DE29513995U1 - Self-closing closure - Google Patents

Description

My file: K 140/1

Self-closing closure

The invention relates to a self-closing closure for closing outlet openings of containers, in particular tubes or at least partially elastically compressible bottles, consisting of a closure body with means for holding the closure tightly in or on the outlet opening. In addition, the invention relates to a container, in particular a tube or an at least partially elastically compressible bottle, with an outlet opening closed by a corresponding self-closing closure.

Shampoos, toothpastes, creams, various foods, etc. are often packaged in tubes or in elastically compressible plastic bottles. To close these containers, caps are usually used that have an internal thread, whereby the cap is screwed onto the neck of the tube or bottle, which has an external thread. To remove the contents, the user then unscrews the cap, takes out the required amount of the contents and then screws the cap back on to prevent the contents from drying out. However, it is well known that the necessary closing of the container is often forgotten. In addition, it can also happen, especially with small caps, that they are lost and then the container can no longer be closed at all.

For example, shampoo bottles have recently been increasingly using closure caps that have a rather complex fold-out dispensing nozzle that can then be retracted into the cap. With these closure caps, the cap no longer needs to be screwed on and off, and thus remains permanently on the bottle and can therefore no longer be lost. Unfortunately, however, such multi-part, complicated closures are relatively expensive. In addition, the necessary folding of the outlet plug is often forgotten with these closures, so that, for example, when using shampoo in the shower, water can penetrate into the shampoo bottle and undesirably liquefy the contents of the bottle. To avoid this problem, a self-closing closure is necessary.

A corresponding self-closing tube closure for toothpaste, creams, foodstuffs and the like has already been disclosed in DB-OS 3 809 959 A1. This is a tube closure with a housing and four pre-stressed closure shells integrated into the housing, wherein the closure shells are permanently assigned to the closure base body.

To remove the tube contents, pressure is exerted on the tube body, which propagates through the medium contained in the tube in the direction of the mouth of the closure shells and pushes the closure shells outwards. This creates an opening between the closure shells through which the medium can escape from the tube. In order to attach this self-closing closure to the tube, there is an internal thread in the closure body with which the closure is screwed onto the mouth of the tube.

The disadvantage of this self-closing tube closure is, firstly, the rather complex production with pre-stressed closure shells that are arranged on the base body. Secondly, with this closure, it can happen that, for example, toothpaste residues get stuck in the opening slots between the closure shells and then prevent the closure shells from being pressed tightly together, so that a small opening remains even without increased internal pressure and the tube is then no longer tightly closed.

It is therefore the object of the invention to create a self-closing closure of the type mentioned at the beginning, which is simple and inexpensive to produce and which always closes securely and tightly.

This object is achieved in that the closure body has at least one thin-walled outlet area made of elastic material, in which at least one incision or puncture is made, which is tightly contracted and closed without tension at approximately the same pressure in front of and behind the closure and which, when there is an excess pressure from a medium in the container on the inside of the closure relative to an outside space, bulges and expands against the internal tension and allows part of the medium to escape.

The closure according to the invention automatically contracts due to its own tension as soon as pressure is no longer exerted from the inside. When using plastic bottles that return to their shape elastically, the contraction of the closure is further supported by the negative pressure that develops in the bottle. The closure closes so tightly overall that it is also suitable for substances with a high viscosity, such as hair shampoos, or even liquid substances, such as hair tonic, aftershave or the like.

The closure according to the invention can be used not only for closing the containers mentioned, such as tubes or bottles, but also for use in outlet openings of, for example, pipes or hoses.

Subclaims 2 to 10 contain advantageous embodiments and further developments of the closure according to the invention.

The closure body can be manufactured particularly cost-effectively in one piece from elastomer material, e.g. rubber, injected into a corresponding shape. The flexible exit hole is then pierced into the thin-walled exit area with a needle. In contrast to drilling, for example, piercing the hole with a needle does not involve a machining process that removes material. Of course, it is also possible to pierce several exit holes into the thin-walled exit area instead of one exit hole.

Preferably, the elastomer material should have a coefficient of elasticity that is higher the lower the viscosity of the medium that is subsequently to be filled into the container and removed through the closure.

Claim 11 contains a complete container, in particular a tube or an at least partially elastically compressible bottle, with a self-closing closure according to the invention.

Subclaims 12 to 17 contain advantageous embodiments and further developments of this container according to the invention with a self-closing closure.

The invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

Fig. 1 is a side view with partial section through a self-closing closure according to the invention according to a first embodiment for use in a specially shaped neck of a tube or a bottle (partially shown),

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the self-closing closure according to the embodiment in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the self-closing closure according to the embodiment in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 a side view with partial section through the neck of a tube or bottle according to Fig. 1, with an inserted self-closing closure according to Fig. 1 and an applied closure seal,

Fig. 5 a side view with partial section through a bottle with a neck according to Fig. 1, with external thread and with inserted closure according to Fig. 1 and with a screw-on cover cap,

Fig. 6 a side view with partial section through a self-closing closure according to the invention according to a second embodiment with nozzle area and insertion area, with sealing lamellas for insertion into a straight tube or bottle neck (partially shown),

Fig. 7 a side view with partial section through another embodiment of a self-closing closure with nozzle part and

Insert part with external teeth for insertion into a straight tube or bottle neck.

The self-closing closure for closing outlet openings (21) of containers (20), e.g. of toothpaste tubes, shampoo bottles or the like, consists of a closure body (1) made of elastic material, for example rubber. The closure body (1) has a thin-walled outlet area (2) into which a recess (10) is made. By means of locking means (6, 13) or slats (5), the closure body (1) is pressed tightly into the outlet opening (21) of the container (20).

If the pressure in front of and behind the closure (1) is approximately the same, the puncture (10) is drawn together and closed without tension. If pressure is exerted on the medium in the container (20), e.g. by squeezing the tube or bottle, the thin-walled, elastic outlet area (2) of the closure body (1) bulges outwards and expands at a certain excess pressure, releasing part of the medium. When the pressure decreases, the puncture opening (10) contracts again due to the inherent tension.

According to an embodiment in Fig. 1, the closure body (1) is essentially cylindrical and has a flat front face (11) which, when the closure body (1) is inserted into the outlet opening (21) of the container (20), faces outwards. The inner front face (12) has a conical shape (15) which runs from the inner front face (12) axially towards the outer front face (11) and radially from the outside to the inside towards the outlet area (2) of the closure body (1), so that when pressure is applied to the tube (20) or bottle (20), the medium is pressed against the outlet area (2) like in a nozzle.

The tube (20) or bottle (20) itself has a body (26) and a neck (22) arranged thereon, in which the outlet opening (21) is located on the head side. From the inner wall of the neck (22) at the outer end of the neck (22) extends centrally inwards an annular protrusion (23), which closes the neck (22) except for an outlet opening (21) with a smaller diameter than the neck diameter. From the inner edge of the protrusion (23) a bead (24) also extends centrally inwards at a distance from the outer end face of the protrusion (23). This bead engages in a positive fit in a corresponding groove (13) in the closure body (1) when the closure body (1) is inserted (see Fig. 4). The outer front surface (11) of the closure body (1) then ends flush with the outer surface of the projection (23). To make it easier to insert the closure body (1) into the outlet opening (21) of the tube or bottle (20), the inner front surface (12) of the closure body (1) is bevelled towards the outer side surfaces.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 4, a tear-off closure seal (25) made of paper, metal or plastic film is glued over the outer face (11) of the closure body and the outer face of the projection (23). The adhesive is only located between the face of the projection (23) and the seal (25), so that the closure body (1) itself is covered without adhesive. This seal (25) is used to close the container for sale.

Alternatively, however, it is also possible to form a thread on the neck (22) of the container (20) for screwing on a cover cap (27) that covers the self-closing closure (1) and the neck (22). With such a cover cap (27), the self-closing closure could be secured, for example, when transporting the tube (20) or bottle (20) on trips or similar.

Closure (1) against leakage due to unintentional compression of the tube (20) or the bottle (20). Of course, the cover cap (27) or the neck (22) of the container (20) can also be provided with locking means, such as grooves and beads, for attaching the cap (27) to the neck (22) instead of threads.

Figures 6 and 7 show a further embodiment of the closure (1) according to the invention. The closure body (1) has a nozzle area (3) with frustoconical inner and outer walls (8, 9), the upper end wall (3s) of which forms the thin-walled outlet area (2). The nozzle area (3) is followed at the bottom by an insertion area (4) with a cylindrical outer wall (14), onto which locking or gill means (5, 6), such as a saw tooth (6) or slats (5), are formed for pressing into the straight neck (22) of a tube (20) or bottle (20).

Between the nozzle area (3) and the insertion area (4) there is advantageously a stop edge (7) or a bead (7A) on the outside to limit insertion into the neck (22) of the container (20).

In principle, instead of locking or locking means (5, 6), the closure body (1) and the outlet opening (21) of the container (20) can also be provided with a suitable thread for screwing on or in the closure body (1). A solution is also possible in which the closure body (1) is held in place on the outlet opening (21) by means of a union nut, e.g. made of hard plastic.

