Assembly with adapter cap, pump dispenser and container

Abstract

An assembly (100) is described for containing and dosing a food or industrial fluid, comprising a container (4) made of plastic, metal or glass material, an adapter cap (1) made of plastic material and a pump dispenser (8) for the fluid included in the container (4). The container (4) comprises a mouth (5) for the passage of fluid, and the adapter cap (1) comprises a substantially cylindrical body (2), an attachment (3) for coupling with the mouth (5) of the container (4), and an external thread attachment (6) for coupling with a ring nut attachment (7) of the pump dispenser (8). The body (2) has a cavity (9) sealed at the top by a closure (10) consisting of at least one petal (11), in which the closure (10) is irreversibly openable.

Description

[0001] Assembly with adapter cap, pump dispenser and container

[0002] The present invention relates to an assembly with adapter cap, pump dispenser and container.

[0003] The closure of containers made of plastic, metal or glass, containing fluids, for example oil, wine, vinegar, liqueurs, syrups, sauces but also creams, detergents or liquid soap, occurs by caps mounted on the mouth of the container, for example a bottle.

[0004] Said caps, screwed, press-fitted or, in any case, fixed at the mouth of the container, have a sealed closure irreversibly removeable by the user. Said sealed closure allows the integrity of the fluid accommodated in the container to be ensured, in accordance with the regulations that the manufacturer has to comply with.

[0005] If the container contains a frequently used fluid, for example liquid soap in common bathrooms or sauces such as mayonnaise and condiments such as oil in restaurants, the opportunity (need) arises to associate dispensing means with the mouth of the container, which are suitable for facilitating the exit and the precise dosing of the fluid, such as a pump dispenser widely used for soaps and sauces or a small-section tube widely used for oil bottles or a simple spout.

[0006] Said dispensing means, conventionally pump dispensers, have means for the attachment to the neck of the container around the mouth, for example a ring nut coupling with a thread on the neck of the container, just below the mouth of the container.

[0007] Generally, the original sealing cap of the container is removed, and the dispenser is mounted onto the mouth of the container.

[0008] Disadvantageously, issues with compatibility of the means for the attachment of the dispenser with the mouth of the container arise.

[0009] Furthermore, the original cap of the container must be disposed of.

[0010] WO-2007 / 145773 describes an apparatus for sealingly coupling two containers, comprising a coupling element which is provided with a substantially cylindrical body, an attachment for a mouth of a lower container, and an attachment for a mouth of an upper container. Said body has a cavity sealed at the top with a closure by irreversibly breakable connections. The closure consists of at least one petal irreversibly connected to an internal edge of the body by a hinge. The at least one petal, following the breaking of the irreversibly breakable connections, is suitable for folding towards the inside of the upper container without separating from the hinge coupling element.

[0011] Disadvantageously, WO-2007 / 145773 does not describe a use of the coupling element with a pump dispenser for fluids, for example oil, wine, vinegar, liqueurs, syrups, sauces but also creams, detergents or liquid soap. Furthermore, the upper attachment of the coupling element does not appear suitable for the coupling with a ring nut attachment of the pump dispenser.

[0012] WO-2020 / 252243 describes a cap for a laboratory test tube, comprising a substantially cylindrical body and an attachment for a mouth of the test tube. The body has a cavity sealed at the top by a closure by irreversibly breakable connections. The closure consists of at least one petal irreversibly connected to an internal edge of the body by a hinge. The at least one petal, following the breaking of the irreversibly breakable connections, is suitable for folding towards the inside of the test tube without separating from the cap by means of the hinge. The opening of the cap allows the passage of a liquid transfer means, for example a test tube pipette.

[0013] Disadvantageously, the cap of WO-2020 / 252243 does not provide a double attachment, in particular for a pump dispenser for fluids, for example oil, wine, vinegar, liqueurs, syrups, sauces but also creams, detergents or liquid soap, which has a ring nut suitable for coupling with an external thread (screw) and not an internal one (nut screw).

[0014] Furthermore, WO-2020 / 252243 describes a fluid transfer means that may not be securely connected to the container and that performs a different function with respect to a pump dispenser.

[0015] EP-1354810 describes an internal safety cap that may be associated with a common closing cap, without any reference to a use as a means for coupling with a pump dispenser.

[0016] It is the object of the present invention to make an assembly which is suitable both for containing and preserving a food or industrial fluid, as well as for easily dispensing said fluid by dosing it according to need.

[0017] It is a further object of the present invention that the assembly is provided with reversibly couplable components with simplicity.

[0018] It is yet another object of the present invention that the assembly is provided with sealing means able to ensure the integrity of the fluid accommodated in the container when the container is first opened.

