EP4126692B1 - Cap suitable for containing a fluid - Google Patents

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a cap for closing the reducer of a container, such as a vial or a bottle, the cap being adapted to contain a fluid, said cap comprising at least a first part and a second part, said first and second parts delimiting a chamber for receiving said fluid.

State of the art

In the state of the art, it is known to use an available space inside a cap, said space making it possible to contain a fluid that can enter the container on which the cap is positioned at a precise chosen moment by the user.

It is usual for the container to comprise a first fluid, in which the cap comprises a second fluid, different from the first fluid contained in the container. In the event that the user wishes to use the contents of the container, the latter is able to release, initially, the second fluid contained in the cap inside the container, thus allowing the mixing of the first fluid already present inside said container and said second fluid.

A solution of this type is particularly suitable for pharmaceutical hygiene and cosmetic applications, for which it is important to use a mixture of products directly after mixing.

Caps containing a fluid that can be transferred from the cap to the container to which the cap is attached are also used for food applications.

It is appropriate to note that the optimal transfer of a fluid contained in a cap to a container on which said cap is fixed can be compromised. In fact, the air present inside the container cannot be expelled to the outside during the transfer of the fluid from the cap to the container. The primary function of the cap consists of closing the outlet of the container, the air cannot be expelled and the transfer of the fluid is not optimal between the cap and the container.

For the reasons explained above, there is a need to propose new solutions to overcome this dysfunction. The object of the present invention consists of providing a plug, of the type as identified above, allowing the air present inside a container to be expelled from said container during the transfer of the fluid contained in the container. inside a cap towards said container.

The documents GB 2 559 453 A And KR 2009 0130939 A disclose caps according to the preamble of claim 1.

Object of the invention

The object of the present invention relates to a cap for closing the reducer of a container, such as a vial or a bottle, the cap being adapted to contain a fluid, said cap comprising at least a first part and a second part, said first and second parts delimiting a chamber for receiving said fluid, said first and second parts being movable, by means of movement, from a first initial position of the plug, to contain said fluid in said chamber, towards a second final position of said plug, to, using said movement, evacuate said fluid from said plug chamber, to allow said plug, when the plug is positioned on the container, to transfer the fluid towards the container, said plug comprising an additional movable element from a first position, adapted to allow the evacuation of air from the container during the transfer of the fluid, towards a second position, adapted to, together with said first and/or second part of the cap, seal said reducer of the container in which the additional element is in its first position, at the start of said movement, and in its second position at the end of said movement.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the second part of the cap is provided with fixing means, such as a thread, for fixing said cap on said container using said fixing means, in which the additional element is movably connected to said second part of the cap.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the additional element is provided with a conduit with a first end directed towards the chamber to contain a fluid and functioning as an inlet opening, and with a second end directed functioning as an opening of outlet, said second end being adapted to pour the fluid when the cap is positioned on the container into the container.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the first part of the plug comprises a first wall essentially perpendicular to the direction of said movement and in which the second part of said plug comprises a second wall essentially perpendicular to the direction of said movement, in which the chamber is delimited by all of said first and second walls.

According to one embodiment of the invention, said second wall comprises a housing adapted to movably fix the additional element.

According to one embodiment of the invention, said housing comprises an opening or flap, in which said opening or said flap is open in the case where the additional element is in its first position, and closed. if said additional element is in its second position.

According to one embodiment of the invention, said first wall and/or a member connected to said first wall, is adapted to come into contact with the additional element during said movement of said first and second parts of the plug, in which said additional element is moved from its first position to its second position using the thrust of said first wall and/or a member connected to said first wall against the additional element during said movement.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the plug comprises a protuberance connected to said first wall, said protuberance being adapted to close said conduit of the additional element, in the second final position of the plug.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the invention relates to an assembly composed of a container and a cap.

Brief description of the drawings

• [Fig. 1] montre une vue en coupe d'un bouchon selon l'invention, ledit bouchon étant positionné sur la partie supérieure d'un récipient, le bouchon étant montré dans une première position initiale,
• [Fig. 2] représente une vue en coupe du bouchon selon la figure 1, selon une position intermédiaire,
• [Fig. 3] illustre une vue en coupe du bouchon selon les figures 1 et 2, selon une deuxième position finale,
• [Fig. 4] montre une vue éclatée et schématique de l'assemblage du bouchon selon la présente invention, et
• [Fig. 5] représente une vue en coupe du bouchon selon l'invention, selon sa première position initiale dans laquelle ledit bouchon est obturé à l'aide d'un élément de protection.

