Drinking bottle closure for a drinking bottle

Abstract

Drinking bottle closure (100) for a drinking bottle (200), at least comprising: a housing (10) with a lower inlet opening and a pouring opening (2) on the inner circumference of which a sealing rim (13) is formed; a valve unit with a valve carrier element (20) covering the inlet opening with a lower sealing element (22), an actuating element (38) for moving the sealing element (22) and for holding the sealing element (22) in a closed position or in an open position; an upper sealing element (33) which rests against the sealing edge (13) in the closed position and forms an upper sealing plane and which is coupled to the lower sealing element (22) via the actuating element (38); a pre-venting valve unit (60), via which a bypass flow path (35) leading through or past the lower sealing element (22) can be opened and above which an expansion chamber (17) is formed in the housing (10); characterized in that an upper splash guard is formed in or on the upper sealing plane in the housing (10), the upper splash guard being formed by a narrow gap between the outer edge of the upper sealing element (33) and the sealing rim (13) of the housing (10), the gap being selected to be just wide enough to allow slight but play-free movement of the upper sealing element (33) relative to the housing (10).

Description

[0001] Drinking bottle closure for a drinking bottle

[0002] The invention relates to a drinking bottle closure for a drinking bottle, with the features of the generic term of claim 1 .

[0003] One such drinking bottle closure is described in DE 20 2017 100 395 U1. The double seal on both the underside and the top increases leak protection on the one hand. On the other hand, the hollow spaces in the drinking bottle closure through which water flows during drinking are sealed off from the outside, which means that drips are retained inside the drinking bottle closure when the drinking bottle closure is in the closed position. An enlarged axial stroke is desirable so that the user can better visually recognize the open position and more liquid can flow through the pouring opening when drinking.

[0004] However, there is a limiting relationship between the axial stroke of the sealing elements and the size. In the case of the known pressure-locking units, which have rotating elements, as is also known from a so-called ballpoint pen drive, the flanks on the guide links must have a certain angle of attack in the direction of movement, which cannot be arbitrarily steep. This means that the axial stroke can only be extended by significantly increasing the diameter, which is often not desirable because a drinking bottle closure with a large diameter not only takes up more space in the user's luggage, but also changes the pouring behavior with a large diameter. The curvature must not be too small for bottle tops that are intended to be drunk directly with the lips over the spout rim. An improved drinking bottle closure is described in DE 10 2022 131 193 B3. This provides for two sealing levels, one of which is arranged on the underside of the housing at an inlet opening and another at the very top at an outlet opening. The associated sealing elements can be moved together by pressing on the same operating element and brought into an open or closed position, in which they are held until the next actuation. However, the sealing elements are not rigidly coupled to each other, so that it is ensured that both sealing elements are pressed firmly into their respective sealing seat on the housing regardless of any manufacturing tolerances.

[0005] EP 2 231 484 B1 discloses a drinking bottle closure which has a lower sealing level which also contains a pre-venting valve unit. This allows excess pressure to be released from the interior of a container on which the drinking bottle closure is fitted in order to reduce the forces required to open the sealing level. The disadvantage is that escaping pressurized gas, which entrains liquid droplets from the container, can escape through one of the many openings distributed around the circumference in the spout area. The transition from the openings in the housing to the outside of the drinking bottle closure is also formed by a narrow ring-shaped groove that is difficult to clean.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to improve the function of the pre-vent- ing in a drinking bottle closure for a drinking bottle, in particular for an insulated drinking bottle, of the type mentioned above in such a way that the splashing of liquid droplets during pressure reduction by means of the pre-venting valve unit is prevented or at least substantially reduced.

[0007] This problem is solved by a drinking bottle closure with the features of claim 1 .

[0008] The basic idea of the invention is to provide a low-lying pre-venting valve unit in the drinking bottle closure and to provide at least one additional splash protection or sealing level at an axial distance therefrom, i.e. above it in the normal position of use. The splash protection level or sealing level and the pre-venting valve unit are also connected via an expansion chamber, through the center of which an actuating unit is guided, via which the pre-venting valve unit can be actuated from the top of the drinking bottle closure. The pre-venting valve unit opens a bypass flow path through which gas can flow through a greatly reduced opening cross-section at the lower sealing level, which remains closed in the meantime.

