Patent Description:
which closing element is rotatable in the housing between an open position in which the two openings are present in front of each other and a closed position in which the two openings are present next to each other and are closed by parts of the walls of the housing and the closing element, the recess in the housing and the closing element having a circular cylindrical shape, the outside of the closing element connects liquid-tight to the inside of the recess.

In the closed position of the closing element, if there is any excess pressure in the container, only a force/pressure in radial direction is exerted on the closing element. By locking the closing element radially in the recess, the force/pressure is absorbed by the walls of the closing element and the housing. This means that no such force/pressure is exerted on the closing element that can move/rotate the closing element and thus open the connecting piece.

A connecting piece according to the preamble of claim <NUM>, which can be connected to a filling nipple, is known from <CIT>. In this known connecting piece, the closing element cannot be moved in axial direction when the connecting piece is mounted and can only be rotated about the longitudinal axis between an open and a closed position. In the known connecting piece, the closing element protrudes partly from the housing and dirt or liquid can end up between the closing element and the housing.

An object of the invention is to provide a connecting piece for a container, which can be opened and closed by cooperation with a filling nipple intended for this purpose, wherein the connecting piece closes more tight than the known connecting piece for long-term storage of the container. To this end, the connecting piece according to the invention is characterized in that the closing element, in the assembled state of the connecting piece, is slidable in the axial direction in the recess, between a first position in which the closing element is located at the location of a closed part of the wall of the housing, and a second position in which the closing element is located at a part of the wall in which the opening is present.

The closing element is preferably slightly clamping in the recess in order to obtain a good seal in the first position. Because it is not necessary to turn the closing element in the first position, it can be clamped tighter in the first position in the inside of the recess and therefore seal better. This first position is especially favorable if a filled container provided with the connecting piece is stored for a longer period.

Preferably, the closing element, in the assembled state of the connecting piece, is completely present in the housing both in the first position and in the second position. This means that no dirt can get between the housing and the closing element when the connecting piece is closed by a cap.

An embodiment of the connecting piece according to the invention is characterized in that one side of the circumferential edge of the flange is provided with a protruding lip and/or a recess for cooperation with a congruent shape of a wall of a recessed part of the dispenser around the filling nipple. In this way it can be achieved that only containers which are provided with a connecting piece with a specifically shaped flange can be connected to a filling mouth intended for this purpose and other containers which are not intended for this purpose cannot be filled with this filling mouth. The specifically shaped flange serves as a key and can be made in different shapes, each of which is a unique key for different types of containers.

The connecting piece preferably comprises a cap for closing the recess, which cap is connected to the flange via a flexible hinge. To ensure that this cap does not form an obstruction when connecting a container to a filling mouth, the cap is preferably present on the circumferential edge of the flange opposite the protruding lip and/or recess.

The invention also relates to a container provided with the connecting piece described above. This container is preferably formed by a plastic bag.

The invention furthermore relates to an assembly of a dispenser provided with a filling nipple and a container provided with the connecting piece described above, which can be connected to the filling nipple.

An embodiment of the assembly is characterized in that the closing element and the filling nipple are provided with mutually cooperating parts which are configured such that the closing element can be blocked against rotation by the filling nipple when the housing of the connecting piece is rotated. As a result, the closing element can be opened and closed by rotating the container relative to the filling nipple.

The through opening in the wall of the closing element is preferably formed by a slot extending from the open end of the closing element in a direction to the opposite end, wherein the filling nipple fits into the further recess of the closing element and being provided with a projection that fits into the slot in the closing element. This allows the closing element to be blocked against rotation by the filling nipple when the housing of the connecting piece is rotated.

A further embodiment of the assembly is characterized in that the dispenser is provided with a recess with a limiting edge, wherein this limiting edge and the circumferential edge of the flange of the connecting piece are formed in such a way that the connecting piece can only be fitted in one position sufficiently far over the filling nipple to couple the filling nipple to the closing element to block it against rotation. The closing element can only be turned if the connecting piece has been pushed sufficiently (completely) over the filling nipple so that the filling nipple is coupled to the closing element and blocks the latter against rotation. The connecting piece can only be slid sufficiently (completely) over the filling nipple in a certain position and also can only be removed from the filling nipple in this position. In this position the closing element is in the closed position so that the container can only be removed from the filling nipple in the closed position.

