Abstract:
A closure cap system is provided, including a closure cap which is preferably produced according to a plastic injection molding method and provided with a closure stopper which can be placed on a neck opening which is also preferably made of plastic, said neck opening being that of a bottle container. The closure cap is provided with a bottom and the closure stopper is formed on the inner side of the cap bottom opposite the neck opening. In order to create a functionally secure stopper, said closure stopper is arranged on a plane in a parallel position with regard to the cap bottom such that it can pivot in relation thereto.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application is a continuation of pending International patent application PCT/EP2004/051993 filed on Sep. 1, 2004 which designates the United States and claims priority from German patent application Nos. 10344242.1 filed on Sep. 23, 2003 and 10361613.6 filed on Dec. 30, 2003, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates firstly to a closure cap which is produced using the plastics injection molding process. The invention further relates to a combination of a closure cap and a receiving vessel. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Various embodiments of closure caps of the type in question are known, such as in particular closure caps which, on the inner side of the cap base, have a central closure stopper, formed integrally on the base, for a mouthpiece opening. 
   Among known closures of the above-mentioned kind, compare for example DE 196 16 000 A1 and SU 1 671 537 A1, the closure stopper which is rotatable relative to the cap base is not usable for mouthpiece openings of the associated container which are disposed non-rotationally symmetrically or somewhat eccentrically with respect to the central axis of rotation of the cap base. 
   With regard to the prior art mentioned, the object of the invention in respect of the closure cap is seen in the provision of a closure cap with a closure stopper which is rotatable relative to a closure cap base and which is also usable in the case of non-rotationally symmetrical mouthpiece openings and/or eccentric disposition of a mouthpiece opening. 
   In regard to the combination of closure cap and receiving vessel, reference to the state of the art is made for example to U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,647 B1. From this, it is not however already known to provide a rotary closure cap with a central axis of rotation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is in this respect the provision of a suitable combination by virtue of which non-rotationally symmetrical mouthpiece openings and/or eccentric mouthpiece openings may also advantageously be closed. 
   On account of this configuration, the orientation and association of closure stopper and mouthpiece opening are ensured and simplified during fitting of the closure cap onto the mouthpiece opening region of the bottle vessel. Any manufacturing tolerances can be compensated for by the closure stopper being disposed pivotably. In particular, an eccentrically disposed mouthpiece opening can be reliably closed off via the closure stopper by means of the closure cap according to the invention. The rotary-alignment part serves to automatically direct the closure stopper into the position of association with respect to the mouthpiece opening. 
   In this respect, similar aspects also apply in regard to the subject matter of the closure cap. Therefore, the closure stopper, during fitting of the closure cap onto the bottle vessel, is forcibly displaced, by means of the rotary-alignment part, which furthermore is preferably disposed such that it rotates with the closure stopper in the closure cap, into the association position. In a preferred configuration, the closure stopper is formed on a holding plate which is disposed such that it can rotate relative to the cap base and is mounted rotatably, in the manner of a disk, around a central axis of rotation of the closure cap. The closure stopper and the associated mouthpiece opening may be disposed centrally. The invention has proven particularly advantageous in a configuration in which the closure stopper and the mouthpiece opening are disposed eccentrically relative to a central axis of rotation of the closure cap. On account of the closure stopper being disposed pivotably in accordance with the invention, therefore, even a mouthpiece opening of the bottle vessel that is disposed eccentrically with respect to the central axis of rotation of the closure cap can be reliably closed by the closure stopper on the cap side. On account of the configuration according to the invention, it is also possible to achieve a more reliable closure of a multicomponent bottle vessel having a corresponding plurality of mouthpiece openings, in which case one central mouthpiece opening may also be associated with one or more eccentrically disposed mouthpiece openings. Therefore, it is furthermore proposed that two oppositely-disposed closure stoppers, with rotary-alignment parts located between them in the direction of rotation, are disposed on the holding plate. A configuration in which the closure stoppers and accordingly also the mouthpiece openings are disposed diametrically opposite is preferred. Each closure stopper can be associated with one mouthpiece opening of the bottle vessel. It is also conceivable for more than two closure stoppers to be disposed for the purpose of closing off a corresponding number of mouthpiece openings. The rotary-alignment part disposed between the closure stoppers is used to automatically orientate the holding plate and, by means of this, the closure stoppers during fitting of the closure cap onto the bottle vessel. The preferably disk-like holding plate may be held on the cap base at the boundary side. It is also conceivable for the holding plate to be seated on a latching pin which is formed on the cap base and preferably disposed centrally, which latching pin at the same time forms the body axis of rotation for the holding plate. In particular in the case of a holding plate which is formed with a reduced diameter compared to the cap base, it is also provided that centering formations be formed on the cap base to facilitate mounting of the holding plate. Furthermore, it is preferable for the centering formations and the latching pin to be formed integrally, from the same material, on the cap base. In its most simple form, the closure cap according to the invention may be formed as a press-fit cap with a self-aligning closure stopper. A configuration in which the closure cap is a screw cap is preferred. As the cap is being screwed on, the rotary-alignment parts are responsible for orientating the position of the closure stoppers with respect to the mouthpiece openings. The solution according to the invention has also proven advantageous for a configuration with just one central mouthpiece opening. The stopper, which has been displaced axially towards the mouthpiece opening as the cap is being screwed on, is held frictionally on the mouthpiece wall. The further displacement of the cap as it is being screwed on then merely effects a linear displacement of the stopper into the opening. This counteracts any abrasion in this region of interaction. 
