the central region of the end wall of the cap-shaped closure part 2, a tubular outlet part 4 is formed in such a way that product passage into the tubular outlet part 4 is possible on the inside of the cap-shaped closure part 2, the corresponding passage opening being designated by 5. The funnel-shaped outlet part 4, which is preferably designed as a thin-walled spout tip (wall thickness in the range of 0.7 m), merges into a cylindrical outlet tip 6, which before the first opening of the closure 1 is closed in a known manner with a molded cap 7, which is formed before the first one Use with a knife, household scissors or the like can be separated.

It is essential for the design of the closure 1 that the cap-shaped closure part 2 is equipped with a flexible membrane 8 which completely closes off the product outflow region of the cap-shaped closure part 2. For this purpose, preferably in the area of the passage opening 5 on the cap-shaped closure part 2 to the outlet part 4, there is an annular extension directed into the interior of the cap-shaped closure part 2 9 integrally formed, on which the membrane 8 is attached all around. For this purpose, the membrane 8 preferably has a circumferential groove in the outer peripheral region

10, by means of which the membrane 8 can be placed on the annular extension 9. The attachment can be done by clamping the groove 10 onto the ring-shaped extension 9, by sticking, welding or in another suitable manner.

The membrane 8 has at least one opening slot 11 in its central region, which opens when the pressure is applied to the membrane 8 and closes again tightly when the pressure drops. Such a membrane 8 and its mode of operation is described in detail, for example, in EP 0 545 678 A2, to which reference is expressly made to avoid repetitions.

If product is now to be removed from the container provided with a closure 1, not shown, the closure cap 7 of the closure 1 is first separated, whereupon an outlet opening 12 is opened. In order then to be able to remove product from the container, it is necessary to compress the container walls, as a result of which pressure is exerted on the membrane 8, so that the opening slot 11 opens and product is pressed into the area of the outlet part 4 and out of it exits through the outlet opening 12. If the pushing-out process is interrupted with the application of pressure to the container walls, the membrane 8 then deformed towards the outlet opening 12, in conjunction with the negative pressure generated in the container, acts like an oscillating blade. The product still in outlet part 4 is sucked back to the extent that the product jet is torn off cleanly. Adhesion of product residues in the area of the outlet opening 12 and undesired drainage on the outside of the outlet part 4 are thus reliably avoided. This process is further supported by the particularly thin-walled design of the outlet part 4.

2 shows a further embodiment of a closure according to the invention, which is designed as a pull and push closure. This closure is generally designated 13 and initially has a cap-shaped closure part 14, which has a screw thread on the inside 15 is provided and can be screwed sealingly with this screw thread 15 onto a container opening (not shown) of a container containing the product. In the center region of the end wall of the cap-shaped closure part 14, a tubular outlet 16 is formed in such a way that product passage into the tubular outlet 16 is possible from the inside of the cap-shaped closure part 14. This tubular outlet 16 merges on the inside into funnel-shaped webs 17 which open into a common, closed, disc-shaped end wall 18. A product passage is possible between the webs 17. The tubular outlet 16 is extended cylindrically upward in the area of the attachment of the webs 17, this cylindrical area is designated 19 and has a circumferential locking projection 20 on the outside.

This cylindrical region 19 serves to receive an outlet part of the closure 13, generally designated 21. This outlet part 21 has a funnel-shaped region 22 with an outlet tip 23 with an outlet opening 24. Two cylindrical lugs are formed on the end of the outlet part 21 opposite the outlet tip 23, namely an outer cylindrical lug 25 and an inner cylindrical lug 26. The arrangement is such that in the closed position of the closure 13 the inner cylindrical lug 26 lies completely against the inside of the cylindrical region 19 of the closure part 14 and the outer cylindrical region 26 lies against the outside of the cylindrical region 19 and the tubular outlet

16 is present. The outer cylindrical extension 25 has a circumferential locking projection 27 on its inside at a suitable point, which cooperates with the locking projection 20 on the cylindrical region 19 in such a way that the outlet part 21 is only limited between one and the other in the axial direction compared to the closure 14 Locking position (left half of FIG. 2) and an opening position (right half of FIG. 2) can be shifted, since in the open position the latching projection 27 bears against the latching projection 20.

In the interior of the outlet part 21, starting from the outlet opening 24, the interior initially widens to a cylindrical region 28, the inside diameter of which roughly corresponds to the outside diameter of the disk-shaped end wall 18, in order then to widen up to the inner cylindrical projection 26. As can be seen in the left-hand illustration of FIG. 2, this configuration leads to the cylindrical region 28 lying closely against the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped end wall 18 in the closed position, such that the outlet opening 24 is closed. If the closure outlet part 21 is then moved axially away from the container relative to the closure part 14 until the latching projection 27 bears against the latching projection 20, the region 28 is no longer in contact with the peripheral edge of the end wall 18, so that the outlet opening 24 is released.

