Cartridge System

Abstract

The cartridge system of the present invention comprises a tubular bag 2 containing a viscous material and a cylindrical sleeve 4 having a sleeve wall 14 surrounding the tubular bag 2. The sleeve 4 has a delivery end 5 and a distal end 6 opposite the delivery end 5. The present invention comprises a closure element 7 arranged at the distal end 6 of the sleeve 4 and releasably connected thereto, and a shoulder element 8 arranged at the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4 and releasably connected thereto. The shoulder element 8 comprises a central through passage 15 and an outlet opening 16 for discharging the viscous material from the cartridge system 1, and at least one puncture point 17 for piercing the tubular bag 2. The shoulder element 8 comprises a compression ring 18, which is concentric with the sleeve wall 14 and protrudes into the interior of the sleeve 4 defined by the sleeve wall 14. The outer diameter of the compression ring is smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve 4, thereby forming an annular gap 19 between the sleeve wall 14 and the compression ring 18. A compression chamber 20 is formed inside the compression ring 18, into which the puncture point 17 projects. The compression ring 18 projects further into the interior of the sleeve 4 than the puncture point 17.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge system. [Background technology]

[0002] For construction and DIY applications, viscous materials such as silicones, acrylics, and adhesives are provided in cartridges that have an outlet nozzle for dispensing the material and are inserted into a caulking gun. When the caulking gun is operated, a plunger pushes the movable base of the cartridge forward, forcing the material contained in the cartridge out the outlet nozzle.

[0003] Such cartridges are usually made of thick-walled plastic and are designed for one-time filling. Since it is inevitable that residues of the material contained in the empty cartridge will adhere to the inner walls of the cartridge, according to the packaging regulations, the empty cartridges may not be recycled. As a result, a significant amount of plastic waste is incinerated and falls out of the recycling cycle. Furthermore, due to the required high barrier properties, recycled plastic materials can only be used to a very limited extent for the manufacture of such cartridges.

[0004] Due to the growing awareness of the environment and sustainability, alternative solutions have already been developed. Instead of cartridges, thin-walled tubular bags closed at both ends are used to store viscous materials. The tubular bags are made of a thin laminate film with good barrier properties. However, to dispense the material from such tubular bags, special caulking guns, so-called sausage caulking guns, are required. The tubular bag is inserted whole into this caulking gun, which provides the necessary external stability on all sides of the flexible tubular bag. The tubular bag has to be cut open before use. The disadvantage of such sausage caulking guns is that, due to their complex design, they are significantly more expensive than conventional caulking guns and therefore are not suitable for DIY applications where the caulking gun is used rarely or only once.

[0005] Furthermore, devices for emptying bag packages are known, for example from DE 9 206 256 U1, in which a tubular bag is inserted into a tube that is externally similar to a conventional cartridge. This cartridge-like tube can be used in a standard caulking gun. When the caulking gun is operated, the tubular bag is pressed against two puncture points arranged on the discharge side of the tube and is torn by these puncture points, whereby the contents of the tubular bag are emptied through the discharge nozzle. The problem with this device is that the puncture points are not able to tear the tubular bag in a satisfactory and controlled manner, since due to the flexibility of the bag, the tubular bag is initially distorted and deformed when it abuts against the puncture points. When puncturing a relatively flexible tubular bag, the puncture points often only make a small hole in the bag film, from which a sufficient amount of material cannot be released.

[0006] The present invention therefore has the object of providing a cartridge system that is particularly suitable for DIY applications, that can be produced in a more resource-efficient manner than systems known from the prior art, that is more recyclable and at the same time easy and reliable to use even for non-professionals. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1.

[0008] The dependent claims relate to particular embodiments and developments of the invention.

[0009] According to claim 1, the present invention provides a cartridge system, comprising: a tubular bag containing a viscous material; a cylindrical sleeve having a sleeve wall that completely surrounds the tubular bag; the sleeve has a delivery end and a distal end opposite the delivery end; a closure element disposed at the distal end of the sleeve and releasably coupled to the sleeve; a shoulder element disposed at the delivery end of the sleeve and releasably coupled to the sleeve; The shoulder element includes a central through passage and an exit opening for expelling viscous material from the cartridge system, and has at least one puncture point for piercing the tubular bag. According to the invention, the shoulder element comprises a compression ring, which is concentric with the sleeve wall and protrudes into the interior of the sleeve defined by the sleeve wall, the outside diameter of the compression ring being smaller than the inside diameter of the sleeve, whereby an annular gap is formed between the sleeve wall and the compression ring, A compression chamber is formed inside the compression ring, and the at least one puncture point projects into the compression chamber.

