Closure element for reducing and retaining residual liquids

Abstract

The present invention relates to a closure element for a container for liquids.

Description

[0001] Closure element to reduce and retain liquid residues

[0002] The present invention relates to a closure element for a liquid container, wherein the closure element comprises a closure cap, wherein the closure cap has a cap lid, wherein the closure cap has a cap jacket which adjoins the cap lid on the circumference and extends cylindrically around a closure cap axis, wherein the closure cap comprises a sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring is arranged on the inside of the cap lid, wherein the closure element comprises an anchor ring and a connecting element, wherein the connecting element connects the closure cap to the anchor ring in a tensile-resistant manner, wherein the anchor ring is designed such that it can be brought into engagement with a container neck of a liquid container in a tensile-resistant manner.

[0003] The present invention further relates to a combination of a container with a closure element of the type mentioned above.

[0004] Closure elements of the type mentioned above are also referred to as tethered closures. These can be engaged with the neck of a container, so that the closure cap always remains tethered to the neck, even when the closure cap is in an open position and liquid is flowing out of the container.

[0005] Particularly when the container to be sealed is a beverage container designed for a consumer to drink the beverage contents directly by placing their mouth against the neck of the container, it is important that the cap can be moved into an open position that causes as little disruption as possible to the consumer while drinking. It is equally important, however, to ensure that any liquid residue that may have been in the cap when the closure was opened does not flow out of the cap during drinking, potentially staining or soiling the drinker or their clothing.

[0006] Against this background, one object of the present invention is to eliminate or at least reduce the risk of liquid residues escaping from an opened, connected closure cap.

[0007] This object is achieved by a closure element for a liquid container, wherein the closure element comprises a closure cap, wherein the closure cap has a cap lid, wherein the closure cap has a cap jacket which adjoins the cap lid on the circumference and extends cylindrically around a closure cap axis, wherein the closure cap comprises a sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring is arranged on the inside of the cap lid, wherein the closure element comprises an anchor ring and a connecting element, wherein the connecting element connects the closure cap to the anchor ring in a tensile-resistant manner, wherein the anchor ring is designed such that it can be brought into engagement with a container neck of a liquid container in a tensile-resistant manner.According to the invention, the cap lid has a structured surface on its inner side and radially inwardly of the sealing ring, at least in sections, wherein the structured surface is designed such that the structured surface comprises a plurality of open recesses for receiving liquid.

[0008] The textured surface exerts greater adhesion forces on liquid residues remaining in the cap, and especially on the cap lid, after the cap has been opened than would be the case if a substantially smooth surface were formed on the inside of the cap lid. This allows liquid residues to be retained in the recesses formed by the textured surface, even if gravity pulls the liquid residues toward the openings of the recesses.

[0009] The sealing ring is also known in technical circles as a sealing lip or sealing olive. The sealing ring is designed such that it rests against the inside of a container neck and seals the container neck from the outside environment when the closure element is applied to the container neck in a closed position. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the connecting element connects the closure cap to the anchor ring with such a tensile strength that the resulting connection only breaks at a tensile force of 12.5 Newtons or more.

[0010] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the cap cover is designed as a cover plate extending substantially perpendicular to the closure cap axis.

[0011] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the connecting element is a hinge element which is designed such that the closure cap can be pivoted relative to the anchor ring about a pivot axis which is formed substantially perpendicular to the closure cap axis.

[0012] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the connecting element comprises at least one retaining strap and preferably two retaining straps.

[0013] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the structured surface adjoins the sealing ring, wherein the structured surface preferably adjoins the sealing ring at every circumferential angular position.

