FLAP CLOSURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a flap closure comprising a closure body and a flap cover, which are connected to one another via hinge and via tensioning band creating a snap-effect when opening or closing the flap cover. When unloaded the tensioning band has at least three cross sectional curved sections and a substantially straight section between two neighbouring sections, which are not curved in opposing directions. Alternatively, when unloaded, the tensioning band has a cross sectional distance from a tangent at a central line between the edges of the tensioning band at a connection point of the tensioning band with the closure body or with the flap cover to the axis of rotation of the hinge that is a maximum of three times the size and preferably half the size of the thickness of the tensioning band at the respective connection point. Thus, breaking or tearing of the tensioning band rarely occurs.

Claims

1. A flap closure comprising: a closure body and a flap cover which are connected to one another by at least one hinge and by at least one tensioning band in order to achieve a snap-effect upon the opening and/or closing of the flap cover, wherein the at least one tensioning band in an unloaded state has at least three curved sections and a substantially straight section between each of two respectively adjacent curved sections in a cross section perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the at least one hinge, and the at least one tensioning band is not curved in opposite directions in said cross section.

2. The flap closure according to claim 1, wherein the curved sections in said cross section are arranged substantially symmetrical to a center of the at least one tensioning band between a connection point of the tensioning band to the closure body and a connection point of the tensioning band to the flap cover.

3. The flap closure according to claim 1, wherein the curved sections said cross section are not arranged substantially symmetrical to a center of the at least one tensioning band between connection point of the tensioning band to the closure body and a connection point of the tensioning band to the flap cover.

4. The flap closure according to claim 1, wherein there is an odd number of curved sections.

5. The flap closure according to claim 1, wherein there is an even number of curved sections.

6. A flap closure comprising a closure body and a flap cover which are connected to one another by at least one hinge and by at least one tensioning band in order to achieve a snap-effect upon an opening and/or closing of the flap cover, wherein a distance from a tangent at a center line between at least two edges of the at least one tensioning band at a connection point of the at least one tensioning band with the closure body and/or from a tangent at a center line between the at least two edges of the at least one tensioning band at a connection point of the at least one tensioning band with the flap cover to an axis of rotation of the at least one hinge is at most three times a thickness of the at least one tensioning band at the respective connection point in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the at least one hinge in an unloaded state of the at least one tensioning band.

7. The flap closure according to claim 6, wherein the at least one tensioning band is curved throughout in said cross section.

8. The flap closure according to claim 6 wherein the at least one tensioning band in the unloaded state has at least three curved sections and a substantially straight section between each of two respectively adjacent curved sections in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the at least one hinge, and the at least one tensioning band is not curved in opposite directions in said cross section.

9. The flap closure according to claim 1, wherein the tensioning band barely projects or does not at all project radially outwardly beyond lateral surfaces in a closed state of the flap closure.

Description

[0033] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are depicted in the accompanying drawings in conjunction with the following description. Thereby shown are:

[0034] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a flap closure from the prior art in the injection position;

[0035] FIG. 2 a view of a tensioning band of the prior art flap closure according to FIG. 1 in a composite perspective and sectional view;

[0036] FIG. 3 a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a tensioning band of a first realization of a flap closure according to the first solution to the task;

[0037] FIG. 4 a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a tensioning band of a second realization of a flap closure according to the first solution to the task;

[0038] FIG. 5 a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a tensioning band of a flap closure according to the second solution to the task;

[0039] FIG. 6 the tensioning band of the flap closure according to FIG. 5 in a partially open position of the flap closure at maximum tensile stress;

[0040] FIG. 7 a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a further realization of a tensioning band of a flap closure according to the second solution to the task;

[0041] FIG. 8 the tensioning band of the flap closure according to FIG. 7 in a partially open position of the flap closure at maximum tensile stress.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a flap closure from the prior art in the injection position, which corresponds to the position of the flap cover being opened 180 degrees. FIGS. 2 to 5 also show details from a flap closure in this position.

[0043] The flap closure according to FIG. 1 comprises a closure body 1 having a cylindrical lateral surface 3 and a closed cap surface 4 which closes off the lateral surface 3 at its upper end face. The lateral surface 3 can of course also be differently shaped, for example oval or polygonal. The cap surface 4 exhibits two sections at different heights. A dispensing opening 5 is located in the middle of the higher situated section of the cap surface 4 through which a product, for example a shower gel or a shampoo, can exit.

