Container system and method for forming a spherical head in a container

By integrally constructing the convex coupling section as a raised ball head on the container wall, the problems of bacterial penetration risk and high production cost of the container system in the prior art are solved, and sterile connection and simplified operation are achieved.

CN112888399BActive Publication Date: 2025-08-08AESCULAP AG
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN201980067600.0
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2018-10-29
Filing Date
2019-10-28
Publication Date
2025-08-08
Estimated Expiration
2039-10-28

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The coupling system of existing container systems has the problems of risk of bacteria penetration, difficulty in cleaning and high production costs, and the need for multiple components leads to complex operation.

Method used

The convex coupling section is integrally constructed on the container wall with a raised ball head with an undercut, and a sterile connection is achieved through the engagement with the concave coupling section, reducing the number of components and simplifying operation.

Benefits of technology

A sterile connection with sterile boundaries is achieved, reducing the risk of bacteria penetration, simplifying the cleaning process, reducing component count and reducing production costs.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a container system (1; 101; 201; 301; 401) comprising: a container (2), in particular a sterile medical or surgical container; at least one separate coupling element (4) and at least one coupling system (6) for detachably connecting the coupling element (4) to the container (2), wherein the coupling system (6) comprises a male coupling section (8) formed on the container (2) and a female coupling section (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) formed on the coupling element (4), the coupling sections (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) being able to be coupled and uncoupled with one another, wherein the male coupling section (8) is formed integrally in the wall (12) of the container (2) and is in the form of a raised ball head (14) with an undercut (18). The invention also relates to a method for forming a ball head (14) in a container (2).
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a container system and a method for forming a spherical head in or on a container, in particular a sterile medical or surgical container. Background Art

[0002] The prior art describes various types of connections to containers or container systems with connection systems. For example, bolts constitute a known prior art detachable connection / connection system. These bolts are screwed into the body of a container, such as a sterile container, and detachably secure a further component or a connection element to the sterile container. This method can be used, in particular, to install closure systems or signage. For example, clamps can also be used that clamp the elements to be connected in a force-fitting manner. However, the clamps must still be fastened to the container, usually by riveting. Furthermore, safety systems or closure systems using form-locking connections or snap-on hooks that are fastened to the container are well known in the prior art.

[0003] However, a problem with the prior art is that known connection or coupling systems require an opening for a secure connection, thereby creating a penetration point in a component. These penetration points pose a potential risk of bacteria penetrating or are not sterile, and are also difficult to clean or sterilize. Furthermore, capillary action can draw water, blood, and other body secretions into the gaps. The gaps, along with other difficult-to-clean geometries, create a risk of recontamination at these locations, so the container system does not meet sterility requirements. This also complicates the production process and increases production costs.

[0004] Furthermore, some connection variants require a large number of components that must be assembled after production. These components increase production costs and can be lost or forgotten, primarily because they are often not securely connected to other components. This significantly complicates handling, as the exact number of components must be verified, for example, using a checklist. If a clamping system with latching projections is used on the screen basket, for example, to releasably secure a nameplate that can be hooked into the screen structure of the screen basket, a corresponding geometry with openings and undercuts is necessary. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to avoid or reduce the disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a container system and a method for producing such a container system having a coupling system, by means of which further coupling elements can be detachably mounted / fastened to a container, wherein such a connection or such a coupling system is easy to clean and forms a connection that is impermeable to bacteria. Furthermore, the number of required components should be reduced to a minimum for ease of operation and cost-effective production.

[0006] This object of the invention is achieved according to the invention with respect to a container system of the generic type and with respect to a (forming) method of the generic type for forming a spherical head.

