CONTAINER SEAL

Abstract

A container seal includes a locking bolt, which has on one end portion or central portion thereof a push-in/latch compartment which is open in the transverse direction relative to the lock axis and is formed or provided with an undercut acting in the direction of the latch compartment opening; a clip or tab, wherein the clip or tab is arranged on the other end portion of the locking bolt; and a bolt or bar which is arranged on the free end/end portion of the clip or tab and has on the free end/end portion thereof a latch device which is coupled to the bolt via a predetermined breaking point.

Claims

1. A container seal for a sterile container, the container seal comprising: a fold tab having a first section, a second section, and a bending line between the first section and the second section, the second section being pivotable relative to the first section along the bending line; a locking bolt having a first bolt end fixed to the first section of the fold tab and a second bolt end extending freely away from the first section; and a locking pin having a first pin end fixed to the second section of the fold tab and a second pin end extending freely away from the second section, the second bolt end of the locking bolt defining a latch compartment with at least one indentation, the second pin end being connected to a latch with at least one wing, the second section of the fold tab being pivotable relative to the first section between a first position, in which the latch is outside of the latch compartment, and a second position, in which the latch is positioned in the latch compartment, the locking pin defining a longitudinal groove, the latch compartment comprising a centering projection configured to slidingly engage the latch and enter the longitudinal groove when the second section of the fold tab is pivoted from the first position to the second position, and the at least one wing configured to lockingly engage the at least one indentation in the latch compartment when the second section of the fold tab is pivoted to the second position to lock the locking pin in the latch compartment.

2. The container seal according to claim 1, wherein the locking bolt has a bolt length between the first bolt end and the second bolt end, and the locking pin has a pin length between the first pin end and the second pin end, the bolt length being greater than the pin length.

3. The container seal according to claim 1, wherein the fold tab comprises a plate having a front face and a rear face, and wherein the locking bolt and the locking pin extend from the rear face of the plate.

4. The container seal according to claim 1, wherein the second pin end of the locking pin is connected to the latch by a breakable section between the second pin end and the latch.

5. A container seal for a sterile container, the container seal comprising: a plate having a first section, a second section, and a hinge between the first section and the second section; a locking bolt having a first bolt end fixed to the first section of the plate and a second bolt end extending freely away from the first section; and a locking pin having a first pin end fixed to the second section of the plate and a second pin end extending freely away from the second section, the second bolt end comprising a tapered insertion end for insertion into an opening of a sterile container, the locking bolt defining a latch compartment between the tapered insertion end and the first pin end, the second pin end connected to a latch, the second section of the plate being pivotable relative to the first section along the hinge between a first position, in which the latch is outside of the latch compartment, and a second position, in which the latch is positioned in the latch compartment, and the latch configured to enter the latch compartment and lockingly engage an indentation when the second section of the plate is pivoted to the second position to lock the locking pin in the latch compartment.

6. The container seal according to claim 5, wherein: the locking bolt defines a bolt length between the first bolt end and the tapered insertion end, the locking pin defines a pin length between the first pin end and the latch, and the bolt length is greater than the pin length.

7. The container seal according to claim 5, wherein the plate comprises a front face and a rear face, and wherein the locking bolt and the locking pin extend from the rear face of the plate.

8. The container seal according to claim 5, wherein the second pin end of the locking pin is connected to the latch by a breakable section between the second pin end and the latch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0032] The invention is explained in more detail below by means of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a (sterile supply) container seal with a catch cage according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in the open/unlocked state (construction position),

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the seal according to FIG. 1,

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the seal according to FIG. 1 in an open state,

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the seal according to FIG. 1, but in a closed/locked state and

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the seal according to FIG. 1, but in a broken/torn-off condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] According to FIGS. 1 to 3, the sterile supply-container seal 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention has a locking bolt or bar 3, at one end portion of which, preferably end/front side, a clip or fold tab 5 is arranged/formed, preferably in one piece of material, which in the construction position (unactuated state) according to FIG. 3 preferably extends essentially at right angles to the longitudinal axis S of the locking bolt 3. At one end portion, the fold tab 5 forms a push/actuation surface or button 7 approximately in the area of the locking bolt 3, the tab side of which faces away from the locking bolt 3, and at its other end portion it forms a (manually) bendable or foldable connection strap 9, at the free end/end portion of which a bolt or pin 13 is arranged, preferably in one piece of material, which preferably extends essentially at right angles to the fold tab/connection strap on its tab side facing the locking bolt 3.

[0039] In the present case, the fold tab 5 has a predetermined bending line/predetermined bending bar 11 which divides/separates the push/actuation button 7 from the connection strap 9. It should be expressly noted at this point that the predetermined bending line 11 is purely optional and instead only the flexibility of the connection strap 9 can be used to bend it. Finally, the side of the fold tab 5 facing away from the locking bolt 3 can serve as a carrier surface for an indicator device (not shown further) which can indicate the sterilization state of the container (for example by discoloration as a result of a heating process).

