EP2958815B1 - Can closure with inner closure part - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a can closure for insertion into a can lid of a can, in particular a beverage can, with the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

Out EP 1 542 909 B1 is a can closure known, which can be used for example in a beverage can. This known can closure consists essentially of a closure bottom, a closure top and a closure lid, wherein the can closure is made in one piece from plastic. During assembly of this known can closure, the closure bottom is inserted into a can opening in the can lid and welded to the mouth edge of the can opening. The can closure is then initially in a transport position flat on the top of the can lid. For liquid removal from the beverage can, the closure top is then folded onto the closure bottom, wherein the closure upper part pushes out a sealing element in the closure bottom and thereby opens the beverage can. Then, for the removal of liquid, the closure lid is then opened upwards by the upper closure part in order to be able to remove liquid from the can. After the liquid removal, the closure lid can then be folded back onto the closure top to close the beverage can again.

This known can closure advantageously makes it possible to reclose the can after a liquid withdrawal.

However, a disadvantage of this known can closure is the fact that the inside pressure of the can presses against the can closure from the inside, so that the can closure must be sufficiently pressure-resistant. In particular, the welding between the can interior part and the mouth edge of the can opening must be sufficiently stable.

Furthermore, it should be noted on the prior art

EP 0 221 843 A1 . WO 2012/031994 A1 . WO 96/16870 A1 .

US 3,889,842 A and AT 510 368 A1 , However, these documents do not disclose satisfactory can closures. Finally, it should be noted on the state of the art WO 2012/112 051 A2 , This document discloses a can closure according to the preamble of claim 1. However, this known can closure is also not completely satisfactory.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a correspondingly improved dose closure.

This object is achieved by a can closure according to the invention according to the main claim.

The can closure according to the invention initially has an outer closure part, which is in the mounted state outside the can and is inserted into a can opening in the can lid. The closure outer part may be constructed in a similar manner as in the known dose closure described above EP 1 542 909 B1 Thus, the content of this patent is useful for understanding the present description in terms of the structural design of the closure outer part.

In addition, the can closure according to the invention has a closure inner part, which is assembled in the assembled state with the closure outer part and is located inside the can, wherein the closure inner part is supported from below on the can lid.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inner tube pressure in the can pushes this closure inner part from below against the underside of the can lid. The closure inner part thus decreases in the case of the can closure according to the invention the inside of the can, which in the known dose closure described in the beginning according to EP 1 542 909 B1 acts on the weld between the closure bottom and the mouth edge of the can opening.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the closure inner part has a pouring opening which lies below the can opening, so that a liquid withdrawal is possible through the pouring opening and the can opening. In this case, a sealing element is inserted into the pouring opening of the closure inner part, which rests against the closure inner part from below and seals the pouring opening in the closure inner part, provided that no liquid removal is to take place.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sealing element rests from below on the mouth edge of the pouring opening on the closure inner part and is pressed by the inner pressure of the can on the mouth edge of the pouring opening of the closure inner part. The inner tube pressure thus does not act on a weld between the mouth edge of the can opening and the closure bottom, as is the case in the prior art. The can closure according to the invention is therefore substantially more resistant to pressure and therefore particularly well suited for beverage cans for carbonated drinks.

It has already been mentioned briefly above that the closure outer part can be constructed in a similar manner as in the can closure according to EP 1 542 909 B1 , The closure outer part therefore has, according to the invention, a closure lower part which in the mounted state is inserted into the can opening in the can lid and has a pouring opening which lies above the can opening. In addition, the closure outer part has an upper closure part which is pivotally connected to the closure bottom and has a pouring opening which lies above the pouring opening in the closure lower part, wherein the closure upper part is pivotable from a delivery position into a use position. Finally, the closure outer part has a closure lid, which is pivotally attached to the closure top, to close the pouring opening in the closure top either in a closed position or to open in a removal position. The pouring openings in the closure inner part, the closure upper part and the closure lower part are in this case preferably in registration with the can opening in the can, so that a liquid removal through the can opening and the pouring openings in closure inner part, closure bottom and closure top is possible.

In addition, a tamper-evident element is inserted into the pouring opening of the closure bottom part according to the invention, which is connected by at least one predetermined breaking point with the closure bottom part. The closure top then breaks this tamper-evident element out of the closure bottom when the closure top is pivoted from the delivery position to the use position.

To facilitate this breaking out of the tamper-evident element, the closure upper part preferably has at least one projection on its underside which protrudes downwards. However, this projection can also be attached to the underside of the closure lid.

In addition, the tamper-evident element preferably has at least one connecting element (eg pin) in order to produce a mechanical connection with the sealing element. During assembly of the can closure according to the invention, this pin of the tamper-evident element is pressed into a corresponding bore in the sealing element and thereby establishes a clamping connection between the sealing element and the tamper-evident element. During the subsequent breaking out of the tamper-evident element by pivoting the closure upper part from the delivery position into the use position, the tamper-evident element and the sealing element are then broken out together and then preferably fall into the can. The tamper-evident element and the sealing element are in this case preferably dimensioned such that both together can no longer escape from the can opening, but remain permanently in the can.

