EP0653359B1 - Closure device for a container comprising a manually actuated pump - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for closing a container according to the preamble of claim 1. A closing device of this type is known from US-A-4 984 702. This device for closing a container has an opening with a flange and also consists of a hand-operated pump which has a dispensing head and is provided with an annular flange at its end remote from the container. The device is also provided with a substantially ring-shaped adapter, which is equipped at its upper end with an inner flange for gripping over the ring flange of the pump and with a lower part which (1) has a recess or groove for receiving the container flange and (2) one has inner projection for gripping the container flange under snap action.

Containers are often equipped with a spray head and a so-called standard pump, the housing of which is attached to the container neck by a fastening ring. The connection of the closure device to the filled container requires a fluid-tight connection which is visually appealing, has no sharp or protruding edges and corners and is as simple to manufacture as possible.

So far, various operations have been required to close a filled container by means of a closing device. You have to fix the pump on the neck of the container, then slide the coupling ring over it and finally put on the protective cap. For this purpose, the individual components of the closure device are stored separately and fed individually to an assembly station.

The invention has for its object a closure device Specify that can be plugged together with the pump in a single assembly step on filled containers or bottles, so that the assembly effort can be reduced and storage can be simplified.

The invention solves this problem by the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention result from the subclaims.

The invention achieves a stable and tight connection between the closure device and the container by means of a single, axial push-on operation, in which the adapter is axially bounced onto the container opening. Since the closure device can be supplied as a compact assembly unit, which preferably consists of an adapter, collar, protective cap and standard pump, the delivery with closure devices and their storage and assembly can be simplified considerably.

Another advantage achieved by the invention is that the projections which bring about the actual connection are covered by the coupling ring and are thus secured in their fastening position on the flange of the container. Furthermore, the closure device has a smooth and form-fitting structure that looks appealing and is easy to handle.

Before the closure device according to the invention is assembled, the container is first filled with the corresponding, usually cosmetic, liquid, and in a subsequent step the entire closure device is completely bounced onto the container. The force to be axially applied to the protective cap is transmitted to the adapter via the coupling ring, the initial position assignment between the coupling ring and adapter initially remaining unchanged due to the effect of the lock. Through the on the protective cap Bouncing force, the projections arranged on the circumference of the adapter are pushed over the flange of the container with an elastic, radially outward bend and snap behind or under the flange.

Due to the impact force still exerted on the protective cap, the resistance of the lock between the adapter and the collar ring is now overcome after the adapter can no longer evade the applied impact force, and the collar ring moves further in the axial direction over the adapter and its projections. As a result, the projections are locked to the flange, so that the adapter is fastened to the container so that it cannot move axially. The coupling ring is preferably displaced in the direction of the container until its container-side or lower edge rests on the container shoulder. The coupling ring is preferably dimensioned such that there is a friction fit between it and the adapter, so that the coupling ring is held relatively firmly on the outside of the adapter, but is displaceable. When the coupling ring is in contact with the container, the closing process of the container is finished. The protective cap can then be easily removed from the adapter and replaced.

The closure device according to the invention is particularly suitable for assembly with cosmetic pumps and spray heads, as are often used for spray containers with which fragrances such as perfumes, room sprays and deodorants are sprayed. It is expedient to dimension the union ring axially so that it surrounds the adapter in the assembled state at the level of the lower edge of the ring flange of the pump.

Preferably, the protective cap on the underside of its head wall has an axial, cylindrical guide socket which, with a slight friction fit, encompasses the coupling ring, which as Bracket for the protective cap is used.

The invention enables simple bulk filling of containers, whereupon successively and / or simultaneously one of the closure devices according to the invention can be inserted mechanically by the filler onto the container in a single operation without the need for complex control devices for monitoring the closure process.

