EP2969821B1 - Plastic closure having an integrity guarantee element - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a plastic closure with a lower part with drinking spout and a lid which is integrally connected via a hinge to the lower part, and having a locking spout engageable with the sealing plug, which is integrally formed on the inside of the top surface, wherein the lower part and the cover each have a jacket wall, which are at least approximately aligned in the closed state of the plastic closure, and in that the plastic closure also has at least one Tamper-proof element, which can be separated during the first opening of the plastic closure by the pivoting movement of the lid relative to the lower part.

Plastic closures consisting of a lower part and a cover pivotally connected thereto via a hinge must be secured in such a way that the consumer recognizes whether the closure has possibly already been opened prior to acquisition and thus there is the risk that the closure may be opened Content has already been partially removed, or, unfortunately, has been contaminated.

Correspondingly, plastic closures on the market for many years now have the integrity guarantee elements. The most well-known form of an integrity guarantee element is the guarantee strip, which originally produced above all a connection between the plastic closure and the container on which the plastic closure is attached. Such a guarantee band is of course sufficient for a screw cap. Even with plastic closures with a hinge or a snap hinge in which the lower part is firmly connected to the container neck, such a guarantee strip can be used, such a guarantee strip is usually not completely encircling, but extends over more than 180 ° of the circumference. The guarantee strip then has mostly on the inside, ie on that side which is directed in the closed state against the lower part, locking hooks, which engage in corresponding recesses in the lower part. Before such a closure can be opened so only the guarantee strip must be demolished.

For reasons of ease of use, integrity guarantee elements have then been developed which, upon initial opening of the hinge closure, automatically separate the integrity guarantee element from that part causes, with this integrity guarantee element is connected via predetermined breaking points. Such a plastic closure shows, for example, the WO94 / 03371 , Here in the cover in the top surface in alignment with the top surface a plate is held on predetermined breaking point bridges, and on the lower side of an arm is formed with a terminal locking hook, which is connected to a Gegenarretierhaken the lower part. Upon initial opening, the wafer of the integrity guarantee element is accordingly torn out of the top surface of the lid and then falls down onto the top surface of the bottom. This gives a clearly visible guarantee of integrity. In addition, such a solution has the advantage that, after the first opening, manipulation on the integrity guarantee element, in order to restore the state of tampering, is virtually impossible. An equally difficult to manipulate solution of an integrity guarantee element shows the WO00 / 41943 , Here, the integrity guarantee element consists of a completely separate guarantee strip, which engages over protruding beads on the lid and base. Such a solution has the advantage that the guarantee strip can be designed in a different color than the plastic closure itself, and thus visually recognizable. Here, as in today's solutions with integrity guaranteed elements, are the separated parts are relatively large and straight with beverage containers, which are provided with a plastic closure with drinking spout, these integrity guaranteed elements are demolished and thoughtless thrown away.

A solution in which the integrity guarantee element is not a separate loose part, for example, shows GB-A-2269583 , Here, the plastic closure is provided with a shield-shaped tilting plate, which hooks pivotally on the lower part. To open is pressed onto this shield-shaped plate and thereby destroys a predetermined breaking point bridge. Now the shutter can be opened. The problem with this solution, however, is that for the consumer, the integrity of the product is barely recognizable. From the WO98 / 57864 Furthermore, a plastic closure is known.

This plastic closure has an integrally formed on the shell wall of the lid integrity guarantee element, which is to come into engagement in a niche in the shell wall of the lower part. Here, the tamper-evident element pivots about the predetermined breaking points and has two pins which are intended to engage in corresponding holes in the casing wall of the lower part. In addition, a tipping rib is formed in the niche on the lower part and the user should press on the tamper-proof element, whereby a tilting movement should take place via the tipping rib, and In doing so, the integrity guarantee element separates from the lid. The shutter can now swing open. This closure is problematic in that on the one hand the user does not recognize the function and in principle tries to raise the integrity guarantee element. Furthermore, pivotal movement about an arcuate hinge is extremely problematical, and ultimately it has been found that such a closure is extremely difficult to handle on conventional assembly machines, and that a significant percentage of the closures are destroyed. By contrast, the idea that the integrity guarantee element remains at the closure and thus is not thrown away thoughtlessly makes sense.

