Container for a cleaning product

The invention relates to a detergent container or the like, with a Schmeizverschluss, which at a predetermined temperature melting of one, located in a closure hole of the container, in particular in its lid stopper and the closure hole for the exit of befindlichem in the container product release material, preferably of paraffin ,, wherein the peripheral surface des.Verschlusslochs a is formed in the direction of the axis of the closure hole raised ring to hold the still unmelted plug (EP 32 682).

Liquid density Melting closures are used in product containers that are to be opened in a closed space during a process flow at a given temperature. For example, containers are used with melting closure for receiving employed in dishwashers machines nurses. In this case, the unopened container is placed in the engine room. Then, the machine is set to close the engine room going. To avoid that provided for maintaining the machine product leaves prematurely from the container, the material of the melt seal is selected so that the plug in question melts only at the best for the application of the product temperature, the product thus only at that moment in the engine room enters. The plug must also not without melting, can slide out of its location in the locking hole of the container, therefore a protruding toward the hole axis bead for retaining the plug has been formed annularly peripherally on the peripheral surface of the locking hole.

For storage of sealed product containers aforementioned kind may, as a result of temperature fluctuations, an undesired creep of the product between the peripheral surface of the fastener hole and the plug. This effect occurs especially with strong wetting, kriechfreudigem product. One reason for the product outlet is that temperature variations tiny gaps between the wall and the circumferential surface of the closing hole and inserted therein, in particular cast, melt-plug formed through which the product, optionally, can migrate through across the bead.

This problem could be solved by adjusting derTemperatur-expansion coefficients of the adjacent one another in the plug area materials. However, since the selection of materials for the container and the melting closure is already determined by a number of other demands, such as thermal stability or melting point, mechanical strength, chemical resistance and the like, at adapting the expansion coefficient, only one more or less acceptable compromise can be closed ,

If after the foregoing, a well sealed by the melting final product container is obtained, can be expected in gassing by raising the temperature of the products below Schmelzemperatur the plug, with positive pressure inside the container. Optionally, the pressure also acts on the plug. The material of the plug is already relatively soft at elevated temperature usually because it will melt at the temperature increases further. It can be about with extreme temperature fluctuations (eg day / night) be the case that the plug by changing positive and negative pressure acts like a pump and transported to the inner surface adhering product to the outside.

The invention is generally based on the object to create a premature leakage of in the container product preventing seal that is effective even with different thermal expansion behavior of vessel or Dekkelwandung one hand and the present in the locking hole of the container plug on the other. In particular should be prevented that the plug can be changed in its position relative to the locking hole by temperature-induced change in the container pressure.

For the above-mentioned detergent containers and the like with a provided in a locking hole plug-shaped Schmeizverschluss and with a formed on the peripheral surface of the locking hole toward the hole axis, raised ring is the inventive solution is that the ring radially in the course of its radial extension of the peripheral surface inwards towards the hole axis has an increase in thickness in the direction.

Preferably, the ring is to have a mirror-symmetrical to the perpendicular to the hole axis passing approximately through the center of the hole level increase in thickness. In particular, a ring with dovetail profile or T-profile out of the question.

According to another invention against temperature-induced changes in pressure of the container interior, the following measures are provided for stabilizing the sealing plug: First, the sealing plug itself can be stabilized, that to the closing hole, an annular increase for particularly secure sealing on a on the outside of the container, in particular the lid, sealing film is provided. In addition, the the closing hole covers on the tank outside of film is particularly stable when made with polypropylene coated lacquer, finely embossed aluminum, in particular with a thickness of about 40 microns, is. When the film is equipped with a roll-strap, it can easily be removed before use.

In addition to the measures to stabilize the plug by means of the sealing film, it can also be advantageous to design the product container at training as polyethylene bottle, preferably with square cross-section so that at a predetermined stack height even sufficient compressive load is reached and remain that at the same time the walls so soft that the vapor pressure of the container contents can rise with intermittent higher outdoor temperatures, without affecting the relatively soft stopper in the shape or position disturbing. Preferably thereafter to the wall thickness in the range between any of the predetermined stack height corresponding minimum value, in particular of at least about 0.7 mm, on the one hand and an elastic stretching and shrinking with temperature-related pressure change, in particular of at least about 0.05 bar, permitting the container interior maximum value on the other hand lie.

