CARTRIDGE AND CONNECTOR FOR A CARTRIDGE

Abstract

A cartridge includes a head part including an aperture leading from an outer side of the head part to a cartridge chamber and a connector sealingly insertable into and removable from the aperture, the connector having a film extending over a surface of the connector with the surface facing the cartridge chamber.

Claims

1. A cartridge comprising: a head part including an aperture leading from an outer side of the head part to a cartridge chamber; and a connector sealingly insertable into and removable from the aperture, the connector having a film extending over a surface of the connector with the surface facing the cartridge chamber.

2. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aperture is separate from an outlet of the cartridge.

3. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connector comprises an outlet from the cartridge, the outlet having a passage arranged therein for connecting the cartridge chamber to a further component.

4. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the connector and the aperture comprises a valve.

5. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connector is configured to be sealingly inserted within the head part by at least one of a screwed connection, a bayonet type of connection, a plug and rotate type of connection, an adhesive bond, a thermal welding bond, an ultrasonically welded bond, a press or interference fit, or a snap in connection.

6. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aperture of the head part comprises an inner thread and the connector comprises an outer thread configured to mate with the inner thread of the aperture.

7. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein a seal is arranged between the head part and the connector.

8. The cartridge in accordance with claim 7, wherein the seal is arranged between the aperture and the connector or the seal is arranged at the connector.

9. The cartridge in accordance with claim 6, wherein the outer thread of the connector is a first thread and the connector comprises a second thread at a side of the connector disposed opposite to the outer thread.

10. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cartridge is one of a single component cartridge or a multi-component cartridge.

11. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aperture is a first aperture and the head part includes a second aperture, the cartridge is a multi-component cartridge, such that the connector is a common connector comprising a combined outlet comprising first and second separate outlets and configured to be installed in the first and second apertures and the first and second separate outlets being formed by a separate connectors of the common connector installed in a separate aperture of the first and second apertures.

12. The cartridge in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a further aperture configured as a filling port in the cartridge chamber and the filling port being able to be closed off in a releasable and sealing manner via of at least one of the separate connectors of the common connector.

13. The cartridge in accordance with claim 11, wherein the separate connectors are connectable to one another via at least one of a snap fit, interference fit, press fit, a mixer connectable to the common outlet, a bayonet type connection, and a ring attachable to the common outlet.

14. The cartridge in accordance with claim 3, wherein the film is configured to burst in a region of the outlet upon application of a dispensing pressure on the cartridge.

15. A connector for a cartridge, the connector being sealingly insertable into and removable from an aperture of a head part of a cartridge, the connector comprising: a film extending over a surface of the connector with the surface facing a cartridge chamber of the cartridge when connected to the cartridge.

16. The cartridge in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aperture is separate from an outlet of the cartridge and the connector comprises the film for storage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a two-component cartridge,

[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a connector for a cartridge:

[0036] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of possible positions for connection of a connector, such as the one of FIG. 2;

[0037] FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a further embodiment of the connector;

[0038] FIG. 4B is an exploded view of the connector of FIG. 4A with a film;

[0039] FIG. 5A is a schematic view of a further embodiment of the connector:

[0040] FIG. 5B is an exploded view of the connector of FIG. 5A with a film:

[0041] FIG. 6A is a schematic view of a further embodiment of the connector;

[0042] FIG. 6B is an exploded view of the connector of FIG. 6A with a film;

[0043] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a two-component cartridge and two connectors to be arranged thereon;

[0044] FIG. 8 is a top view of the two connectors shown in FIG. 7;

[0045] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the two connectors of FIG. 7 arranged on the two-component cartridge of FIG. 7:

[0046] FIG. 10 is a top view of two connectors according to a further embodiment forming a snap fit;

[0047] FIG. 10 is a top view of two connectors according to a further embodiment forming a snap fit:

[0048] FIG. 11 is a top view of two connectors according to a further embodiment forming a snap fit; and

[0049] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of two connectors according to a further embodiment forming a snap fit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] In the in the following the same reference numerals will be used for parts having the same or equivalent function. Any statements made having regard to the direction of a component are made relative to the position shown in the drawing and can naturally vary in the actual position of the application.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows an example for a two-component cartridge 1. The cartridge 1 comprises two generally cylindrical cartridge chambers 2, 3. The cartridge chambers 2, 3 are each bound by a cartridge wall 4, 5 as well as by a head part 6, 7, with each head part 6, 7 being arranged at a respective front end 8, 9 of the cartridge wall 4, 5. Each cartridge wall 4, 5 extends in a longitudinal direction A of the cartridge 1 from a respective rear end 10, 11 to the respective front end 8, 9.

[0052] Each head part 6, 7 is a stable shaped part of generally plate-like shape, which comprises a common dispensing outlet 12 via which a medium (not shown) can be dispensed from the cartridge chambers 2, 3. For this, the two components of the medium stored within the chambers 2, 3 mix or combine at the dispensing outlet 12 before being released outwardly as a combined medium from a common outlet part 14 of the dispensing outlet 12. The dispensing outlet 12 extends from the head parts 6, 7 as an outlet passage through the common outlet part 14. A mixing tip (not shown) or closure part 13 can be connected to the outlet part 14.