Fig. 1, 2 und 3

eine erste Ausführungsform einer Verschlußvorrichtung gemäß der Erfindung in drei verschiedenen Stellungen des Verschließvorgangs;

Fig. 4, 5, 6 und 7

eine zweite Ausführungsform einer Verschlußvorrichtung gemäß der Erfindung in drei verschiedenen Stellungen des Verschließvorgang; und

Fig. 8

die Verschlußvorrichtung gemäß Fig. 7, jedoch mit einem Adapter, dessen Vorsprünge zwei Nuten aufweisen.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of schematic drawings. Show it:

1, 2 and 3

a first embodiment of a closure device according to the invention in three different positions of the closing process;

4, 5, 6 and 7

a second embodiment of a closure device according to the invention in three different positions of the closing process; and

Fig. 8

7, but with an adapter, the projections of which have two grooves.

1 to 3, a closure device 10 for closing a bottle or container 12 is shown, the opening 14 of which is provided at the upper end of its neck 16 with an outer flange 18. The closure device 10 has a manually operable pump 20, which is preferably made of plastic and whose cylinder 22 protrudes from the container opening 14, has an invisible, axial passage channel and on the upper end a dispensing head 24 for distributing a fluid contained in the container 12 wearing. The pump 20 is covered by a removable protective cap 26. This protective cap 26 has a head wall 28, of the underside of which projects a cylindrical, tubular guide stub 30 downward coaxially to the container axis in the direction of the container 12 and laterally surrounds a cylindrical cavity 32. An inner wall 34 of the guide socket 30 is provided up to its approximately middle height with a cylindrical extension 36 which is offset at the upper end in the form of a stop surface 38 with respect to the inner wall 34 of the guide socket 30. In this extension 36, a cylindrical coupling ring 40 with a friction seat is inserted, which rests with an upper, inwardly bent end 42 on the stop surface 38 of the extension 36. A lower end 44 of the coupling ring 40 projects only slightly downward from a lower, open end of the guide socket 30 and engages with a friction fit over an annular adapter 46, the function of which will be explained in more detail below.

The pump 20 is provided at its end facing away from the container 12 with an annular flange 48, the diameter of which corresponds approximately to that of the flange 18. An annular sealing disk 50 is arranged under the ring flange 48. In the assembled state of the closure device 10, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the adapter 46 connects the ring flange 48 to the flange 18 of the container 12, such that the coupling ring 40 is completely pushed onto the adapter 46 according to FIG. 3 , on which in turn the protective cap 26 is attached with a friction fit.

The adapter 46 is preferably made of plastic and is essentially cylindrical; it is provided at its upper end with an annular inner flange 52 which, according to FIG. 1, rests on the ring flange 48 of the pump 20. At least three projections 54 extend from the underside of this annular inner flange 52 at the same circumferential angular intervals, parallel to the container axis, downward in the direction of the container 12. The projections 54 are on it Provided on the inside with a groove 56 running at the same height in the circumferential direction. The groove 56 serves to receive the annular flange 48 of the pump 20 and the flange 18 of the container 12. The groove 56 in the projections 54 is delimited at the bottom by a cam 70, which extends towards the lower end of each projection 54 as a downward widening Ramp surface 71 is formed. This contact surface 71 facilitates the spreading and pushing of the projections 54 over the ring flange 48 of the pump 20 in order to form the assembly unit from the protective cap 28, the union ring 40, the adapter 46 and the pump 20. In addition, the ramp surface 71 also facilitates the assembly of the assembly unit described on the container 12, in which the projections 54 spread over the flange 18 and then engage under it in a blocking or holding manner.

