Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CAP FOR A CONTAINER CONTAINING A FLUID
DESCRIPTION
The present invention concerns a seal for a container containing a fluid. The
seal comprises a
body to be placed on the container with an outlet opening via which the fluid
is discharged when
a container-internal excess pressure is generated. It is known, for generating
the container-
internal excess pressure, to construct the deformable container such that in
the case of manual
pressure on the walls of the container, the internal volume of the container
is reduced and the
desired internal pressure of the container can be generated. The fluid can
then exit via a slotted
structure constructed in the body, which comprises at least one slot. The at
least one slot is
defined by a pair of free terminal edges facing each other and ending in a
common apex.
A seal of this type with a plurality of slots is known from the document
W082/01360, in which
terminal edges of triangular pivoting plates are essentially adjacent in an
activation state free of
container-internal excess pressure and define an opening plane. When the
container-internal
excess pressure is generated, the terminal edges are opened by pivoting,
moving away from the
interior of the container, by the fluid, moving away from each other.
It has, however, been established that the known seal did not ensure a
sufficient tightness at the
level of the terminal edges, in particular in an activation state free of
container-internal excess
pressure. Furthermore, the discharge resistance with the known seal is so low
that in the case of
unintentional pressure on the walls of the container, fluid immediately leaves
from the slots.
The aim of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, in
particular to create
a seal having a slotted structure with at least one slot which is defined by
free terminal edges
facing each other, with which a sufficient making tight is likewise guaranteed
in an activation
state free of container-internal excess pressure and a resistance to discharge
flow is increased.
This aim is fulfilled by the characteristics of Claim 1.
According to the latter, a seal which comprises a body with an outlet opening
via which the fluid
can be discharged on the generation of a container-internal excess pressure
and, which is defined
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by a slotted structure having at least one slot, which is bounded by free
terminal edges facing
each other and ending in an apex. According to the invention, the slotted
structure comprises
multiple pivoting _plates which are articulated to the body so as to be
moveable, at least one
pivoting plate, preferably each of the pivoting plates, being connected to an
adjacent pivoting
plate so as to be moveable, via a deformation section that is more flexible
relative to the multiple
pivoting plates, which forms one of the free terminal edges of the at least
one slot, and in an
activation state free of a container-internal excess pressure is arranged
essentially adjacent to the
other opposite free terminal edge of the at least one slot and can open by
pivoting, moving away
from the container interior when the container-internal excess pressure is
generated by means of
the fluid, thus moving away from the other free tertninal edge.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the multiple pivoting plates are
connected via a
hinge joint, in particular a film hinge joint, to the body in such a way that,
when the container-
internal excess pressure is applied by means of the fluid, they pivot, moving
away, and deform
the deformation section in such a manner that the terminal edge thereof moves
away from the
other terminal edge, moving apart from each other.
In an improvement of the invention, the two free terminal edges of the at
least one slot are
formed by two deformation sections which connect one pivoting plate to the two
adjacent
pivoting plates. In an activation state free of container-internal excess
pressure, the two free
terminal edges are parallel side by side. The terminal edges of the at least
one slot are preferably
essentially in the form of a straight line.
If several slots are provided for the slotted structure, these preferably
terminate in a common
point, in particular in an axial outlet opening centre.
In an improvement of the invention, the multiple pivoting plates form primary
and secondary
pivoting plates, the primary pivoting plates lying in a common plane, and the
secondary pivoting
plates intersecting this plane at an angle, preferably of 20 to 70 or 30 to
60 in an activation
state free of container-internal excess pressure.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in an activation state free of
container-internal
excess pressure, the primary pivoting plates of the multiple pivoting plates
lie in a common plane
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which intersects the deformation sections at an angle, preferably of
approximately 20 to 70 or
30 to 60 .
In an improvement of the invention, in an activation state free of container-
internal excess
pressure, primary pivoting plates of the multiple pivoting plates lie in a
common plane which
intersects the free terminal edges at an angle, preferably of approximately 20
to 70 or 30 to
60 , in particular in a centre of the outlet opening. Alternatively, the
primary pivoting plates can
be inclined relative to each other.
