CONTAINER CLOSURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a container closure made of plastic, comprising a lower closure part, which can be fastened to an opening of a container. Of the invention, the lower closure part has a collar, which can be inserted into the opening of the container. The at least one locking projection can be moved in the direction of a center axis of the lower closure part in a reversible elastic manner in relation to the collar. The at least one locking projection is designed in such a way that, when the at least one locking projection and an undercut shaped in the opening engage with each other, the at least one locking projection and said undercut form a lock that cannot be detached in the direction of the center axis. The collar has at least one through-hole, and the locking projection can be displaced through the through-hole.

Claims

1-21. (canceled)

22. A container closure made of plastic, comprising: a lower closure part fastenable to an opening of a container, the lower closure part having a collar insertable into the opening of the container and having at least one locking projection, the at least one locking projection movable in a direction of a center axis of the lower closure part in a reversible elastic manner in relation to the collar, the at least one locking projection configured so that when the at least one locking projection and an undercut formed in the opening engage with on another, the at least one locking projection and the undercut form a lock that is undetached in the direction of the center axis, wherein the collar defines at least one through-hole and the at least one locking projection is movable through the at least one through-hole.

23. The container closure of claim 22, wherein a reversibly elastic portion of the at least one locking projection has a first geometric configuration on a side facing the center axis of the reversibly elastic portion of the at least one locking projection and a second geometric configuration on an internal wall of the collar facing the center axis, the first and second geometric configurations substantially corresponding to one another.

24. The container closure of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises a base, wherein the base is located opposite a band that overlaps the opening when the lower closure part is inserted into the opening and wherein the at least one locking projection is integrally formed with the base and extends in a direction of the band.

25. The container closure of claim 22, wherein the collar is integrally formed on a larger-diameter band and further comprising an annular step between the band and the collar.

26. The container closure of claim 25, wherein the annular step is formed as an annular surface extending substantially transverse to the center axis.

27. The container closure of claim 22, wherein the at least one locking projection is generally L-shaped.

28. The container closure of claim 27, wherein the at least one locking projection comprises a reversibly elastic portion forming a first axial leg, a first end of which is non-detachably connected to the collar, and a second leg, wherein the first leg and the second leg include a predefined angle therein between and wherein the second leg is non-detachably connected to a second end opposite the first end of the first leg.

29. The container closure of claim 28, wherein the second leg forms a wedge.

30. The container closure of claim 29, wherein the wedge comprises a first wedge surface facing away from the second end of the first leg and a second wedge surface facing towards the second end of the first leg.

31. The container closure of claim 30, wherein the first wedge surface and the first leg define an angle of between 75 and 90.

32. The container closure of claim 30, wherein the first wedge surface and the first leg define an angle of between 80 and 89.

33. The container closure of claim 30, wherein the first wedge surface and the first leg define an angle of between 82 and 88.

34. The container closure of claim 25, wherein the collar comprises a first collar portion having a first external diameter adjacent to the annular step and a second collar portion having a second external diameter adjoining the first collar portion, wherein the second external diameter is smaller than the first external diameter.

35. The container closure of claim 34, further comprising a sealing surface formed on the first collar portion and a bottom formed circumferentially to an internal wall of the collar and wherein the bottom is located above the at least one through-hole.

36. The closure of claim 34, further comprising a sealing surface formed on the second collar portion and a bottom formed circumferentially to an internal wall of the collar and wherein the bottom is located below the at least one through-hole.

37. The container closure of claim 35, wherein the sealing surface is formed conically on the first collar portion and wherein a diameter of the sealing surface is enlarged in a direction toward the band.

38. The container closure of claim 36, wherein the sealing surface is formed conically on the second collar portion and wherein a diameter of the sealing surface is enlarged in a direction toward the band.

39. A container, comprising: a plastic container closure having a lower closure part fastenable to an opening of the container, the lower closure part having a collar insertable into the opening of the container and having at least one locking projection, the at least one locking projection movable in a direction of a center axis of the lower closure part in a reversible elastic manner in relation to the collar, the at least one locking projection configured so that when the at least one locking projection and an undercut formed in the opening engage with on another, the at least one locking projection and the undercut form a lock that is undetached in the direction of the center axis, wherein the collar defines at least one through-hole and the at least one locking projection is movable through the at least one through-hole.

40. The container of claim 39, wherein the collar is integrally formed on a larger-diameter band and further comprising an annular step between the band and the collar.

