Rotary cover for closing the axial opening of a hollow-cylindrical body

A rotary cover for closing the axial opening of a hollow-cylindrical body, a rotary cap and said body having corresponding cam threads, which cause an axial displacement of the rotary cap relative to the body when the rotary cap is rotated. Axial sides of the rotary cap and of the body, which face each other, extend in a plane inclined by a specific angle .alpha. relative to the axis of the body. These axial sides of the rotary cap and of the body are in alignment with each other in the closed position of the rotary cover.

The present invention refers to a rotary cover for closing the axial 
opening of a hollow-cylindrical body. 
Such rotary covers are used e.g. for closing receptacles, which serve to 
receive therein a liquid or a powdery filling material and which are 
adapted to discharge said material in the open condition of the rotary 
cover. In this case, the body which is to be closed by the rotary cover 
can define the receptacle itself, or it can be constructed as a body which 
belongs to the rotary cover and which is screwed onto the neck of a 
receptacle with the aid of a female or a male thread. 
In the case of a rotary cover known from German Utility Model 19 60 248, a 
plug defining the body is inserted in the neck of a receptacle with the 
aid of a one-piece spring means. The plug consists of a coaxial central 
post carrying at its axial end a valve body, which cooperates with an 
axial through hole of the rotary cap. With the aid of the spring means, 
the coaxial central post and, consequently, also the valve body can be 
pressed axially inwards in the closed condition of the rotary cover, 
whereby the through hole provided in the rotary cap is opened so that the 
receptacle can be filled from outside. for discharging the filling 
material contained in the receptacle, the rotary cap is partly unscrewed, 
whereby the through hole of the rotary cap moves away from the valve body 
in the axial direction and opens thus a free discharge cross-section. The 
spring means holding the plug or rather the central post comprises radial 
ribs, which are secured in position on the inner circumferential surface 
of the body and which are connected to the coaxial central post. 
The present invention is based on the task of further developing a rotary 
cover of this type in such a way that it can be produced in a simple 
manner and permits easy handling as well as unhindered discharge of 
filling material contained in the body. 
In the case of a rotary cover of the above-mentioned type, this task is 
solved by the features disclosed in the characterizing clause of claim 1. 
The rotary cover according to the present invention is characterized by the 
feature that, when rotated relative to the body by 180.degree., it carries 
out an axial displacement relative to said body with the aid of the cam 
thread. In the case of this axial displacement, the rotary cap is, 
however, not detached from the body in the open position of the 
receptacle, but an opening, which is axially or radially provided in the 
rotary cap, is uncovered so that filling material contained in said body 
can be discharged outwards. The axial sides of the rotary cap as well as 
of the body, which face each other, extend in a plane inclined by a 
specific angle relative to the axis of the body. In the closed position of 
the rotary cover these bevelled sides are in alignment with each other, 
whereas they diverge in the open position of the rotary cover. 
Although, in the case of normal operation, the rotary cap and the body of 
the rotary cover are separated not even in the open position, they are 
produced preferably from plastic material as separate individual 
components, whereby they can have different colors so as to optimize the 
aesthetic impression conveyed by the rotary cover. 
Further developments of the present invention are disclosed in the 
subclaims.

The rotary cover, a perspective view of which is shown in FIG. 1, consists 
of a rotary cap 1 and of a body 2. Although the cap 1 is not detached from 
the body 2 when the rotary cover is used in the normal way, the cap 1 is 
shown separately from the body 2 in said FIG. 1 so as to illustrate the 
structural design of the rotary cover more clearly. In the case of this 
first embodiment of the rotary cover, which is explained in detail on the 
basis of FIG. 2a to 2e, the rotary cap 1 and the body 2 include 
corresponding cam threads 3, which effect an axial displacement of the 
rotary cap 1 relative to the body 2, when the rotary cap 1 carries out a 
rotation about the axis of the body 2 through an angle of rotation of 
approx. 180.degree.. The axial sides 4 and 5 forming part of the rotary 
cap 1 and of the body 2 and facing each other are inclined by a specific 
angle .alpha. relative to the axis. The size of the angle .alpha. depends 
on the pitch of the cam thread 3. The body 2 is provided with a central 
post 12 secured to the inner circumferential surface of the body 2 via 
ribs 13. The rotary cap 1 is provided with a central opening 14 extending 
through the axial end face of said rotary cap facing away from the body. 
This opening 14 is provided with a cover seat 15 cooperating with a 
complementary sealing surface of the central post 12 so as to sealingly 
close the opening 14 in the closed condition of the rotary cover. 
