Container neck comprising a thread and catches oriented against the direction of unscrewing of the thread

Abstract

In the case of a container neck comprising a cylindrical wall which extends around a reference axis of the container neck and has an upper edge enclosing an opening of the container neck, and in the case of said container neck comprising an external thread which projects radially outward from the cylindrical wall and has an upper turn which faces the upper edge and comprises an end section of the thread, wherein the container neck has catches extending axially between the upper edge and the upper turn of the thread and extending radially inward from the cylindrical wall, which catches are distributed circumferentially and each have a catch surfacedirected against an unscrewing direction of the thread, it is proposed that one or more of the catches be provided as locking catches which have a lower end that is further away from the upper edge in the axial direction than the end section of the thread.

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a container neck comprising a thread for screwing on a container closure, and to catches that prevent the container closure from being unscrewed. It also relates to a container comprising such a container neck, as well as a combination of such a container and a screw closure.PRIOR ART TO DATE

[0002] Containers are known that have a container neck comprising a thread onto which a container closure, e.g., a hinged closure, is screwed and is not intended to be unscrewed again. The screw connection between the container neck and the container closure has the advantage, especially when the containers in the filling plant are not guided by a support ring, that it allows closing without high head force. To lock the screw connection between the container closure and the container neck, container necks are known which have catch cams at the lower end of the container neck between the thread and the container wall, which catch cams interact with corresponding locking pawls at the lower edge of the container closure and prevent unscrewing. A container neck of this type is known from document EP 0 670 272 B1. However, this has the disadvantage that it is possible to access the locking mechanism in order to force its unlocking.

[0003] Therefore, locking mechanisms have been developed that are attached to the upper end of the container neck between the thread and the upper edge of the container neck, as is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,778. The container neck comprises four locking teeth, each tooth being spaced 90° from the adjacent tooth in the circumferential direction. The locking teeth each have a steep and a gentle flank, with the steep flanks each forming a catch surface that is directed against the unscrewing direction of the thread. These locking teeth serve to catch a circular row of further locking teeth, which are provided at the upper end of a container closure and project inward, at the end of the screwing on of the closure and to prevent the closure from being unscrewed. However, the closure must be guided very precisely at the beginning of the screwing process from the outside, especially since the upper region of the container neck, where the locking teeth are located, has no guide surfaces between the upper edge of the neck and the thread, and the thread is located away from the upper edge. Furthermore, the locking mechanism requires space in the axial direction, so the closure and neck must be made correspondingly larger and use more material.

[0004] WO 2014029594 A2 discloses a container neck comprising a thread which, in the upper region, includes several spaced-apart thread segments which interact with corresponding locking pawls in the container closure to prevent the closure from being unscrewed. This proposes a solution that requires less space. However, the upper region of the thread plays an important guiding role at the beginning of screwing on the closure, which role is ineffectively fulfilled by the spaced-apart thread segments.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The object of the invention is that of providing an inseparable screw connection of the type mentioned at the outset, which does not impair the screwing on of a container closure.

[0006] In the case of a container neck comprising a cylindrical wall which extends around a reference axis of the container neck and has an upper edge enclosing an opening of the container neck, and in the case of said container neck comprising an external thread which projects radially outward from the cylindrical wall and has an upper turn which faces the upper edge and comprises an end section of the thread, wherein the container neck has catches extending axially between the upper edge and the upper turn of the thread and extending radially inward from the cylindrical wall, which catches are distributed circumferentially and each have a catch surface directed against an unscrewing direction of the thread, the object is achieved by one or more of the catches being locking catches which have a lower end that is further away from the upper edge in the axial direction than the end section of the thread.

[0007] The catch surfaces of the locking catches serve to catch the locking pawls, which are provided at the upper end of a container closure and project inward, at the end of the screwing on of the closure and to prevent the closure from being unscrewed. Since the catches do not protrude from the cylindrical wall, they do not interfere with screwing on the container closure. The screwing torque remains unchanged compared to a container neck without catches. The container neck remains compatible with ordinary closures without locking pawls. The axial overlap of one or more of the locking catches with the end section of the thread makes it possible to design the catch surfaces of these locking catches to be longer in the axial direction, and to provide a locking effect even if the screwing has not been completed to the final position. Furthermore, these catch surfaces also allow for a corresponding axial dimension for the locking pawls and a corresponding contact region between locking pawls and catches. The locking pawls can, for example, have an axial dimension that is larger than the distance between the upper edge of the container neck and the end section of the thread. This allows the locking pawls to be designed with high flexibility to reduce the torque required for screwing while simultaneously forming a sufficiently large contact region with the catches to ensure efficient locking.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment, the locking catches extend in the axial direction to the upper edge of the cylindrical wall. This creates relatively large catch surfaces which, despite small deviations in the dimensions of the container closure or in its position at the end of the screwing process, catch the inwardly projecting locking pawls of the closure with sufficient contact region and can thus effectively prevent unscrewing.