[0010] In other words, the cartridge system according to the invention is a system of several releasably connected individual parts which can be separated from one another and disposed of individually after the tubular bag has been emptied. In particular, the shoulder element, the closure element and the sleeve are separable from one another and the closure element and the sleeve can be put into an appropriate recycling cycle depending on the materials used. Although the emptied tubular bag and the shoulder element have to be disposed of as residual waste due to the product residues adhering to them, the plastic contents which have to be disposed of are significantly less than in the case of conventional cartridges.

[0011] The cartridge system according to the invention is designed in its dimensions and functionality to be operable with a conventional caulking gun. Despite the use of tubular bags, no special sausage caulking gun is required.

[0012] The tubular bag of the cartridge system according to the invention may be made from a film tube. For example, after the filling process, both ends of the film tube are closed like the ends of a sausage. For this purpose, clamps, clips or glue or welded seams may be used. However, instead of using a film tube for the manufacture of the tubular bag, other manufacturing processes are also conceivable. For example, the tubular bag body may be bias molded, preferably with a thermoplastic material.

[0013] The cartridge system according to the invention is further characterized in that the shoulder element has at least one puncture point for piercing the tubular bag and a compression ring concentric with the sleeve wall and protruding into the interior of the sleeve defined by the sleeve wall. The outer diameter of the compression ring is smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve, whereby an annular gap is formed between the sleeve wall and the compression ring. A compression chamber is formed inside the compression ring, into which at least one puncture point protrudes. The compression ring protrudes further into the interior of the sleeve than the at least one puncture point. Particularly preferably, the compression ring protrudes at least 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm further into the interior of the sleeve than the at least one puncture point. Such a design can reduce the risk of the tubular bag being accidentally pierced by a puncture point, for example during storage, transportation or if the cartridge system is dropped from a certain height. The diameter of the tubular bag filled with viscous material is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve and larger than the outer diameter of the compression ring.

[0014] The function of the compression ring interacting with the at least one puncture point is explained below. To dispense the viscous material, the cartridge system is inserted into a standard caulking gun. In contrast to a sausage caulking gun, a standard caulking gun is a caulking gun with an at least partially open receiving body for a cartridge, for example a half shell. Some of these caulking guns are designed as skeleton guns, in which case the receiving body is formed of a thin frame made of plastic or metal. By operating the caulking gun, pressure is applied to the tubular bag in the sleeve in the direction of the delivery end of the sleeve. As a result, the tubular bag is moved in the direction of the delivery end of the sleeve, the delivery end of the tubular bag first coming into contact with the compression ring protruding into the interior of the sleeve. The small diameter of the compression ring compared to the diameter of the sleeve means that a higher internal pressure is built up more quickly at the delivery end of the tubular bag than would be the case without the compression ring. The part of the tubular bag pressed into the compression chamber is therefore particularly taut. This means that as soon as the tubular bag is pressed with continuous pressure against the at least one puncture point (projecting into the compression chamber), it is not only pierced at a specific point, but actually bursts. The contained and pressurized material leaves the resulting relatively large opening in the tubular bag and is transported out of the cartridge system through the central through-channel and the outlet opening. Thus, the cartridge system according to the invention allows automatic and reliable opening of the tubular bag, which makes it very easy to use. In particular, no additional tools such as a knife are required to open the tubular bag.

[0015] The shoulder element may be provided with several, for example two or three, puncture points, whereby the tubular bag can be torn even better and more reliably.

[0016] The outer diameter of the compression ring is smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve. This creates an annular gap between the sleeve wall and the compression ring. During the process of emptying the tubular bag, the pressure acting on the tubular bag forces a portion of the tubular bag film into this annular gap. At the same time, this seals the opened tubular bag against the inside of the sleeve, so that viscous material from a once opened tubular bag can be reused later without drying out if the outlet opening is also sealed.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical sleeve is made of a plant fibre-based material. For example, the sleeve can be made of cardboard. After the shoulder element, the closure element and the tubular bag are separated, the tube can be added to waste paper and thus returned to the reuse cycle. The sleeve can already be made of recycled paper material, making the cartridge system a more sustainable product. The plant fibre-based sleeve can in principle be printed, but according to one embodiment does not contain a coating made of other materials such as plastic or aluminium, in order to allow efficient recycling. According to an alternative embodiment, the plant fibre-based sleeve can have a moisture-proof coating to protect against moisture.