[0009] In particular, the expansion chamber has a diameter that is at least twice the diameter of the opening in the pre-vent valve unit, preferably 3 to 5 times the diameter. The height of the expansion chamber, i.e. the distance between the lower sealing level and the upper splash guard or sealing level, is at least 0.5 times the diameter, preferably at least 1 times the diameter. This results in a sufficiently large volume to bring about a noticeable reduction in the pressure and flow velocity of a gas escaping during pre-ventilation, which entrains liquid droplets, or an aerosol.

[0010] The minimum necessary features of the drinking bottle closure of the invention are therefore:

[0011] - a lower sealing plane in which the pre-venting valve unit is arranged and

[0012] - an expansion chamber above it through which liquid and gas can flow, which can also form the flow channel for the liquid, and

[0013] - a splash guard or sealing layer in the upper area.

[0014] All splash guards are formed by multiple flow deflection and / or greatly reduced gap widths.

[0015] A first embodiment provides for a sealing plane in the lower area, which is moved axially downwards with the same actuating device as the pre-venting device in order to release a lower inlet opening on the housing. In this case, at least one additional splash protection level must be provided at the top, which prevents an aerosol, i.e. a gas-liquid mixture, from escaping upwards at high speed after the pre-venting valve unit has been actuated.

[0016] The upper splash protection level can be formed by a very narrow gap or a type of labyrinth seal being formed between a circular, upper circular cover element on the pouring opening, which can also form an actuation button of the actuation device, and an edge of the housing. A narrow gap is only just wide enough to allow the actuating button to move easily but without play in the housing.

[0017] It is possible here that a radially outwardly projecting collar is present on the upper cover element, which in a closed position of the drinking bottle closure engages under the radially inwardly projecting edge on the housing, so that a flow emerging from the flow channel is diverted twice at right angles between the respective projections on the actuating element and on the housing, preventing drops of liquid from shooting out and thus forming an effective splash guard.

[0018] Alternatively, in addition to the lower sealing element, which is positioned on the sealing edge at the lower inlet opening of the housing, it may be possible to provide not only a splash protection level in the upper area of the drinking bottle closure at the pouring opening, but also a fully-fledged second sealing level. In this case, it is necessary for an upper sealing element and the lower sealing element to be lifted together from their respective sealing seats by axial pressure on the actuating unit in order to allow liquid to be poured out. The lower and upper sealing elements are not rigidly connected to each other in order to avoid the problem of a double fit. In this embodiment, it is rather envisaged that the lower and upper sealing elements are coupled to each other via an axially arranged compression spring in such a way that they are both pressed against their sealing seats in the closed position, but have a variable distance to each other.

[0019] It must also be possible to actuate the pre-venting valve unit at the same time as the two sealing elements, so that the valve element for the pre-venting and also the upper sealing element are moved out of the sealing seat, while the lower sealing element remains in its sealing seat. The design with a lower and upper sealing level corresponds to the preferred embodiment of the invention. In the preferred embodiment of the invention with a lower and an upper sealing plane, the pre-venting valve unit is preferably integrated directly into the valve carrier element, which also carries the lower sealing element. It is provided that the pre-venting valve unit is floatingly mounted in the valve carrier element, i.e. a base element of the pre-venting valve unit lies in a recess in the valve carrier element, so that it is positively fixed in the recess transversely to the longitudinal axis of the drinking bottle closure, but is movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis. An elastomeric sealing element engages from below through an opening in the valve carrier element and is locked into the base element of the pre-venting valve unit. This means that the sealing element cannot fall out of the valve carrier element from below, nor can the base element be pulled out of the valve carrier element from above.

[0020] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the sealing level is provided in the lower area. An additional splash guard is already provided directly above the pre-vent valve unit, so that most of the liquid particles are already separated there. The splash guard can be formed by a pot-shaped element that fits over the entire pre-vent valve unit with the opening facing downwards.

[0021] The expansion chamber is located above. Above this, there is an optional additional device that serves as further splash protection. This can also be an upper sealing element, which is also moved out of its sealing seat during preventilation.

