Closure system for an application dropper bottle

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure system (10) for an application dropper bottle (11) comprising a dropper attachment (12), a hinged lid cap (13) and a hinged lid (14) which is pivotally hinged to the hinged lid cap (13), wherein the dropper attachment (12) can be reversibly attached in an opening in the application dropper bottle (11), and the hinged lid cap (13) can be attached to the application dropper bottle (11) in such a way that the dropper attachment (12) projects through a central opening in the hinged lid cap (13), wherein the hinged lid (14) comprises engagement elements (1, 2, 3, 4) which are frictionally and / or interlockingly engaged with corresponding active faces (1, 2, 3, 4) on the hinged lid cap (13) and the dropper attachment (12) in a closed state, so that the hinged lid (14) is held stable and fixed in the same position in the closed state.

Description

[0001] CLOSURE SYSTEM FOR AN APPLICATION DROP BOTTLE

[0002] The present invention relates to a closure system and an application dropper bottle, particularly for dental applications, which can be easily opened and closed with one hand and with which small and minute quantities of liquid to medium-viscosity dental materials, e.g., bonders and primers, can be distributed onto the tooth surface. The mechanical fixation of the easy-to-open cap is designed such that the conical dropper opening secures the cap during storage and, when opened, acts as a temporary mechanical hinge, controlling the cap's dimensional stability relative to the bottle. Three additional locking mechanisms for the hinged cap in the closed position ensure a reliable and secure closure of the bottle.

[0003] Dental adhesives, primers, and bonders are used to form a thin base layer on the tooth surface. After drying, a cement, adhesive, or composite material is applied to this base layer in a second step to bond components to or on the tooth surface or to seal tooth cavities.

[0004] To apply them in thin layers, they are typically applied with a brush. However, dipping the brush directly into a container of liquid (bottle or pot) and then applying it to the tooth surface not only poses a hygiene problem but also results in significantly more adhesive fluid being used and potentially discarded than can be applied to the tooth surface. Therefore, plastic bottles with a dropper cap have become the standard. When adhesives are exposed to light and / or air, the solvent evaporates or the components can polymerize prematurely. For this reason, the bottles are preferably dark-colored and designed to be airtight and lightproof. These application bottles must be hermetically sealed to prevent solvent evaporation and premature polymerization of the material inside the bottle.Such application bottles are therefore usually sealed with a screw cap. Depending on the number of turns, this ensures the highest possible seal. A dental adhesive container with a dropper is disclosed, for example, in DE 69923303 Part 2. This consists of an opaque bottle made of multilayered, elastically deformable polymer, a dropper insert, and a screw cap.

[0005] DE 102014001 247 A1 describes a dropper, a dropper-cap system, and a container with such a dropper-cap system. The dropper has a conical and a cylindrical channel section, allowing for better metering of the dispensed droplet quantity and a significant reduction in waste. A cap belonging to the system for opening and closing the dropper has a plug for sealing the drip channel.

[0006] If no other means of securing the lid is available, opening and closing the screw cap must be done with two hands, which is cumbersome and time-consuming.

[0007] Therefore, EP 2990351 A1 proposes a dispenser consisting of a body, a closure, and a spout, wherein the closure and the body are designed to interlock in the closed position. An associated bistable hinge is configured to automatically push the body and closure from an intermediate position between the open and closed positions into the open or closed position. The hinge and the locking mechanism are designed as separate components connected to the other components.

[0008] EP 3546386 describes a flip-top cap for dispensing a flowable dental substance, made of a thermoplastic material. The cap, base, and hinge are injection-molded in one piece, also known as monolithic molding. A sealing ridge is monolithically formed with the flip-top cap and is designed to seal the outlet of a dropper tip on the cap. The seal (sealing bead) is designed to protrude as a sealing ridge away from the inside of the cap and projects in a circular shape, forming a dome shape with a spherical surface. This dome shape, in conjunction with a dropper tip featuring a conical outlet channel, provides an easy-to-clean and leak-proof seal.