[0007] The object of the present invention is achieved according to the present invention with respect to this type of container system in that the male coupling section is integrally / integrally formed / designed in the container wall and is shaped as a raised ball / mud-shaped element with an undercut. The ball has a mushroom-shaped structure, similar to a tie-down bollard or a champagne bottle cork. The decisive factor in the male coupling section is that it is integrally formed in the container wall itself, for example by forming the container wall (deep drawing), so that the container wall (container wall) remains a sterile boundary through which no bacteria, viruses, or fluids can pass, without the need for additional components. The raised ball forms an undercut, which allows for positive-locking attachment of additional coupling elements, such as a label, to the ball via the formed undercut. The ball has a rounded head and is therefore particularly suitable for cleaning or sterilization. The coupled state is defined as the state in which the male and female coupling sections are effectively engaged with each other, and the coupling element is thus connected to the container. The disconnected state is defined as the state in which the male and female coupling sections are no longer effectively engaged with each other, and the container and coupling element are not fixed relative to each other but are freely displaceable. This provides the user with a container system that allows for personalized use, reduces the risk of damage due to, in particular, rounded edges, and enables simple coupling / assembly and disconnection / disassembly of the coupling element. The ball-shaped design eliminates the need for additional, separate components.

[0008] Advantageous embodiments are described below.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the coupling system can be configured as a push-button system, in which the female coupling section (button) has a circular recess into which the ball (its ball head) enters / presses in the coupled state, with the female coupling section elastically / prestressedly surrounding / enclosing the undercut of the ball. Due to the coupling system being configured as a push-button system and the female coupling section prestressing / enclosing the ball, a limit is set on the tensile force required to separate the female coupling section from the male coupling section. This creates a minimum force required to separate the balls, which can be adjusted based on the prestressing force, thereby preventing the female coupling section from unintentionally detaching.

[0010] The female coupling section can preferably have an undercut, in particular a full circle, that surrounds the undercut of the ball head and allows the ball head to be releasably connected due to the material's inherent elasticity. Alternatively, the female coupling section can have a separate spring that surrounds / encloses the undercut of the ball head, allowing the ball head to be releasably connected. Various variations are conceivable for achieving the preload. First, an inward-pointing undercut can also be formed on the female coupling section, for example, by a surrounding strip. This undercut can expand under the action of force due to the material's elasticity, thereby increasing the undercut's inner diameter. Thus, if the user pulls the female coupling section away from the male coupling section in the coupled state, the ball head, due to the tensile force and its funnel-shaped geometry on its rear / underside, presses the undercut away, causing it to expand and be removed past the ball head. Second, the female coupling section can have a spring, wherein this spring forms an undercut and elastically surrounds the head of the ball head, or preloads it. If a tensile force is now applied to the female coupling section in the coupled state, the geometry of the ball head, as described above, causes the spring to be squeezed apart, the distance between the spring arms increases, and the female section can ultimately be moved away from the male section. In particular, the spring can have two diametrically opposed arms extending substantially parallel to each other. Alternatively, the spring can be designed in the form of a collar that is clamped into a circumferential groove in the female coupling section.

[0011] According to another, alternative point of view, the concave coupling section can have a recess in the form of a keyhole, the keyhole having a round insertion section and a locking section with a parallel undercut in the form of a guide plate, the recess being designed such that the ball head can be received and removed in the insertion section and, after the ball head has been moved into the locking section, is connected in a form-locking manner via the guide plate.

[0012] In another, alternative preferred embodiment, the female coupling section can be designed in the form of two diametrically opposed latching projections that, in the coupled state, surround the ball head and thus couple the male coupling section. The latching projections can have a certain material elasticity to elastically connect to the ball head via a long extension. This allows the latching projections to be "clamped" onto the ball head by pressing force and removed again by pulling force. The female coupling section can also preferably have multiple latching projections, in particular three, four, or five latching projections, which surround the ball head in the coupled state. In particular, the latching projections are evenly distributed over the circumference.