[0019] In accordance with the invention, said and further objects are achieved by an assembly for containing and dosing a food or industrial fluid, characterized in that it comprises a container made of plastic, metal or glass material, an adapter cap made of plastic material and a pump dispenser for the fluid included in the container,

[0020] Wherein the container comprises a mouth for the passage of fluid, and the adapter cap comprises a substantially cylindrical body, an attachment for coupling with the mouth of the container, and an external thread attachment for coupling with a ring nut attachment of the pump dispenser, wherein the body has a cavity sealed at the top by a closure consisting of at least one petal, in which the closure is irreversibly openable.

[0021] Advantageously, the sealing is removed by breaking the irreversibly breakable connections. The removal of the sealing occurs simultaneously with the opening of the adapter cap or with the failure of closure.

[0022] The adapter cap is simple to fix to the mouth of the container and complies with current legislation in terms of sealing at the source and packaging.

[0023] The petal may not, in any way, return to close the cavity at the top, thus ensuring the end user against illicit uses of the adapter cap.

[0024] The pump dispenser is of the type commonly used to dispense oil, wine, vinegar, liqueurs, syrups, sauces such as mayonnaise but also creams, detergents, liquid soap and more.

[0025] These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment thereof, shown by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of an assembly for containing and dosing a fluid according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an adapter cap according to a first embodiment;

[0028] Figure 3 shows a top plan view of the adapter cap of Figure 2;

[0029] Figure 4 shows a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of Figure 3;

[0030] Figure 5 shows a view similar to that of Figure 4, wherein the adapter cap is associated with the mouth of a container of the assembly;

[0031] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of an adapter cap according to a second embodiment;

[0032] Figure 7 shows a top plan view of the adapter cap of Figure 6;

[0033] Figure 8 shows a sectional view taken along line VII- VII of Figure 7;

[0034] Figure 9 shows a view similar to that of Figure 8, wherein the adapter cap is coupled to the mouth of a container and to a pump dispenser;

[0035] Figure 10 shows a top plan view of an adapter cap in accordance with a third embodiment;

[0036] Figure 11 shows a sectional view taken along the line VI- VI of Figure 10;

[0037] Figure 12 shows a view similar to that in Figure 11, in which the adapter cap is open;

[0038] Figure 13 shows a vertical sectional view of an assembly according to a specific variant of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 14 shows a perspective view of an adapter cap according to a fourth embodiment; Figure 15 shows a top plan view of the adapter cap of Figure 14;

[0040] Figure 16 shows a sectional view taken along line VI- VI of Figure 15;

[0041] Figure 17 shows a top plan view of an adapter cap in accordance with a fifth embodiment;

[0042] Figure 18 shows a sectional view along line XVIII-XVIII of Figure 17;

[0043] Figure 19 shows a view similar to that of Figure 18, wherein the adapter cap is open.

[0044] An assembly 100 for containing and dosing a food or industrial fluid comprises a container 4, an adapter cap 1 and a pump dispenser 8 (Figure 1).

[0045] The adapter cap 1 (Figures 2-4) made of plastic material, for example polyethylene or polypropylene, for the container 4 made of plastic material, for example polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene, but also metal or glass material, comprises a substantially cylindrical body 2, an attachment 3 for a mouth 5 of the container 4, and an external thread attachment 6 (screw) for coupling with a ring nut attachment 7 of the pump dispenser 8.

[0046] The container 4 is able to contain a fluid, for example oil, wine, vinegar, liqueurs, syrups, sauces as mayonnaise but also creams, detergents, liquid soap and more, and usually has the shape of a bottle. The container 4 has a neck 41 at the top of which there is the mouth 5 through which the fluid can pass.

[0047] The attachment 3 is on the lower part of the body 2, while the external thread attachment 6 is on the outside of the upper part of the body 2.

[0048] The attachment 3, clearly visible in Figure 4, is of the interlocking type but it may also be threaded with a nut screw, depending on the shape of the neck of the container 4 around the mouth 5 which may be of the screw type, or it may be a screw-nut screw coupling, as between the adapter cap 1 and the ring nut attachment 7 of the pump dispenser 8.

[0049] The body 2 has a cavity 9 sealed at the top by an irreversibly openable closure 10.

[0050] In the embodiment of Figures 1-4, said closure 10 is of the tear-off type, i.e. it consists of a petal 11, substantially a barrier to the passage of fluid, onto which a grip ring 101 is fixed.

[0051] The petal 11 is fixed to an internal edge 21 of the body 2 by irreversibly breakable connections 13 forming an irreversibly breakable edge 131.

[0052] The grip ring 101 is suitable to be pulled by the user by breaking the irreversibly breakable connections 13 so as to open the closure 10 outwards. The petal 11 irreversibly detaches from the body 2.