The aim, object and characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the figures in which:

• [ Fig. 1 ] shows a sectional view of a cap according to the invention, said cap being positioned on the upper part of a container, the cap being shown in a first initial position,
• [ Fig. 2 ] represents a sectional view of the cap according to the figure 1 , according to an intermediate position,
• [ Fig. 3 ] illustrates a sectional view of the cap according to the figures 1 And 2 , according to a second final position,
• [ Fig. 4 ] shows an exploded and schematic view of the cap assembly according to the present invention, and
• [ Fig. 5 ] represents a sectional view of the cap according to the invention, according to its first initial position in which said cap is closed using a protective element.

There figure 1 shows a sectional view of a cap 1 according to the present invention. Said cap 1 is adapted to contain (as described in more detail below) a fluid and adapted to discharge said fluid inside a container (50) to which said cap 1 is fixed.

There figure 1 represents the cap 1, which cap 1 is fixed on the end of a container 50 having the shape of a bottle. The container 50 is provided with a reducer 51 which is positioned in the opening of the container 50 and allows create a reducer for said container 50. As shown in the figure 1 , the cap 1 is fixed on the container 50 using a thread.

The cap 1 includes a chamber 15 adapted to contain a fluid. For reasons of clarity, the fluid is not shown on the figure 1 . The chamber 15 is delimited by the assembly of a first part 10 of the plug 1 and a second part 20 of said plug 1. On the figure 1 , the first part 10 and the second part 20 are represented in a first initial position in which the plug 1 is adapted to contain a fluid. As explained, in more detail with reference to the figure 2 And 3 , according to the position as shown on the figure 1 , the first part 10 and the second part 20 are movable, from said first initial position shown on the figure 1 allowing a fluid to be contained, towards a second final position which allows said fluid to be evacuated from the chamber 15.

As soon as the fluid contained in the chamber 15 is evacuated out of the plug 1, it is introduced into the container 50 and enters said container via the reducer 51 fixed on the opening of the container 50. During the evacuation process, and in order to optimize the evacuation of the fluid from the chamber 15, via the plug 1, to the interior of the container 50, a quantity of air whose volume is equivalent to the volume occupied by the fluid contained therein. The interior of the plug 1 must be evacuated from the chamber 15 in order to allow the entry of said fluid into the container (50). To optimize the evacuation of air from the container 50, when introducing the fluid leaving the plug 1, said plug 1 is provided with an additional element 30. Said additional element 30 is movable, from a first position, as shown on the figure 1 , to allow the air to escape from the container 50, towards a second position, as shown on the Figure 3 , in which said additional element 30 is adapted to close the opening of the reducer 51 of the container 50.

The different components of cap 1 are described in more detail below.

The first part 10 of the cap 1 comprises a first element 11, of essentially cylindrical shape, forming the outer wall of said cap 1. A wall 12 is fixed on the first element 11, essentially perpendicular to said first element 11. As shown in the figure 1 , said wall 12 delimits the chamber 15 adapted to contain a fluid. Said wall 12 comprises an opening 13 making it possible to provide a through part of a support element 40. The support element 40, used for production reasons, allows the upper part inside the cap 1 to remain empty without the need to fill the space 16 with material, said space 16 being located around the support element 40 and inside the wall 11. Furthermore, the presence of a such support element 40 allows the filling of the chamber 15. The removal of the support element 40 offers a passage for filling said chamber 15, said passage being closed as soon as said support element is installed in its final position as shown on the figure 1 .

The support element 40 comprises two parts, the first part of the support element 40 is provided with a wall 41 forming the upper part of the cap 1. A user can, using the wall 41, exert pressure, for example with the palm of your hand, on the upper part of the cap 1, thus effecting a relative movement between the first part 10 and the second part 20 of said cap 1. To carry out this movement, the user can, for example, position the container 50 on a support and push, with your hand, the wall 41 towards said container 50.

The second part of the support element 40 is provided with a longitudinal element 42 whose end has a protuberance 43. Said protuberance 43 extends from the wall 12 towards the additional element 30.

The second part 20 of the plug 1 is provided with a wall 21, essentially cylindrical, adapted to be positioned inside the wall 11 of the first part 10 of said plug 1. As illustrated in the figure 1 , the lower part of the wall 21 is provided with a shoulder 22, adapted to cooperate with a shoulder 14 on the wall 11 of the first part 10 where a free space 25 is delimited between said shoulder 22 and said shoulder 14 and this, according to the first initial position of the plug 1. The wall 21 of the second part 20 of the plug 1, fixed against the inside of the wall 11 of the first part 10 of the plug 1, allows to prevent the parts from being involuntarily moved in the case where no pressure is exerted on the exterior of the first part 10 of the cap 1. On the other hand, the attachment between the exterior of the wall 21 of the second part 20 of the plug 1 and the interior of the wall 11 of the first part 10 of said plug 1 allows the movement of the walls 11, 21, one relative to the other, as soon as pressure is exerted on the outside of said first part 10 of said cap 1, with the aim of moving said first part 10 relative to the second part 20 of the cap 1.