[0009] The distance in the axial direction between the end section of the thread and the upper edge of the cylindrical wall can remain correspondingly small, and is preferably less than half a thread pitch of the thread. This means the locking function requires less material.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment, the locking catches have a height that is measured parallel to the reference axis and is greater than one third, preferably greater than one half, of a thread pitch of the thread, wherein the thread pitch denotes the axial distance between two successive turns of the thread.

[0011] The locking catches can have different heights. This is the case, for example, if all locking catches extend axially from the upper edge of the cylindrical wall to the upper turn of the thread.

[0012] Alternatively, some or all of the locking catches can be at the same height. This is the case, for example, when the lower end of the locking catches is located at a distance from the upper edge that is the same for several of the locking catches, and the locking catches extend axially to the upper edge.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the locking catches are distributed circumferentially at an angle of at least 180° around the reference axis. This ensures that the desired locking of the screw closure is guaranteed even if targeted pressure on the closure on two sides causes an (oval) deformation of the closure.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the angle measured around the reference axis between the catch surface of a locking catch and the catch surface of an adjacent catch below the locking catches is less than 20°, and preferably more than 10°, e.g., 15°+ / −1°. This angle corresponds to a tolerance angle when screwing on the closure.

[0015] The invention also relates to a container neck comprising a cylindrical wall which extends around a reference axis of the container neck and has an upper edge enclosing an opening of the container neck, and to said container neck comprising an external thread which projects radially outward from the cylindrical wall and has an upper turn which faces the upper edge and comprises an end section of the thread, wherein the container neck has catches extending axially between the upper edge and the upper turn of the thread and extending radially inward from the cylindrical wall, which catches are distributed circumferentially and each have a catch surface directed against an unscrewing direction of the thread, wherein the catches are distributed over several angular sectors of the cylindrical wall, each angular sector comprising more than one, preferably more than two successive catches and being separated from each other by cylinder arc-shaped regions of the cylindrical wall. The cylinder arc-shaped regions of the cylindrical wall extend to the upper edge of the container neck and serve to guide the container closure at the beginning of the screwing process.

[0016] One or more of the successive catches can be locking catches that have a lower end that is further from the upper edge in the axial direction than the end section of the thread. This is preferably the case for at least two of the angular ranges. The distribution of successive catches ensures that the desired locking of a container closure also takes place if the closure has not been screwed in completely to the final position.

[0017] Preferably, the angular sectors each comprise more than one, preferably more than two, of the catches, e.g., three or four catches. This distribution of the catches ensures that the desired locking of a container closure also takes place if the closure has not been screwed in completely to the final position. More catches also offer more catch surfaces that can catch more locking pawls of the closure, providing a secure locking mechanism.

[0018] Preferably, the angular sectors each extend over an angle of more than 30° and / or less than 150° around the reference axis. Overall, the angular sectors can extend, for example, over an angle of more than 60° and / or less than 300°, preferably more than 135° and / or less than 270° around the reference axis.

[0019] Preferably, the cylinder arc-shaped regions extend over an angle of more than 20° and / or less than 150° around the reference axis, preferably more than 30° and / or less than 90°. Overall, the cylinder arc-shaped regions can extend, for example, over an angle of more than 60° and / or less than 300°, preferably more than 90° and / or less than 225° around the reference axis.

[0020] According to one exemplary embodiment, the number of angular sectors is three or four.

[0021] The invention also relates to a container comprising the previously described container neck and comprising a container closure that surrounds the opening of the container neck, wherein the container closure comprises a spout and a circumferential wall surrounding the spout, wherein the circumferential wall has an internal thread and radially inwardly projecting locking pawls which extend between the bottom wall and the internal thread and which, in a closed position of the container closure, each correspond to one of the catch surfaces of the catches of the container neck and counteract unscrewing of the container closure.