[0018] The shoulder element and the closure element may be manufactured from a thermoplastic material, for example by injection molding. Suitable materials include polyethylene or polypropylene. The closure element can be recycled for plastics after the cartridge system has been emptied and separated from the sleeve, since it is usually completely free of contamination by product residues.

[0019] Overall, such cartridge systems according to the present invention contain up to about 65% less plastic than conventional cartridges.

[0020] In one embodiment of the invention, the shoulder element comprises a pressure ring, which is formed concentrically with the compression ring, is pressed into the sleeve and abuts against the sleeve wall from the inside, the inner diameter of the pressure ring being greater than the outer diameter of the compression ring, whereby the annular gap is formed between the pressure ring and the compression ring. As already mentioned, during the process of emptying the tubular bag, the pressure acting on the tubular bag forces a part of the tubular bag film into the annular gap. Starting from the delivery end of the sleeve, the pressure ring projects less into the sleeve compared to the compression ring, so that the tubular bag, which is pushed forward in the sleeve, first comes into contact with the compression ring and is tensioned by it in the manner described above. The pressure ring can have a texture on its outer circumference, for example a rib texture or a knob texture. The outer diameter of the pressure ring is adapted to the inner diameter of the sleeve so that it can be pressed under pressure into the delivery end of the sleeve during manufacture of the cartridge system. Alternatively, the outer circumference of the pressure ring can be provided with a kind of self-drilling thread, additionally cutting into the material of the sleeve. In this way, the shoulder element is firmly but releasably connected to the sleeve. Once the cartridge system is emptied, the shoulder element can be separated from the sleeve by the user and the two parts can be discarded separately.

[0021] As an alternative to a pressure ring that is pressed onto the sleeve and abuts the sleeve wall from the inside, the shoulder element may comprise a locking ring that is formed concentrically with the pressure ring and abuts the sleeve wall from the outside. In this case, the shoulder element and the sleeve are connected via a locking ring that is pressed onto the sleeve from the outside and abuts the outer sleeve wall. The locking ring may have a texture, for example a rib texture or a knob texture, on its circumferential surface facing the sleeve wall. The inner diameter of the locking ring is adapted to the outer diameter of the sleeve so that the shoulder element can be pressed under pressure by the locking ring onto the delivery end of the sleeve during manufacture of the cartridge system. In this way, the shoulder element is firmly but releasably connected to the sleeve.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, the shoulder element is formed with an annular shoulder edge which rests on the end edge of the sleeve wall at the delivery end of the sleeve, which prevents the shoulder element from accidentally going too far into the sleeve.

[0023] In one embodiment of the invention, the shoulder element may be provided with an undercut formed on the inside adjacent to the annular shoulder edge. A displaceable plunger, described below, may engage or fit into a recess formed by such an undercut together with the emptied tubular bag when approaching the delivery end of the cartridge system. This allows the user to remove the shoulder element together with the emptied tubular bag and the plunger as a unit from the sleeve and to discard it separately from the sleeve. The plunger is fitted into place, for example by a sealing lip formed on the plunger (described in more detail below) fitting into a recess in the shoulder element formed by the undercut. Such an undercut design is possible both in the design of the shoulder element with a pressure ring and in the design of the shoulder element with a locking ring.

