CARTRIDGE FOR AT LEAST TWO FLOWABLE COMPONENTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a cartridge for at least two flowable components. The invention starts from a cartridge having at least two storage containers into which pistons can be inserted for dispensing components. So that the pistons cannot slip out of the storage containers again after the insertion, peripheral beads are provided at inner walls of the storage containers. To make possible cartridges which can be manufactured inexpensively and which can nevertheless be reliably sealed, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the first inner wall has a first connection section and the second inner wall has a second connection section in which they do not have a bead. A connection web which connects the two storage containers is in this respect arranged between the first and second connection sections.

Claims

1. A cartridge configured to receive at least two flowable components comprising: a first storage chamber configured to receive a first component, the first storage chamber having a first inner wall extending between a filling end of the cartridge and a discharge end of the cartridge, the first storage chamber further having a first filling opening arranged at the filling end, the first storage chamber being further configured to receive a first piston through the first filling opening to sealingly close the first storage chamber; a second storage chamber connected to the first storage chamber by a connection web, the second storage chamber being configured to receive a second component and having a second inner wall extending between the filling end and the discharge end, the second storage chamber having a second filling opening arranged at the filling end and being further configured to receive a second piston through the second filling opening to sealingly close the second storage chamber; and a component outlet arranged at the discharge end, the first and second inner walls each having a peripheral bead disposed in a region of the first and second storage chambers having the first and second filling openings, the peripheral bead of the first inner wall extending in a circumferential direction on the first inner wall and the peripheral bead of the second inner wall extending in a circumferential direction on the first and second inner walls so that the peripheral beads of the first and second inner walls are configured to hold the first and second pistons inside the first and second storage chambers respectively, the first inner wall having an unbeaded first connection section and the second inner wall having an unbeaded second connection section, the connection web being arranged between the first and second connection sections.

2. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first or second connection sections include 10-40% of a periphery of the first or second inner walls.

3. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second inner walls have a round cross-section with a first and a second center point, respectively, the first and second connection sections being arranged symmetrical to a connection line between the first and second center points.

4. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the beads have a height between 0.2 and 0.5 mm.

5. The cartridge in accordance with claim 4, wherein the beads have a width between 0.2 and 0.5 mm.

6. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first or second connection sections include 20-30% of a periphery of the first or second inner walls.

7. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first or second connection sections include 25% of a periphery of the first or second inner walls.

8. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the first and second connection sections extend over an angle that is 90 degrees.

9. The cartridge in accordance with claim 8, wherein the peripheral bead of the first inner wall extends over an angle that is 270 degrees and the peripheral bead of the second inner wall extends over an angle that is 270 degrees.

10. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the peripheral beads of the first and second inner walls extend along a majority of the first and second inner walls.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a cartridge in a cross section;

[0018] FIG. 2 is the cartridge of FIG. 1 in a plan view of its filling end;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a detail of a cartridge with a completely received core; and

[0020] FIG. 4 is the cartridge of FIG. 3 with a partly pulled-out core.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In accordance with FIG. 1, a cartridge 10 has a first storage chamber 11 with a predominately hollow cylindrical basic shape. At a filling end 14 of the cartridge 10, the first storage chamber 11 has a first filling opening 12 via which a first component can be filled into the first storage chamber 11. A first inner wall 13 of the first storage chamber 11 expends from the filling end 14 of the cartridge 10 up to a discharge end 15 of the cartridge 10. At the discharge end 15, the first storage chamber 11 has a first component outlet 16 via which the first component can be dispensed from the first storage chamber 11.

[0022] A first, predominately cylindrical piston 17 can be inserted into the first storage chamber 11 via the first filling opening 12. The first piston 17 is designed so that it tightly closes the first storage chamber 11 in the direction of the first filling opening 12 after the insertion. The first piston 17 is shown very schematically. It can in particular have soft sealing lips running around at the periphery. The first component can be pushed out of the first storage chamber 11 by displacing the first piston 17 in the direction of the first component outlet 16 and thus in the direction of a dispensing direction 9. The first piston 17 can be displaced in the direction of the first component outlet 16 by means of a dispensing device, not shown.

