EP0897877A1 - Closure cap, especially for a container designed to contain a cosmetic product - Google Patents

Abstract

The lid (1)is attached to the recipient and has a cap (4) which pivots between an open position for pouring the contents and closed position which covers the orifice. The cap is connected by a living hinge to a solid link (23) of the lid body (2). The lid body has a notch (14) with the cap conformed to clear it by elastic deformation before reaching its completely open state.

Description

The present invention relates to a closure capsule, in particular for a container intended to contain a cosmetic product.

The invention relates more particularly to a capsule in two parts, that is to say comprising on the one hand a body to be fixed to the container, provided with a product dispensing orifice and other share a cover able to pivot between a closed position in which it covers said orifice for closing it and a position of full opening allowing the exit of the product.

US Patent 4,887,747 describes a capsule of this type, in which the cover is articulated on the body of the capsule by means a prismatic cross-section journal, rotating in bearings constituted by elastic clamps. Because of the particular shape of the journal, the clamps exert on the cover a torque varying according to its angular position and tending to recall it to its full opening or closing positions. The realization of the pliers is relatively delicate and such capsule is complex and expensive to manufacture. In addition, clips remain visible regardless of the position of the cover and spare between them and with the pin of the interstices in which can accommodate leftover product or other soiling, which is undesirable from an aesthetic point of view.

We know by the French patent application FR-A-2 460 850 a closure cap, the cover of which is connected by a film hinge to a connecting member secured to the body of the capsule.

The cover rubs during its opening or closure on a flat region of the capsule body.

You have to exert a relatively large force to bring the cover in its open position.

We know by the German utility model DE-U-91 12 615 a closure capsule in which the cover is articulated directly on an organ fixed on the container. This capsule requires the use of a specific container and also installs a leakage and reliability problem if the cover is moved to the beyond its nominal opening stroke.

The present invention relates to a new capsule of closure which remedies all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks.

It does this by the fact that the body of the capsule has a relief and by the fact that the cover is shaped to cross this relief by elastic deformation before reaching its full opening position.

According to the invention, the end of the connecting member can be secured to the body of the capsule by any appropriate means, and especially by snap-fastening, gluing, welding.

By the shape given to the relief, one can act on the force to exercise on the cover to open the capsule and to close it, and in particular make it play the role of an easier ramp to cross in one direction than in the other.

The capsule cover and body can be easily made of different materials and / or with colors possibly different.

The capsule is also particularly aesthetic the absence of gaps at the regional level of articulation of the cover, compared to the capsule described in the aforementioned US Patent 4,887,747.

In a preferred implementation of the invention, the cover comes into contact with the capsule body by its free edge during crossing of said relief.

Thus, it is not necessary to carry out on the cover a specific organ such as an elastic tongue which would be intended to come into contact with said relief, which simplifies the manufacturing.

The invention makes it possible to adopt a contour cover elliptical or circular with a notch to accommodate the liaison body.

Preferably, the connecting member has one end shaped to snap into a slot in the body the capsule.

In a particular embodiment, said slot extends parallel to the pivot axis of the cover.

Advantageously, the regions of the cover located on the one hand and on the other side of the film hinge come to rest during pivoting of the cover from its closed position to its position full opening, in recesses of the capsule body, before crossing said boss.

We can thus make the effort to be exerted on the cover, when the capsule is opened, for crossing said relief and give the impression to the user, when moving closing of the capsule, that the movement of the cover is assisted.

In a particular embodiment, the cover passes through elastic deformation said relief, the elastic deformation of the material taking place on a first rotational stroke of the cover before crossing said relief, then the material resuming after crossing said relief its configuration initial on a second rotation stroke of the cover more shorter than the first.

The invention also relates to a container equipped with a closure cap as defined above.