1, the coupling ring 40 is axially displaceable on the adapter 46 and, with its lower end, rests on at least one elastic lock 60, which is biased radially outward beyond the cylindrical peripheral surface of the adapter 46. The lock 60 consists of at least one, preferably three locking cams 62, each of which is injection molded between the projections 54 on a lower edge of the upper inner flange 52 of the adapter 46 by means of a film joint, not shown. The film joint holds the associated locking cam 62 in the radially outwardly elastically biased position, in which each locking cam 62 projects outward beyond the cylindrical peripheral surface of the adapter 46. Under the lower edge of the inner flange 52 of the adapter 46, a space 64 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is provided between adjacent projections 54, in which each locking cam 62 radially through the lower end face of the cylindrical coupling ring 40 as a function of the impact force exerted thereon can be bent inwards. As a result, the coupling ring 40 can then be completely shifted further down on the adapter 46 until it rests on a container shoulder 68 and through that Locking cams 62 are clamped.

In the embodiment of the closure device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the standard pump 20 with the dispensing head 24, the sealing disk 50 and the adapter 46 is mounted on the coupling ring 40. The coupling ring 40 equipped in this way is inserted into the guide socket 30 of the protective cap 26 and thus sent to the bottler. After filling the container 12, the bottler puts the pump 20 on the container (FIG. 1). The ring flange 48 engages in the groove 56 of the adapter 46 after the cams 70 at the lower end of the projections 54 have been elastically bent radially outward when they strike the ring flange 48.

2, by further exerting the axial impact pressure on the closure device 10, the locking cams 62 of the adapter 46 are bent through the lower end 44 of the cylindrical coupling ring 40 into the space 64 between the projections 54, and the protective cap 26 with the coupling ring 40 pushed down to the container shoulder 68 (Fig. 3).

The locking cam 62 and the coupling ring 40 are dimensioned such that the coupling ring 40 clamps on the adapter 46 due to the resulting surface pressure and the protective cap 26 can be removed for normal use.

In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 4 to 7, a guide socket 130 and a coupling ring 140 are modified compared to the first embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3. A lower end of a cylindrical extension 136 in a guide socket 140 of a protective cap 126 is namely delimited by a preferably annular snap bead 172, which on the underside likewise has a run-up surface 174 which widens towards the lower end of the guide socket 130 easier assembly of the coupling ring 140.

The union ring 140 is provided at an approximately medium height with an annular bead 176 which, according to FIG. 4, rests on the snap bead 172 of the guide socket 130, so that the union ring 140 is between an upper, stepped stop face 138 and the lower, annular snap bead 172 of the extension 136 is axially determined so that separation of the protective cap 126 from the coupling ring 140 is excluded under normal transport conditions.

4 to 7 it can also be seen that the coupling ring 140 is provided at its lower end with an inner circumferential retaining groove 178 which is formed in a bead-like manner by an outer annular bead 179. It serves to engage locking cams 162 of the adapter 146 which form a lock 160, so that the starting or rest position of the closure device 110 on the container 112 is thereby clearly defined, as shown in FIG. 4.

In the subsequent assembly phase of the closure device 110 as shown in FIG. 5, which forms the assembly unit comprising the closure cap 126, the collar 140 and the adapter 146 with the pump 120, the cams 170 of projections 154 spread over a flange 118 of the container 112 and engage underneath it in a latching manner. As a result, the closure device 110 is so firmly connected to the container 112 under compression of a sealing washer 150 that under normal conditions of use the adapter 146 cannot be separated from the flange 118 of the container 112 and this completely closed position of the closure device 110 is clearly determined.

6, upon further pressure being exerted on the closure device 110, the locking cams 162 of the adapter 146 are moved through the coupling ring 140 into a free space 164 between the projections 154 arranged at circumferential angular intervals bent over and the coupling ring 140 pushed onto a container shoulder 168, as can be seen in FIG. 7. In this end position of the protective cap 126 and the collar ring 140 displaced with it, the locking cams 162 of the adapter 146, which are elastically preloaded radially outward with respect to the container axis, snap into and into an upper, annular, bead-like holding groove 180 provided on the inside of the upper annular bead 176 lock the adapter 146 again with the coupling ring 140, so that the coupling ring 140 can no longer be removed from the adapter 146. It is understandable that the force required to pull the closure device 110 off the adapter 146 can be precisely determined by the arrangement of the upper annular bead 176.