The second part 20 of the plug 1 comprises a wall 23 which extends perpendicularly relative to the wall 21 of said second part 20 of said plug 1. Said wall 23 delimits a housing making it possible to accommodate the additional element 30, such as represented on the figure 1 . The wall 23 comprises an opening 24 adapted to be aligned with the opening 52 of the reducer 51 of the container 50. The wall 23 is provided with an element 26, of essentially cylindrical shape, which comprises a fixing means such as a thread, making it possible to fix the second part 20 of the cap 1 on the upper end of the container 50.

The additional element 30 is fixed inside the housing delimited by the wall 23, as shown in the figure 1 . The additional element 30 can move from a first position as shown on the figure 1 , towards a second position as shown on the Figure 3 , relative to the wall 23 of the second part 20 of the cap 1. This movement is possible provided that the value of the pressure, exerted on the additional element 30 towards the container 50, reaches a determined threshold value. As illustrated on the figure 1 , the additional element 30 comprises a conduit 31 adapted to allow the expulsion of the fluid contained in the chamber 15 into the container 50.

With reference to figures 1 , 2 , 3 , the operation and coordination of the movements of the first part 10 of the cap 1, provided with the support element 40, with respect to the movements of the second part 20 of said cap 1, provided with the additional element 30, is described below.

By referring to the figure 1 , the cap 1 is first fixed on the upper end of the container 50. The second part 20 of said cap 1 comes into contact with the reducer 51 of said container 50 so that the conduit 31 of the additional element 30 is positioned at inside the opening 52 of the reducer 51 of the container 50. When the plug 1 is thus fixed on the container 50, the latter can be used to evacuate the fluid contained within the chamber 15 to said container 50. To do this, the user must exert pressure, either on the exterior of the wall 11 of the first part 10, or on the wall 41 of the support element 40, or on both simultaneously, in order to move said first part 10 of the cap 1 relative to the second part 20 of the cap 1 towards the inside of the container 50.

There figure 2 shows the chamber 15 having a reduced volume compared to the volume represented on the figure 1 , which means that according to the position illustrated on the figure 2 , the fluid contained in the chamber 15 has been transferred to the interior of the container 50, expelled from said chamber 15 via the conduit 31 of the additional element 30. It should be noted that the wall 23 is provided with an opening or valve 27 allowing the evacuation of the air present inside the container 50 towards the outside of said container 50 during the transfer of the fluid from the chamber 15 to said container 50. The path of the air is such that the Air is evacuated from the container 50, via the opening 52 of the reducer 51 of the container 50, and moves between the wall 23 of the second part 20 of the cap 1 and the additional element 30 in the direction of the opening or valve 27. The evacuation of the air facilitates the introduction of the fluid expelled from the chamber 15 towards the interior of the container 50. As shown in the figure 2 , during the first phase of evacuation of the liquid from the chamber 15 towards the interior of the container 50, the additional element 30 does not move. The path of the air expelled from the container 50 remains possible thanks to the distance between the additional element 30, the wall 23 and the presence of the opening or valve 27. This means that the fixing of the additional element 30 inside its housing on the wall 23 is therefore suitable for resisting the hydraulic pressure resulting from the expulsion of the fluid from the chamber 15 in direction of the interior of the container 50. In other words, the force exerted by the first part 10 of the cap 1 on the second part 20 of said cap 1 is not significant enough to exceed the threshold value of the force exerted on the additional element 30 and create its movement relative to its housing located in the wall 23 of the second part 20 of the plug 1.

There figure 2 shows that, during the movement of the first part 10 towards the second part 20 of the plug 1, the wall 12 of the first part 10 and the end of the longitudinal element 42 of the support element 40 come into physical contact with the additional element 30. This contact between the different elements described above is illustrated on the figure 2 . Once said different elements have come into contact, the movement of the first part 10 of the cap 1 towards the second part 20 of said cap 1 continues, thus causing the movement of the additional element 30 towards the reducer 51 of the container 50 .

There Figure 3 illustrates, schematically, the final position of the first part 10 and the second part 20 of the cap 1, as well as that of the additional element 30. According to this final position, the assembly composed of the first part 10, of the second part 20 and the additional element 30 is adapted to ensure optimal sealing of the opening 52 of the reducer 51 of the container 50. The conduit 31, located inside the additional element 30 has been, at least partially, filled using the protuberance 43 of the longitudinal element 42 of the support element 40 in order to avoid leakage of the fluid from the container 50 towards the plug 1.

It should also be noted that the opening or flap 27 of the wall 23 is closed, in the final position, using the additional element 30.

The presence of the first part 10 and the second part 20 of the cap 1, in collaboration with the support element 40 and the additional element 30, as described above, allows optimal emptying of the chamber 15. It also allows the transfer of the fluid contained in said chamber 15 towards the interior of the container 50 while ensuring expulsion of the air present in said container 50 in direction from the outside during the transfer of said fluid.

