Patent Publication Number: US-2010126954-A1

Title: Valve for a tubular container

Description:
The present invention relates to a valve for a tubular container according to what is set forth in the preamble of claim  1 . 
     The invention will preferably be applied on flexible tubular containers, other types of containers or bags, which are characterized as being collapsible, but the invention can of course also be used on inflexible/shape stable containers. 
     The invention can be used to be directly mounted on a tube or another flexible container, but a use in combination with some type of capsule is also a suitable application. A main field of applications are tubes for various purposes, for various mediums or agents. 
     Presently used containers, which are provided with known capsules/closings, have a number of drawbacks, which can be eliminated according to the present invention. 
     The invention eliminates several of the drawbacks of the presently used container valves, and the main advantages of the present invention are:
         A closing effect is obtained, which means, that a controlled flow is obtained, which means, that a chosen or desired volume flows out from the container every time it is emptied.   No suction backwards subsequent to a terminated emptying of a desired volume, since the valve is closed again after an emptying has been carried out. In this way air cannot flow back again into the container.   An improved shelf-life of the enclosed medium is obtained, since no oxygen flows into the container after a terminated emptying.   An improved shelf-life is obtained, since possible bacteria will find it more difficult to force their way into the container, since the valve will be tight, as soon as the emptying has been terminated.   The improved tightness of the valve means, that the demand for chemicals in the enclosed medium is reduced, and yet the shelf-life of the contents in the container will not be reduced.   Thus, the improved tightness means, that the amount of sugar or preservatives in the medium can be reduced, the shelf-life being kept.   The invention does not require any supplementary closings of the container; e.g. a flip closing is a general term for a type of capsule, which otherwise often is used in the container industry.   A flexible container, e.g. a tube, will, with a closing design according to the present invention, be advantageous, since it is emptied successively in the same way as a rigid tube, e.g. a tube made of aluminium.   Consequently, a flexible tube, provided with the invention, can be emptied completely.   A completely emptied tube is very advantageous. Partly the usefulness of the medium is higher than with many of the presently used flexible tubes and partly a completely emptied tube can be obtained, which without drawbacks can be recycled.   It is easy to apply the invention, also in a separate capsule or a similar construction of a discharge device, in a container.       

