Spice dispenser for ground or free-flowing spices

Abstract

Spice dispenser for ground or free-flowing spices comprising a dispenser housing with at least one upper housing opening, at least one upper dispenser lid and with a lower housing opening with a separate bottom closure, characterized in that the dispenser housing and the dispenser lid are formed in one piece to form a dispenser unit (1) made of plastic and in the upper end face area of ​​the dispenser unit (1) at least one closing flap (3) is articulated as a dispenser lid, which has at least one precisely fitting sealing element (4) for an end face housing opening in the dispenser unit (1) designed as a sprinkle opening (5;6;7;8).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a spice dispenser for ground or free-flowing spices comprising a dispenser housing with at least one upper housing opening, at least one upper dispenser lid and a lower housing opening with a separate bottom closure according to the preamble of the main claim.

[0002] A spice shaker is known, DE 1773148 U, which has a separate dispenser housing with a lower housing opening and a bottom closure as well as an upper front housing opening and a dispenser lid covering the entire upper front of the dispenser housing with several areas of differently sized shaker openings and a closure surface, wherein the separate dispenser lid can be rotated to the desired shaker opening size or to close it.

[0003] This well-known spice shaker can be filled from the bottom while upside down and then closed. However, the rotating dispenser lid does not seal the openings effectively enough to prevent fine spice particles from getting between the dispenser body and the lid during filling. Furthermore, the lid must first be manufactured separately and then manually or mechanically attached to the dispenser body, reducing efficiency. Additionally, this spice shaker has a metal housing, making its production even more complex and completely opaque.

[0004] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a spice dispenser for ground and free-flowing spices that can be easily filled and securely closed while upside down, and whose dispensing openings are designed to provide a completely tight seal in any position of the spice dispenser. Furthermore, the spice dispenser should be assemblable without additional assembly steps, and a simple filling method for such a spice dispenser should be provided. Finally, a minimum level of visibility into the filled spice dispenser should be possible.

[0005] The solution to this problem is achieved in conjunction with the features of the preamble according to the invention with the features of the characterizing part of the first claim by forming the dispenser housing and the dispenser lid in one piece to form a dispenser unit made of plastic and by forming at least one closing flap as a dispenser lid hingeably in the upper end face area of ​​the dispenser unit, which has at least one or more precisely fitting sealing elements for end face housing openings designed as sprinkler openings in the end face of the dispenser unit.

[0006] This spice dispenser is designed as a flap system, comprising at least one independently lockable flap. With two flaps, each flap has a fine-sprinkling side and a coarse-sprinkling side, the fine-sprinkling side having several, preferably three or more, small-diameter dispensing openings, while the coarse-sprinkling side has at least one large-area opening, which may be subdivided into two partial openings by a bridge to improve injection molding filling.

[0007] To prevent the unwanted leakage of spices, additional sealing elements are provided on the respective closing cap or flaps when closed. These sealing elements interact mechanically with the corresponding dispensing openings or perforations by either inserting into or even extending through them. Therefore, to create a top closure, the dispenser lid no longer needs to be manufactured separately and mechanically or manually lifted and fitted in a separate step. Instead, the closing flaps are integrated with the dispenser housing and simply need to be pressed onto its front surface to lock into place.

[0008] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention result from and in combination with the further dependent claims.

[0009] The spice dispenser according to the invention comprises three preferred variants of the seal, which differ in the type and mode of action of the sealing elements.

[0010] According to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, each individual sealing element is designed as a conical plug which, when a closing flap is closed, dips into the associated spray opening and which, in a closed position of the closing flap, has a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of a spray opening, so that in a closed position a radial interference fit is created between a circumferential surface of the plug and the inner wall of the spray opening. The seal is achieved exclusively by radial surface pressure.

[0011] In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, each individual sealing element is again designed as a conical plug, which in a closed position of the closing flap, however, has a diameter that corresponds to the diameter of a spreading opening and thus seals it radially, wherein the plug additionally has a base-like circumferential shoulder above the contact area of ​​the plug and the spreading opening at its base area, on which an edge area of ​​the spreading opening additionally rests axially sealingly.