[0009] US 003718 S describes a hinged lid cap with an external hinge mechanism and built-in drip outlet, which can be opened by one hand and is not monolithic.

[0010] In addition to a method for manufacturing a flip-top cap, EP 3546 170 A1 describes a hinged lid cap with a drip nose in which the cap is pivotable by means of a swivel joint or hinge and wherein the thickness of the area of ​​the pivot pin, the so-called pivot section, is thicker than that of the section of the tension spring area, the so-called tension spring section.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a cap that enables, on the one hand, a safe and controlled dispensing of liquid and, on the other hand, is easy to open and close.

[0012] The problem is solved by the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0013] According to the invention, a closure system for an application dropper bottle is provided, comprising a dropper attachment, a hinged lid cap, and a hinged lid pivotally attached to the hinged lid cap, wherein the dropper attachment can be reversibly attached to an opening of the application dropper bottle and the hinged lid cap can be attached to the application dropper bottle such that the dropper attachment protrudes through a central opening of the hinged lid cap, wherein the hinged lid comprises engagement elements which engage with corresponding working surfaces on the hinged lid cap and the dropper attachment in a force-locking and / or form-locking manner in a closed state, so that the hinged lid is held stably and firmly in the same position in the closed state.

[0014] In one embodiment, the locking system is provided for to include at least one of the following fixings as engagement elements:

[0015] (i) A central fixation of a conical central bulge with an application dropper funnel, (ii) A horizontal, planar, ring-shaped fixation ensured by recesses parallel to the contact surface of the application dropper bottle,

[0016] (iii) A horizontal-vertical, ring-shaped support surface partly parallel to the base of the application dropper bottle, partly tilted at an angle of up to 70°, and / or

[0017] (iv) A vertical, planar, circular fixation, ensured by the overlapping of the hinged lid with the attachment part.

[0018] It is preferred that the mechanical central fixing is two-part and designed such that the conical drop opening fixes the hinged lid cap during storage and, when opened, acts as a temporary mechanical hinge to control the dimensional stability of the hinged lid cap relative to the bottle, and is simultaneously designed to form a further hinge when opening to hold the hinged lid cap in position during the opening process.

[0019] Furthermore, it is advantageous that the hinged lid cap is designed as a functionally inclined hollow cylinder, so that it overlaps the lower part of the hinged lid as a vertical-planar round fixing, and that this overlap with the horizontal plane covers an angle range of 20 to 45°, in particular 25 to 35°, and that the overlap with the vertical plane covers an angle range of 45 to 70°, in particular 55 to 65°.

[0020] In one design of the closure system, the hinged lid can be designed as a functionally inclined hollow body with an overlapping shape, and the angle of the triangular overlap with the vertical plane can be a ratio of 2 to 7 (0.2857) to 1 to 1 (1.000).

[0021] Furthermore, it is preferred that the bottle and hinged lid are designed in such a way that the hinge and all visible areas are rounded.

[0022] In particular, the hinged cap base, which can be attached to the bottle, has a central recess so that a dropper attached to the bottle can be inserted through it. It is preferred that the dropper and the recess in the cap are designed such that a cavity remains between the dropper and the cap recess, which can be used as a reservoir for any spilled liquid.

[0023] Furthermore, the invention relates to an application dropper bottle with a described closure system, wherein the hinged lid cap can be reversibly attached to an opening of the application dropper bottle.

[0024] The closure system to be attached is advantageously designed in such a way that it has a recess around the drip funnel and thus forms a hidden reservoir for excess high to medium viscosity liquids.

[0025] Advantageously, the application dropper bottle and flip-top lid are designed in such a way that the system as a whole forms a single line and no component protrudes beyond the bottle.