[0053] Each head part 6, 7 has a collar 17, 18. A radial direction B is indicated relative to the arrow A used to identify the longitudinal direction A. Each collar 17, 18 has a length extending in the longitudinal direction A. The front end 8, 9 of each cartridge wall 4, 5 is sealingly and non-releasably connected to the collar 17, 18 of the head part 6, 7.

[0054] It should be noted that the cartridge 1 can also be configured as a one-component cartridge (not shown), comprising only one generally cylindrical cartridge chamber with a single head part and a film forming the cartridge wall. In the following, corresponding features of the one-component cartridge and corresponding features of the two-component cartridge 1 mutually hold true.

[0055] The cartridge chambers 2, 3 are configured to be refillable with their respective component of the medium. For this, the cartridge 1 comprises a connector 40 or respectively two connectors 40 as shown in FIG. 2. In particular, the cartridge chambers 2, 3 can be refilled five or more times. When refilling the chambers 2, 3 of the two-component cartridge 1, care has to be taken in order to not accidentally refill a chamber 2, 3 with another medium component than the one that has been previously been contained by the respective chamber 2, 3. For example, a mastic medium is particularly adhesive, a chamber 2, 3 will most likely never be entirely emptied out of the mastic medium component. A mixing of different components within the chambers 2, 3 is therefore to be avoided.

[0056] The connector 40 shown in FIG. 2 is designed for a cartridge, as for example for the cartridge 1. The connector 40 is designed to be connected to an aperture 43 of a head part 6 of the cartridge 1 that is for example not formed by the dispensing outlet 12 of the cartridge 1 shown by FIG. 1.

[0057] The connector 40 comprises an outlet 42 having a passage arranged therein for connecting a cartridge chamber 2, 3 to a further component. When the connector 40 is connected to the cartridge head part 6, 7, the outlet 42 can correspond to an outlet of the respective cartridge chamber 2, 3 through which the medium component stored within the respective cartridge chamber 2, 3 is to be dispensed. The connector further comprises at least one inlet 44 through which the medium component that is to be dispensed from the cartridge chamber 2, 3 passes through.

[0058] The connector 40 further comprises an outer thread or a male thread 46 which is designed to be sealingly inserted within the aperture 43 of the cartridge 1 or one of the cartridge head parts 6, 7. The aperture 43 of the head part 6, 7 of the cartridge 1 comprises an inner thread or female thread 48 which is mating with the outer thread or male thread 46 of the connector 40. In other words, the connector 40 is designed to be screwed into the aperture 43 of the cartridge head part 6, 7 via corresponding male and female threads 46, 48. For this, an outer diameter of a cylindrically shaped male thread 46 can be chosen to correspond to an inner diameter of a cylindrically shaped aperture 43 with the female thread 48. The connector 40 further comprises a second thread 49 designed to be mated with a further thread, such as for example a thread of a filling mandrel of a storage container and/or of a filling station.

[0059] Alternatively to the connection formed by the male thread 46 and the female thread 48, the connector can form with the aperture 43 of the cartridge head part 6, 7 a screwed connection, a bayonet type of connection. a plug and rotate type of connection, an adhesive bond, a thermal welding bond, an ultrasonically welded bond, a press and/or interference fit, and/or a snap in connection.

[0060] The connector can be used for or alternatively be removed when refilling the respective cartridge chamber 4, 5. A filling can then occur via the outlet 42 or directly via the aperture 43. The use of such a connector 40 on filling can aid in avoiding a cross contamination between the one or more outlets from the cartridge 1 further ensuring the lifetime of the cartridge 1.

[0061] FIG. 3 schematically shows the head parts 6, 7 with the common dispensing outlet 12 of the cartridge 1 as described for FIG. 1. Each head part 6, 7 comprises a filling connector port 50, 52 designed to provide a connection interface to connect the connector 40 to a respective cartridge chamber 2, 3 of the cartridge 1 via the filling connector ports 50, 52. For example, each filling connector port 50, 52 is designed as an aperture, as for example the aperture 43 shown by FIG. 2.

[0062] The cartridge 1 can comprise in total two connectors 40 as shown in FIG. 2. Each cartridge chamber 2, 3 is filled with a medium respectively component via the connectors 40. The connectors 40 therefore provide a support for a filling process. For example, the outlet 42 connects to a storage container filled with the medium component to be filled into the cartridge chamber 6.

[0063] When it is determined that a connector 40 respectively its outlet 42 has spanned its lifetime, for example because too much residue of the medium component has accumulated within a valve of the connector 40 or the outlet 42, the connector 40 can be simply replaced without having to replace the entire cartridge head part 6, 7 respectively cartridge 1.

[0064] Alternatively the connector can be a terminal connector that is insertable into the connector ports 50, 52 once the connectors 40 have been removed after their purpose of filling or re-filling the cartridge. The terminal connectors then typically comprise a film at a surface facing into the cartridge chamber 2, 3 in order to ensure a sufficient storage life of materials stored in the cartridge chambers 2, 3.