[0022] If the base element rests on the bottom of the recess in the valve carrier element, the ring-shaped sealing surface on the sealing element is raised a few millimeters from a valve seat on the underside of the valve carrier element. The base element is positively connected to the actuating device, which connects the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element and couples them together via a spring.

[0023] In a closed position of the drinking bottle closure, the upper valve element is pressed into its sealing seat via the compression spring, and at the same time the base element located inside the recess is pulled up, whereby the annular sealing surface of the sealing element of the pre-venting valve unit is pulled towards its valve seat. A small tensile force is sufficient to achieve tightness on the pre-vent valve unit, as the pressure that may build up inside the container increases the contact pressure on the valve element and thus automatically increases the sealing effect.

[0024] Conversely, pre-venting can be achieved by lowering the base element via the upper actuating element and the compression spring within the recess in the valve carrier element, thereby releasing the sealing element from the valve seat. Gas can escape through the narrow gap between the valve element lifted from the valve seat and the valve carrier element. Above this, the base element, which is at least partially lowered into the recess, forms a first splash protection level. Gas that flows past the pre-venting valve element with liquid residue is deflected to the side and can only escape into the expansion chamber above through narrow gaps between the base element and the valve carrier element. This reduces a considerable part of the kinetic energy of the liquid droplets and some of the liquid is already separated in this section. Remaining aerosol residues that rise in the expansion chamber are separated at the upper sealing level or at the upper splash guard level.

[0025] It is also advantageous to provide at least two flow divider elements on the valve carrier element, which extend on both sides of the valve element along a diameter line, whereby this diameter line corresponds to the center axis of the linear flow channel in the floating base element. The flow divider elements prevent a rotating flow from occurring in the container interior at the moment of pressure equalization, which takes place when the sealing element is lifted from its valve seat. It has been shown that with a rotating gas flow, more liquid is entrained due to the longer flow path over the liquid level in the container than with a predominantly axial flow in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

[0026] The alignment of the flow divider elements on the diameter line of the base element also blocks the shortest path for the flow. Instead, a flow exiting the interior of the container must be deflected by 90° in order to enter the flow channel on the underside of the base element. However, this flow direction only corresponds to the narrow width of the flow channel and there are no openings in this direction, so that a further 90° deflection is required so that the flow can continue in the longitudinal direction of the flow channel on the underside of the base element. At the ends of the flow channel formed in this way, a further right-angled deflection must then be made upwards, as aerosols can only escape through the gap between the base element lowered into the recess and the inner circumference of the recess. There is therefore at least a threefold flow deflection before an aerosol flow can even enter the expansion chamber above. As a result, a considerable part of the kinetic energy of the entrained liquid droplets is already reduced or liquid droplets are already separated to a large extent at the deflection points even before they reach the upper spray protection level.

[0027] The cross-sections of the flow channels in the area of the pre-vent valve unit are very small compared to the cross-section of the flow channel, so that there is a sharp drop in pressure when the flow leaves the pre-vent valve unit and enters the much larger expansion chamber.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the valve unit comprises an upper part with the upper sealing element and a valve carrier element with the lower sealing element, and the upper part and / or valve carrier element are guided through at least one guide recess in a valve bearing element. In addition, the upper part and the valve carrier element can be coupled to each other in a form-fit manner. Each of the three parts - upper part, valve bearing element and valve carrier element - can be easily manufactured as a plastic injection molded part.

[0029] Preferably, a profiled element is formed on a lower edge of the valve carrier element and at least one receiving shoe is formed on the valve carrier element, into which the profiled element can be inserted. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The figures show in detail:

[0030] Fig. 1 a drinking bottle closure and a drinking bottle in perspective view;

[0031] Fig. 2 the drinking bottle closure in the closed position, in schematic sectional view;

[0032] Fig. 3 the drinking bottle closure in the pre-venting position, in schematic sectional view;

[0033] Fig. 4 the drinking bottle closure in the open position, in schematic sectional view;

[0034] Fig. 5 Perspective view of the partially disassembled drinking bottle closure;

[0035] Fig. 6 The disassembled drinking bottle closure in perspective exploded view;

[0036] Fig. 7 A perspective view of a pre-venting valve unit;

[0037] Fig. 8 perspective view of the cut valve carrier element with the pre-venting valve unit before assembly;

[0038] Fig. 9 Sectional view of the mounted valve carrier element with the pre-venting valve unit in the closed position;

[0039] Fig. 10 The mounted valve carrier element with the pre-venting valve unit in the pre-venting position in section;

[0040] Fig. 11 Sectional view of the drinking bottle closure in the closed position;

[0041] Fig. 12, 13 the drinking bottle closure in pre-venting position in section; Fig. 14 the drinking bottle closure in the open position in section and

[0042] Fig. 15 a drinking bottle closure according to a further embodiment in pre-venting position, in schematic sectional view.

