WO1996027541A1 - Device for connecting two containers fitted at the top with nozzle valves - Google Patents

Abstract

The device proposed is intended to enable a product under pressure in one container to be introduced simply and without handling problems into a container fitted with a nozzle valve, the contents of the second container also being under pressure. Attached to the top of at least the first container (1, 2) is a tubular adapter (5, 6) which surrounds the valve (3, 4) on the first container and is designed as a guide element to enable the top of the second container (2, 1) to be set on the first and displaced axially.

Description

 "Device for connecting two containers each equipped with a spray valve in the head area"

The invention relates to a device for connecting two containers, each equipped with a spray valve in the head region, for filling the contents of one container into the other container.

Refillable gas lighters are known which are filled with gas under excess pressure and have a refill opening with a non-return valve on the underside opposite the head region which has the outlet opening with ignition mechanism. This refill opening makes it possible to refill fuel gas, this fuel gas usually being stored in a pressurized aerosol can with a spray valve. This aerosol can is pressed for refilling with its spray valve or a tubular extension against the underside of the refillable lighter, so that the spray valve opening or the tubular extension penetrates into the refill opening while opening the check valve, the spray valve is simultaneously actuated by this pushing movement and fuel gas from the Aerosol can enters the lighter. After the filling process, both elements are separated from each other again, and the check valve on the lighter reliably prevents the fuel gas from escaping through the refill opening.

It is also known to use foams based on polyurethane for filling cavities or the like, which are filled in aerosol cans. These foams can then be introduced by spraying from the aerosol can either directly from the spray valve or via a tubular or tubular extension into a cavity or the like.

Two-component polyurethane foams are also known, which may only be mixed with one another immediately before use. Ie both components must be kept in different containers. Also these two-component products can be sprayed in a simple manner by means of a spray can with a spray valve, so that one component could be stored in such a spray can and the other component in another container, the contents of which are under pressure, however, before being used in the other component containing spray can must be introduced. This could be done in a similar way to the refillable lighter principle. However, this would make it necessary to additionally equip a conventional spray can, which is simple to produce, preferably on the underside, with a filler opening with a corresponding seal (check valve) or the like, which entails additional manufacturing and assembly costs would pull.

The object of the invention is therefore to fill a product under pressure in a container into a container equipped with a spray valve with contents that are also under pressure in a simple and easy-to-use manner.

This object is achieved with a device of the type described in the introduction by at least one first tubular adapter part which can be fastened to the first container in the head region and which surrounds the spray valve of the first container and as a guide element for fitting and axially displacing the head region of the second Container is formed.

In this way it is possible to fill both components of the at least two-component product separately into conventional aerosol cans and the like, without these aerosol cans having to have additional filling openings or the like. By placing the at least one adapter part on one of the two containers, it is then possible in a simple manner to place the other container in a targeted and guided manner in such a way that the head region to the head region is such that both containers can be pushed together axially in such a way that both spray valves are pressed down into the actuating position are and consequently the product to be mixed, which is filled in one of the containers under a higher pressure, can be filled into the other container. Obviously, two conventional spray bottles can be used that do not have to have any additional elements. It is only a pre-invention direction required, which can preferably be used several times, since it is not an integral part of the container.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment it is provided that the device has a second tubular adapter part which can be fastened to the second container in the head region and which is designed to be axially displaceable relative to the first adapter part. In this way, an even better guidance of the two containers to be brought together or pressed against one another can be achieved, at the same time the sealing of the connection areas of the two spray valves can also be improved by this configuration, so that it is reliably ensured that product only from one container enters the other container and is not released into the environment.

It is particularly advantageously provided that the two adapter parts are designed to be screwed into one another. In this way, particularly good guidance and targeted axial assembly and thus targeted actuation of the two spray valves for bringing the products together is possible. In principle, however, other designs known to those skilled in the art can also be used for the displacement.

Furthermore, it is advantageously provided that an adapter part has a sleeve on the inside, which surrounds the spray valve of the associated container and enables an axial introduction of the spray valve of the other container. In this way, the connection area between the two containers, namely the area where the two spray valves meet, is sealed even better from the surroundings.

