Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02430407 2007-12-14
P1018PC00 April 10, 2003
A SEALING MEANS FOR DRINKS PACKAGES
The invention relates to a device for sealing drinks packages, in particular
drinks
packages of plastic which are under inner pressure =
From the state of the art there are known closures for drinks packages which
are under an
inner pressure, e.g. PET bottles. The closures of these packages require very
large closure forces
so that a sufficient sealedness is guaranteed between the sealing surfaces.
The high operating
forces resulting from this represent a disadvantage. Furthermore the closures
have a very low
failure tolerance and thus demand a very high precision on manufacture. The
manufacture thus
entails very great expense.
In order to achieve a sufficient pressing force and thus an adequate
sealedness even with
a high inner pressure, the closures known today comprise a thread. Only by way
of this is it
possible to produce the required closure forces. On opening the closures the
thread is
cumbersome because it inhibits the escaping gas.
The most common closures are manufactured of plastic by way of injection
moulding.
Today's closures require them to be manufactured with very tight tolerances.
The object of the invention disclosed here lies in specifying a device for
sealing drinks
packages, in particular drinks packages of plastic which are under an inner
pressure, which
require no large closure forces, but however are leakproof even with large
inner pressures in the
container. In particular the device for sealing should be suitable for
closures with a hinge and/or
quality seal.
The object is achieved by the invention defmed in the patent claims.
The invention lies in a sealing device for sealing an opening of a drinks
package. The
sealing device comprises a sealing means which is designed and arranged in a
manner such that
it produces a sealing force which is proportional to the inner pressure and
which acts on a rim
region of the opening to be sealed.
The sealing device is designed such that the sealing effect is largely
independent of a
large initial force. One sets the sealing effect or force by way of the
design, dimensioning and
arrangement of the sealing means and the surface exposed to the inner
pressure.
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The sealing means is formed completely or partly flexible compared to the
surrounding
elements in a manner such that it deforms as a result of a pressure difference
(inner pressure;.
The sealing effect is achieved in that the deformation of the sealing means is
hindered, iL a
targeted manner so that a sealing force arises on account of the hindrance.
Materiais which maNT
be processed by injection moulding and which have a Shore hardness which
preferably lies in the
regiom of 20 to 80 are preferred. 'I'he flexibility of the sealing means which
is required for G.
smooth functioning is dependent on the geometry and the mechanical properties
of the adjacent
regions. Materials which have mechanical properties which are similar to those
of silicone made
good experience.
The invention disclosed here is especially suitable for single-part or multi-
part closures of
plastic. The sealing means may integrally form a part of the closure, but also
be formed as a
separate part. When required, the closures are preferably manufactured by way
of multi-
component injection moulding. Thus for example by way of a different material
selection it is
possible to integrate a device with a flexible sealing means into a closure
which in comparison is,
less deformable.
The invention is described in more detail by way of the subsequent figures.
Shown
schernatically and greatly simplified are:
Figt.ire 1 a first embodiment form of a sealing device;
Figure 2 a detailed. view of Figure 1;
Figure 3 the device of Figure 1 in an opened position;
Figure 4 a hinge closure in the closure position;
Figure 5 the hinge closure according to Figure 4 in an open position;
Figure 6 a closure with a further embodiment form of a sealing device;
Figure 7 the closure according to Figure 6 in a frontal view;
Figure 8 five embodi.ment forms of sealing means.
Figure 1 very schematically shows a closure 1 with a sealing device according
to the
invention which serves to seal an opening 5. The representation shows the
closure 1 with a
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closure body 2 and with a sealing means 3 in a sectional representation. The
closure 1 here is
located on a neck 4 of a container, whose opening 5 it sealingly closes. The
sealing means 3 here
consists of a separate element which at least in regions corresponds with
inner surfaces of the
closure body 2 and is supported on these.
The sealing means 3 comprises a collar 10 which in this representation is in
reieasable
active connection with a rim of a neck (in the following neck rim) 11 of the
opening 5 to be
closed. The collar 10 in comparison to the closure body 2 is formed flexibly
in a manner such
that with an inner pressure it is increasingly is supported on the neck rim 11
and sealingly closes
this by way of this.
The collar 10 is designed such that on placing the closure I onto the neck 4
it experiences
a certain deformation by the neck rim 11 which produces an initial sealing
effect.
The closure body 2 comprises two laterally arranged arms 6 which open into a
ring 7.
The ring 7 surrounds the neck 4 and comprises projecting blocking elements 8
which are
fastened on the ring 7 and in the closure position are in engagement with a
blocking edge 9
radially projecting on the neck 4. The closure I is securely closed by way of
this. The closure 1
may be released in that the ring 7 is deformed by lateral pressing in a manner
such that it
becomes oval and releases the blocking elements 8.
