SEALING CAP FOR A CONTAINER CLOSURE AND CONTAINER CLOSURE COMPRISING SAID SEALING CAP
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MX · MX
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PROTECHNA SA
- Filing Date
- 2023-03-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
Smart Images
Figure MX433682B0
Abstract
Description
The present invention relates to a sealing cap made of an elastic plastic material for a container closure, comprising a container receptacle base formed in a container to accommodate a container receptacle having a plug disposed in a plug receptacle formed in the container receptacle base. The sealing cap comprises a cover disc having fastening means arranged on the underside of the cover disc and provided with snap-lock means to form a snap-lock connection with the plug, and a rim skirt arranged around the circumference of the cover disc and connected to the cover disc via predetermined breaking means. The invention further relates to a container closure provided with such a sealing cap. A sealing cap of the type described above is also known from patent document WO 2008 / 139196 A1. The known sealing cap, which is made of a dimensionally elastic plastic, has snap-fit closure means arranged on the underside of the cover disc and by means of which the sealing cap is connected to a plug disposed in a plug receptacle of a container closure. The cover disc, on whose outer circumference is disposed an edge skirt connected to the cover disc by means of predetermined breaking means, projects beyond the opening edge of the plug receptacle by means of a cover rim to which the edge skirt is connected by means of predetermined breaking means.The destruction of the predetermined rupture means, which includes at least partial detachment of the edge skirt of the cover disc, indicates that there has been an attempt to remove the sealing cap from the container closure. The cover disc and the rim of the known sealing cap are separated from the plug receptacle. As a result, the predetermined rupture means are destroyed not only if there is an attempt to remove the sealing cap from the container closure by approaching from below the rim, but also if pressure is exerted on the cover disc from above, causing deformation of the cover disc that is transmitted to the rim skirt through the predetermined rupture means. This results in the rim skirt resting on the container wall surface surrounding the plug receptacle. This type of loading can occur particularly if containers fitted with container closures are stacked incorrectly and the upper container placed on top of the lower container exerts pressure on the cover disc of the sealing cap.Damage caused to the predetermined breaking means in this way results in the tamper protection provided by the sealing cap no longer existing and, therefore, any subsequent tampering with the container closure will no longer be detectable. Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to propose a sealing cap of the type mentioned above that has improved functional reliability. To achieve this objective, the sealing cap according to the invention has the characteristics of claim 1. According to the invention, the cover disc of the sealing lid has support means for holding the cover disc on the base of the container receptacle, the support means being arranged radially inside adjacent to the predetermined rupture means on the lower side of the cover disc. The support means arranged radially on the inside of the cover disc adjacent to the predetermined rupture means of the sealing cap according to the invention have the effect that once the sealing cap has been arranged on the container closure and the snap-fit connection between the plug has been established, there is a force adjustment between the support means and the container receptacle base with the result that a deformation of the cover disc in the direction of the receptacle base due to external pressure has the effect that the external load is discharged into the container receptacle base through the support means and is not introduced into the rim skirt through the predetermined rupture means. Conversely, the fact that the cover rim of the known sealing cap's cover disc is separated from the plug receptacle causes the cover rim, along with the predetermined rupture means arranged on the cover rim and the attached rim skirt, to be deflected in the direction of the receptacle base. This means that the predetermined rupture means can be damaged when the rim skirt comes into contact with or rests on the receptacle base. The rim skirt can contact or rest on the receptacle base directly or through deposits formed on the receptacle base, allowing forces to flow between the rim skirt and the receptacle base. Such deposits can easily occur during the storage and transport of these types of containers.This is particularly true if the containers are IBCs, which are usually transported and stored repeatedly. Preferably, the support means are an edge band arranged concentrically with the edge skirt on the lower side of the cover disc, so that the support effect can be effective continuously around the entire circumference of the sealing cap. If the rim band has a lower edge recessed relative to a lower edge of the rim skirt relative to the underside of the cover disc, access to the lower edge of the rim