DE2060667A1 - Container seal with pressure compensation - Google Patents

Description

Our reference number: A 39670 / Thu 9 December 1970

DIAMOND INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, 733 - 3rd. Avenue, New York , New York, USA «

Container seal with pressure compensation

The invention "relates to improvements in containers and, in particular, at their closures, in which the closure caps with a self-balancing and impermeable Flange seal or an insert are provided.

It is known that various liquid products are filled into deformable containers provided with expandable walls,

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this being either a known tight closure cap or one designed as a spout and as an outlet opening have serving cap. When using a sealing cap, the liquid usually after removing the cap from the container poured out. However, if the cap is provided with an outlet opening, then you press as often one after the other as required, pull the container together by hand to produce the desired amount of liquid squeeze out of the container.

If, for any reason, the pressure in this container falls considerably below the external pressure for example because of the penetration losses through the container walls or because of the temperature changes, then the container partially collapses and deforms. This in turn can affect future buyers of the product have an unfavorable effect.

Even more if you use these containers as "squeeze bottles", as described above, and especially when If the contents of the container are thick or viscous, there is a risk that the outlet opening will become clogged

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and so the supply of air into the container is disturbed, which is the re-expansion of the container after each squeezing operation enables. The outlet velocity is undesirably delayed between squeezes by that required for re-expansion of the container Time.

Therefore, the containers should be improved so that they maintain the external pressure. Are the containers as squeeze bottles then it is also desirable that the air enter these quickly between squeezes can without their outlet openings partially or completely blocked by the outflowing fluid. aside from that it is important that the fluid cannot flow out through the air supply channel.

This should also be simple, economical and without the existing types of container being significantly modified must be achieved.

The invention would like to have a combined in the container Insert flange seal with a diaphragm check valve, which or which via the usual filling or outlet opening of the container by means of a conventional, removable container closure is attached so as to act as a sealing ring and under all circumstances

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to prevent the fluid from seeping out between the container and the closure, whereas the air always does can occur when the external pressure exceeds the pressure prevailing in the container.

While the invention can be best utilized in containers with resilient walls, it is in no way solely applicable to such containers, but can
can also be used in conjunction with containers with rigid walls »

According to the invention there is provided a one-piece flange seal with a check valve, the flange seal portion of which is clamped between the closure and the container neck in a sealing manner around the fill and discharge openings. to
this part includes a resilient, flexible and annular membrane or a membrane part which is held over the opening in such a way that its inner circumference delimits a valve channel connected to the inside of the container through the container opening. Normally, the own elasticity and the fluid pressure in the container hold the membrane tightly with the valve seat, which is attached inside the container and preferably

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way is formed by the closure. The outside air occurs between the closure and the membrane and acts on the membrane in the opposite direction to that on the Bottom of the membrane pressure exerted by the container. Any significant reduction in the internal pressure of the tank is polarized Lift off the membrane under the external pressure, which then causes the outside air to flow into the container can, until the pressures on the opposite sides of the membrane are substantially equalized are.

Preferably, the container has a known closure with an inner threaded jacket through which this so is attached to the container neck so that the outside air can flow upwards, between the jacket and the neck. This air occurs between the closure and the membrane by means of an over the top of the flange seal member this element reaching groove.

If the invention is incorporated into a squeeze bottle with an outlet reaching through its closure then work the valve seat of the outlet, the inner end of the outlet and the valve opening with the outlet together to to enable a discharge of the liquid with each squeezing process, while the lifted membrane between

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seeing the squeezing allows outside air to enter the Container flows in through the valve opening without the air going through the liquid outlet.

Embodiments of the invention are in the drawings for example, show:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the upper part of a container according to the invention,

Pig. 2 is a perspective view of the combined flat seal with diaphragm valve located in the container according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross-section along line 3 to 3 of Figo 2,

FIG. 4 shows a section similar to FIG. 1, with a modified one Embodiment according to the invention, namely for a container formed as a squeeze bottle,

the

Fig. 5 is a perspective view / combined flange seal with diaphragm valve for the container of Fig. 4, and

6 shows a cross section along the line 6 to 6 of FIG. 5.

In Fig. 1, the upper part of a container is shown, which here, for example, a glass or flexible plastic bottle 10 with an external thread located on the bottle neck 12, on which the internal thread jacket 14 is a Closing cap 16 is rotated in order to attach it to the container. The top wall 18 of the closure cap 16 is covered the upper part of the container neck 12.

