WO2015090690A1

WO2015090690A1 - Closure for a container

Info

Publication number: WO2015090690A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/072952
Authority: WO
Inventors: Katja Gerhards; Dannielle Borger
Original assignee: Henkel Ag & Co. Kgaa
Priority date: 2013-12-17
Filing date: 2014-10-27
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: HUE035125T2; DE102013226147A1; EP3083428A1; ES2649171T3; PL3083428T3; EP3083428B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure (1) which is intended for a container (16) and comprises a base part (3), which can be fastened on the container (16), and a hinged lid (2), which is connected to the base part (3) so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (5), closes a closure opening of the base part (3) in a closure position and has a lid roof (6) bounded by a periphery (7), wherein the hinged lid (2) has a pressure-exerting region (14) in the front part, so that the hinged lid (2) can be pushed out of the closure position by a certain amount of opening force (Fo) being applied by a finger. The closure according to the invention is distinguished in that a supporting region (17) is defined in a rear part of the hinged lid (2), this supporting region establishing the position for another finger, by means of which the hinged lid (2) can be subjected to a counter-force (FG), acting substantially in the direction counter to the opening force (Fo).

Description

FLAP COVER FOR A CONTAINER

The invention relates to a closure for a container which comprises a base part which can be fastened to the container and a hinged lid, which is connected to the base part so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis. From DE 198 32 799 A1 discloses a closure with a pivotable about a pivot axis hinged lid is known, which closes a closure opening of the base part in a closed position and has a limited by an edge lidded roof, which is located in a horizontal plane, if that with the closure equipped container stands on a level ground.

From US 6,926, 179 B2 a fastened to a bottle closure is known, the pivotable hinged lid in a front part has a pressure application range to press the hinged lid by a finger from the closed position can. One way to open the hinged lid of the closure is to embrace the bottle neck with one hand, the thumb of this hand is applied to the hinged lid in the pressure application area to pry this with the thumb up from the closed position.

Often hinged lid and base part of such a closure are equipped with a locking connection to hold the hinged lid with a certain locking force in the closed position, so that the hinged lid does not open unintentionally. If the hinged lid to be opened as described above, this cogging force must be overcome with the help of the thumb, ie. an opening force must be higher than the detent force. Sometimes this locking force is quite high, so that it is difficult to fold the hinged lid controlled from the closed position. For example, it may be that due to the sudden overcoming of the latching force and the associated jerk, some of the liquid in the container spills out of the closure opening.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a closure with pivoting hinged lid, with a controlled opening of the hinged lid, in particular with only one hand is possible. The object underlying the invention is achieved with the feature combination according to claim 1. Embodiments may be taken from the subclaims.

According to the invention, a support region is provided, which is defined in a rear part of the hinged lid, in order to fix the position of another finger, with which a counteracting force substantially counteracting the opening force can be exerted on the hinged lid. The rear part of the hinged lid has a smaller distance to the pivot axis than the front part of the lidded roof. Thus, if a counter force acts on the support area, then the hinged cover can be opened by an opening force due to the greater distance or lever of the pressure application range, even if this corresponds in magnitude to the counterforce. By the finger in the support region, which may preferably be located in the immediate vicinity of the pivot axis, the opening operation of the closure is stabilized overall. According to the invention, the support region defines a position of the finger, which can be realized, for example, by a surface section with increased friction. The surface portion may alternatively or additionally be formed as a trough for the fingertip. In one embodiment, a latching connection between the hinged lid and the base part is provided, which holds the hinged lid with a latching force in the closed position. In particular, in the embodiment with latching connection, the stabilizing effect of the counterforce in the support area is important, since large forces can build up on the closure to overcome the latching force.

When opening act on the hinged lid, the opening force, the locking or holding force of the locking connection and the force exerted in the support area counterforce. The counterforce and the detent force stand against the opening force. Now falls due to the overcoming of the latching connection, the latching force suddenly away, is still the opposing force of the opening force counteracting, which stabilizes the opening process.

