container

Abstract

The invention relates to a container (100) which is suitable for receiving flowable product in its interior, wherein the container (100) comprises: a base body (102) which has an opening (102a) for removing product, a lid unit (104), and a closure unit (108) which is designed to be connected to the base body (102) on the one hand and to the lid unit (104) on the other hand, wherein the closure unit (108) has an opening (110) on a product inlet side thereof, which opening is fluidically connected to at least one opening (112) on a product outlet side of the closure unit (108), wherein the product inlet-side opening (110) of the closure unit (108) has a larger free total cross-section than the product outlet-side opening (112) of the closure unit (108),wherein the fluidic connection between the product inlet-side opening of the closure unit (108) and the product outlet-side opening of the closure unit (108) defines a main flow direction (S1) in the closure unit (108) for product, wherein the main flow direction (S1) in the closure unit (108) for product runs substantially parallel to a main extension direction (H) of the base body (102).

Description

The invention relates to a container suitable for containing flowable product in its interior.For receiving and controlled dispensing of flowable product, such as cosmetic products, from containers, such as cosmetic bottles made of plastic or the like, so-called disc-top closures are known, for example, which have a cover unit pivotable about a pivot axis, which can be adjusted between an open position, in which dispensing of the product is permitted, and a closed position, in which dispensing of the product is prevented. However, it is pointed out already at this point that, although the invention will be described below in part on the basis of cosmetic bottles or cosmetic products, no restriction of the invention can be derived therefrom, whatever is the case.The aforementioned disc-top closures often have the problem that they are not completely tight even in the closed position, as a result of which uncontrolled or undesirable dispensing of the flowable product can occur. Especially in the case of cosmetic containers which are frequently transported in luggage cases during travel, such as for example air-travel rails or the like, this can accordingly lead to undesired contact of the flowable product with further travel luggage which is transported in the same luggage case, which can result for example in contamination of items of clothing or the like.This problem is especially due to the fact that in the case of disc-top closures after dispensing of the flowable product and subsequent closing of the lid, a residue of the flowable product frequently remains in the lid, which residue cannot flow back into the container and can therefore lead to the uncontrolled or undesired dispensing of the flowable product.Also, disk-top closures are usually easy to open, since the pivoting movement of the cover can be brought about with the least amount of force, which can lead to unintentional opening of the cover and thus of the closure.It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a container which is improved in this respect.This object is achieved according to the invention by a container suitable for receiving flowable product in its interior, wherein the container comprises:a base body which has an opening for removing product,a cover unit, anda closure unit which is configured to be connected to the base body on the one hand and to the cover unit on the other hand, wherein the closure unit has an opening on a product inlet side thereof which is fluidically connected to at least one opening on a product outlet side of the closure unit, wherein the product inlet-side opening of the closure unit has a larger free overall cross section than the product outlet-side opening of the closure unit, wherein a main flow direction is defined in the closure unit for product by the fluidic connection between the product inlet-side opening of the closure unit and the product outlet-side opening of the closure unit, wherein the main flow direction in the closure unit for product runs substantially parallel to a main extension direction of the base body.Due to the fact that in the container according to the invention the main flow direction runs substantially parallel to the main extension direction of the base body, after dispensing the product through the product outlet-side opening, a remainder of the product remaining at the product outlet-side opening in the closure unit can flow back again in the direction of the product inlet side of the closure unit and preferably does not remain at the product outlet-side opening of the closure unit. As a result, it can be ensured that the product or residues of the product do not escape / emerge in an uncontrolled or undesired manner at the opening on the product outlet side and / or the cover unit. Furthermore, a hygienic advantage can be achieved as a result, since residues of the product remaining at the opening on the product outlet side, which might possibly dry out and / or be contaminated in some other way, are not discharged together with the product located in the container when the container is used again.Furthermore, due to the solution according to the invention, for example in comparison with known containers with a disc-top closure, significantly less material is required, since due to the closure unit according to the invention no pivotable cover unit and the like need be provided, which may need to be provided with an additional securing means in the form of a tamperproof securing means in order to prevent an undesired opening before the container is sold to an end customer.In this connection, it is pointed out that the total free cross section can denote the sum of all free cross sections and / or openings of the closure unit at the product inlet-side opening and / or the