There Figure 4 represents an exploded and schematic view of the assembly of the cap 1 according to the present invention. The additional element 30 is positioned inside the housing provided in the second part 20 of the cap 1. The support element 40 is fixed inside the first part 10 of said cap 1. The assembly composed of the second part 20 and the additional element 30 is fixed inside the first part 10 of said cap 1. In addition to the elements already described on the figures 1 , 2 And 3 , there Figure 4 also shows a closing element 60. Said closing element 60 can be used to protect the interior of the wall 26 of the second part 20 of the cap 1 as well as the additional element 30 during transport and handling of said cap 1 before its final fixation on the container 50.

There Figure 5 shows a schematic view of the assembly of elements 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60, as illustrated on the Figure 4 . There figure 5 illustrates the shutter element 60 provided, in its interior, with a shutter pin 61 adapted to come into contact with the interior of the conduit 31 of the additional element 30. The use of the shutter pin 61 allows the closing element 60 to protect, at least partially, the interior of the conduit 31 of the additional element 30. Furthermore, the presence of the closing pin 61 avoids any potential intentional leak of the fluid contained in the chamber 15 towards the outside of the container 50.

The different elements 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60, together forming the cap 1 according to the present invention, are made of a suitable material. As an indication, it is possible to make the first part 10 of the cap 1 in polypropylene. This material can be of the PCR polypropylene type (in English: Post Consumer Recycled).

The second part 20 of the cap 1 may comprise polyethylene. As an indication, said polyethylene may be of the HD polyethylene type (in English: High Density).

The additional element 30 may also comprise polyethylene. As an indication, said polyethylene may be of the LD polyethylene type (in English: Low Density).

The sealing element 60 may comprise polypropylene. As an indication, said polypropylene may be of the PCR polypropylene type (in English: Post Consumer Recycled).

Claims (9)

1. A cap (1) for sealing the restrictor (51) of a container (50), such as a flask or a bottle, the cap (1) being suitable for containing a fluid, said cap (1) comprising at least a first part (10) and a second part (20), said first and second parts (10, 20) delimiting a chamber (15) for receiving said fluid, said first and second parts (10, 20) being movable, by means of displacement, from a first, initial position of the cap (1), for containing said fluid in said chamber (15), to a second, final position of said cap (1), in order to evacuate, by means of said displacement, said fluid from said chamber (15) of the cap (1), to allow said cap (1), when the cap (1) is positioned on the container (50), to transfer the fluid to the container (50), characterised in that the cap (1) comprises an additional element (30) movable from a first position which is suitable for allowing the evacuation of air from the container (50) during the transfer of the fluid, to a second position that is suitable, together with said first (10) and/or second (20) part of the cap (1), for sealing said restrictor (51) of the container (50), wherein the additional element (30) is situated in its first position, at the start of said displacement, and in its second position at the end of said displacement.
2. The cap (1) according to claim 1, wherein the second part (20) of the cap (1) is equipped with fixing means, such as a thread, for fixing said cap (1) on said container (50) by means of said fixing means, wherein the additional element (30) is movably connected to said second part (20) of the cap (1).
3. The cap (1) according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the additional element (30) is equipped with a conduit with a first end directed toward the chamber (15) for containing a fluid and acting as an inlet opening, and with a second directed end acting as an outlet opening, said second end being suitable for pouring the fluid when the cap (1) is positioned on the container (50) in the container (50).
4. The cap according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first part (10) of the cap (1) comprises a first wall essentially perpendicular to the direction of said displacement, and wherein the second part (20) of said cap (1) comprises a second wall essentially perpendicular to the direction of said displacement, wherein the chamber (15) is delimited by the combination of said first and second walls.
5. The cap (1) according to claim 4, wherein said second wall comprises a housing suitable for movably fixing the additional element (30).
6. The cap (1) according to claim 5, wherein said housing comprises an opening or valve, wherein said opening or said valve is opened if the additional element (30) is situated in its first position, and closed if said additional element (30) is situated in its second position.
7. The cap (1) according to claim 4, wherein said first wall and/or a member connected to said first wall is suitable for coming into contact with the additional element (30) during said displacement of said first and second parts (10, 20) of the cap (1), wherein said additional element (30) is displaced from its first position to its second position by means of said first wall and/or a member connected to said first wall being pushed against the additional element (30) during said displacement.
8. The cap (1) according to the entirety of claims 3 and 4, wherein the cap (1) comprises a protuberance connected to said first wall, said protuberance being suitable for sealing said conduit of the additional element (30), in the second, final position of the cap (1).
9. A container (50) and cap (1) assembly according to one of claims 1 to 8.

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