It should also be mentioned that the closure outer part, the closure interior part, the closure shell, the closure bottom part and / or the closure lid are preferably made of plastic, wherein the entire can closure or at least the closure outer part can be made in one piece.

Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the closure outer part is preferably connected by a welded connection or an adhesive connection with the closure inner part, in particular by a welded connection or an adhesive connection between the inner inner closure part and the outer closure lower part.

In addition, it should be mentioned that the closure inner part is preferably supported on a surface on the underside of the can lid, which is at least 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or at least 90% of the inner surface of the can lid. As a result, the invention differs Can closure also from the known can closure according to EP 1 542 909 B1 in which the can closure is supported on the inside of the can lid only at the mouth edge of the can opening. The closure inner part is thus supported on a surface on the underside of the can lid, which is preferably at least 0.5 cm ² , 1 cm ² or 1.5 cm ² .

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Außenansicht eines Dosendeckels einer Getränkedose mit einem erfindungsgemäßen Dosenverschluss in einer Auslieferungsstellung,

Figur 2

eine perspektivische Außenansicht des Dosenverschlusses aus Figur 1 in einer Gebrauchsstellung mit geschlossenem Verschlussdeckel,

Figur 3

eine perspektivische Außenansicht des Dosenverschlusses aus den Figuren 1 und 2 mit geöffnetem Verschlussdeckel,

Figur 4

eine perspektivische Innenansicht des Dosendeckels aus den Figuren 1 bis 3 mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Dosenverschluss,

Figur 5

eine perspektivische Innenansicht des Dosendeckels mit geöffnetem Dosenverschluss,

Figur 6

eine perspektivische Aufsicht auf das Verschlussinnenteil mit einer Dichtlippe, sowie

Figur 7

eine vergrößerte Detailsicht der Dichtlippe aus Figur 6.

Finally, it should be mentioned that not only for the above-described can closure according to the invention as a single component protection is claimed, but also for a can (eg beverage can) with such a can closure. Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. Show it:

FIG. 1

an external perspective view of a can lid of a beverage can with a can closure according to the invention in a delivery position,

FIG. 2

an external perspective view of the can closure FIG. 1 in a use position with closed closure lid,

FIG. 3

an external perspective view of the can closure from the Figures 1 and 2 with open lid,

FIG. 4

an interior perspective view of the can lid from the FIGS. 1 to 3 with the can closure according to the invention,

FIG. 5

an interior perspective view of the can lid with open can closure,

FIG. 6

a perspective view of the closure inner part with a sealing lip, as well

FIG. 7

an enlarged detail view of the sealing lip of Figure 6.

The drawings show a can closure 1 according to the invention, which is mounted in a can lid 2 of a beverage can, wherein the can closure 1 is particularly suitable for beverage cans for carbonated drinks due to its compressive strength.

The can closure 1 according to the invention consists essentially of an inner closure part 3 and an outer closure part consisting of a closure lower part 4 and a closure upper part 5 and a closure lid 6.

The closure lower part 4 is used in the assembly of the can closure 1 in a can opening in the can lid 2 and includes a pouring opening 7, which in the in FIG. 1 shown delivery position is initially closed by a tamper-evident element 8.

The closure top is pivotally mounted by means of a film hinge 9 on the closure part 4 and lies in the in FIG. 1 shown delivery position initially flat on the can lid 2.

Furthermore, the closure lid 6 is pivotally attached to the closure top 5 by means of a further film hinge 10 and in the in FIG. 1 shown delivery position initially unfolded on the closure top, so that the closure lid 6 is then located between the upper closure part 5 and the can lid 2.

For liquid removal, the closure upper part 5 is pivoted by means of the film hinge 9 onto the closure bottom part 4. In this case, two projections 11, 12 press on the inside of the closure top 5 against two projections 13, 14 on the outside of the tamper-evident element 8, whereby the tamper-evident element 8 is broken inwards into the interior of the can.

In addition, the can closure 1 according to the invention also has a sealing element 15, which abuts against the mouth edge of the pouring opening in the closure inner part 3 from the inside and receives the internal dose of the can.

During assembly, two pins 16, 17 are pressed into the corresponding holes in the sealing element 15 on the underside of the tamper-evident element 8 and thereby establish a clamping connection between the tamper-evident element 8 and the sealing element 15.

When breaking the tamper-evident element 8, the tamper-evident element 8 therefore falls into the can together with the sealing element 15. The tamper-evident element 8 is in this case dimensioned together with the sealing element 15 so that both can not escape together again from the beverage can.

For liquid removal of the cap 6 is then from in FIG. 2 shown closed position in the in FIG. 3 shown removal position pivoted to liquid pour out of the beverage can. The pivoting of the closure lid 6 is facilitated by a molded onto the closure lid 6 handle 18.

In addition, it should be noted that the closure top 5 has a pour spout 19 to facilitate the pouring out of the beverage can.

