Closure Cap For A Detergent Bottle

Abstract

A closure cap for a detergent bottle, the closure cap including at least one cap wall having a plurality of surface elements spaced apart from one another. The surface elements each have a circumferential edge, starting from which the particular surface element extends from a datum plane of the cap wall, and which surrounds a base of the surface element located in the datum plane of the cap wall. In order to form a smooth transition from the datum plane that does not have a notch effect, a radius of curvature is provided at the circumferential edge that is larger than the largest longitudinal extent of the base of the surface element.

Claims

1. A closure cap for a detergent bottle, the closure cap comprising at least one cap wall having a plurality of surface elements spaced apart from one another, each having a circumferential edge, starting from which the particular surface element extends from a datum plane of the cap wall, and which surrounds a base of the surface element located in the datum plane of the cap wall, wherein, in order to form a smooth transition from the datum plane, a radius of curvature is provided at the circumferential edge, which radius of curvature is larger than the largest longitudinal extent of the base of the surface element.

2. The closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the base of the surface element is circular.

3. The closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the surface element is designed as an outwardly directed raised surface portion.

4. The closure cap according to claim 3, wherein the raised surface portion is formed in one piece with the cap wall and is made of the same material as the cap wall.

5. The closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature is at least twice as large as the largest longitudinal extent of the base of the surface element.

6. The closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the largest height or largest depth of the surface element is less than one tenth of the largest longitudinal extent of the base of the surface element.

7. The closure cap according to claim 6, wherein the largest height or largest depth of the surface element is less than one tenth of the smallest longitudinal extent of the base of the surface element.

8. The closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap wall is a cylindrical or conical lateral face, the surface elements being arranged over the entire circumference of the lateral face.

9. The closure cap according to claim 7, wherein the number of surface elements varies in the circumferential direction of the lateral face.

10. The closure cap according to claim 1, wherein an internal thread is provided for screwing onto the detergent bottle.

11. The closure cap according to claim 1, characterized by a seal made of a material that is softer than the material of the cap wall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The invention is described in more detail with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:

[0021] FIGS. 1A-1C shows a detergent bottle comprising a closure cap in different views;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the closure cap; and

[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal section through a surface element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a detergent bottle 1 in three different views. FIG. 1A shows the container in a front view, FIG. 1B shows the container in a first side view and FIG. 1C shows the container in a second side view. The detergent bottle 1 comprises a main body 2, which defines an interior space for receiving the liquid detergent. The volume of the interior space can be, for example, from 500 ml to 5000 ml. In the embodiment shown, a handle 3 is molded into one side of the main body 2.

[0025] A closure cap 10 is placed on an upper end of the main body 2. The closure cap 10 has a cylindrical basic shape. A region 12 having circular surface elements 13 is provided on a slightly conical cap wall 11, which represents a lateral face of the cylindrical basic shape. As a result, the closure cap 10 can be used to effectively rub the detergent into particularly heavily soiled regions of the laundry to be cleaned. Furthermore, the surface elements 13 facilitate the handling of the closure cap 10 by increasing its surface roughness. It can be seen that the region 12 is not symmetrical, but has a particular orientation with respect to the main body 2 or the handle 3. For example, a lower end 14 of the region 12 is arranged precisely above the handle 3. There are more surface elements 13 (see FIG. 1C) above the handle 3 than in the lateral face region of the closure cap 10 that is offset by 180 (see FIG. 1A).

[0026] The closure cap 10 is placed on a pouring aid 4, which is almost completely concealed in FIG. 1, which aid is screwed to the main body 2 by a thread (not visible). The pouring aid 4, which should theoretically be assigned to the detergent bottle 1, has an external thread onto which the closure cap 10 can be screwed.

[0027] In a central region, the closure cap 10 (see FIG. 2) has a cylindrical outer wall 15 and a cylindrical inner wall 16, which define a receiving space 17. Owing to the cylindrical walls 15, 16, the receiving space 17 assumes the shape of an annular cylinder. In the view of FIG. 2, the annular cylinder is open at the bottom.

[0028] An annular seal 18 is arranged in the receiving space 17, which makes it possible to seal the pouring aid 4, onto the external thread of which aid the closure cap 10 can be screwed. For this purpose, the closure cap 10 has an internal thread 20, which is also arranged in the receiving space 17. Above the receiving space 17, the slightly conical cap wall/lateral face 11 extends as far as a circular flat end wall 19. The surface elements 13 can be seen schematically in FIG. 2.

[0029] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the detergent can be measured and dosed using the substantially rotationally symmetrical closure cap 10. Correspondingly, markings are provided in a lower region for an amount of 50 ml or 70 ml, for example. When the closure cap 10 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the lower region projects into the detergent bottle 1.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through a single surface element 13. The surface element 13 is shown as a hatched portion. The cap wall or the lateral face 11 defines a datum plane E from which the surface element 13 extends.

[0031] The surface element 13 has a circumferential edge 21 which is formed as a circle in the embodiment of FIG. 3. This circle has a diameter D. The surface element 13 is intended to be symmetrical about a central axis 22.

[0032] The maximum height of the surface element 13 is H. With a diameter D of the circumferential edge 21 of from 1.7 to 1.9 mm, H is preferably less than 0.2 mm, for example from 0.1 to 0.16 mm.

[0033] In order to form a smooth transition from the datum plane E, a radius of curvature 23 is provided which is larger than the diameter D. The diameter D corresponds to the largest longitudinal extent of a base of the surface element. Here, the base is a circular surface of the circle having the diameter D. The radius of curvature 23 is approximately 110% of the diameter D.

[0034] Starting from the circumferential edge 21, the contour of the surface element 13 initially follows the radius of curvature 23 or the associated circular path 24 until the contour reaches a central region 25 of the surface element 13. An inner diameter 26 can be assigned to the central region 25. In the central region 25, the contour of the surface element 13 no longer follows the circular path 24, but instead forms a rounded, convex center 27. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the inner diameter 26 is approximately 35% of the diameter D of the base. The inner diameter 26 can be 25 to 60% (preferably 30 to 50%) of the diameter D. The contour of the surface element has an inflection point in the central region 25 or also directly at its outer boundary.

[0035] Due to the particularly smooth transition created by the large radius of curvature 23, the surface element 13 does not lead to undesirable stress peaks in the material of the closure cap 10 when, as simulated in the drop test, the closure cap 10 is exposed to high impact forces. Instead, the surface elements 13 result in the forces being dispersed or deflected, and therefore the forces do not penetrate the seal 18 or the internal thread 20 without being damped or impeded or cause damage to the seal or the internal thread.

[0036] As already mentioned, as an alternative to the raised, concave embodiment shown in FIG. 3, which protrudes upward from the datum plane E, the surface elements 13 can also have a convex design that extends downward into the datum plane E.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0037] 1 container [0038] 2 main body [0039] 3 handle [0040] 4 pouring aid [0041] 10 closure cap [0042] 11 cap wall/lateral face [0043] 12 region [0044] 13 surface element [0045] 14 lower end [0046] 15 outer wall [0047] 16 inner wall [0048] 17 receiving space [0049] 18 seal [0050] 19 end wall [0051] 20 internal thread [0052] 21 circumferential edge [0053] 22 central axis [0054] 23 radius of curvature [0055] 24 circular path [0056] 25 central region [0057] 26 inner diameter [0058] 27 center