ADAPTER FOR CONNECTING A REFILL CONTAINER

Abstract

Disclosed is an adapter (100) for connecting a refill container (200) with a container (300) during a refilling process. The adapter (100) has a first open end (10) and a second open end (11). The first open end (10) and the second open end (11) are connected to an in particular peripheral wall (12). A breaking element (20) is arranged inside the adapter (100). Said breaking element (20) extends in the direction of the first open end (10) and is connected on one side via a web (21) to the wall (12).

Claims

1. An adapter (100) for connecting a refill container (200) to a container (300) during a refilling process, the adapter (100) comprising: a first open end (10) and a second open end (11), wherein the first open end (10) and the second open end (11) are connected to one another with a wall (12), in particular a peripheral wall, wherein a breaking element (20) is arranged inside the adapter (100), wherein said breaking element (20) extends in a direction of the first open end (10) and is connected on one side via a web (21) to the wall (12).

2. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the breaking element (20) extends radially inward in a direction of a central axis (A) of the adapter (100).

3. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the web (21) extends over at least 25% and at most 75% of the axial length of the breaking element (20).

4. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the breaking element (20) has a flank (22) which is inclined toward a central axis (A) of the adapter (100), wherein the flank (22) in particular is designed to slope down in a direction of the central axis (A).

5. The adapter (100) according to claim 4, wherein a cutting edge is formed on an end of the inclined flank (22) facing toward the first open end (10).

6. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the breaking element (20) extends over more than 50% of an open cross section of the adapter (100), in particular over more than 70%.

7. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the breaking element (20) has a sliding edge (23) opposite the web (21).

8. The adapter (100) according to claim 7, wherein the sliding edge (23) is inclined relative to a central axis (A) of the adapter (100).

9. The adapter (100) according to claim 7, wherein the sliding edge (23) and flank (22) of the breaking element (20) merge into one another via a curve (R).

10. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, characterized wherein the adapter is manufactured in one piece, in particular in an injection molding method.

11. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the wall (12) is circularly cylindrical.

12. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the breaking element (20), together with the web (21), has a flat design, wherein the breaking element (20) has a thickness which is less than three times the thickness of the wall (12), in particular less than twice the thickness of the wall (12).

13. The adapter (100) according to claim 1, wherein the adapter (100) has a holding element at the first open end (10), wherein the holding element is designed in particular as a radially extending collar (13) which extends radially from the first open end (10).

14. A container (300) comprising an adapter (100) according to claim 1.

Description

[0054] An embodiment of the adapter is explained in more detail with reference to schematic drawings. These show:

[0055] FIG. 1: a perspective view of an adapter;

[0056] FIG. 2: a vertical sectional view of the adapter of FIG. 1;

[0057] FIG. 3: a sectional view of the adapter inserted in an original container;

[0058] FIG. 4: the sectional view according to FIG. 3 after insertion of a refill container.

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an adapter 100. The adapter 100 has a first open end 10 and a second open end 11. The first open end 10 is connected to the second open end 11 by means of a wall 12. The wall 12 is designed as a substantially circular cylindrical sleeve, therefore has a circular ring-shaped cross section. A breaking element 20 is arranged inside the wall 12. The breaking element 20 is connected to the wall 12 with a web 21 (see FIG. 2 in this regard).

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a vertical sectional view of the adapter 100 of FIG. 1. The section extends in the vertical direction through the breaking element 20. The adapter 100 has a first open end 10 and a second open end 20. The first open end 10 has a larger diameter in comparison to the second open end 11. The circular cylindrical wall 12 is therefore conical and has an outer diameter tapering from the first open end 10 toward the second open end 11.

[0061] At the first open end 10, a holding element is formed which is designed as a radially extending collar 13 running around the first end 10.

[0062] Likewise shown in FIG. 2 is a central axis A which extends from the second open end 11 toward the first open end 10.