[0043] Figure 1 shows a drinking bottle closure 100 above a drinking bottle 200 with a neck 201 and an internal thread 202 therein. The drinking bottle closure 100 has a housing 10 which has an external thread 15 on its outer circumference, with which it can be inserted into the internal thread 202. The housing 10 has a sealing ring 16 for sealing against the bottle neck. A pouring rim 12 on the upper side is designed so that the lips can be used to drink directly from the drinking bottle 200 via the drinking bottle closure 100 after an upper sealing element 33, which also forms an actuating element, and a lower sealing element 22 have been lowered and are no longer in contact with the housing 10 of the drinking bottle closure 100. The lower sealing element 22 surrounds an edge of a valve carrier element 20, from which two flow divider elements 23 protrude.

[0044] Figures 2 to 4 each show the drinking bottle closure 100 in a highly schematized sectional view.

[0045] Figure 2 shows the closed position. The upper sealing element 33 and the lower sealing element 22 lie in their respective sealing seats, so that both a lower and an upper sealing plane are completely closed. Both sealing elements 22, 33 are coupled to each other via an actuating device 38. Within the lower sealing element 22, a pre-venting valve unit 60 is provided with its own sealing element, which is movable independently of the lower sealing element 22. An expansion chamber 17 is formed between the two sealing levels.

[0046] Fig. 3 shows the drinking bottle closure 100 in a schematic sectional view in a pre-venting position. The upper sealing element 33 has been moved slightly out of its sealing seat via the actuating device 38, but is still partially at the level of the upper sealing plane at the pouring opening 2. The valve element of the pre-venting valve unit 60 is open. Pressurized gas that has accumulated in the container interior below the lower sealing element 22, which is not shown, can escape via the pre-venting valve unit 60 and enters the expansion chamber 17, the diameter and height of which is selected in relation to the opening crosssection in the pre-venting valve unit 60 so that a strong expansion of the gas is possible and a correspondingly strong pressure drop is achieved, which also reduces the flow velocity. A splash guard 39 on the upper sealing element 33 deflects the flow towards the inner wall of the housing 10 and from there to the pouring opening 2, so that entrained liquid droplets are stopped and separated.

[0047] Figure 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the drinking bottle closure in an open position. The upper sealing element 33 and the lower sealing element 22 have been moved together by the actuating device 38 and are clearly removed from their respective sealing seats, so that the inlet opening 1 at the bottom and the pouring opening 2 at the top are open and the drinking bottle closure 100 allows beverages to be poured from a connected container.

[0048] Figures 5 to 13 described below each show a preferred embodiment of the drinking bottle closure 100 according to the invention, which provides not only a splash protection level but also a second sealing level in the upper region and in which an upper and a lower valve element are to be lifted from their respective sealing seats via a common actuating device which can be actuated by axial pressure. The pre-venting valve unit additionally provided according to the invention is also actuated by the same actuating device and the same axial pressure movement.

[0049] Figure 5 shows a partially disassembled drinking bottle closure 100 in perspective view. A valve unit 30 and a valve bearing element 50 have been unscrewed from the housing 10 and then removed downwards, as indicated by the block arrows. The lower edge of the housing 10 is lowered into the neck of the bottle, where it forms an inlet opening 1. The pouring rim 12 surrounds a pouring opening 2. An external thread 52 on the valve bearing element 50 serves to secure the valve unit 30 in the housing 10. A projection 57 is provided to form an end stop and at the same time a latching point, through which the user receives acoustic and haptic feedback that the valve bearing element 50 is correctly inserted into the housing 10.