band for removing the sealing cap from the plug receptacle is prevented because the rim skirt is arranged in such a way that it covers the lower edge of the rim band. If the snap-locking means of the fastening means are connected to a pull tab arranged on the circumference of the cover disc by means of connecting means, the connecting means having a cover strip that is formed in the cover disc and is separated from adjacent areas of the edge skirt, the edge band and an inner part of the cover disc by means of predetermined lateral breaking means and connected to the snap-locking means by means of a pull band, the sealing cap can preferably be completely removed from the plug without the edge band acting as the support means that prevent removal after the predetermined breaking means formed in the edge skirt have been damaged. In a first alternative, the container closure according to the invention has the characteristics of claim 5. According to the invention, the container receptacle base is a cover for a container opening formed in a container wall, the cover comprising the plug receptacle that is disposed in a cover disc and penetrates the cover disc in such a way that the support means formed on the lower side of the sealing cap cover disc rest on the top of the cover disc and the rim skirt is separated from the top of the cover disc. Preferably, the plug receptacle has an opening edge that protrudes from the top of the cover such that the support means rest on the opening edge of the plug receptacle. A container closure according to the invention configured in this way allows the sealing cap according to the invention to be used on an IBC. According to another alternative, the container closure according to the invention has the characteristics of claim 7. The container receptacle base of the container closure configured according to the invention is a wall portion of a container, the wall portion comprising a plug receptacle formed in the wall portion such that the support means formed on the lower side of the sealing cap cover disc rest on a wall surface of the container and the edge skirt is separated from the wall surface of the container. A container closure configured according to the invention in this way allows the sealing cap according to the invention to be used on any container, in particular a drum. A preferred embodiment of the invention will be discussed in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Figure 1 is an isometric illustration of an IBC comprising a container closure disposed on top of an internal container of the IBC; Figure 2 is an individual illustration of the container closure illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vessel closure illustrated in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vessel closure disposed in a vessel opening of the IBC illustrated in Figure 1 along line IV-IV in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a bottom view of the sealing cap of the container closure illustrated in Figure 2. Figure 1 shows a transport and storage container 10, also referred to as an IBC, having an inner container 13 arranged on a transport platform 11 and housed in a cage 12, the inner container 13 being provided with a container fitting 14 on a front side and with a container opening 16, which can be closed with a container closure 15, at the top. As illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, the container closure 15 has a cover 17, which is a threaded cap in the case in question and is screwed onto an opening edge of the container opening 16. A plug receptacle 19 is disposed in a cover disc 18 of the cover 17, the plug receptacle 19 penetrating the cover disc 18 such that an opening edge 20 of the plug receptacle 19 protrudes from the top 21 of the cover disc 18. As shown in Figure 4 in particular, a plug 22 is screwed into the plug receptacle 19, the plug 22 closing the plug receptacle 19. A sealing cap 23 is located on top of the plug 22, the sealing cap 23 comprising a cover disc 24 and an edge skirt 25, which is sleeve-shaped in the case in question and extends essentially perpendicular to the cover disc 11, the edge skirt 25 being connected to the cover disc 24 via predetermined rupture means 27, which has predetermined rupture bands 26, as shown in Figure 2 in particular. As shown in Figure 3 in particular, the cover disc 24 is provided with clamping means 29 on its lower side 28, the clamping means 29 being a clamping ring in the case in question and engaging a plug depression 30 of the plug 19 such that snap-locking means 38 formed at the lower end of the clamping means 29 engages with snap-locking means 32 formed in the plug depression 30. As further shown in Figure 3, the cover disc 24 is provided with support means, which is an edge band 33, on its lower inner side 28 radially adjacent to the predetermined breaking means 27, a lower edge 34 of the edge band 33 resting on an opening edge 20 of the plug receptacle 19 disposed in the upper part 21 of the cover 17. As Figure 4 in particular clearly shows, the edge skirt 25 of the illustrated configuration example is connected to the edge band 33 via predetermined breaking means 27. The edge skirt 25 covers the lower edge 34 of the edge band 33, which rests on the opening edge 20, since the lower edge 34 is recessed with respect to a lower edge 35 of the