Fig. 8 corresponds to the representation of the closure device in Fig. 7, but with the exception of a modified adapter 246, the projections 254 of which are provided on the inside with two superimposed grooves 256, 258. The upper groove 256, which is immediately adjacent to an inner flange 252 of the adapter 246, serves to receive an annular flange 248 of a pump 220, while the second groove 258, arranged below the first groove 256, serves to receive a flange 218 on a neck 216 of a container 212. The superimposed grooves 256, 258 are separated from one another at such a distance that the sealing of the pump 220 against the container 212 is ensured by sufficient compression of a sealing disk 250. Because a separate groove is provided for the ring flange 148 and the flange 218, the position of the pump 220 with its ring flange 248 in the groove 256 is clearly determined. This axially determined position between the ring flange 248 of the pump 220 and the adapter 246 may be desirable for reasons of pre-assembly of the assembly unit formed from the protective cap 226, the union ring 240 and the adapter 246 before it is impacted onto the container 212.

The adapter 46; 146 and the protective cap 26; 126 are preferably made of commercially available plastic such as polypropylene or polyethylene as injection molded parts. For high-quality applications, other materials, in particular metals, can also be used for individual components of the closure device 10; 110 can be used. The throwing ring 40; 140 is preferably made of aluminum.

The projections 54; 154 have a length such that the sealing washer 50; 150 sealingly on the container 12; 112 rests and a leakage of liquid is reliably prevented.

The projections 54; 154 are outside of the coupling ring 40; 140 against loosening from the flange 18; 118 secured so that the locking device 10; 110 from container 12; 112 is safely prevented. The throwing ring 40; 140 in turn is due to its static friction on the adapter 46; 146 held in this position so that a pushing back of the coupling ring 40; 140 weighed from container 12; 112 is only possible with considerable effort. At the same time, the friction between the coupling ring 40; 140 and the guide stub 30; 130 in the protective cap 26; 126 considerably lower, so that the protective cap can be pulled off and put back on without great effort.

An essential advantage of the second embodiment in FIGS. 4 to 7 compared to the first embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3 is that the lock 160 not only prevents the coupling ring 140 from moving via the adapter 146, but also prevents the coupling ring 140 slips in the opposite direction from the adapter 146. This prevents the individual components of the closure device 110 from being separated from one another by improper handling prior to assembly on the container 112.

Reference list

10, 110

Locking device

12, 112, 212

container

14

opening

16, 116, 216

Container neck

18, 118

flange

20, 120, 220

manually operated pump

22

cylinder

24, 124

Dispensing head

26, 126, 226

protective cap

28

Head wall

30, 130

Guide socket

32, 132

cylindrical cavity (guide socket)

34, 134

Inner wall

36, 136

cylindrical extension

38, 138

Contact surface (extension)

40, 140, 240

Union ring

42, 142

upper, bent end (union ring)

44

lower end (union ring)

46, 146, 246

adapter

48, 148, 248

Ring flange

50, 150, 250

Sealing washer

52

ring-shaped inner flange (adapter)

54, 154, 254

Ledges

56, 156, 256

Groove

258

Groove

60, 160

Lock

62, 162

Locking cam

64, 164

free space

68, 168

Container shoulder

70, 170

cam

71, 171

Ramp area

172

ring-shaped snap bead (guide socket)

174

Ramp surface (guide socket)

176

upper ring bead

178

Retaining groove, lower (union ring)

179

lower ring bead (throwing ring)

180

Retaining groove, upper (union ring)

Claims (10)