The closure 1 comprises means for centering the closure 1 on the neck 4. These
means
which here are not shown in more detail may be designed as radially inwardly
projecting ribs.
They serve the positioning of the collar 10 with respect to the rim 11 of the
opening 5 in the
unloaded condition.
Figure 2 shows the detail D of Figure 1. One may recognise a part of the
closure body 2
and of the sealing means 3. The collar 10 is in active connection with the
neck rim 11 of the
opening 5. The forces acting on account of an inner pressure are represented
schematically by
way of arrows. The inner pressure acting on the collar 10 has the effect that
the collar is pressed
with a force K against the neck rim 11 in a manner such that the opening 5 is
sealingly closed.
The size of the occuring sealing force K may be set by the design of the
collar 10.
The sealing effect may be additionally increased in that the neck rim 11 or
the collar 10
comprises means which lead to a concentration of the forces responsible for
the sealing effect.
One or more annularly projecting elements or edges (not shown in more detail)
arranged in the
contact region between the collar 10 and the neck rim 11 are suitable.
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Figure 3 shows the closure according to Figure 1 in an opened position. As may
be
recognised, fhe blocking elements 7 are no longer in engagement with the
blocking edge 9 so
that the closure may be freely withdrawn.
Figure 4 shows simplified a hinge closure 20 of plastic in a perspective
sectional
representation. The hinge closure 20 which here is shown closed comprises a
lower part 21 and
an upper part 22 which are connected to one another via a hinge 23 (film
hinge). The closure 20
is preferably manufactured by injection moulding of plastic.
The lower part 21 comprises an opening 5 which is sealingly closed by a
sealing means
3. The sealing means 3 comprises a collar 10 which is in active connection
with a neck rim I I of
the opening 5. The sealing means 3 is designed such that it exerts a sealing
force onto the rim 11 which is proportional to the inner pressure, in a manner
such that the opening is securely closed.
The sealing means 3 is also here formed as a separate means. Of course it may
however also be
integrated into the hinge closure 20 or form part of this.
The upper part 22 comprises a hammer-like bloclcing element 25 which projects
on an
edge and which in the closure position is in engagement with a corresponding
groove element 26
of the lower part 21 and closes the hinge closure. The blocking element 25 and
the groove
element 26 are designed in a manner such that they may be removed from the
mould i.n an
injection moulding mould without additional means such as slider, etc. The
closure 20 may be
opened in that the blocking element 25 is bent to the front relative to the
groove element 26,
away from the lower part.
Figure 5 shows the closure 20 according to Figure 4 in an opened position. One
may
recognize the film hinge 23 which linkedly connects the lower part 21 to the
upper part 22. The
sealing means 3 may be recognized in the inside of the upper part 22. The
sealing means 3 is
arranged in a retainer ring 29 which holds the sealing means and limits its
lateral extension. The
collar 10 of the sealing means 3 in comparison to the material of the closure
consists of a
relatively elastic material in a manner such that the collar 10 may be
deformed without a great
force effort.
The hammer-like blocking element 25 projects freely upwards from the edge of
the
closure upper part 22. The wall thickness corresponds roughly to that of the
upper part 22. The
blocking element 25 has a wider region 27 and a narrower region 28. The
narrower region 28 is
arranged between the wider region 27 and the upper part 22. The groove element
26 which is
located at the front on the lower part 21 is designed in a manner such that it
may be brought into
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engagement with the blocking eiement 25. The blocking eiement 25
advantageously engages
into the groove element 26 from the outside. By way of tnis for example it is
possible to provide
a guarantee seal ay way of attachment of a nirr9 which after ciosure of the
closure 20 is applied
around this and which must be removed before ooeni.n~- for tne fzrst time. !~L
the sameFum the
film is applied around the closure 20, the blocking element 25 and the groove
elemev: jr sucb
that the engagement between the blocking element 25 and the groove element 26
may nc> longer
be released without removing the film.
The closure 20 is preferably screwed or knocked onto a container to be closed.
In a sectional representation Figure 6 shows a closure 40 with a sealing
device 30
according to the invention. The sealing device 30 is part of a closure cap 31
and corresponds
with a neck rim 11 of an opening 5. The collar 10 of the sealing device 30 is
here arranged at an
inner angle of a with respect to the closure cap 31 or the rim 11. The collar
10 consists of a
material which is flexible with respect to the surroundings and which is well
deformable. The
sealing device with the collar 10 is part of the closure cap 31 or is
manufactured as a separate
element and subsequently applied into the closure cap 31. The angle a is
directed to the delnands
on the sealing effect to be achieved given an inner pressure, the desired
initial sealing force and
the rnanufacturabilitv. The inner contour of the collar 10 is preferably
selected such that the
collar may be simply removed from the mould on manufacture by way of injection
moulding.
