CLOSURE SYSTEM AND KIT

Abstract

A closure system is disclosed for closing an opening of a container. The system includes a stopper member made of an elastic material, a plug portion configured to tightly fit into the container opening and a cover portion configured to abut a boundary surface adjacent to the container opening. A cage member of the system is made of a shape-retentive material, and includes a stopper contacting section, a clipping structure and an intermediate section therebetween. The clipping structure is configured to clip in a corresponding structure of the container. The cage member is configured such that the stopper contacting section applies a pressure to the stopper member cover portion to push the stopper member cover portion onto the boundary surface of the container opening, when the stopper member plug portion is fitted into the container opening and the cage member clipping structure clips in the corresponding structure of the container.

Claims

1. A closure system for closing an opening of a container, comprising: a stopper member made of an elastic material and having a plug portion configured to tightly fit into the opening of the container and a cover portion configured to abut a boundary surface adjacent to the opening of the container; and a cage member made of a shape-retentive material, wherein the cage member has a stopper contacting section, a clipping structure and an intermediate section between the stopper contacting section and the clipping structure, wherein the clipping structure of the cage member is configured to clip in a corresponding structure of the container, and wherein the cage member is configured such that the stopper contacting section of the cage member applies a pressure to the cover portion of the stopper member to push the cover portion of the stopper member onto the boundary surface of the opening of the container, when the plug portion of the stopper member is fitted into the opening of the container and the clipping structure of the cage member clips in the corresponding structure of the container.

2. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the shape retentive material of the cage member is a metal such as a steel and preferably a stainless steel.

3. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate section of the cage member is configured to surround a head portion of the container.

4. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the intermediate section of the cage member is cylindrical.

5. The closure system of claim 4, wherein the clipping structure of the cage member comprises a plurality of tongues.

6. The closure system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of tongues inwardly extends from the cylindrical intermediate section and the plurality of tongues is regularly distributed about the cylindrical intermediate section.

7. The closure system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of tongues of the clipping structure of the cage member is elastically movable relative to the intermediate section of the cage member.

8. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the stopper contacting section of the cage member comprises an aperture such that the cover portion of the stopper member is accessible through the aperture of the stopper contacting section when the plug portion of the stopper member is fitted into the opening of the container and the clipping structure of the cage member clips in the corresponding structure of the container.

9. The closure system of claim 8, comprising a cover reversibly mountable to the stopper contacting section of the cage member to close the aperture of the stopper contacting section of the cage member.

10. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the cover portion of the stopper member has a circumferential cage notch directed away from the boundary surface of the opening when the plug portion of the stopper member is fitted into the opening of the container.

11. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the cover portion of the stopper member has a circumferential container notch directed towards the boundary surface of the opening when the plug portion of the stopper member is fitted into the opening of the container.

12. The closure system of claim 11, wherein the cover portion of the stopper member has a circumferential cage notch directed away from the boundary surface of the opening when the plug portion of the stopper member is fitted into the opening of the container, and wherein the cage notch of the cover portion of the stopper member is radially offset relative to the container notch of the cover portion of the stopper member.

13. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the cover portion of the stopper member has an edge section with a front face configured to abut the boundary surface of the opening of the container and a back face opposite to and corresponding to the front face of the edge section, wherein the stopper contacting section of the cage member is configured to abut the complete back face of the edge section of the stopper member when the plug portion of the stopper member is fitted into the opening of the container and the clipping structure of the cage member clips in the corresponding structure of the container.

14. The closure system of claim 1, wherein the cage member is configured to end essentially adjacent to the clipping structure when the plug portion of the stopper member is fitted into the opening of the container and the clipping structure of the cage member clips in the corresponding structure of the container.

15. A kit comprising: a container and a closure system according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises an opening for accessing an interior of the container and a boundary surface adjacent to the opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The closure system and kit according to the invention are described in more detail hereinbelow by way of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows side view of a first embodiment of a kit according to the invention comprising a first embodiment of a closure system according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 2 shows an exploded side view of the kit and closure system according to the invention wherein an embodiment of a stopper member according to the invention comprised by the closure system is visible;

[0038] FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the kit, closure system and stopper member of FIG. 2;

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the stopper member of FIG. 2;

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the kit of FIG. 1;

[0041] FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a kit according to the invention comprising a second embodiment of a closure system according to the invention with the stopper member of FIG. 2;

[0042] FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of the kit of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0043] In the following description certain terms are used for reasons of convenience and are not intended to limit the invention. The terms “right”, “left”, “up”, “down”, “under” and “above” refer to directions in the figures. The terminology comprises the explicitly mentioned terms as well as their derivations and terms with a similar meaning. Also, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, “proximal”, “distal”, and the like, may be used to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different positions and orientations of the devices in use or operation in addition to the position and orientation shown in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be “above” or “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both positions and orientations of above and below. The devices may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Likewise, descriptions of movement along and around various axes include various special device positions and orientations.

