Container neck with a support flange

Abstract

Container neck (10) enclosing an inner volume (14) and comprising an upper neck region (18), a lower neck region (20) and a support flange (22) between the upper neck region (18) and the lower neck region (20), wherein the support flange (22) has an annular serrated area (48), wherein the serrated area (48) has protrusions (50) and depressions (52) formed by a tubular wall section (54), characterized in that the support flange (22) comprises an upper continuous annular bead (44) located between the serrated area (48) and the upper neck region (18).

Description

Application area of ​​the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a container neck that is suitable or intended for production by a method in which a radially outwardly directed force or a radially outwardly directed pressure is exerted on a radially inwardly directed side of a wall of a preform, e.g. by blowing. Current state of the art

[0002] From German patent application DE 20 2023 105564 U1, a container neck of the type mentioned above is known, comprising an upper neck region, a lower neck region, and a support flange between the upper and lower neck regions. This support flange is designed to facilitate gripping the container, whether by machines during filling or by the consumer, and provides a support surface for the lower circular edge of a container closure. The support flange consists of a serrated area with ridges and valleys that contribute to stiffening and stabilizing the container neck. These ridges and valleys extend radially and are evenly distributed around the circumference of the support flange. The valleys may, if necessary, allow a person with malicious intent to insert a tool between the container neck and the container closure covering it and to pry off the closure. Description of the invention

[0003] The invention is based on the objective of providing a container closure of the type mentioned above which eliminates at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

[0004] In a container neck enclosing an inner volume and comprising an upper neck region, a lower neck region and a support flange between the upper neck region and the lower neck region, wherein the support flange has an annular serrated area, wherein the serrated area has protrusions and depressions formed by a tubular wall section having an inner side facing the inner volume and an outer side opposite the inner side, the problem according to a first aspect of the invention is solved by the support flange comprising an upper continuous annular bead located between the serrated area and the upper neck region.

[0005] The upper continuous ring-shaped bead, stiffened by the serrated area, forms a continuous support surface for the lower edge of a container closure that covers the container neck. This ensures that no tool can penetrate between the container closure and the container neck.

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment, the support flange comprises a lower continuous annular bead, wherein the serrated area lies between the upper continuous annular bead and the lower continuous annular bead, and wherein the protrusions preferably extend from the upper annular bead to the lower annular bead. The lower annular bead facilitates gripping the container, whether by machines or tools during filling or by the consumer, and contributes to stiffening and reinforcing the container neck.

[0007] An axial distance between an upper cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the reference axis and intersecting the upper annular bead at a point furthest from the reference axis, and a lower cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the reference axis and intersecting the lower annular bead at a point furthest from the reference axis, may, if necessary, be more than 3 mm.

[0008] The number N of protrusions is sufficient to ensure the desired stiffening. However, the protrusions and depressions must be wide enough in the circumferential direction to be produced by blow molding. It has been shown that a number of 8 to 12 protrusions distributed around the circumference of the annular, serrated area meets these requirements. The outwardly directed protrusions are preferably regularly distributed around the reference axis, optionally with small deviations. For example, the N protrusions are spaced from each other by an angular distance of 2.πN±0,2πN about the reference axis.

[0009] The geometry of the support flange makes it possible to achieve the desired stiffness with a relatively thin wall. The wall section is optionally configured such that, in at least one cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the reference axis and intersecting the serrated area, each point on an inner surface of the wall section facing the internal volume has a minimum distance to an outer surface of the wall section opposite the inner surface, which is less than 2.5 mm, preferably less than 1.5 mm.

[0010] The wall section encloses a cylindrical cavity of the internal volume, centered on the reference axis, which has a diameter greater than 20.5 mm, preferably greater than 20.9 mm, e.g., 21.6 mm. Each recess is formed by a bottom portion of the wall section, which may optionally extend tangentially to the cylindrical cavity. The upper neck portion preferably has an annular wall portion that adjoins the annular upper bead of the support flange, encloses the cylindrical cavity, and preferably extends tangentially to it. Similarly, the lower neck portion may have an annular wall portion that adjoins the annular lower bead of the support flange, encloses the cylindrical cavity, and preferably extends tangentially to it.

[0011] The upper neck area forms an upper edge of the container neck and has an annular retaining bead that is positioned between the upper edge and the support flange.

[0012] The upper neck area is formed by an upper tubular wall section with an inner and an outer surface, wherein, in at least one section plane perpendicular to the reference axis, each point on the inner surface of the upper wall section has a minimum distance to the outer surface of the upper wall section of less than 2.5 mm, preferably less than 1.5 mm. The inner surface forms a sealing seat for a seal formed by an inner skirt of a container closure mounted on the neck.