[0044] A connecting device is arranged on the inner side of the lateral surface 3 (not visible in FIG. 1), in particular an internal thread, by means of which the closure body 1 can be attached onto a container, particularly having a corresponding external thread. The connecting device can also be part of a snap closure, whereby the other part of the snap closure is arranged on the container. Furthermore, a seal can be arranged in the area of the connection between the closure body 1 and the container in order to prevent the leaking of product between the closure body 1 and the container.

[0045] The flap cover 2 likewise has a cylindrical lateral surface 6 of virtually the same radius as the lateral surface 3 of the closure body 1. The lower end face of the lateral surface 6 of the flap cover 2 (in the open position of the flap cover 2 as shown in FIG. 1) is closed off by a cap surface 7. A sealing plug 8 protruding into the interior of the lateral surface 6 in the middle of the cap surface 7 engages into the dispensing opening 5 and tightly seals it when the flap cover 2 is closed.

[0046] In the exemplary embodiment as depicted, the closure body 1 and the flap cover 2 are manufactured in one piece by injection molding. The pivotability of the flap cover 2 with respect to the closure body 1 is achieved by a living hinge 9 which connects the closure body 1 to the edge of the lateral surface 6 of the flap cover 2 facing away from the cap surface 7 at the height of the lower section of the cap surface 4 of the closure body 1. As clearly visible in FIG. 2, the upper edge of the lower section of the cap surface 4 of the closure body 1, the hinge 9 and the upper edge of the lateral surface 6 of the flap cover 2 (in the open position) thus lie in the same plane.

[0047] Furthermore, the closure body 1 and the flap cover 2 are connected by two tensioning bands 10 arranged on both sides of the hinge 9 in circumferential view.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a view of one of the tensioning bands 10 of the flap closure from the prior art according to FIG. 1 in a composite perspective and sectional view, whereby the axis of the hinge 9 runs perpendicular to the image plane. The same reference numerals in the figures also signify the same flap closure elements.

[0049] The connection points 15a, 15b of the tensioning band 10 to the closure body 1 or to the flap cover 2 respectively are arranged on the respective lateral surface 3 and 6 and are thus situated lower than the plane of the hinge 9. Niches 11 and 12 are arranged in lateral surfaces 3 and 6 directly above the connection points 15a, 15b of the tensioning band 10 into which the tensioning band 10 comes to rest when the flap cover 2 is fully closed.

[0050] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the tensioning band 10 has a curved section 13a and 13b at its respective connection points 15a, 15b to the closure body 1 and to the flap cover 2. A flat or respectively straight section 14a in cross section extends therebetween.

[0051] When the flap cover 2 is closed from the shown open position or conversely opened from the closed position, the distance thus increases between said connection points 15a, 15b due to the arrangement of the connection points 15a, 15b of the tensioning band 10 to the closure body 1 or to the flap cover 2 respectively. The tensioning band 10 is thus stretched. The straight section 14a is then primarily subject to a tensile stress whereas the curved sections 13a and 13b are subject to a superposition of bending stress and tensile stress. Due to this superposition of forces, the greatest states of stress within the tensioning band 10 ensue in the curved sections 13a and 13b which are stretched fully; i.e. “straightened,” upon the maximum load being applied. This can lead to the breaking or tearing of the tensioning band 10, particularly in the area of the connection points 15a, 15b to the closure body 1 or to the flap cover 2 respectively.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a tensioning band 10 of a first realization of a flap closure according to the first solution to the task. The tensioning band 10 thereby has three curved sections 13a, 13b, 13c, wherein a straight section 14a runs between curved sections 13a and 13b and a straight section 14b runs between curved sections 13b and 13c. The bending stresses which occur in the curved sections 13a, 13b, 13c are thus distributed over more curved sections and are therefore smaller per each curved section.

[0053] At the same time, the course of the tensioning band 10 from its connection point 15a with the closure body 1 to its connection point 15b with the flap cover 2 is always only curved in the same direction viewed in cross section, and that being clockwise in the view depicted in FIG. 3. The average angle of curvature at the curved sections 13a, 13b, 13c can thereby be kept smaller than would be with the same number of curved sections with different sections curving in opposite directions.