[0050] Furthermore, the valve unit 30 comprises an upper part 31 with the upper sealing element 33 and a valve carrier element 20, of which the sealing element 22 is visible here. The upper part 31 and the valve carrier element 20 are connected to each other via an actuating device and extend as a unit through a guide recess 53 in the valve bearing element 50.

[0051] A further disassembly stage of the drinking bottle closure 100 is shown in the further perspective view in Figure 6. All parts of the valve unit 30 are clearly visible here.

[0052] The upper part 31 comprises the upper sealing element 33, the outer edge of which creates the seal at the edge of a pouring opening in the housing 10 and the central surface of which also serves as an actuation button to move the valve unit 30 and thus open the closure. The upper part 31 has two longitudinal webs 32, which are arranged parallel to each other and in a mirror-symmetrical arrangement with respect to a longitudinal axis L. In order to bring about greater elasticity, the two longitudinal webs 32 are divided in two again by a slit in their respective lower sections. A receiving space is formed between the two longitudinal webs 32, in which a compression spring 40 can be positioned. A profile element 36 is formed on the lower edge of each of the longitudinal webs 32, which in the illustrated embodiment example is formed as a web pointing at right angles to the outside. The profiled elements 36 on the respective underside of the longitudinal webs 32 are intended to be inserted into a receiving shoe 69 on the valve carrier element 20. The direction of insertion is transverse to the longitudinal axis L. The flow divider elements 23 are formed on the underside of the valve carrier element 20, between which the opening of a pre-venting valve unit is located. Like a wing nut, the flow divider elements 23 can be used to rotate the entire valve unit 30 relative to the housing 10 in order to secure the valve unit 30 in the housing 10 or to release it again for cleaning. As a result of the rotation, the external thread 52 engages in a corresponding internal thread on the housing 10 and secures the valve bearing element 50 with the valve unit 30 in it.

[0053] The main sealing effect of the drinking bottle closure 100 is produced in the lower area, namely via an elastomeric sealing element 22, which is fitted onto a web 21 on the outer edge of the valve carrier element 20.

[0054] The valve carrier element 20 is attached to the upper part 31 by inserting the profile elements 36 laterally into the receiving shoe 69, as shown in the perspective view of the valve unit 30 in Figure 7. The formation of a receiving shoe 69 for the profile element 36 is also shown in detail there.

[0055] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the valve carrier element 20 cut on a diameter plane with a pre-venting valve unit 60 before assembly.

[0056] The valve carrier element 20 comprises a disk-shaped base body, which has the circumferential, radially outwardly projecting web 21 , which serves to hold the lower sealing element 22, which is a U-shaped profiled, elastic sealing ring. The two flow divider elements 23 protrude from the underside. An opening 27 is provided in the center between the flow divider elements 23, around which a collar is formed as a valve seat 25. Above this is a recess 26. The opening 27 on the valve seat 25 widens upwards in the shape of a funnel in the direction of the recess 26.

[0057] The pre-venting valve unit 60 has a base element 61 , which is provided with a groove at the top to a receiving shoe 69, with which the positive coupling with the valve unit 30 shown in Figure 7 is made possible. A closed plate-shaped section 62 is provided below this, the outer contour of which, minus a narrow annular gap, to the inner contour of the recess 26. A groove 63 extends below this, through which a flow channel is to be formed below the plate-shaped section 62.

[0058] Towards the bottom, the base element 61 ends in a round pin 64, which has a central recess 65 that tapers upwards to an edge 66.

[0059] The transition of the recess 65 into the groove 63 has production-related advantages. When manufacturing the base element 61 by plastic injection molding, the funnel-shaped recess 65 can be formed by a slide that engages from below, and the groove 63 by one or two radially retractable slides. This forms the undercut on the edge 66.

[0060] Furthermore, the pre-venting valve unit 60 comprises a valve element 68 with a mushroom pin 68.1 and an elastomeric sealing ring 68.2. The shape of the mushroom pin 68.1 corresponds to the shape of the recess 65 and engages behind the edge 66 when pressed into the recess 65, so that the elements are positively and non-detachably connected to one another.