[0026] The present invention describes in particular a three-part packaging system, consisting of a bottle with dropper attachment and a hinged lid cap, with in particular fourfold fixing of the hinged lid cap to the bottle attachment for a secure and stable fixation in the closed state.

[0027] A three-part system has the advantage that the dropper is interchangeable and, depending on the viscosity of the dental adhesive, can have different diameter-to-volume ratios at the outlet. Furthermore, the hinged cap is designed in such a way that, in every version, the "thumb section" of the hinged cap forms a line with the base and bottle, meaning it does not protrude beyond the bottle itself.

[0028] The cap itself is not equipped with a dropper. This is an independent part of the closure system. In one embodiment, a recess in the base of the cap allows the dropper, which is attached to the bottle, to pass through it. The inner dropper closure, disclosed, for example, in DE 102014001 247, is preferably conical, two-part, and elongated for extremely tight sealing and to act as a temporary hinge in the hinge mechanism. The conical inner closure can project into the dropper.

[0029] The lid cap can be fixed to the hinged lid cap by means of several engagement elements. A stable and secure vertical connection with the dropper attachment can be established. Further mechanical fixings, which are referred to as engagement elements within the meaning of the invention, are advantageous, in particular: (i) a horizontal, planar, ring-shaped fixing on the base parallel to the bottle's contact surface, provided by recesses; (ii) a horizontal-vertical, ring-shaped contact surface partly parallel to the bottle base and partly tilted at an angle of up to 60°; and (iii) a vertical, planar, circular fixing, provided by the hinged lid overlapping the attachment part. The area covered by this fixing advantageously comprises at least 30% of the total visible area of ​​the hinged lid.

[0030] The angle formed by the vertical, overlapping portion of the hinged lid with the horizontal plane is denoted by a in Figure 6. The angle formed by the vertical, overlapping portion with the vertical plane of the bottle is denoted by b in Figure 6. The value of a is advantageously between 20° and 45°, with values ​​of 25° to 35° being particularly advantageous. Since the lines formed by angles a and b with the horizontal and vertical lines of the closure system form an orthogonal triangle, the value of b is advantageously between 45° and 70°, with values ​​of 55° to 65° being particularly advantageous.

[0031] Furthermore, the closure system according to the invention is equipped in one embodiment with a concealed dropper reservoir. Any excess material can be drained into an annular reservoir located around the dropper funnel. There, the material can be collected, dry, or polymerize, and does not impair the function of the closure system or the entire dropper bottle with disruptive residual material. To ensure good handling and prevent damage to the user's plastic gloves from sharp edges, all edges, especially the external hinge of the hinged lid, can advantageously be rounded.

[0032] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment of the invention, which is shown in the drawing.

[0033] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a closure system 10 for an application dropper bottle 11 with a dropper attachment 12, a hinged cap 13, and a hinged lid 14 pivotally connected to the hinged cap 13, wherein the dropper attachment 12 can be reversibly attached to an opening of the application dropper bottle 11. The hinged cap 13 is shown in an open position. Elements that can be engaged with each other by force and / or form are marked with the same reference numerals. In addition to the horizontal fixing 1 between the center of the lid and the dropper funnel 12, there is an annular fixing 2 on the base of the cap between the horizontal plane of the attachment and the hinged lid 14, as well as a chamfered, annular, horizontal-vertical bearing surface 3, and a vertical, planar fixing 4 of the hinged lid 14.

[0034] Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the closure system. The four fixation elements 1 to 4 are clearly visible. Fixation 1 is in two parts. The inner conical part is anchored deep within the drip funnel and forms an additional, temporary hinge when the folding mechanism is opened.

[0035] Figure 3 shows a view of the opened closure system. The internal fixation consists of two parts: a conical inner part 1a and an annular outer part 1b. The location of the concealed drip reservoir is shown in area 15.