Preferably a pivoting plate, in particular a secondary pivoting plate, and
with the latter
deformation sections adjacent thereto, form a pyramid, one long edge of which
is slotted by the
free terminal edges of the deformation section.
The slotted long edge can be directed towards a centre of the outlet opening.
Preferably, at least
two of the three long sides of the pyramid shape have equal area. The slotted
structure can be
formed by at least two, preferably two, three or four pyramid shapes which are
in particular
respectively formed by one secondary pivoting plate and by the adjacent
deformation sections,
one primary pivoting plate lying between two pyramid shapes. Preferably, a
base side of the
pyramid shape lies in a plane which is defined by primary pivoting plates of
the multiple
pivoting plates in the activation state free of container-internal excess
pressure. Alternatively, the
secondary pivoting plates can be thick like the principal pivoting plates, but
thin at the level of
the hinges.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pivoting plates, in particular
the primary and
secondary pivoting plates, are dimensioned with thicker walls than the
deformation section,
which is constructed for example as a connection attachment in the form of a
film or membrane
which is able to be flattened or to be bent. In a preferred embodiment of the
invention, the
pivoting plates, in particular the primary and secondary plates, and also the
deformation sections,
are produced from one piece, in particular by injection moulding.
The pivoting plates, in particular the primary and secondary plates, are
preferably connected to
the body via a hinge joint, in particular a film hinge joint, with the hinge-
joints extending in
particular in an annular form around a centre of the opening.
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In an embodiment of the invention, the seal consists of two separate pieces,
namely a base body
to be connected to the container and an insert forming the slotted structure.
Preferably, the insert
is mounted on a passage formed in the base body. In particular, the two pieces
are produced by
an injection moulding of two components of plastic material.
The invention likewise concerns a container with a seal according to the
invention. The seal can
be fixed on the container, in particular screwed. The seal and the container
are preferably
produced from one piece, in particular by injection moulding.
Other advantages, properties and characteristics of the invention will be
clearly evident from the
following description of preferred embodiments with the aid of the attached
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a seal according to the invention in a
first embodiment;
Figure 2 shows a top view of the seal of Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a view in cross-section of the seal of Figure 1 along the
section line III-III of
Figure 4;
Figure 4 shows a view in cross-section of the seal of Figure 1 along the
section line IV-IV of
Figure 3;
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a seal according to the invention in a
second embodiment;
Figure 6 shows a top view of the seal of Figure 5;
Figure 7 shows a view in cross-section of the seal of Figure 5 along the
section line VII-VII of
Figure 8;
Figure 8 shows a side view of the seal of Figure 5;
Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a seal according to the invention in a
third embodiment;
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Figure 10 shows a view in cross-section of the seal of Figure 10 along the
section line X-X of
Figure 12;
Figure 11 shows a view in cross-section of the seal of Figure 9 along the
section line XI-XI of
Figure 12; and
Figure 12 shows a top view of the seal of Figure 9.
Figure 13 shows a perspective view of a seal according to the invention in a
fourth embodiment;
and
Figure 14 shows a perspective view of an insert forming the slotted structure.
In Figures 1 to 4, the seal according to the invention is given generally the
reference number 1.
The seal 1 comprises, as main element, a support body 3 which can be fixed on
a container
which is not shown. The support body 3 is in the form of an upturned cup with
an oval lateral
wall 5 over its entire periphery, which changes to horizontal base edge 7. A
passage 11, bounded
by an axial projecting centering ring 9, is formed in the edge base 7.
On one of the sides of the oval support body 3 with a greater curvature, a
cover 13 is articulated
via a film hinge 15. The cover 13 comprises on the internal face a cylindrical
projection in the
form of a socket 17 which is in internal contact with the centering ring 9 and
ensures tightness in
the closed state of the cover 13.
A slotted structure 12 in the passage 11 of the support body 3 is constructed
in the embodiment
of the seal 1 according to the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 by means of
two pyramids 20, 22
which exceed a horizontal plane E. The vertical of the plane E extends on the
axis A of the seal
1. Connecting ribs 21, 23, 25, 27, joined in a fixed manner to the support
body 3, which hold the
slotted structure 12 on the support body, lie in the plane E.
