WO1996005119A1

WO1996005119A1 - Closure for a liquid product-pouring opening

Info

Publication number: WO1996005119A1
Application number: PCT/EP1995/003065
Authority: WO
Inventors: Albert Stöffler; Klaus Steuckart; Peter Solich; Udo Suffa
Original assignee: Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft Auf Aktien
Priority date: 1994-08-10
Filing date: 1995-08-01
Publication date: 1996-02-22
Also published as: DE4428266A1

Abstract

A closure for the liquid product-pouring opening of 2 container may be secured to the container and has a dosing hole with a smaller flow cross-section than the flow cross-section of the pouring opening. The object of the invention is to create a closure that is easy to handle, allows the liquid product to be precisely dosed and such containers for liquid products to be easily refilled without the liquid product contacting the user nor the closure getting lost. For that purpose, the dosing hole (5, 25) is integrated in a closure part (3, 22) rotatively or swivellingly joined to a closure bottom part (4, 21) capable of being secured to the container and provided with a pouring hole (26) larger than the dosing hole (5, 25). In the product dispensing position, the closure part (3, 22) allows the product to flow only through the dosing hole (5, 25).

Description

'Closure for a product outlet for liquid products'

The invention relates to a closure for a product outlet of a container for liquid products, which can be fastened to the container and has a metering outlet opening with a passage cross section which is smaller than the outlet cross section of the product outlet.

A large number of containers for liquid products are known, which are equipped with permanently integrated dosers and screw-on sealing lids. After these containers have been emptied, they cannot be used further, since refilling is not possible or is possible only with difficulty. These containers are therefore usually only suitable for one-time use, which is unsatisfactory from an economic and ecological point of view.

In addition, generic closures are also known which have a cup-shaped closure part with a metering opening in the bottom of the pot and a hinged closure lid for closing the metering opening. These sealing covers can be detached with their tubular area, in particular can be screwed onto the product outlet of the container. For dosed product removal, the closure lid can be opened and then closed again. After emptying the container, the Unscrew the end of the container, whereupon product can be refilled into the container from the refill, for example from a flexible bag or a large container, through the product outlet.

However, these closures have several disadvantages. On the one hand, there is a risk that when unscrewing the closure before refilling, the user comes into contact with the product residue still on the closure, which is particularly unacceptable for dangerous substances. On the other hand, the screwing in or screwing on of the closure requires great care, since otherwise no tightness is guaranteed between the closure and the product outlet of the container, so that an undesired leakage can occur during subsequent metering. In addition, it is not very easy for the user to unscrew the cap for refilling, put it down somewhere and then screw it back on after a long search.

The object of the invention is to provide a solution which, with easy handling and maintenance of an impeccable dosing capability, enables problem-free, user-friendly refilling of such containers for liquid products, the aim being to avoid the user from using the product comes into contact and the closure can be lost. This object is achieved according to the invention with a closure of the type described at the outset in that the metering outlet opening is integrated in a closure part which is connected to a closure lower part which can be fastened to the container and which is rotatable or pivotable in relation to the larger through opening than the metering outlet opening, that it limits product passage to the metering outlet opening in the product delivery position.

With the invention, a closure for a product outlet of a container for liquid products is made available, which enables both a perfect refilling of the product container without the user coming into contact with the product and also a perfect dosage of the product when the product is dispensed. In the product delivery position, the product passage is limited to the metering outlet opening in a known manner, so that only an application-appropriate amount of product is always delivered.

In the refill position, the closure part, into which the metering outlet opening is integrated, is turned or pivoted without the closure being separated from the container. As a result, the product outlet is exposed, so that refilling from a refill pack or a larger refill container is possible. During this refilling process, the closure remains connected to the container and does not need to be put down, so that it does not comes into contact with product residues still on the closure.

The lower closure part is advantageously firmly connected to the container. This avoids that it can accidentally detach from the container.

In an embodiment, the closure can be further simplified in that the lower closure part is an integral part of the same with suitable containers.

It is also provided that the metering outlet opening in the closure part can be closed by means of a hinged closure lid. This ensures that the entire closure forms a unit and the container is firmly closed.

The closure cover can advantageously be hinged to the lower closure part, which may further simplify manufacture and handling.

