CONTAINER FOR ACCOMMODATING A FLOWABLE FLUID

Abstract

The invention relates to a container (1) for accommodating a liquid, in particular a deodorant roller, has a container jacket (2), a discharge opening (3) arranged in the container jacket (2), a supporting and holding unit (4) which is arranged on the container jacket (2) and which encloses a flow channel (5) connected to the discharge opening (3), and a ball (6) arranged such that the ball can rotate in the supporting and holding unit (4) and is able to seal off said flow channel (5) with respect to the surroundings of the container (1). Formed between the supporting and holding unit (4) and the ball (6) are at least three contact areas (7), which run around the ball (6) and are formed substantially parallel to one another. Preferably, at least two contact areas (7) are formed as a supporting and holding areas (8), and at least one contact area (7) as a sealing area (9).

Claims

1. A container for accommodating a flowable fluid, comprising: a container casing, a discharge opening disposed in the container casing, a supporting and holding unit arranged on the container casing which encloses a flow channel connected to the discharge opening, a ball movably arranged in the supporting and holding unit, its form at least substantially approximating the ideal geometrical shape and which can close off said flow channel relative to the surrounding area of the container, wherein at least three contact areas are formed between the supporting and holding unit and the ball which are disposed around the ball and formed substantially parallel to one another.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein at least two contact areas are formed as supporting and holding areas and at least one contact area as a sealing area.

3. The container according to claim 1, wherein at least two contact areas are formed as supporting and holding areas and at least two contact areas as sealing areas.

4. The container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the contact areas is formed with at least one projection arranged circumferentially in the supporting and holding unit and upon which the ball rests in at least one of the two possible vertical positions.

5. The container according to claim 4, wherein the at least one projection is designed with a circumferential boundary edge.

6. The container according to claim 4, wherein the at least one projection is integrally formed with the supporting and holding unit.

7. The container according to claim 4, wherein a substantially hollow cylindrical first section of the at least one projection extends parallel to a longitudinal axis extending through the supporting and holding unit.

8. The container according to claim 4, wherein a second section of the at least one projection is elastically deformable and/or elastically expandable, particularly by the ball.

9. The container according to claim 4, wherein the at least one projection is arranged within one of the sealing areas and can abut against the ball at least in sections, particularly its second section.

10. The container according to claim 4, wherein one of the second sections of the at least one projection can press the ball along a longitudinal axis extending through the supporting and holding unit in the direction of one of the supporting and holding areas.

11. The container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sealing areas is spaced at a predetermined distance from one of the supporting and holding areas along a longitudinal axis extending through the supporting and holding unit.

12. The container according to claim 1, wherein one of the sealing areas is arranged between two further contacts areas along a longitudinal axis extending through the supporting and holding unit.

13. The container according to claim 1, characterized by a cap detachably connected to the container casing able to press the ball away from the discharge opening.

14. The container according to claim 11, wherein the height of the projection is between 0.5 and 3 mm, preferentially between 0.5 and 2.5 mm, particularly preferentially between 0.5 and 2 mm, further preferentially between 0.8 and 2 mm, and even further preferentially between 1 and 2 mm.

15. The container according claim 14, wherein the wall thickness of the projection is between 0.1 and 0.5 mm.

Description

[0029] Further advantages, features and possible applications of the present invention will follow from the description below in conjunction with the figures. Shown are:

[0030] FIG. 1 a sectional view through a first preferential further development of the container,

[0031] FIGS. 2a and 2b a detail from the FIG. 1 container,

[0032] FIG. 3 another view of the FIG. 2a detail,

[0033] FIG. 4a a sectional view through a second preferential further development of the container, and

[0034] FIG. 4b a detail from the FIG. 4a container.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through a first preferential configuration of the upper part of an example embodiment configured as a deodorant roller.

[0036] The container 1 for accommodating a fluid comprises the container casing 2, a discharge opening 3 disposed in the container casing 2, a supporting and holding unit 4 arranged on the container casing 2 which encloses a flow channel 5 connected to a discharge opening 3 (indicated by a horizontal dashed line), a ball 6 arranged in the supporting and holding unit 4 which can close off the flow channel 5 vis-à-vis the surrounding area of the container 1, as well as three contact areas 7a, 7b, 7c between the supporting and holding unit 4 and the ball 6.

[0037] The container 1 additionally comprises a cap 20 which is detachably connected to the container casing 2 and presses the ball 6 along the longitudinal axis L running through the supporting and holding unit 4 toward the not shown, albeit indicated by an arrow and reference numeral 12, containment chamber of the container 1, thus downward in the present depiction. This can thereby improve the sealing of the container 1 when not in use.

[0038] The contact area 7a arranged above the center point of the ball 6, hereinafter referred to as the first contact area 7a, is designed as supporting and holding area 8a. In one particular configuration, which FIG. 1 does not depict, the first contact area 7a also serves as a sealing area. The second contact area 7b and the third contact area 7c are spaced apart from one another relative to the longitudinal axis L depicted vertically in the figure below the center point of the ball 6. The second contact area 7b serves as sealing area 9 and the third contact area 7c as supporting and holding area 8b. The supporting and holding areas 8a, 8b support the ball 6 against the force of gravity and against the contact force when the deodorant fluid is being applied and the force from the screwed-on cap.