Preferably, one side of the circumferential edge of the flange is provided with a protruding lip and/or a recess, and the boundary edge has an inverse shape. As a result, only containers that are provided with a connecting piece with a specifically shaped flange can be connected to a filling mouth intended for this purpose.

The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment of the connecting piece, a container provided with the connecting piece and an assembly of a container and a dispenser according to the invention shown in the drawings, whereby:.

<FIG> show a dispenser <NUM> in the form of a dispenser for disinfection liquid. The dispenser <NUM> is provided with a dispenser nozzle <NUM> for dispensing dispenser liquid and a filling nipple <NUM> (see <FIG>) to which a connecting piece <NUM> of a container <NUM> can be connected (see <FIG>). In this embodiment, the container <NUM> is designed as a plastic bag, but can also be designed differently, such as for instance a bottle.

In <FIG> the container <NUM> is shown in cross-section. The connecting piece <NUM> has a housing <NUM> provided with a cylindrical recess <NUM>, which is open at its axial end 11a that protrudes from the pocket <NUM> and at the opposite axial end 11b. In the wall <NUM> of the housing <NUM> near the end 11b there are two opposite through openings <NUM>, via which the space in the bag <NUM> communicates with the open end 11a of the recess <NUM>. The recess <NUM> can be closed at this open end 11a by a cap <NUM> which is connected via a flexible hinge <NUM> to a flange <NUM> at the open end <NUM>1a of the recess <NUM>.

In <FIG> the connecting piece <NUM> is shown in perspective. On the housing <NUM> there is a coupling piece <NUM> to which the bag <NUM> can be attached. A lip <NUM> is present on the cap <NUM> for easily pulling the cap <NUM> in the closed position out of the recess <NUM>. In <FIG> the connecting piece <NUM> is shown from above.

During use, a cylindrical closing element <NUM>, shown in perspective in <FIG>, is present in the recess <NUM> in the connecting piece <NUM>. This closing element is provided with a further recess <NUM> which is also open at a first axial end 27a of the closing element <NUM>. Also in the wall <NUM> of the closing element <NUM> near a second axial end 27b are two opposing through openings <NUM> formed by slots extending from the open end 27a. A partition <NUM> is present in the recess <NUM> for reinforcement. In <FIG> the closing element <NUM> is shown in top view.

For clarification, the connecting piece <NUM> is shown in various views in <FIG> and the connecting piece is shown in longitudinal section in <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrate the cooperation between the housing <NUM> of the connector <NUM> and the closing element <NUM>. The cylindrical closing element <NUM> is pushed with the closed end 27b into the cylindrical recess <NUM>, see <FIG>. The recess <NUM> is then closed by the cap <NUM>, see <FIG>. In this position, the closing element <NUM> closes the recess <NUM> so that via the openings <NUM> incoming liquid cannot escape. In this position of the closing element <NUM>, the connecting piece <NUM> is properly closed and this position is particularly suitable for long-term storage of the liquid in the container. The recess <NUM> in the housing <NUM> and the closing element <NUM> fit together clampingly, so that the outside of the closing element <NUM> connects fluid-tight to the inside of the recess <NUM>.

By pushing the closing element <NUM> further into the recess <NUM>, see <FIG>, the openings <NUM> in the closing element are positioned before the openings <NUM> in the housing, so that the overlapping parts <NUM> of the two openings form a passage for liquid. By turning the closing element in this position a quarter of a turn, the openings <NUM> are closed off by the wall of the closing element <NUM>. This position is particularly suitable during use where the container in which the connecting piece has been used, regularly runs empty and needs to be filled.

In <FIG> the cooperation between the filling nipple <NUM> and the connecting piece <NUM> is illustrated. The closing element <NUM> is slidable in the axial direction in the recess <NUM>, between a first position in which the closing element <NUM> is located at the location of a closed part 13a (see <FIG>) of the wall <NUM> of the housing <NUM>, see <FIG>, and a second position in which the closing element <NUM> is located at a part 13b (see <FIG>) of the wall <NUM> in which the openings <NUM> are present, see <FIG>.