[0014] It has been shown that liquid residues after opening the closure cap are primarily located in the inner transition area between the sealing ring and the cap lid. This is also due to the locally increased adhesion forces there caused by the sealing ring. Liquid residues are significantly less common in the central area of ​​the cap lid, as the adhesion forces acting on the inner surface of the cap lid alone are generally insufficient to prevent the liquid from flowing back into the container if the container is stored in an upright position before opening. However, the structured surface bordering the sealing ring not only further increases the adhesion forces acting locally there.At the same time, the structuring also has the effect that the molecular forces acting in the circumferential direction within a liquid residue and holding the residue together can only develop to a lesser extent, so that no essentially continuous film can form along the transition region between the sealing ring and the cap lid over a larger circumferential angle. This consequently also ensures that the amount of liquid contained in a recess defined by the structured surface does not exceed a critical mass value, above which the adhesion forces would no longer be sufficient to compensate for the gravitational force acting on the amount of liquid. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the cap lid has a plurality of structural elements on its inside, wherein the surfaces of the plurality of structural elements define the plurality of open recesses.For the purposes of the present invention, a structural element is a plastic element with a clearly definable spatial dimension, such as height, length, and width. Compared to stochastically generated structured surfaces, such structural elements have the advantage of creating a clearly definable adhesion effect, which can then be distributed homogeneously, for example, along the transition area between the sealing ring and the cap lid.

[0015] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the structural elements have a smaller distance from the closure cap axis than the sealing ring.

[0016] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the structural elements are formed in one piece with the cap lid and the sealing ring.

[0017] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the structured surface is formed by the surfaces of the structural elements and the surface of a valley bottom of the cap lid, which is arranged between two adjacent structural elements and is formed between a respective adjacent pair of structural elements. In other words, opposite side surfaces of two adjacent structural elements form the flanks of a valley, which is completed by the valley bottom. It has been shown that, on the one hand, liquid residues can be held very well in such valley structures by adhesion and, on the other hand, each valley can be dimensioned such that the amount of liquid contained therein does not exceed a critical mass and dripping of the liquid residues can therefore be avoided.

[0018] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the structural elements are designed and arranged such that at least a first pair of adjacent structural elements laterally delimits a first capillary, wherein the first capillary is open in a spatial direction aligned parallel to the closure cap axis.

[0019] A capillary in the sense of the present application is to be understood as a recess such as a gap or cavity which is dimensioned in such a way that the capillary force which would act on water contained in the capillary compensates for the force of gravity which would also act on water contained in the capillary, so that the water does not flow out of the capillary in the direction of the ground.

[0020] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, each of the plurality of open recesses forms a capillary.

[0021] The design of the recesses as capillaries ensures that the adhesion forces compensate for the force of gravity acting on liquid residues on the cap lid in the majority of cases when using the closure element.

[0022] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the first pair of structural elements is designed and arranged such that a capillary force acts on a quantity of cow's milk entering the first capillary during use of the closure device, which capillary force substantially compensates for the force of gravity acting on the quantity of cow's milk when the inside of the cap lid is oriented towards the ground.

[0023] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, two adjacent structural elements each have a circumferential spacing of 2 degrees to 10 degrees. It has been found that such spacing can achieve sufficient adhesion force to reduce the risk of liquid residues dripping from an opened closure cap.

[0024] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, two adjacent structural elements each have a circumferential spacing of 4 degrees to 8 degrees. It has been found that such spacing can achieve sufficient adhesion force to significantly reduce the risk of liquid residues dripping from an opened closure cap.

[0025] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, two adjacent structural elements are spaced apart by a maximum of 2 mm in the circumferential direction. This creates recesses within the meaning of the present invention between the structural elements, which are accompanied by a sufficient adhesive effect to reduce the risk of liquid residues dripping off. At the same time, the material required to attach the structural elements is kept to a minimum. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, two adjacent structural elements are spaced apart by a maximum of 1.5 mm in the circumferential direction. This further increases the adhesive effect, so that the risk of dripping off can be further reduced.

[0026] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, two adjacent structural elements are spaced apart by a maximum of 1 mm in the circumferential direction. This ensures that in the majority of everyday situations, liquid residues do not drip off.

[0027] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the plurality of structural elements are elongated ribs. Such ribs are very well suited for forming recesses in the shape of valleys. Such ribs can also be easily manufactured using known injection-molding processes for plastic closures.

