CZ289621B6 - Hinged snap closure made of plastic material - Google Patents

Abstract

In the present invention there is disclosed a hinged snap closure made of plastic material consisting of a lower part (1) and an upper part (2) connected to each other by means of at least one hinge (3), whereby jacket closing walls are either straight or curved in the region of the hinge (3) and this closure has at least one tensioning element (8) whose length varies under the action of a tensile force, thus producing the required snap effect. The tensioning element (8) is disposed in plane extending between its attachment points (4, 5). Each tensioning element (8) is made up of several expanding sections (10), which produce the change in length. These sections can be C, U or O-shaped. The tensioning element (8) permits a maximum change in length of about 10 to 50 percent.

Description

Technical field

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a plastic hinged closure comprising a lower part and an upper part connected to it by means of a film hinge, the closure walls being straight or curved in the hinge region and having at least one closure with both closure members. The clamping element connected in one piece by at least one part and at least one clamping element each has an insertion location either directly or directly on the casing walls of both parts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The snap-action hinged closures of plastic of the type mentioned at the outset are known, for example, from European patent specifications 0 147 423 and 0 291 457. While in the first patent, the fastening elements are designed as fastening strips which are provided by brackets for the housing wall of the lower part and the lid and are sprayed therein, thereby being flush with one another, are arranged in the second patent to be arranged at least approximately in or on the housing wall.

In a first exemplary embodiment, said clamping bands are provided in a closed state in one plane and the locations of insertion of the clamping bands are folded out of the jacket walls by means of brackets so that they are parallel to the main axis. In the second embodiment, the tensioning belts are provided in two planes which form an angle with respect to one another. As a result, the outer phases of each clamping band must, when opening, take a longer path than the inner phases closer to the jointed phases of the straps.

In the third known variant according to EP 0 056 469, instead of the tensioning belts, triangular interleaved elements are shown which merge into the main joint with their point.

In terms of clarifying the operation of the various snap-action hinges, in both of the aforementioned patents, it was believed that the tensioning straps stretched elastically to provide a snap effect. In fact, however, those plastics that are used for closures of plastic do not have the ability to stretch. This means that the latching effect does not work at all.

The operation of the third known variant according to EP 0 056 469 is explained precisely. It is pointed out here that the effect of the snap-on hinge lies in the elastic deformation of the closure in the joint region. That is, each time the closure is opened or closed, the casing wall of the bottom or lid, or the lid as a whole, ripples during actuation in the dead center transition region and then bends back to the unstretched and non-deformable position or shape.

This is, of course, undesirable cooperation of completely unpredictable and complex cooperating forces. The achievement of the latching effect is detectable and mediated only empirically and is completely unpredictable. Quite simpler and more predictable are the results of snap closures that operate with a crank lever, one arm of which is provided in the cover surface of the lid and the other arm of which is provided in the cover wall of the lid and the bottom. The latching effect of these closures is dependent on the amount of force required to deform the two arms of the crank lever. However, such a joint is suitable only for closures with small spouts, in which the spout not only closes the lid itself, but together with a sealing element provided thereon which cooperates with the spout, since the lid itself cannot seal against the notches along the lever.

-1 CZ 289621 B6

CH-A-488 085 discloses a one-piece plastic joint which is used in particular for the articulation of two plates. In the transition region between the corresponding hinge plate and the thickened section, the hinge strip always has a corrugated section with a material attenuation, which serves both for length changes and also acts as a pivot axis. It is also proposed to use such hinges for one-piece containers with lids. The hinge strip is then engaged on one side with the lid surface and on the other side with the side wall of the container, the lid and the side wall having to be cut in the region of the hinge strip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, there is a desire to provide snap-fit hinges whose snap action would not be dependent on the resilience of some parts of the fastener except the fastening elements. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic hinged closure comprising a lower part and an upper part which is connected to it by means of at least one hinge, the shell closure walls being straight or curved in the hinge region and comprising at least one hinge. The clamping element is connected in one piece to the closure parts, and that the at least one clamping element has one or more connection points, either directly or directly on the shell closure walls of the two parts, in that the connection points are formed by film hinges. the clamping element consists of a plurality of spaced sub-sections which, in the closed state of the closure, are arranged in one plane or protrude at a minimum distance from the plane between the connection points, and that each sub-section is elastically deformable closure.

The snap-on hinge closure according to the invention preferably has connection points of at least one clamping element provided on brackets protruding from the shell closure walls.

However, the latch hinge may have attachment points of at least one clamping element 30 flush with the shell closure walls.

The snap-action hinge closure according to a further preferred embodiment has the points of attachment of the at least one clamping element parallel to each other.