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The outer flange seal portion 22 of the diaphragm valve 20 is clamped between the top wall 18 of the closure cap 16 and the upper end of the container neck 12 so as to to stand sealingly with the container neck around the usual filling and outlet opening 24. To the effectiveness of this In this embodiment, the underside of the flange sealing part 22 can also be used to further improve the seal one or more annular sealing ribs 26 are provided. The entire diaphragm valve 20 consists of one resilient, flexible material such as polyethylene or some other suitable plastic, but it can also be made of natural rubber or be synthetic rubber. If desired, the sealing ribs 26 can be formed in suitable, annular ^ at the end of the Container neck 12 formed grooves, such as in U.S. Patent No. 3,179,306 shown «

In the interior of the flange sealing part 22, the diaphragm valve 20 extends over the opening 24 of the bottle neck, wherein the valve bottom is exposed to the liquid pressure within the container, while the top, such as to be described, is exposed to external pressure.

The diaphragm valve 20 has a valve opening in the middle

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BAD CS = IfGINAL

30, which communicates with the interior of the container through the filling and outlet opening 24 ". Y / ie from Fig. 2, the diaphragm valve 20 is, before it is mounted on the container, shaped so that the outer edge zone and the splash compaction part 22 is essentially flat, while the middle area 28 around the opening 30 has a dome-like shape, which is substantially above the surface of the surrounding Sealing part 22 reacts out. When the valve 20 is attached to the container in the manner shown in FIG the downward pressure of the upper "'and 18 of the closure cap is concentrated against the inner central region 28 of the membrane around the opening 30 to form a seal against the membrane to effect and to push them in. Thus, the underside of the closure wall 18 acts where it engages and seals against the inner perimeter of the diaphragm valve 20 around the opening 30, as a through the Container 10 carried valve seat 10. Because of the deforming action of the top wall 18 on the resilient and deformable diaphragm valve 20, it is necessary that the raised or arched central region of the diaphragm valve 20 is resiliently biased upwards, and into the valve seat, which is through the bottom of the upper

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Lid wall 18 is formed, engages in a sealing manner

In addition, because of the curved "shape of the membrane part 28, only the inner timeframe area of the same around the opening 30 through the upper wall of the lid detected to be Valve part to cooperate with the top wall. In the operating position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, correct the cap and the diaphragm 20 coincide with one another to form an annular air chamber between them, above the diaphragm 34 to form. Normally, the air chamber 34 is sealed from the opening 30 by the sealing action between the membrane and the seat part 18 of the closure cap 16 completed.

Subject of the invention is the air chamber 34 with the atmosphere in connection, so that at any time an external pressure acts on the top of the diaphragm valve 20, in contrast to the fluid pressure prevailing within the container 10, which against the underside of the diaphragm valve works. As a result, this internal pressure also supports the pretensioning effect of the diaphragm valve and helps to maintain it the seal between the diaphragm valve 20 and the seat 18 on the closure cap.

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While communication between the air chamber 34 and the atmosphere can be achieved in a number of ways so that the invention can also be used in a known, threaded container cap can, a particularly advantageous way is to create one or more grooves or threads 36, which run on the upper surface of the diaphragm valve and extend inwards, namely from its outer periphery or edge to preferably the arched area 28 or in any case go far enough to establish a connection with the air chamber 34 if that Valve 20, as shown in Fig. 1, engages.

As is known, the inner surface of the closure jacket 14 has a slight play over the threaded parts of the same, and although with the outer circumference of the valve 20 as well as with the bottle neck 12, this margin obviously with the atmosphere through the spiral space between the cooperating threads of the jacket 14 and the container neck 12 is in connection.

When the cap is provided with a fastener 3B is to close the valve 20 within the container cap or closure 16 prior to its attachment to the container 10

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hold "before the valve is attached to the container 10 the fastening element consists of a number of projections arranged at a distance from one another, or is interrupted in some other way, in order to allow unhindered passage of outside air upwards between the cover shell 14 and container neck 12 and the outer groove ends 36 in the flange sealing part 22 to enable.

To further improve the sealing effectiveness, like them is desired for certain applications, the underside of the upper cover wall 18 can be recessed in a suitable manner to be sealing in the relatively raised area of the curved part 28 of the diaphragm valve around the air supply duct 30, or so, for example, a suitable tapered sealing pin could pass through the Underside of the top wall 18 of the cap are held in order to engage in the air supply passage 30 of the membrane 20 in a sealing manner.

The use of a combined flange seal with a diaphragm valve, as described above, has proven particularly useful in Containers with generally known, flexible walls, such as a plastic bottle, in which normally Detergents and other chemicals are stored,

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and the walls of which dip slightly inwards, "proven, due to the reduced internal pressure, which can result from the escape losses through the container side walls or for other reasons. If, for any reason, the pressure in the container falls significantly below the external pressure, then "The outside air moves upwards, between the threaded areas of the closure jacket Ή and the bottle neck 12 and between the retaining balls or projections 38, then through the grooves 36 to the air chamber 34, which is located above the membrane 28. Any substantial external pressure excess over the internal pressure of the container enables the air in the chamber 34 to press the central part of the membrane 20, whereby it lifts out of the valve seat formed by the underside of the upper closure wall 18, whereby the air -from the chamber 34 into the Container can flow in through the air supply opening 30, until the pressure in the container is almost as great as the external pressure, at which time the resilient, pretensioned action of the membrane 28, this again against the underside of the upper wall 18 of the cap brings.

