Nozzle for a two-chamber container for mixing two components and applying the mixture

Abstract

A nozzle for a two-chamber container for mixing two components and applying the mixture, comprises a foldable nozzle body, comprising a mainly ring-shaped connecting part for connecting the nozzle to a container body, wherein the connecting part is arranged at an outer diameter, a tip arranged mainly in the center of the nozzle body, the tip comprises a predetermined breaking line for providing an outlet in broken state, at least one intermediate folding ring connecting the tip with the connecting part so that the tip is movable relative to the connecting part in axial direction between a folded state, where the tip is arranged mainly radially inside the connecting part, and an unfolded state, where the tip is arranged mainly outside the connecting part, and a cover plate connected with the tip.

Claims

1. A nozzle for a two-chamber container for mixing two components and applying the mixture, the nozzle comprising a foldable nozzle body made from a flexible material, the nozzle body comprising a mainly ring-shaped connecting part for connecting the nozzle body to a container body, wherein the connecting part is arranged at an outermost diameter of the nozzle body, a tip arranged mainly in the center of the nozzle body, wherein the tip comprises a predetermined breaking line for opening an outlet of the tip, if the predetermined breaking line is in a broken state, at least one intermediate folding ring connecting the tip with the connecting part such that the tip is movable relative to the connecting part in axial direction between a folded state and an unfolded state, wherein, if the tip is in the folded state, the tip is arranged mainly radially inside the connecting part, and wherein, if the tip is in the unfolded state, the tip is arranged mainly outside the connecting part, and a cover plate connected with the tip at the predetermined breaking line of the tip and directly covering the outlet of the tip, if the tip is in the folded state and positioned inside a volume bordered by the intermediate folding ring directly connected to the connecting part, wherein, if the tip is in the unfolded state and the nozzle body is located in an upright position, a total length of the tip is defined between a bottommost end of the tip adjacent to the intermediate folding ring and an uppermost end of the tip located opposite with respect to the bottommost end of the tip and adjacent to the outlet of the tip, and wherein, if the tip is in the unfolded state and the nozzle body is located in the upright position, the cover plate, the predetermined breaking line of the tip and the outlet of the tip are provided at the uppermost end of the tip, and further wherein, if the nozzle body is located in the upright position, the predetermined breaking line is provided at a transition area between the tip and the cover plate at the uppermost end of the tip.

2. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein, if the tip is in the folded state, the intermediate folding ring directly borders a maximum area A.sub.fr in folded state and the cover plate comprises an area A.sub.cp, wherein the ratio A.sub.cp/A.sub.fr is 0.75A.sub.cp/A.sub.fr 1.20.

3. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined breaking line is breakable by at least one selected from turning the cover plate and pulling the cover plate.

4. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the tip is movable from the folded state to the unfolded state along an opening direction and is movable in the folded state against the opening direction along an opposite pushing direction.

5. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the tip is movable from the folded state to the unfolded state due to a minimum pressure p applied to the at least one selected from the intermediate folding ring and the tip, wherein the minimum pressure p is applicable to a part of the intermediate folding ring directly connected with the connecting part by means of an outlet connection of a container, wherein 0.40 bar p 3.00 bar applies.

6. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting part comprises a thread for being thread onto an outlet connection of the container.

7. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle body is one-piece made from a thermoplastic elastomer.

8. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the nozzle body is thinner at a transition between at least one selected from (i) the connecting part and the intermediate folding ring, (ii) the intermediate folding ring and a further intermediate folding ring, and (iii) the intermediate folding ring and the tip.

9. A container for storing and mixing two components, the container comprising an upper chamber for storing a first component, a lower chamber for storing a second component and mixing the first component with the second component, a connection channel connecting the upper chamber with the lower chamber, a plug for sealing the connection channel, wherein the plug is movably receivable by the connection channel, and the nozzle according to claim 1 connected to an outlet connection provided by the upper chamber.

10. The container according to claim 9, wherein the tip of the nozzle is moveable relative to the connecting part of the nozzle body towards the lower chamber of the container such that the tip pushes the plug through the connection channel into the lower chamber.

11. The container according to claim 9, wherein the plug comprises a stem protruding at least partially through the upper chamber towards the tip of the nozzle.

12. The container according to claim 9, wherein the outlet connection comprises an outer thread for screwing the nozzle with the upper chamber of the container.

13. The container according to claim 12, wherein the outlet connection abuts the intermediate folding ring of the nozzle for pushing the tip from the folded state into the unfolded state, when the nozzle is screwed onto the upper chamber of the container.

14. The container according to claim 9, wherein a first component and a second component are provided, wherein a mixture of the first component and the second component produces a gaseous component increasing an inside gas pressure inside the container.

15. The container according to claim 9, wherein at least the lower chamber is made from a flexible material.

16. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein, if the tip is in the folded state, said volume is enclosed between the connecting part, the intermediate folding ring and the cover plate.