[0036] Figure 4 shows a sectional drawing of the closure system according to the invention: the inner conical part 1a and the outer annular part 1b are clearly illustrated. Figure 15 shows the location of the concealed drip reservoir. Figure 5 shows a top view of the open closure system according to the invention. The hatched area A denotes the surface of the vertical, planar circular fixation, ensured by the overlapping of the hinged lid 14 with the attachment part. The portion of the surface encompassed by this fixation comprises at least 30% of the total visible surface of the hinged lid.

[0037] Figure 6a shows a side view of the locking system. Highlighted are the angle from the open horizontal surface to the support slope a and the angle from the vertical surface to the support slope ß. Figure 6b shows a drawing illustrating how angles a and ß form an orthogonal triangle with the horizontal surface h and the vertical surface v.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Closure system (10) for an application dropper bottle (11) with a dropper attachment (12), a hinged cap (13) and a hinged lid (14) pivotally connected to the hinged cap (13), wherein the dropper attachment (12) can be reversibly attached to an opening of the application dropper bottle (11) and the hinged cap (13) can be attached to the application dropper bottle (11) such that the dropper attachment (12) protrudes through a central opening of the hinged cap (13), wherein the hinged lid (14) comprises engagement elements (1, 2, 3, 4) which engage with corresponding working surfaces (1, 2, 3, 4) on the hinged cap (13) and the dropper attachment (12) in a force-locking and / or form-locking manner in a closed state, so that the hinged lid (14) is stable in the closed state and is held firmly in the same position.

2. Locking system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking system (10) comprises at least one of the following fixings as engagement elements: (i) A central fixation (1) of a conical central bulge with an application drip funnel, (ii) A horizontal, planar, ring-shaped fixation provided by recesses (2) parallel to the contact surface of the application dropper bottle, (iii) A horizontal-vertical, ring-shaped support surface partly parallel to the base of the application dropper bottle, partly tilted at an angle of up to 70° and / or (iv)A vertical planar circular fixation (4) ensured by the overlapping of the hinged lid with the attachment part.

3. Closure system (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that a mechanical middle fixing (1) is two-part and designed in such a way that the conical drop opening fixes the hinged lid cap (13) during storage and, when opened, acts as a temporary mechanical hinge to control the dimensional stability of the hinged lid cap (13) relative to the bottle and is simultaneously designed to form a further hinge when opened in order to hold the hinged lid cap (13) in position during the opening process.

4. Closure system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hinged lid cap (13) is designed as a functionally inclined hollow cylinder, such that it overlaps with the lower part of the hinged lid (14) as a vertical-planar round fixation and that this overlap with the horizontal plane comprises an angle range of 20 to 45°, in particular 25 to 35° and that the overlap with the vertical plane comprises an angle range of 45 to 70°, in particular 55 to 65°.

5. Closure system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hinged lid (14) is designed as a functionally inclined hollow body overlapping and that the angle of the triangular overlap with the vertical plane yields a ratio of 2 to 7 (0.2857) to 1 to 1 (1.000).

6. Closure system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottle (11) and the hinged lid (14) are designed such that the hinge and all visible areas are rounded.

7. Closure system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a hinged lid base that can be attached to the bottle (11) is provided with a recess in the center, so that a dropper attached to the bottle (11) can be passed through it.

8. Closure system (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the dropper and the recess of the cap (13) are designed such that a cavity remains between the dropper and the cap recess, which can be used as a reservoir for leaked liquid.

9. Application dropper bottle (11) with a closure system (10) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the hinged lid cap (13) can be reversibly attached to an opening of the application dropper bottle (11).

10. Application dropper bottle (11) according to claim 9, characterized in that the closure system (10) to be attached is designed in such a way that it has a recess around the dropper funnel (12) and thus forms a hidden reservoir (15) for excess high to medium viscosity liquids.

11. Application dropper bottle (11 ) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the bottle (11) and the hinged lid (14) are designed such that both form a line as a whole and no component extends beyond the bottle (11 ).

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