The support region may be defined by a constriction or indentation of the edge of the cover panel. The constriction or indentation has a shape to which a fingertip can cling. A finger, which is placed on or in this constriction, is safe and true to the position on the lid roof, whereby controlled larger forces are introduced without the risk that the finger slips off.

In one embodiment, the hinged lid on one side of the said constriction or indentation, while on the other side of the hinged lid no constriction or indentation is provided. Preferably, this other side is consistently convex, ie aaaaaaa outward. The hinged lid is in this Embodiment for any axis which is perpendicular to the pivot axis, designed asymmetrically.

Preferably, the constriction or indentation is provided on the side of the hinged lid on which the fingertip of the index finger of the right hand comes to rest, when a container with attached fastener with the right hand (more precisely with the middle finger, ring finger and little finger) is embraced and the thumb of the right hand is used to push the hinged lid upwards. This would be a preferred closure for a right-handed person. For a left-hander, the hinged lid or lidded roof would have to be mirror-inverted.

A distance, measured in the direction parallel to the pivot axis, between an edge piece on one side and an edge piece on the other side of the hinged lid can steadily decrease in the rear part towards the pivot axis. Thus, the hinged lid tapers in the rear steadily towards the pivot axis.

In one embodiment, the edge is formed as a protruding edge at least in the pressure application range. The protruding edge thus forms an undercut to which the thumb or other finger can be placed to push the hinged lid upwards. The supernatant in the pressure application range may be 1 to 5 mm, preferably 2 to 4 mm.

The edge of the lid panel may be formed as a peripheral edge, that is, the edge runs uninterrupted around the lidded roof.

The lid can be flat. To a lower edge of the base part, which is to lie in a ground plane, the cover roof may extend parallel or at a constant angle to the ground plane. For example, if the closure screwed onto a bottle and this bottle is upright on a flat surface, the flat lidded roof can be in a horizontal plane.

But it is also possible that the lid roof curved or has a bending edge. For example, it is possible that the front part of the lid roof is parallel to the ground plane and the rear part has an angle to the ground plane or vice versa. The bent edge could then be understood as a dividing line between the front part and the rear part. Preferably, the lid roof falls off in the rear area to the pivot axis.

The hinged lid may have a sealing plug, which sits in the closed position of the hinged lid in a spout. As a result, the spout is completely closed. The spout and / or the closure plug can be shaped so that they form the latching connection between hinged lid and base part.

The hinged lid may have a side wall on which the lidded roof is arranged. Preferably, the side walls extend perpendicular to the lid roof.

In one embodiment, the base part and hinged lid are integrally formed and connected to each other via a film hinge. Base and hinged lid can thus be produced as a unit in an injection mold cost as a plastic part.

The closure may be threaded onto a rinse-filled bottle or attached to it by other fasteners. The attachment can be detachable (for example, screw) or insoluble (for example, adhesive bond) may be formed. Thus, a bottle with detergent and closure is disclosed, wherein the closure may be designed differently as described here.

The bottle can also be made of plastic. The ingestible volume of the bottle can be 200 to 1000 ml. Preferably, a bottle neck of the bottle is shaped so that it can be encompassed by a hand (of a human) or of the middle finger, ring finger and little finger of this hand.

Reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the invention will be explained in more detail. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment with one

Hinged lid in closed position;

Figure 2 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 with opened hinged lid; Figure 3 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 from the side;

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment from above;

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment in a perspective view; and

Figure 6 shows the embodiment of Figure 3 from the side. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a closure, which is designated by 1 in its entirety. The closure 1 has a hinged lid 2 and a base part 3. While Figure 1 shows the hinged lid 2 in a closed position, Figure 2 shows the hinged lid 2 in an open position. The hinged lid 2 is connected via a film hinge 4 hinged or pivotally connected to the base part 3. A pivot axis about which the hinged lid 2 can be pivoted is denoted by 5.