[0013] Preferably, the container is a sterile container, and the coupling element is a label or plate or well cover or sensor or identification element or retaining element. The sensor may, for example, be a temperature sensor that records temperature changes. The identification element may be an identification tag or label for a tracking / traceability system, such as an RFID chip for identifying the container. The retaining element may, for example, be a retaining clip.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, the container can be a sieve basket and the coupling element can be a sign or label. In particular, the sterile container and the sieve basket have the same ball head geometry, so that the coupling element, such as the label, can be connected to both the sterile container and the sieve basket. This provides the user with a modular container system similar to a standard component, which allows the coupling element to be used with a variety of different containers.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, the container system can include a second container as a coupling element, so that the first container can be hooked into the second container and coupled. If a ball head protruding outward from the container is formed on a container wall and a complementary concave retaining section, for example in the form of a recess shaped toward the interior of the container, is formed on the opposite outer side of the container, then two or more containers can be hooked together.

[0016] The container can preferably be made of metal or a metallic material, in particular aluminum, or a metal alloy. Metals are particularly well sterilized, have high stability, and withstand practical loads such as temperature fluctuations very well. They are also highly operational and economical. In the case of metal alloys, the optimal composition of the metal or metallic material can be determined depending on the intended use, in order to obtain the best material for the container, particularly in terms of strength and chemical resistance. Aluminum is particularly advantageous as a material because it is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and also well sterilized. Quenched and tempered steel or high-quality steel with appropriate alloying contents are also alternative metallic materials for the container. In particular, chromium and / or manganese and / or nickel and / or molybdenum and / or titanium and / or niobium and / or vanadium and / or cobalt can be used as the alloying metal of the metal alloy.

[0017] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the metal material or metal alloy can account for at least 80% (wt%) of the container weight, particularly preferably 90%, and in particular the entire container can be made of the metal material or metal alloy. In particular, medical or surgical sterile containers can be made of the metal material or metal alloy.

[0018] The container can preferably be produced by deep drawing. The structural properties of the container after deep drawing are particularly advantageous. The container can also be produced economically and efficiently. In particular, the container tray is produced after or by deep drawing.

[0019] The object of the present invention is achieved according to the invention in this type of forming method by the following steps: two complementary extrusion dies are arranged on opposite sides of a container wall, wherein the male extrusion die of the two extrusion dies has a projection and the female extrusion die has a complementary die cavity; the complementary extrusion dies are pressed toward each other and thereby extruded / deep-punched into a depression that is convex toward the outer side of the container; and the depression is roughened, thereby forming / constructing a spherical head with a head and a surrounding undercut. Due to the shape of the complementary extrusion dies, which are arranged coaxially with each other, a depression / press nip is produced in a second step. The depression has a cylindrical or conical circumferential wall and an end wall / end side that is preferably parallel to the container wall or curved, in particular spherically curved. The circumferential wall and the end wall / end side do not yet have an undercut. The undercut is not formed until a third step, in which the depression is roughened and the end wall and the adjacent region of the circumferential wall are widened to form an undercut. The method according to the invention thus makes it possible to form a spherical head in the container wall itself, thereby achieving a sterile boundary and further reducing the number of components to a minimum.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the step of "roughening the recess" can be performed using a mold having a flat or spherical and preferably rotationally symmetrical mold shape / die shape, which flattens the recess in order to form the undercut by plastic deformation. The mold shape can preferably have a polygonal contour or, when viewed in cross section, a polygonal outer circumference. In particular, the mold shape has a hexagonal or octagonal contour.

[0021] According to an alternative embodiment, the step of "roughening the recess" can include the following steps: exchanging a concave extrusion die and a convex extrusion die; and extruding the complementary extrusion dies toward each other. By exchanging the two opposing extrusion dies, the recess can be roughened using the raised portion of the convex extrusion die. This minimizes the number of different dies required.