Incidentally, by the inventive design of the inner circumferential surface of the closing hole - ie the complete surrounding of the to melting stuffing ring profile - achieved that a relative to the container material shrinking melting closure at shrinking even more closely to the ring adjoins than originally when pouring into the locking hole , When the cross section of the ring of the circumferential surface of the closure hole increases towards the hole axis in the inventive manner, also arises in relation to the material of the closure hole wall shrunk plug a perfectly tight seal, the - to only by melting the plug - possibly while avoiding excessive pressure action is open. This advantage is further reinforced that the path that the product in the container - the stopper past - cover takes to get out of the container is increased labyrinthine by the inventive shape of the ring.

Reference to the schematic representation of an embodiment of details of the invention will be explained. Show it:<ul><li>FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrated square bottle with lid; and</li><li>Fig. 2 shows a section through a container lid.</li></ul>

In Fig. 1 a, generally designated 1 bottle made of polyethylene is shown schematically with square cross section. The bottle 1 has on the shoulder or upper side 2 a neck 3 with a lid 4. The quadrilateral cross-section of the bottle 1 requires a relatively high compressive load during stacking. For safe stacking the top of the lid 5 may be formed over a large area and flat or parallel to the bottom of the bottle. 6 The compressive load can be further increased at a relatively low wall thickness of the bottle body by dome-like configuration of the upper side. 2

Preferably, the quadrangular polyethylene bottle 1 is designed according to FIG. 1 that at a given stack height even sufficient compressive load is achieved, but the walls remain so elastic that it can yield a temperature-induced change in pressure in the bottle interior. The walls of the bottle 1 to be particularly so easily inflate or contract that pressure changes can not lead to an impairment of the foreseen in the bottle neck 3 plug of FIG. 2 in the interior of the bottle.

Details of the cover 4 and therein melting closure be explained with reference to FIG. 2. This shows a section through the cover 4 of a detergent container, including the bottle 1 of FIG. 1. In the exemplary embodiment is a screw cap 4 with an internal thread 8 and a one total with 9 designated closing hole cover having top 5. The closure hole 9 is preferably arranged symmetrically to the hole axis 10 and made 10 so long in the direction of the hole axis that. in the hole 9 is filled melting material, such as paraffin, up to a predetermined temperature forms a sufficiently safe for storage closing plugs 7 Premature release of the sealing plug 7 from the locking hole 9 is prevented by a on the inner surface or on the inner peripheral surface 11 of the locking hole 9 symmetrically to the hole axis 10 circumferentially formed ring 12th

The plug 7 can be produced for example by pouring the molten material into the locking hole. 9 To this end, the closure hole 9 is closed at the top of the lid 5 with a sealing film 13, and the molten material is poured into the closure hole 9 at on the head, so on top of the lid 5, stagnant lid. 4 Here, on the inside cover, a concave meniscus 14 in the solidified plug 7 arise.

Preferably, the integrally formed on the inner circumferential surface 11 of the closure hole 9 ring 12 a to the perpendicular to the hole axis 10 extending in the center of the ring plane 15 mirror symmetrical Dikkenzunahme, eg with a dovetail profile or T-profile, on.

If the closure hole 9 provided on its inner circumferential surface 11 with a molded ring 12 with dovetail profile and the profile is fully enclosed by the cast plug material, resulting in shrinkage of the plug 7 an increasingly denser closure because the shrinking material even closer than originally when casting to the peripheral surface 11 facing outward, facing away from the hole axis 10 edges 16 of the dovetail profile applies. Moreover, 12 of the path that the product contained in each container takes on more solid plug 7 to cover over, to get through the closure hole 9 passes, enlarged labyrinthine in this design of the ring.

To stabilize the plug 7 within the locking hole 9 is provided also the sealing film. 13 This can consist of polypropylene-coated aluminum of about 40 microns thick and have a detached tab 17 to facilitate peeling.

The stable application by heat sealing of the film 13 on the top of the lid 5 is simplified if at the closing hole 9 around on the Dekkeloberseite 5 an annular ridge 18 is provided for sealing the closure film. 9 The degree of increase in 18 relative to the remaining, preferably flat, lid top 5 may be of the order of magnitude of the thickness of the sealing film. 13 When the sealing film 13 is anchored in this way fixed relative to the top of the lid 5, it can the stability of the plug 7 against acting from container interior her support over or suppressing. A favorable to that effect stiffening of the sealing film 13 can be achieved by fine embossing the film material.