[0040] At the free end/end portion of the bolt 13, a latch device 15 is preferably arranged as a single piece of material, according to FIG. 2 preferably in the form of an anchor with two flexible/elastic wings 15b set in the manner of arrows and optionally of a stop surface 15c, which is formed on the free front side of the bolt/latch device. Finally, the bolt 13 has a longitudinal groove 13a, which is formed on the free connection-strap front side between connection groove 9 and latch device 15, the latch device 15 forming a centering surface/centering device 15d axially between the two wings 15a, which is aligned in axial extension to the longitudinal groove 13a.

[0041] The locking bolt 3 forms at its free end portion a preferably beak-shaped insertion inclination 3a, and in a central portion it forms a push-in/latch compartment 17 open in the direction of the bolt 13. This push-in/latch compartment 17 has approximately an inner dimension corresponding to the outer dimension of the bolt 13, in particular of the latch device 15, in such a way that the latter can be inserted into the push-in/latch compartment 17. In addition, indentations 17a, 17b are formed on two opposing side walls of the push-in/latch compartment 17 into which the wings 15a, 15b of the anchor-shaped latch device 15 latch (or engage) when it is inserted into the push-in/latch compartment 17. In order to limit this insertion movement, the push-in/latch compartment 17 optionally forms a compartment bottom 17c against which the stop surface 15c of the latch device can abut. Finally, a plate-shaped or wedge-shaped projection 17d is formed/arranged on the push-in/latch compartment 17, which projects into the push-in/latch compartment 17 and optionally forms a kind of blade/cutting edge at its free front edge. The projection 17d is arranged in such a way that it comes into sliding engagement with the centering surface 15d on the latch device 15 of the bolt 13 when the latter is inserted into the push-in/latch compartment 17.

[0042] Optionally, a material application (thickening) or a strip-shaped projection 3b can be formed on the locking bolt 3 in the area of the clip/fold tab 5, which is provided to compensate for dimensional tolerances and, if applicable, to brace/clamp the locking bolt 3 in the passage opening of an element to be sealed of the container.

[0043] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the principle of operation of the container seal according to the invention.

[0044] Accordingly, the seal 1 is provided and designed for the locking bolt 3 to be inserted as a rigid/non-destructible sealing component into the overlapping passage openings of two elements of a sterile supply container, for example, which are movable relative to each other, in order to lock them against relative movement. Such elements can be, for example, a container lid and a container tray or two levers of an opening/closing mechanism of the container or similar elements. At this point, it should be noted that these elements are not part of the subject matter itself, but merely describe a possible application of the seal 1 according to the invention for a better technical understanding of its operation.

[0045] As soon as the locking bolt 3 is inserted into the passage openings mentioned (not shown) in such a way that the fold tab 5 is on one side and the push-in/latch compartment 17 is on the other side of the elements to be locked, the connection strap 9 is bent/folded and the bolt 13, in particular the latch device 15 at the free end of the bolt 13, is pushed into the push-in/latch compartment 17 until the two wings 15a, 15b of the latch device 15 latch (or engage) in the indentations 17a, 17b on the push-in/latch compartment 17 and thus lock the seal 1. This push-in movement is assisted by the wedge-shaped projection 17d, which slides along in/on the centering device 15d and finally engages in the longitudinal groove 13a on the bolt. The insertion path is finally limited by the compartment bottom 17a, on which the stop surface 15d of the latch device 15 abuts.

[0046] In order to break the seal according to the invention and to be able to move the two sealed container elements relatively again, essentially two operations are required according to the invention:

[0047] First, the bolt 13 has to be pulled/torn out of the push-in/latch compartment 17 by tearing the latch device 15 off the bolt 13. This tear-off process can, for example, be (additionally) supported by the wedge-shaped projection 17d, which, as already indicated above, optionally forms a cutting edge on its free front edge, which (if technically implemented) rests against a transition area forming a predetermined breaking point between bolt 13 and anchor-shaped latch(-in) device 15 and shears off the latch device 15 when the bolt 13 is pulled out. If no corresponding cutting edge is formed, the predetermined breaking point between bolt 13 and latching device 15 is torn apart solely by the manual actuation/pulling force on the bolt 13. Since the wings 15a, 15b of the latch device 15 remain latched/engaged/(inter)locked in the two indentations 17a, 17b of the push-in/latch compartment 17, the (fragmented) latch device remains inside the push-in/latch compartment 17 in the additional function of a catch cage. This condition is shown in FIG. 5.

[0048] Only now can the locking bolt preventing the relative movement of the two sealed container elements be pulled manually from the passage openings of the container elements concerned, which are not shown further, in order to release their relative movement.