[0022] The container closure may optionally be formed as a hinged closure with a retaining ring, a lid and a hinge between the retaining ring and the lid, wherein the retaining ring has the spout and the circumferential wall. The container closure may have an indicator element, the state of which changes irreversibly upon first opening the lid.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preform of a container with a container neck according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the preform of FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from below of a hinged closure for the container neck of FIG. 1;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above of the hinged closure of FIG. 3;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the combination of the container neck of FIG. 1 with the hinged closure of FIG. 3 along the section plane V of FIG. 6;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the combination of FIG. 5 along the section plane VI of FIG. 5;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a detail view of FIG. 6;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a side view of a container neck according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0032] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the container neck of FIG. 8 along the section plane IX of FIG. 8;

[0033] FIG. 10 is another side view of the container neck of FIG. 8 from the opposite side of FIG. 8.

[0034] In all drawings, individual reference signs denote identical or similar elements.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preform 10 with a container neck 12 is depicted. The preform consists of plastics material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and is intended to form a container by blow molding without affecting the dimensions of the container neck 12.

[0036] The container neck 12 is a generally cylindrical, tubular structure with a cylindrical wall 16 which runs around a reference axis 100 of the container neck 12 and extends in an axial direction from a lower neck transition bead 18 in the form of a radially extending annular flange up to an upper edge 20 of the container neck 12, which upper edge surrounds an opening 22 of the container neck 12. The container neck 12 comprises an external thread 24 which is helical and preferably continuous and protrudes from the cylindrical wall 16 radially outward. The thread 24 has a thread course which has a length of approximately 380° and comprises an upper turn 240 over 360° with an upper flank 242 facing the upper edge 20 of the cylindrical wall 16, which thread also comprises a second, incomplete lower turn 243 which extends over an angle of approximately 20° and, in the circumferential direction, only overlaps with an end section 244 of the upper turn 240 and of the thread 24. Between the upper turn 240 and the upper edge 20 of the container neck 12, catches 28 are provided which extend radially inward from the cylindrical wall 16, are distributed circumferentially, and each have a gently sloping and a steep flank 30, 32, wherein the steep flanks 32 form catch surfaces that are directed against an unscrewing direction 200 of the thread 24. The catches 28 extend in an axial direction from the upper edge 20 up to the thread 24. One or more of the catches 28, in particular those facing the viewer in FIG. 1, are locking catches 28A which have a lower end 29 which, in the axial direction, is distanced further from the upper edge 20 than the upper end section 244 of the thread 24. This allows the distance between an upper end of the thread and the upper edge of the container neck to remain correspondingly small in the axial direction, preferably less than half the thread pitch GS.

[0037] The catches 28 are distributed over several, in FIG. 2 four, angular sectors 280 of the cylindrical wall 16, said angular sectors being separated from each other by cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 of the cylindrical wall 16 and each extending over an angle of preferably more than 30° and / or less than 150° around the reference axis. The number of catches 28 in each angular sector 280, in this exemplary embodiment three, is preferably larger than two, and may optionally vary from one angular sector to the other. The angles can therefore be different, as shown in FIG. 2. The sum of the angles of the angular sectors 280 preferably is a value of more than 60° and / or less than 300°, preferably more than 120° and / or less than 280°.

[0038] The same applies to the cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 which are distributed over several, in FIG. 5 four, angular sectors of the cylindrical wall 16, which each extend over an angle of preferably more than 20° and / or less than 150° around the reference axis, wherein the sum of the angles of the cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 preferably is a value of more than 80° and / or less than 240°.

[0039] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a container closure 34 which is intended for the container neck 12. In FIG. 5 to 7 this container closure 34 is placed on the container neck 12 of a container 120.

[0040] The container closure 34 may be produced from a plastics material or other material that is compatible with the contents of the container. A polymer is preferred here, in particular a thermoplastic such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The container closure 34 is preferably a hinged closure and comprises a retaining ring 36, a lid 38 and a hinge 40 which connects the retaining ring 36 to the lid 38. The hinge 40 is shown here as a snap hinge and allows the lid 38 to pivot about a pivot axis 400 that extends perpendicularly to a reference axis 360 of the retaining ring 36. The retaining ring 36, the lid 38 and the hinge 40 are cast together in one piece in an open position and then brought into the closed position of FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0041] The retaining ring 36 has a bottom wall 42 which forms a spout 43 surrounding an opening 430 of the retaining ring 36 and the container closure 34, which opening is suitable for receiving a valve (not shown) made of elastomeric material. The bottom wall 42 is surrounded by an outer cylindrical circumferential wall 44 which also surrounds an inner circumferential wall 46 which is intended for attachment to the container neck. This inner circumferential wall 46 is equipped with an internal thread 48 and locking pawls 50 which are distributed around its reference axis. The locking pawls 50 are directed radially inward and circumferentially in the unscrewing direction 480 and protrude further radially inward than the internal thread 48.