The hinged lid 2 comprises a lidded roof 6, which is bounded by a peripheral edge 7. Viewed from above, the lidded roof 6 has approximately the shape of an asymmetrical drop. In a front part of the hinged lid 2, the lidded roof 6 is approximately semicircular, that is, the corresponding edge 7 represents in this front part a semicircle. In a rear part of the hinged lid 2, wherein the dash-dotted line or parting line shown in FIG 8 is to separate the rear of the front part, the lidded roof 6 runs to the pivot axis 5 pointed. Accordingly, the cover roof 6 in the vicinity of the pivot axis 5 a tip 9. A distance between two opposite edge pieces 7a, 7b of the edge 7 decreases starting from the parting line 8 to the pivot axis 5 towards steadily.

At one in the representation of Figure 1 the viewer facing side 10 of the hinged lid 2, which is hereinafter referred to simply left side, the edge 7 in the rear part 6 a constriction 1 1. The constriction 1 1 corresponds to a concave portion of the edge 7. The concave portion starts approximately at the edge portion 7a and ends at the top 9. At an opposite or right side 12 of the hinged lid 2, however, the edge 7 is formed continuously convex. The dashed line 13 is intended to represent a dividing line between the left side and the right side of the hinged lid 2.

At a front end, the hinged lid 2 has a pressure application area 14. The edge is formed in the pressure application area 14 as a protruding edge 15, so that the hinged lid 2 can be pushed upwards with a finger, preferably with a thumb, which is placed under the protruding edge 15. Through this in the illustration of Figure 1 upward force Fo a torque is generated about the pivot axis 5, which corresponds to the product of this force and the lever of the pressure application range 14 with respect to the pivot axis 5. The lever is the distance between the pressure application area 14, to which the force Fo attaches, and the pivot axis. 5 If a thumb of a right hand placed under the protruding edge 15, so could a schematically shown in Figure 1 container 16 to which the base part 3 is fixed, with the middle finger, ring finger and little finger of the same hand from the front, ie. from the side of the front part of the hinged lid, are embraced. The index finger of this right hand could then be placed on the cover roof 2, wherein the fingertip of the index finger is placed in or on the constriction 1. The fingertip is then safely in the constriction 1 1, so that the index finger due to the concavity of the constriction 1 1 again in the direction of the tip 9 can still slide in the direction of the edge piece 7 a. The constriction 1 1 thus defines a support portion 17 which determines the position of the index finger or helps that the position of the index finger can be kept simpler to exercise a counter force FG to the opening force Fo on the flip cover 2 can. From the figure 1 it is clear that the distance or lever of the counterforce FG to the pivot axis 5 is smaller, the lever of the opening force Fo. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the ratio of the distance of the counterforce FG to the distance of the opening force Fo is less than one third. The ratio preferably assumes values between 0 and 50 percent (more preferably 10 to 30 percent).

The length of the concave portion and the curvature of the concave portion are thus dimensioned to provide a good support for the index finger of a human hand. For example, the length of the concave portion between edge piece 7a and tip 9 may be 10 to 20 millimeters long while the constriction has a necking depth of about 1 to 4 millimeters. The constriction should be the maximum distance of the edge 7 in its concave portion and a straight line connecting the edge piece 7a (beginning of the constriction) and the tip 9 (end of the constriction) directly.

Below the lid panel 2 is a side wall 18. Similar to the lid roof 2, the side wall is formed semicircular in the front part of the hinged lid 2, but is slightly withdrawn relative to the lidded roof 2. In the rear part of the hinged lid 2, the side wall 18 is made straight on the right side, while on the left side in the rear part, the side wall is slightly curved and the concave shape of the constriction 1 1 traces approximately. The side wall 18 represents the connection between the hinged lid 2 and the film hinge 4.

The base part 3 has a substantially cylindrical basic shape with a lateral surface 19 and a circular end face 20. On the end face 20 flat webs 21, 22, 23 are arranged, which form a support for the hinged lid 2 in the closed position and also reinforce the end face. The webs 21, 22 and 23 are arranged and formed so that the side wall 18 is flush with these when the hinged lid 2 is closed As can be seen in FIG. 2, the side wall 18 surrounds a sealing plug 24 which, when the hinged lid is in the closing position shown in FIG. 1, is concentrically seated in a spout 25 and closes it securely. The sealing plug 24 extends from an underside of the cover panel 6 and has a height which corresponds to the height of the side wall 18. An upper edge 20 of the spout 25 protrudes beyond the plane in which the circular end face 20 of the base part 3 is located.