It is very particularly preferably provided that an annular seal is arranged in the sleeve so as to be axially displaceable, the opening diameter of which is smaller than the outside diameter of the spray valves. This design enables a particularly good seal to be achieved, the axial displacement of the ring seal ensuring that its position can adapt flexibly to the respective connection location of the two spray valves and does not become jammed, so that the seal is not impaired. It is expedient for the sleeve to have a circumferential end stop for the ring seal at the end opposite the associated spray valve so that the ring seal cannot fall out of the sleeve. This is held at the other end by the assigned spray valve when the adapter part is placed on the assigned container.

In the case of two adapter parts, stop surfaces for limiting the axial displaceability of the two adapter parts against one another are advantageous. The superimposed abutment surfaces enable the user to exert a predetermined, defined pressure on the spray valves.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, for example. This shows in:

1 shows a device according to the invention consisting of two adapter parts, in which one adapter part is attached to a container, when the two adapter parts are brought together,

Fig. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 with axially completely merged

Adapter parts and

3 shows a modified embodiment of a device according to the invention.

In the drawing, a first container (not shown completely) is designated 1 and a second container is designated 2. Both containers are preferably aerosol cans, each of which is equipped with a first or second spray valve 3, 4 in the head region .

These valves 3, 4 can be actuated in a known manner by pressing down in the direction of the interior of the container, in such a way that tubular valves 3, 4 can then release product from the container 1 or 2, which is under pressure in the container 1 or 2. Since, in the exemplary embodiment shown, product from the smaller container 2 is to be filled into the larger container 1, there is a greater pressure in the container 2 compared to the container 1 filled with another product.

In order to be able to fill the product from the container 2 into the container 1 in a simple manner, a device according to the invention is provided which, in the exemplary embodiment shown, has a first tubular adapter part 5 and a second tubular adapter part 6.

The first adapter part 5 can be fastened to the first container 1 in the head region thereof, for which purpose the container 1 preferably has a flanged bead 7, onto which the first adapter part 5 is bounced with a circumferential, inner fastening bead 8. In addition, the first adapter part 5 can also have a circumferential shoulder 9, which is supported on the top of the container.

Starting from the fastening bead 8, the first adapter part 5 initially extends essentially axially; this region is designated by 10. This area 10 merges at its other end into a radial area 11, which opens into an inner sleeve-shaped area 12, which partially surrounds the spray valve 3 of the container 1 and extends within the bead 7 to the foot area thereof and on it is present. On the inside, the sleeve-shaped area 12 of the adapter part 5 is designed as an internal thread 13.

On the outside, the axial region 10 is provided in the transition to the radial region 11 with a circumferential contact shoulder 14, which serves to receive a tamper-evident closure 15, which can be sleeve-shaped or cap-shaped and is preferably provided with a perforation 16 for opening. At this tamper-evident closure 15, a locking ring 17 is formed radially outward, the function of which will be explained below.

The second container 2 has a flanged bead 18 for fastening the assigned second adapter part 6 and for fastening the valve 4, on which the adapter part 6 is bounced with an outer tubular region 19 which to this end has a circumferential fastening bead 20. The outer tubular region 19 merges at the other end into a radial, inwardly directed region 21, a circumferential stop shoulder 22 being provided on the outside in the transition region on the tubular region 19.

This radial area 21 initially merges into a sleeve-shaped area 23, which abuts the flanged bead 18 of the container 2 at the end and extends into the foot area thereof. Contrary to this area 23, the radial area 21 of the adapter part 6 also merges into a tubular area 24, which is formed on the outside as an external thread 25, the external thread 25 being dimensioned such that it can be screwed into the internal thread 13 of the other adapter part 5 . In addition, a sleeve 26 is formed on the inner edge area of the radial area 21 of the adapter part 6, which sleeve extends within the sleeve-shaped area 23 and partially surrounds the valve 4 of the container 2. An annular seal 27 is guided axially displaceably within this sleeve 26, the axial displaceability of which is limited on the one hand by the free end of the valve 4 and on the other hand by an annular stop 28 inside the sleeve 26. The inner diameter of the stop 28 of the sleeve 26 is dimensioned so that it is smaller than the outer diameter of the ring seal 27 but at least slightly larger than the outer diameter of the end of the valve 3 of the first container 1, such that the valve 3 through the stop ring 28 can penetrate into the interior of the sleeve 26 in the direction of the other valve 4.

