EP4311794A1 - Cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cartridge 1 for viscous fillers with a cylindrical cartridge wall 11, a cartridge opening 3 and an opposite cartridge base 2, the cartridge wall 11 having an upper cartridge wall 4 and a lower cartridge wall 5, with a further wall thickness of the lower cartridge wall 5 being smaller as a wall thickness of the upper cartridge wall 4 and wherein between the cartridge base 2 and the lower cartridge wall 5 a fold 7 is arranged, which continues with increasing insertion depth of the cartridge base 2 within the cartridge wall 11 along the lower cartridge wall 5 and in the direction of the upper cartridge wall 4.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a cartridge according to the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art

Such cartridges are already known and in use in a variety of shapes and designs. Such cartridges are usually in two parts and are made of plastic or a metal alloy, with a piston or the like being inserted into the cartridge, which presses a medium to be dispensed out of the cartridge in the direction of an opening, for example a nozzle. This medium usually involves viscous substances, such as silicones, kit compounds, adhesives or lubricants. Cartridges are also known which are multi-walled, so that an inner wall, for example designed as a tubular bag, is compressed by a piston, with an outer wall remaining unchanged.

There are significant disadvantages here, since the durability of the filling medium, such as silicones or sealants in these cartridges, is very limited and the filling media can only be used for a maximum of 12 months before they become unusable due to cartridge leaks and diffusion. For adhesives, this can only be used for up to 9 months. Furthermore, after opening the cartridge, there is always the problem that the piston gets stuck on the inner wall of the cartridge, since curable filling media hardens in the ambient air primarily in the area of the partially pushed piston. Conventional piston systems are not diffusion-tight in the area of the piston used.

Furthermore, in other known cartridge systems that attempt to prevent this problem, uncontrollable and irregular compression of the internal walls occurs, which makes it difficult to dispense the filling medium or means that the cartridge can no longer be emptied and thus becomes unusable.

In addition, the problem with these and other conventional cartridges is that a lot of material is required and therefore a lot of waste is generated. The waste volume is also quite high, as the previous conventional cartridges do not shrink as they are emptied, but instead retain their original size and shape.

For example, in the DE 93 11 227 U1 an ejection piston for a hollow cylindrical storage container made of aluminum with a cover-side closure part with a dispensing opening for highly diffusing substances is disclosed.

In the DE 44 00 358 A1 discloses a container having a plastically deformable cylindrical or prismatic peripheral wall, a closed bottom being disposed at a rear end of the container and an element intended to open the container at its front end, and the peripheral wall being disposed toward the front end of the container can be compressed by compression in connection with notches arranged on the peripheral wall. The rows of notches created in this way produce new rows of notches during compression until the entire peripheral wall has folded around a cup-shaped shaped piece.

In the DE 20 2022 101 808 U1 a cartridge for receiving and processing building materials is further disclosed, comprising a cartridge cylinder, a cartridge head and a displaceable piston-like cartridge base.

In the DE 196 11 266 B4 discloses a cartridge for pasty materials, consisting of a sleeve formed by a jacket with a nozzle base and a cup-shaped driving piston for squeezing the pasty material through a nozzle using a gun or another propellant, the sleeve being closed at its end remote from the nozzle by means of a sealing film .

Task of the invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, a cartridge should be provided that significantly extends the product shelf life of the filling medium in the unopened state, but also in the opened state. The cartridge should have the highest possible diffusion tightness. Furthermore, this cartridge should be easy to produce and have few components. Furthermore, the waste volume of an emptied cartridge should be significantly reduced compared to a filled cartridge. Finally, there should be the possibility of one Pre-tempering or heating of the cartridge may be possible for better delivery of the filling medium.

Solution to the task

The features according to claim 1 lead to the solution of the problem.

Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

In typical embodiments, a cartridge for viscous fillers has a cylindrical cartridge wall. This cartridge wall has a round cartridge opening on the one hand and a cartridge base on the opposite side. The cartridge wall is divided into an upper cartridge wall and a lower cartridge wall, with a further wall thickness of the lower cartridge wall being less than a wall thickness of the upper cartridge wall. This has the advantage that the lower cartridge wall is flexible and bendable, whereas the upper cartridge wall is comparatively stiff and dimensionally stable in its cylindrical design.