product outlet-side opening. Furthermore, the main extension of the base body can denote a direction of a largest dimension of the base body. In the case of a circular cylinder, the main direction of extension can thus designate, for example, its longitudinal central axis. Furthermore, the term "parallel" in the context of the present application can also encompass "concentric".Because the product inlet-side opening of the closure unit has a larger free overall cross section than the product outlet-side opening of the closure unit, a controlled dispensing of the product can additionally be achieved. The product inlet-side opening of the closure unit and / or the product outlet-side opening can / can have dimensions which in particular match a viscosity of the product. Thus, for example, for the dispensing of a product with a higher viscosity, such as shampoo and / or shower gel, a product outlet-side opening could be selected with dimensions which are larger than the dimensions of a product outlet-side opening, which is preferably provided for dispensing a product of a lower viscosity, such as facewater or the like.Preferably, the product outlet-side opening can be formed by one or more product outlet windows which can / can be formed on the closure unit. If the product outlet-side opening is formed by a plurality of product outlet windows, these can be arranged spaced apart from one another, for example, in the circumferential direction. The circumferential direction can relate here, for example, to a longitudinal central axis of the container, which can run substantially parallel to the main direction of extension of the container.In order to be able to ensure that no residues of the product remain in the cover unit after a controlled dispensing of the product, according to an exemplary embodiment a main flow direction for product which flows out of the cover unit can likewise run substantially parallel to the main extension direction of the base body.In principle, it is sufficient if the cover unit is adjustable between an open position and a closed position, which can preferably be effected according to the invention by means of a one-hand operation. A direction of an adjusting movement of the cover unit from the closed position into the open position, and vice versa, can also run here substantially parallel to the main extension direction of the base body.In order to prevent uncontrolled adjustment of the cover unit from the closed position into the open position and vice versa, according to a further exemplary embodiment, the cover unit can be configured to latch on the closure unit in the open position and in the closed position. Preferably, the cover unit is adjustable from the closed position into the open position and vice versa only by actuation with at least one predetermined force. The predetermined force can exceed the usual hand forces occurring during the handling of the container, so that the cover unit is preferably adjusted only when this is also expressly desired by a user of the container. Furthermore, an undesired opening of the container during transport, for example in a luggage case or the like, can thus be prevented.In a development of the last-mentioned exemplary embodiment, the closure position can be defined by the cover unit striking against the closure unit, in particular at a location of the closure unit which surrounds the at least one product outlet-side opening of the closure unit and / or defines this. The location can be formed, for example, by a stop surface on the closure unit. Thus, in the closed position, it can be reliably prevented that the product escapes in an uncontrolled manner through the opening on the product outlet side.Additionally or alternatively, the closure position can furthermore be defined by a cooperation of a closure projection which is arranged on the closure unit and a cover projection which can be arranged on the cover unit, in particular an elastically resilient protruding portion thereof. As a result, a precise and repeatably accurate definition of the closure position can be achieved. Furthermore, when the container is mounted, the closure projection and the lid projection can at least partially overlap in a direction substantially parallel to the main extension direction of the base body, whereby a particularly compact arrangement of closure unit and lid unit can be achieved.In order to be able to prevent unintentional opening of the closure unit particularly reliably in this case, according to a further exemplary embodiment, in the closure position the closure projection and the cover projection can bear against one another offset in such a way that, when a movement of the cover unit from the closure position into the open position is initiated, a force is generated which acts on the cover unit in a direction which is substantially parallel to the direction from the open position to the closure position, in particular beyond the closure position, so that the closure position is secured against unintentional opening.Additionally or alternatively, the open position can be defined by a cooperation of an opening projection which is arranged on the closure unit and a further cover projection, in particular the cover projection, which is arranged on the cover unit. Consequently, for defining the open position, an opening projection can be provided on the closure unit, which can cooperate with a further cover projection or the mentioned cover projection, so that in the latter case one and the same cover projection can be used both for fixing the closed position and for fixing the open position of the cover unit.In order to achieve a particularly reliable sealing effect between the lid unit and the closure unit, according to a further exemplary embodiment of the container, the lid unit can have at least two annular projections which are in particular concentric with respect to one another, wherein, in the assembled state of the