In accordance with the embodiment of the closure 1 according to FIG. 1, in the area of the passage opening 29 from the cap-shaped closure part 14 to the tubular outlet 16 and thus to the outlet part 21, an annular extension 30 directed into the interior of the cap-shaped closure part 14 is formed, on the circumference a circumferentially with a groove 31 membrane 32 is attached, which closes the product outflow area of the cap-shaped closure part 14, i. H. completely closes the passage opening 29. The membrane 32 has at least one opening slot 33 in its center area and additionally a hole 34 serving as a ventilation device in the edge area.

In order to be able to remove product from a container (not shown) provided with the closure 13, it is first necessary to open the closure 13 by axially displacing the closure outlet part 21 relative to the closure part 14 into the open position (right half of FIG . 2). Pressure on the container walls then opens the opening slot 33 of the membrane 32 and product can enter from the container through the opening slot 33 of the membrane 32 into the area of the tubular outlet 16 and the webs 17 and between the webs 17 into the area within the inner cylindrical extension 26 of the outlet part 21. Since the outlet opening 24 is opened in this position, the product then exits the closure 13 through this. As soon as no more pressure is exerted on the container walls, the opening slot 33 of the membrane 32 closes again, so that no further product can pass through the membrane 32 from the container. At the same time, air can pass through the hole 34 in the membrane 32 through the still open outlet opening 24, so that ventilation and thus pressure equalization can take place in the container and the container walls bulge again and the residual product standing over the membrane can run back more quickly. As a result, the next time the product is dispensed, the container walls can be pressed together again in a simple manner, regardless of the fill level. Then the closure 13 can then be closed again by axially inserting the closure part 21.

In Fig. 3 an alternative embodiment of the outlet part 21 of the closure 13 is shown and designated overall by 21a. The parts of the outlet part 21a, which are identical to the parts and elements of the outlet part 21, are provided with the same reference numerals in FIG. 3 as with the object according to FIG. 2. The closure outlet part 21a differs from the closure outlet part 21 only in the design of the outlet tip. 2, the outlet tip 23 with the outlet opening 24 located therein is formed perpendicular to the closure center axis 35, the outlet tip 23a with the outlet opening 24a located therein is arranged at the outlet part 21a by an angle α, inclined to the closure longitudinal axis 35. The angle α between the longitudinal axis 35 of the closure and the longitudinal axis 36 of the exit tip is between 30 ° and 60 °. The length of the outlet tip 23a with the opening channel arranged therein leading to the outlet opening 24a is approximately 10 mm between the transition to the cylindrical region 28 and the outlet opening 24a. This embodiment of the outlet part 21a with angled outlet tip 23a has proven to be particularly advantageous with regard to improved product suction behavior and the associated tearing off of the product jet, so that the risk of product residues adhering in the area of the outlet opening 24a is significantly reduced in this embodiment is. In the same way as the outlet tip 23a at the outlet point 21a is designed to be inclined at an angle α of 30 ° to 60 ° with respect to the outlet tip 23 at the outlet part 21, the outlet tip 6 there can also be at an angle in the closure 1 according to FIG. 1 from 30 ° to 60 ° against the longitudinal axis 37 of the closure.

Embodiments are not shown in FIGS. 1-3, in which the opening slot 11, 33 is designed as a, preferably lenticular, gap. Depending on the product, such a gap is a maximum of 0.4 mm, preferably 0.2-0.3 mm, wide. An additional ventilation device 34 can possibly be omitted in the case of such a slot-shaped opening slot 11, 33.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown. Further refinements of the invention are possible without leaving the basic idea. The closure design according to the invention is also suitable for other closure types, for example a hinged hinge closure, it being essential that a corresponding membrane is arranged in the product outflow region of the cap-shaped closure part.

Claims

Patent claims

1. closure (1,13) for a container for flowable products with a cap-shaped closure part (2,14) which can be placed sealingly on the container opening and an outlet part (4,16) connected to it with outlet opening (12,24,24a), wherein in the open position a product passage from the cap-shaped closure part (2,14) to the outlet opening (12,24,24a) is released, characterized in that the cap-shaped closure part (2,14) with a flexible, with at least one when pressure is applied The opening opening slot (11, 33) is provided with a membrane (8, 32) which closes the product outflow area of the cap-shaped closure part (2, 14) for the respective product in a sufficiently tight, preferably completely tight, manner.

2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening slot (11,33) as a, preferably l nseniform, gap with a maximum opening width of 0.4 mm, preferably 0.2 to 0.3 mm, is formed.

3. Closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cap-shaped closure part (14) is provided with a ventilation device (34).

4. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ventilation device is formed as at least one hole (34) in the freely flowable membrane surface.

5. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the area of a passage opening (5,29) from the cap-shaped closure part (2,14) to the outlet part (4,21,21a) an annular projection (9,30) directed into the interior of the cap-shaped closure part (2,14) is formed on which the membrane (8, 32) is attached all round.

6. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet part (4,23,23a) is formed as a thin-walled spout tip.

7. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet tip (6, 23a) is inclined by an angle (oc) between 30 ° and 60 ° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the closure (35, 37).