• la figure 1 est une coupe schématique d'une capsule de fermeture conforme à un exemple de réalisation de l'invention, le couvercle étant dans sa position de fermeture de l'orifice de distribution,
• la figure 2 est une coupe analogue à la figure 1, représentant la capsule lorsque le couvercle est dans sa position de pleine ouverture,
• la figure 3 représente isolément, en vue de dessus, le corps de la capsule,
• la figure 4 est une coupe selon le trait de coupe IV-IV de la figure 3,
• la figure 5 représente isolément le corps de la capsule en vue de dessous, selon la flèche V de la figure 4,
• la figure 6 est une coupe selon le trait de coupe VI-VI de la figure 3,
• la figure 7 est une coupe selon le trait de coupe VII-VII de la figure 3,
• la figure 8 est une coupe selon le trait de coupe VIII-VIII de la figure 3,
• la figure 9 représente isolément, en vue de dessus, le couvercle,
• la figure 10 est une coupe selon le trait de coupe X-X de la figure 9,
• la figure 11 est une coupe selon le trait de coupe XI-XI de la figure 9,
• la figure 12 est une vue en élévation selon la flèche XII de la figure 11,
• la figure 13 représente isolément, en vue de dessous, le couvercle,
• la figure 14 est une vue à échelle agrandie d'un détail de réalisation du couvercle, et - la figure 15 est une coupe illustrant le maintien du couvercle en position de pleine ouverture.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, of a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the invention, and on examining the appended drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic section of a closure capsule in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cover being in its position for closing the dispensing orifice,
• FIG. 2 is a section similar to FIG. 1, showing the capsule when the cover is in its fully open position,
• FIG. 3 represents in isolation, in top view, the body of the capsule,
• FIG. 4 is a section along the section line IV-IV of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 5 represents the body of the capsule in isolation from below, according to the arrow V in FIG. 4,
• FIG. 6 is a section along the section line VI-VI of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 7 is a section along the section line VII-VII in FIG. 3,
• FIG. 8 is a section along the section line VIII-VIII of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 9 represents the cover in isolation, in top view,
• FIG. 10 is a section along the section line XX of FIG. 9,
• FIG. 11 is a section along the section line XI-XI of FIG. 9,
• FIG. 12 is an elevation view along arrow XII of FIG. 11,
• FIG. 13 represents the cover in isolation, from below
• Figure 14 is an enlarged view of an embodiment detail of the cover, and - Figure 15 is a section illustrating the maintenance of the cover in the fully open position.

There is shown in Figure 1 a closure cap 1 in two parts, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

This capsule 1 comprises a body 2 to be fixed by snap-fastening on the neck of a container, not shown.

The body 2 acts as a section reducer and comprises a distribution orifice 3, symmetrical in revolution around a axis X, for the exit of the product contained in the container.

The capsule 1 also comprises a pivoting cover 4, movable between a position in which it is folded down on the body 2 for closing the dispensing orifice 3, as shown in Figure 1, and a fully open position where it extends obliquely away from the body 2 to clear the orifice distribution 3, as shown in figure 2.

We will now describe more precisely the body 2 in referring to Figures 3 to 8.

The body 2 is fixed to the container neck by by means of two mounting lugs 5 shaped to follow the shape cylindrical neck and internally provided at their end bottom of a bead 6 intended to snap onto a relief of the collar.

These mounting lugs 5 are connected above a wall 7 perpendicular to the aforementioned X axis.

The wall 7 is connected at its periphery to a skirt 8 intended to hide the neck of the container.

It will be noted on examining FIG. 3 that the wall 7 has, in top view, an elliptical contour, the X axis being eccentric relative to the center of the ellipse, of which we have referenced Y the major axis in Figure 5.

The dispensing orifice 3 is provided with a lip re-entrant seal, which is lined with a lip concentric seal 10 intended to be applied to the surface radially inside the neck of the container.

Note also that a recess 11 is formed on the outer surface of the body 2 to allow the user to run your finger under the cover 4 to open the capsule 1, as this will be explained below.

The body 2 comprises, on the side opposite this recess 11, a slot 12 parallel to the Y axis.

This slot 12 is bordered axially by two recesses 13, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the role will be specified later.

The body 2 also comprises, between the slot 12 and the orifice distribution 3, an elongated boss 14 extending parallel to the Y axis over a length greater than that of the slot 12, so that its axial ends run along a some distance from the edge of the recesses 13.

In its end regions adjacent to recesses 13, the boss 14 is shaped so that its surface side facing the slot 12 comes in the extension of the surface of the recesses 13, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

We will now describe with reference to Figures 9 to 14 the cover 4.

The latter has, in top view, a size close to the wall 7 and as illustrated in FIG. 9, an elliptical contour.

We have referenced Z the major axis of the ellipse.

The cover 4 is also slightly curved towards the exterior, as seen in Figures 10 and 11 in particular.

The cover 4 is also provided at its periphery with a substantially rectangular notch 18 which extends symmetrically from on either side of a median plane perpendicular to the Z axis.

An annular sealing lip 19 is produced on the face inside of the cover 4 to fit into the opening of distribution 3 in contact with the sealing lip 9 when the cover 4 is folded over the wall 7.

The cover 4 is connected by a film hinge 22 to a first end 21 of a connecting or anchoring member 23 intended to be inserted and snapped into the slot 12 of the body 2 by its second end 24.

The film hinge 22 is connected to the cover 4 at the bottom of the notch 18, as illustrated in FIG. 9, and allows the cover 4 to pivot about a geometric axis of rotation parallel to the Z axis and the Y axis.