[0022] According to a further alternative embodiment, the step of "roughening the recess" can comprise the following steps: pressing the recess through a forming die, which has a defined, full-circle ball head mold contour, into which the recess is plastically pressed and formed; and separating the forming die and demolding the ball head. In this embodiment, the forming die has an undercut shape. By applying pressure, the recess is pressed into the shape of this undercut, similar to the case of die casting, and adapts to the shape of the forming die. After the extrusion process, the forming die, which consists of at least two parts, is separated and can be removed from the male coupling section. This aspect of the invention makes it possible to shape the ball head specifically and individually.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the steps of pressing the complementary extrusion dies toward each other and roughening the recess can be performed (substantially simultaneously) in a single extrusion step, wherein the two extrusion dies are pressed toward each other, the female extrusion die being a forming die with a defined, full-circumferential ball head die contour as a female die, into which the recess is plastically pressed and formed; the forming dies are separated and the ball head is demolded. In this variant, the forming die, as a female extrusion die, has an undercut shape, and the extrusion step is performed using a single (linear) extrusion motion, i.e., the two extrusion dies are pressed toward each other, initially deep-drawing the recess through the projection of the male extrusion die, and as the pressure continues to be applied, plastic shaping occurs in the volume formed between the two extrusion dies due to the pressure, the recess being plastically pressed into this volume, formed, and forming an undercut. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings using preferred embodiments.

[0025] Figure 1shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a container system according to the invention having a coupling system according to a first preferred embodiment;

[0026] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 a perspective view of the ball head shown;

[0027] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the container system of the present invention, which has a coupling system of another second preferred embodiment;

[0028] Figure 4 Shown Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the coupling system shown;

[0029] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a container system of the present invention having a coupling system according to a third further preferred embodiment;

[0030] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a container system having a coupling system according to a fourth further preferred embodiment;

[0031] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a container system having an additional fifth preferred embodiment coupling system; and

[0032] Figures 8 to 11 Cross-sectional views showing steps of a first preferred embodiment of the forming method of the present invention.

[0033] The accompanying drawings are schematic and serve only to understand the present invention. Identical elements are marked with the same reference numerals. Features of different embodiments may be interchanged. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of a container system 1 according to the invention is shown. The container system comprises two separate components / assemblies / elements: firstly, a container 2 in the form of a disk-shaped sterile container, a disk-shaped sieve basket, or a container lid, and secondly, a coupling element 4 to be connected thereto. In this embodiment, coupling element 4 is a label for indicating the contents of container 2. Furthermore, further coupling elements 4 are provided in the form of label plates and hole covers for container 2.

[0036] For coupling the coupling element 4, the container 2 has a coupling system 6 comprising a male coupling section 8 and a female coupling section 10. The male coupling section 8 is formed on the container 2, while the female coupling section 10 is formed on the coupling element 4. The male coupling section 8 is integrally formed in a container wall 12 of the container 2 and has a raised round ball 14 or a round mushroom-shaped part 14. The head 16 of the ball 14 forms a full-circle undercut 18. The outer contour of the ball 14 has the shape of a tie rod or a champagne bottle cork.

[0037] At the location of the ball head 14 formed in the container wall 12, a concave, sac-shaped and rotationally symmetrical recess or depression 20 is formed in the ball head 14. Figure 2 In the perspective view of the male coupling section 8, the opposing head 16 is shown in detail. The ball head 14 is designed with a rotationally symmetrical circular profile and has a spherical head 16. This head 16 is flattened on its upper side 17. The circular head 16 has a diameter D1, forming a full-circle undercut 18, and engages in a circular recess 22 with a diameter D2 within the female coupling section 10. The diameter D1 of the ball head 14 is smaller than the diameter D2 of the recess 22, allowing the ball head 14 to be inserted into the recess. A spring element 24, in the form of a collar with rounded edges, is clamped in the coupling element 4 and, in the coupled state, surrounds the head 16 of the ball head 14 and, therefore, the undercut 18. The spring has a diameter smaller than the diameter D1 of the head 16. By rounding the edges of the undercut 18 or by creating a smooth transition between the head 16 and the rounded spring element, a snap-on / clip-on closure in the form of a push-button system can be achieved. Thus, the user can either "clip" the coupling element 4 onto the container 2 by means of a pressing force (which causes the spring 24 to expand to a diameter greater than D1 against its preload) and detachably connect it, or manually separate it from the ball head 14 by means of a pulling force (which causes the spring 24 to expand to a diameter greater than D1 against its preload). In this case, the ball head 14 is integrally formed / material-integrated in the container 2, so that no sterile barrier is breached and the container wall 12 forms a naturally impenetrable boundary.