From the US 2009/0152269 A1 is a plastic closure according to the preamble of claim 1 is known. It is now the object of the present invention to improve a plastic closure of the type mentioned so that it can be closed in a conventional manner in conventional assembly machines with little waste, the destruction of the first guarantee closure is clearly visible, and finally in a preferred embodiment, the at least an integrity guarantee element is held so that it is sufficiently secured in the plastic closure against loss.

This object is achieved by a plastic closure with the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine perspektivische Ansicht des Kunststoffverschlusses in der geöffneten Herstellungslage, und

Fig. 2

denselben Verschluss wiederum in einer perspektivischen Ansicht, gegenüber der Fig. 1 etwas gedreht und mehr von der Seite gesehen.

In the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the subject invention is illustrated and explained in the following description. It shows:

Fig. 1

shows a perspective view of the plastic closure in the open manufacturing position, and

Fig. 2

again the same closure in a perspective view, opposite to the Fig. 1 something turned and seen more from the side.

The plastic closure is designated overall by 1. It consists of a lower part 2 and a lid 3. The lower part 2 and lid 3 are integrally connected to each other via a hinge 4. The hinge consists on the one hand of a hinge piece 40 which is connected on both sides in each case via a film hinge 41 on the one hand with the lid 3 and on the other hand with the lower part 2. Symmetrical to this hinge piece 40 two clamping bands 42 are present. This causes the hinge to be a snap hinge.

The lower part 2 consists of a cylindrical jacket wall 20, which is closed on the upper side by a cover surface 21. This top surface 21 passes through a drinking spout 22. This drinking spout 22 projects beyond the top surface 21 approximately to the height of the shell wall 20. To have a sufficient drinking comfort, the drinking spout should preferably project beyond the top surface 21 at least in total with its uppermost edge about 10mm or more. The embodiment of the spout can be virtually arbitrary. In the example shown here, the drinking spout runs upwards with a certain taper. The drinking spout can also have the shape of a pacifier. The relatively widespread forms in the market, in which the drinking spout is waisted approximately at half the height, is of course also here in question. Above the drinking opening 23 can be seen in the drinking spout 22. The drinking opening is limited by a downwardly drawn collar which has circumferential sealing ribs 24 on its inner side.

Over the mantle wall 20 of the lower part 2 is practically in its extension an arcuate, first skirt 25. This is the entire surface and integrally connected to the shell wall 20. The first skirt 25 extends over less than half the circumference of the shell wall 20 of the lower part 2 and the center is diametrically opposite the hinge piece 40 of the hinge 4. The height of the shooter is only a few millimeters and is about a maximum of one third as high as the drinking spout 22. Approximately in the middle, the first skirt 25 is provided on the upper edge with a recess which forms a handle niche 28. Side of this handle niche 28 are in the first apron 25 here two Hakenrastfenster 26th formed. These are rectangular openings in the first apron 25. In principle, instead of the two hook detent windows 26, only one hook detent window could be mounted centrally. However, since the handle niche is provided here in this case, the remaining wall height is somewhat low and therefore it is preferable to attach the two hook latch windows 26 laterally.

Concentric with the first skirt 25, a second, inner skirt 27 is provided. Their meaning and mode of action will be explained later. This second, inner skirt 27 is preferably at most the same height as the outer skirt, but preferably lower than the outer, first skirt 25. These will also be made slightly shorter in length than the outer first skirt 25 in terms of length.

The cover 3 has a circumferential jacket wall 30. This jacket wall 30 has a, the hinge 4 diametrically opposite jacket wall portion 31 which is offset from the edge 32 by slightly more than the wall thickness of the first skirt 25 on the lower part 2 to the center inwardly. Since the closure is shown here in the open state, one can only see the inside of the top surface 33 of the lid 3. The top surface 33 has an outer, approximately flat region 34, followed by a conically upwardly inclined top surface region 35.

Finally, then follows a cylindrical upwardly directed cover surface part, which has a flat top 37 at the top. On the inside of this flat conclusion 37 a sealing pin 38 is formed, which has circumferential sealing beads 39 on its outside. These sealing beads 39 on the sealing pin 38 cooperate in the closed state of the closure with the circumferential sealing ribs 24 in the drinking spout 22. The inventive integrity guarantee element consists of a plate 50, which is part of the jacket wall region 31. This plate 50 is completely separated from the shell wall portion 31 except for predetermined breaking point bridges 51, 52. The two lateral predetermined breaking point bridge 51 make the connection between the mentioned plate 50 and the laterally adjacent, opposite the edge 32 inwardly offset casing wall portion 31 ago.