container, an annular projection of the closure unit can be arranged between the two annular projections of the lid unit.Additionally or alternatively, the closure unit can have an, in particular annular, sealing element which can face the cover unit and be in contact with a sealing surface of the cover unit. For further enhancing the sealing effect, the sealing element can preferably be designed as a double-leaf sealing element, which comprises two leaves, which can be arranged one above the other in the main extension direction of the base body and / or arranged concentrically with respect to one another. Since the closure unit can have the mentioned sealing element, i.e. the sealing element can be a component of the closure unit, the container according to the invention can preferably be designed free of separately formed sealing elements, such as O-rings or the like, which further simplifies the production and assembly of the container due to a reduced number of individual parts.In order to ensure reliable sealing with respect to a cover interior of the cover unit even in the open position of the cover unit and / or in the event of multiple opening and closing of the cover unit, the sealing element can preferably be prestressed in the direction of the sealing surface of the cover unit.In order to make handling of the container particularly ergonomic and / or to enable transport of the container in a simple and space-saving manner, the cover unit can have substantially the same external dimensions, in particular a substantially the same external diameter as the base body, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main extension direction of the base body.In order to be able to open and / or close the cover unit particularly easily, in particular with one or two fingers of a hand of a user of the container, the cover unit can furthermore have at least one depression, in particular a recessed grip. In order to simplify the opening and / or closing of the cover unit even further, the cover unit may preferably have at least one further depression, which may be arranged on the cover unit in particular opposite the at least one depression.For dispensing the product, the cover unit can have an opening which can be arranged in its center, in particular in its center point of a substantially circular cross section. Consequently, the product can be dispensed or metered essentially centrally at the opening of the cover unit.In principle, the container can be made of any suitable material. Preferably, the base body and / or the closure unit and / or the lid unit, preferably all the constituents of the container, is / are produced from a monomaterial, in particular polypropylene (PP), hard polyethylene (high density polyethylene, HDPE) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). If several or all components of the container are made of the same material, the production of the container can be simplified accordingly further.Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. They represent: FIGS. 1 aand 1 b show perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of a container according to the invention with a lid unit in a closed position (FIG. 1 a ) or the lid unit in an open position (FIG. 1 b ), FIGS. 2 aand 2 b show cross-sectional views of the container corresponding to FIGS. 1 aand 1 b, FIG. 3 ashows a side view of a closure unit of the container according to the invention according to FIG. 1 a, FIG. 3 bshows a sectional view of the closure unit according to FIG. 3 a, FIG. 3 cis a sectional view of the closure unit according to FIG. 3 a, which is rotated by an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to the sectional view according to FIG. 3 b, FIG. 4a is a side view of the cover unit according to FIG. 1a; and FIG. 4 bshows a sectional view of the cover unit from FIG. 4 a.In Figures 1a and 1b, an embodiment of a container according to the invention is generally denoted by the reference numeral 100. The container 100 comprises a base body 102 and a cover unit 104, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is adjustable between a closed position (see FIG. 1 a ) and an open position (see FIG. 1 b ). In the closed position according to FIG. 1 a, the container 100 is in a closed state in which preferably no flowable product can escape from the interior of the container 102. In the open position according to FIG. 1 b, on the other hand, a flowable product, such as a fluidic cosmetic product, for example shampoo, shower gel and / or face water, can escape from an opening 106 formed in the center of the cover unit 104.The cover unit 104 can be adjusted between the closed position and the open position in a direction substantially parallel to a main extension direction H of the base body 102.As can be seen in FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, 3 a, 3 band 3 c, the container 100 further comprises a closure unit 108 which is plugged onto an opening 102 aof the base body 102. For this purpose, the closure unit 108 comprises a projection 108 awhich can cooperate with a corresponding projection 103 aof the base body 102, which is formed on a spout 103 of the container 100.As can be seen, for example, in FIGS. 2 aand 2 b, the closure unit 108 is in fluidic connection both with the main body 102 on the one hand and with the cover unit 104. In this case, the closure unit 108 has an opening 110 on a product inlet side thereof, which opening is in fluidic connection with at least one opening 112 on a product outlet side of the closure unit 108.As can be seen, for example, in FIGS. 3 a, 3 band 3 c, the opening 112 on the product outlet side is formed in the present exemplary embodiment as a product outlet window which can be adapted in terms of its dimensions to the product to be dispensed by the closure unit 108, in particular to the viscosity of the product. For example, the product outlet window 112 may be larger in size for dispensing