[0038] Figure 3A schematic top view of a container system 101 according to the present invention, showing a second preferred embodiment, is shown. The container system 101 has a coupling system 106 with the same male coupling section 8, but with a female coupling section 110 that is designed differently from the first embodiment. The female coupling section 110, viewed from above, has the shape of a keyhole and comprises a circular insertion section 122 and a directly adjacent locking section 124. As in the first embodiment, the insertion section 122 has a diameter D2 that is greater than the diameter D1 of the head 16 of the ball head 14. The locking section, into which the insertion section 122 merges, has a guide plate 126 with a width B that is smaller than the diameter D1 of the head 16. The head 16 is therefore clamped or held in the guide plates on both sides, although it is axially displaceable in the extension of the longitudinal axis L of the latching section 124 , but is nevertheless axially fixed in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

[0039] Figure 5 A further alternative embodiment of a container system 201 according to the present invention is shown, which has a coupling system 206. The container 2 with the male coupling section 8 remains the same as in the first two embodiments, but the coupling element 204 is designed differently. Specifically, the coupling element 204 has an alternative female retaining section 210. The female retaining section 210 is designed in the form of two locking hooks 224 that lie opposite one another. The two locking hooks 224 here have mutually directed latching projections 226 that have a bevel 228 on one side and a flat undercut 230 on the opposite side. This allows them to be easily applied to the ball head 14 in one direction with elastic deformation of the latching hooks 224 by means of the bevel 228, then positively retain the ball head in the axial direction via the undercut 230, and then be removed from the ball head 14 again in the opposite direction with increased force (without the auxiliary bevel 228) and further elastic deformation. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to manually move two locking hooks 224 lying opposite one another in opposite directions, thereby increasing the diameter and enabling the coupling element 204 to be moved away from the ball head 14 without elastic deformation.

[0040] Figure 6 and 7 An alternative container system 301 and 401 of the fourth and fifth preferred embodiments are shown, respectively. Figure 6 In the embodiment, the coupling element 304 has a cap shape and is connected to Figure 1 and 2 The first embodiment shown is similarly plugged onto the ball head 314 .

[0041] and Figure 7 A coupling element 404 is provided in the form of a sleeve. Two parallel springs 424 extend transversely to the sleeve's longitudinal axis within the sleeve, which serves as a female coupling section 410. The springs 424 are spaced apart from one another at a distance that is smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve of the female coupling section 410. These springs 424 retain the undercut 418 of the ball head 414 or elastically preload the head 416 of the ball head 414. Thus, in the uncoupled state, the female coupling section 410 can be clamped onto the male coupling section 408 and coupled by a pressing force, and in the coupled state, the coupling can be released again by applying a tensile force.

[0042] Figures 8 to 11 The steps of a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention are shown for producing a ball head 14 integrally formed in the container 2 (as it is in Figure 1 Container system of the present invention (as shown in ).

[0043] exist Figure 8 In a first step, the container wall 12 of the container 2 is positioned, which container wall 12, in particular, comprises aluminum as the material and is still flat or slightly curved at this point. Two complementary extrusion dies 70 and 72 are coaxially arranged on opposite sides of the container wall 12 at a predetermined location of the container wall 12 that is ultimately to form the ball head 14. Of the two extrusion dies, the male extrusion die 70 has a solid cylindrical projection 74 with rounded edges, while the female extrusion die 72 has a die cavity 76 in the form of a hollow cylinder with a circular through-hole that is complementary to the projection 74. The diameter of the projection 74 is smaller than the diameter of the through-hole of the die cavity 76, so that a full-circumference wide gap remains between the projection 74 and the die cavity 76, which corresponds approximately to the thickness of the container wall 12 at the predetermined location of the ball head 14. Alternatively, the gap can also have a thickness that is less than the thickness of the container wall. In particular, the thickness of the gap can be between 5% and 90%, particularly preferably between 10% and 70% and very particularly preferably between 20% and 40% of the thickness of the container wall.