Preferably, the cone angle (ß) of the inner wall (8) of the nozzle area (3) is more acute than the cone angle (α) of the outer wall (9). This makes the outer wall thinner from the base of the nozzle cone to the tip. The pressure exerted by the medium on the nozzle area (3) then causes the outlet area (2) to be compressed by the pressure on the side walls.

(8) is already pre-stretched so that the thin-walled exit area (2) becomes even thinner and bulges more easily.

Claims (17)

&iacgr;&ogr; Protection claims 1. Self-closing closure for closing outlet openings (21) of containers (20), in particular tubes or at least partially elastically compressible bottles, consisting of a closure body (1) with means (5, 6, 13) for holding the closure tightly in or on the outlet opening (21), characterized in that the closure body (1) has at least one thin-walled outlet area (2) made of elastic material, in which at least one incision or puncture (10) is made, which is tightly contracted and closed without tension at approximately the same pressure in front of and behind the closure and which, when there is an excess pressure from a medium in the container (20), bulges and expands on the inside of the closure (12) opposite an outside space against the inherent tension and allows part of the medium to escape. 2. Self-closing closure according to claim 1, characterized in that at least in a partial area of the outer wall (4) of the closure body (1) locking and/or gill means (5, 6, 13) are arranged for tightly pressing the closure body (1) into the outlet opening (21) of the container (20). 3. Self-closing closure according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking means (13) engage in a form-fitting manner in corresponding formations (24) within the outlet opening (21) of the container (20) and/or enclose the same. 4. Self-closing closure according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the closure body (1) is essentially cylindrical and has a flat end face (1) which faces outwards when the closure body (1) is inserted into the outlet opening (21), and whose inner end face (12) has a conical shape (15) which tapers from the inner end face (12) axially in the direction of the outer end face (11) radially from the outside to the inside towards the outlet region (2) of the closure body (1). 5. Self-closing closure according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the closure body (1) has a nozzle region (3) with frustoconical inner and outer walls (8, 9), the upper end wall (3s) of which forms the thin-walled outlet region (2), and an insertion region (4) adjoining it downwards with a cylindrical outer wall (14) onto which the locking means (6, 13) or slats (5) are formed for pressing into the outlet opening (21) of the container (20). 6. Self-closing closure according to claim 5, characterized in that between the nozzle region (3) and the insertion region (4) a stop edge (7) or a bead (7) is arranged on the outside to limit insertion into the outlet opening (21) of the container (20). 7. Self-closing closure according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the cone angle (ß) of the inner wall (8) of the nozzle region (3) is more acute than the cone angle (α) of the outer wall (9). 8. Self-closing closure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner end face (12) of the closure body (1) is bevelled towards the outer side faces. 9. Self-closing closure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure body (1) is in one piece and consists of elastomer material, preferably rubber, injected and/or cast into a corresponding mold, into which the flexible outlet hole (10) is pierced with a needle in the thin-walled outlet area (2). 10. Self-closing closure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastomer material has a coefficient of elasticity selected in inverse proportion to the viscosity of the medium exiting the container through the closure. 11. Container, in particular a tube or at least partially elastically compressible bottle, with an outlet opening (21) closed by a self-closing closure (1), characterized in that the self-closing closure has the features according to one of claims 1 to 10. 12. Container according to claim 11, characterized in that it consists of a body (26) and a neck (22) arranged thereon, having the outlet opening (21) on the head side, into which the self-closing closure (1) is screwed, pressed or snapped. 13. Container according to claim 12, characterized in that a thread is arranged on the outside of the neck (22) of the container (20) for screwing on a cover cap (27) covering the self-closing closure and the neck (22). 14. Container according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that from the inner wall of the neck (22) at the outer end of the neck (22) a annular projection (23) extends, which closes the neck (22) except for an outlet opening (21) with a smaller diameter than the neck diameter, and that the outer end face (11) of the closure body (1) in the inserted state is flush with the outer surface of the projection (23). 15. Container according to one of claims 12 or 14, characterized in that the neck (22) has at a distance from its outer end at least one annular edge or bead (24) extending inwards centrally from the neck wall and/or a projection (23), which engages in a form-fitting manner in at least one corresponding groove (13) in the closure body (1). 16. Container according to one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that a tear-off closure seal (25) made of paper and/or metal and/or plastic film is applied, preferably glued, at least over partial areas of the closure (1) and/or on adjacent areas of the outer walls of the container (20). 17. Container according to claim 16, characterized in that the seal (25) covers the closure (1) without adhesive.