LID FOR A CONTAINER

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stopper for a lidded container with a peripheral wall that hooks around the neck of the container and with an olive seal provided with an external peripheral annular flange for tight engagement in the opening of the container, characterized in that on its inner surface the olive seal provides a grooved wall surface, which is defined by a variety of grooves and ribs that extend in the longitudinal direction in the wall of the olive seal.

Description

The invention relates to a stopper for a container with a lid, the rim of which is connected to a peripheral wall that fits around the neck of the container and has an annular seal, preferably an olive seal provided with an outer peripheral annular flange for tight engagement in the opening of the container. A tear-off peripheral tamper-evident ring is integrally formed on the lower edge of the peripheral wall, providing inward-facing locking projections that, in the stopper's fixed position, engage beneath an outward-facing annular projection on the container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the ring seal, preferably an olive seal, is to hermetically seal the contents of the container. Therefore, its dimensions are such that the olive seal fits snugly against the neck of the container. However, this tight fit makes it difficult to remove the stopper from the container or to pry it open at an angle. This can be problematic if, due to unavoidable manufacturing tolerances in the stopper and / or the container, the olive seal becomes so tightly seated against the neck that considerable force is required to remove the integral peripheral wall of the stopper and olive seal from the neck. This can become an insurmountable problem for those with limited hand strength. The olive ring seals of previously known stoppers have a closed, smooth inner wall surface, which imparts considerable rigidity to the olive seal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The objective of the present invention is to provide a stopper for a container, which can be removed or lifted from the associated container with less force and yet ensures that the contents of the container are reliably sealed. This objective is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of the features of claim 1. The advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims. The invention provides that the annular seal, preferably an olive seal, has a grooved wall surface on its inner side, defined by a series of grooves extending longitudinally along the stopper. This design results in the stopper being pried obliquely away from the neck of the container when the stopper is pried away from the container. The olive seal is compressed on the side where the force is applied, thus reducing the width of the grooves and consequently decreasing the pulling force required to remove the stopper. The stopper can then be more easily pried laterally away from the container. Remarkably, the grooved wall surface has a less pronounced effect on the contact pressure when the stopper is closed in the container, allowing the olive seal to maintain a tight seal against the container's contents with its smooth outer surface.The lateral leverage of the olive seal to remove the container's stopper is thus considerably facilitated, so the contents of the container remain hermetically sealed until then. As additional details of the invention, it is proposed that the grooves have a constant shape and depth in the longitudinal direction. However, it is also possible for the width and / or depth of the grooves to vary in the longitudinal direction, for example, increasing towards the edge of the olive seal, to further facilitate the removal of the stopper. The grooves should have a depth of 10% to 50% of the minimum wall thickness of the olive seal. Regarding the ribs that remain between the grooves on the inner surface of the olive seal, a domed shape in cross-section is preferred. The annular seal, preferably an olive seal, having grooves according to the invention, can form part of a stopper, the cap of which has a continuous circular shape, so that the olive seal is integrally formed within the cap radially inside the peripheral wall, as is the case with conventional stoppers. However, the olive seal according to the invention can also be a component of a stopper, in which the cap includes a circular concentric hollow channel, comprising a radially outer annular wall and a radially inner annular wall, which are connected by a base wall, so that the radially outer wall is formed as the olive seal, which provides the grooved wall surface on its radially inner side.In both types of stopper, the grooved inner wall surface of the olive seal reduces the force required to obliquely pry the stopper while ensuring a sufficiently high contact pressure when the stopper is seated in the neck of the container, despite the grooves. The ring seal can also be barrel-shaped. As further details of the invention, it is proposed that a peripheral tamper-evident ring, integrally formed on the lower edge of the peripheral wall of the stopper, be detachable. This ring provides tamper-evident security for the contents of the container, with inwardly directed locking features that engage beneath an outwardly directed annular projection on the container. This tamper-evident ring ensures that the contents of the container cannot be altered in an unauthorized manner. When a user wishes to remove the stopper from the container for the first time, they must first detach the tamper-evident ring from the lower edge of the peripheral wall surrounding the container, after which they can pry the stopper away from the neck of the container. The plug preferably consists of LDPE, although the invention is not limited to this. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal section view of a lid with a conventional olive seal formed integrally and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cap with an olive seal according to the invention. Other features of the stopper are omitted from the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows an olive seal with a smooth outer surface 1 with an outer peripheral annular rim 2 and a smooth cylindrical inner wall surface 3. In Figure 2, the inner wall surface 4 of the olive seal 7 according to the invention is of grooved construction in which a variety of grooves 5 extending in the longitudinal direction of the stopper are formed in the wall. The ribs 6 remaining between the grooves have a domed cross-sectional shape.

Claims

1. A stopper for a container with a lid having a peripheral wall that hooks around the neck of the container and having an olive seal provided with an outer, peripheral annular flange for tight engagement in the opening of the container, characterized in that on its inner surface the olive seal has a grooved wall surface, which is defined by a variety of grooves and ribs that extend in the longitudinal direction over the wall of the olive seal.

2. The plug according to claim 1, further characterized in that the grooves have a constant shape and depth in the longitudinal direction.

3. The stopper in accordance with one of claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that the grooves have a depth of 10% to 50% of the minimum wall thickness of the olive seal.

4. The plug according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further characterized in that the ribs between the grooves have a domed cross-section shape.

5. The stopper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that the cap has a continuous circular shape and in that the olive seal is integrally formed in the cap.

6. The stopper according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that a concentric circular hollow channel is formed in the cap, which includes a radially outer annular wall and a radially inner annular wall, which are connected by a base wall and the radially outer annular wall is formed like an olive seal.

7. The stopper according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further characterized in that integrally formed in the lower edge of the peripheral wall is a peripheral safety ring, which can be torn off, for tamper-proof security of the contents of the container with inwardly directed locking formations, which, in the fixed position of the stopper, fit under an outwardly directed annular projection in the container.

8. The plug according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further characterized in that the plug consists of LDPE.

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