[0012] According to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, this also comprises one or more plugs designed as hollow or solid cylinders or contoured plugs, which have diameters smaller than the diameters of the spray openings and each have at least one circumferential sealing lip directed radially outwards and having an outer diameter that, when the closing flaps are open, is larger than the diameters of the spray openings, so that in a closed position of the closing flap, the sealing lip is radially elastically pre-formed within the spray opening and bears against the inner wall of the spray opening under pre-tension. The sealing elements can have a wide clearance fit with the respective spray opening and accordingly wider sealing lips, or they can have tighter clearance fits, so that the sealing lips can be narrower or even barely visible.

[0013] Furthermore, in all the aforementioned variants, the sealing element can be molded not only as a round plug, but preferably also as a closed circumferential bead under a closing flap, and can be adapted to the shape of a spreading opening to be sealed, and seal this with or without a press fit and with or without an additional shoulder and with or without an additional circumferential sealing lip.

[0014] A preferred embodiment of the spice dispenser has a bottom closure that has a narrow contact area with the dispenser unit, as well as free lower lateral surfaces extending in the opposite direction to the dispensing openings when the spice dispenser is assembled. The bottom area has a pot-like spice receptacle for the spices extending into the area of ​​a base surface of the bottom closure of the spice dispenser, and the bottom closure is at least partially transparent or translucent, so that when the spice dispenser is filled, the spice is visible not only from below, but also, and especially when the dispenser is upright, through the side surface. This allows a user to see the contents of the spice dispenser even without an advertising label and without having to handle it.as well as providing the user with a residual fill level indicator in the simplest way possible.

[0015] Preferably, in one embodiment of the invention, the bottom closure is designed as a sealing plug that extends partially into the dispenser unit from below and has a circumferential outer shoulder that is approximately the width of the wall thickness of the dispenser unit, which, in the assembled state of the spice dispenser, rests on it with its open end face. This limits the insertion depth of the sealing plug and simultaneously provides a portion of the surface of the sealing plug as a bearing surface for a label, which can also form a tamper-evident seal.

[0016] According to another advantageous embodiment of the bottom closure, it is designed as a transparent or at least translucent closure cap with a lower bearing surface on the front face and a circumferential cylindrical wall that surrounds the lower front face of the dispenser unit and a lower area in a ring shape, wherein the front face of the cylindrical wall facing the dispenser unit has an inwardly projecting locking ridge which, in the assembled state of the spice dispenser, engages in a groove-like recess in the end area of ​​the dispenser unit, so that the bearing surface of the closure cap is held in a position spaced away from the front face of the dispenser unit and a free lower side surface is maintained for viewing the closure cap, just as is possible through the bottom surface of the closure flap.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the dispenser unit, like the bottom closure, is also transparent or translucent, but advantageously is opaque in one or more colors, so that it becomes possible to color different spice dispensers differently, so that their color can be used as a content indicator for the spices contained therein, for example white for salt, black for black pepper, red for paprika, etc.

[0018] With a spice dispenser designed in this way, an advantageous filling process can also be implemented, in which the dispenser unit, injection-molded with open dispensing flaps and then closed dispensing flaps, is erected with its lower housing opening facing upwards and then fed into a process line, the dispenser unit is then filled from above, after which the bottom closure is inserted or attached to it without having to screw it on, whereupon the spice dispenser is then either still upside down or turned over and provided with a label and / or shrink film.

[0019] The different versions of the spice dispenser are described in more detail below using drawings. Reference symbol list 1 dispenser unit 2 Bottom closure 3 Locking flap 4 Sealing element 5 Spreader opening 6 Spreader opening 7 Spreader opening 8 Spreader opening 9 plugs 10 plugs 11 plugs Paragraph 12 13 Edge area of ​​the spreading opening 14 Sealing lip 15 side surface 16 Footprint 17 Pot-shaped spice storage 18 sealing plugs Paragraph 19 Paragraph 20 21 labels 22 film hinge 23 Access opening 24 locking mechanism 25 locking latch 26 Front 27 rest 28 Locking groove

[0020] They show: Fig. 1 An isometric exploded view of the threaded dispenser from an opaque dispenser unit with a transparent bottom closure, Fig. 2 an isometric representation of the spice dispenser of the Fig. 1 in the crumpled state with the closing flaps open, Fig. 3 an isometric representation of the spice dispenser of the Fig. 2 in a representation rotated by 90°, Fig. 4 a cutaway 2D side view of the Fig. 3 in a representation rotated 135° clockwise, Fig. 5 a cutaway enlarged side view of a bottom closure of the Fig. 1, Fig. 6 a greatly enlarged 2D partial section of an initial version of a sealing design, Fig. 7 a greatly enlarged 2D partial view of a second version of a sealing design, Fig. 8 a greatly enlarged 2D partial view of a third version of a sealing design, Fig. 9 a greatly enlarged isometric view of the spice dispenser according to Fig. 2, Fig. 10 a greatly enlarged 3D partial representation of the spice dispenser according to Fig. 3, Fig. 11 A highly enlarged isometric representation of a latch on a locking flap of a spice dispenser.

