Sealing device for container
OwnerGabriel Bouzagloinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This device comprises a diaphragm valve consisting of a part forming the valve seat, in which a duct for the flow of the product contained in the container is formed, and of a diaphragm made of elastically deformable material closely fitted onto this part. According to the invention: said part has a conical or cylindro-conical overall shape and has a cross section which increases toward the orifice via which the product flows out of said valve; said diaphragm has a conical or cylindro-conical overall shape corresponding to that of said part, this shape being such that this diaphragm can be fitted closely onto or into this seat-forming part, and said diaphragm and said container comprise bearing means so as to hold the diaphragm in its position of close fitting onto or into said part.
Claims14
1 - A sealing device for a container comprising a diaphragm valve consisting of a part forming the valve seat, in which part a duct for the flow of the product contained in the container is made, and of a diaphragm made of elastically deformable material fitted closely over this seat-forming part;
- this diaphragm, through elastic deformation, the result of pressure exerted on the product contained in the container allows this product to flow out between it and the seat-forming part, and in the absence of such pressure, presses against this seat-forming part to shut off the flow of product and close the container in a sealed manner;
- wherein:
- said seat-forming part has a conical or cylindro-conical overall shape and has a cross section which increases toward the orifice via which the product flows out of said valve;
- said diaphragm has a conical or cylindro-conical overall shape corresponding to that of said seat-forming part, this shape being such that this diaphragm can be fitted closely onto or into this seat-forming part, and
- said diaphragm and said container comprise respective bearing means collaborating with one another when the sealing device is mounted on the container so as to hold the diaphragm in its position of close fitting onto or into said seat-forming part.
2 - The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat-forming part and the diaphragm are shaped to allow the diaphragm to be stretched out circumferentially slightly over the seat-forming part or to allow this diaphragm to be contracted circumferentially slightly in the seat-forming part, in said position of close fitting.
3 - The device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said bearing means extend over the entire circumference of the diaphragm and are shaped to be able to constitute a seal between the part of the container forming the product reservoir and the neck of the container and/or between this neck and a part such as a cap that the end of the container may take.
4 - The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the seat-forming part is molded with a part, particularly a cap, intended to be mounted, for example by snap-fastening, on the neck of the container.
5 - The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:
- the diaphragm comprises a bulge which, when said part is fitted onto the container, bears against a bearing surface formed in the neck of the container, and/or
- the diaphragm has a collar projecting radially outward and shaped so that, when said part is fitted onto the container, it is gripped between the neck and this part.
6 - The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the seat-forming part has a rib projecting from its wall, radially and toward the outside thereof, this rib being situated between the orifice via which the product can be introduced between the seat-forming part and the diaphragm and the orifice via which this product escapes from between this seat-forming part and this diaphragm, each of these orifices being formed near this rib.
7 - The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, and which comprises a flip-up lid shaped to be normally returned to the closed position and to pivot to the open position only under the pressure of the stream of product.
8 - The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lid comprises a tab shaped to, in the closed position of this lid, bear against a thickened part of the diaphragm and, when the lid is pivoted into the open position, to deform this thickened part elastically so that the latter, by elastic return, tends to return the lid to the closed position.
9 - The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said tab comprises a catch engaging with a corresponding rim, so as to allow the lid to be mounted, the coming of this tab against said thickened part of the diaphragm holding this catch against this rim.
10 - The device as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the lid comprises at least one deformable part molded integrally with it, and which is shaped to deform when the lid is brought into the open position and to tend, by elastic return, normally to return this lid to the closed position.
11 - The sealing device for a container as claimed in claim 1, comprising a cap which delimits a flow duct for the product contained in the container, and a lid received in pivoting on the cap to allow the duct to be closed, wherein:
- the cap has a hole and comprises a part made of elastic material situated inside it, facing this hole;
- the lid comprises a tab sized to be engaged in this hole with the possibility of clearance, this clearance allowing said lid to move between its open and closed positions;
- the tab further comprises a rib which can be snap-fitted behind an edge of the lid delimiting said hole, so as to allow the lid to be mounted on the cap;
- the assembly is shaped in such a way that when said rib is snap-fastened behind said edge, the tab deforms said elastic part so that the elastic return of this part allows the lid to be kept in its closed position and without the flexibility of this part impeding the pivoting of this lid into the open position under the pressure of the product contained in the container.
12 - The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the lid comprises, on the opposite side to said tab, at least one deformable part molded integrally with it, while the cap comprises at least one corresponding wall against which this deformable part can slide when the lid is brought into the open position;
- said corresponding wall makes it possible to deform said deformable part in such a way that this deformation tends, by elastic return of the material of the lid, to return this lid to the closed position.
13 - The device as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the cap comprises a recess for accommodating the lid in the closed position, this recess having dimensions which correspond to those of the lid and being shaped in such a way that the exterior face of the lid is in the continuation of the exterior face of the cap when the lid is in place in said recess, in the closed position.
14 - The device as claimed in one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the lid, on its exterior side and facing said tab, has a region shaped so as not to correspond precisely to the shape of the corresponding region of the cap with which engages when the lid is mounted on the cap.