It is particularly advantageous if the closure lid is articulated on the closure part and / or the closure part on the lower closure part via film hinges, which the invention also provides. Among other things, this has the advantage of durability and ease of manufacture. The whole In this case, the closure can be produced in part by the injection molding process.

In a further advantageous embodiment it is provided that the film hinges are arranged opposite one another. The closure lid and the closure part can thus be swung open in the opposite direction, which simplifies handling. If, for example, a notch is provided on the side of the container opposite the film hinge between the closure lid and the closure part, the user can simply reach under the edge of the closure lid with a finger and swing it open. On the other hand, to refill the container, he can reach under the shoulder of the sealing film hinge just described and in this way swivel the sealing part with the sealing lid articulated over the opposite film hinge between the sealing part and the sealing base.

The invention further provides that the closure part is equipped with a locking cam and the bottom part of the closure with a corresponding locking bead. This creates a tight seal between the two parts. The closure part can only be opened with increased effort, the latching cam of the closure part having to be moved over the latching bead of the closure bottom part. It is also advantageous if the closure part has a tubular extension which, when the closure is closed, lies sealingly against the inner wall of the product outlet. Such a tubular approach is very useful for sealing the product outlet and ensures that the product exits the product container through the metering outlet opening. As the invention proposes at the same time, this is expediently sealed by a closure mandrel provided on the inside of the closure cover and sealingly engaging in the metering outlet opening when closed.

In an embodiment of the invention it is provided that the closure is essentially elliptical and / or egg-shaped. In this way, the closure can be particularly easily and inexpensively adapted to a container for liquid products with a product outlet. There is the possibility of dividing the lower part of the closure so that the lateral sectors of the lower part of the closure located in the area of the main apex of the lip are fixed and only the central area having the metering outlet opening is designed to be pivotable parallel to the minor axis of the ellipse.

In another embodiment of the invention it is provided that the closure part is rotatably arranged on the closure bottom part in such a way that it is in the closed position Closes the passage opening and releases the passage opening in the refill position.

This provides, in a surprisingly simple manner, a non-captive closure for a product outlet for liquid products with an integrated metering outlet opening. By appropriately rotating the closure part relative to the lower closure part, one can choose between the positions "closed", "refilling" and "product delivery". Here, the closure part can be both centrally and eccentrically mounted relative to the lower closure part.

The passage opening preferably has a sealing bead in order to avoid the unintentional outflow of liquid from the container. At the same time, an unintentional opening of the closure part and / or the closure cap can thereby be avoided, since the closure part and / or closure lid are only apparent with increased effort from the closure position into the product delivery and / or refill position compared to the closure bottom part and / or the closure part. This has the advantage that the closure part and the closure lid cannot open by themselves, ie they can swing open or open, so that the necessary tightness is ensured during transport or storage. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, for example. This shows in

1 shows a closure according to the invention according to a first embodiment in the fully extended position in supervision,

2 shows a section along line II-II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a closure according to the invention with a rotatable closure part in section,

FIG. 4 shows the closure according to FIG. 3 in a perspective view in the closed position,

FIG. 5 the closure according to FIG. 4 in the refill position,

6 shows the closure according to FIG. 4 in the product delivery position.

According to a first embodiment, a closure 1 according to the invention has a closure cover 2, a closure part 3 and a lower closure part 4. In the closure part 3 there is also a metering outlet opening 5 with a product outlet (not shown here) shown engaging tubular insert 6 integrated.

The lower closure part 4 has a region 7, for example an annular region, which surrounds the product outlet of the container (not shown). For fastening the lower closure part 4 to the container, latching elements 8 are provided on the inner side of the lower closure part 4 facing the product outlet of the container. In the lateral areas 9, 10 arranged in the area of the main apex of the, for example, lip-shaped closure lower part 4, the lower closure part 4 is reinforced or raised and forms lateral contact surfaces 11, 12 for the closure part which can be pivoted in via a first film hinge 13 3, on the lateral contact surfaces 14, 15. The lower closure part 4 also has a locking recess 16 for receiving a locking cam, not shown, of the container for securing the lower closure part 4 on the container in the region of the product outlet in such a way that it cannot be rotated.