[0061] Figure 9 shows the fully assembled state of the pre-venting valve unit 60, in which the sealing ring 68.2 is in contact with the valve seat 25. The outer side of the pin 64 of the pre-venting valve unit 60 is almost flush with the inner circumference of the valve seat 25. In the closed position of the pre-venting valve unit 60 shown in Figure 6, the base element 61 with its plate-shaped section 62 is almost flush with the upper side of the valve carrier element 20. The length of the pin 64 is not such that the base element 61 rests on the bottom of the recess 26 when the sealing ring 68.2 rests on the valve seat 25, but the pin 64 is longer, so that a cavity is formed below the base element 61 in the recess 26.

[0062] The closed position shown in Fig. 9 can only be achieved by an external force with which the pre-venting valve unit 60 is pulled upwards until the sealing ring 68.2 is in contact with the valve seat 25. If this force is released and there is also no longer any significant internal pressure in the container below, onto which the drinking bottle closure according to the invention is screwed, the preventing valve unit 60 is lowered relative to the valve carrier element 20.

[0063] Figure 10 shows the pre-venting position of the pre-venting valve unit. In this position, the base element 61 is lowered into the recess 26 in the valve carrier element 20, whereby the sealing ring 68.2 is lifted off the valve seat 25. A narrow annular gap is formed between the pin 64 of the pre-venting valve unit 60 and the valve seat 25 on the valve carrier element 20.

[0064] The function of the drinking bottle closure 100 according to the invention is explained with reference to the following sectional views. Figures 11 to 13 each show the drinking bottle closure 100 in cross-section. Details of the known push-and-lock mechanism for raising, lowering and holding the sealing elements 22, 33 by multiple operation of a push button are not shown.

[0065] In the assembled state shown in Figure 11 , the drinking bottle closure 100 has two units that can be moved against each other. An outer unit is formed by the housing 10 and the valve bearing element 50 inserted therein. An inner unit is formed by the valve unit 30 with the upper sealing element 33, the upper part 31 and the lower valve carrier element 20. The upper part 31 and the valve carrier element 20 are positively coupled to each other and are movably guided in the valve bearing element 50, which is to be firmly connected to the housing 10. The compression spring 40 acts between the valve bearing element 50 and the upper part 31 to either open the valve unit 30 and hold it in the open position or move it to the closed position and hold it there with each actuating stroke of the user on the upper sealing element 33, which serves as the actuating element

[0066] In the closed position shown in Figure 11 , the upper sealing element 33 rests against a sealing edge 13 on the pouring rim 12 and closes the pouring opening. On the underside, the sealing element 22 of the valve carrier element 20 lies against an annular edge 14 of the housing 10, which forms the inlet opening. A flow channel 35 is formed between the inlet opening at the bottom and the pouring opening, which leads through the interior of the housing 10, in particular through the interior of the valve bearing element 50. The flow channel 35 is part of the empty space within the drinking bottle closure 100 that can be used as an expansion chamber 17.

[0067] The pre-venting valve unit 60 is also in the closed position, which has already been described with reference to Figure 9.

[0068] Figure 12 shows the very first phase of the transition from the closed position to a pre-venting position. The upper sealing element 33 initially retains contact with the sealing edge 13 as it is pressed down slightly. The sealing element 33 has a radially outwardly projecting collar 37 on its underside, which engages under the sealing edge 13.

[0069] The lower sealing level between the annular edge 14 and the sealing element 22 remains completely closed during pre-ventilation. When the sealing element 33, which is also the actuating element of the drinking bottle closure 100, is pressed down , the base element 61 is lowered into the recess 26 in the valve carrier element 20, causing the valve element 68 to lift minimally with its sealing ring 68.2 from the valve seat 25, so that gas can escape abruptly from the interior of the container into the expansion chamber, as illustrated in Fig. 12.

[0070] In the following, the upper sealing element 33 is pressed out of its sealing seat on the sealing edge 13, as shown in Fig. 13, whereby there is still a splash protection effect. This is reinforced by a small protruding edge on the sealing element 33, which protrudes radially outwards and rests below the sealing edge 13 in the closed position as shown in Figure 11. The edge forms an upper splash guard 39.