A third predetermined breaking point bridge 52 establishes the connection between the mentioned plate 50 and the flat cover surface part 34 of the cover 3. Preferably, only three such predetermined breaking points bridges are present, but it is quite conceivable to provide more than just three predetermined breaking bridges, but then have to be made thinner, so that the forces that are required at the Erstöffnung so keep within limits that the user Closure without exaggerated effort is able to open.

On the remote from the center, the outer side of the plate 50, a locking hook 53 is integrally formed thereon. This locking hook engages in the closed state of the closure in a hook detent window 26 of the first, outer skirt 25 on the lower part 2 a. As previously described, preferably two such integrity guarantee elements are present. So are, as in the FIG. 2 recognizable to see two plates 50, which are able to intervene with their externally mounted locking hooks 53 in two Hakenrastfenster 26.

Of course, the function of the first, outer skirt 25 serves, in particular, to form a counterpart to the separable plates 50 with the locking hook 53 on the cover 3. The first skirt 25, however, simultaneously forms a screen in order to cover the jacket wall region 31 of the cover 3 offset towards the center , The windows 26 are made larger than the width and height of the locking hooks 53. This leaves a view of the plate 50 and the locking hook 53 for the user possible.

The closer to the center concentric with the first skirt extending shorter skirt 27 has other functions. On the one hand, it serves to ensure that in the first machine closing the inwardly offset casing wall region 31 is guided exactly in position, and thereby the locking hooks 53 on the Plates 50 are guided exactly in front of the hook latching window 26 and so far moved there that the locking hooks 53 pass through this hook latching window 26. At the same time, however, this inner skirt prevents manipulation of the integrity guarantee element. Thus, the plates 50 can not be moved inwards from the outside, so that the locking hooks would no longer be in engagement with the hook latching windows. Consequently, the integrity guarantee element can only be destroyed by opening the closure, that is, the lid 3 is pivoted about the hinge 4 relative to the lower part 2. If such a first opening, so the mentioned predetermined breaking bridges 51, 52 are destroyed and the plate 50 separates completely from the center wall staggered jacket wall portion 31 of the lid. 3

The thus separated plates 50 now remain trapped between the first outer contactor 25 and the second inner skirt 27. After initial opening, the severed plates 50 may slip laterally between the two protuberances 25 and 27. In a reclosure of the closure now holds the lid 3 on the lower part 2 on the sealing pin 38 in the drinking spout 22. The view through the Hackenrastfenster 26 is now free. If the closure is now made bicoloured by means of a coaxial mold, that is, for example, the lower part 2 in green and the cover in orange, then the orange locking hooks 53 or plates 50 are seen before the first opening, and after the initial opening one can see through the same hook restraints the green part of the inner skirt 27 while the orange part of the plates 50 is missing.

In order to increase the drinking comfort of the plastic closure 1, there is a film hinge 61 running in the flat cover surface part which separates the segment 6 in a pivotable manner from the rest of the lid. Accordingly, the jacket wall 30 of the lid 3 has lateral slots 62 and for reasons of hygiene runs from a slot 62 to the opposite slot 62 a connecting wall 63, which rests at least approximately in the closed state of the closure on the flat portion of the top surface 21 of the lower part 2. This allows the user when drinking with his finger to swing this lid part and the film hinge away from the spout so that it is not in the way when drinking.

The lower part 2 is also connected at the lower edge of the jacket wall 20 with a predetermined breaking point bridges 71 with a retaining ring 70. This locking ring 70 allows a simple pressing of the closed closure on a container. For this purpose, on the inside, not visible in the drawing, retaining beads formed inwardly directed, which can be brought to a circumferential retaining bead on the container neck for engagement. This also ensures that the closure 1 is not removed in the closed state from the container neck and the container subsequently unrecognizable can be emptied. The locking ring 70 slips in a destruction of the predetermined breaking bridges 70 to a lower level and a buyer thus clearly recognizes that the container has already been opened.