[0042] The retaining ring 36 also comprises a sealing apron 52 which is suitable for coming into contact with an inner surface of the cylindrical wall 16 of the container neck 12.

[0043] The lid 38 comprises a bottom wall 54, which can be flat or curved, a circumferential wall 56, which surrounds an inner surface of the bottom wall 52, as well as an outer sealing apron 58, which surrounds the opening of the retaining ring and seals it from the outside, and an inner sealing apron 58, which penetrates into the opening 430 and seals from the inside. The lid has a gripping protrusion 60 which extends from the circumferential wall 56 radially outward and, if necessary, as shown, is distanced from the bottom wall 24 in the axial direction.

[0044] If necessary, there is an indicator element provided between the lid 38 and the retaining ring 36, which indicator element is connected to the retaining ring 38 by predetermined breaking points and has a catch projection 62 which, in the closed position, is received in a recess of the lid 14 before the first opening 64 and engages behind a catch surface of the recess 64.

[0045] After the container has been filled with its contents, e.g., a liquid, the container closure 12 is screwed in the closed position on the container neck 12. The screwing process is not hindered by the catches 28, as they do not protrude radially outward. The cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 of the cylindrical wall 16 between the angular sectors 280 which have the catches 28 contribute to guiding the container closure 12, at least at the beginning of the screwing process. At the end of the screwing process, the locking pawls 50 come into contact with the catches 28 and deform elastically when they slide over the gentle flanks 30 of the successive catches 28 until the end position is reached in which the locking pawls engage 50 in the catches and, in each case, are opposite a catch surface 32. The screwed-in position of FIG. 5 is determined by the fact that a lower edge 460 of the inner circumferential wall 46 of the retaining ring 36 pushes against the neck transition bead 18.

[0046] When attempting to turn backward in the unscrewing direction 200, 480 the locking pawls 50 push against the catch surfaces 32 with which they form a form fit and interrupt the rotation. The user can no longer separate the container closure 12 from the container neck 12, but by opening the lid 38 can access the contents of the container 120.

[0047] The distribution of the locking pawls 50 around the reference axis 380 of the retaining ring 38 can be regular or irregular, possibly over angular sectors that correspond to the angular sectors 280 of the catches 28. Preferably, this distribution is such that at least three locking pawls 50 engage in three catches 28 that lie at an angle 500 of more than 200° around the reference axis 100; see FIG. 6.

[0048] With reference to FIG. 8 to 10, a second embodiment of the container neck according to the invention differs from the embodiment described so far in that the catches 28 in the axial direction do not all extend up to the thread 24, but are divided into several groups, each with the same height, e.g., a first group with the height H1 and a second group with the height H2, wherein the height relates to the distance between the lower end 29 and the upper end of the catches, and wherein the upper end of the catches preferably opens at the upper edge 20 of the cylindrical wall 16. Some of these groups consist of locking catches 28A, i.e. catches with a height H2 which is greater than the distance H0 between the upper edge 20 of the cylindrical wall 16 and the upper end section 244 of the thread 24. The catches 28 are divided into four angular sectors 280 each at an angle of 60°, which are separated from one another by four cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 at an angle of 30° each. Each angular sector 280 comprises four consecutive catches 28 at regular angular intervals of 15°. Three angular sectors 280 have locking catches 28A with the height H2, while the fourth angular sector has the shorter catches with the height H1, which is smaller than H0. This fourth angular sector can be omitted if necessary.

[0049] Other variants are intended. The number of angular sectors 280 can vary, and, with this number, also the angle specifications and the number of catches 28 in every angular sector. For example, the following combinations are provided:

[0050] Two angular sectors 280 each with an angle of 30°, and two cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 with an angle of 150° each;

[0051] Two angular sectors 280 each with an angle of 150°, and two cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 with an angle of 30° each;

[0052] Three angular sectors 280 each with an angle of 90°, and three cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 with an angle of 30° each;

[0053] Three angular sectors 280 each with an angle of 30°, and three cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 with an angle of 90° each;

[0054] Four angular sectors 280 each with an angle of 20°, and four cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 with an angle of 70° each;

[0055] Four angular sectors 280 each with an angle of 70°, and four cylinder arc-shaped regions 160 with an angle of 20° each.