The snap-on hinge may further have points of attachment of the at least one clamping element inclined relative to each other.

The snap-on hinge closure according to the invention further preferably has one clamping element which is disposed between two, both closing portions, hinged film hinges.

The snap-fit hinge further preferably has two clamping elements that are symmetrically disposed on both sides of the two closure portions articulated to one film hinge.

The snap-action hinge closure according to another embodiment has sub-sections formed as mutually intersecting arcuate sections which form a meandering strip in the plane between the two attachment points.

The snap-action hinge closure according to yet another preferred embodiment has at least one clamping element 50 consisting of sub-sections which are arranged in accordion from a plane between the two connection points in the form of a meander.

Furthermore, the snap-fit hinge can have fan-shaped sections.

-2GB 289621 B6

The snap-fit hinge can advantageously have an elongation of the clamping elements as a flexible elongation of 2% to 25%.

In the snap-on hinge closure according to the invention, the latching effect is only achievable by means of a clamping element.

Overview of the drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a functional representation of the latching action of a snap-on hinge closure according to the invention, which is provided with a length-varying clamping element.

2A and 2B show an axonometric view of a circular snap-on hinge for explaining the arrangement of the clamping elements or clamping element relative to the main joint.

Figures 3a to 5 show various examples of how to create length-variable clamping elements on the circular shutters, each with variant (a) in a rear side view of the hinge of the closed shutter and with variant (b) in the fully open state of the same latch hinge. closure.

Fig. 6a shows another variant of the snap-on hinge on the box. Fig. 6b shows a vertical sectional view of the box in line A-A of Fig. 6a. Fig. 7 shows the clamping element of Fig. 6 when used on the ring closure in its fully open position.

Figures 8a to 8d show detail drawings of the clamping element of Figures 3a and 3b in a side view corresponding to the fully open position of the closure, and Figure 8b shows the same clamping element in its fully open position 8c in the return position of the closure at maximum elongation and in FIG. 8d in the fully closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The schematic representation of FIG. 1 explains the functional operation of the closure according to the invention. The bottom part 1 of the closure can be mounted, for example, on a container. The lower part 1 is covered by the upper part 2 in the closed state of the closure. The upper part 2 thus forms a lid or cover relative to the lower part L The lower part 1 is connected to the upper part 2 in one piece by means of a film hinge 3. a rotational axis with respect to which the upper part 2 can be deflected by approximately 180 ° relative to the lower part 1. The film hinge 3 is offset externally with respect to the casing closing wall 6 of the lower part 1 and with respect to the casing closing wall 7 of the upper part 2. In order to be able to eject the closure in the fully opened state, the film hinge 3 must be provided outside said jacket closure walls 6.7. Further, the clamping element 8 is schematically shown here. This has a top fitting point 4 by means of which it is fastened to the top part 2 and a bottom fitting point 5 by means of which it is fastened to the bottom part L. The hinge 3 moves around the film hinge 3 along a circular arc of radius r. However, the clamping element 8 is not fixed in the region of the pivot axis of the film hinge 3. but at the bottom of the deployment 5 so that it could rotate around this location. If the clamping element 8 could not be extended, the upper insertion point 4 would have to move on a circular arc of radius 1, the radius 1 corresponding to the length of the clamping element 8. The difference of the two radii with different axes of rotation

This leads to a forced extension of the clamping length 8. This length extension is shown in FIG. 1 as A1. This extension Al creates the necessary snapping force. How the clamping elements 8 are designed to perform such a length extension Δ1 will be described below. The force through which the latch closes is thus dependent on relatively simple, intrinsic geometric relationships. In contrast to the snap-on hinges described in the introduction, the practically undetectable shape change of the cap does not in itself play a role in the function described herein. The degree of flexibility can be influenced by the arrangement and design of the clamping elements 8. The maximum length extension Al and the dead center are essentially dependent only on the arrangement of the mounting points 4 and 5 relative to the film hinge 3. The designer thereby obtains a high degree of freedom invention. If, for example, the two deployment points 4 and 5 are offset more inwardly while maintaining the length of the clamping element 8, the radius r is increased and both the elongation A1 and the dead center position are changed accordingly. The optimization of the latching effect can thus be derived directly from the drawing, without carrying out tests. If the extension of the length Al is relatively large, the tolerance 15 in terms of the arrangement of the mounting points 4, 5 of the clamping element 8 is also large. This creates a considerable difference in comparison with hitherto known snap-action hinges which allow only small tolerances in terms of geometrical design. .