This recognizability of the first opening can be further improved by injecting the plate 50 in a different color than the rest of the closure, or by spraying the lower part 2 in one color and the cover 3 in a different color. This can also be achieved with a one-piece closure by means of the so-called coaxial injection molding.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Plastic closure

2

lower part

3

cover

4

hinge

6

Segment of the lid 3

40

hinge piece

41

film hinge

42

straps

20

Mantle wall of the lower part

21

Top surface of the lower part

22

spout

23

drinking opening

24

Sealing lips in drinking spout

25

first apron

26

Hook locking feature

27

second inner apron

28

handle niche

30

Mantle wall of the lid

31

Shell wall area

32

Edge of the top surface

33

Top surface of the lid

34

flat top surface part

35

conical upward facing surface area

36

cylindrical cover surface part

37

level graduation

38

sealing plug

39

sealing beads

50

plate

51

lateral predetermined breaking point bridges

52

upper predetermined breaking point bridges

53

locking hook

61

film hinge

62

slots

70

circlip

71

Weakened bridges

Claims (9)

1. A plastic closure (1) having a lower part (2)with a drinking spout (22) and a cover (3) with a cover surface (33), the cover (3) being connected in one piece to the lower part (2) by means of a hinge (4) and comprises a sealing plug (38) which can be engaged in a locking manner with the drinking spout (22), said sealing plug being moulded on the inner side of the cover surface (33), wherein the lower part (2) and the cover (3) each comprise a jacket wall (20, 30), which stand at least approximately flush one above the other in the closed state of the plastic closure (1), and wherein the plastic closure (1) also comprises at least one integrity guarantee element (50), wherein the cover jacket wall (30) is provided with at least one locking hook (53) moulded on the outer side opposite the hinge (4), and a first apron (25) directed towards the cover (3) and extending over less than half the circumference is provided on the lower part (2) opposite the hinge (4) and above the jacket wall of the lower part (20), in which first apron at least one hook locking window (26) is formed, and a second apron (27) running concentric with the first apron is provided, which second apron is offset inwards by at least the thickness of the jacket wall of the cover (30) in this region, and wherein the at least one integrity guarantee element, which is separable during the first opening of the plastic closure (1) by the swivelling motion of the cover (3) relative to the lower part (2), is a partial region of the jacket wall of the cover (30) and is provided with the at least one mentioned locking hook (53), wherein the integrity guarantee element is completely separated from the jacket wall apart from predetermined breaking point bridges (71), and wherein the integrity guarantee element has the shape of a rectangular plate and is at most of equal height to the cover jacket wall (30), characterized in that a predetermined breaking point bridge (51) in each case forms the connection to the laterally adjacent cover jacket wall (30) at least at the lateral edges of the integrity guarantee element.
2. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the integrity guarantee element comprises an upper predetermined breaking point bridge (52), which is connected to the cover jacket wall (30) running above the latter.
3. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that two integrity guarantee elements are disposed symmetrical to a traversing diagonal running through the hinge (4).
4. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the distance between the first and the second concentrically running apron (25, 27) is greater than the wall thickness of the at least one integrity guarantee element, but less than said wall thickness in the region of the locking hooks (53).
5. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the jacket wall (30) of the cover (3) is slit up to the adjacent cover surface (33) and the remaining jacket wall region (31) between the two slits (62) is connected to the hinge (4), and the connecting line between the two slits is constituted as film hinge (61) in the cover surface.
6. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that a connecting wall is formed adjacent to the slits (62) on the side towards the centre of the cover (3), said connecting wall (63) supplementing the remaining jacket wall on the side lying remote from the hinge (4).
7. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the jacket wall (20) of the lower part (2) is provided with an inner thread and a closed securing ring (70) is formed flush beneath this jacket wall (20), wherein the securing ring (70) is connected in one piece by predetermined breaking points (71) to the jacket wall of the lower part (20) and is provided on its inner surface with retaining means for the connection to a container neck.
8. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that a support elevation is provided between two adjacent predetermined breaking point bridges (71) in each case, wherein the predetermined breaking point bridges (71) are longer than the support elevation which projects above the upper edge of the securing ring (70).
9. The plastic closure (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover surface (33) of the cover (3) is raised concentrically with a corresponding shape corresponding to the drinking spout (22) of the lower part (2).

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