[0056] The container neck is also suitable and intended for containers manufactured using stretch blow molding without a preform.

Claims

1. A container neck comprising a cylindrical wall which extends around a reference axis of the container neck and has an upper edge enclosing an opening of the container neck, and said container neck comprising an external thread which projects radially outward from the cylindrical wall and has an upper turn which faces the upper edge and comprises an end section of the thread, wherein the container neck has catches extending axially between the upper edge and the upper turn of the thread and extending radially inward from the cylindrical wall, which catches are distributed circumferentially and each have a catch surface directed against an unscrewing direction of the thread, wherein one or more of the catches are locking catches which have a lower end that is further away from the upper edge in the axial direction than the end section of the thread.

2. The container neck of claim 1, wherein the locking catches extend axially to the upper edge.

3. The container neck of claim 1, wherein the locking catches have a height which is measured parallel to the reference axis and is greater than one third of a thread pitch of the thread.

4. The container neck of claim 1, wherein the locking catches extend axially to the upper turn of the thread.

5. The container neck of claim 1 wherein, viewed in the axial direction, the lower end of the locking catches is located at a distance from the upper edge, which is the same for several of the locking catches.

6. The container neck of claim 1, wherein the locking catches are distributed circumferentially at an angle of at least 180° around the reference axis.

7. The container neck of claim 1, wherein an angle measured around the reference axis between the catch surface of a locking catch and the catch surface of an adjacent locking catch is less than 20°.

8. The container neck of claim 1, wherein a distance between the end section of the thread and the upper edge of the cylindrical wall is less than half the thread pitch.

9. A container neck comprising a cylindrical wall which extends around a reference axis of the container neck and has an upper edge enclosing an opening of the container neck, and said container neck comprising an external thread which projects radially outward from the cylindrical wall and has an upper turn which faces the upper edge and comprises an end section of the thread, wherein the container neck has catches extending axially between the upper edge and the upper turn of the thread and extending radially inward from the cylindrical wall, which catches are distributed circumferentially and each have a catch surface directed against an unscrewing direction of the thread, wherein the catches are distributed over several angular sectors of the cylindrical wall, said sectors each comprising several successive catches among the catches and being separated from each other by cylinder arc-shaped regions of the cylindrical wall.

10. The container neck of claim 9, wherein the angular sectors each extend over an angle of more than 30° and / or less than 150° around the reference axis.

11. The container neck of claim 10, wherein the sum of the angles of the angular sectors is a value of more than 60° and / or less than 300°.

12. The container neck of claim 9, wherein the cylinder arc-shaped regions each extend over an angle of more than 20° and / or less than 150° around the reference axis.

13. The container neck of claim 12, wherein the sum of the angles of the cylinder arc-shaped regions is a value of more than 60° and / or less than 300°.

14. A container comprising:a container neck of claim 1; anda container closure that surrounds the opening of the container neck, wherein the container closure comprises a spout and a circumferential wall surrounding the spout, wherein the circumferential wall has an internal thread and radially inwardly projecting locking pawls that extend between the spout and the internal thread and which, in a closed position of the container closure, each correspond to one of the catch surfaces of the catches of the container neck and counteract unscrewing of the container closure.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein the container closure has a retaining ring, a lid and a hinge between the retaining ring and the lid, wherein the retaining ring has the spout and the circumferential wall.

16. The container neck of claim 7, wherein an angle measured around the reference axis between the catch surface of a locking catch and the catch surface of an adjacent locking catch is more than 10°.

17. The container neck of claim 1, wherein the catches are distributed over several angular sectors of the cylindrical wall, said sectors each comprising several successive catches and being separated from each other by cylinder arc-shaped regions of the cylindrical wall.

18. The container neck of claim 17, wherein the several consecutive catches of each of the sectors include more than two catches.

19. The container neck of claim 9, wherein one or more of the catches are locking catches which have a lower end that is further away from the upper edge in the axial direction than the end section of the thread.

20. The container neck of claim 9, wherein the several consecutive catches of each of the sectors include more than two catches.

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