As can be seen in detail from FIG. 2a and 2e, the body 2 is screwed onto 
the neck of a receptacle, which is not shown in these figures, by means of 
a female thread 11 provided on its inner circumferential surface. Such a 
receptacle can contain a liquid or a powdery filling material in the 
manner known, and this filling material can be discharged through the 
opening 14 provided in the rotary cover. The bevelled axial sides 4 and 5 
of the rotary cap 1 and of the body 2, which face each other, can be seen 
especially in FIG. 2b and 2d. FIG. 2e shows the rotary cap 1 and the body 
2 in a condition where they are interconnected and in the open position of 
the rotary cover, in the case of which the central post 12 of the body 2 
is detached from the cover seat 15 of the opening 14 so that said opening 
is free for discharging therefrom filling material contained in a 
receptacle. In the open position of the rotary cover, the bevelled axial 
sides 4 and 5, which form part of the rotary cap 1 and of the body 2 and 
which face each other, diverge, whereas they are in alignment with each 
other in the closed position of the rotary cover. In connection with these 
oblique axial sides 4 and 5 of the rotary cap 1 and of the body 2, 
reference must be made to the fact that these sides can be given by the 
outer contour of the rotary cap 1 and/or of the body 2, since--as in the 
case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and 2--the body 2 can be provided 
with an additional superstructure located above its bevelled side 5 and 
defined by a concentric circumferential surface, which carries the cam 
thread 3 on its outer side, the ribs 13 and the central post 12. 
However, as will be explained hereinbelow, it is also possible that--in the 
case of other embodiments of the rotary cover--the rotary cap 1 is 
provided with such an extension directed towards the body 2, said 
extension being then also defined by a circumferential surface engaging 
the body 2. 
As shown in FIG. 2c and 2d, the rotary cap 1 can be provided with four 
ribs, which, in the case of this embodiment, serve to center the rotary 
cap 1 relative to the body 2 and which can also fulfil an additional 
function in the case of the embodiments explained hereinbelow in 
connection with FIG. 3 and 4. 
The additional embodiment of a rotary cover shown in FIG. 3a to 3f differs 
from the above-explained embodiment in so far as the ribs 13 within the 
body 2 are secured to the central post 12 as well as to the inner 
circumferential surface of the body 2 via hinges 16. The ribs 13, which 
are thus articulated on the central post 12 as well as on the body 2 via 
said hinges 16, are elastic and act as leaf springs. Four ribs 17, which 
are formed in the rotary cap 1, cooperate in a non-postitve mode of 
cooperation with the central post 12 having a square cros-sectional 
profile in the case of this embodiment, said ribs 17 being arranged in a 
mode of arrangement similar to that shown in FIG. 2c and outlined in FIG. 
3d and 3f. 
When the rotary cap 1 is rotated relative to the body 2 by 180.degree. with 
the aid of the cam thread 3, this will not only have the effect that the 
rotary cap 1 is axially displaced relative to the body 2 in the manner 
which has already been described, but it will also have the effect that 
the central post 12 is rotated about the axis of the body 2 by 180.degree. 
via the ribs 17 in the rotary cap 1. The progress of this rotary movement 
of the central post 12 is shown in FIG. 3a, 3c and 3e. In the course of 
this rotary movement, the elastic ribs 13 are deformed in the manner 
shown, said ribs 13 occupying a first stable position when they are in the 
position shown in FIG. 3a, whereas in the case of the position shown in 
FIG. 3c they occupy an unstable central position in which they are 
deformed to a maximum extent an exert, consequently, the maximum resetting 
force on the central post 12 in the direction of said one stable position 
which is shown in FIG. 3a and in the direction of the second stable 
position which is shown in FIG. 3e. In this way, the rotary cap 1 is 
spring-loaded and pretensioned towards its completely open position and 
towards its completely closed position so that it is positively fixed in 
these respective stable positions of the elastic ribs 13. 
The remaining structural design of the rotary cover corresponds also in the 
case of this embodiment to the structural design which has already been 
explained in connection with the first embodiment. 
FIG. 4a to 4f show a modified version of the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 
3. This modified embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 
with regard to the fact that three elastic ribs 13 are provided in the 
body 2, each of said three ribs being secured via hinges 16 to the central 
post 12 and to the inner circumferential surface of the body 2 in the same 
manner. In the case of this embodiment, the cross-sectional profile of the 
central post 12 has the shape of an isosceles triangle. As can be seen 
from FIG. 4b, 4d and 4f, the rotary cap 1 is provided with three ribs 17, 
each of said ribs being in non-positive engagement with a respective side 
of the central post 12. 