[0024] The shoulder element may include a discharge nozzle formed integrally therewith adjacent to the outlet opening. It may also be provided that the shoulder element has an external thread in the region of the outlet opening, via which the shoulder element can be connected to a separate discharge nozzle. A discharge nozzle is preferably used having a discharge opening for applying the viscous material, the discharge opening having a diameter of at least 3 mm, particularly preferably at least 4 mm.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that the outlet opening is closed by a reclosing part. In other words, a reclosing part may be provided which is initially rigidly connected to the shoulder element and closes the outlet opening such that the outlet opening is protected from the ingress of dust and other contaminants. The connection between the reclosing part and the shoulder element may include a predetermined breaking point which can be torn by a user before the cartridge system is put into operation in order to separate the reclosing part from the shoulder element. The reclosing part may be conical so that after separation from the shoulder element it serves as a closure for the outlet opening of the outlet nozzle or it can be sealably inserted into the outlet opening of the shoulder element to serve as a closure for the outlet opening. The conical shape of the reclosing part allows sealing of outlet or outlet openings of different diameters.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the closure element arranged at the distal end of the sleeve may comprise a plunger displaceable in the sleeve and a closure ring pressed into the sleeve. The closure ring is arranged directly at the distal end of the sleeve and the plunger is arranged between the closure ring and the tubular bag. In principle, the plunger and the closure ring may be designed as two separate parts. However, according to one embodiment of the invention, it may also be provided that the plunger and the closure ring are formed in one piece and are connected to each other via at least one connecting web designed as a predetermined breaking point. In this case, the closure element therefore comprises two parts that are initially connected to each other.

[0027] The function of the two parts is now explained in more detail. To dispense the material contained in the tubular bag, the cartridge system is inserted into a standard caulking gun. When the caulking gun is operated, a rod arranged in the caulking gun is pressed against the closure element. The rod passes through the closure ring and comes into contact with the plunger. In the case of a one-piece closure element, the pressure exerted by the rod on the plunger first leads to the rupture of at least one connecting web between the closure ring and the plunger, resulting in the movement of the plunger towards the delivery end of the sleeve. The plunger exerts pressure on the tubular bag, which moves towards the delivery end of the sleeve in the manner described above. The closure ring, pressed into the sleeve, remains in its position at the distal end of the sleeve.

[0028] The closure ring may have a texture on its outer circumference, for example a rib texture or a knob texture. The outer diameter of the closure ring is adapted to the inner diameter of the sleeve so that the closure ring can be pressed under pressure into the distal end of the sleeve during the manufacture of the cartridge system. In this way, the closure element, including the closure ring and the plunger, is firmly but releasably connected to the sleeve. The closure ring pressed into the distal end of the sleeve and the shoulder element pressed into the delivery end of the sleeve ensure that the tubular bag does not slip out of the sleeve before and during the operation of the cartridge system. After the cartridge system has been emptied, the closure ring and the plunger, as well as the shoulder element, can be separated from the sleeve by the user and all parts can be discarded separately.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one sealing lip may be formed on the outer circumference of the plunger. The sealing lip rests directly on the inside of the sleeve wall and prevents the tubular bag film from penetrating into the area between the sealing lip and the distal end of the sleeve. The plunger may be provided with two or more sealing lips distributed over the height of the plunger, which provides an even better seal. In this way, it is possible to ensure that a part of the emptied tubular bag film does not penetrate into the area between the plunger and the closure ring and jam the parts of the caulking gun. At the same time, forming the sealing lip on the outer circumference of the plunger has the advantage that the plunger does not rest against the inner wall of the sleeve over its entire height, which means that there is less friction between the plunger and the inner wall of the sleeve and the plunger can be displaced in the sleeve more easily. Finally, a slightly flexible sealing lip allows to compensate to some extent for the dimensional tolerances inside the sleeve. The sealing lip may be directly moulded on the plunger and, like the plunger, may be made of a thermoplastic material, for example polyethylene or polypropylene.