41. The container of claim 40, wherein the collar comprises a first collar portion having a first external diameter adjacent to the annular step and a second collar portion having a second external diameter adjoining the first collar portion, wherein the second external diameter is smaller than the first external diameter.

42. The container of claim 41, further comprising a sealing surface formed on the first collar portion and a bottom formed circumferentially to an internal wall of the collar and wherein the bottom is located above the at least one through-hole, wherein the opening is formed to sealingly cooperate with the sealing surface of the first collar portion of the collar of the container closure.

43. The container of claim 41, further comprising a sealing surface formed on the second collar portion and a bottom formed circumferentially to an internal wall of the collar and wherein the bottom is located below the at least one through-hole, wherein the opening is formed to sealingly cooperate with the sealing surface of the second collar portion of the collar of the container closure.

44. The container of claim 39, wherein the container comprises a bottle or a tube.

45. The container of claim 39, wherein the opening comprises a front annular section having a first internal diameter and a rear annular section having a second internal diameter, wherein the front annular section extends from an edge limiting the opening in the direction of a container base positioned opposite the opening and the rear annular section adjoins the front annular section, wherein the second internal diameter is smaller than the first internal diameter.

46. The container of claim 39, wherein the undercut comprises a cavity or an elevation.

47. The container of claim 40, further comprising a sealing ring arranged between a front wall of the opening and the annular step of the container closure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] To explain the invention, exemplary embodiments of container closures are described with reference to the figures.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a proposed container closure comprising a lower closure part with locking projections distributed over the area and a closing cap;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the lower closure part from FIG. 1 without closing cap;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through the lower closure part from FIG. 1 and the locking projections with additional enlarged detailed view;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through an opening of a container with inserted container closure with additional enlarged detailed view;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the lower closure part known from FIG. 1;

[0035] FIGS. 6 and 7 show two different lateral views of the lower closure part from FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 8 shows an aerial view of the lower closure part from FIG. 1;

[0037] FIGS. 9 and 10 show two different perspective views of the lower closure part from FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal section through a second embodiment of a proposed container closure consisting of a lower closure part with locking projections distributed over an area and a closing cap;

[0039] FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal section through the lower closure part from FIG. 11 without closing cap;

[0040] FIG. 13 shows another longitudinal section through the lower closure part from FIG. 11 and the locking projections with additional enlarged detailed view;

[0041] FIG. 14 shows a longitudinal section through the opening of a container with inserted container closure, as known from FIG. 11, with additional enlarged detailed view;

[0042] FIG. 15 shows a bottom view of the lower closure part from FIG. 11;

[0043] FIGS. 16 and 17 show two different lateral views of the lower closure part from FIG. 11;

[0044] FIG. 18 shows an aerial view of the lower closure part from FIG. 11;

[0045] FIGS. 19 and 20 show two different perspective views of the lower closure part from FIG. 11;

[0046] FIG. 21 shows a third embodiment of a lower closure part with a larger locking projection;

[0047] FIG. 22 shows the lower closure part of FIG. 21 inserted into the opening of a container; and

[0048] FIG. 23 shows a closure inserted into the opening of a container with an additional sealing ring on the front wall of the opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0049] The plastic container closure 11 shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 comprises a one-piece lower closure part 13 with a pouring opening 15 and a cap 17 being arranged on the lower closure part 13 to close the pouring opening 15. The container closure 1 has a center axis I-I. The lower closure part 13 has a collar 19 in the form of a circular cylindrical shell, which is integrally formed on a larger-diameter band 21 with the formation of an annular step 22. The annular step 22 is formed as a circular ring. The collar 19 consists of a first collar portion 23 having a first diameter and a second collar portion 25 having a second diameter. The first 23 and the second collar portion 25 are separated from each other by a conical step 27. In the second collar portion 25, penetrations 29 are provided, in which locking projections 31 are arranged. The locking projections 31 are L-shaped in the lateral view, wherein a first leg 33 extends in the axial direction, i.e. in the direction of the center axis I-I, from which a second leg 35 substantially protrudes at a right angle in the radial direction, that is substantially transverse to the central axis I-I (FIGS. 3 and 4). The locking projections 31 are pivotably formed below at the base 30 of the second collar portion 25 relative to the collar 19 and extend in the direction of the second collar portion 25 or a band 21 being positioned opposite the base 30. Each locking projection 31, or its first leg 33, can be moved in a reversible elastic manner in the radial direction. This means that the first leg 33 acts as a leaf spring in principle. The first leg 33 can thus be displaced by applying a predetermined radially effective force from a first position to a second position and returns automatically, when the applied radially effective force is omitted, substantially into the first position. According to the represented embodiment, the second leg 35 is formed as a wedge in the cross section with a wedge surface 37 facing away from the first leg 33 and a second wedge surface 39 facing towards the first leg. In the normal position, the first wedge surface 37 with a mathematical horizontal 41 of the closure takes on an angle of between 0.5 and 10 such as approximately 5. This facilitates a demolding of the lower closure part 13 being manufactured in a plastic injection molding process.