<FIG> shows the situation in which the connecting piece <NUM> with the closing element <NUM> is in the first position before it is slid onto the filling nipple <NUM>. In this position, the closing element <NUM> is pressed into the housing <NUM> when the container is manufactured. To fill the container, it is pressed with the closing piece <NUM> onto the filling nipple <NUM>, whereby a protrusion <NUM> of the filling nipple <NUM> enters the slots <NUM> in the closing element <NUM> and blocks the closing element <NUM> against rotation relative to the filling nipple <NUM>, see <FIG>. When pressing the filling nipple <NUM> of the connecting piece <NUM> further, the closing element <NUM> is moved to the second position, see <FIG>. The openings <NUM> in the housing <NUM> are closed in this position of the closing element <NUM> by wall parts of the closing element and the openings <NUM> in the closing element <NUM> are closed by wall parts of the housing <NUM>. In order to be able to fill the container, it must be turned a quarter turn, whereby the connecting piece <NUM> also turns a quarter turn relative to the filling nipple <NUM>. This is shown in <FIG>. The openings <NUM> and <NUM> are positioned in front of each other, so that a passage is formed via which liquid can flow from the filling nipple <NUM> into the container.

The connecting piece <NUM> can only be slid onto the filling nipple <NUM> and can only be removed from the filling nipple <NUM> in a specific position. In this specific position, the closing element is in the closed position. This will be clarified below with reference to <FIG>. Around the filling nipple <NUM> of the dispenser <NUM> there is a recess <NUM> in the wall <NUM> of the dispenser, see <FIG> in which the part A in <FIG> of the dispenser <NUM> is enlarged, but then viewed from above.

Part of the boundary edge <NUM> of the recess <NUM> has a shape that is congruent with a side of the flange <NUM> that has a specific contour, see <FIG>. In this embodiment, the flange <NUM> is rectangular and there is a protruding lip <NUM> on this side of the flange <NUM>. This protruding lip <NUM> is at distance from the center of this side. As a result, the connecting piece <NUM> can only be fitted completely onto the filling nipple <NUM> in a specific position. A differently shaped flange of another container does not fit on the filling nipple <NUM> of this dispenser <NUM>.

To open the connecting piece <NUM>, it should be rotated a quarter of a turn to the position shown in <FIG>. Under the boundary edge <NUM>, which limits the recess <NUM>, there is a recess <NUM> in which the lip <NUM> can rotate. In this position, the connecting piece <NUM> is open and cannot be removed from the filling nipple <NUM>. In order to release the container from the filling nipple <NUM>, this together with the connecting piece <NUM> must first be turned back a quarter of a turn to the position shown in <FIG> in which the connecting piece <NUM> is closed again.

Claim 1:
Connecting piece (<NUM>) for use in a container (<NUM>) for connecting it to a filling nipple (<NUM>) of a dispenser (<NUM>), comprising:
- a housing (<NUM>) equipped with:
- a recess (<NUM>) which is open at a first end (11a) and at an opposite second end (11b), as well as
- a protruding flange (<NUM>) at or near the first end (11a) of the recess (<NUM>), for coupling to the filling nipple (<NUM>), and
- a through opening (<NUM>) in a wall (<NUM>) of the housing (<NUM>),
- as well as a closing element (<NUM>) present in the recess (<NUM>) in the housing (<NUM>), which closing element (<NUM>) is provided with:
- a further recess (<NUM>) which is also open at a first end (27a) of the closing element (<NUM>), a second end (27b) of the closing element (<NUM>) opposite the first end (27a) being closer to the second end (11b) of the housing (<NUM>) than the first end (27a) of the closing element (<NUM>), as well as
- a through opening (<NUM>) in a wall (<NUM>) of the closing element (<NUM>),
which closing element (<NUM>) is rotatable in the housing (<NUM>) between an open position in which the two openings (<NUM>, <NUM>) are present in front of each other and a closed position in which the two openings (<NUM>, <NUM>) are present next to each other and are closed by parts of the walls (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the housing (<NUM>) and the closing element (<NUM>), the recess (<NUM>) in the housing (<NUM>) and the closing element (<NUM>) having a circular cylindrical shape, the outside of the closing element (<NUM>) connects liquid-tight to the inside of the recess (<NUM>), characterized in that the closing element (<NUM>), in the assembled state of the connecting piece (<NUM>), is slidable in the axial direction in the recess (<NUM>), between a first position in which the closing element (<NUM>) is located at a closed part of the wall (<NUM>) of the housing (<NUM>), and a second position in which the closing element (<NUM>) is located at a part of the wall (<NUM>) in which the opening (<NUM>) is present.