[0013] In a container neck enclosing an inner volume and comprising an upper neck region, a lower neck region and a support flange between the upper neck region and the lower neck region, wherein the support flange has an annular serrated area, wherein the serrated area has protrusions and depressions formed by a tubular wall section having an inner side facing the inner volume and an outer side opposite the inner side, the problem according to a second aspect of the invention is solved by the fact that, on both sides of a demolding plane comprising a reference axis of the container neck, the outer side of the wall section has no undercuts in a demolding direction perpendicular and opposite to the demolding plane.

[0014] The demolding plane corresponds to a contact plane between two mold halves that together form a cavity of a manufacturing mold in which the container neck can be formed by a manufacturing process in which a radially outward force or pressure is exerted on a radially inward-facing side of a wall of an extrusion tube, in particular by extrusion blowing. The two mold halves can be moved in the corresponding demolding direction and thus separated from each other in order to release the container neck after forming.

[0015] The two aspects of the invention are preferably combined. Brief description of the drawings

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1: A first perspective view of a container neck according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2: An axial sectional view of the container neck of the Fig. 1 through a section plane II-II of the Fig. 3; Fig. 3: An axial sectional view of the container neck of the Fig. 1 through a section plane III-III of the Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view through a section plane IV-IV of the Fig. 3; Fig. 5: a perspective sectional view, which is the axial sectional view of the Fig. 2 corresponds to; Fig. 6: a perspective sectional view, which is the axial sectional view of the Fig. 3 corresponds to; Fig. 7: a first perspective view of a container neck according to a second embodiment; Fig. 8 a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 7 through a cutting plane that corresponds to the cutting plane IV-IV of the Fig. 3 corresponds.

[0017] In all drawings, individual reference symbols denote identical or similar elements. Detailed description of the exemplary implementations

[0018] With reference to the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 to Fig. Figure 6 is a first embodiment of a container neck of the present invention, characterized by reference numeral 10. The container neck consists of a tubular body 12 enclosing an inner volume 14. This body 12 is made of a lightweight plastic similar to that of the container with which it is to be axially coupled or to which it belongs, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The body 12 comprises, along a reference axis 16, an upper neck region 18, a lower neck region 20, and a support flange 22 between the upper neck region and the lower neck region.

[0019] The upper neck region 18 is formed by an upper tubular wall section 24 of the tubular body 12, having an inner surface 26 and an outer surface 28. In at least one section plane 30 perpendicular to the reference axis, each point on the inner surface 26 of the upper wall section 24 has a minimum distance to the outer surface 28 of the upper wall section 24 of less than 2.5 mm. The upper neck region 18 forms a preferably chamfered upper edge 32 of the container neck and has an annular retaining bead 34 located between the upper edge 32 and the support flange 22. The distance between the inner and outer surfaces of the upper wall section 24 may optionally be greater than 2.5 mm in the area of ​​the retaining bead, but is preferably less than 4 mm.

[0020] Accordingly, the lower neck region 20 is formed by a lower tubular wall section 36 with an inner surface 38 and an outer surface 40, wherein in at least one section plane 41 perpendicular to the reference axis, each point of the inner surface 38 of the lower wall section 36 has a minimum distance to the outer surface 40 of the lower wall section 36 of less than 2.5 mm. The lower neck region 20 widens and forms a transition area to a container body 42 to which the container neck 10 is attached or to which it belongs.

[0021] The support flange 22 comprises an upper annular bead 44, a lower annular bead 46 and a serrated area 48 between the upper annular bead 44 and the lower annular bead 46.

[0022] The upper bead 44 lies in an upper cross-sectional plane 144, which is perpendicular to the reference axis 16, and correspondingly the lower bead 46 lies in a lower cross-sectional plane 146, which is perpendicular to the reference axis, wherein the distance A between the upper and the lower cross-sectional plane is preferably more than 3 mm.

[0023] The serrated area 48 has outwardly projecting protrusions 50 and depressions 52 distributed around the reference axis 16. The number N of protrusions 50 is 12 in the exemplary embodiment, but can vary, preferably between 8 and 16, and the distribution of the protrusions 50 around the reference axis 16 is preferably regular, such that the protrusions are separated from each other by an angular distance of 2.πN±0,2πN are located a distance from the reference axis. The protrusions 50 preferably extend from the upper annular bead 44 to the lower annular bead 46 and thus form stiffening ribs between the upper and the lower bead.

[0024] The protrusions 50 and depressions 52 are formed by a tubular wall section 54 of the tubular body 12. This wall section 54 has an inner surface 56 facing the inner volume 14 and an outer surface 58 opposite the inner surface. The wall section 54 is thin in that, in at least one section plane perpendicular to the reference axis, every point on the inner surface has a minimum distance to the outer surface of less than 2.5 mm. As a result, both the inner and outer surfaces of the wall section exhibit irregularities corresponding to the protrusions 50 and depressions 52.