[0023] Parallel to the first storage chamber 11, an identically designed second storage chamber 21 is arranged which has a second filling opening 22, a second inner wall 23 and a second component outlet 26. A second piston 27, can be inserted analog to the first piston 17 into the second storage chamber 21. The two storage chambers 11 and 21 are connected to one another by means of a connection web 30.

[0024] In the region of the first and second filling openings 12, 22 respectively, the inner walls 13, 23 each have a bead 18, 28 partly running around. The beads 18, 28 serve to ensure that the pistons 17, 27 do not slip out again via the filling openings 12, 22 after the insertion into the storage chambers 11, 21. Since the beads 18, 28, as can be seen in FIG. 2, do not fully run around, they can each be seen only at the side of the inner walls 13, 23 disposed opposite the connection web 30. The beads 18, 28 are likewise only shown very schematically and additionally in a somewhat exaggerated matter. The beads 18, 28 have a width oriented in the dispensing direction 9 between 0.2 and 0.5 mm and have a height oriented inwardly, that is in the direction of the connection web 30, between 0.2 and 0.5 mm.

[0025] The cartridge 10 has a connector flange 31 at the filling end 14 for the secure connection to the dispensing device, not shown. A part 37 of a bayonet fastening, via which a static mixer, not shown, can be connected to the cartridge 10, is arranged at the discharge end 15 around the component outlets 16 and 26. The components dispensed from the component outlets 16 and 26 are thus supplied to the mixer and are mixed by it.

[0026] As can be seen in FIG. 2, in which a plan view of the filling end 14 of the cartridge 10 is shown, the beads 18, 28 of the first and second storage chambers 11, 21 are not designed as fully running around.

[0027] The first inner wall 13 has a first connection section 19 which does not have a bead. Analog to this, the second inner wall 23 has a second connection section 29 which likewise has no bead. The connection web 30 is arranged between the two connection sections 19, 29.

[0028] The first connection section 19 extends over an angular range a of 90, that is over 25% of the total periphery of the first inner wall 13. The first connection section 19 is in this respect arranged symmetrically to a connection line 34 which connects a first center point 32 of the first inner wall 13 and a second center point 33 of the second inner wall 23 to one another.

[0029] The second connection section 29 is designed analog to the first connection section 19. It extends over an angular range B of likewise 90, that is over 25% of the total periphery of the second inner wall 23. The second connection section 29 is in this respect likewise arranged symmetrical to the connection line 34.

[0030] The beads 18 and 28 are likewise shown very schematically in FIG. 2. The beads 18 and 28 also in particular have no sharp corners and edges at their ends oriented toward the connection sections 19 and 29.

[0031] The periphery of the first inner wall 13 is composed of the first connection section 19 and a first bead section 35 which has the first bead 18. Analog to this, the periphery of the second inner wall 23 is composed of the second connection section 29 and of a second bead section 36 which has the second bead 28.

[0032] In the embodiments shown of the cartridge in accordance with the invention, the beads have no interruptions except for the connection regions. It is, however, by all means possible that further small interruptions are provided.

[0033] The cartridge 10 is manufactured by means of an injection molding process. So-called cores are required for forming the storage chambers 11, 21 and also the beads 18, 28. After the actual injection molding, in which the cartridge 10 is created, an injection tool required for forming the outer contour is opened and the cores are subsequently removed. On the manufacture of the cartridges 10 in accordance with the invention, no pushers or ejection pins are used in the removal of the cores, but the cores are rather removed from the storage containers by means of a so-called forced demolding.

[0034] In FIG. 3, a detail of a cartridge 10 is shown with a two-part core 40 prior to the start of the forced demolding. FIG. 4 shows the same arrangement with a partly removed core 40, with the core 40 being removed against the dispensing direction 9.

[0035] The core 40 has a first part core 41 for forming the first storage chamber 11 and a second part core 42 for forming the second storage chamber 21. The first part core 41 has a first groove 43, which can only be seen in FIG. 4, for forming the first bead 18 of the first storage chamber 11. Analog to this, the second part core 42 has a second groove 44, which can only be seen in FIG. 4, for forming the second bead 28 of the second storage chamber 21.

[0036] On the removal of the core 40, the storage chambers 11, 21 slightly widen, which is, however, not shown in FIG. 4.

[0037] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.