2a and 2b each show a snap-on hinge in axonometric view to explain a possible arrangement of the snap-on hinge. The variant according to FIG. 2a shows a relatively narrow film hinge 3 by means of which the lower part 1 is articulated and the upper part 2 is articulated and a clamping element 8 is arranged equidistant from the film hinge 3. in the variant according to FIG. 2b, two film hinges 3 are shown spaced apart and a clamping element 8 arranged centrally 25 therebetween. In the construction of non-cylindrical plastic closures, it is possible to realize different combinations of one or more film hinges 3 with one or more clamping elements. elements 8.

Figures 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b show three variants of the embodiment of the snap-on hinged closures of plastic according to the embodiment of Figure 2a, which differ only in the form of the clamping elements 8.

Referring to FIGS. 3a, 4a and 5a, in which a back view of the closed closure is always shown, it can be seen that the deployment points 4, 5 of each individual clamping element 8 are arranged 35 parallel to each other when the closure is closed. In Figures 3b, 4b and 5b, in contrast, the hinge regions of the corresponding shutters are shown in their fully open position. In this position, the connection points 4, 5 are arranged at an angle to one another. The arrangement of the clamping elements 8 may be such that the clamping elements 8 in the fully open position of the breech, as shown in Figures 3b, 4b and 5b, are stretched in one plane, but are completely stress-free. This would correspond to the 40 production position. With such a design of the clamping elements 8, they would be biased slightly when the closure is closed. As a result, the clamping elements 8 also exert a certain closing force even in the closed state of the closure. This, on the one hand, enhances the latching action and, on the other hand, the closing movement of the latching action is maintained until the last moment.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the attachment points 4, 5 of the clamping elements 8 are arranged such that they at least roughly coincide with the shell closure walls 6, 7. However, this is not necessary. The connection points 4, 5 can also be provided as brackets which are sprayed on and protrude from the casing closing walls 6, 7. This variant is particularly useful when it is desirable to provide the clamping elements 8 on the ring closure relatively far from the main film 50 of the hinge 3. However, in this case it is also possible to think of a variant in which the clamping elements 8, adapted to each other at an angle. The arrangement of the clamping elements 8 with respect to the main film hinge 3, as well as the relative position of the mounting points 4, 5, influence the choice of the shape of the clamping elements 8 or their sub-sections.

-4GB 289621 B6

The embodiment according to FIGS. 3a and 3b shows the clamping elements 8, which consist of three c-shaped sub-sections 10. The three c-shaped sub-sections 10 form a meander strip which is arranged in a plane between the two insertion points 4 and 5. The length of the clamping elements 8 is changed by opening the sub-sections 10. The more strongly the clamping elements 8 are stretched, the further the c-shaped sub-sections 10 can be opened. In this embodiment, the opening direction of the c-shaped sections 10 always varies. However, this is not absolutely necessary.

Figures 4a and 4b show a variant in which the clamping element 8 is not formed of identical sub-sections. While the sub-sections which follow the deployment points 4, 5 are formed as semi-elliptical sub-elements 11, a fully elliptical sub-element 12 is arranged between them. It is of course possible to form the clamping element 8 also from three such elliptical sub-elements formed elements. It is only a matter of defining, because in such an arrangement five sub-elements in the shape of the letter C could be recognized by the same right. The more the length of the clamping elements 8 changes here, the more the elliptical sub-elements are drawn into circular elements.

The embodiment of Figures 5a and 5b shows nearly the same clamping elements 8 as shown in Figures 3a and 3b. Otherwise, only partial sections 10 are provided.

Figure 6 illustrates that the use of the latch hinge closure of the present invention is not limited to the use of circular or similarly formed container closures. In this embodiment, the latch closure of the present invention is applied to the box 20. The lower portion 21 of the box 20 is Two clamping elements 28 are arranged on both sides of the main hinge 23. Each of these clamping elements 28 consists of four U-shaped sub-elements 26. Unlike the previously described embodiments of the clamping elements, there are no sub-sections 26 are arranged in a plane which is between the deployment points 24 and 25, but meandering in the form of an accordion from the plane between the two deployment points 24, 25. In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping elements 28 consist of a plurality of U-shaped sub-sections 26 which are aligned with each other such that they have a rounded area with respect to the closure and an outwardly flat area with respect to the closure. The flat regions 30 are arranged in such a way that in the closed state of the closure they are arranged in a common flush plane with the casing walls. However, the rounded areas 31 of the sub-sections 26 project somewhat with respect to the housing wall into the box 20. Such an arrangement of the clamping element 28 is suitable not only for the boxes 20 but also for the closures provided on the container. Also in this variant of the clamping element 28, a change in length is achieved by opening the U-shaped sub-elements 26. Although not necessary, the clamping elements 28 can be formed in the areas of the connection points 24, 25 by means of film hinges 32. This has the advantage The clamping elements 28 are arranged in a plane between the two insertion points 24, 25, irrespective of the opening position of the closure or the lid 22. This then simplifies in particular the arrangement of the injection mold. When such a clamping element 28 is then provided on the circular closure as shown in FIG. 7, the sub-sections 26 form a fan-shaped, longitudinally variable strip in the fully opened closure state.