[0025] The wall section 54 encloses a cylindrical area 60 of the internal volume, which is centered on the reference axis and has a diameter D that may be greater than 20.5 mm, preferably greater than 20.9 mm, e.g., 21.6 mm. Each recess 52 of the serrated area 48 is formed by a bottom area 62 of the wall section, which preferably extends tangentially to the cylinder 60. The upper wall section 24 of the upper neck area 18 and the lower wall section 36 of the lower neck area 20 each have an annular wall area 64 and 66, respectively, which adjoins the support flange 22, encloses the cylinder 60, and extends tangentially to it.

[0026] According to the invention, the wall section 54 is shaped such that on both sides of a demolding plane 68, which includes the reference axis 16, the outer surface 58 of the wall section 54 has no undercuts in a demolding direction 70 perpendicular and opposite to the demolding plane 54.

[0027] This demolding plane 68 corresponds to a parting line 72 of the container neck 10 and a contact plane between two mold halves, which together form a cavity of a manufacturing mold in which the container neck 10 is formed by a manufacturing process in which a radially outward force or pressure is exerted on a radially inward side of a wall of an extrusion tube, e.g. by extrusion blowing or stretch blowing.

[0028] The second embodiment of the Fig. 7 and Fig. The embodiment 8 differs from the first embodiment only in that the number N of protrusions 52 has been limited to 8. With a smaller number, the protrusions 50 and the depressions 52 can be made wider, which simplifies production by blow molding. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 20 2023 105564 U1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Container neck (10) enclosing an inner volume (14) and comprising an upper neck region (18), a lower neck region (20) and a support flange (22) between the upper neck region (18) and the lower neck region (20), wherein the support flange (22) has an annular serrated area (48), the serrated area (48) having protrusions (50) and depressions (52) formed by a tubular wall section (54), characterized by , that the support flange (22) includes an upper continuous annular bead (44) that lies between the serrated area (48) and the upper neck area (18). [2] Container neck (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the support flange (22) comprises a lower continuous annular bead (44), wherein the serrated area (48) lies between the upper continuous annular bead (44) and the lower continuous annular bead (44). [3] Container neck (10) according to claim 2, characterized by , that the elevations (50) extend from the upper ring-shaped bulge (46) to the lower ring-shaped bulge (48). [4] Container neck (10) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized by , that an axial distance (A) between an upper cross-sectional plane (144) perpendicular to the reference axis (16) and intersecting the upper annular bead (44) at a point furthest from the reference axis (16) and a lower cross-sectional plane (146) perpendicular to the reference axis (16) and intersecting the lower annular bead (46) at a point furthest from the reference axis (16) is greater than 3 mm. [5] Container neck (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the jagged area (48) has a number N of elevations (50) separated from each other by an angular distance of 2.πN±0,2πN are away from the reference axis (16). [6] Container neck (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that in at least one section plane (IV-IV) which is perpendicular to the reference axis (16) and intersects the jagged area (48), each point of an inner side (56) of the wall section (54) facing the inner volume has a minimum distance to an outer side (58) of the wall section (54) opposite the inner side (56) which is less than 2.5mm, preferably less than 1.5mm. [7] Container neck (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the wall section (54) encloses a cylindrical cavity (60) of the interior volume (14) centered on the reference axis (16), wherein - the cylindrical hollow area (60) has a diameter (D) greater than 20.5 mm, preferably greater than 20.9 mm, e.g. 21.6 mm; and / or - each depression (52) is formed by a bottom area (62) of the wall section (54) that runs tangentially to the cylindrical cavity area (60); and / or - the upper neck region (18) has an annular wall region (66) that adjoins the annular upper bead (44) of the support flange (22), encloses the cylindrical hollow region (60) and preferably extends tangentially to it; and / or - the lower neck region (20) has an annular wall region (66) which adjoins the annular lower bead (46) of the support flange (22), encloses the cylindrical hollow region (60) and preferably extends tangentially to it. [8] Container neck (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the upper neck area (18) forms an upper rim (32) of the container neck (10) and has an annular retaining bead (34) that is arranged between the upper rim (32) and the support flange (22). [9] Container neck (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the upper neck region (18) is formed by an upper tubular wall section (24) with an inner side (26) and an outer side (28), wherein in at least one section plane perpendicular to the reference axis each point of the inner side (26) of the upper wall section (24) has a minimum distance to the outer side (28) of the upper wall section (24) which is less than 2.5mm. [10] Container neck (10) according to the preamble of claim 1 or according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that on both sides of a demolding plane (68) which includes a reference axis (16) of the container neck (10), an outer surface (58) of the wall section (54) has no undercuts in a demolding direction (70) perpendicular and opposite to the demolding plane (68).

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