   Furthermore, the invention relates to a combination of a closure cap, which is preferably produced using the plastics injection molding process and has a closure stopper, and a receiving vessel, preferably a bottle, which has at least one mouthpiece opening, which preferably likewise consists of plastics and is formed eccentrically with respect to a central axis of rotation of the closure cap, the closure cap having a cap base, and the closure stopper being formed on the inner side of the cap base, facing the mouthpiece opening. To make such a combination of closure cap and receiving vessel more functionally reliable, in particular with regard to the closure of the mouthpiece opening, it is proposed that the closure stopper is disposed such that it can pivot relative to the cap base in a plane that is parallel to the cap base, and that the mouthpiece opening is formed such that it is raised up with respect to a surrounding vessel cover of the receiving vessel. The mouthpiece opening of the receiving vessel is disposed in a central region, which is elevated with respect to the vessel cover, although the mouthpiece opening does not necessarily have to be disposed centrally, but rather may also be disposed eccentrically with respect to a vessel cover center axis. It is also provided that the rotary-alignment part is formed on an arc of a circle which intersects the closure stopper or mouthpiece opening. On account of this configuration, automatic alignment of the cap-side closure stopper with respect to the mouthpiece opening is achieved while the closure cap is being attached. Therefore, it is further provided that the closure cap is held on the discharge vessel by means of a screw closure, and that the screw closure is not (yet) active when the rotary-alignment part collides with the mouthpiece opening. On account of this configuration, the screw closure can be made to become active only once the closure stopper has been oriented in a deliberate way with respect to the mouthpiece opening. Finally, it is provided that when the closure cap has been screwed on, the rotary-alignment part is disposed above the vessel cover and laterally with respect to the mouthpiece opening formation. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of the appended drawings, which illustrate just two exemplary embodiments and in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a view of a combination according to the invention of a closure cap and a bottle, which is only indicated, relating to the closed position of the closure cap; 
       FIG. 2  shows the side view of this; 
       FIG. 3  shows the plan view of this; 
       FIG. 4  shows the enlarged section on line IV-IV in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the closure cap from below, with a holding plate omitted; 
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the holding plate from below; 
       FIG. 7  shows the closure cap illustrated in  FIG. 5 , but after the holding plate has been associated with it; 
       FIG. 8  shows the plan view of the vessel cover of the bottle vessel, with an illustration of the holding plate and the closure stoppers in the closed position reproduced by dot-dashed lines; 
       FIG. 9  shows a sectional illustration corresponding to  FIG. 4 , but relating to a second embodiment of the holding plate; 
       FIG. 10  shows a perspective view from below of the closure cap of the second embodiment, with the holding plate omitted; 
       FIG. 11  shows a perspective view from below of the second embodiment, toward the closure cap, but after the holding plate has been associated. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 to 3  show the combination according to the invention of a closure cap  1  produced using the plastics injection molding process and a receiving vessel or bottle vessel  2 . 
   The receiving vessel  2  is formed as a two-component vessel and has a discharge head  4 , which is secured, for example press-fitted, on the vessel neck  3  and has two discharge chambers  6  and  7 , which are unambiguously associated with the component regions of the vessel  2 . 
   The discharge head  4  has a vessel cover  8  that is supported on the neck  3  of the vessel  2 . This vessel cover  8  is substantially disk-like in form and extends transversely with respect to a center axis of the discharge head  4 , which is circular in contour. 
   Two elevations  9 , which face away from the vessel  2 , are circular in cross section, form the discharge chambers  9  and  10  and narrow in cross section from the vessel cover  8  toward their free ends, extend from this vessel cover  8 . At the end side, the elevations  9  are in each case provided with a mouthpiece opening  10 , associated with a discharge chamber  6  and  7 , for the stored medium. When seen in plan view, these mouthpiece openings  10  are disposed diametrically opposite and eccentrically with respect to the discharge head center axis. Furthermore, as can be seen from the plan view illustrated in  FIG. 8 , these mouthpiece openings  10  are formed in the adjacent circle-edge sections of the elevation covers, leaving a distance defined by a web  11  connecting the elevations  9 . 
   Furthermore, the mouthpiece openings  10  are surrounded by annular walls  12  oriented eccentrically with respect to the opening axis, which annular walls  12 , when interacting with the closure cap  1 —as explained in more detail below—perform a sealing function. 
   A circumferential strip  13 , which on the outer lateral side bears an external screw thread  14  and which surrounds the vessel neck  3 , extends on the edge side of the vessel cover  8 . 
   The discharge head, and in particular the region which includes the mouthpiece openings  10 , is likewise preferably made from plastics. 