The containers 1 and 2 are preferably offered separately from one another, with one or the other adapter part 5, 6 being placed on the respective container 1, 2. Basically, the containers 1, 2 can also be sold without an adapter part, and the adapter parts 5, 6 can be sold as individual parts, which the user must then place on the respective container 1, 2.

In order to empty the contents of the container 2 into the container 1, both containers 1, 2 with the attached adapter parts 5, 6 are first placed on top of one another in the manner shown in FIG. 1, for which purpose the tamper-evident closure 15 on the adapter part 5 first Tear off along perforation 16 becomes. The container 2 with its adapter part 6 is then screwed with its external thread 25 into the internal thread 13 of the first adapter part 5 of the first container 1 (for example 1 1/2 turns). During the resulting axial movement of the two adapter parts 5, 6 or the two containers 1, 2 relative to one another, the ring seal 27, the inner opening 27a of which is of course a smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the valve stems 4 or 3 has, clamped between the valve stems 3 and 4 and thus seals between the two valves. When the second adapter part 6 is screwed further into the first adapter part 5 and the valves 3, 4 and the ring seal 27 collide further axially, the valves 3, 4 begin to open. Different valve geometries, valve paths and pressures result in an undefined Position of the ring seal 27. In order to achieve a flexible adaptation here, the ring seal 27 is therefore guided in the sleeve 26 so as to be displaceable in the axial direction. By depressing both valves 3, 4 (FIG. 2), product from container 2 now enters container 1. A defined pressure on the two valves is ensured by the position of the radial regions 11, 21, which form stop surfaces to limit screwing into one another. If both areas 11, 21 meet, the desired pressure on the valves is reached.

After a predetermined injection time, which depends on the products in the containers 1 and 2, the pressure conditions and the size relationships, the container 2 is unscrewed with its adapter part 6. The mixed two-component product is then available in container 1, which can then be used after a short waiting time and after shaking (for better mixing). For this purpose, as is known per se, an actuating lever with a tube is preferably cut off on the securing ring 17 and the lever is screwed onto the valve 3. This is not shown in detail.

A further embodiment of a device according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3, although only the container 2 and not the container 1 is shown there. In this embodiment, the adapter part 5 for the container 1 (not shown) is designed in principle in the same way as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, only the adapter part 6 has something different design on. This is because, in the tubular region 19, it not only has a fastening bead 20, but also two fastening beads 20a, which can be pushed into correspondingly provided fastening beads 29 on the cartridge-shaped container 2. Accordingly, the inner tubular region 23 is omitted in this adapter part 6. The cartridge-shaped container 2 naturally has a valve, not shown, which is enclosed by the sleeve 26 in some areas. Otherwise, the functioning of this device is the same as that of the device described.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown. Further refinements of the invention are possible without leaving the basic idea. For example, the adapter part 5 can also be connected to the container 2, and consequently the adapter part 6 can also be connected to the container 1, if the dimensions are appropriate.

Claims

Patent claims 1.Device for connecting two containers each equipped with a spray valve in the head region for filling the contents of one container into the other container, characterized by at least one first tubular adapter part (5, 6) which can be fastened to the first container (1, 2) in the head region and which Spray valve (3, 4) surrounds the first container and is designed as a guide element for mounting and axial displacement of the head region of the second container (2, 1). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized by a second tubular adapter part (6, 5) which can be fastened in the head region to the second container (2, 1) and is axially displaceable relative to the first adapter part (5, 6). 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the two adapter parts (5, 6) are designed to be screwed into one another. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an adapter part (5, 6) on the inside has a sleeve (26) which surrounds the spray valve (4, 3) of the associated container (2, 1) and an axial introduction of the Spray valve (3, 4) of the other container (1, 2) is possible. 5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that in the sleeve (26) axially displaceably an annular seal (27) is arranged, the opening diameter of which is smaller than the outside diameter of the spray valves (3, 4). 6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the sleeve (26) on the associated spray valve (4, 3) opposite end has a circumferential end stop (28) for the ring seal (27). 7. Device according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by Stop surfaces (11, 21) to limit the axial displaceability of the two adapter parts (5, 6) against each other.