Figure 3 shows the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 from the side. A lower edge 27 of the base part 3 and the lidded roof 6 are parallel to each other in this embodiment. It can also be seen that the constant height H of the side wall 18. The height H is so dimensioned that a thumb at least partially below the protruding edge 15 finds enough space to attach the upward force Fo. Since the height of the webs 21, 22, 23 is preferably less than 1, 5 mm, the height H should be greater than 3, preferably greater than 5 mm.

From the representation of Figure 3 is also clear that the base part 3 to the lower edge 27 is tapered apart with a small opening angle. FIGS. 4 to 6 show further exemplary embodiments, wherein features or components which are similar or identical to features and components of the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 and 3 are provided with the same reference numerals. With regard to these components and features, reference is made to the above description of the figures.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the closure 1 according to the invention from above. Again, the lidded roof 6 of the hinged lid 2 also has a teardrop shape with only one constriction 1 1. The constriction of the constriction 1 1 is here designated T. Compared to the embodiment of Figure 1, the constriction 1 1 is performed here a little less deep. It is also clear that a radius RDD of the semicircular cover roof 6 in the front region is significantly smaller than a radius RSF of the circular end face 20 of the base part 3. The ratio RDD / RSF can be in the range from 0.3 to 0.8, preferably 0, 4 to 0.6 are. The essential difference from the embodiment described in Figures 1 to 3 and the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 is that only in the front part of the hinged lid 2, the lid 6 is formed parallel to the lower edge 27 of the base part 3, when the hinged lid 2 is in the closed position. In the rear part of the hinged lid 2, the lid roof is inclined and runs in the direction of the pivot axis fifth LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 closure

2 hinged lids

3 base part

4 film hinge

5 pivot axis

6 lidded roof

7 edge

8 dividing line

9 tip

10 facing or left side

1 1 constriction

12 opposite or right side

13 dividing line

14 pressure application range

15 protruding edge

16 container

17 support area

18 side wall

19 lateral surface

20 face

21 footbridge

22 footbridge

23 footbridge

24 sealing plugs

25 spout

26 upper edge

27 lower edge

Claims

claims

A closure (1) for a container (16) which comprises a base part (3) which can be fastened to the container (16) and a hinged lid (2) which is pivotably connected to the base part (3) about a pivot axis (5) , in a closed position closes a closure opening of the base part (3) and a lid (6) bounded by an edge (7), wherein the hinged lid (2) in the front part a Druckausübungsbereich (14) to the hinged lid (2) with a certain

Opening force (Fo) can be pressed by a finger from the closed position, characterized in that in a rear part of the hinged lid (2) has a support portion (17) is defined to determine the position of another finger with which on the hinged lid (2 ) can be exerted to the opening force (Fo) substantially counteracting counterforce (FG).

2. closure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a latching connection is provided which holds the hinged lid (2) with a latching force in the closed position.

3. closure (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support region (17) by a constriction or indentation (1 1) of the edge (7) is defined.

4. closure (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that on one side of the hinged lid (2) of the edge (7) has the constriction or indentation (1 1) and is convex on an opposite side.

5. closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a distance, measured in the direction parallel to the pivot axis (5), between an edge piece (7a) on one side and an edge piece (7b) on the other Side of

Hinged lid (2) in the rear area to the pivot axis (5) towards steadily decreases.

6. closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least in the pressure application range (14) of the edge (7) is formed as a protruding edge (15).

7. closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the edge (7) rotates without interruption. Closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cover roof (6) in the rear region to the pivot axis (5) drops.

Closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the hinged lid (2) has a closure plug (24) which sits in the closure position of the hinged lid (2) in a spout (25).

Closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the hinged lid (2) has a side wall (18) on which the cover roof (6) is arranged.

Closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the base part (3) and the hinged lid (2) are integrally formed and are connected to each other via a film hinge (4)

Bottle with a rinsing agent with a closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to