[0021] The spice dispenser for ground or free-flowing spices consists of a one-piece dispenser unit 1 comprising a cylindrical dispenser housing, which is open at the bottom and provided with dispensing openings 5-8 at the top, as well as two closing flaps 3 molded onto it via film hinges 22. Furthermore, the spice dispenser includes a bottom closure 2, designed as a sealing plug 18 and made of a transparent plastic material. Through a free side surface 15, the contents of the spice dispenser are visible through a pot-shaped spice receptacle 17 in the sealing plug 18, which also serves as a fill level indicator. For optimal recyclability, the dispenser unit 1 and the bottom closure 2 are made of the same plastic.

[0022] The dispenser unit 1 has a lower end face 26 which rests on an axially formed shoulder 19 of the sealing plug 18, the sealing plug 18 being provided with circumferential detents 27 which can be joined together in circumferential detent grooves 28 in the dispenser unit 1 by simply pressing the two components together. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the dispenser unit 1 has scattering openings 5 ​​on its front side, which are located in the Fig. 7 also known as spreading opening 6, in Fig. 8 as a spreading opening 7 and in Fig. 10 can also be designed as a spreading opening 8.

[0023] The scattering openings 5-8 are designed according to three different variants of the sealing element 4, which are particularly evident in the Fig. Figures 6-8 are shown enlarged, and in a first version, sealing is achieved exclusively radially by means of oversized conical plugs. On the inside of each closing flap 3, conically shaped plugs 9 are arranged, which, when the closing flaps 3 are closed, immerse themselves in the associated spreading openings 5 ​​or through-holes. The plugs 9 have a slightly larger maximum diameter than the respective diameter or contour of the spreading opening 5, resulting in a radial interference fit between the outer surface of the plug 9 and the inner wall of the spreading opening 5 when the plug 9 is immersed. Thus, sealing is achieved solely by radial surface pressure, as shown in Fig. 6 is shown.

[0024] The second embodiment is structurally based on the first variant, but differs by an additional axial sealing contour. Here, too, plugs 10 are provided on the closing flaps 3, which extend into the dispensing openings 6. Unlike the first variant, the plugs 10 are radially matched to the nominal dimension of the dispensing opening 6. Additionally, each plug 10 has a circumferential axial sealing contour in the form of a shoulder 12 at its base, the outer dimension of which is larger than the dimension of the corresponding dispensing opening 6. When the closing flap 3 is fully closed, this axial sealing contour lies flat against the front surface of the dispenser unit 1 around the dispensing opening 6, thus creating an additional axial seal.

[0025] In a third embodiment, as described in Fig.As shown enlarged in Figure 8, the plugs 11 are not conical, but essentially cylindrical or contoured and provided with at least one circumferential, elastic sealing lip 14, which is an integral part of the plug 11 and projects radially outwards. When the closing flap 3 is closed, the plug 11 with the sealing lip 14 enters the respective spray opening 7 or an opening forming a spray opening 8. The sealing lip 14 is thereby radially elastically deformed and conforms to the inner wall of the spray opening 7; 8 with a defined preload. Depending on the embodiment of the plugs 9-11, the sealing lip 14 can be very short or up to 5 mm wide.

[0026] The locking flaps 3, which are hinged to the dispenser unit 1 via film hinges 22, have latching mechanisms on the free ends opposite the film hinges 22, which interact with locking latches 25 on the dispenser unit 1.

[0027] The dispenser unit 1 itself can also be transparent or translucent, but is preferably designed in one or more colors to be opaque, so that a content marking can be created via a predetermined color scheme, wherein the spice dispenser is covered as usual with a label 21, which can extend from above a step 20 on the closure plug 18 to just below the head of the dispenser unit 1.