[0039] The supporting and holding unit 4 comprises a sleeve, its upper end extending upward beyond the center point of the ball 6 to the first contact area 7a.

[0040] FIG. 1 indicates that the supporting and holding unit 4 comprises a circumferential projection 10 within the second contact area 7b, or sealing area 9 respectively, which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L.

[0041] FIGS. 2a and 2b show a detail from the FIG. 1 container as marked by an X in FIG. 1. Shown specifically is a sectional view through the supporting and holding unit 4 as well as two contact areas 7b, 7c. The second contact area 7b is designed as sealing area 9 and the third contact area 7c as supporting and holding area 8b.

[0042] The supporting and holding unit 4 exhibits a projection 10 in sealing area 9 which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The projection 10 exhibits boundary edge 11b. In comparison to the C dimension, by which the projection 10 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L, the wall thickness of the projection 10 is small in cross section, the projection 10 thus thin. The thin shape enables easier deformation of the projection 10 by the ball 6, in particular elastically and virtually completely reversibly. This can thereby minimize mechanical stresses in the projection 10 as a result of deformation and/or bending, in particular by the ball 6. A more advantageous material, in particular a polymer such as polypropylene or polyethylene, can thereby also be used for the projection 10.

[0043] The supporting and holding unit 4 in the supporting and holding area 8b is configured with a boundary edge 11c, a substantially right-angled shoulder and an annular surface which is arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L through the supporting and holding unit 4. This rather sizable design to the wall of the supporting and holding unit 4 in the supporting and holding area 8b compared to the projection 10 enables the improved transfer of supporting forces or support of the ball 6 respectively.

[0044] Allocating the supporting function and the sealing function to different contact areas 7a, 7b, 7c enables being able to better adapt their configuration to the respective function.

[0045] In FIG. 2a, the ball 6 is not depicted and the projection 10 is not deformed. In FIG. 2b, on the other hand, the ball 6 lies on the boundary edge 11c and the second section 14 of the projection 10 is elastically deformed and/or elastically expanded (deformed state). The second section 14 abuts against the ball 6, thereby improving the sealing.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows another view of the FIG. 2a detail and depicts the annular surface of the shoulder in the wall of the supporting and holding unit in the region of supporting and holding area 8b.

[0047] FIG. 4a shows a sectional view through a second preferential configuration of the upper part of an example embodiment designed as a deodorant roller. Relative to the container of FIGS. 1 and 2, the supporting and holding area 8b and the sealing area 9 are in reversed order of arrangement along the longitudinal axis L therein. In this configuration, the second contact area 7b situated closer to the discharge opening 3 therefore serves as the supporting and holding area 8b and the third contact area 7c farther from the discharge opening 3 serves as the sealing area 9.

[0048] The first contact area 7a is further designed as supporting and holding area 8a and comprises in the configuration according to FIG. 4a a radially inward positioned supporting ring of very low axial expansion. A very small contact surface between the supporting and holding unit 4 and the ball 6 thereby results.

[0049] FIGS. 4b shows a detail from the FIG. 4a container as marked by an X in FIG. 4a. Therein—as also in FIG. 4a—the depiction shows the sealing area 9 as non-deformed and thus the ball 6 in traversing state.

[0050] Since in the cross-sectional view depicted in FIG. 4b, the tangent of the ball 6 at contact area 7c and thus at sealing area 9 encloses a larger angle with longitudinal axis L than at contact area 7b (at which the sealing area is arranged in the configuration according to FIG. 1), the form of the projection 10 in the sealing area 9 also differs compared to that in FIG. 1. The projection 10 substantially projects inwardly in the radial direction of the ball from the supporting and holding unit 4, tapering inward to its boundary edge 11c. When the ball 6 seats on the boundary edge 11c, the second section 14 of the projection 10 is thus elastically deformed. The contact surface of boundary edge 11c is thereby substantially formed by the rounded side of the second section 14 of the projection 10.

[0051] Preference is for instance given to the following dimensions and materials: [0052] Material: polypropylene or polyethylene for container and supporting device [0053] ball diameter of from 25 to 45 mm or 20 to 45 mm, particularly preferentially 22 to 28 mm or 30 to 38 mm [0054] projection height (dimension C in FIG. 2a) of 0.5 to 3 mm, preferentially 0.5 to 2.5 mm, particularly preferentially 0.5 to 2 mm, further preferentially 0.8 to 2 mm, even further preferentially 1 to 2 mm [0055] projection wall thickness 0.1 to 0.5 mm

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0056] 1 container [0057] 2 container casing [0058] 3 discharge opening [0059] 4 supporting and holding unit [0060] 5 flow channel [0061] 6 ball [0062] 7a first contact area [0063] 7b second contact area [0064] 7c third contact area [0065] 8a, 8b supporting and holding area [0066] 9 sealing area [0067] 10 projection [0068] 11b, 11c boundary edges [0069] 12 containment chamber [0070] 13 first projection section [0071] 14 second projection section [0072] 20 cap [0073] L longitudinal axis [0074] C distance between two boundary edges or projection height respectively