A fold is arranged between the cartridge base and the lower cartridge wall. The fold is a U-shaped bend that is only a few millimeters to a few centimeters long and emerges from the lower cartridge wall and is formed by 180 degrees inwards and in the direction of the cartridge opening.

If the cartridge base is pressed towards the cartridge opening by a piston of a conventional cartridge gun or cartridge device, as intended, the fold continues as the insertion depth increases along the lower cartridge wall and towards the upper cartridge wall. The lower cartridge wall is bent inwards by the fold and runs in a U-shape in this area. The part of the lower cartridge wall that is bent inwards in this way is on the inside the cartridge wall. As a result, the size of the cartridge is increasingly reduced, so that the waste volume of a completely emptied cartridge is reduced by 40 to 50 percent compared to a filled cartridge.

The cartridge base has a bulge which is adapted to the shape of a cartridge shoulder and the bulge is seamlessly connected to the fold over a circumferential base edge. This has the advantage that the cartridge can be almost completely emptied, since the cartridge base with the bulge can engage in the area of the cartridge opening and the cartridge shoulder. Furthermore, the bottom edge of the cartridge base ensures that the cartridge base rests on the inside of the cylindrical cartridge wall and that filling medium can only get into the space between the bottom edge and the fold, i.e. between the adjacent inner sides of the lower cartridge wall, in very small and unproblematic quantities. The filling medium is thereby reliably pressed towards the cartridge opening.

The cartridge opening is round and has a circumferential flange or thread. The flanging is a rounded curve of the edge of the cartridge opening. The cartridge opening can be closed gas-tight via the flange with a valve plate and a seal using crimping. If the cartridge opening has a thread, a screw cap is provided for closing it. Of course, other common closure systems are also conceivable and provided here.

The cartridge is made of an aluminum alloy and is manufactured in one piece and seamlessly using an extrusion process and/or cold extrusion. This process makes it possible to achieve the different wall thicknesses of the individual areas of the cartridge easily and precisely. The wall thickness of the upper cartridge wall is significantly thicker than the further wall thickness of the lower cartridge wall. As a result, the intended formability of the lower cartridge wall is achieved, which is essential for the inversion process in the inverted fold. On the other hand, increased dimensional stability is achieved in the upper cartridge wall, which ensures that the upper cartridge wall maintains its cylindrical shape and does not lead to unwanted deformations due to the pressure exerted on the cartridge base.

Furthermore, these manufacturing processes can also ensure that the thickness of the cartridge base is increased compared to the wall thickness of the cartridge wall, so that no unwanted deformations arise in this area due to the pressure of the piston of a cartridge gun or cartridge device.

Of course, it is also envisaged that the cartridge is made of a plastic or a metal or a metal alloy. What is important here is that the manufacturing process to be used and the material used make it possible to achieve the above-mentioned different wall thickness ranges of the cartridge, whereby, on the one hand, good formability for the everting process and, on the other hand, high dimensional stability are required.

The cartridges thus manufactured are provided in different sizes, being compatible with common and usual electric or pneumatic or manual cartridge guns and hand pressure guns or other corresponding devices.

The cartridge according to the invention facilitates the emptying process of the filling medium in a simple manner by seamlessly folding the lower cartridge wall over the fold.

Another enormous advantage of the cartridge according to the invention is that it is permanently sealed in the area of the cartridge base and does not have to be opened, so that no drying out processes of the filling medium, for example through diffusion, can occur.

Furthermore, the cartridge according to the invention is made in one piece. In addition, no additional inner piston is necessary that is connected to the filling medium, which can become wedged or block due to the filling medium drying out or drying out in the cylinder.

In addition, waste volume is saved because the size of the cartridge decreases as it is emptied, with the volume of a completely emptied cartridge being reduced by 40 to 50 percent compared to a fully filled cartridge.

Furthermore, it is provided that the cartridge is designed in such a way that it can be completely or only partially subjected to a heat treatment, so-called soft annealing. The cartridge or the material from which the cartridge is made is therefore designed for such heat treatments. If necessary, this has the additional advantage of preparing the lower cartridge wall for better and easier formability when using highly viscous fillers.