As for the rest also this embodiment corresponds with regard to its 
structural design and its mode of operation to the structural design and 
the mode of operation described in connection with the previously 
explained embodiments. 
In FIG. 5a to 5e and additional embodiment of the rotary cover is shown, in 
the case of which the body 2 itself constitutes the receptacle. The rotary 
cap 1 is provided with a circumferential surface 6 engaging the interior 
of the receptacle 2, said circumferential surface 6 having provided 
therein an opening 9 which extends therethrough in the radial direction. 
As can be seen from FIG. 5d and 5e, this embodiment does not require any 
central post in the body 2. In the case of the closed position of the 
rotary cover shown in FIG. 5d, the opening 9 is fully covered by the 
circumferential surface of the receptacle 2. Hence, the receptacle 2 is 
closed. 
In the case of the open position of the rotary cover shown in FIG. 5e, the 
circumferential surface of the receptacle 2 leaves open the whole opening 
9 so that filling material contained in the receptacle 2 can be discharged 
through the opening 9. 
In the case of the additonal embodiment of the rotary cover shown in FIG. 
6a to 6e, the radial opening 9 in the rotary cap 1, which is provided in 
the case of the previously explained embodiment, is equipped with a 
discharge spout 10 articulated on the circumferential surface 6 of the 
rotary cap 1 via a hinge 18. In the open position of the rotary cover 
shown in FIG. 6a, 6c and 6d , the discharge spout 10 is pivoted outwards 
by hand or under the influence of the force of gravity so that the filling 
material contained in the receptacle 2 can be discharged therethrough in 
the direction desired. 
When the rotary cap 1 is rotated by 180.degree. to the closed position of 
the rotary cover, which is shown in FIG. 6b and 6e, the discharge spout 10 
is pivoted automatically upwards and, consequently, it is pivoted into a 
position closing the opening 9. 
As for the rest, this embodiment corresponds with regard to its structural 
design and its mode of operation to the structural design and the mode of 
operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. 
FIG. 7a to 7c shows an additonal embodiment of the rotary cover so as to 
demonstrate the manifold possibilities of using such a rotary cover also 
for other purposes. In the case of this embodiment, the rotary cap 1 
serves to close a tube or a hollow-cylindrical bar of the type used e.g. 
for towel-racks or the like. The circumferential surface 6 of the rotary 
cap 1, which engages the interior of the body 2, has provided thereon a 
locking projection 7 in a resilient arrangement with the aid of grooves 
19. This locking projection 7 is adapted to engage a locking recess 8, 
which is provided in the inner circumferential surface of the body 2, this 
being shown especially in FIG. 7b. The mode of arrangement shown in the 
present connection, in the case of which the rotary cap 1 is locked in the 
"open position" of the body 2, is not the only possibility of arranging 
the locking projection 7 and the locking recess 8. As has already been 
explained hereinbefore, the axial sides 4 and 5 of the rotary cap 1 and of 
the body 2, which face each other, diverge in this "open position". 
It is, on the other hand, also possible to arrange the locking projection 7 
and the locking recess 8--in a manner which is not shown in the present 
connection--in such a way that they interlock when the rotary cap 1 
occupies its "closed position", in the case of which the axial sides 4 and 
5, which face each other, are in alignment with each other. 
In the case of all the embodiments shown and explained, the rotary cap 1 
and the body 2 are produced separately as individual components. These 
components are preferably produced by injection molding from a plastic 
material or they are produced in some other way. Hence, the rotary cap 1 
and the body 2 can have different colors so as to further optimize the 
aesthetic impression conveyed by the rotary cover. 
The rotary cap 1 can have different shapes and patterns on the outside 
thereof so as to adapt the aesthetic impression to the respective desired 
requirements and cases of use. It is in this connection also possible to 
replace the rotary cap 1 by a different rotary cap 1, the rest of the 
rotary cover remaining unchanged. 
Although this is not shown in the drawings in the present connection, the 
cam thread 3 can be provided with notches so as to provide locking 
positions for the rotary cap 1 at both end points of the 180.degree. 
rotation. 
In the case of the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and 4, the body 2, the 
spring-type ribs 13 and the central post 12 should preferably be produced 
as an integral component by injection molding from a plastic material. In 
the case of this embodiment, the spring arrangement defined by the ribs 13 
determines the maximum angle of rotation of the rotary cap 1 relative to 
the receptacle 2, said maximum angle of rotation being again 180.degree..