[0030] It may be provided that the closure ring is formed with an annular shoulder edge which rests on the end edge of the sleeve wall at the distal end of the sleeve, which prevents the closure ring from accidentally going too far into the sleeve, in the same way as described above for the shoulder element.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the invention, the sleeve wall is provided with a weakened area in the region adjacent to the delivery end of the sleeve. The weakened area may for example comprise a weakened line in the form of a perforation, cut or notch in the sleeve wall. Such a weakened line may extend over a length of about 8 mm to 25 mm. The distance between the weakened line and the delivery end of the sleeve is about 5 mm to 15 mm. The weakened line preferably extends substantially in the axial direction of the sleeve wall. The weakened line may also extend in an oblique direction having a directional component in both the axial and circumferential directions. The weakened area may comprise a single weakened line or multiple weakened lines. For example, the weakened area may comprise two intersecting weakened lines, each of which may run obliquely to the axial direction in the sleeve wall. The formation of such a weakened area serves to facilitate tearing open the sleeve wall when emptying the tubular bag, with the aim of allowing the individual parts to be separated from each other and discarded individually. During the advancement of the plunger it compresses the material of the tubular film in the region of the delivery end, so that the pressure on the sleeve wall increases there. When a pressure threshold, which can be set by the specific design of the weakened region, is exceeded, the sleeve eventually tears or breaks, so that the user can simply separate the sleeve from the other parts and therefore discard it. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail by way of an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cartridge system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the cartridge system of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the cartridge system of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the closure element. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the closure element of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the distal end of the cartridge system of FIG. 1 before the cartridge system is placed into operation. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the distal end of the cartridge system of FIG. 1 after the cartridge system has been put into operation. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the shoulder element of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the delivery end of the cartridge system of FIG. 1 before the cartridge system is placed into operation. [Figure 11] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the delivery end of the cartridge system of FIG. 1 after the cartridge system has been placed into operation. [Figure 12] 1A-1C illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a cartridge system having a weakened area formed in the sleeve wall. [Figure 13] 13A-13C show further exemplary embodiments of a cartridge system having a weakened area formed in the sleeve wall. [Figure 14] 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a shoulder element having an undercut. [Figure 15] 13A-13C show further exemplary embodiments of shoulder elements having undercuts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] 1 shows in a perspective view a cartridge system according to the present invention, generally designated 1. The cartridge system resembles a conventional cartridge and can be inserted into a standard caulking gun.

[0034] The structure of the cartridge system 1 is evident from the exploded view in FIG. 2 and the cross-sectional view in FIG. 3. The cartridge system 1 comprises a tubular bag 2 containing a viscous material, in this case silicone. The tubular bag 2 is made of a laminate film, also called tubular bag film in the following, and is closed at both ends by clips 3. The tubular bag 2 is substantially circular in cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tubular bag, whereby the filled tubular bag 2 has a sausage-like structure. The tubular bag 2 is arranged all the way in a cylindrical sleeve 4 made of cardboard made of recycled paper material. The sleeve 4 has a delivery end 5 and a distal end 6 opposite the delivery end 5 and includes a sleeve wall 14.

[0035] The cartridge system 1 further comprises a closure element 7 disposed at the distal end 6 of the sleeve 4 and releasably connected thereto, and a shoulder element 8 disposed at the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4 and releasably connected thereto. Both the closure element 7 and the shoulder element 8 are made of polypropylene using an injection molding process.

[0036] The structure of the closure element 7 is shown in detail in Figs. 4 to 7. The closure element 7 comprises a plunger 9 displaceable in the sleeve 4 and a closure ring 10 which is press-fitted into the sleeve 4. The plunger 9 and the closure ring 10 are initially connected to each other via thin connecting webs 11 designed as predefined break points. The described exemplary embodiment comprises four such connecting webs 11, which are evenly distributed over the circumference of the closure ring 10, of which only three connecting webs 11 can be seen in Fig. 4. When the cartridge system 1 is put into operation by the user with a caulking gun, the connecting webs 11 are broken open and the plunger 9 is then displaceable in the sleeve 4 independently of the closure ring 10. As can be seen in Figures 3, 6 and 7, the plunger 9 directly abuts the distal end of the tubular bag 2, whereby movement of the plunger 9 towards the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4 also moves the tubular bag 2 towards the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4 (see Figure 7). The closure ring 10 remains in its closure ring position at the distal end 6 of the sleeve 4.

[0037] The outer diameter of the closure ring 10 is adapted to the inner diameter of the sleeve 4 so that the closure ring 10 can be pressed under pressure into the distal end 6 of the sleeve 4 during the manufacture of the cartridge system 1. For this purpose, the closure ring 10 has a texture of ribs 12 arranged horizontally on the outer periphery of this closure ring. The closure element 7 pressed into the distal end 6 of the sleeve 4 safely prevents the tubular bag 2 from slipping out of the sleeve 4 before and during the cartridge system 1 is subjected to operation. After the cartridge system 1 has been emptied, the closure ring 10 and the plunger 9 are separated from the sleeve 4 and all parts can be discarded separately.

[0038] Two sealing lips 13 are formed on the outer circumference of the plunger 9 and are made of the same material as the plunger 9 itself, in this case polypropylene. As can be seen from Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the sealing lips 13 directly abut against the inner side of the sleeve wall 14. In this way, it is possible to reliably prevent parts of the emptied tubular bag film from penetrating into the area between the plunger 9 and the closure ring 10 during the process of emptying the cartridge system 1, which would cause clogging of the parts of the caulking gun in such a case. At the same time, the formation of the sealing lips 13 on the outer circumference of the plunger 9 has the advantage that the plunger 9 does not abut against the inner wall of the sleeve 4 over its entire height, which results in less friction between the plunger 9 and the inner wall of the sleeve 4 and makes the plunger 9 more easily displaceable in the sleeve 4.