[0028] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs extend essentially radially. This prevents a continuous liquid film from forming on the cap lid, which remains as liquid residue in the closure lid when the closure lid is moved into an open position. Due to the radially extending ribs, the liquid molecules can no longer interact with each other as strongly over a greater distance to form a continuous film, since the planar surface required for this is repeatedly interrupted by the axially projecting ribs. In other words, the ribs prevent, in particular, annular film formation, since the interruptions caused by the ribs prevent uninterrupted, circumferential contact between the liquid molecules.

[0029] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs border both a surface section of the cap lid perpendicular to the closure cap axis and an inner surface of the sealing ring arranged cylindrically around the closure cap axis. This advantageously prevents the formation of a film of liquid residues in the transition area between the sealing ring and the cap lid.

[0030] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs extend in the shape of a half-round arc between the surface section of the cap lid perpendicular to the closure cap axis and the inner surface of the sealing ring arranged cylindrically around the closure cap axis. Ribs designed in this way are particularly easy to demold during the manufacturing process and require minimal material—while providing maximum adhesion and simultaneously preventing film formation. The half-round arc can, in particular, have a radius of curvature whose center of curvature is located radially inward from the cap skirt.

[0031] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a radial extension of 2 to 20 percent of the diameter of the cap lid. It has been shown that film formation can be reduced by appropriately designed ribs to such an extent that the risk of liquid residues with a critical mass required for dripping can be reduced.

[0032] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a radial extension of 5 to 15 percent of the diameter of the cap lid. With appropriate design, the previously described risk can be further reduced.

[0033] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a radial extension of 8 to 12 percent of the diameter of the cap lid. This ensures that film formation is virtually non-existent.

[0034] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a radial extension of 2 mm to 8 mm. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a radial extension of 2.5 mm to 6 mm. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a radial extension of 3 mm to 4 mm.

[0035] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a circumferential extension of 0.2 mm to 1 mm. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a circumferential extension of 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

[0036] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a maximum axial extent of 1.5 mm to 4 mm. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the ribs each have a maximum axial extent of 2 mm to 3 mm. It has been shown that ribs which are designed according to the parameter ranges described above both advantageously prevent or at least reduce the formation of a film on the cap lid and also enable the formation of a plurality of recesses, wherein the recesses are accompanied by adhesive forces which retain any liquid residues contained in the recesses and thus prevent these residues from dripping off.

[0037] In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the closure element is made of plastic. In one embodiment of the closure element according to the invention, the closure element is manufactured by an injection molding process.

[0038] The object underlying the invention is also achieved by a combination of a container with a closure element according to one of the previously described embodiments. The container can also be made of plastic.

[0039] In one embodiment of the combination according to the invention, the container has a container neck, wherein the anchor ring is in engagement with the container neck in such a way that the anchor ring is connected to the container neck in a tensile-resistant manner, so that the closure cap is connected to the container neck via the connecting element and the anchor ring, even when the closure cap is in an open position.

[0040] In one embodiment of the combination according to the invention, the container is a beverage container, in particular a beverage container for milk, milk-based beverages, or fruit juices. It has been shown that these types of liquids in particular tend to form larger residues in a closure cap, so the risk of dripping is particularly high with these types of beverages if the closure elements are not designed according to one of the embodiments described here.

[0041] In one embodiment of the combination according to the invention, the anchor ring is engaged with the container neck in such a way that the resulting tensile-resistant connection only breaks at a tensile force of 12.5 Newtons or more.

[0042] Further embodiments, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following figures. They show: Fig. 1: a plan view of the inside of the cap lid of an embodiment of a closure element according to the invention,

[0043] Fig. 2: a side sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 according to the second sectional plane 101 shown in Fig. 1,

[0044] Fig. 3: a detailed view of the sectional view from Fig. 2 of the transition area between the sealing ring and the cap cover according to the first detailed view area 102 shown in Fig. 2,

[0045] Fig. 4: a sectional view of the transition area between the sealing ring and the cap cover according to the first sectional plane 100 shown in Fig. 1,

[0046] Fig. 5: a detailed view of the top view from Fig. 1 of the transition area between the sealing ring and the cap cover according to the second detailed view area 103 shown in Fig. 1.