[0053] The pump dispenser 8 has a tubular element 81 suitable for entering the container 4 through the mouth 5 and being immersed in the fluid (Figure 1).

[0054] Operatively, considering the adapter cap 1 already associated with the container 4 during the production step so as to ensure the integrity of the fluid accommodated in the container 4, the user first tears the petal 11 by pulling the grip ring 101 so as to remove the closure 10, then the user inserts the tubular element 81 into the container 4 through the mouth 5. Finally, the ring nut attachment 7 of the pump dispenser 8 is coupled to the external thread attachment 6 so as to reversibly fix the pump dispenser 8 onto the adapter cap 1.

[0055] Advantageously, the sealing is removed by breaking the irreversibly breakable connections 13.

[0056] The removal of the sealing occurs simultaneously with the opening of the adapter cap 1, namely with the failure of the closure 10.

[0057] The adapter cap 1 is simple to fix to the mouth 5 of the container 4 and complies with current legislation in terms of sealing at the source and packaging.

[0058] The petal 11 may not, in any way, return to close the cavity 9 at the top, thus insuring the end user against illicit uses of the adapter cap 1.

[0059] The petal 11 may have various shapes, for example it may be discshaped or curved extending towards the inside of the cavity 9, as shown in Figure 4.

[0060] The petal 11 is fixed onto the internal edge 21 of the body 2 so that the grip ring 101 in the rest position, or in the absence of grip of a user, does not extend beyond the upper edge of the body 2. Advantageously, the overall size is reduced.

[0061] In a second embodiment (Figures 6-8), the adapter cap 1 is provided with a closure 10 consisting of a plurality of petals 11.

[0062] The petals 11 are joined together to form the closure 10 by irreversibly breakable connections 12, while they are irreversibly connected to the internal edge 21 of the body 2 by respective hinges 15 of an arcuate shape.

[0063] Using the adapter cap 1 of Figures 6-8, is very simple.

[0064] Still considering the adapter cap 1 already associated with the container 4 during the production step so as to ensure the integrity of the fluid accommodated in the container 4, the user presses the tubular element 81 of the pump dispenser 8 onto the closure 10, forcing the petals 11 to open towards the inside of the container 4, namely it breaks the irreversibly breakable connections 12 of the petals 11 thus opening the adapter cap 1.

[0065] The attachment of the pump dispenser 8 onto the adapter cap 1 occurs as in the previous embodiment.

[0066] Figures 10-12 show a third embodiment of the adapter cap 1 in which the closure 10 consists of a single petal 11 fixed onto the internal edge 21 of the body 2 (irreversibly) by a hinge 15 and by irreversibly breakable connections 13 forming an irreversibly breakable edge 131 which starts and ends at the hinge 15 which, as it is clear by observing Figure 10, is preferably linear and not curved with respect to the embodiment of Figures 6-8.

[0067] Similarly to the embodiment described in Figures 6-8, the thrust of the tubular element 81 of the pump dispenser 8 onto the closure 10 forces the petal 11 to bend towards the inside of the container 4 breaking the irreversibly breakable connections 13.

[0068] A button 14 is preferably provided on the petal 11 which facilitates the breaking of the irreversibly fragile connections 13, said button 14 being preferably actuated by the user before inserting the tubular element 81 of the pump dispensing means 8.

[0069] Differently with respect to the embodiment of Figures 1-4, the petal 11 remains attached to the internal edge 21 even after the opening thereof.

[0070] In a specific embodiment variant of the assembly 100 (Figure 13), the container 4 is made of metal material and has the shape of a common can of food or industrial oil, namely cylindrical or parallelepiped with rounded longitudinal edges, with a base 41 and a head 42 which are both flat, wherein the head 42 comprises an opening or hole for the passage of fluid.

[0071] The container 4 of the assembly of Figure 13 is preferably a common can, namely wherein the metal material is tin with which a thin sheet of mild steel is provided, with a thickness of generally less than 1 millimeter, coated with a very thin but uniform layer of pure tin which makes the surface shiny and bright and protects it from oxidation; the metal material may also be an aluminum alloy.

[0072] The hole is suitable for being coupled with an adapter cap 1 completely similar to that of Figures 6-8, wherein the attachment 3 is interlocking (Figures 14-16).

[0073] Alternatively, an adapter cap 1 similar to that of Figures 10-12 is couplable to the hole of the can-shaped metal container 4, but again with an interlocking attachment 3 (Figures 17-19) as in the adapter cap 1 of Figures 14-16.

[0074] In any embodiment of the assembly 100, the pump dispenser 8 is of the type commonly used to dispense oil, wine, vinegar, liqueurs, syrups, sauces such as mayonnaise but also creams, detergents, liquid soap and more.

