Cap for closing an opening of a container

Abstract

It is provided a cap (10) for closing an opening (41) of a container (30), comprising a mainly tubular skirt (12), wherein the skirt (12) comprises a bayonet notch (26) for guiding a pin (28) of the container (30), wherein the skirt (12) comprises a guiding rim (38) running in axial direction and in circumferential direction towards the bayonet notch (26) for guiding the pin (28) of the container (30) into the bayonet notch (26). When the cap (10) is mounted to the container (30), the pin (28) may slide along the guiding rim (38) towards the bayonet notch (26) even at an originally significant displacement in circumferential direction, so that a facilitated mounting of a cap (10) to a container (30) with a bayonet mount is enabled.

Claims

1. A cap for closing an opening of at least one container, the cap comprising: a mainly tubular skirt that comprises a bayonet notch for guiding a pin of a container, wherein the bayonet notch is L-shaped for providing a mainly axial relative movement of the cap relative to the container by means of a first part of the bayonet notch and a turning of the cap relative to the container by means of a second part of the bayonet notch, wherein the mainly tubular skirt further comprises a first guiding rim running in an axial direction and in a circumferential direction towards the bayonet notch for guiding the pin of the container into the bayonet notch, wherein a second guiding rim is provided that runs in the axial direction and in the circumferential direction towards the bayonet notch for guiding the pin of the container into the bayonet notch, wherein the first guiding rim and the second guiding rim are arranged funnel-shaped to each other.

2. The cap of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first guiding rim and the second guiding rim runs from a bottom side of the mainly tubular skirt to the bayonet notch.

3. The cap of claim 1, wherein the bayonet notch comprises: a blocking notch running mainly in the circumferential direction for guiding the pin of the container between (i) a blocked position, where movement of the pin in the axial direction is blocked, and (ii) an unblocked position, where movement of the pin in the axial direction is enabled; and an opening notch running mainly in the axial direction for guiding the pin of the container between (ii) the unblocked position and (iii) an opening position, wherein the guiding rim terminates at a circumferential position of the blocking notch for guiding the pin of the container into (i) the blocked position.

4. The cap of claim 1, wherein the bayonet notch comprises: a blocking notch running mainly in the circumferential direction for guiding the pin of the container between (i) a blocked position, where movement of the pin in the axial direction is blocked, and (ii) an unblocked position, where movement of the pin in the axial direction is enabled; and an opening notch running mainly in the axial direction for guiding the pin of the container between (ii) the unblocked position and (iii) an opening position, wherein a blocking latch protrudes into the blocking notch for keeping the pin of the container in (i) the blocked position, wherein the blocking latch is adapted to be sheared off by the pin by means of an actuation force in the circumferential direction above a predefined threshold.

5. The cap of claim 1, wherein a top side of the mainly tubular skirt is closed by a cover, wherein the cover comprises a nozzle for discharging a content of the container.

6. The cap according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle comprises two opposing actuation faces for turning the nozzle by means of a plurality of fingers, wherein forming of the actuation faces is adapted to forming of at least one finger, wherein at a middle of the nozzle, a comprises a height of the nozzle in the axial direction comprises a first extension in a radial direction and a second extension in the radial direction, wherein a ratio of the second extension to the first extension equals 0.95±0.02.

7. A packaging for storing and/or mixing fluids, the packaging comprising: the container for storing a first fluid and comprising the pin protruding in a radial direction; and the cap according to claim 1 for covering the opening of the container, wherein the pin of the container is insertable into the bayonet notch, wherein the mainly tubular skirt of the cap is more deformable than the pin of the container.

8. The packaging of claim 7, wherein the container further comprises a radial protrusion for providing a mechanical resistance against a turning of the cap for keeping the pin in a blocked position inside the bayonet notch, wherein the protrusion provides a sound when overridden by a rim of the cap.

9. The packaging of claim 7, wherein the container comprises a neck spaced to the opening of the container, wherein a flow cross-section of the neck is closable by a plug, wherein the cap further comprises a rib for pushing the plug out of the neck, wherein the mainly tubular skirt of the cap is arranged radially outside the container and the rib is arranged radially inside the container.

10. The packaging of claim 9, wherein a second fluid is provided inside the container, wherein the second fluid is arranged such that the second fluid is spaced to the first fluid by the plug.

