Adapter for connecting a refill container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12129096-B2
Application number	US-202117999085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2021
Priority date	May 18, 2020
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

An adapter ( 100 ) for connecting a refill container ( 200 ) with a container ( 300 ) during a refilling process. The adapter ( 100 ) has a first open end ( 10 ) and a second open end ( 11 ). The first open end ( 10 ) and the second open end ( 11 ) are connected to an, in particular, peripheral wall ( 12 ). A breaking element ( 20 ) is arranged inside the adapter ( 100 ). The breaking element ( 20 ) extends in the direction of the first open end ( 10 ) and is connected on one side via a web ( 21 ) to the wall ( 12 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adapter ( 100 ) for connecting a refill container ( 200 ) to a container ( 300 ) during a refilling process, the adapter ( 100 ) comprising:
a first open end ( 10 ) and a second open end ( 11 ), wherein the first open end ( 10 ) and the second open end ( 11 ) are connected to one another with a peripheral wall,
wherein
a breaking element ( 20 ) is arranged inside the peripheral wall, wherein said breaking element ( 20 ) extends in a direction of the first open end ( 10 ) and is connected on one side via a web ( 21 ) to the peripheral wall such that free space is created around the breaking element, said free space extending at least along half the circumference of the peripheral wall and the adapter ( 100 ) has a holding element at the first open end ( 10 ), wherein the holding element is designed as a radially extending collar ( 13 ) which extends radially from the first open end ( 10 ).

2. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the breaking element ( 20 ) extends radially inward in a direction of a central axis (A) of the adapter ( 100 ).

3. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the web ( 21 ) extends over at least 25% and at most 75% of the axial length of the breaking element ( 20 ).

4. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the breaking element ( 20 ) has a flank ( 22 ) which is inclined toward a central axis (A) of the adapter ( 100 ), wherein the flank ( 22 ) is designed to slope down in a direction of the central axis (A).

5. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 4 , wherein a cutting edge is formed on an end of the inclined flank ( 22 ) facing toward the first open end ( 10 ).

6. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the breaking element ( 20 ) extends over more than 50% of an open cross section of the adapter ( 100 ).

7. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the breaking element ( 20 ) has a sliding edge ( 23 ) opposite the web ( 21 ).

8. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the sliding edge ( 23 ) is inclined relative to a central axis (A) of the adapter ( 100 ).

9. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the sliding edge ( 23 ) and a flank ( 22 ) of the breaking element ( 20 ) merge into one another via a curve (R).

10. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the adapter is manufactured in one piece in an injection molding method.

11. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the peripheral wall is circularly cylindrical.

12. The adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the breaking element ( 20 ), together with the web ( 21 ), has a flat design, wherein the breaking element ( 20 ) has a thickness which is less than three times the thickness of the peripheral wall.

13. A container ( 300 ) comprising an adapter ( 100 ) according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Unterlechner Oliver
• Bösch Klemens
• Grieco Danilo
• Schnetzer Daniel

Classifications

• B65D71/502

  Coaxial connections · CPC title

• B65D81/3205 Primary

  Separate rigid or semi-rigid containers joined to each other at their external surfaces (B65D81/3288 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67B7/26 Primary

  combined with spouts · CPC title