[0044] In a second step, the coaxially arranged, complementary extrusion dies 70, 72 are then moved toward each other so that they first press against the container wall 12 or press the top of the projection 74 and the end section of the hollow cylinder against the container wall 12 and, after increasing the extrusion pressure, the container wall 12 is extruded so that the area of the container wall 12 to be formed is plastically deformed and a recess 78 is formed. It can be said that the recess 78 is extruded or deep-drawn. Figure 9This state is shown in . The material or sheet material of the container wall 12 thus plastically adapts to the die shapes of the two complementary extrusion dies 70, 72. The recess has here a conical or cylindrical peripheral wall 80 and an end wall 82. However, after this second step, the recess 78 still has no undercut.

[0045] In a third step, the male extrusion die 70 is replaced by another, different male extrusion die 70' having a shorter projection 74'. The female extrusion die 72 is also replaced by a die 73 having a spherical female die / die shape / die shape 77. Figure 10 This state is shown in FIG. Then, the male extrusion die 72' is moved back toward the die 73 arranged coaxially therewith and pressed toward each other with an extrusion force. Due to the geometry of the extrusion die or die, the recess 78 is plastically roughened or plastically flattened and a ball head 14 with a head 16 and a surrounding undercut 18 is formed, as shown in FIG. Figure 11 As can be seen in FIG. It is not necessary to force the replacement of the convex extrusion die 70. In an embodiment not shown, the convex extrusion die 70 can also be retained and only the concave extrusion die 72 can be replaced.

[0046] Concave extrusion die 72 is designed as a tubular body as a hollow cylinder with a through hole in this embodiment. Figure 8 Observe the internal volume that is open upward along the longitudinal direction of the concave extrusion die 72. The container wall to be extruded is inserted into the internal volume and therefore does not constitute a restriction part along the axial direction of the extrusion die. The concave extrusion die can also have a (similar to the mold 73) upwardly closed female mold shape as a restriction part along the axial direction, which is used to achieve pre-forming of the ball head to a certain extent.

[0047] In one embodiment, the male coupling section can also be configured with a polygonal peripheral wall having a polygonal contour, such as a pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, or octagonal contour, instead of a cylindrical or conical peripheral wall having a circular contour or a circular cross-section. Alternatively, the peripheral wall can also have an elliptical contour. In particular, both extrusion dies also have a polygonal contour, such as a pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, or octagonal contour, on the inner circumference of the female extrusion die and on the outer circumference of the raised portion of the male extrusion die.

[0048] In a further embodiment, the rotationally symmetrical ball head can also have a polygonal contour of the head, in particular a hexagonal or octagonal contour, instead of a circular cross-sectional contour with a spherical head.

[0049] In one embodiment, the concave locking section may also have more than two locking hooks, for example, three, four, five or six locking hooks.

[0050] In one embodiment, the container can of course also comprise high-grade steel as material instead of aluminum.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the male of the two extrusion dies can have a solid cylindrical protrusion which, instead of a rounded edge, has a sharp edge, which is produced, for example, by die cutting, in order to extrude the material of the container to be formed, in particular in the case of thick material, outwards for further processing steps.