11. A cap for closing an opening of at least one container, the cap comprising: a mainly tubular skirt that comprises a bayonet notch for guiding a pin of a container, wherein the bayonet notch is L-shaped for providing a mainly axial relative movement of the cap relative to the container by means of a first part of the bayonet notch and a turning of the cap relative to the container by means of a second part of the bayonet notch, wherein the mainly tubular skirt further comprises a first guiding rim running in an axial direction and in a circumferential direction towards the bayonet notch for guiding the pin of the container into the bayonet notch, wherein at least one of the first guiding rim and a second guiding rim runs from the bayonet notch to an axial stop rim or from the bayonet notch to a circumferential stop rim, wherein the circumferential stop rim is provided by means of an axially running rib comprising an extension in the circumferential direction that is smaller than an extension in the circumferential direction of the pin.

12. A cap for closing an opening of at least one container, the cap comprising: a mainly tubular skirt that comprises a bayonet notch for guiding a pin of a container, wherein the bayonet notch is L-shaped for providing a mainly axial relative movement of the cap relative to the container by means of a first part of the bayonet notch and a turning of the cap relative to the container by means of a second part of the bayonet notch, wherein the mainly tubular skirt further comprises a first guiding rim running in an axial direction and in a circumferential direction towards the bayonet notch for guiding the pin of the container into the bayonet notch, wherein the first guiding rim is provided by a difference in a wall thickness of the mainly tubular skirt, wherein a whole area of the mainly tubular skirt, between the first guiding rim and a bottom side of the mainly tubular skirt, comprises a wall thickness that is less than a wall thickness of an area of the mainly tubular skirt between the first guiding rim and a top side of the mainly tubular skirt.

Description

(1) These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter, wherein the described features can constitute each solely or in combination an independent aspect of the invention. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1: is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a cap,

(3) FIG. 2: is a schematic cross sectional view rotated 90° of the cap of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3: is a schematic detailed view of the cap of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4: is a schematic cross sectional view of a first embodiment of a container for the cap of FIG. 1

(6) FIG. 5: is a schematic detailed view of the container of FIG. 4,

(7) FIG. 6: is s schematic perspective view of a plug for the container of FIG. 4,

(8) FIG. 7: is a schematic cross sectional side view of a second embodiment of a cap and

(9) FIG. 8: is a schematic cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a container for the cap of FIG. 7.

(10) The cap 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 comprises a ring cylindrical skirt 12 with a bottom side 14 and a top side 16. The top side 16 is closed by a cover 18 which comprises a nozzle 20. An orifice of the nozzle 20 is closed by a closure 22, wherein the closure 22 may be one-piece with the nozzle 20 and connected to the nozzle 20 via a breaking line, where the closure 22 may be sheared off from the nozzle 20 for opening the orifice of the nozzle 20. The nozzle 20 is flattened and comprises two flat actuation faces 24, by which the cap 10 can be easily turned by hand.

(11) The skirt 12 of the cap 10 comprises a bayonet notch 26 into which a pin 28 of a container 30 can be inserted for providing a bayonet mount. The bayonet notch 26 comprises a blocking notch 32 running along a part of the circumference of the skirt 12 and an opening notch 34 running along a part of the axial extension of the skirt 12, so that the bayonet notch 26 is designed like a L. The end of the blocking notch 32 positioned away from the opening notch 34 defines a blocked position of the pin 28 in the blocking notch 32. The joint end of the blocking notch 32 and the opening notch 34 defines an unblocked position of the pin 28 in the bayonet notch 26. The end of the opening notch 34 positioned away from the blocking notch 32 defines an opened position of the pin 28 in the opening notch 34. As illustrated particularly in FIG. 3 the blocking notch 32 may comprise a blocking latch 36 radially protruding into the blocking notch 32 for keeping the pin 28 in the blocked position. The blocking notch 32 may provide a press fit for the pin 28 which can be overcome by a sufficient high actuation moment for turning the cap 10 relative to the pin 28. Particularly the blocking latch 36 may be sheared off from the skirt 12 when a a sufficient high actuation moment for turning the cap 10 relative to the pin 28 is applied.

(12) As illustrated in FIG. 2 a guiding rim 38 is provided at the inside of the skirt 12. When the cap 12 is mounted to the container 30 by a relative axial movement, the pin 28 may meet the guiding rim 38 and turns the cap 10 in the intended relative position in circumferential direction automatically during the relative axial movement. The guiding rim 38 runs in circumferential direction and in axial direction and terminates at the blocking notch 32 such, that the pin 28 automatically is positioned into the blocking position inside the blocking notch 32 without damaging the blocking latch 34. The blocking notch 32 blocks a further relative axial movement and indicates the end of the mounting step for mounting the cap 10 to the container 30. Particularly, a further guiding rim 40 is provided for guiding the pin 28 towards the blocking notch 32 by turning the cap 10 in an opposite circumferential direction than the guiding rim 38. The guiding rim 38 and the mirror-inverted formed further guiding rim 40 may be arranged like a V, so that the guiding rim 38 and the further guiding rim 40 may form a funnel for directing the pin 28 into the intended mounting position. In the illustrated embodiment two bayonet notches 26 are provided for two different pins 28 arranged opposing to each other, wherein a pair of guiding rim 38 and further guiding rim 40 is provided for each bayonet notch 26. The guiding rim 38 and the further guiding rim 40 is provided by a step at the inside of the skirt 12. For that reason the skirt 12 comprises a smaller wall thickness below the guiding rim 38 and the further guiding rim 40 than above the guiding rim 38 and the further guiding rim 40 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