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: shows a schematic sectional side view of a two-chamber container in exploded view,

(3) FIG. 2: shows a schematic sectional side view of a detail of a plug of the container of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3: shows a schematic sectional side view of a nozzle of the container of FIG. 1 in folded state,

(5) FIG. 4: shows a schematic sectional side view of the two-chamber container of FIG. 1 in assembled state and

(6) FIG. 5: shows a schematic sectional side view of the two-chamber container of FIG. 3 in unfolded state.

(7) The two-chamber container 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a bottle body 12 by which an upper chamber 14 and a lower chamber 16 connected via a connecting channel 18 is provided one-piece. The connecting channel 18 is formed by a narrow neck 20 between the upper chamber 14 and the lower chamber 16. In the illustrated embodiment the bottle body 12 of the upper chamber 16 forms an outlet connection 22 which is provided with an outer thread 24. A nozzle 26 can be screwed with the outlet connector 22 of the upper chamber 14 via an inner thread 28 provided by a circular ring-shaped connecting part 30.

(8) A plug 32 is provided comprising a plug part 34 for plugging the connection channel 18. The plug 32 comprises a stem 36 connected with the plug part 34 and terminating in a rounded head 38. As illustrated in FIG. 2 showing detail II of FIG. 1 the plug part 34 may comprise at least one, particularly several, like three, circumferential lamellae 40 protruding in radial direction from the plug part 34. The free ends of the lamellae 40 are slightly bended upwards facilitating inserting the plug 32 into the connecting channel 18.

(9) The nozzle 26 as illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises at least one intermediate folding ring 42, wherein in the illustrated embodiment exactly one folding ring 42 is provided. The folding ring 42 is connected with the connecting part via a reduced thickness of the material of a nozzle body 44 so that a film hinge 46 is provided. A funnel-like tip 48 is provided in the centre of the nozzle body 44 also connected via a reduced thickness of the material of a nozzle body 44 so that another film hinge 46 is provided. Due to the flexible material of the nozzle body 44 and/or the provided film hinges 46 the nozzle 26 is foldable into the folded state as illustrated in FIG. 3 and can be unfolded into an unfolded state by moving the tip 48 relative to the connecting part 30 along an opening direction 58.

(10) The tip 48 comprises an outlet 50 pointing mainly upwards when the container 10 is placed onto a ground via a standing surface 52 of the lower chamber 16 in upright position of the container 10. The outlet 50 is closed with a cover plate 52 extending in mainly radial direction. The thickness of the material of the nozzle body 44 between the cover plate 52 and the tip 48 is such small that a circumferential breaking line 54 is provided. When the cover plate 52 is turned or pulled the cover plate 52 can be sheared off the tip 48 opening the outlet 50. In the illustrated embodiment the cover plate 52 is mainly complete arranged inside a volume 56 radially bordered by the folding ring 42. Further the cover plate 52 is mainly flush with the transition area between the connecting part 30 and the folding ring 42 so that the tip 48 is mainly not accessible from outside the volume 56. The transition area between the connecting part 30 and the folding ring 42 defines an upper rim 57 of the folding ring 42 in the folded state. The cover plate 52 may comprise an outside surface 55 pointing away from the tip 48, wherein the whole, particularly even, outside surface 55 is flush with the upper rim 57 of the folding ring 42 in the illustrated folded state. Further it is possible that the whole outside surface 55 of the cover plate 52 is arranged below the level of the upper rim 57. No part protrudes from the outside surface 55 of the cover plate 52 upwards and even more no part of the cover plate 52 or part directly connected to the cover plate 52 protrudes above the level of the upper rim 57 of the folding ring 42 in the folded state.

(11) In assembled state of the two-chamber container 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4 the upper chamber 14 comprises a first component 60 and the lower chamber 16 comprises a second component 62, wherein the first component 60 and the second component 62 are separated from each other by the plug 32 inserted into the connecting channel 18 so that the connecting channel 18 is sealed by the plug 32. The plug 32 may reach close to the tip 48 or abutting the tip 48.

(12) When a person presses the cover plate 52 against the opening direction 58 along a pushing direction 64, the tip 48 is pressed downwards so that in turn the plug 32 is also pressed downwards out of the connecting channel 18 falling into the lower chamber 16. After this the connecting channel 18 is open and the first component 60 flows through the connecting channel 18 into the lower chamber 16 for being mixed with the second component 62. Due to the flexibility of the nozzle body 44 the tip 48 moves back in the folded state when no pressure applies anymore in pushing direction 64. In this situation an upper rim 66 of the outlet connector 22 may be spaced to the folding ring 42.

(13) For unfolding the nozzle 26 the nozzle body 44 may be screwed further onto the outlet connector 22 until the upper rim 66 of the outlet connector 22 meets the folding ring 22. When the nozzle 26 is screwed further the pressure applied from the upper rim 66 to the folding ring 22 in opening direction 58 increases until the folding ring 22 together with the tip 48 pops out in the unfolded state as illustrated in FIG. 5. In the unfolded state of the nozzle 26 of the tip 48 becomes accessible so that the cover plate 52 can be sheared off easily for opening the outlet 50 of the tip 48.