[0065] FIGS. 4A, 5A and 6A schematically show further embodiments of the connector 40, wherein FIGS. 4B, 5B and 5C show an exploded-view of the respective connector 40 shown by FIGS. 4A, 5A and 6A. An outlet 42 of the connector 40 can be closed (shown in FIG. 4A) or opened (shown in FIGS. 5A and 6A). In order for the medium respectively component stored with the cartridge chamber 2, 3 to not leak or flow outwards, the outlet 42 of the connector 40, a film 54 is arranged between the connector 40 and the aperture 43 of the head part 6, 7 of the cartridge 1.

[0066] In the example shown FIGS. 4A and 4B, the film 54 comprises an aperture 56, since the outlet 42 is closed. When refilling the cartridge 40 via the closed outlet 42 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the outlet 42 can be designed to burst upon positioning the filling mandrel on the outlet 42, for example.

[0067] The outlet 42 of the connector 40 shown by FIGS. 5A and 5B is opened, i.e., the medium can freely flow through. In order to prevent this, the film 54 is entirely closed, i.e. a surface of the film 54 completely covers the aperture 43 of the head part 6, 7 of the cartridge 1.

[0068] When refilling the cartridge 1 via the outlet 42, the film 54 is designed to burst when positioning the filling mandrel on the outlet 42, for example. In addition or alternatively, if the outlet 42 is designed as a dispensing outlet, the film 54 is designed to burst upon applying a dispensing pressure, such that the medium or component can freely flow through, alternatively the film 45 can be designed to be pierced by a component or to be opened in a different way, such as by a film removable by hand.

[0069] The outlet 42 of the connector 40 shown by FIGS. 6A and 6B is opened and the film 54 comprises an aperture 56. In order to avoid a leaking of the medium or component, the connector 40 further comprises a cap 58 designed to be arranged on the outlet 42. In contrast, the two embodiments of the connector 40 shown by FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B do not require a cap 58 in order to avoid a leaking.

[0070] FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show from a perspective, top and cross-sectional view respectively a two-component cartridge 1′ that, unlike the cartridge 1 shown by FIGS. 1 and 3, does not comprise a separate outlet 14. Instead, the head parts 6, 7 of the cartridge 1′ each comprise an aperture 43 on which a respective connector 40 is to be arranged. For example, each connector 40 can be screwed separately onto the aperture 43 of the head part as shown by FIG. 2.

[0071] When arranged at the apertures 43, the two connectors 40 form a snap fit connection with each other. Alternatively, the two connectors 40 can form for example an interference fit or a press fit or a bayonet type connection. In other words, the two connectors 40 are designed to snap into each other. For this, the two connectors 40 can comprise complementary shapes, as shown for example by FIG. 8. The complementary shapes can intertwine respectively interlock together to form a combined connector. The combined connector can form a common dispensing outlet 60 for the two cartridge chambers 2, 3 that is provided by the two outlets 42 of the connectors 40.

[0072] As shown by FIG. 9, each connector 40 comprises a film 54 that extends over the entire radial surface of the aperture 43 of a respective cartridge chamber 2, 3. The outlets 42 of the two connectors 40 are therefore sealed against the medium contained by the cartridge chamber 2, 3. When dispensing the medium for the first time, the film 54 is configured to burst in the region covering the outlet 42 on applying a dispensing pressure on the cartridge 1′. Alternatively, the connector 40 can comprise a film 54 with an aperture 56 in the region of the outlet 42 as shown by FIGS. 4B and 6B. Furthermore, a valve (not shown) can be arranged within the outlet 42 in order to regulate or direct a flow of the component or medium comprised by the cartridge chamber 2, 3.

[0073] FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show further possible variants of the two connectors 40 forming a snap fit as the two connectors 40 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. As shown by FIG. 10, the shapes of the two connectors 40, as shown here for example from a top view, can be any given as long as the two shapes are complimentary. The two shapes can therefore resemble two puzzle pieces. In addition, as shown by FIG. 11, the two connectors 40 can comprise the same shape, with the two shapes engaging with each other. Moreover, the shapes engaging with each other can at least partially be formed along a radial surface of the connectors 40. As shown by FIG. 12 in a cross-sectional view, the radial surface of each connector 40 comprises a protrusion 62 respectively a snap-in nose, wherein the two protrusions 62 of the two connectors 40 are arranged such that the two protrusions 62 face each other when the two connectors 40 are arranged on the apertures 43 of the cartridge 1′. Further, the two protrusions 62 are positioned on different heights along a longitudinal direction A of the connectors 40. In this way, the two protrusions 62 can engage with each other and hinder the two connectors 40 from disengaging when the two connectors 40 are installed on the apertures 43 of the head part 6, 7 of the cartridge 1′. Alternatively, one of the two connectors 40 can comprise a groove and the other connector 40 can comprise a protrusion designed to be received by the groove.