     Additional advantages of the present invention are, that the invention is very cost efficient. With the present invention a completely new container valve has been provided, which due to its simplicity, combined with the advantages mentioned above, constitutes a completely new generation of container valves. 
     Additional characterizing features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the following description, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, which show a preferred but not limiting embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       The present invention is depicted in detail in diametrical, partly schematical sections or perspective views: 
         FIG. 1  shows a design of a complete container with a mounted valve membrane; 
         FIG. 2  shows a design of the valve membrane; 
         FIG. 3  shows a design of an interacting container connection; and 
         FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of a capsule with a mounted valve membrane. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  depicts a complete container  1  with a valve. The design shown in the figure is just a preferred embodiment of the complete container with a valve. Of course, within the scope of the invention some portions of the complete valve for a container may be designed in other ways, but the main principle of the present invention will be evident from  FIG. 1 . 
     Thus, the present invention is based on the fact, that a valve membrane  2 —called a membrane below—will be mounted in or on the outside of a container neck  3 —called a neck below—this neck being designed with an outer thread  4 , either completely smooth or only provided with some type of grooves or a collar and consequently it will be possible, if it is at all required, that the container be provided with some type of cap to provide it with such a cap. The need to use a separate cap or lid on the complete container valve does not have anything in common with the valve function, but is may be used together with possible requirements regarding the exposure of the complete container per se. 
     The preferred design of neck  3  is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 1  shows, that it is advantageous to mount membrane  2  inside neck  3  of complete container  1 . The membrane is fastened in an axial direction by mounting it above and downwards into neck  3 . The membrane has an inner surface  5  with a diameter, which is adjusted to the cooperative inner diameter of neck  3  in order to obtain a tight joint between the membrane and the neck. Also, the membrane will be locked in an axial direction, locked upwards, since the membrane is pressed downwards past an inner thick portion  6 , provided in the upper portion of the neck, and downwards by a central portion  7  of neck  3 . In the centre of the membrane there is an opening  8 , which tightly seals against central portion  7  and a central pin  9  in the central portion. 
     When an outer force is applied against the container, a positive pressure will be obtained in the container, which means, that the container will be exposed to internal forces, which press the membrane upwards, i.e. away from the container and mainly away in an axial direction. The membrane has obtained a tested stiffness/flexibility , which means, that the membrane, when the load on it is increased and the interior pressure is increased, will be deformed in such a way, that the surface pressure, which exists in the unloaded condition, i.e. in the condition, when no exterior forces influence the container, this surface pressure between opening  8  in the membrane and central pin  9  being reduced and, when the high pressure in the container will be increased even more, finally resulting in the formation of a gap  29  between central pin  9  and opening  8  in the membrane—see  FIG. 1   b . This gap is completely dependent on the high pressure, which is obtained in the container and on the physical properties of the contained medium, such as viscosity and rheological properties in general. 
     As soon as the positive pressure ceases, the membrane will return to its rest position— FIG. 1   a —i.e. the membrane will then directly seal via the contact, which is developed between central pin  9  and opening  8  in the membrane and a surface  14 , or portions of this surface, which are in contact with central pin  9 . 
     This means, that the amount of the contents in the container flowing out, whenever a positive pressure is applied on the container, will be limited. As soon as the pressure ceases, the outflow will also cease, which means, that always a controlled outflow will be obtained, having a desired volume, as a result on each occasion. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , including a container neck and a fastening of a membrane is just to be regarded as a preferable embodiment, but this does not stop other embodiments of the neck and the membrane fastening from being included in the present invention. The membrane may e.g. be applied on the outer side of and around the container neck, but the membrane can also in its periphery be locked by some type of threaded ring or a ring pressed onto the neck or the like. 
       FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  show membrane  2  in an external and sectional view respectively. 
     The membrane preferably is made by injection moulding and the material suitably is a polymer-based plastic material. The membrane preferably is made of the same base material, of which the container is made of, on which it is mounted, although certain modifications of the properties of the materials in the various portions are done in order to obtain desirable mechanical properties, e.g. flexibility. The same base material in the membrane and the container means, that the recycling of the container belongs to the same recycling classification. 
     Membrane  2  is made in a continuous way as a cylinder  15  having an open bottom and an upper surface  16 . Cylinder  15  has an exterior surface  5 , which dimensionally is coordinated with the container and its neck  3 , with which it will interact. In order to secure the tightness between these portions exterior surface  5  will be designed in order to split an upper outer corner  18  in two parts of a V-shaped groove  31 , which means, that a fraction of the material thickness in surface  5  is designed as a flexible sealing lip  32  having an outer point  33 , which height-wise is on the same level as corner  18  but in a radial direction outside surface  5 , this lip, when the membrane is mounted in neck  3 , being pressed against the neck and its inner diameter  25 , thereby improving the tightness between the interacting surfaces. 