The two pyramids 20, 22 are arranged symmetrically relative to the axis,
relative to each other,
and comprise respectively a secondary triangular pivoting plate 29, 31
connected via a film hinge
joint 33, 35 to the adjacent support rib 21, 25. The film hinge 33, 35 is
arranged on the base face
of the triangular shape of the same side of the secondary pivoting plates 31,
29. On the other
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faces of the branches of the secondary triangular pivoting plates 29, 31, two
supple deformation
sections having thin walls, which are produced in the form of supple film
wings respectively 37,
39 and 41, 43 and more flexible than the secondary plate 29, 31, abut in one
piece. The film
wings 37, 39, 41, 43 respectively have a free terminal edge in the form of a
straight line. The free
terminal edges of the adjacent deformation sections 41, 43 essentially face
each other in a
parallel manner - in an activation state free of container-internal excess
pressure - and form slots
(45, 47) which are sketched with lines in bold print in Figures 1 and 2.
The terminal edges end in the point of the respective triangular secondary
pivoting plate 29, 31,
where they define an apex.
The film wings respectively 37, 41 and 39, 43 end respectively with an
adjacent primary pivoting
plate 51, 53, constructed thicker than the film wings 37 to 43 and,
essentially, as thick as the
secondary pivoting plate 29, 31. The primary pivoting plate 51, 53 has the
form of an isosceles
triangle, its base face being articulated by means of a film-hinge
articulation to the adjacent
support rib 23, 27 of the support body 3.
The behaviour of the slotted structure 12 when an excess fluid pressure is
generated inside the
container, which is not shown, for example due to the deformation of the
deformable wall of the
container and when the fluid contained in the container is pushed to emerge
from the seal 1 at the
level of the slotted structure 12, is described below.
In Figures 1 to 4, the seal I is shown in an activation state free of
container-internal excess
pressure, because the free terminal edges of the slots 45, 47 of the
deformation sections 37 to 43
are placed parallel side by side with respect to each other, preventing at the
maximum an outlet
through the two slots defined by the terminal edges.
In the case of excess pressure in the container, the fluid flows from the
interior towards the
primary pivoting plates 51, 53 and the secondary pivoting plates 29, 31 of the
slotted structure 12
and causes them to pivot upwards, moving them away from the interior of the
container. Due to
the pivoting of the primary and secondary pivoting plates 51, 53, 29, 31, the
terminal edges of
the respective deformation sections 37 to 43 are moved apart from each other,
essentially by
diverging around the apex at the point of the secondary pivoting plate 29, 31,
by which an outlet
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opening gradually grows larger from a centre Z in the form of a point around
the axis A, so as to
form a square according to the embodiment in accordance with Figures 1 to 4.
On the discharge of the container and the suppression of the container-
internal excess pressure
which follows, the primary and secondary pivotirig plates 29, 31, 51, 53
return into the positions
shown in Figures 1 to 4. In an activation state free of container-internal
excess pressure, the
primary pivoting plates 51, 53 lie in the horizontal plane E which is
intersected by the secondary
pivoting plates 29, 33 with an angle of approximately 30 to 80 , preferably
50 . The terminal
edges of the slots 45, 47, which extend from the point of the triangular
pivoting plate 29, 31 to
the axial centre of the outlet opening, likewise intersect the horizontal
plane with an angle of
approximately 50 .
Figures 5 to 7 show another preferred embodiment of the seal according to the
invention, the
same reference numbers being used as for the embodiment according to Figures 1
to 4, but
increased by 100, for identical and similar components of the seal so as to
simplify the reading of
the description of the figures.
The embodiment according to Figures 5 to 8 is distinguished in particular from
that according to
Figures 1 to 4 by the fact that three pyramids 102, 122, 124 are now formed,
instead of only two.