edge skirt 25. If pressure is exerted on the cover disc 24 as indicated by the force arrows in Figure 4, a corresponding load is introduced into the cover 17 through a force fit via the rim band 33, which rests on the top 21 of the cover disc 18 of the cover 17, more precisely on the opening edge 20 of the plug receptacle 19, in this case without loading the rim skirt 25 and the reaction forces due to the loading of the rim skirt 25 possibly acting on predetermined breaking means 27. Therefore, the tamper protection formed in this case by the rim skirt 25, which is connected to the cover disc 18 via predetermined breaking means 27, is not affected by external loads acting on the cover disc 24 of the sealing cap 23. On the other hand, the sealing cap 23 is configured in such a way that the sealing cap 23 can be removed as a continuous unit from the container closure 15, in particular after the predetermined breaking means 27 have been destroyed, without the supporting means, which is the rim band 33 in this case, preventing removal. As illustrated in Figure 5 in particular, a pull tab 36 formed in the edge skirt 25 is connected to snap-lock means 38, which are formed in the clamping means 29, through connecting means 37, which have a cover strip 39, extending from the pull tab 36 through the edge skirt 25 and the edge band 33 into a central inner portion 40 of the cover disc 24 and is separated from adjacent portions of the edge skirt 25, the edge band 33 and the inner portion 40 of the cover disc 24 by predetermined lateral breaking means 41 and 42.The cover strip 39 is connected to the snap-locking means 38 of the clamping means 29 via a pull band 43 such that when the pull tab 36 moves diagonally upwards to the center of the cover disc, the cover strip 39 peels away along the predetermined breaking means 41 and 42, and the snap-locking means 38, which are formed in the clamping ring 29, deforms radially inwards via the pull band 43, which is connected to the inner part 40 of the cover disc 24, with the result that the sealing cap 23 can be removed from the cover 17 as a continuous unit.
Claims
1. A sealing lid (23) made of an elastic plastic material for a container closure (15) comprising a container receptacle base formed in a container to accommodate a container receptacle having a plug (22) disposed in a plug receptacle (19) formed in the container receptacle base, the sealing lid (23) comprising a cover disc (24) having fastening means (29) disposed on a lower side (28) of the cover disc (24) and provided with snap-locking means (38) to form a snap-lock connection with the plug (22), and a rim skirt (25) disposed on the circumference of the cover disc (24) and connected to the cover disc (24) via predetermined rupture means (27), characterized in that the cover disc (24) has support means for supporting the cover disc (24) on the container receptacle base,the support means being arranged radially inside adjacent to the predetermined breaking means (27) on the lower side (28) of the cover disc (24).
2. The sealing cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the support means are an edge band (33) formed on the lower side (28) of the cover disc (24) and arranged concentrically with the edge skirt (25).
3. The sealing cap according to claim 2, characterized in that the edge band (33) has a lower edge (34) that is recessed with respect to a lower edge (35) of the edge skirt (25) with respect to the lower side (28) of the cover disc (24).
4. The sealing cap according to claim 3, characterized in that the snap-locking means (28) of the fastening means (29) are connected to a pull tab (36) arranged on the circumference of the cover disc (24) by means of connecting means (37), the connecting means (37) having a cover strip (39) that is formed in the cover disc (24) and that is separated from adjacent areas of the edge skirt (25), the edge band (33) and an inner part (40) of the cover disc (24) by predetermined lateral break-off means (41, 42) and connected to the snap-locking means (38) by means of a pull band (43).
5. A container closure comprising a sealing cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the container receptacle base is a cover (17) for a container opening (16) formed in a container wall, the cover (17) comprising the plug receptacle (19) disposed in a cover disc (18) of the cover (17) and penetrating the cover disc (18) such that the support means formed on the lower side (28) of the cover disc (24) of the sealing cap (23) rest on an upper portion (21) of the cover disc (18) of the cover (17) and the rim skirt (25) is separated from the upper portion (21) of the cover disc (18) of the cover (17).
6. The container closure according to claim 5, characterized in that the plug receptacle (19) has an opening edge protruding from the top (21) of the cover (17) such that the support means rest on the opening edge (20) of the plug receptacle (19).
7. A container closure comprising a sealing cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the container receptacle base is a wall portion of a container, the wall portion comprising a plug receptacle formed in the wall portion such that the support means formed on the lower side of the cover disc of the sealing cap rest on a wall surface of the container and the edge skirt is separated from the wall surface of the container.