A closure lid 2 is articulated to the closure part 3 via a second film hinge 17 with a closure pin 18 which engages in the closure position in the dosing outlet opening 5. To refill the container, the closure lid 2 and the closure part 3 are opened via the film hinges 17 and 13 and the product outlet of the container with the region 7 of the lower closure part 4 encompassing it is exposed. To narrow the outlet cross-section of the product outlet and to position the metering outlet opening 5, the closure part 3 is pivoted in by 180 ° via the film hinge 13. In this case, locking between the closure part 3 and the closure bottom part 4 is achieved by a latching cam 19 on the closure part 3, which in the pivoted-in state engages behind the region 20 of the closure bottom part 4 designed as a latching bead.

In this pivoted-in position, the tubular extension 6 lies sealingly against the inner wall of the product outlet (not shown) and ensures that the product exits the product container (not shown) through the metering outlet opening 5.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment variant of a closure according to the invention with an integrated dosing device. A locking part 22 is rotatably fitted or bounced onto a pot-shaped lower locking part 21 by means of a locking cam 23 through an opening in the lower locking part 21, the locking cam 23 being designed as a rotary lock. The lower closure part 21 is fastened, for example, by means of a circumferential locking bead 24 in the region of the product outlet to a container, not shown. The lower closure part 21, which is, for example, elliptical, has a larger passage opening 26 in a lateral sector facing the main apex of the ellipse than the metering outlet opening 25 in the closure part 22.

If the closure part 22 is rotated by the user through an angle of 90 ° with respect to the lower closure part from the closed position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the passage opening 26 is exposed, as illustrated in FIG. The container (not shown in more detail) can thus be refilled. If the closure part 22 is turned by a further 90 °, i.e. Rotated by a total of 180 ° with respect to the originally closed position, the passage opening 26 is reduced to the metering outlet opening 25, since this is above the passage opening 26. In this position of the metering outlet opening 25, the closure is in the product delivery position, as shown in FIG. By turning back or further through 180 ° in one direction or the other, the passage opening 26 and thus the container are completely closed again.

To produce the necessary tightness between the closure part 22 and the lower closure part 21, this has a circumferential sealing bead 27 in the area of the passage opening 26. At the same time, this causes, by interacting with a corresponding dimensioning of the fastening element 23, that the closure part 22 with the lower closure part 21 is under tension and that both parts 21, 22 can only be rotated with increased effort. It is also expediently provided that the lower closure part 21 is secured against rotation on the container with a further latching cam, not shown here.

Further refinements of the invention are possible without leaving the basic idea. It is essential, however, that the closure part with the metering outlet opening is firmly connected in some form to the other closure parts or the container, so that it cannot be lost. In addition, it can in particular be provided that the lower closure part is integrated into the container.

Claims

Expectations;

1. Closure for a product outlet of a container for liquid products, which can be fastened to the container and has a metering outlet opening with a smaller cross-section than the outlet cross section of the product outlet, characterized in that the metering outlet opening (5, 25) into a closure part ( 3,22) is integrated, which is connected to a lower part (4,21) which can be fastened to the container and has a larger opening (6,26) than the dosing outlet opening (5,25) such that it rotates or swivels in the product delivery position Product passage limited to the metering outlet opening (5.25).

2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower closure part (4,21) is firmly connected to the container.

3. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower closure part (4,21) is an integral part of the container.

4. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metering outlet opening (5) in the closure part (3) can be closed by means of a hinged closure cover (2).

5. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure cover (2) is articulated on the lower closure part (4).

6. Closure according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the closure cover (2) on the closure part (3) and / or the closure part (3) on the lower closure part (4) articulated via film hinges (13, 17) is.

7. Closure according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the film hinges (13, 17) are arranged opposite to each other.

8. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure part (3) with a locking cam (19) and the lower closure part (4) are equipped with a corresponding locking bead (20).

9. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure part (3) has a tubular attachment (6) in the sealing position sealingly against the product outlet and the sealing cover (2) sealingly engages in the metering outlet opening (5) Has locking pin (18).

10. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure (1) is substantially elliptical and / or egg-shaped.

11. Closure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the closure part (22) is rotatably arranged on the bottom closure part (21) in such a way that it closes the passage opening (26) in the closure position, in the refill position the Passage opening (26) releases.

12. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the passage opening (6, 26) has a sealing bead (27).