[0028] The sealing plug 18 has a base surface 16 for the dispenser unit 1, up to which a pot-like spice receptacle 17 extends, which can be viewed from a free side surface 15 through the transparent material of the sealing plug 18, as well as through the likewise transparent bottom of the pot-like spice receptacle 17 or the base surface 16 of the inventive spice dispenser. 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 1773148 U

[0002]

Claims

[1] Spice dispenser for ground or free-flowing spices consisting of a dispenser housing with at least one upper housing opening, at least one upper dispenser lid and a lower housing opening with a separate bottom closure, characterized by , that the dispenser housing and the dispenser lid are formed in one piece to form a dispenser unit (1) made of plastic and that at least one closing flap (3) is articulated as a dispenser lid in the upper end face area of ​​the dispenser unit (1), which has at least one precisely fitting sealing element (4) for an end face housing opening in the dispenser unit (1) designed as a spreading opening (5;6;7;8). [2] Spice dispenser according to claim 1, characterized by, that the sealing element (4) is designed as a conical plug (9) which, in a closed position of the closing flap (3), has a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of a scattering opening (5) and that, in a closed position, a radial interference fit is created between a lateral surface of the plug (9) and an inner wall of the scattering opening (5). [3] Spice dispenser according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sealing element (4) is designed as a conical plug (10) which, in a closed position of the closing flap (3), has a diameter corresponding to a diameter of a spreading opening (6) and seals it radially, and that the plug (10) has a base-like circumferential shoulder (12) in its foot area above the contact area of ​​plug (10) and spreading opening (6), on which an edge area (13) of the spreading opening (6) rests, additionally sealing it axially. [4] Spice dispenser according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sealing element (4) is designed as a cylindrical plug (11) which has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the scattering opening (7) and has at least one circumferential sealing lip (14) which is directed radially outwards and has an outer diameter that, in the open state of the closing flap (3), is larger than the diameter of the scattering openings (7) and that the sealing lip (14) is radially elastically deformed in a closed position of the closing flap (3) in the scattering opening (7) and is pre-tensioned against the inner wall of the scattering opening (7). [5] Spice dispenser according to claim 4, characterized by , that the plugs (11) have wide clearance fits to the respective scattering opening (7;8) and correspondingly wider sealing lips (14) or that the plugs (11) have narrower clearance fits with the scattering openings (7;8) and correspondingly narrower sealing lips (14). [6] Spice dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims 2, 3 or 4, characterized by , that the sealing element (4) is formed as a solid or hollow cylindrical plug (9-11) or as a closed circumferential bead under a closing flap (3) and is adapted to the shape of a spreading opening (5-8) to be sealed and seals this with or without a press fit and with or without an additional shoulder (12) and with or without an additional circumferential sealing lip (14). [7] Spice dispenser according to any of the aforementioned claims, characterized by, that the bottom closure (2) has a contact area with the dispenser unit (1) and a free lower side surface (15) extending in the opposite direction to the dispensing openings (5-8) when the spice dispenser is assembled, and that the bottom closure (2) has a pot-like receptacle (17) for the spices extending into the area of ​​its base surface (16), and that the bottom closure (2) is at least partially transparent or translucent and that the spice is visible through the side surface (15) when the spice dispenser is filled and standing. [8] Spice dispenser according to claim 1, characterized by, that the bottom closure (2) is designed as a sealing plug (18) which extends partially into the dispenser housing (1) and has a circumferential outer shoulder (19) which has the width of the wall thickness of the dispenser unit (1), on which the open end face of the dispenser unit (1) rests when the spice dispenser is assembled. [9] Spice dispenser according to claim 1, characterized by, that the transparent or translucent bottom closure (2) is designed as a closure cap surrounding the lower end face of the dispenser unit (1) with a lower end face contact surface and a circumferential cylindrical wall, the end face edge of which facing the dispenser unit (1) has an inwardly projecting locking ridge which, in the assembled state of the spice dispenser, engages in a groove-like recess in the end region of the dispenser unit (1), and that the contact surface of the closure cap is held in a position spaced away from the end face of the dispenser unit and a free lower side surface is maintained for viewing the closure cap. [10] Spice dispenser according to claim 9, characterized by , that the dispenser unit (1) is transparent, translucent or opaque in one or more colors and that different colors can be used to identify different spices.

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