(13) As illustrated in FIG. 5 the pin 28 my comprise a rounded upper head 54 so that only a small contact surface is provided between the pin 28 and the guiding rim 38 or the further guiding rim 40. Further the pin 28 may comprise a flat base 56 so that an enlarged contact surface is provided between the pin 28 and the lower edge of the blocking notch 32. A tilting of the cap 10 relative to the pin 28 and the container 30 can be prevented.

(14) The container 30 as illustrated in FIG. 4 can be designed as a bottle for mixing two separated fluids. The pins 28 are provided at the outside of the container 30 close to an opening 41 of the container 30 and protrude radially outwards. The container 30 may comprise a lower compartment 42 for storing a first fluid and an upper compartment 44 for storing a second fluid connected via a neck 46 which can be closed by a plug 48 as illustrated in FIG. 6. When the cap 10 is turned from the blocked position in the unblocked position, the cap 10 can be pushed downwards so that a particularly tubular rib 50 may meet the plug 48 and press the plug 48 out of the neck 46. Further a tilting of the cap 10 can be prevented by inserting a part of the container 30 into a circumferential slot provided between the skirt 12 of the cap 10 and the rib 50 of the cap 10. For that reason the rib 50 may extend below the level of the bayonet notch 26.

(15) As illustrated in FIG. 6 the plug 48 may comprise retainer ribs 52 which provides a stop for the rib 50 of the cap 10 on the one hand and prevents the plug 48 from falling completely into the lower compartment 42 on the other hand. The radial extension of two opposing retainer ribs 52 may be bigger than the diameter of the neck 46. When the plug 48 does not seal the neck 46 anymore the second fluid can flow from the upper compartment 44 into the lower compartment 42 where both fluids can be mixed, particularly for providing a reactive liquid hair tinting means. The mixture can be discharged via the nozzle 20 of the cap 10.

(16) The guiding rim 38 of the embodiment of the cap 10 illustrated in FIG. 7 starts not at the bottom side 14 of the skirt 12 but at an axial stop rim 58 compared to the embodiment of the cap 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Further the guiding rim 38 comprises two parts with a different inclination. The axial stop rim 58 terminates at a circumferential stop rim 60 which is provided as a slim axially running rib 62 protruding axially downwards from the axial stop rim 58 close but spaced to the bottom side 14 of the skirt. The further guiding rim 40 starts at the upper end of the circumferential stop rim 60.

(17) The container 30 illustrated in FIG. 8 comprises centering elements 64 extending in circumferential direction compared to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. Each centering element 64 comprises a chamfer 66 inclined with respect to the axial direction for centering a lower part of the skirt 12. When the cap 10 is put onto the container 30, the pin 28 may meet the axial stop rim 58. Then the cap 10 can be turned so that the pin 28 can be guided by means of the guiding rim 38 and/or the further guiding rim 40 towards the bayonet notch 26. When the pin 28 is pressed into the bayonet notch 26, the cap 10 is centered at the same time by means of the centering elements 64 onto which the lower part of the skirt 12 is pressed. At the same time the axially running rib 62 of the circumferential stop rim 60 is positioned between a radial protrusion 68 of the container 30 and one of the neighboring centering elements 64. The axially running rib 62 of the circumferential stop rim 60 is blocked in circumferential direction between the protrusion 68 and the neighboring centering element 64, so that the pin 28 is blocked in its blocked position at the same time. When the pin 28 should be turned from the blocked position into the unblocked position, the circumferential stop rim 60 has to be pressed over the protrusion 68 so that the circumferential stop rim 60 overruns the protrusion 68 and overcomes the mechanical resistance of the protrusion 68. For that reason the protrusion 68 protrudes such far in radial direction for providing a press fit with the axially running rib 62 of the circumferential stop rim 60. The centering elements 64 may protrude farther than the protrusion 68 so that the circumferential stop rim 60 may not overrun the centering elements 64. When the pin 28 reaches the unblocked position the axially running rib 62 of the circumferential stop rim 60 reaches a gap between the protrusion 68 and the other neighboring centering element 64, wherein the overrunning of the protrusion 68 leads to a clicking-sound signaling that the unblocked state is reached.