[0063] The breaking element 20, which extends in the direction of the first open end 10, is arranged inside the wall 12. The breaking element 20 is set back in relation to the first open end 10. This allows the guidance of a refill container in the refilling process before the seal is broken open (see FIG. 4). The breaking element 20 is connected with a web 21 to the wall 12 on one side. The web 21 extends over 30% of the axial length of the breaking element 20. The axial length of the breaking element 20 in the present instance corresponds to the largest extent of the breaking element 20 in the direction of the central axis A.

[0064] In other words, the breaking element 20 projects beyond the web 21 with approximately 70% of its length in the direction of the central axis. Together with the wall 12, this projection forms a vacancy 24 into which a corresponding wall of a refill container can be inserted.

[0065] The breaking element 20, opposite the web 21, has a sliding edge 23 which has an inclination in relation to the central axis A. The inclination of the sliding edge is, in the present instance, such that an angle between the sliding edge 23 and the central axis A opens in the direction of the first open end 10.

[0066] In the direction toward the first open end 10, the breaking element 20 terminates with a flank 22 which ends in a tip 221 in the direction of the web 21. The tip 221 can be designed as a cutting edge. In the present instance, the flank 22 is designed inclined relative to the central axis A. In the present instance, the inclination drops toward the central axis. In other words, this means that an angle that is acute, i.e., smaller than 90°, is formed between the flank 22 and the central axis, on the side of the web 21.

[0067] In this configuration, a vertex, not designated more specifically in the present instance, is formed between the flank 22 and the sliding edge 23, which vertex is arranged farthest away from the web 21 in the radial direction. When used as intended, this vertex enables a specific guidance of a seal to be broken open (see FIG. 4 in this regard).

[0068] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the adapter 100 inserted into an original container 300. Additionally, in FIG. 3 a refill container 200 is shown which has a dispensing opening 201 which is closed with a seal 202. In the present instance, the seal is designed as a cap spanning a rim of the dispensing opening 201 and is pressed onto the refill container 200. A material thin point 203 is formed on the seal 202 and, in the present instance, runs along the periphery of the seal 202.

[0069] The adapter 100 is inserted into an opening 301 of the container 300. The adapter 100 rests with its collar 13 on an end of the opening 301. In the region of the collar, or directly adjacent to the collar 13, the wall 12 of the adapter 100 has a diameter which is slightly larger than an inner diameter of the opening 301. With the introduction of the adapter 100 into the opening 301 of the container 300, the adapter 100 is thus pressed into the opening 301 and is held securely in this opening. The adapter 100 can therefore remain within the opening 301 of the container 300. As can be seen, for example, from FIG. 1, the cross section of the opening 301 remains almost completely free, with the exception of the thickness of the web 21 or of the breaking element 20, even after the adapter 100 has been introduced. A pump or spray system attached to the container 100 again after the refilling process can therefore be arranged on the container 100 without significant restriction.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows the sectional view according to FIG. 3 after insertion of a refill container 200. In other words, the refill container 200 shown in FIG. 3 has been moved in the direction of the container 300. The refill container is thereby guided from the beginning by the wall 12 of the adapter, and the contact between the tip 221 and the seal 202, and in particular the material thin point 203, occurs with a delay. The material thin point 203 is broken open by continued movement of the refill container 200 in the direction of the container 300. A wall, not designated more specifically, of the dispensing opening 201 of the refill container 200 is inserted into the vacancy 24. During the insertion, the seal 202 is pushed open further by the flank 22, and the thin point 203 is gradually torn open. The refill container 200 is moved in the direction of the container 300 until an end of the dispensing opening 201 rests on the stop 211 of the web 21. During this process, the seal 202 is pushed open until it is oriented almost parallel to an inner wall of the refill container 200 and/or to the central axis A of the adapter 100. Depending on the position of the vertex (not designated more specifically) between the flank 22 and the sliding edge 23, the now pushed-open seal 202 is held more or less parallel to the central axis A.

[0071] By tearing or breaking open the seal 202, the dispensing opening 201 of the refill container 200 is unblocked. The material to be refilled, such as a liquid, can now flow from the refill container 200 into the container 300.

[0072] After the refilling process, the refill container 200 is correspondingly removed again. The adapter 100 can remain in the container 300.