[0050] In the area of the step 27, a bottom 45 is formed on an internal wall 43 of the lower closure part 13, which closes a container interior defined by the container against the environment with a lower closure part 13 inserted into the opening 51 of a container. The bottom 45 has a pouring opening 47 (see FIG. 5), which opens into a pouring spout 49 on the cap side (FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0051] The lower closure part 13 is formed to be inserted into an opening 51 of a container and to seal the container together with the cap 17. For this purpose, a circumferential undercut 53 is formed at the opening 51, on which the locking projections 31 can engage with the second leg 35 protruding over an outer wall of the collar 19.

[0052] The container mouth 51 has a front annular section 55 having a first inner diameter and a rear annular section 57 having a second inner diameter. The two internal diameters of the annular sections 55,57 correspond to a respective outer diameter of the first 23 and second collar portion 25. In the depicted first embodiment, the first collar portion 23 seals the container interior against the environment, since the bottom 45 attaches above the penetrations 29. The cap 17 for closing the pouring spout 49 has a front wall 59 with a peripheral edge 61 projecting downwards, which corresponds to the opening 63 of the lower part 13.

[0053] The cap 17 is designed as a rocker, which is supported with two support elements 65 being integrally formed on the lower side of the cap 17, semi-circular and opposite one another on two supports 67 being positioned at an interval from one another and corresponding with the support elements 65. Also on the underside of the cap 17, a protruding annular section 69 is provided, which protrudes in the closing position of the cap 17 into an opening of the pouring spout 49 and closes this. For the pivotable fixing in the lower closure part 13, the cap 17 has integrally formed two protruding noses on opposite sides of the rim 61 shown in the figures), which can engage into diagonally opposite cavities 71 of an internal wall 73. To open the closure, the cap 17 is pushing downwards on one side (on the right in FIG. 1), wherein a finger recess 75 facilitates the depression. Between the penetrations 29, a plurality of axial extending reinforcing ribs 76 are formed on an inner side of the first collar portion 23, which stabilize the narrow wall portion between the adjacent penetrations 29.

[0054] The embodiment according to FIGS. 11 to 20 differs from the first substantially in the fact that the bottom 45 attaches below the penetrations 29. Accordingly, the second collar portion 25 is formed as a sealing surface, which rests tightly against the content stored in the container on the rear annular section 57. As can be seen from the figures, the bottom 45 is stepped. It comprises an annular edge portion 77 and an internal bottom surface 79 being detached from this, which adjoins the annular edge portion 77 by means of a notch or step 81.

[0055] The embodiment according to the FIGS. 21 and 22 shows a further outwardly projecting locking projection 31 in comparison to the first embodiment, which produces a higher radial pressure in the case of a lower closure part 13 being inserted into the opening 51 in comparison to the previous embodiments. As is apparent from the detailed enlargements of FIGS. 4 and 22, an interval exists between the undercut 53 and the locking protrusion 31, so that a locking of the undercut 53 and the locking projection 31 is guaranteed irrespective of the production tolerances.

[0056] The embodiment according to FIG. 23 differs from the first embodiment in that a flat seal 85 is inserted between a front wall 83 adjoining the opening 51 and the annular step 22 extending substantially transverse to the center axis I-I of the band 21.

[0057] The proposed container closure can be produced using the injection molding process from the conventional thermoplastic plastics such as PET, PP, PE and their mixtures. It may be placed onto openings of any materials such as plastic, glass or metal.

[0058] The invention relates to a container closure 11 made of plastic, comprising a lower closure part 13, which can be fastened to an opening 51 of a container. According to the invention, the lower closure part 13 has a collar 19, which can be inserted into the opening 51 of the container. The at least one locking projection 31 can be moved in the direction of a center axis I-I of the lower closure part 13 in a reversible elastic manner in relation to the collar 19. The at least one locking projection 31 is designed in such a way that, when the at least one locking projection 31 and an undercut 53 shaped in the opening 51 engage with each other, the at least one locking projection and said undercut form a lock that cannot be detached in the direction of the center axis I-I.