Character description

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer längs geschnittenen Kartuschen 1 im Ausgangszustand;

Figur 2

eine schematische Darstellung einer längs geschnittenen Kartuschen 1 im halb entleerten Zustand;

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung einer längs geschnittenen Kartuschen 1 im vollständig entleerten Zustand.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and from the drawings; these show in:

Figure 1

a schematic representation of a longitudinally cut cartridge 1 in the initial state;

Figure 2

a schematic representation of a longitudinally cut cartridge 1 in the half-emptied state;

Figure 3

a schematic representation of a longitudinally cut cartridge 1 in the completely empty state.

Embodiment example

In the Figures 1 to 3 An embodiment of a cartridge 1 according to the invention is shown in section in different emptying states. For reasons of clarity, a valve, a nozzle or a threaded opening in the area of a cartridge opening 3 has been omitted.

The cartridge 1 is cylindrical and has a cartridge base 2 on the one hand and a cartridge opening 3 on the opposite side. A cartridge wall 11 is arranged between the cartridge base 2 and the cartridge opening 3, which is divided into an upper cartridge wall 4 and a lower cartridge wall 5 of approximately equal partial lengths.

A wall thickness of the upper cartridge wall 4 is thicker than a further wall thickness of the lower cartridge wall 5.

The upper cartridge wall 4 merges into the cartridge opening 3 via a cartridge shoulder 8, which pulls in the upper cartridge wall 4. A diameter of the cartridge opening 3 is smaller than a diameter of the cylindrical cartridge wall 11.

In this embodiment according to the invention, the cartridge opening 3 has a round flange 6 that extends outwards. This flanging 6 is a rounded curve of the edge of the cartridge opening 3. In other embodiments, not shown, this flanging 6 can be replaced by a thread.

The lower cartridge wall 5 is connected to the cartridge base 2 via a fold 7. The fold 7 is a U-shaped bend, only a few millimeters to a few centimeters long, emerging from the lower cartridge wall 5, which is formed by 180 degrees inwards and in the direction of the cartridge opening.

The cartridge base 2 adjoins the fold 7 within the lower cartridge wall 5. The cartridge base 2 has a third wall thickness, which is significantly stronger than the further wall thickness of the lower cartridge wall 5 and also stronger than the wall thickness of the upper cartridge wall 4.

Furthermore, the cartridge base 2 has an embossed base. This bottom embossing is a bulge 9 which is convex in the direction of the cartridge opening 2. This bulge 9 is connected to the fold 7 via a circumferential bottom edge 10, the bottom edge 10 being aligned orthogonally to the lower cartridge wall 5 and also only being a few millimeters to a few centimeters long . It is intended that the bottom edge 10 rests closely against the inside of the cartridge wall 11, i.e. the lower cartridge wall 5 and the upper cartridge wall 4.

The bulge 9 of the cartridge base 2 is designed in such a way that it is adapted to the shape of the cartridge shoulder 8. This results in the greatest possible residual emptying of the cartridge 1.

In the Figure 1 the cartridge 1 is shown in its full length. This is the state in which the cartridge 1 is filled or is completely filled.

In the Figure 2 the cartridge 1 is shown in an approximately half-empty state. As can be seen, the cartridge base 2 is inserted into the cartridge 1 by approximately half the length of the lower cartridge wall 5. The lower cartridge wall 5 with the further wall thickness, which is significantly smaller than the wall thickness of the upper cartridge wall 4, is folded over the fold 7 or turned inwards by pressing the cartridge base 2 in the direction of the cartridge opening 3. The bottom edge 10 lies close to the inside of the lower cartridge wall 5 or the upper cartridge wall 4, so that the filling medium is pressed towards the cartridge opening 3.

As in Figure 3 As can be seen, as the cartridge base 2 is increasingly pressed in towards the cartridge opening 3, the fold 7 continues over the lower cartridge base 5 in the direction of the upper cartridge wall 4 or the cartridge shoulder 8. In this representation of the cartridge 1, the cartridge base 2 is inserted maximally in the direction of the cartridge opening 3, so that maximum residual emptying of the cartridge 1 is ensured.

Referring to the Figures 1 to 3 The functionality of the cartridge 1 according to the invention is explained as follows:
In preferred embodiments, the cartridge 1 according to the invention is made of an aluminum alloy and made in one piece by an extrusion process and/or by cold extrusion.