[0039] The structure of the shoulder element 8 is shown in more detail in Figures 8 to 11. The shoulder element 8 comprises a central through passage 15 and an outlet opening 16 for discharging the viscous material from the cartridge system 1. In the region of the outlet opening 16, the shoulder element 8 has an external threading 30, via which the shoulder element 8 can be connected to a separate discharge nozzle 29.

[0040] The shoulder element 8 also has three puncture points 17, of which only two puncture points 17 are visible in the figures. At its end facing the sleeve 4, the shoulder element 8 has a compression ring 18, which is concentric with the sleeve wall 14 and projects into the interior of the sleeve 4 defined by the sleeve wall 14 (see FIG. 10). The outside diameter of the compression ring 18 is reduced compared to the inside diameter of the sleeve 4, so that an annular gap 19 is formed between the sleeve wall 14 and the compression ring 18. In the compression ring 18, a compression chamber 20 is formed, into which the puncture points 17 project. Before the cartridge system 1 is put into operation (this situation is shown in FIGS. 3 and 10), the puncture points 17 can touch the tubular bag 2, but due to the lack of pressure on the tubular bag 2, they do not yet pierce the tubular bag film.

[0041] In addition to the compression ring 18, the shoulder element 8 also comprises a pressure ring 21, which is formed concentrically with the compression ring 18, is pressed into the sleeve 4 and abuts against the sleeve wall 14 from the inside. The inner diameter of the pressure ring 21 is larger than the outer diameter of the compression ring 18, whereby the above-mentioned annular gap 19 is formed between the pressure ring 21 and the compression ring 18. During the process of emptying the tubular bag 2, the pressure acting on the tubular bag 2 forces a part of the tubular bag film into this annular gap 19 (this is partially seen in FIG. 11). At the same time, this results in a tight seal between the opened tubular bag 2 and the inside of the sleeve 4, so that when the outlet opening 16 is further sealed, the viscous material from the once opened tubular bag 2 does not dry out and can be reused later.

[0042] Starting from the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4, the pressure ring 21 projects less into the sleeve 4 compared to the compression ring 18. As a result, the tubular bag 2 pushed forward in the sleeve 4 first comes into contact with the compression ring 18 during the process of emptying the cartridge system 1 (see figures 10 and 11). The outer diameter of the pressure ring 21 is adapted to the inner diameter of the sleeve 4 so that the pressure ring 21 can be pressed under pressure into the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4 during the manufacture of the cartridge system 1. For this purpose, the pressure ring 21 has a texture of vertically arranged ribs 22 on its outer periphery. After the cartridge system 1 has been emptied, the shoulder element 8 is separated from the sleeve 4 by the user and both parts can be discarded separately.

[0043] The shoulder element 8 has an annular shoulder edge 23 which, in the inserted position, rests on the end edge of the sleeve wall 14 at the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4 (see Figures 10 and 11). Similarly, the closure ring 10 is formed with an annular shoulder edge 24 which rests on the end edge of the sleeve wall 14 at the distal end 6 of the sleeve 4 (see Figures 6 and 7).

[0044] The function of the cartridge system 1 is described below.

[0045] To dispense the silicone material contained in the tubular bag 2, the cartridge system 1 is inserted into a standard caulking gun (not shown). When the caulking gun is operated, a rod arranged in the caulking gun is pressed against the closure element 7. The rod passes through the closure ring 10 and comes into contact with the plunger 9. The pressure exerted by the rod on the plunger 9 first breaks the four connecting webs 11 between the closure ring 10 and the plunger 9 and then moves the plunger 9 towards the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4. The plunger 9 exerts pressure on the tubular bag 2, which moves in the direction of the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4. The closure ring 10, pressed into the sleeve 4, remains in its position at the distal end 6 of the sleeve 4 (see FIG. 7).