     In order to additionally improve the tightness between membrane  2  and neck  3  surface  5  on the membrane will have a lower end  34 , which has a design, which improves the tightness between the membrane and the neck. Thus, surface  5  is in the lower part designed with an outer oblique plane  35 , having an angle of about 15-30° from the vertical line, said oblique plane extending from lower end  34  of the membrane all the way up to corner  36 , which preferably is sharp, i.e. without an outer radius between oblique plane  35  and an adjacent plane  37 , which with about 30°-45° from the vertical line returns to surface  5 . Corner  36  lies diameter-wise somewhat outside surface  5  and consequently also in this lower portion of the envelope surface of the membrane an improved tightness function is obtained, when the membrane is mounted in neck  3   
     Upper surface  16  has a waved design and an opening  8  in its centre. The shape of the waved surface has been tested in order to provide the elasticity and the mobility in the surface, which the function requires. Preferably the wave shape will be designed to have a downwardly, towards the container directed first partial surface  19 , which starts from t outer corner  18 , formed between the upper part of outer surface  5  and the outer part of first partial surface  19 . First partial surface  19  is changed more or less directly from outer corner  18  into a downwardly directed portion, which extends, with about one third of the length of outer surface  5  and downwards to lower end  34  of the membrane, and first partial surface  19  is changed via a radial portion  20  into a second partial surface  21 , which extends upwards to opening  8  in the membrane, which lies in the same plane or somewhat above outer corner  18 . 
     Second partial surface  21  ends towards the centre of the membrane with an upper corner  22 , which is the end of second partial surface  21 , this end having a somewhat enlarged and consequently wider sectional surface, this sectional surface constituting surface  14 , which concludes partial surface  21  and also is the interface of opening  8 , surface  14  having an upper corner  22 . Corner  22  consequently is the upper point on surface  14 . Surface  14  has an angle from the centre of the membrane, which is α and which has been tested in order to obtain a guaranteed contact between a casing surface  23  on central pin  9  and surface  14  on the membrane and a number of sealing lips  30 , which are provided on this surface. Preferably 2-4 sealing lips  30  are used and they constitute just small pointed ring-shaped portions on surface  14  having a height of about 0.05-0.3 mm. The membrane is thanks to its special design of upper surface  16  flexible and this design must be carried out in a tested way. 
     The following examples of the dimensions of the various portions of membrane, having e.g. an outer diameter of 20 mm, can be used: The material thickness of outer surface  5  is about 0.5, whereas upper surface  16  preferably is somewhat thinner. The radius between partial surfaces  19  and  20  preferably is about 1 mm and opening  8  about 2-3 mm. 
       FIG. 2   c  depicts a design of a membrane, which is provided with a safety device or a protective cover  38 , designed to prevent an improper use or emptying of the container. By directly in the manufacturing process add a protective cover to the membrane a possible requirement necessary to prevent an improper use of the container has been made feasible. The design of the protective cover can of course differ within the scope of the present invention, and the example shown in  FIG. 2   c  is only one alternative design and its geometrical shape will not be described in more detail. 
     When an injection moulding is done, it is possible to carry out a transfer from opening  8  in the membrane and from upper corner  22  of the opening to protective cover  38  with a thin-walled portion or a transfer surface  39 , which preferably has a material thickness of only 5-10 hundredths of a millimetre and consequently is easy to deform/break, when the container will be used. 
       FIG. 3  shows the design of a container connection, which interacts with the membrane. The figure shows a preferred design of the container, e.g. a tube, but within the scope of the invention the container may of course be designed in other ways. The important feature of the connection is the design of container neck  3  per se. 
     The neck has an outer portion  24  with an outer thread  4 . This thread is not necessary for the function of the complete container valve, but it can be used for e.g. an outer cap, a capsule or the like for the container. Outer portion  24  has an inner diameter  25 , which interacts with outer surface  5  of the membrane and with sealing lips  32  and  36  respectively, which preferably are mounted on surface  5 . In order to retain the membrane in an axial direction and prevent, that the membrane is dropped, neck  3  is provided with a thick portion  6 . Thick portion  6  is mounted close to the upper portion of neck  3  and preferably constitutes a circular segment having a curve height, which has the same size as or is less than the radius of thick portion  6 . In its lower inner part neck  3  has a transition zone  26  to the container itself. In this cone there are a number of spokes  27 . These spokes partly constitute stop means for the membrane, when it is mounted downwards into neck  3 , and partly they connect outer portion  24  of the neck with a central portion  7 , which is designed in the centre of the container and consequently in the centre of neck  3 . Between the spokes, which preferably are three or four, there is a space, in which the medium in the container flows out, when the container is emptied. 
     Central portion  7  has a central pin  9 , which extends upwards to or preferably somewhat beyond the lower edge of thick portion  6 . Since the central pin extends somewhat beyond the thick portion, this means, that it also reaches upwards to and somewhat beyond opening  8  in membrane  2 , this being possible, since upper outer corner  18  of the membrane is fastened directly below thick portion  6 , and also that opening  8  in the membrane, in its rest position, is positioned at the level of corner  18 . Since the central pin extends through and a small distance beyond opening  8  in the membrane, it has been possible to control the outflow from the container during the emptying of the container. Thus, a dosing effect is obtained, i.e. a chosen or desired volume will flow out of the container each time the container is emptied. 