[0044] To avoid repetition in the figures and the descriptions of the various aspects and illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that many features are common to many aspects and embodiments. Omission of an aspect from a description or figure does not imply that the aspect is missing from embodiments that incorporate that aspect. Instead, the aspect may have been omitted for clarity and to avoid prolix description. In this context, the following applies to the rest of this description: If, in order to clarify the drawings, a figure contains reference signs which are not explained in the directly associated part of the description, then it is referred to previous or following description sections. Further, for reason of lucidity, if in a drawing not all features of a part are provided with reference signs it is referred to other drawings showing the same part. Like numbers in two or more figures represent the same or similar elements.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a kit 1 according to the invention comprising a vial 2 as container and a first embodiment of a closure system 3 according to the invention. In FIG. 1 the kit 1 is depicted in an assembled state where the closure system 3 is mounted to the vial 2.

[0046] The vial 2 is a 13 mm vial made of a plastic material. It has a body 23 with a hollow interior and a neck 22 passing over into a head 21 as head portion (not visible in FIG. 1). The closure system 3 is mounted to the head 21 of the vial such that the head 21 is covered. The closure system 3 comprises a metal cage 32 as cage member and a plastic cover 33. The cage 32 has an essentially cylindrical intermediate section 323 and a clipping structure with tongues 322 regularly distributed about the intermediate section 323. Furthermore, the closure system defines a central axis 34 which is in one line with the central axis of rotation of the vial 2 when the closure system 3 is mounted to the vial 2.

[0047] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the closure system 3 further comprises an embodiment of an elastic stopper 31 as stopper member according to the invention. The stopper 31 has a plug portion 311 and a more or less disk-shaped cover portion 312. The cover portion 312 radially extends over the plug portion 311 thereby forming an essentially ring-shaped edge section 3121 having a downwardly oriented front face and an opposite upwardly oriented back face corresponding to the front face.

[0048] The head 21 of the vial 2 radially extends over the neck 22 of the vial. The head 21 is equipped with a radial indentation 211 at its outer circumference. Furthermore, as best visible in FIG. 3, the vial 2 has a circular or cylindrical opening 25 at its head 21 which allows to access the interior of the body 23. A boundary surface 24 adjacent to the opening 25 is designed as a flat upwardly oriented surface.

[0049] FIG. 3 and particularly FIG. 4 show further details of the stopper 31. The edge section 3121 of the cover portion 312 is equipped at its back face with a circumferential cage notch 3123 and at its front face with a circumferential container notch 3122. In a radial direction 35, the cage notch 3123 and the container notch 3122 are offset to each other, i.e. the container notch 3122 is closer to the axis 34 than the cage notch 3123. Centrally, the cover portion 312 is equipped with a cage centering structure 3124.

[0050] The plug portion 311 has a dome shaped cavity downwardly opening. At its radial outer surface, the plug portion 311 is equipped with a circumferential bulge 3111. The bulge 3111 radially extends from the outer surface towards the axis 34.

[0051] In FIG. 5, the kit 1 is shown in an assembled state. Thereby, it can be seen that the plug portion 311 of the stopper 31 is configured to tightly fit into the opening 25 of the vial 2. In particular, the plug portion 311 is dimensioned such that the bulge 3111 is completely compressed when the plug portion 311 is pushed into the opening 25. The cover portion 312 abuts the boundary surface 24 adjacent to the opening 25 of the vial 2. More specifically, the front face of the edge section 3121 abuts the boundary surface 24 adjacent to the opening 25.

[0052] The cage 32 is made of stainless steel. It has a more or less disk-shaped stopper contacting section 321 with a central aperture 3211. The intermediate section 322 extends between the stopper contacting section 321 and the clipping structure with the tongues 323 and surround the head 21. The tongues 323 are clipped into the indentation 211 of the head 21 of the vial 2. More specifically, the tongues 323 upwardly extend and are curved inwardly towards the axis 34. When being mounted, the tongues 323 are temporarily outwardly bent or dislocated into the radial direction 35 relative to the intermediate section 322, wherein—due to the elasticity of the stainless steel—they snap in the indentation 211 as soon as the cage 32 is sufficiently moved onto the head 21 of the vial 2. Thereby, a form-fit connection between the cage 32 and the vial 2 is established which prevents removal of the cage 32.

[0053] The intermediate section 322 of the cage member 32 is dimensioned such that the stopper contacting section 321 applies a pressure to the cover portion 312 of the stopper 31. More specifically, the stopper contacting section 321 pushes the edge section 3121 of the cover portion 312 of the stopper 31 onto the boundary surface 24 adjacent to the opening 25 of the vial 2. Thereby, the back face of the edge section 3121 abuts the stopper contacting section 321 and the front face of the edge section 3121 abuts the boundary surface 24.