one product of higher viscosity, such as shampoo and / or shower gel, than if provided for dispensing another product of lower viscosity, such as facial water.As can be seen from FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, 3 band 3 c, the product inlet-side opening 110 of the closure unit 108 has a larger free overall cross section than the product outlet-side opening 112 of the closure unit 108 in order to enable a controlled dispensing of the product accommodated in the container 100, in particular the container base body 102. A main flow direction S 1 in the closure unit 108 for the product is substantially parallel to the main extension direction H of the base body 102. As a result, after being dispensed through the closure unit 108 and the lid unit 104, the product can reliably flow back again in the direction of the container base body 102 counter to the main flow direction S 1, without residues of the product remaining in the closure unit 108 and / or on the lid unit 104. Furthermore, a main flow direction S 2 for the product flowing out of the cover unit 104 can likewise run substantially parallel to the main extension direction H of the main body 102.In the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 aand 2 a, the cover unit 104 can abut against the closure unit 108, in particular at a location of the closure unit 108 which surrounds the at least one product outlet-side opening 112 and / or defines the latter. The location is formed in FIG. 2 b, for example, by a stop surface 108 bof the closure unit 108.Furthermore, the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 aand 2 acan be defined by a cooperation of a closing projection 108 carranged on the closing unit 108 and a cover projection 104 a(see FIG. 4 b ) arranged on the cover unit 104. The cover projection 104 acan be arranged in particular on an elastically resilient, protruding section 104 bof the closure unit 104.In the closed position, the closure projection 108 cand the cover projection 104 acan lie offset relative to one another in such a way that, when a movement of the cover unit 104 from the closed position into the open position is initiated, a force is generated which acts on the cover unit 104 beyond the closed position in a direction which is substantially parallel to the direction from the open position to the closed position, so that the closed position is secured against unintentional opening. In other words, the closure projection 108 cand the cover projection 104 acan engage with one another in such a way that a movement from the closure position in FIG. 2 ato the open position shown in FIG. 2 bcan only be achieved by applying a predetermined minimum force which is substantially parallel to the main direction of extent H of the main body 102.Analogously, the open position of the cover unit 104 shown in FIGS. 1 band 2 bmay be defined by a cooperation of an opening protrusion 108 darranged on the closure unit 108 and the cover protrusion 104 aarranged on the cover unit 104.In order to prevent undesired penetration of product from the base body 102 through the closure 108 into the interior of the cover unit 104, the cover unit 104 can comprise at least two annular projections, of which one annular projection can be formed by the projecting portion 104 band a further annular projection is identified by the reference sign 104 c. The annular projections 104 band 104 cmay be concentric to one another, wherein, in the assembled state of the container 100, an annular projection 108 eof the closure unit 108 (see FIG. 3 b ) may be arranged between the two annular projections 104 band 104 cof the lid unit 104.In order to improve the sealing even further, the closure unit 108 can furthermore have an annular sealing element 109 which faces the cover unit 104 and can be in contact with a sealing surface 104 d(see, for example, FIG. 4 b ) of the cover unit 104. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sealing element 109 is designed as a double-plate sealing element which comprises two plates 109 aand 109 b, which are arranged one above the other in the main direction of extent H of the base body 102 and are arranged concentrically with respect to one another. The sealing element 109 can be prestressed in the direction of the sealing surface 104 d.As can be seen, for example, in FIG. 2 b, the cover unit 104 can have an outer dimension A substantially the same as the base body 102 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main extension direction H of the base body 102. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the cover unit 104 can therefore have the same outer diameter as the base body 102.In order to be able to achieve the opening or closing of the cover unit 104, i.e. a transfer of the cover unit 104 from the closed position into the open position and vice versa, preferably by means of a one-hand operation, the cover unit 104 can have at least one depression 114, which is designed as a recessed grip in the exemplary embodiment shown. In this case, the cover unit 104 can preferably have a further depression (not shown), which can be arranged on the cover unit 104 opposite the at least one depression 114.As illustrated in FIG. 4 b, for example, the cover unit 104 may have cover outlet windows 104 eand 104 fthat allow dispensing of the product, which has exited the product outlet window 112 or the plurality of product outlet windows 112 of the closure unit 108, out of the opening 106 along the main flow direction S 2. The product outlet windows 112 can likewise be seen in FIG. 3 c, which is a cross-sectional view compared to FIG. 3 b, which is rotated by an angle of approximately 90 degrees.If the cover unit 104 is in the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 aand 2 a, however, no product can exit from the base body through the closure unit 108 or the closure outlet windows 112 out of the closure unit 108 and thus the container 100 to the outside.