   In a known way, the closure cap  1  has a pot-like form with a circular contour, an encircling cap wall  15 , on the inner lateral side, bearing an internal screw thread  16  that interacts with the external screw thread  14  of the discharge head  4 . 
   On the inner side, i.e. facing the discharge head  4 , the cap base  17  carries a disk-like holding plate  18 , on which the closure stoppers  19  are disposed for sealing closure of the mouthpiece openings  10  of the discharge head  4 . This holding plate  18  is substantially in the form of a circular disk and is held such that it is pivotable and/or rotatable, in a plane parallel to the cap base  17 , about the central axis of rotation x of the closure cap  1 . 
   The holding plate  18 , a first embodiment of which is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 8 , has a cap-side latching bead  20  engaging over its circumferential edge, this latching bead ensuring on the one hand that the holding plate  18  is held captively on the closure cap  1  and on the other hand that the holding plate  18  can rotate freely on the underside of the cap base  17 . 
   The two closure stoppers  19  are disposed diametrically opposite, eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation x, at a spacing from one another which corresponds to the spacing between the two mouthpiece openings  10  of the discharge head  4 . 
   The diameter of each closure stopper  19  is matched to the internal diameter of the annular walls  12  of the mouthpiece openings  10 . 
   As seen in the direction of rotation of the holding plate  18 , rotary-alignment parts  21  are formed on the underside of the holding plate  18 , between the two oppositely-disposed closure stoppers  19 . These rotary-alignment parts  21  are formed as circle-segment walls which are disposed on an arc of a circle which is oriented so as to intersect the closure stoppers  19  coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation x (cf. in particular the illustration presented in  FIG. 8 ). The narrow side edges, facing in the circumferential direction, of these rotary-alignment parts  21  are disposed at a distance from the adjacent closure stoppers  19 , with a secant dimension, i.e. the clear distance between two narrow edges of a rotary-alignment part  21 , being matched to the clear dimension between the elevations  9  of the discharge head  4  in the region of the pocket  23  formed between the elevations  9 . 
   The closure cap  1 , which is formed as a screw cap, in order to close the vessel  2 , is screwed onto the discharge head  4  in the usual way by means of a screwing motion of the closure cap  1 , with the closure stoppers  19  being oriented with respect to the mouthpiece openings  10  by means of the rotary-alignment parts  21 , with a rotary motion of the holding plate  18  relative to the closure cap  1 . Provided that the rotary-alignment parts  21  collide with the mouthpiece openings  10  when the closure cap  1  is first being fitted onto the discharge head  4 , the selected height formation of external screw thread  14  on the discharge head side and internal screw thread  16  on the cap side means that it is impossible for the screw closure to become active, since the rotary-alignment parts  21 , which are engaging against the mouthpiece openings  10  and/or against the annular walls  12  surrounding them, do not allow the closure cap  1  to be lowered sufficiently far for threaded engagement. Only through slight rotation of the closure cap  1  or refitting of the closure cap  1  in a slightly turned position causes the holding plate  18  to be aligned in such a manner that the closure stoppers  19  are positioned exactly above the mouthpiece openings  10 . The edge walls of the elevations  9  which bear the mouthpiece openings  10  assist the self-aligning effect by virtue of the rotary-alignment parts  21  being in this way displaced accurately in the pockets  22  formed between the elevations  9 , with rotation of the holding plate  18 . The located closure situation is illustrated by dot-dashed lines in  FIG. 8 . 
   Only once mouthpiece openings  10  and closure stoppers  19  have been disposed accurately one above the other is the closure cap  1  lowered sufficiently far for it to be possible for external and internal screw threads to engage with one another in order to secure the closure cap  1 , with the closure stoppers  19 , during the screwing-on operation, moving into the space, which is delimited by the annular walls  12 , as a result of linear displacement parallel to the cap axis x in order to close off the mouthpiece openings  10  in a sealing manner. 
     FIGS. 9 to 11  show a second embodiment of the closure cap  1 , in which the diameter of the holding plate  18  is reduced compared to the first exemplary embodiment, having approximately half the diameter by comparison with the latter. An inwardly facing latching pin  23  is formed on the cap base  17  to rotatably fix the holding plate  18 . This latching pin  23  is preferably formed integrally with the cap base  17 , from the same material, and to rotatably fix the holding plate  18  has an annular collar  25  which engages over a central aperture  24  in the holding plate  18 . 
   On account of the selected formation, the aperture  24  is positioned centrally between the two closure stoppers  19 . The way in which the closure stoppers  19  and rotary-alignment parts  21  are disposed and oriented, and also their respective size ratios, correspond to those of the first embodiment. 
   To facilitate fitting of the holding plate  18 , radially oriented, web-like centering formations  26 , which point downward from the cap base  17 , are formed on the cap base  17 . In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, four centering formations  26 , which are distributed circumferentially uniformly with respect to the axis of rotation x, are provided, with two oppositely-disposed centering formations  26  being spaced apart from one another in accordance with the diameter of the holding plate  18 . 
   All the features disclosed are (inherently) pertinent to the invention. The content of disclosure of the associated/appended priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby incorporated in its entirety in the disclosure of the application, partly with a view to incorporating features of these documents in claims of the present application.