[0046] The forwarded tubular bag 2 finally comes to rest with its outlet end against the compression ring 18 protruding into the inside of the sleeve 4 (see FIG. 11). When pressure is continued to be applied to the tubular bag 2, a part of the outlet end of the tubular bag is forced into the compression ring 18, called the compression chamber 20. The reduced diameter of the compression ring 18 compared to the diameter of the sleeve 4 causes a higher internal pressure to be applied to the outlet end of the tubular bag 2 more quickly than would be the case without the compression ring 18. The part of the tubular bag 2 forced into the compression chamber 20 is therefore particularly taut (see the tubular bag film portion 25 in FIG. 11). As a result, as soon as the tubular bag 2 is pressed against the puncture points 17 protruding into the compression chamber 20 with continued pressure, it is not only pierced at certain points by these puncture points 17, but actually bursts. The contained and pressurized silicone material exits the resulting relatively large opening of the tubular bag 2 and is transported out of the cartridge system 1 through the central through passage 15 and the outlet opening 16. In this way, the cartridge system 1 according to the invention allows for automatic and reliable opening of the tubular bag 2, which makes the system very user-friendly.

[0047] From figures 3, 8 and 9 it can be seen that the outlet opening 16 is closed by a reclosing part 26. The reclosing part 26 is initially rigidly connected to the shoulder element 8 and closes the outlet opening, thereby protecting it from the ingress of dust and other contaminants before the cartridge system 1 is put into operation. The connection between the reclosing part 26 and the shoulder element 8 is provided with four predetermined breaking points (the breaking points are not visible in the figures). These breaking points can be broken by the user to separate the reclosing part 26 from the shoulder element 8. The reclosing part 26 is cone-shaped, with a conical point 27 of the reclosing part protruding into the outlet opening 16. After separation from the shoulder element 8, the reclosing part 26 can act as a closing element for the outlet opening 28 of the outlet nozzle 29 by being sealingly inserted therein. The conical shape of the reclosure 26 enables the discharge opening 28 to be sealed even if the diameter of the discharge nozzle 29 is increased, for example by cutting off the front region of the discharge nozzle 29 .

[0048] In the described exemplary embodiment, the discharge nozzle 29 is designed separately, but is connected in a captive manner to the shoulder element 8 via a ring 30. Since the external thread 30 is a standard thread, any other standard discharge nozzle can also be connected to the shoulder element 8.

[0049] The outer dimensions of the cartridge system 1 correspond to those of a standard cartridge, which makes it possible to operate the cartridge system 1 with a standard caulking gun. In the described exemplary embodiment, the filled tubular bag 2 has a diameter in the range of about 44.0 mm to 46.5 mm and a volume of about 300 ml. The sleeve wall 14 has a thickness of about 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm and the inner diameter of the sleeve 4 is about 46.3 mm to 46.7 mm. The compression ring 18 has an inner diameter of about 38.0 mm to 41.0 mm and, starting from the end edge of the sleeve wall 14, projects into the interior of the sleeve 4 by about 11.0 mm to 13.0 mm. The sealing lip 13 has a thickness of about 0.4 mm. In the region of the sealing lip, the plunger 9 has a diameter of about 46.4 mm to 46.9 mm and thereby abuts with the sealing lip 13 against the inner wall of the sleeve 4. In the area between the sealing lips 13, there is a gap between the plunger 9 and the sleeve wall 14, the gap being approximately 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm wide.

[0050] 12 and 13 each show a detail of a cartridge system 1 with a weakened area 31 formed in the sleeve wall 14 in the region of the delivery end 5. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the weakened area 31 comprises a weakened line 32 formed as a cut in the sleeve wall 14, which has a length of about 12 mm and a distance of about 8 mm from the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4. The weakened line 32 runs in the axial direction, i.e. parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge system 1. FIG. 13 shows a further exemplary embodiment, in which the weakened area 31 comprises two crossed weakened lines 33, 34 running diagonally. These weakened lines are formed as cuts in the sleeve wall 14 and in this case each have a length of about 12 mm and a distance of about 8 mm from the delivery end 5 of the sleeve 4. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the weakened area 31 consists of only one of the two diagonally running weakened lines 33, 34.

[0051] The formation of such weakened areas 31 serves to facilitate tearing open the sleeve wall 14, with the aim of allowing the individual parts to be separated from one another and discarded individually. Due to pressure exerted on the area of ​​the sleeve wall 14 during emptying of the tubular bag 2, the sleeve 4 will tear or rupture at the weakened areas 31, thereby allowing the user to simply separate the sleeve 4 from the other parts and discard both accordingly.