The second end 24 of the anchoring member 23 is tapered and forms a step 25 intended to cross by deformation elastic the slot 12 and then return the cover 4 cannot be dismantled.

The anchoring member 23 is advantageously shaped so to be registered in top view in the continuity of the outline of the cover 4, as can be seen in Figures 9 and 13.

The inner surface of the cover 4 is hollowed out in the vicinity of the film hinge 22 to constitute a housing 26 intended for accommodate the boss 14 when the cover 4 is folded down on the body 2, as illustrated in figure 1.

To assemble the cover 4 and the body 2, engage fully the anchoring member 23 in the slot 12.

When the capsule 1 is closed, as shown in the Figure 1, the edge 27 of the cover 4 which is located opposite the anchoring member 23 slightly overhangs the recess 11, this which offers the user a grip allowing him to lift the cover 4 with his finger.

The regions 28 of the cover 4 which border laterally the notch 18 and the film hinge 22 pivot during the rotation of the cover in the recesses 13, as understood on examination in Figure 15, the direction of rotation of the cover to its position full opening being indicated by arrow R.

The path of the free edge 29 of the cover 4 at these regions 28 describes a circle C which intersects the surface of recesses 13 about a third of the way in the cover in the example described, either when the cover 4 has pivoted by approximately 45 °.

While the cover 4 continues to rotate, the edge 29 of the regions 28 remains in abutment against the surface of the recesses 13, which results in compression and elastic deformation of the material.

This deformation is more and more important until when regions 28 cross the top of boss 14 i.e. when the cover reaches its full position opening, shown in Figures 2 and 15.

The material that was compressed then resumes its shape initial thanks to its elasticity and the cover 4 is blocked in the fully open position by pressing the regions 28 on the top of boss 14.

To close the cover 4, the user pushes with his finger on the back of the cover to cause it to pivot in the direction reverse of arrow R.

When the thrust exerted on the cover 4 is sufficient, regions 28 cross in opposite directions by deformation elastic boss 14.

During the opening movement, the elastic deformation of the material takes place over a relatively large distance and the return to its initial configuration on a relatively short course short, as soon as the boss 4 is crossed.

The deformation in contact with the boss 14, during the movement of closing, takes place over a relatively short stroke and the return to the initial configuration on a relatively short course important, after crossing the boss 14.

Thus, the material which has been compressed elastically at contact of boss 14 gives by gradually resuming its shape initial impression to the user that closing the lid is assisted.

The crossing of the boss 14 during the movement of closing the cover is further facilitated by the fact that the edge 29 is slightly beveled, as shown in FIG. 15.

Of course, you can make various changes to the capsule which has just been described without departing from the scope of the present invention.

We can notably propose other means to fix the capsule on the neck of the container, and provide a screwing instead a snap for example.

Claims (10)

Closing cap for container, of the type comprising a body to be fixed on the container, provided with a dispensing orifice and a cover able to pivot between a closed position in which it covers said orifice for closing it and a position for full opening in which it discovers said orifice for allow the product contained in the container to exit, cover (4) being connected by a film hinge (22) to a connection (23) integral with the body (2) of the capsule (1), said capsule being characterized by the fact that the body of the capsule has a relief (14), the cover (4) being shaped to cross this relief (14) by elastic deformation before reaching its fully open position. Capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that that said cover (4) comes by its free edge (29) in contact with the body (2) of the capsule when crossing said relief (14). Capsule according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by causes said connecting member (23) to have one end (24) shaped to snap into a slot (12) in the capsule body. Capsule according to claim 3, characterized in that that said slot (12) extends parallel to the geometric axis of pivoting of the cover (4). Capsule according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that said cover (4) has, with a view to above, a substantially elliptical or circular outline provided a notch (18) in which is housed said connecting member (23). Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the fact that said relief includes a boss (14). Capsule according to claim 6, characterized in that that said boss (14) extends parallel to the geometric axis of pivoting of the cover. Capsule according to claim 7, characterized in that that the edge (29) of the regions (28) of the cover situated on the one side and on the other side of the film hinge (22) come to bear during the pivoting movement of the cover from its closed position to its fully open position, in recesses (13) of the body of the capsule then on said boss (14). Capsule according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized by the fact that the cover crosses by deformation elastic said relief, the elastic deformation of the material taking place on a first rotation stroke of the front cover the crossing of said relief, then the material resuming after the crossing of said relief its initial configuration on a second stroke in rotation of the cover shorter than the first. Container fitted with a closure cap such as defined in any one of the preceding claims.

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