[0047] Figs. 1 to 5 show a preferred embodiment of the closure element 1 according to the invention. As can be seen particularly from Fig. 2, the closure cap 2 used there is a screw cap. In this sense, the closure cap 2 has an internal thread 12 that can be engaged with a corresponding external thread of a container neck to close the container neck.

[0048] The sealing ring 5, which extends axially inward from the cap lid 3, and in particular the sealing projection 11 arranged thereon, rest against an inner side of the container neck and thus create a liquid-tight closure when the closure element 1 is mounted on a container neck. The liquid-tight closure is further reinforced by the outer sealing element 13, which is located radially further outward from the sealing ring 5, is annular in shape and rests against an outer side of the container neck when the closure element 1 is in the closed position. In other words, the container neck is positioned between the sealing ring 5 (inside) and the outer sealing element 13 (outside) to provide a liquid-tight closure.

[0049] Such a seal is necessary to ensure that a liquid container can be transported smoothly without any liquid accidentally leaking out of the container. During transport, it often happens that the container, for example, a 500 ml PET beverage bottle, is rotated from an upright position to a horizontal position or even upside down. In these cases, it is crucial that the liquid contents of the container cannot leak out of the container neck.

[0050] However, the events described also result in the liquid initially contained only in the container flowing into the interior of the closure cap 2, which is enclosed by the cap lid 3 and cap skirt 4, as clearly visible in Fig. 2. Due to adhesion forces, i.e., molecular interaction forces between the molecules of the liquid and the molecules located on the inner surfaces of the closure cap 2, liquid residues are left behind in the recesses 9, each of which is flanked by a pair of adjacent ribs 8. The surfaces of the ribs 8 and the recesses 9 together form the structured surface 7.

[0051] However, a liquid film that extends continuously over a larger circumferential angle range does not form.

[0052] The ribs 8 are arranged so closely to one another, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 5, that adhesion forces act on the liquid residues from the two flanks of the adjacent ribs 8 and the valley floor between them, preventing these residues from draining away, even when the closure cap 2 is stored in an upright position. Thus, the risk of drops forming and falling from the closure cap 2 is low, for example, when a consumer places a beverage container equipped with the closure element or its container neck to their mouth to drink.

[0053] The ribs 8 are designed as half round arches and are attached both laterally to the inside of the sealing ring 5 and axially to the cap cover 3.

[0054] As can be seen from Fig. 3, the cap lid 3, the ribs 8, and the sealing ring 5 are formed in one piece. Between each adjacent pair of ribs 8 extends a column-shaped recess 9—as shown in Fig. 4—which, due to its fluid-retaining function, can also be referred to as a capillary 9.

[0055] In Fig. 5, the ribs 8 and the gap-shaped recesses 9 located therebetween are shown again in a plan view from below. It can also be seen here that the recesses 9 narrow from the sealing ring 5 in the direction of the closure cap axis 50. This is due to the extension of the ribs 8 in the circumferential direction, which is constant when viewed in the radial direction. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the anchor ring 6 is designed as a flexible band. This flexible band has a foldable inner band section 10 that can be brought into engagement with a pilfer-proof ring of a container neck in order to fix the anchor ring 6 relative to the container neck.Via a connecting element (not shown in detail) which connects the anchor ring 6 to the closure cap 2, the closure cap 2 remains connected to the anchor ring 6 even when the closure cap 2 is unscrewed from the container neck in order to release the contents of the liquid container.