     The central pin has an envelope surface  23 , which is somewhat convex. On the same level from the bottom of central portion  7  and on the same level, as the lower edge of thick portion  6  is positioned on, central pin  9  has a diameter, which is somewhat larger than opening  8  in the membrane. This means, that, when the membrane is mounted in container neck  3 , the membrane and its inner surface  14  will be in contact with envelope surface  23  of the central pin. This contact is possible thanks to the shape of the membrane and the chosen dimensions of opening  8  in the membrane and of central pin  9 , a certain tested pressure having been selected between said portions and consequently a tightness for the container has been obtained. When an emptying has been ended, i.e. when the outer pressure on the container ceases/is removed, the positive pressure in the container will disappear. The membrane will then directly try to obtain its unloaded position. This means, that the membrane tries to find a position, in which an as low residual tension as possible will be obtained. Since central pin  9  has a somewhat larger diameter than opening  8  in the membrane, a surface pressure between the membrane and the central pin is directly obtained and the opening out from the container is blocked. Since the closing takes place directly, as soon as the positive pressure disappears, an inflow of air into the partly emptied container is prevented. A flexible container, e.g. a tube, will with a membrane and a central pin according to the present invention in an advantageous way be successively emptied in the same way as an inflexible tube, e.g. a tube made of aluminium. Thus, the successive emptying of a container according to the invention will be directly visually read compared to the emptying of existing flexible containers, which normally return to their “filled shapes”. 
     The present invention allows also a complete emptying of a flexible tube and this means, that a lager portion of the contents in the container will be emptied than e.g. in existing flexible tubes. 
     Thanks to the immediate closing of the container preferably it is also possible to obtain an improved shelf-life for the enclosed medium in the container, since no air is allowed to flow into the container subsequent to a terminated emptying. An improved shelf-life is obtained also, because it will be more difficult for possible bacteria to force their way into the container; and another advantage resides in the fact, that an improved shelf-life means, that a demand for chemicals in the included medium is reduced without a shelf-life reduction compared to the state of the art. Another advantage of the invention is, that it strictly functionally is not necessary to use any other supplemental closing in the store keeping or availability phase. Many modem closings also are provided with a so called flip capsule or the like as a part of a complete valve for a tubular container. 
     By varying the dimensions of opening  8  in relation to central pin  9  and also choosing different materials and material thicknesses of the membrane it will always be possible to manufacture a membrane, which is able to meet the requirements of a special medium or a special application. 
       FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of a mounting of a membrane. 
     In this case the membrane is mounted in a capsule, which in its turn may comprise a number of embodiments, which will not be described in detail in this text. 
     However, the fact that this membrane, also in this type of application, provides a satisfactory function, depends of course on the construction of the interacting parts in such a way, that the membrane will function in the same way as has been described above, reference being made to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     In  FIG. 4  an embodiment of a capsule with a mounted membrane is shown. 
       FIG. 4   a  depicts a capsule  40 , which is provided with a cap  41 , provided with two transversal stiffening members  42 , which have a length/height, which means, that they, when cap  41  is closed, directly abut upper inner corner  22  of the membrane at opening  8  and consequently guarantee the tightness of the container, when the container is transported and/or kept in storage. 
     The fastening of the membrane in the capsule is completely identical with how the membrane is mounted in the container, in a tube with its neck  3 , in case the container is not designed to be provided with a capsule. Thus, the capsule has a corresponding thick portion  6 , above which the membrane is pressed down, and the membrane is stopped at its lower end  34  by central portion  7  with its spokes  27 . 
     In  FIG. 4   b  the cap on the capsule has been opened and the figure shows a position, in which the membrane is in its open position, i.e. when there is a gap  29  between central pin  9  and opening  8  in the membrane. This membrane position is obtained only, when the container is subjected to a positive pressure, i.e. when an emptying of the container is desired. 
     ITEM LIST 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                  1 = complete valve for a container 
                  2 = valve membrane (membrane) 
               
               
                  3 = container neck (neck) 
                  4 = outer thread 
               
               
                  5 = external surface 
                  6 = thick portion 
               
               
                  7 = central portion 
                  8 = opening 
               
               
                  9 = central pin 
                 10 = inner flank 
               
               
                 11 = outer flank 
                 12 = construction edge 
               
               
                 13 = inner diameter 
                 14 = surface 
               
               
                 15 = cylinder 
                 16 = upper surface 
               
               
                 17= 
                 18 = outer corner 
               
               
                 19 = first partial surface 
                 20 = radial portion 
               
               
                 21 = second partial surface 
                 22 = upper corner 
               
               
                 23 = envelope surface 
                 24 = outer portion 
               
               
                 25 = inner diameter 
                 26 = transition zone 
               
               
                 27 = spoke 
                 28 = bottle/tube 
               
               
                 29 = gap 
                 30 = sealing lip 
               
               
                 31 = groove 
                 32 = sealing lip 
               
               
                 33 = point 
                 34 = lower end 
               
               
                 35 = oblique plane 
                 36 = corner 
               
               
                 37 = plane 
                 38 = protective cover 
               
               
                 39 = transition surface 
                 40 = capsule 
               
               
                 41 = cap 
                 42 = stiffening member