CLOSURE CAP FOR A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL VESSEL

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure cap for a substantially cylindrical vessel, with a lateral surface, a closed end and an open end, and with a tear-open strip having a grip tab for opening the closure cap.

In order to produce closure caps which are designed such that they can be applied by machine to substantially cylindrical vessels, it is proposed within the context of the invention that the lateral surface is substantially cylindrical, at least in the area of the open end, and that the closure cap is of stackable design and has means for stacking at least two closure caps with defined spacing.

The invention is based on the finding that, for cost reasons, it is useful if also closure caps for substantially cylindrical vessels can be stacked, i.e. pushed onto one another, during transport as they then take up less space. In the case of machine-applied closure caps, too, it is advantageous to stack the caps, since the machine can then collect them more easily and prior positioning of the closure cap is superfluous.

Claims

1. Closure cap (1) for a substantially cylindrical vessel, with a lateral surface, closed end (2) and an open end (3), and with a tear-open strip (4) having a grip tab (5) for opening the closure cap (1), the lateral surface being substantially cylindrical at least in the area of the open end and the closure cap (1) being of stackable configuration and having means (6, 7) for stacking at least two closure caps (1) with defined spacing, wherein the stacking means is configured as a bead (7), which is disposed in the area of the open end (3) of the closure cap (1), runs perpendicular to the axis is thereof and is oriented towards the interior thereof.

2. (canceled)

3. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the bead (7) runs around the entire circumference of the closure cap (1).

4. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the bead (7) runs around a portion of the circumference of the closure cap (1).

5. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of mutual parallel beads (7), in particular two parallel beads (7), is provided.

6. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the stacking means is configured as a shoulder (6) on the closure cap (1), on which the adjacent closure cap (1) rests.

7. Closure cap according to claim 6, wherein the inserted portion of a first closure cap (1) which, for stacking purposes, is partially inserted into a second closure cap (1) rests on the shoulder (6) of the second closure cap (1).

8. Closure cap according to claim 6, wherein the inserted portion of a first closure cap (1) which, for stacking purposes, is partially pushed onto a second closure cap (1) rests on the shoulder (6) the second closure cap (1).

9. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the closure cap (1) has an anti-twist means.

10. Closure cap according to claim 9, wherein the anti-twist means is configured as a form-fit connection between two closure caps.

11. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the closure cap (1) has inwardly oriented knobs (8) in the area of the open end (3).

12. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein the closure cap (1) has, in the area of the open end (3), inwardly oriented beads (9) running parallel to the axis of the closure cap (1).

13. Closure cap according to claim 1, wherein closure cap (9) has a perforation (10) in the area of the closed and (2) for deaerating the inside of the closure cap (1).

Description

[0029] The drawing in

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a first closure cap according to the invention.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a side view of two stacked closure caps according to FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a second closure cap according to the invention.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a side view of two stacked closure caps according to FIG. 3.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the closure cap 1 has a lateral surface, a closed end 2 and an open end 3, as well as a tear-open strip 4 having a grip tab 5 for opening the closure cap 1. At least part of the lateral surface is cylindrical in order to cover a substantially cylindrical vessel.

[0035] The closure caps 1 may be rendered stackable in different ways, for example by slight tapering of the closure caps 1, at least in the area in which they are pushed onto one another. The taper ratio is 1:50 to 1:30, preferably 1:40. Depending on the vessel's design, it is also possible to configure a first, substantially cylindrical, portion of the closure cap 1 such that it has a smaller diameter than the other substantially cylindrical portion of the closure cap, enabling the portion with the lesser diameter to be pushed into that portion of the adjacent closure cap that has the greater diameter.

[0036] The closure cap 1 shown in FIG. 1 is stackable in spite of its cylindrical shape, this being achieved here in that the closure cap 1 has a first cylindrical portion A with a diameter A and connects with a second cylindrical portion with a diameter B. A shoulder 6 is formed in consequence of this difference in diameters. The first portion A is applied to the lid of the vessel and the second portion B surrounds a portion of the vessel itself.

[0037] When the closure caps 1 are stacked, the adjacent closure cap I rests on the shoulder 6 of the closure cap 1, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0038] The closure cap 1 according to FIG. 3 has a first cylindrical portion A, which has a first diameter. This first portion of the closure cap 1 is positioned on the lid of a vessel. The first portion A connects with a second portion B, which is conical and which opens into a third, cylindrical portion C, which has a larger diameter than the first portion A. This third portion C surrounds part of the vessel itself and has a slight taper of 1:40, enabling the closure caps 1 to be pushed into each other in this portion C.

[0039] This closure cap 1 is provided with means for stacking at least two closure caps with defined spacing. The means may be configured as a bead 7 disposed in the area of the closure cap's open end 3. The bead 7 runs perpendicular to the axis of the closure cap 1 and is oriented towards the interior thereof. The bead 7 may run around the full circumference of the closure cap 1 or extend only around a portion of the circumference of the closure cap 1, as is the case in FIG. 3. It is possible to provide a plurality of mutually parallel beads 7, in particular two parallel beads 7, as in FIG. 3.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows two stacked closure caps 1, the second of which has been pushed as far as its first bead 7 into the first closure cap 1. The first bead 7 thus ensures that the stacked closure caps 1 are spaced apart by a defined distance.

[0041] It may be advantageous for the closure cap 1 to have an anti-twist means, which may be configured, for example, as a form-fit connection between two closure caps.

[0042] The closure cap 1 may also have inwardly oriented knobs 8 in the area of its open end 3. Alternatively, or in addition, the closure cap 1 may have, in the area of its open end 3, inwardly oriented beads 9 running parallel to the closure cap's axis. Both variants are shown in FIG. 3.

[0043] The closure cap 1 may also have a perforation 10 in the area of its closed end for deaerating the inside of the closure cap 1.