[0056] List of reference symbols

[0057] 1 locking element

[0058] 2 caps

[0059] 3 cap lids

[0060] 4 cap jacket

[0061] 5 Sealing ring / sealing olive

[0062] 6 Anchor ring / flex band

[0063] 7 structured surface

[0064] 8 Structural element / rib

[0065] 9 Recess / capillary

[0066] 10 Inner section of the flex band

[0067] 11 Sealing projection

[0068] 12 internal threads

[0069] 13 Outer sealing element

[0070] 50 cap axis

[0071] 100 first cutting plane

[0072] 101 second cutting plane

[0073] 102 first detail view area

[0074] 103 second detail view area

Claims

Patent claims for a closure element for a liquid container, wherein the closure element comprises a closure cap, wherein the closure cap has a cap lid, wherein the closure cap has a cap mantle extending circumferentially to the cap lid and cylindrically around a closure cap axis, wherein the closure cap comprises a sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring is arranged on the inside of the cap lid, wherein the closure element comprises an anchor ring and a connecting element, wherein the connecting element connects the closure cap to the anchor ring in a tensile-resistant manner, wherein the anchor ring is designed such that it can be brought into tensile-resistant engagement with a container neck of a liquid container, characterized in that the cap lid has a structured surface on its inside and radially inside to the sealing ring at least partially.wherein the structured surface is configured such that the structured surface comprises a plurality of open recesses for receiving liquid. Closure element according to claim 1, wherein the structured surface adjoins the sealing ring, wherein the structured surface preferably adjoins the sealing ring at every circumferential angle position. Closure element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap cover has several structural elements on its inner surface, wherein the surfaces of the several structural elements define the plurality of open recesses, wherein the structured surface is preferably formed by the surfaces of the structural elements and the surface of a valley bottom of the cap cover arranged between each pair of adjacent structural elements. Closure element according to claim 3. wherein the structural elements are designed and arranged such that at least a first pair of adjacent structural elements laterally delimits a first capillary, wherein the first capillary is open in a spatial direction aligned parallel to the closure cap axis, wherein the first pair of structural elements is preferably designed and arranged such that a capillary force acts on a quantity of cow's milk entering the first capillary during the use of the closure device, which substantially compensates for the force of gravity acting on the quantity of cow's milk when the inside of the cap lid is oriented towards the ground.

5. Closure element according to one of claims 3 or 4, wherein each pair of adjacent structural elements has an arc length distance in the circumferential direction of 2 to 10 degrees, preferably of 4 to 8 degrees.

6. Closure element according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein each pair of adjacent structural elements has a circumferential distance of a maximum of 2 mm, preferably a maximum of 1.5 mm and particularly preferably a maximum of 1 mm from each other.

7. Closure element according to one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the multiple structural elements are elongated ribs, the ribs preferably extending substantially radially.

8. Closure element according to claim 7, wherein the ribs adjoin both a surface section of the cap cover lying perpendicular to the closure cap axis and an inner surface of the sealing ring arranged cylindrically around the closure cap axis.

9. Closure element according to claim 8, wherein the ribs extend in the form of a half-circle arc between the surface section of the cap cover lying perpendicular to the closure cap axis and the inner surface of the sealing ring arranged cylindrically around the closure cap axis.

10. Locking element according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the ribs each have a radial extent of 2 to 20 percent, preferably 5 to 15 percent and particularly preferably 8 to 12 percent of the diameter of the cap cover.

11. Closure element according to one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the ribs each have a radial extent of 2 mm to 8 mm, preferably of 2.5 mm to 6 mm and particularly preferably of 3 mm to 4 mm.

12. Closure element according to one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the ribs each have a circumferential extent of 0.2 mm to 1 mm, preferably of 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

13. Closure element according to one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the ribs each have a maximum axial extent of 1.5 mm to 4 mm and preferably of 2 mm to 3 mm.

14. Combination of a container with a closure element according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the container has a container neck, wherein the anchor ring engages with the container neck in such a way that the anchor ring is tensile-resistant connected to the container neck, so that the closure cap is attached to the container neck via the connecting element and the anchor ring, even when the closure cap is in an open position.

Images