Plastic tube and method for producing such

p0001The invention relates to a plastic tube according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a plastic tube according to the preamble of claim. 6

p0002Plastic tubes for example, pasty and / or gel-like packaged are known in various embodiments. also such tubes with a captive hinged cover in particular are known to design for reclosing the dispensing opening. Known plastic tubes of this type are manufactured in a manner that is used as a manufactured plastic molding tube shoulder on one end of the tube body forming a tube hose length and connected to the tube hose by welding. The tube shoulder piece then forms the conically tapered shoulder and a the tube opening having nipples. In a further operation, the actual closure is mounted on the nipple.

p0003it is known in particular (<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="US4386714A"><text>US 4386714</text></patcit>), To provide closure element in a tube, which tube body is manufactured integrally with a tube shoulder with nipple and tube opening (<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="US4386714A"><text>US 4386714</text></patcit>) Consisting essentially of a mounted on the tube nipple closure body and an integrally with the closure body manufactured and connected via a film hinge to the closure body hinged closure lid releases a with the tube opening of the nipple congruently disposed aperture in the closure body in the open state and the closed state, this opening.

p0004Similarly, there is in a tube with a hinged lid of the closure of a closure cap, which is fastened, for example by latching on the nipple of the tube shoulder piece so that an opening in the bottom of the cap is congruent with the tube opening of the nipple. The opening in the closure cap is then formed by a at this closing cap, pivotable hinged cover closed. Structurally, these known plastic tubes with snap closure and hinged lid consuming.

p0005Also known are tube-like container, where again the tube shoulder is made with the tube opening forming tube nipple integral with the tube body and in which a closure cover via a flexible, band-like, made of plastic holding portion is captively connected with the tube in the region of the tube nipple.

p0006Object of the invention is to show a plastic tube with a hinged lid, which can be manufactured in a particularly simple and inexpensive. To achieve this object a tube according to claim 1 is formed. A method for producing such a tube is the subject of patent claim sixth

p0007In the tube according to the invention forms the one part of the closure element, on which the hinged lid is directly hinged, at the same time the closure body and is permanently connected to the tube body forming the tube hose. An additional molding or tube shoulder piece with a surrounding a tube opening nipple is not required. The in the preparation of known tubes necessary with hinged lid step for connecting the cap with hinged lid with the tube nipple deleted.

p0008Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The invention is described in conjunction with the drawings of an exemplary embodiment in more detail. Show it:<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>a partial representation in section of a tube according to the invention;</dd><dt>Figs. 2 and 3</dt><dd>in single representation in cross section and in plan view a closure member of the Tube <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>; </dd><dt>Fig. 4</dt><dd>in the positions a - c show various steps of the inventive method for producing the tube of the <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 1</figref>,</dd></dl>

p0009In the figures, 1 is a tube package or tube for receiving a pasty, for example, and / or cream-like and / or gel-like product to be packaged. The tube 1 consists essentially of the tube body 2 formed with the laminated of a length of for example tubes hose 03.01 wall 3 as well as a closure element 4 which is provided at one end of the tube body 2 where it bounds the interior of this tube body. Until filling the tube 1 with the packaged product which is the closure element 4 opposite end of the tube body 2 is open and the tube body 2 or its wall 3 have a circular cylindrical shape. After filling the tube 1 the opposite in the closure element 4 end of the tube body 2 is closed in the usual manner, for example by welding.

p0010Of the wall 3 forming tube hose is made in the illustrated embodiment consists of a strip-like or tape-like plastic laminate by molding of the laminate into the tube by welding and which forms after the overlapping or adjacent longitudinal sides of the laminate. At least on the inside of the tube body 2, this laminate is formed by a layer of a weldable with the usual techniques the thermoplastic polymer.

p0011The closure member 4 is a two component injection molded part in the shown embodiment and consists of a cap-like shaped sliding body 5 and a cap 6 which is pivotally connected to the closure body. 5

p0012The cap-like closure body 5 is tightly connected by welding to the upper end of the tube body 2 and takes over in the tube 1, the function of the tube shoulder piece known tubes in that the closure member 5 closes the tube interior at the respective end of the tube body second

p0013The closure body 5 has a base 5.1 that extends substantially perpendicular to the tube axis TA and coaxially with this axis or to the axis of the closure body 5 has a central opening 7, which forms the tubal or dispensing opening. 5.1 the bottom is shaped in the region of the opening 7, that it at the tube body 2 outside facing away from a recess 8 where it forms, at the bottom thereof, the tube opening is 7th

p0014The bottom 5.1 is further formed with an open on the bottom outer side and the recess 8 concentrically surrounds with a radial spacing ring-like recess 9 as well as with a recess 10 which extends radially to the axis of the sealing body 5, opens into the recess 9 and at the edge of the bottom 5.1 ranges. The recesses 9 and 10 are completely aligned and filled with a plastic which forms a holding portion integrally formed with the lid 6 11 over which the cover 6 is held at the hinged closure body fifth For this purpose, at the transition between the holding portion 11 and the cover 6, that is formed in the region of the edge of the bottom of 5.1 by a portion of material of reduced thickness a joint or film hinge 12 between the lid 6 and the holding section 11, with a hinge or pivot axis which is tangential to the circumference of the soil and 5.1 in the plane of this bottom.