The cartridge 1 is filled with a filling medium, for example a viscous filler, via the cartridge opening 3 and then closed, whereby in the case of the crimping 6 the closure takes place by means of a valve plate and a seal via the connection type of crimping. In the event that the cartridge opening 3 has a screw cap, the closure takes place via a screw cap.

The cartridge 1 is compatible with, for example, automatic lubricating devices, electric and/or pneumatic and/or manual cartridge guns and hand pressure guns and can be inserted into such cartridge guns. A piston of the cartridge gun rests on the cartridge base 2. The cartridge base 2 is then pressed in in a metered manner in the direction of the cartridge opening 3 via this piston of the cartridge guns.

If the filling medium is to be dispensed via an outlet arranged at the cartridge opening 3, the piston of the cartridge guns is moved in the direction of the cartridge opening 3. As a result, the cartridge base presses into the cartridge 1 due to the fold 7, with the fold 7 continuing over the lower cartridge wall 5 as the depth of impression of the cartridge base 2 increases.

The bottom edge 10 of the cartridge base 2 lies close to the inside of the lower cartridge wall 5 or the upper cartridge wall 4, so that the filling medium is pressed in the direction of the outlet at the cartridge opening 3.

The stability of the cartridge 1 is ensured by the fact that the cartridge wall 11 has a significantly thicker wall in the upper area, i.e. the upper cartridge wall 4, than in its lower area, the lower cartridge wall 5. In addition, further stability is provided by the shoulder shape and flanging 6 or the thread that may be arranged there, so that there is no unwanted deformation of the cartridge 1 during use.

The cartridge 1 becomes shorter and smaller during emptying due to the indentation of the cartridge base 2 in the direction of the cartridge opening 3 and the fold 7 continuing in the direction of the upper cartridge wall 4, as a result of which the waste volume is increasingly reduced by up to 50 percent in the completely emptied state .

The cartridge base 2 is adapted to the inside of the cartridge shoulder 8 with the bulge 9, which is convex in the direction of the cartridge opening 2, in such a way that maximum residual emptying occurs until the cartridge base 2 rests on the inside of the cartridge shoulder 8 or the cartridge opening 3.

It should be noted that for clarity the cartridge 1 is in the Figures 1 to 3 is shown without a filling medium.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it will be apparent that numerous modifications can be added by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, the material of the cartridge 1 can change. Furthermore, different dimensions are conceivable and provided. Other and usual closure systems can also be provided for the cartridge opening 3. <b>Reference symbol list</b> 1 cartridge 2 Cartridge base 3 Cartridge opening 4 upper cartridge wall 5 under cartouche wall 6 Flaring 7 Inverted fold 8th Cartridge shoulder 9 Bulging 10 floor edge 11 Cartridge wall 12 13 14 15

Claims (10)

Cartridge (1) for viscous fillers with a cylindrical cartridge wall (11), a cartridge opening (3) and an opposite cartridge base (2),
characterized,
that the cartridge wall (11) has an upper cartridge wall (4) and a lower cartridge wall (5), wherein a further wall thickness of the lower cartridge wall (5) is less than a wall thickness of the upper cartridge wall (4). Cartridge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a fold (7) is arranged between the cartridge base (2) and the lower cartridge wall (5), which extends within the cartridge wall (11) as the depth of insertion of the cartridge base (2) increases the lower cartridge wall (5) and towards the upper cartridge wall (4). Cartridge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge base (2) has a bulge (9) which is adapted to the shape of a cartridge shoulder (8) and wherein the bulge (9) has a circumferential base edge (10). the fold (7) is connected. Cartridge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge opening (3) has a flange (6) or a thread. Cartridge (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the cartridge opening (3) with flanging (6) can be closed with a valve plate and a seal by means of crimping. Cartridge (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the threaded cartridge opening (3) can be closed by means of a screw cap. Cartridge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of an aluminum alloy. Cartridge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of a plastic or a metal or a metal alloy. Cartridge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is manufactured in one piece by means of an extrusion process and/or by cold extrusion. Cartridge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is compatible with electric or pneumatic or manual cartridge guns and hand pressure guns.

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