The pyramids 120, 122, 124 are arranged in a star formation around the axial
centre Z of the
outlet opening. The pyramids 120, 122, 124 are separated by three primary
pivoting plates 161,
163, 165 and comprise respectively a secondary pivoting plate 171, 173, 175.
On the two sides
of each secondary pivoting plate 171, 173, 175, a thin-walled film wing 181,
183; 185, 187; 189,
191, produced by injection moulding on the respective adjacent primary
pivoting plate 161, 163
and 165, is respectively provided. The respective film wings 181 to 191 define
three slots 145,
147, 149 which are made clearly visible by the line in bold type. The slots
145, 147, 149 extend
in a star formation towards the centre of the outlet opening Z and are
parallel to each other in an
activation state free of container-internal excess pressure.
Figures 5 to 8 show the activation state free of container-internal excess
pressure. When a
container-internal pressure is generated and fluid leaves, the pivoting
plates, namely the primary
and secondary pivoting plates 161, 163, 165, 171, 173, 175 pivot upwards,
moving away from
the interior of the container, by vvhich the terminal edges of the slots 145,
147, 149 are separated
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from each other, moving apart, and a polygonal symmetrical, namely hexagonal,
contour is
formed.
It is clear that it is possible to provide more than three pyramids for the
slotted structure 12, 112.
As a function of the viscosity of the fluid, the number of slots can be
adapted to the desired flow
for the fluid with the seal. The whole of the seal 1, 101 is preferably
produced by injection
moulding in a single piece, in particular from polyethylene, polypropylene
and/or polyolefin.
Figures 8 to 12 show another preferred embodiment of the seal according to the
invention, the
same reference numbers as for the embodiment according to Figures 1 to 4 and 5
to 8
respectively, but increased by 100 or 200 respectively, being used for
identical and similar
components of the seal so as to simplify the reading of the description of the
figures.
The embodiment according to Figures 9 to 12 is distinguished in particular
from those according
to Figures 1 to 4 and Figures 5 to 8 by the fact that four pyramids 220, 222,
224, 226 are formed
instead of two or three pyramids. The pyramids 220, 222, 224, 226 are arranged
in a star
formation about the axial centre Z of the outlet opening. The pyramids are
separated by four
primary pivoting plates 261, 263, 265, 267 and comprise respectively a
secondary pivoting plate
271, 273, 275, 277. On two sides of each secondary pivoting plate, a thin-
walled film wing 281,
283, 285, 287, 289, 291, 293, 295, produced by injection moulding on the
respective adjacent
primary pivoting plate is respectively provided. The respective film wings 282
to 295 define four
slots 245, 247, 249, 250, two of which slots lie on a straight line and form a
cross viewed above.
The embodiment of the seal 301 according to Figures 12 and 13 is distinguished
in particular
from that in accordance with the embodiments below in that the seal 301 is
made by an injection
moulding of two components of plastic material. The first piece forms a
support body 303
having a passage 304. In the passage 304, a circular insert 306 is positioned
and fixed to the
support body 303. In the middle of the insert 306, the slotted structure 312
is formed. The
material for the insert 306 is more flexible than the material for the support
body 303.
The characteristics exposed in the above description, in the figures and in
the claims can be
important, both separately and in combination as desired for the embodiment of
the invention in
the different configurations.
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L1ST OF REFERENCES
1,101,201,301 seal
3,103,203,303 support body
304 passage
5,105,205 lateral wall
306 insert
7,107,207 edge base
9,109,209 centering ring
11,111,211 passage
12,112,212,312 slotted structure
13,113,213 cover
15,33,35,55,57,115,215 film hinge joint
17,117,217 projection
20,22,120,122,124 pyramid
220,222,224,226 pyramid
21,23,25,27 connecting ribs
29,31,171,173,175 secondary pivoting plate
271,273,275,277 secondary pivoting plate
37,39,41,43,181,183,185 film wing
187,189,191,281,283,285 film wing
287,289,291,293,295 film wing
45,47,145,147,149 slots
245,247,249,250 slots
51,53,161,163,165 primary pivoting plate
261,263,265,267 primary pivoting plate
A axis
E plane
Z centre