Finally, the show FIGS. 6 and 7 in that a sealing lip 20, which surrounds the can opening in the can lid 2 and rests against the underside of the can lid 2 in the mounted state, is formed on the upper side of the closure inner part 3.

The sealing lip 20 consists in this embodiment of a softer, more elastic material than the closure inner part 3 in order to achieve a good sealing effect.

In the production of the can closure according to the invention, the sealing lip 20 is molded onto the closure inner part 3.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described above. Rather, a variety of variants and modifications is possible, which also make of the use defined in claim 1 and therefore fall within its scope.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

can closure

2

can end

3

Closure Inside part

4

Closure lower part

5

Closure top

6

cap

7

Pouring opening in the closure bottom

8th

Tamper-evident element

9

film hinge

10

film hinge

11

Projection on the underside of the closure shell

12

Projection on the underside of the closure shell

13

Projection on the top of the tamper-evident element

14

Projection on the top of the tamper-evident element

15

sealing element

16

Pin on the bottom of the tamper-evident element

17

Pin on the bottom of the tamper-evident element

18

Handle on the closure lid

19

spout

20

sealing lip

Claims (8)

1. A can closure (1) for inserting into a can end (2) of a can, in particular a drinks can, with

   a) an outer closure part (4, 5, 6), which in the assembled state is located outside the can and is inserted into a can opening in the can end (2), wherein the outer closure part (4, 5, 6) has the following:

   a1) a lower closure part (4), which in the assembled state is inserted into the can opening in the can end (2) and has a pouring opening which lies above the can opening,

   a2) an upper closure part (5), which is connected pivotably to the lower closure part (4) and has a pouring opening which lies above the pouring opening in the lower closure part (4), wherein the upper closure part (5) is pivotable with respect to the lower closure part (4) out of a delivery position into a use position, and

   a3) a closure end (6), which is attached pivotably to the upper closure part (5), in order either to close the pouring opening in the upper closure part (5) in a closed position or to open it in an extracting position,

   b) an inner closure part (3), which in the assembled state is joined with the outer closure part (4, 5, 6) and is supported from below on the can end (2) and is located within the can,

   characterised in that

   c) a tamper-evident element (8) is inserted into the pouring opening of the lower closure part (4), which element is connected to the lower closure part (4) by at least one predetermined breaking point, and

   d) that the upper closure part (5) breaks the tamper-evident element (8) out of the lower closure part (4) if the upper closure part (5) is pivoted out of the delivery position into the use position.
2. A can closure (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that the upper closure part (5) has on its underside at least one projection (11, 12) which projects downwards and facilitates the breaking-out of the tamper-evident element (8) and the sealing element (15).
3. A can closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that

   a) the tamper-evident element (8) has at least one connecting element (16, 17) in order to produce a mechanical connection with the sealing element (15), and/or

   b) the connecting element (16, 17) is a pin which projects inwards from the tamper-evident element (8) in order to engage in a bore in the sealing element (15) and to form a clamping connection between the pin (16, 17) and the bore, and/or

   c) the pin (16, 17) upon mounting of the can closure (1) in the can is pressed into the bore in the sealing element (15) and thereby produces the clamping connection between the sealing element (15) and the tamper-evident element (8).
4. A can closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that

   a) the outer closure part (4, 5, 6), the inner closure part (3), the upper closure part (5), the lower closure part (4) and/or the closure end (6) consist of plastics material, and/or

   b) the outer closure part (4, 5, 6) is connected to the inner closure part (3) by a welded joint or an adhesive joint, in particular by a welded joint or an adhesive joint between the inner closure part (3) and the lower closure part (4), and/or

   c) the inner closure part (3) has on its upper side a sealing lip (20) which in the assembled state lies against the underside of the can end (2), and/or

   d) the sealing lip (20) consists of a different material from the inner closure part (3), and/or

   e) the sealing lip (20) is integrally moulded on the inner closure part (3).
5. A can closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that

   a) the inner closure part (3) in the assembled state is supported on a face on the underside of the can end (2) which comprises at least 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70, 80% or at least 90% of the inner face of the can end (2),

   b) the inner closure part (3) in the assembled state is supported on a face on the underside of the can end (2) which amounts to at least 0.5 cm², 1 cm² or 1.5 cm².
6. A can, in particular drinks can, with a can closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims inserted into a can end.
7. A can according to Claim 6, characterised in that an internal can pressure existing in the can presses the inner closure part (3) from below against the underside of the can end (2).
8. A can according to Claim 6 or 7, characterised in that a) the inner closure part (3) has a pouring opening which lies beneath a can opening in the can end (2), and b) a sealing element (15) is inserted into the pouring opening of the inner closure part (3), which element lies from below against the inner closure part (3), and/or c) the sealing element (15) lies from below against the mouth edge of the pouring opening on the inner closure part (3) and is pressed by an internal can pressure present in the can against the mouth edge of the pouring opening of the inner closure part (3).

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