Claims

Container (100) suitable for receiving flowable product in its interior, the container (100) comprising: - a base body (102) having an opening (102a) for removing product, - a lid unit (104), and - a closure unit (108) configured to communicate with the base body (102) on the one hand and with the lid unit (104) on the other hand, wherein the closure unit (108) has an opening (110) on a product inlet side thereof, which opening is in fluidic communication with at least one opening (112) on a product outlet side of the closure unit (108), wherein the product inlet side opening (110) of the closure unit (108) has a larger free overall cross section than the product outlet side opening (112) of the closure unit (108), wherein a main flow direction (S 1) in the closure unit (108) for product is defined by the fluidic connection between the product inlet-side opening (110) of the closure unit (108) and the product outlet-side opening (112) of the closure unit (108), wherein the main flow direction (S 1) in the closure unit (108) for product runs substantially parallel to a main extension direction (H) of the base body (102).Container according to claim 1, wherein a main flow direction (S2) for product flowing out of the lid unit (104) also runs substantially parallel to the main extension direction (H) of the base body (102).Container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lid unit (104) is adjustable between an open position and a closed position and is preferably configured to latch on the closure unit (108) in the open position and in the closed position.Container according to claim 3, wherein the closure position is defined by a stop of the lid unit (104) against the closure unit (108), in particular at a location (108b) of the closure unit (108) which surrounds the at least one product outlet-side opening (112) of the closure unit (108) and / or defines the same.Container according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the closure position is further defined by a cooperation of a closure protrusion (108c) arranged on the closure unit (108) and a lid protrusion (104a) arranged on the lid unit (104), in particular an elastically resilient protruding portion (104b) thereof.Container according to claim 5, wherein in the closed position the closure projection (108c) and the lid projection (104a) abut each other offset from each other such that upon initiation of a movement of the lid unit (104) from the closed position into the open position a force is generated which acts on the lid unit (104) in a direction which is substantially parallel to the direction from the open position to the closed position, in particular beyond the closed position, so that the closed position is secured against unintentional opening.Container according to claim 3 and optionally any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the open position is defined by a cooperation of an opening protrusion (108d) arranged on the closure unit (108) and a further lid protrusion, in particular the lid protrusion (104a), arranged on the lid unit (104).Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid unit (104) has at least two annular projections (104b, 104c), which are in particular concentric to one another, wherein, in the assembled state of the container (100), an annular projection (108e) of the closure unit (108) is arranged between the two annular projections (104b, 104c) of the lid unit (104).Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure unit (108) comprises an, in particular annular, sealing element (109) which faces the lid unit (104) and is in contact with a sealing surface (104d) of the lid unit (104), wherein the sealing element (109) is preferably formed as a double-leaf sealing element which comprises two leaves (109a, 109b) which are arranged one above the other in the main direction of extension (H) of the base body (102) and / or are arranged concentrically with respect to one another.Container according to claim 9, wherein the sealing element (109) is biased in the direction of the sealing surface (104d) of the lid unit (104).Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid unit (104) has, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main extension direction (H) of the base body (102), substantially the same outer dimensions (A), in particular a substantially the same outer diameter as the base body (102).Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid unit (104) has at least one depression (114), in particular a grip depression, wherein the lid unit (104) preferably has at least one further depression, which is arranged in particular opposite the at least one depression (114) on the lid unit (104).Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid unit (104) has an opening (106), which is arranged in its centre, in particular in its centre point of a substantially circular cross section.Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base body (102) and / or the closure unit (108) and / or the lid unit (104), preferably all the constituents of the container (100), is / are produced from a monomaterial, in particular PP, HDPE or PET.

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