[0075] The assembly 100 may be packaged for transport, once filled with fluid, with the adapter cap 1 closed with a seal and the pump dispenser 8 decoupled from the adapter cap 1, using, for example, polystyrene to fill excess spaces.

[0076] The external thread attachment 6 of the adapter cap 1 is shaped to reversibly couple with the ring nut attachment 7 of the pump dispenser 8.

[0077] Once the fluid originally sealed in the container 4 is used up, the components of the assembly 100 may be reused since they are easily separable and made of recyclable material.

[0078] If the closure 10 is not of the tear-off type as in Figures 1-4, the sealing is removed by breaking the irreversibly breakable connections 12, 13 but there is no material to dispose of, since the petals 11 bend towards the inside of the container 4 without separating from the material by means of the hinges 15, in accordance with Directive n. 2019 / 904, dated June 5th, 2019.

[0079] In any embodiment described, the removal of the seal occurs simultaneously with the opening of the adapter cap 1 namely with the failure of the closure 10.

[0080] The petals 11 may not, in any way, return to close the cavity 9 at the top, thus insuring the end user against illicit uses of the adapter cap 1.

[0081] An economical 3D printer on the market is sufficient to create the adapter cap 1.

[0082] The adapter cap 1 is simple to fix onto the hole of a metal container 4 and complies with current legislation, in terms of sealing at the source and packaging according to the European standard UNI EN 13029.

[0083] The container 4 of the embodiment of Figure 13 is preferably a maximum of 10 liters so as not to have an excessive weight to transport and compromise the manageability of the assembly during the fluid dispensing step. A container 4 with a maximum capacity of 5 liters is even more preferable.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Assembly (100) for containing and dosing a food or industrial fluid, characterized in that it comprises a container (4) made of plastic, metal or glass material, an adapter cap (1) made of plastic material and a pump dispenser (8) of the fluid included in the container (4), wherein the container (4) comprises a mouth (5) for the passage of fluid, and the adapter cap (1) comprises a substantially cylindrical body (2), an attachment (3) for coupling with the mouth (5) of the container (4), and an external thread attachment (6) for coupling with a ring nut attachment (7) of the pump dispenser (8), wherein the body (2) has a cavity (9) sealed at the top by a closure (10) consisting of at least one petal (11), wherein the closure (10) is irreversibly openable.

2. Assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure (10) is openable by tearing by means of a grip ring (101) integral with the petal (11) which is fixed to an internal edge (21) of the body (2) by irreversibly breakable connections (13) forming an irreversibly breakable edge (131).

3. Assembly (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the closure (10) of the adapter cap (1) consists of at least one petal (11) irreversibly connected to an internal edge (21) of the body (2) by means of a hinge (15), wherein the at least one petal (11), following the breaking of irreversibly breakable connections (12, 13), is suitable for folding without separating from the adapter cap (1) by means of the hinge (15).

4. Assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one petal (11), following the breaking of the irreversibly breakable connections (12, 13), is suitable for folding towards the inside of the container (4) without separating from the adapter cap (1) by means of the hinge (15).

5. Assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure (10) of the adapter cap (1) is formed by at least two petals (11) joined together by the irreversibly breakable connections (12), wherein the petals (11),following the breakage of the irreversibly breakable connections (12), are suitable for folding towards the inside of the container (4) separating from each other but without separating from the adapter cap (1) by means of the hinges (15).

6. Assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the closure (10) of the adapter cap (1) consists of a single petal (11) fixed to the internal edge (21) of the body (2) by means of the hinge (15) and the irreversibly breakable connections (13) forming an irreversibly breakable edge (131) starting and ending at the hinge (15).

7. Assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container (4) is made of metal material and has a cylindrical or parallelepiped shape with rounded longitudinal edges, with a base (41) and a head (42) that are both flat, wherein the head (42) comprises said mouth (5) for the passage of fluid.

8. Assembly (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that the container (4) is a common can, namely wherein the metal material is tin, wherein the metal container is provided with a thin sheet of mild steel, with a thickness of generally less than 1 millimeter, coated with a layer of pure tin which makes the surface shiny and bright and protects it from oxidation, wherein the metal material may also be an aluminum alloy.

9. Use of an adapter cap (1), characterized in that it provides for coupling with a container (4) of a food or industrial fluid, and for coupling with a pump dispenser (8) of the fluid included in the container (4), wherein the adapter cap (1) comprises a substantially cylindrical body (2), an attachment (3) for coupling with the mouth (5) of the container (4), and an external thread attachment (6) for coupling with a ring nut attachment (7) of the pump dispenser (8), and wherein the body (2) has a cavity (9) sealed at the top by a closure (10) consisting of at least one petal (11), wherein the closure (10) is irreversibly openable.

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