[0054] Due to the arrangement of the curved sections 13a, 13b, 13c, particularly a portion of the bending stress is shifted from the break-critical areas at the connection points 15a, 15b to the non-critical center of the tensioning band 10, whereby the bending stress at the connection points 15a, 15b is reduced.

[0055] Moreover, the tensioning band 10 does not or only barely projects radially outwardly beyond the lateral surfaces 3 and 6 in the closed state of the flap closure and is thus barely perceptible to the user.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a tensioning band 10 of a second realization of a flap closure according to the first solution to the task. The tensioning band 10 thereby exhibits four curved sections 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, wherein straight section 14a runs between curved sections 13a and 13b, straight section 14b runs between curved sections 13b and 13c, and straight section 14c runs between curved sections 13c and 13d.

[0057] Due to the increased number of curved sections 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, the bending stress in each of said curved sections 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d is further reduced.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a tensioning band 10 of a flap closure according to the second solution to the task.

[0059] The tensioning band 10 thereby exhibits a straight section 14a, 14b at the respective connection points 15a, 15b to the closure body 1 or to the flap cover 2 respectively between which runs a curved section 13a. The straight sections 14a and 14b are of different lengths.

[0060] However, the straight sections 14a and 14b could just as easily be the same length. The straight sections 14a and 14b are connected at such an angle to the closure body 1 or to the flap cover 2 respectively that the extension of the center lines T1, T2 of the straight sections 14a and 14b (corresponding to the tangents to these center lines if they were curved sections) runs exactly or nearly exactly through the axis of the hinge 9. The distance from the respective center line T1, T2 to the axis of rotation of the hinge 9 is thus almost or exactly zero.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows the tensioning band 10 of the flap closure according to FIG. 5 in a partially open position of the flap cover 2. The opening position of the flap cover 2 is thereby selected such that the axis of the hinge 9 lies between the connection points 15a, 15b of the tensioning band 10 to the closure body 1 or to the flap cover 2 respectively. In this position, the tensile stress acting on the tensioning band 10 is at a maximum and the tensioning band 10 is fully stretched into a straight line. However, due to the described angular position of the connection points 15a, 15b of the tensioning band 10 to the closure body 1 or to the flap cover 2 respectively, no or only slight bending stresses occur at these connection points 15a, 15b. Breaking or tearing of the tensioning band 10 thus occurs less frequently at these points.

[0062] FIG. 7 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a further realization of a tensioning band 10 of a flap closure according to the second solution to the task and FIG. 8 shows the tensioning band 10 of the flap closure according to FIG. 7 in a partially open position of said flap cover 2.

[0063] The arrangement according to FIGS. 7 and 8 substantially differs from the arrangement according to FIGS. 5 and 6 in that, on the one hand, the tensioning band 10 in the stretched state (FIG. 8) does not run exactly through the axis of rotation of the hinge 9 in cross section but rather at a slight distance therefrom. On the other hand, the extension of the center lines T1, T2 of straight sections 14a and 14b does not run exactly through the axis of the hinge 9. However, the distance from the respective center line T1, T2 to the rotational axis of the hinge 9 is less than the thickness of the tensioning band 10 at the respective connection point 15a, 15b.

[0064] Otherwise, the arrangement and functioning of the tensioning band 10 in FIGS. 7 and 8 largely correspond to those of the tensioning band 10 in FIGS. 5 and 6 and will therefore not be described again.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0065] 1 closure body

[0066] 2 flap cover

[0067] 3 lateral surface of the closure body

[0068] 4 cap surface of the closure body

[0069] 5 dispensing opening

[0070] 6 lateral surface of the flap cover

[0071] 7 cap surface of the flap cover

[0072] 8 sealing plug

[0073] 9 hinge

[0074] 10 tensioning band

[0075] 11 niche in the lateral surface of the closure body

[0076] 12 niche in the lateral surface of the flap cover

[0077] 13a-13d curved section

[0078] 14a-14c straight section

[0079] 15a, 15b connection points

[0080] T1, T2 tangents