[0052] 14 and 15 show an embodiment of a shoulder element 8 according to the invention, which is formed with an undercut 36 on the inside adjacent to the annular shoulder edge 23. When approaching the delivery end of the cartridge system 1, the displaceable plunger 9 together with the emptied tubular bag 2 can engage or fit into the recess formed by the undercut 36. This allows the user to remove the shoulder element 8 together with the emptied tubular bag 2 and the plunger 9 as a unit from the sleeve 4 and separate it from the sleeve 4 for disposal. The plunger 9 is now snapped into place by the sealing lip 13 formed on the plunger 9 fitting into the recess in the shoulder element 8 formed by the undercut 36.

[0053] In the embodiment according to Fig. 14, the shoulder element 8 comprises a pressure ring 21, which is pressed into the sleeve 4 and bears from the inside against the sleeve wall 14. In contrast, in the embodiment according to Fig. 15, the shoulder element 8 comprises a locking ring 35, which bears from the outside against the sleeve wall 14.

Claims

1. A cartridge system (1), comprising: a tubular bag (2) containing a viscous material; a cylindrical sleeve (4) having a sleeve wall (14) that completely surrounds the tubular bag (2); The sleeve (4) has a delivery end (5) and a distal end (6) opposite the delivery end (5); a closure element (7) disposed at the distal end (6) of the sleeve (4) and releasably connected to the sleeve (4); a shoulder element (8) disposed at the delivery end (5) of the sleeve (4) and releasably connected to the sleeve (4); a shoulder element (8) having a central through-flow passage (15) and an outlet opening (16) for discharging a viscous material from the cartridge system (1), and having at least one puncture point (17) for piercing the tubular bag (2), the shoulder element (8) has a compression ring (18) concentric with the sleeve wall (14) and protruding into the interior of the sleeve (4) defined by the sleeve wall (14), the outer diameter of the compression ring being smaller than the inner diameter of the sleeve (4), thereby forming an annular gap (19) between the sleeve wall (14) and the compression ring (18); A compression chamber (20) is formed inside the compression ring (18), and the at least one puncture point (17) projects into the compression chamber; The compression ring (18) protrudes further into the interior of the sleeve (4) than the at least one puncture point (17). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

2. 2. A cartridge system (1) according to claim 1, The cylindrical sleeve (4) is made of a plant fiber material. A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

3. A cartridge system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, the shoulder element (8) comprises a pressure ring (21) formed concentrically with the compression ring (18), pressed into the sleeve (4) and abutting against the sleeve wall (14) from the inside; The inner diameter of the pressure ring (21) is larger than the outer diameter of the compression ring (18), thereby forming the annular gap (19) between the pressure ring (21) and the compression ring (18). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

4. A cartridge system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, The shoulder element (8) is provided with a locking ring (35) which is formed concentrically with the compression ring (18) and abuts against the sleeve wall (14) from the outside. A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

5. A cartridge system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, An annular shoulder edge (23) is formed on the shoulder element (8) and rests on the end face edge of the sleeve wall (14) at the delivery end (5) of the sleeve (4). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

6. A cartridge system (1) according to claim 5, An undercut (36) is formed on the shoulder element (8) on the inside adjacent to the annular shoulder edge (23). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

7. A cartridge system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, The shoulder element (8) has an external thread (30) adjacent to the outlet opening (16) through which the shoulder element (8) can be connected to a discharge nozzle (29). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

8. A cartridge system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, The outlet opening (16) is closed by a releasable reclosure (26). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

9. A cartridge system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, The closure element (7) comprises a plunger (9) displaceable in the sleeve (4) and a closure ring (10) press-fitted into the sleeve (4), The plunger (9) and the closure ring (10) are connected to each other via at least one connecting web (11) designed as a predetermined breaking point. A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

10. A cartridge system (1) according to claim 9, At least one sealing lip (13) is formed on the outer periphery of the plunger (9). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

11. A cartridge system (1) according to claim 9, An annular shoulder edge (24) is formed on the closure ring (10) and rests on the end face edge of the sleeve wall (14) at the distal end (6) of the sleeve (4). A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

12. A cartridge system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, The dimensions of the cartridge system (1) are selected so that the cartridge system (1) can be used with a standard caulking gun. A cartridge system (1) characterized by:

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