Figures 8a to 8d show in detail the clamping element 8 corresponding to the embodiment of Figure 3a. Fig. 8a shows a partial side view of the closure in the hinge region. The illustration corresponds to the ejection position in which the closure is fully opened. The lower part 1 is again connected to the upper part 2 by means of a film hinge 3. The clamping element 8 is here completely straight and the insertion points 4, 5 are arranged in recesses 14, 15 in the upper part 2 or in the lower part J. Fig. 8b shows the same situation when viewed from above. The plane of the drawing is the plane passing through the deployment locations 4 and 5. If the distance between the centers of the two deployment locations 4 and 5, which are arranged on line B-B, is measured, the distance is found to be the smallest in this position. In the example shown in the 10: 1 scale, this distance a is a total of 4.7 mm. In contrast, in FIG. 8c, where the closure is shown in its return position, the clamping element 8 is extended to its greatest length, i.e. the individual sub-elements

-5GB 289621 B6 are most open. The distance a increased here to 6.6 mm. This corresponds to a percentage increase in length of about 40%. In the closed state of the closure shown in FIG. 8d, the distance between the two insertion points 4, 5 is still 5.0 mm. As a result, the clamping element 8 is still under tension even in the closed state of the closure. Compared to the non-tensioned position of FIGS. 8a and 8b, the change in length is still greater than 6%. The maximum elastic extension of the length of the clamping elements 8 is preferably between 10 and 50%. However, this is very dependent on geometric facts. However, besides the percentage change in length, the pulling force exerted by the clamping element 8 is also important. This is influenced, on the one hand, by the geometrical design of the clamping element 8 and, on the other hand, by the material thickness of the sections 10, 10, 11, 12. However, to avoid spontaneous deformation of the closure the closing walls in the application areas 4, 5. If the maximum elastic length change is too small, the latching effect is only produced in the dead center. The lower limit proved to be an effective value of 10% of the length change in the dead center.

As has already been shown in a few selected examples in conjunction with the drawing, the scope of the various variants of the closure embodiments of the invention is almost unlimited. However, this is a very significant advantage for plastic snap-action closures. Almost every manufacturer of cosmetics, food or technical chemicals requires a design adapted to 20 packages. The present hinge provides the designer with almost unlimited possibilities in this respect.

Claims (11)

PATENT CLAIMS A plastic hinged closure consisting of a lower part (1) and an upper part 30 (2), which is connected thereto by means of at least one hinge (3), the casing closing walls (6, 7) being straight or curved in the region of the hinge (3) and comprising at least one with both closing parts (1), 2) a clamping piece (8) connected in one piece and that the at least one clamping element (8) has one or each connection point (4, 5), either directly or directly on the casing closing walls (6, 7) of the two parts (1,2) , characterized 35, characterized in that the connection points (4, 5) are formed by film hinges (3), further that the at least one clamping element (8) consists of a plurality of spaced sub-sections (10) which in the closed state of the closure are arranged in one plane; they extend with a minimum distance from the plane between the attachment points (4, 5) and that each sub-section (10) is resiliently deformable to change the length when actuating the slide. Latch hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection points (4, 5) of the at least one clamping element (8) are provided on brackets protruding from the casing closing walls (6, 7). 45 Latch hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection points (4, 5) of the at least one clamping element (8) are flush with the shell closure walls (6, 7). Latch hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection points (4, 5) of the at least one clamping element (8) are parallel to each other. Latch hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection points (4, 5) of the at least one clamping element (8) are inclined relative to one another. -6GB 289621 B6 Latch hinge according to at least one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has one clamping element (8) which is arranged between two, both closing parts (1,2), articulated, film hinges (3). . Latch hinge according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has two clamping elements (8) which are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the two closing parts (1,2) articulated to one film hinge (3). Latch hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the sub-sections (10) are mutually intersecting arcuate sections which form a meandering strip in the plane between the two attachment points (4, 5). Latch hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one clamping element (8) consists of partial sections (10) which are arranged in accordion from the plane between the two connection points (4, 5) in the form of a meander. Latch hinge according to claims 5 and 9, characterized in that the sections (10) form a fan-like shape. Latch hinge according to claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the elongation of the clamping elements (8) is a flexible elongation of 2% to 25%.