p0015Specifically, as the <figref idrefs="f0001">figure 2</figref> shows the recess 10 at the edge of the lid 5 is formed so that the holding portion of the recess 10 fills plastic formed 11 at the edge of the bottom 5.1 a bend or a projection extending in the direction of the tube axis TA extension 11.1 forms the se a parallel to the tube axis TA extending surface of the recess 10 and is supported at its free end and in a in a plane perpendicular to the tube axis TA stage arranged on the closure body. 5 In this way, an additional force is reached receiving mechanical connection between the holding portion 11 and the closure body. 5

p0016The shutter member 5 further has a circumferential wall 5.2, which is substantially rotationally symmetrical to the tube axis TA and be composed of a plurality of axially adjoining substantially annular portions, and that from the merging into the bottom 5.1 portion 13 having the smaller diameter, from which. to the section 13 adjoining section 14 with the slightly larger diameter and from the adjoining section 14 section 15 with the largest diameter Between the sections, the peripheral wall 5.2 forms one level or a collar, such as the substantially conical annular collar 16 between the sections 14 and 15. FIG.

p0017The cover 6 is plate-like formed, with one on the outer side concave bottom 6.1 and 6.2 with an edge on which the lid 6 via the film hinge 12 with the holding portion eleventh In the center is at the bottom 6.1 a closure pin 17 is formed, which is embodied in the illustrated embodiment as a hollow pin and engages in the closure position of the cover 6, ie at geklapptem on the outer surface of the bottom 6.1 cover 6 into the recess 8 and thereby the tube opening 7 tight manner.

p0018In final manufactured state of the tube 1, the wall extends over 3 of the tube body 2 to section 15 and the collar 16 and is welded there to the closure body. 5 The shutter body 5 is for this purpose made of a material suitable for this welding plastic, for example of a thermoplastic plastic, which is also the required stiffness for the shutter body 5 ensures in addition, to allow in particular the opening and closing of the cover 6 in a convenient manner. The lid 6 with the molded holding section 11 is made of a plastic material, which in particular ensures a long lifetime for the film hinge 12 also at a frequent opening and closing of the lid.

p0019In order to facilitate opening of the closed lid 6, a depression is formed opposite to the outer 18 surface of the bottom 5.1 and in the region of the edge of this floor as well as the film hinge 12th Further, a radially inner surface wegstehender of this directional web 19 is integrally formed on the inner surface of the peripheral wall 5.2 in the region of the section 15th

p0020The closure member 4 with the shutter body 5 and the cover 6 is made in a two-component injection molding, wherein the polymeric material or the plastic for the molded part 5 and the polymeric material or the plastic chosen the respective specific requirements in accordance with different for the lid 6 are, however, such that the necessary connection between these two parts of the closure element 4 has been reached.

p0021The <figref idrefs="f0002">figure 4</figref> shows in positions a - c the production of the tube 1. Here, first a closure member 4 provided at a mounting position with geklapptem on the ground 5.1 cover. 6 The closure member 4 is in this case mounted with the opening of the cap-like closure body 5 on the formed at the end face of a mounting mandrel 20 receiving, in such a manner that the straightening web 19 abuts against a gap formed on this recording stop so that the closure member 4 is given in a position and orientation of the mounting mandrel 20 is (a position of<figref idrefs="f0002">figure 4</figref>).

p0022Subsequently, the the tube body 2 and the wall 3 forming tube hose 3.1 is fed and drawn a predetermined length of this tube on the closure member 4 held on the mounting mandrel 20 so that the case trailing end of the shutter body 5 in the area of ​​the portion 15 and the Federal 16 encloses (b position of <figref idrefs="f0002">figure 4</figref>).

p0023In a further process step, the tube hose is then 3.1 is pressed by suitable means against the outer surface of the portion 15 and the collar 16 and in this case welded to the closure body 5, as in position c of the <figref idrefs="f0002">figure 4</figref> is indicated by the arrows K.

p0024Is the wall 3 forming tube hose 3.1 already been printed, so it is in the process described problem, this tube hose 3.1 aligned merge with the closure member 4 and connect to that certain elements of the printing on a line, for example, with the front of the finished Tube 1 defining handle recess 18 lie. By straightening web 19 and the corresponding stop on the mounting mandrel 20, each closure member 4 a predetermined position on the mandrel 20. The alignment of the tube hose for example, by an image recognition with a corresponding control.

p0025The invention has been described above based on an embodiment. It should be understood that numerous changes and modifications within the scope of the invention are possible as defined in the claims. Thus, it is also possible for example the shutter body 5 and the lid 6 with the holding portion 11 to produce and subsequently to connect with each other, but before the consisting of these two parts of the closure element is further processed into a tube 1 separately.

p0026Furthermore, of course, instead of the target web 19, other means for an aligned positioning the respective Verschlußkörp 5 can be provided on a mounting position or at a local holder ers.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

p0027<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>1</dt><dd>tube</dd><dt>2</dt><dd>tube body</dd><dt>3</dt><dd>Wall of the tube body</dd><dt>3.1</dt><dd>tube hose</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>closure member</dd><dt>5</dt><dd>closure body</dd><dt>5.1</dt><dd>ground</dd><dt>5.2</dt><dd>peripheral wall</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>cover</dd><dt>6.1</dt><dd>cover ground</dd><dt>6.2</dt><dd>lid edge</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>Tubal or discharge port</dd><dt>8th</dt><dd>deepening</dd><dt>9, 10</dt><dd>deepening</dd><dt>11</dt><dd>holding section</dd><dt>11.1</dt><dd>angular extension of the holding portion</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>film hinge</dd><dt>13, 14, 15</dt><dd>Section 5.2 of the peripheral wall</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>Shoulder or collar</dd><dt>17</dt><dd>lock pin</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>handle recess</dd><dt>19</dt><dd>directional web</dd><dt>20</dt><dd>installation tool</dd><dt>K</dt><dd>Nip loading Schweißkraft</dd><dt>TA</dt><dd>tube axis</dd></dl>