According to the field of application one may form the inner surface
cylindrically as long as. the
recluired elasticity of the collar 10 is ensured. The outer angle a' (cf.
Figure 8) is selected such
that the collar 10 may easily be introduced into the opening, and on placing
onto the necl-, rim 11
experiences a radial deformation which builds up an annutar tension. By way of
exploiting these
annular tensions it is possible to produce an initial force acting
sufficiently on the rim even with
very elastic material, so that there results a sufficient initial sealing. By
way of the flexibility o;
the collar 10 inaccuracies are compensated for the sealing. In contrast to the
closure known from
the state of the art the invention seals even with large inaccuracies.
The neck rim 11 is here part of the closure lower part 32, with an inner
thread 33. The
closure lower part may be screwed onto a conventional PET bottle. Of course
the closure lower
part 32 may also be designed as part of a drinks package. The closure lower
part 32 comprises
two lateral, diametrically opposite closure means which in.regions project
radially and which in
each case have a recess 35 widening to the bottom. When the closure cap 31 has
been placed on,
correspondingly formed upper closure means 36 which are formed on the closure
cap 31 via a
web 38 engage into these recesses 35. The upper closure means 36 at the end of
the web 38
comprises a broadening 39 which engages into the recess 35 with a positive
fit. The closure
means 34, 36 are designed such they may be manufactured in an injection
moulding tool without
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a slider. The inner edge of the recesses 35 which is directed away from the
closure cap 31
comprises an undercut. The broadening 39 of the upper closure means 36 engages
into this
undercut and by way of this secures the closure cap 31 from undesired release.
Figure 7 shows the closure 40 of Figure 6 in a front view. The geometry of the
closure
40 is selected such that on placing the closure cap 31 onto the closure lower
part 32 the collar 10
is deformed slightly inwards in the direction of the arrow by the active
connection with the neck
rim 11. The elastic material of the collar 10 resists this deformation which
results in a pressing on
the neck rim 11. This pressing effects an initial sealing effect. Arising
inner pressure acts on the
inner region of the collar 10 by which means the collar attempts to extend
against the direction of
the arrow A. This movement is prevented by the neck rim 11 and effects a
concentration of the
forces in this region. The collar 10 is designed such that it conducts forces
into the interaction
region between the collar 10 and the neck rim 11 in a targeted manner and thus
a sealing force is
produced which increases proportionally with an increasing inner pressure. The
collar 10 may be
formed such that on reaching a defined maximal pressure with a closure closure
cap 31 is slips
off the neck rim 11 in a targeted manner and is turned up to the outside so
that the overcritical
inner pressure is reduced. A dangerous jumping-off of the closure is prevented
by way of this.
The initial sealing effect may be influenced by measures which influence the
position of the
collar 10 witb respect to the neck rim 11. These measures include: varying the
thickness of the
base of the closure cap 31; lengtb of the webs 38; material accumulation in
the regions of the
lower and upper closure means 35, 36 which correspond with one another. By way
of this it is
possible to set the initial sealing effect in a targeted manner by way of
simple measures.
Shrinkage problems occurring on curing the plastics on manufacture may be
compensated in a
targeted manner.
The closure cap 31 comprises gas exit regions 47 which on opening effect a
directed
escape of gas.
Figure 8 shows five various embodiment forms (a to e) of sealing means 30 in a
perspective sectional representation. With a first seali.ng means 30 the
collar 10 is arranged
radially inwards. This first sealing means corresponds essentially to the
sealing means 3 of the
Figures 1 to 5.
The second sealing means 30 (b) comprises an obliquely inwardly mmning collar
10. The
collar 10 has a constant wall thickness and is supported by ribs 41 arranged
on the outside. This
embodiment form is suitable for very large inner pressures. The region on
which a neck rim lies
is indicated by a dashed line 42.
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The third sealing means 30 (c) corresponds essentially to the sealing means of
Figures 7
and L This third seaiing means 30 likewise comprises an inwardly inciined
collar IQ. '1'he collar
10, has 4 wall tnicimess which reduces towards the edge. The pressure surface
45 of tn:: colla. 10
exposed to the inner pressure is shown hatcaec' ..
The fourth sealing means 30 (d) corresponds essentially to the third sealing
means (c).
This fourth sealing means however in the sealing region 42 on which it lies on
a neck rim
comprises projecting annular means which effect a concentration of sealing
forces.
The fifth sealing means 30 comprises a collar 10 which has an inwardly
directed (sharp)
bend. The shape of the collar effects an additional concentration of the
sealing forces in the
sealing region 42. The shown sealing means a to e are in particularly suitable
for hinge closures.
Further embodim.ent forms result to the man skilled in the art by the
combination of the
features of the described devices.