From this it can be seen that when the fluid pressure in the container 10 is substantially equal to or above the external pressure

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the external pressure, the opening 30 remains closed. In other words, the diaphragm valve 20 functions similarly to a check valve, since it only allows an inflow through the opening 30 and acts at all times to prevent an outflow through such an opening. Any increased pressure within the container 10 serves to hold the membrane even more firmly against the seat or the seating part of the cap.

In the modified embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the combined Flange seal with check valve according to the invention, in a known liquid container and distributor of the flexible-walled type or the "squeeze bottle" type can be used to serve the same functions as in the previous embodiment and to also provide increased air supply capacity create so that the container returns to its old shape more quickly after each squeezing process or each deformation got. This is especially the case when repeated squeezing operations at relatively short intervals in a row are required and where the liquid to be distributed is relatively thick or viscous

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-H-

is, and so significantly impaired the air supply through the outlet opening.

4 shows as a fragment the upper part of a known plastic squeeze bottle 10a, which has flexible walls and is provided with an external thread on the neck 12a. The bottle further has a filling and outlet opening 24a, the depending jacket 14a of the closure cap 16a being attached essentially as in the previous embodiment. The outer flange sealing part of the upper cap wall 18a lies over the upper end of the bottle neck 12a in order to thereby clamp the combined flange seal with diaphragm valve in one piece sealingly against the container neck, for which reason the sealing part 22a is provided with sealing rings or ribs 26a as in the previous embodiment can be.

This embodiment differs from the previous one Embodiment only in that the closure cover 16a is shaped around a liquid outlet located in the middle 31 a to form, preferably by a drain spout 40a, which is shown here with a closed tip or a drain end, which is cut off if I want to empty the container contents

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te. The valve part 28a of the diaphragm valve is in this embodiment by a protruding upward Element of the valve 20a limited, which tapers to its upper peripheral edge and there the air supply opening 30a forms.

The lower part of the spout 40a is preferably provided with a conical recess, the inside of which forms the valve seat 32a which concentrically surrounds the inner part of the diaphragm valve 20a around the opening 30a and is connected to it in a sealing manner. As in the previous embodiment, the diaphragm 20a is depressed slightly downward by this engagement, causing it to _{deform somewhat (} as shown, so that its valve member 28a is normally resiliently biased upwardly into tight engagement with the seat 32a Internal pressure of the container against the underside of the diaphragm valve 20a to bring its interior around the opening 30a against the seat 32a.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the seat part 32a of the closure cover deviates downward at a slightly larger angle from than the outer surface of the conical valve part

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28a, so that the two form an air chamber 34a between them, which is in communication with the outer atmosphere, namely through a radial groove located on the top of the membrane part 22a or through grooves 36a, then downwards with that between the threaded jacket 14a of the closure cap and the Threaded neck 12a of the container prevailing atmosphere, as in the previous embodiment W form, communicates.

When loading and storing a container filled with a liquid according to the invention, as in FIG. 4, 6 and 6, the combined flange seal with check valve 20a has the same function as the check valve That is, as long as the pressure in the container 10a is essentially the same as the external pressure or exceeds this, then the inner part of the diaphragm valve 28a presses around the inlet opening 30a ™ upwards and hugs the valve seat 32a tightly thanks to the resilient pretensioning effect,

themselves
which / from the slight displacement of the membrane 20a according to

results below, as well as by the internal pressure in the container.

If the internal pressure of the container 10a is reduced considerably below the external pressure, then the pressure inside the container 10a Air chamber 34a located above the diaphragm valve 20a

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External pressure the valve to remove the valve portion 28a from the seat 32a so that outside air can pass between the seat 32a and the valve part 28a, and from there enters the container through opening 30a. As a result of the ventilation of the inside of the container with outside air, any partial collapse or deformation of the container due to any G-round within it Prevents pressure reduction. On the other hand, the contents of the container are sealed against leakage, regardless of the internal pressure in the container.

To be able to pour the liquid out of the container, the closed upper part of the spout 40a is cut off in a known manner, the container then partially tilted and pushed as many times as necessary to dispense the desired amount of liquid through opening 30a and the Squeeze out grommet 40a.