1. Device (10; 110) for closing a container (12; 112), the opening (14; 114) of which is provided with a flange (18; 118), comprising a manually actuable pump (20; 120), which has a dispensing head (24; 124) and which is provided on its end remote from the container (12; 112) with an annular flange (48; 148), a substantially annular adapter (46; 146), which is provided at its upper end with an internal flange (52; 152) for engaging over the annular flange (48; 148) on the pump (20; 120) and with a lower portion which has (1) a recess or groove (56; 156) for receiving the container flange (18; 118) and (2) an internal projection (54; 154) for engaging the container flange (18; 118) with a snap action,
   characterised in that

   the annular flange (48; 148) is provided on its underside with a sealing disc (50; 150), whereby the annular flange (48; 148) on the pump (20; 120) can be fastened on the flange (18; 118) whilst compressing the sealing disc (50; 150);

   a stop (60; 160) normally adopts its stop position projecting beyond the outer surface of the internal flange (52; 152) on the adapter (46; 146) under an elastic biasing force and may only be unlatched by a force exerted when chattering on the closure device (10; 110);

   and a collar ring (40; 140) may be pushed onto the adapter (46; 146) to the stop (60; 160) with a friction fit to form a closure device constituting a single assembly unit such that when the assembly unit is chattered onto the container (12; 112), the flange (18; 118) firstly engages in the groove (56; 156) above the projection (54; 154) whilst bending the inner projection away and subsequently the collar ring (40; 140) unlatches the stop (60; 160) by moving inwardly in opposition to the biasing force acting on it and is movable on the adapter (46; 146) to a lower position in which release of the snap engagement of the container flange (18; 118) in the adapter (46; 146) is prevented and all working steps are performed in a single installation step.
2. Device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the collar ring (140) is held in its lower position by the external engagement force of the stop (160).
3. Device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that a cylindrical, hollow cylindrical guide socket (30; 130), which projects from the underside of the top wall (28; 128) of a protective cap (26; 126), substantially surrounds the collar ring (40; 140) and is provided with a stepped abutment surface (38; 138) for an upper end (42; 142) of the collar ring (40; 140).
4. Device as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that the cylindrical inner wall of the guide socket (30; 130) of the protective cap (26; 126) is provided with a cylindrical broadened portion (36; 136) for the collar ring (40; 140) which is bounded at the upper end by the abutment surface (38; 138), against which the upper inwardly bent over end (42; 142) of the collar ring (40; 140) engages.
5. Device as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that provided on the inner surface of the end (144) closest to the container of the collar ring (40; 140) there is a peripheral retaining groove (178) which cooperates with the stop (160) on the adapter (146) before installation on a container (112).
6. Device as claimed in Claim 5, characterised in that arranged on the inner surface of the collar ring (140) axially spaced above the retaining groove (178) there is a second peripheral retaining groove (180), in which the stop (160) on the adapter (146) engages in the installed state of the closure device (110) on the container (112).
7. Device as claimed in one of Claims 5 or 6, characterised in that the retaining grooves (178; 180) in the collar ring (140) are defined by an upper and a lower, annular, external annular bead (176, 179).
8. Device as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that the lower end of the guide socket (130) on the protective cap (126) is defined by a snap bead (172) which is engaged by the upper annular bead (176) on the collar ring (140).
9. Device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the stop (62; 162) on the adapter (46; 146), which comprises plastics material, comprises at least one stop cam (62; 162), which is connected to the lower edge of the internal flange (52; 152) on the adapter (46; 146) between its projections (54; 154) by means of a film link by means of which the stop cam (62; 162) projects in its elastically biased position beyond the cylindrical peripheral surface of the adapter (46; 146) and is constructed to be bendable radially inwardly into an empty space (64; 164) below the internal flange (52; 152) on the adapter (46; 146) in dependence on the chattering force which is exerted.
10. Device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the two grooves (256, 258) on the inner surface of each projection (254) on the adapter (246) are arranged above one another, the first groove (256) of which, which is directly adjacent the internal flange (252) on the adapter (246), serves to receive the annular flange (248) on the pump (220) and the second groove (258) of which, which is arranged beneath it, serves to receive the flange (218) on the container throat (216).

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