Plug for releasably sealing a connection channel and method for mixing two components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518936-B2
Application number	US-201515309884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A plug for releasably sealing a connection channel connecting an upper chamber comprising a first component with a lower chamber comprising a second component of a two-chamber container, comprising a plug body for being inserted into the connection channel with a sealing force, a guiding member for guiding the plug in axial direction inside the upper chamber, wherein the guiding member comprises a larger extension in radial direction than the plug body and the guiding member is axially spaced to the plug body by an unsealing distance, and a head part for pushing out a folded nozzle sealing the upper chamber, wherein the head part protrudes from the guiding member away from the plug body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plug for releasably sealing a connection channel connecting an upper chamber comprising a first component with a lower chamber comprising a second component of a two-chamber container, the plug comprising
a plug body, insertable into the connection channel with a sealing force, having a first diameter
a guiding member having a disk shape, configured for guiding the plug in an axial direction inside the upper chamber, and connected to the plug body, wherein the guiding member comprises a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter of the plug body, the guiding member is spaced from the plug body, in the axial direction, by an unsealing distance, and the guiding member has a discharge opening formed therein and having a first cross-sectional area such that the discharge opening is in communication with a volume arranged in the unsealing distance, and
a head part, configured for pushing out a folded nozzle sealing the upper chamber, connected to the guiding member such that the head part protrudes away from the guiding member in the axial direction, wherein the head part has a third diameter that is less than the second diameter of the guiding member, the head part has a discharge channel formed therein, having a second cross-sectional area, and extending an entire length of the head part from a first end of the head part to an opposing second end of the head part, and the discharge channel has a diameter that is constant or the same along the entire length of the head part from the first end of the head part to the opposing second end of the head part.

2. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the first cross-sectional area of the discharge opening corresponds to or is the same as the second cross-sectional area of the discharge channel.

3. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding member is connected to the plug body by at least one stiffening web, wherein the extension of the stiffening web in radial direction is larger than in circumferential direction, wherein a plurality of cross-like arranged stiffening webs are provided, wherein at least one stiffening web is arranged in or outside an area covered by the cross sectional area of the discharge channel and/or the discharge opening in axial view.

4. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the head part comprises a mainly ring-shaped contact surface for contacting a flexibly deformed intermediate part of the folded nozzle, wherein the intermediate part of the folded nozzle reaches axially inwards towards the upper chamber.

5. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding member comprises a larger extension in radial direction than the head part, wherein the guiding member provides an abutting surface for abutting a pushing member of a cap relative movable with respect to the upper chamber in axial direction, wherein the abutting surface is located radially outwards with respect to the head part.

6. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding member comprises at least one recess at its radial outer circumference, wherein the recess provides a clearance between a wall of the upper chamber and the guiding member, wherein the extension of the recess in circumferential direction is smaller than the extension of the guiding member in circumferential direction outside the recess.

7. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein the plug body comprise at least one lamella protruding radially outwards for being clamped between the plug body and the connection channel for providing the sealing force, wherein at least two lamellae are provided, wherein the most upper lamella comprises a larger extension in radial direction than the at least one further lamella.

8. A container for storing and mixing two components, the container comprising
an upper chamber for storing a first component,
a lower chamber for storing a mainly liquid second component and mixing the first component with the second component,
a connection channel connecting the upper chamber with the lower chamber,
a cap for sealing the upper chamber, wherein the cap is relative movable with respect to the upper chamber in the axial direction,
wherein the cap comprises a foldable nozzle, wherein the nozzle protrudes upwards from the cap in unfolded state and protrudes at least partially downwards in the folded state, and
the plug according to claim 1 for sealing the connection channel, wherein the plug is movably receivable by the connection channel,
wherein a distance in the axial direction of the nozzle to the head part in the folded state of the nozzle is smaller than a distance in the axial direction of a cap body of the remaining cap to the plug.

9. The container according to claim 8 , wherein the nozzle comprises a foldable nozzle body, the nozzle body comprising
a mainly ring-shaped connecting part connected to the cap body of the cap,
a tip arranged mainly in the centre of the nozzle body, wherein the tip comprises a predetermined breaking line for providing an outlet in broken state,
at least one intermediate folding ring connecting the tip with the connecting part so that the tip is movable relative to the connecting part in axial direction between a folded state, where the tip is arranged mainly radially inside the connecting part in radial view, and an unfolded state, where the tip is arranged mainly outside the connecting part in radial view, and
a cover plate connected with the tip for covering the tip inside a volume bordered by the folding ring directly connected to the connecting part in folded state.

10. The container according to claim 8 , wherein an unfolding force F u axial direction for unfolding the nozzle from the folded state into the unfolded state is smaller than the sealing force F s in axial direction for sealing the connection channel, wherein 1 N≤F u ≤20 N applies.

11. The container according to claim 8 , wherein the cap body comprises a pushing member protruding downwards for meeting the guiding member, and for pushing the plug body of the plug downwards out of the connection channel when the cap is moved relative downwards with respect to the upper chamber.

12. The container according to claim 11 , wherein a ring-shaped pocket is formed between the pushing member and the remaining cap body, wherein a wall of the upper chamber is guided inside the pocket.

13. The container according to claim 8 , wherein the cap body comprises a snap lug for being inserted into a corresponding first snap recess for providing a defined relative axial position of the cap to the upper chamber in the folded state of the nozzle and/or a second snap recess for providing a defined relative axial position of the cap to the upper chamber in the unfolded state of the nozzle, wherein the first snap recess and/or the second snap recess is provided in a wall of the upper chamber.

14. The container according to claim 8 , wherein the upper chamber and/or the lower chamber provides a stop surface for abutting the cap body in its maximum downwards relative position of the cap with respect to the upper chamber.

15. The plug according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio r of the extension of the guiding member in radial direction to the extension of the guiding member in axial direction is 5≤r≤25.

16. A plug for releasably sealing a connection channel connecting an upper chamber comprising a first component with a lower chamber comprising a second component of a two-chamber container, the plug comprising
a plug body insertable into the connection channel with a sealing force,
a guiding member having a disk shape and configured for guiding the

Assignees

• Kao Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Lott Manfred
• Zeiter Frank

Classifications

• B65D47/061

  with telescopic, retractable or reversible spouts, tubes or nozzles · CPC title

• B65D81/3255

  Containers provided with a piston or a movable bottom, and permitting admixture within the container · CPC title

• B65D47/063

  with flexible parts · CPC title

• B65D25/085 Primary

  the partition being in the form of a plug or the like which is dislodged by means of a plunger rod or the like pushing the plug down (B65D81/3211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A45D34/04

  Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball · CPC title