[0054] The pressure applied to the stopper 31 by the cage 32 deforms the edge section 3121 of the cover portion 321 of the stopper 32. Thereby, the cage notch 3123 and the edge notch 3122 are collapsed to a certain extent, which allows to generate a well-defined deformation of the cover portion 321. Like this, a secure tight connection between cover portion 321 and the boundary surface 24 is achieved.

[0055] The centering structure 3124 of the cover portion 312 of the stopper 31 extends into the aperture 3211 of the stopper contacting section 321 of the cage 32. The cover 33 has an essentially disk-shaped body 331 which is equipped with downwardly oriented first bayonet members 332 at its bottom surface. An edge of the aperture 3211 of the stopper contacting section 321 of the cage 32 is equipped with corresponding upwardly oriented second bayonet members 3212. The first and second bayonet member 332, 3212 engage such that the cover is securely and reversibly mounted to the cage 32 and the aperture 3211 of the cage 32 is closed.

[0056] For accessing the interior of the vial 2, the cover 33 is demounted from the cage 32 such that the stopper 31 is accessible through the aperture 3211. A needle of a syringe can now be pierced through the stopper 31 into the vial 2 and a substance arranged in the vial 2 can be withdrawn.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of a kit 10 according to the invention. The kit 10 comprises a glass vial 20 and a second embodiment of a closure system 30 according to the invention. The closure system 30 has the same cover 33 and the same stopper 31 as described above in connection with the first closure system 3. With regard to these identical cover 33 and stopper 31 it is particularly referred to FIGS. 4 and 5 as well as the description above.

[0058] The closures system 30 further comprises a cage 320 made of stainless steel as cage member. The cage 320 has an essentially cylindrical intermediate section 3230 and a clipping structure with tongues 3220 regularly distributed about the intermediate section 3230. Furthermore, the closure system 30 defines a central axis 340 which is one line with the central axis of rotation of the vial 20 when the closure system 30 is mounted to the vial 20. The tongues 3220 of the cage 320 downwardly extend from the intermediate section 3230.

[0059] The vial 20 can be a 13 mm or 20 mm glass vial, or a custom vial such as a vial with 15 mm diameter head. It has a body 230, a neck 220 and a head 210. The head 210 radially extends over the neck 220. The vial 20 has an opening 250 at its head 210 which allows to access the interior of the body 230. A boundary surface 240 adjacent to the opening 250 has a flat upwardly oriented surface.

[0060] In FIG. 7, the kit 10 is shown in an assembled state in which the closure system 30 is mounted to the vial 20. Thereby, the components of the kit 10 similarly interact as described above in connection with the first kit 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. In the following it is focused on aspects of the second kit 10 being different from the first kit 1. In particular, aspects of the second kit 10 which are not described in the following are identical or similar to the first kit 1. In this connection it is referred to the description above.

[0061] The tongues 3230 of the cage 320 downwardly extending from the intermediate section 3220 clip the head 210 of the vial 20. In particular, the tongues 3230 inwardly extend from the intermediate section 3220 along a bottom end of the head 210, then downwardly extend along and abut the neck 220 and then diagonally extend in a down and outward direction. Specifically, the shape of the tongues 3230 allows for snap-fitting the cage 320 onto the head 210 of the vial 20 which does not have an indentation or the like. When being mounted to the vial 20, the cage 320 is axially moved onto the head 210. The diagonal portions of the tongues 3230 result in the tongues 3230 being outwardly bent or dislocated relative to the intermediate section 3220 until the cage 320 is sufficiently moved down such that—due to the elasticity of the stainless steel—the tongues 3230 are moved back into direction of the axis 340 thereby snapping behind the head 210 of the vial 20. Like this, the tongues 3220 are safely form-fitted to the head 210 and the cage 320 is locked on the vial 20 thereby pressing the stopper 310 onto the vial 20 as described above.

[0062] This description and the accompanying drawings that illustrate aspects and embodiments of the present invention should not be taken as limiting—the claims defining the protected invention. In other words, while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electrical, and operational changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. In some instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the invention. Thus, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope and spirit of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below.

[0063] The disclosure also covers all further features shown in the Figs. individually although they may not have been described in the afore or following description. Also, single alternatives of the embodiments described in the figures and the description and single alternatives of features thereof can be disclaimed from the subject matter of the invention or from disclosed subject matter. The disclosure comprises subject matter consisting of the features defined in the claims or the exemplary embodiments as well as subject matter comprising said features.

[0064] Furthermore, in the claims the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single unit or step may fulfil the functions of several features recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. The terms “essentially”, “about”, “approximately” and the like in connection with an attribute or a value particularly also define exactly the attribute or exactly the value, respectively. The term “about” in the context of a given numerate value or range refers to a value or range that is, e.g., within 20%, within 10%, within 5%, or within 2% of the given value or range. Components described as coupled or connected may be electrically or mechanically directly coupled, or they may be indirectly coupled via one or more intermediate components. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.