Closure for tubular containers

Abstract: It consists of a profile -1, 1a, 1b- glued onto the thickened edge -2- of the mouth -3- of a container. The profile has a tooth -6, 6a, 6b- which forms the limit of a recessed space -7, 7a , 7b- into which the thickened edge -2- fits. The profile -1- is provided with an outer radial rim -5, 5a, 5b- which rests on the thickened edge -2-. The space -7a- is is designed to have a plurality of splines or grooves and the space -7b- to be provided with a channel -7b- for penetration of the glue. The profile -1b- further presents two teeth -6b- and a space -10- therebetween into which the glue is inserted. The profile -1- is perfectly attached to the edge of the container, with no possibility of becoming detached, and allows the fitting of a conventional lid -9- to close the container.

Description: The present invention relates to a combination of container and closure, especially of tubular type and made of cardboard or other lightweight material. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Known in the art are closures for tubular cardboard containers, made up of a reinforcing profile built into the edge or periphery of the mouth of the container, with a seat on its inner outline onto which a closure lid fits, which lid may be hinged or not onto the reinforcing profile. These closures have several disadvantages, all of which relate to incorporation of the reinforcing profile on the edge of the container. A first disadvantage derives from incompatibility between the plastic material of which the profile is made and the glue used to ensure that it is attached onto the edge of the mouth of the cardboard container. Therefore, it is easy for the profile to become detached accidentally from the mouth of the container. Another disadvantage consists in the fact that known profiles for the formation of container closures form an outer projection around the mouth of the container, preventing the packages from being perfectly juxtaposed along their side faces when they are arranged for warehousing and transportation, so that a space corresponding to the projection described is left between them, thus wasting a considerable amount of space. A third disadvantage consists in that the profiles currently used to reinforce the mouth of tubular containers have a cross-section in the shape of an inverted "U", in the intermediate space of which the edge of the container mouth has to be fitted, in such a way that the glue deposited is displaced towards the back of the profile by the edge itself and therefore does not sufficiently cover the entire surface area of the profile in contact with the edge of the mouth, so that the joint between the profile and the mouth of the container is unstable. FR-A-2644756, on which is based the preamble of claim 1, discloses a combination of container and closure, comprising the closure a reinforcing profile formed on the edge of the mouth of the container, with a seat on its inner outline on which a closure lid is fitted. The profile presents along one of its longitudinal edges a radial rim which projects outwards from one of the sides of the profile, and has along the opposite edge a harpoonlike tooth projecting along the same side as the rim, so that between said rim and tooth is formed a recessed box-shaped space in which is housed a thickened section of the mouth of the container which projects inwards therein. The combination of the invention has been designed to solve the disadvantages outlined, providing a much more secure and stable closure than those currently known. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The combination is characterized in that the surface of the recessed box-shaped space is provided with at least one channel occupied by a bead of glue. The surface of the recessed box-shaped space has a plurality of channels into which the glue attaching the profile to the thickened section of the container mouth penetrates, thereby increasing the power of adherence of the glue. Along the length of the profile opposite that occupied by the diametral rim there project two consecutive teeth separated by a groove occupied by a bead of glue. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of what is described in the present specification, some drawings are attached which, solely by way of example, show a practical example of embodiment of the combination of container and closure. In said drawings, Figure 1 is a detail in cross-section of a first embodiment of the device fitted onto a container, with the lid separated; Figure 2 provides a view similar to the previous one, but in exploded form; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, but in exploded form; DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The closure as shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a profile -1a- forming a border, designed for attachment to an inner thickened section -2- provided on the outline of a mouth -3- of a tubular container -4-, preferably of cardboard or similar material, with the outer side covered by a sheet of paper with graphic motifs and informative texts relating to the content of the container. The thickened section -2- is formed by a fold -2a- of the container -4- itself glued against the inner face of the mouth -3- of the container -4-. The profile -1a- has a radial lip -5a- which projects outwards from a longitudinal edge and is designed to rest against a ridge -2b- of the thickened section -2-. Similarly, on the opposite longitudinal edge of the profile -2- there projects a harpoon-like tooth -6a- (Figure 2). Between the rim -5a- and the tooth -6a- is formed a recessed space -7a-, occupied by a layer of glue -8a- which joins the profile -1a-to the thickened section -2- and has the special feature that the tooth -6a- has to move beyond the edge of the fold -2a-under pressure, in such a way that it prevents the withdrawal movement of the profile once fitted onto the thickened section -2-, thus making it practically impossible to remove the profile without breaking the container (Figure 1). The inner outline of the profile -1a- has a shape suitable for fitting a lid -9- of known type. In the recessed space which is formed between the rim -5a- and the tooth -6a- a splined section -7a- has been provided, formed by grooves into which penetrates a layer of glue -8a-, increasing its adherence. Figures 3 and 4 show a closure constituted by a profile -1b- with a rim -5b- and two teeth -6b- instead of one. In the space -7b- between said rim and the teeth there is at least one channel -7c- full of glue -8b- which also covers the space -7b-. The teeth -6b- are separated by a space -10- occupied by a bead of glue -8c- (Figure 3). The closure described has several advantages in relation to closures of this type known to date: The presence of one or more teeth -6, 6a, 6b-retained by the edge of the fold -2a- prevents removal of the profile -1, 1a, 1b- and, therefore, forcible access to the container -4- without breaking the mouth -3-. The glue -8, 8a, 8b- is distributed uniformly over the entire surface of the profile which is in contact with the fold -2a-. Furthermore, the presence of grooves -7a- or channels -7c- allows the accumulation of glue in order to reinforce the attachment of the profile -1- on the projecting part -2-. The same may be said of the space -10- between the teeth -6b- (Figures 3 and 4). The thickened section -2- formed by the inner fold -2a- of the edge of the container results in that its outer surface, generally covered by a sheet of paper with graphics and inscriptions, occupies the inner face of the thickened section and is in contact with the glue which fixes the profile -1, 1a, 1b-, improving its adhesiveness, unlike other embodiments in which the glue is in contact with the inner face of the container, made of a material that is not very compatible with adherence of the glue. Independent of the object of the invention shall be the materials used for manufacture of the components of the closure, the shapes and dimensions of same and all accessory details which might be presented, as long as they do not affect its essential nature, which is defined in the appended claims.

Claims: Combination of container and closure, the closure comprising a reinforcing profile (1a, 1b) formed on the edge or periphery of the mouth (3) of the container, with a seat on its inner outline on which a closure lid (9) is fitted, which lid can be hinged or not onto the reinforcing profile, in which combination the profile (1a, 1b) presents along one of its longitudinal edges a radial rim (5a, 5b) which projects outwards from one of the sides of the profile, and has along the opposite edge a harpoon-like tooth (6a, 6b) projecting along the same side as the rim, so that between said rim and tooth is formed a recessed box-shaped space (7a, 7b) in which is housed a thickened section (2a, 2b) of the mouth of the container which projects inwards therein, characterized in that the surface of the recessed box-shaped space (7a, 7b) is provided with at least one channel (7a, 7c) occupied by a bead of glue. Combination as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the surface of the recessed box-shaped space (7a) has a plurality of channels into which the glue attaching the profile to the thickened section of the container mouth penetrates. Combination as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, along the length of the edge of the profile opposite that occupied by the diametral rim there project two consecutive teeth (6b) separated by a groove (10) occupied by a bead of glue.

Inventors: TEIXIDOR CASANOVAS PEDRO, TEIXIDOR CASANOVAS, PEDRO
Applicants: PAPER SA, PAPER, S.A.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65D3
IPC codes: B65D3