[0071] The lower sealing plane between the annular edge 14 and the sealing element

[0072] 22 still remains completely closed. As it is pressed down further, the base element 61 is lowered further into the recess 26 in the valve carrier element 20, and the valve element 68 with its sealing ring 68.2 lifts further away from the valve seat 25. The chain of triangles symbolizes the flow from the inside of the container into the flow channel 35 in the housing 10, which leads through the expansion chamber 17. If there is still any excess pressure of the aerosol escaping from the interior of the container, it can escape to the outside with a reduced proportion of liquid particles and at a reduced flow velocity after passing the splash guard 39, which is formed by the gap between the sealing element 33 and the sealing edge 13.

[0073] By further lowering the actuating unit, the opening position is reached, which is shown in Figure 14. The upper sealing element 33, which also forms the actuating element for the valve function of the drinking bottle closure, is clearly removed from the sealing edge 13, which surrounds the pouring opening 2, so that the pouring opening 2 is free. At the same time, the sealing element 22 is raised from the annular edge 14 of the housing 10 so that the inlet opening 1 on the underside of the drinking bottle closure 100 is unobstructed.

[0074] Fig. 15 shows an alternative drinking bottle closure 100' in a schematic sectional view analogous to Figure 3 in a pre-venting position.

[0075] The upper sealing element 33 has been moved slightly out of its sealing seat via the valve unit 30 but is still partially at the level of the upper sealing plane at the pouring opening 2. The valve element of the pre-venting valve unit 60' is open. Pressurized gas or aerosol that has accumulated in the container interior below the lower sealing element 22, which is not shown, can escape via the pre-venting valve unit 60' and is first diverted several times in a splash guard 70' arranged directly above it in order to separate liquid particles. Only then does the gas or aerosol enter the expansion chamber 17, the diameter and height of which is selected in relation to the opening cross-section in the prevent valve unit 60' so that a strong expansion of the gas and correspondingly a strong pressure drop is achieved, so that the flow velocity also decreases. Reference signs:

[0076] 200 drinking bottle

[0077] 201 neck

[0078] 202 internal thread 1 inlet opening

[0079] 2 pouring opening

[0080] L longitudinal axis

[0081] 100; 100' drinking bottle closure

[0082] 10 housing

[0083] 12 pouring rim

[0084] 13 sealing rim

[0085] 14 annular edge

[0086] 15 external thread

[0087] 16 sealing ring

[0088] 17 expansion chamber

[0089] 20 valve carrier element

[0090] 21 web

[0091] 22 lower sealing element

[0092] 23 flow elements

[0093] 25 valve seat

[0094] 26 recess

[0095] 27 opening

[0096] 30 valve unit

[0097] 31 upper part

[0098] 32 longitudinal webs

[0099] 33 upper element

[0100] 35 flow channel

[0101] 36 profile element

[0102] 37 collar

[0103] 38 actuating device

[0104] 39 splash guard

[0105] 40 pressure spring

[0106] 50 valve bearing element

[0107] 52 external thread

[0108] 53 guide recess

[0109] 57 head start

[0110] 60; 60' pre-venting valve unit

[0111] 61 base element

[0112] 62 plate-shaped section

[0113] 63 groove

[0114] 64 pin

[0115] 65 central recess

[0116] 66 edge

[0117] 68 valve element

[0118] 68.1 mushroom pin

[0119] 68.2 sealing ring 69 receiving shoe 70' splash guard

Claims

Patent claims:1 . Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') for a drinking bottle (200), at least comprising:- a housing (10) with a lower inlet opening (1 ) and an overlying pouring rim (12) which surrounds a pouring opening (2) and on the inner circumference of which a sealing rim (13) is formed;- a valve unit (30) with a valve carrier element (20) covering the inlet opening (1 ) with a lower sealing element (22), which in an open position of the valve unit (30) maintains a distance from the housing (10) and in a closed position rests against the housing (10),- an actuating element (38) for moving the sealing element (22) and for holding the sealing element (22) in the closed position or in the open position- an upper sealing element (33) which rests against the sealing edge (13) in the closed position and forms an upper sealing plane and which is coupled to the lower sealing element (22) via the actuating element (38)- a pre-venting valve unit (60; 60'), via which a bypass flow path (35) leading through or past the sealing element (22) of the valve carrier element (20) can be opened, wherein an expansion chamber (17) is formed in the housing (10) above the pre-venting valve unit (60; 60'), characterized in that- an upper splash guard (39) is formed in or on the upper sealing plane in the housing (10), the upper splash guard (39) being formed by a narrow gap between the outer edge of the upper sealing element (33) and the sealing edge (13) of the housing (10), the gap being selected to be just wide enough to allow slight but play-free movement of the upper sealing element (33) relative to the housingand / or- a splash guard (70') is formed on the valve carrier element (20) in the housing (10) above the pre-venting valve unit (60; 60'), which causes a multiple flow deflection before the transition into the expansion chamber (17).

2. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to claim 1 , characterized in that the upper splash guard (39) is formed by a narrow gap between the outer edge of the upper sealing element (33) and the sealing edge (13) of the housing (10), and the upper sealing element (33) initially retains contact with the sealing edge (13) during the transition from the closed position to a pre-venting position, while it is pressed down.

3. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that,- in that the valve unit (30) comprises an upper part (31 ) with the upper sealing element (33) and the valve carrier element (20) with the lower sealing element (22); and- that the upper part (31) and the valve carrier element (20) can be positively coupled to each other.

4. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100')) according to claim 3, characterized in that the upper part (31) and / or the valve carrier element (20) are guided through a valve bearing element (50) which can be firmly inserted into the housing (10), the valve unit (30) being guided axially displaceably in the valve bearing element (50) against the force of at least one spring element (40).

5. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that- in that the pre-venting valve unit (60, 60') has a base element (61 ), on the underside of which a holder for a valve element (68) is provided;- in that a recess (26) for receiving the base element (61 ) is formed on the lower part (20) and a valve seat (25) for the valve element (68) is formed below the recess (26), and- that the pre-venting valve unit (60, 60') is guided in the lower part (20) to be vertically movable via its base element (61 ) inserted into the recess (26).

6. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to claim 5, characterized in that- that the base element (61 ) ends in a round pin (64) which has a central recess (65) which tapers upwards to an edge (66) and in that the valve element (68) has a mushroom pin (68.1 ) which can be latched onto the edge (66) of the recess (65).

7. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pre-venting valve unit (60; 60') is mounted floatingly in the valve carrier element (20), which carries the lower sealing element (22), in that a base element (61 ) of the pre-venting valve unit (60; 60') is arranged in a recess (26) in the valve carrier element (20), wherein it is positively fixed in the recess (26) transversely to the longitudinal axis (L) of the drinking bottle closure (100) and is movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L).

8. Drinking-bottle closure (100; 100') according to claim 7, characterized in that, in a closed position of the drinking-bottle closure (100; 100'), the upper valve element (33) is pressed into its sealing seat on the upper sealing edge (13) via a compression spring (40), and at the same time the base element (61 ) located inside the recess (26) in the valve carrier element (20) is pulled up and an annular sealing surface of the valve element (68) of the pre-venting valve unit (60; 60') is pulled up against its valve seat (25).

9. Drinking bottle closure (100) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the splash guard (39, 70') on the valve carrier element (20) is formed by at least one groove (63) which extends transversely over the base element (61 ) on an underside of the base element (61 ) facing the recess (26) on the valve carrier element (20) and forms a flow channel between the base element (61 ) and the valve carrier element (20).

10. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two wing nut-like flow divider elements (23), which extend on both sides of the valve carrier element (20) on a diameter line, are formed on the underside of the valve carrier element (20), between which the valve seat (25) of the pre-venting valve unit (60, 60') is located.11 . Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the diameter line on which the flow divider elements (23) are arranged coincides with the central axis of the linear flow channel in the floatingly mounted base element (61 ).

12. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 11 , characterized in that a profiled element (36) is formed on a lower edge of the upper part (31 ) and at least one receiving shoe (69), into which the profiled element (36) can be inserted, is formed on the base element (61 ) of the pre-venting valve unit (60, 60').

13. Drinking bottle closure (100; 100') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an upper splash guard (39) is formed in or on the upper sealing plane in the housing (10), the upper splash guard (39) being formed by a radially outwardly projecting collar (37) on the upper sealing element (33), which in a closed position of the drinking bottle closure (100; 100') engages under the sealing edge (13) on the hous- ing( 10) and causes a flow deflection towards the inner wall of the housing (10).

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