In the known emptying container of this type, which is not provided with the combined flange seal with check valve according to the invention, it is necessary that after each squeezing process in the container through its spout enough air flows in, so that the container expands again before squeezing it back together

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can be. If the exiting fluid is relatively thick or viscous, so that it is the air supply through If the spout is impaired, then the frequency of the squeezing effects is necessarily reduced considerably] i. However, from the embodiment shown in Fig. 4- it can be seen that after each squeezing operation, the air is unhindered in the container between the flanges! iohtungsmembren or the valve part? 8a and its seat 32a can then flow in through the opening 30a, independently whether fluid is retained in the spout 40a, thereby allowing the fluid in the Container can be poured out at an increased rate.

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Claims (15)

PATENT CLAIMS Mj container seal for a container with a neck which forms a fill and outlet opening and with a closure cap that extends over the container neck, characterized by a combinable in one piece te flange seal with check valve (20), with a flange seal part (22) between the closure cap and the neck (12) is clamped and seals it around the opening (24) through one to the flange seal member (22) belonging flexible, annular membrane (20), which is surrounded and held by this and which The membrane covers the opening (24), its underside being exposed to the fluid pressure in the container (10) and the inner, annular diaphragm portion (28) forms with that opening a valve opening (30) through the container attached means (18) which form a valve seat and cooperate sealingly with the membrane to to close the opening (30), normally the membrane is biased upwardly and sealingly with the Valve seat cooperates, and by further means (36), - 20 - 109829/0172 which outside air admit into the container via the membrane, whereby this lifts off, so that air passes through the opening (30) into the container when the external pressure higher than the internal pressure in the container » 2. Container seal according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for supplying the outside air through a groove (36) are formed, which extends across the flange sealing part (22), starting from its outer edge « 3β container seal according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that that the closure has a hanging jacket (14) cooperating with the container neck (12) which forms an air channel from the outside air into the groove (36) « 4. Container seal according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the membrane has a raised, inner Valve center area (28), which has the filling (30)
Opening surrounds and forms. 5. Container seal according to claim 4, characterized in that that a valve seat (32) is formed from the underside of the closure cap of the container. - 21 109829/0172 Hf! ^^ lipiimBHRBiBiSBI !? " ¹ **!! !! ΙΙίί'Γ! ¹ « · ^: '""'"'Kr' ^ rervc - 21 - 6 c container seal naoii claim 5, characterized in that that the valve center region (28) of the membrane is dome-like. 7 ο container seal according to claim 5 »characterized in that that the valve center region (28) of the membrane has an upwardly tapering truncated cone shape. 8. Container seal according to claim 7, characterized in that the container closure (16a) has one with the opening (31a) connected outlet spout (40a), wherein the spout interior at its lower end one to has a conical shape that widens on the outside and forms a valve seat (32a) which is connected to a valve center area (28a) of the membrane cooperates. 9. Container seal according to claim 1, characterized in that the container closure (16a) has a fluid outlet (30a), which is surrounded by the valve seat (32a). 10. Container seal according to claim 9> characterized in that that an outlet slit is attached to the closure, which is in communication with the outlet » 109829/0172 11. Container seal according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure has a fluid outlet (3Oa), wherein whose inner end part delimits the valve seat (32a) and thereby has a truncated cone shape that widens downwards like the inner peripheral part of the membrane around the opening, this part normally being against the The valve seat nestles and widens downwards at a smaller angle than the valve seat, making it an annular one Air chamber (34a) between the closure (16a) and the membrane (20a) to form the opening, the chamber cooperates with these means to let in outside air " 12e container seal according to claim 11, characterized in p-e, that the means which admit outside air is independent of the fluid outlet and of the opening. 13 ο container seal according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure has a pluid outlet which is surrounded by the valve seat, that a valve part carried by the membrane is normally sealingly received in this outlet, the valve opening being in communication with the pluid outlet, that the membrane and the closure form an annular air chamber between them around the valve seat in order to lift the valve part from the valve seat, 1 0 ') U 2 9/0 1 7 2 2080667 when the pressure in the air chamber exceeds the pressure in the container and that the means for external access] uft communicate with the chamber. 14, container seal according to claim 13, characterized in that that the means which let in the outside air have a groove (36a) and extend outwardly from the chamber the top of the flange seal member extends while the closure and the container neck together pass a passage of the groove to the outside air. 15. Containers with an external thread on the neck, which forms an inlet and outlet opening, and a removable closure with one mounted on the neck Internally threaded jacket, the top surface of the closure lying on the end of the neck and the container carrying means which form a fluid outlet which is normally in communication with the interior of the container through the opening, characterized by an annular, flexible membrane, the outer area between the upper cover wall and is sealingly clamped to the container neck, an inner membrane portion which is in communication with the liquid outlet and an air supply duct for the container - 24 109829/0172 forms, by means which normally resiliently bias the inner membrane area, namely sealingly with cooperate with the means carried by the container, and by further means which external air between the let in the upper cap wall and the membrane, which lifts it out of its sealing seat and allows air to enter the container lets in when the pressure in the container drops considerably below that of the external pressure. 109829/0172