[0052] Reference Signs List

[0053] 1; 101; 201; 301; 401 container system

[0054] 2; 302; 402 container

[0055] 4; 104; 204; 304; 404 Connecting elements

[0056] 6; 106; 206; 306; 406 connection system

[0057] 8 Male coupling section

[0058] 10; 110; 210; 310; 410 concave coupling section

[0059] 12 container wall

[0060] 14; 314; 414 ball head

[0061] 16 Head

[0062] 17 Upper side of the head

[0063] 18 Undercut

[0064] 20 concavity

[0065] 22 Concave

[0066] 24 Spring

[0067] 70; 70' convex extrusion die

[0068] 72 concave extrusion die

[0069] 73 mold

[0070] 74; 74' raised part

[0071] 76 mold cavity

[0072] 77 Spherical female mold

[0073] 78 pits

[0074] 80 surrounding wall

[0075] 82 end wall

[0076] 122 Insertion section

[0077] 124 locking section

[0078] 126 guide plate

[0079] 224 Hook

[0080] 226 Locking protrusion

[0081] 424 Spring

[0082] L Longitudinal axis of the latching section

[0083] B Width

[0084] D1 Head diameter

[0085] D2 cavity diameter

Claims

1. A container system (1; 101; 201; 301; 401), comprising: a container (2), the container (2) having at least one separate coupling element (4) and at least one coupling system (6) for detachably connecting the coupling element (4) to the container (2), wherein the coupling system (6) comprises a male coupling section (8) configured on the container (2) and a female coupling section (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) configured on the coupling element (4), the male coupling section (8) and the female coupling section (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) being able to be coupled to and decoupled from one another, characterized in that: The male coupling section (8) is integrally constructed in the wall (12) of the container (2) and is configured in the form of a raised ball head (14) with an undercut (18), the raised ball head having a mushroom-shaped structure, wherein the female coupling section (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) includes a full-circle undercut, which surrounds the undercut (18) of the ball head (14) and is detachably connected to the ball head (14) by means of material elasticity / inherent elasticity, or the female coupling section (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) includes a separate spring (24), which surrounds / encloses the undercut (18) of the ball head (14) to detachably connect the ball head (14), and wherein the spring is constructed in the form of a clamping ring, which is arranged in a full-circle groove of the female coupling section (10; 110; 210; 310; 410).

2. The container system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coupling system (6) is designed in the form of a push-button system, in which the concave coupling section (10) has a circular recess (22), into which the ball head (14) enters in the coupled state, wherein the concave coupling section (10) preloads an undercut (18) of the ball head (14) around the undercut.

3. The container system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The spring (24) clamps the undercut (18) of the ball head (14) from behind to detachably couple the ball head (14).

4. The container system (1; 101; 201) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The container (2) is a sterile container, and the coupling element (4; 104; 204) is a marking plate or a marking plate or a well cover or a sensor or an identification element or a retaining element.

5. A method for forming a ball head (14) in a container (2) of a container system, characterized in that The following steps are involved: Two complementary extrusion dies (70, 72) are arranged on opposite sides of the wall (12) of the container (2), wherein the male extrusion die (70) of the two extrusion dies has a protrusion (74) and the female extrusion die (72) has a complementary die cavity (76); Pressing the complementary extrusion dies (70, 72) toward each other to extrude / deep-punch the recess (78); and Replacing the male extrusion die (70) with a male extrusion die (70') having a shorter protrusion (74') than the protrusion (74) of the male extrusion die (70), and replacing the female extrusion die (72) with a female extrusion die (73) having a flat or spherical female die (77); and The replaced male extrusion die (70') and the replaced female extrusion die (73) are pressed toward each other to roughen the recess (78), thereby forming a ball head (14) having a head (16) and a surrounding undercut (18), wherein the ball head has a mushroom-shaped structure.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of roughening the recess (78) is carried out by the concave extrusion die (73) having the flat or spherical die (77), which flattens the recess (78) and forms the undercut (18) by plastic deformation.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of roughening the pit (78) comprises the following steps: replacing the concave extrusion die (72) and the convex extrusion die (70); and The replaced convex extrusion die (70') and the replaced concave extrusion die (73) are extruded toward each other.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of roughening the pit (78) comprises the following steps: The depression (78) is pressed through a forming die having a defined, undercut ball head die contour, the depression (78) being plastically pressed into the forming die and forming and constituting the ball head (14); and The forming mold is separated and the ball head (14) is demoulded.

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