The invention relates to an arrangement for Dressing a pasty or fluid substance out of a film bag, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
From the prior art, film bags of substantially cylindrical basic shape, which are filled with pasty or fluid substance and which are generally closed off at the ends, for instance by clamps, and in this respect have end-rounded ends, are already known. Film bags of this type are generally pressed out by being inserted into a cylindrical receptacle which at a first end is closed off, for instance, by means of a closing cap. From a second end of the cylindrical receptacle, pressure is applied to the film bag via a pressing element, so that the substance contained therein is pressed out via an appropriate press-out opening in the closing cap. The closing cap is generally constituted by a plastic-made disposable part, which traditionally is inserted into the end of the cylindrical receptacle and is secured relative to the cylindrical receptacle by suitable fastening means.
However, the problem exists that that cross section within the cylindrical receptacle which is free for the film bag is reduced through the insertion of the closing cap by at least the wall thickness of the closing cap, or the closing cap, in the pressing-out of the pasty or fluid substance, constitutes a “step” in relation to the inner wall of the cylindrical receptacle for the film bag, with the result that the emptied bag is not always ensured to fold fully, as intended, into the receiving space formed by the closing cap. Instead it can happen that film and/or pressing element get caught on the step formed by the wall of the closing cap, or, worse still, that parts of the film are squeezed through between closing cap and inner wall of the cylindrical receptacle in the press-out direction. Removal of the closing cap with the emptied film can then be made considerably more difficult or, without the aid of suitable tools, impossible. Moreover, there is the risk of damage to the pressing element and to the sensitive sealing lips disposed thereon.
DE 10 2001 060 382 A1 describes a tubular bag applicator gun having a handle which enables the user to control and guide the gun properly. The tubular bag gun further has an elongate hollow cylinder, which serves to receive a tubular bag. For this purpose, the hollow cylinder is designed open on that side which, in relation to the side of the handle, is facing away from the tubular bag gun and can be closed off with a cap-like closure. The closure is connectable to the hollow cylinder via suitable connecting means. In D1, the closing cap is mounted from outside onto the cylindrical receptacle. Although this does not give rise to a step in the inner wall (as described above), in such a solution the film bag cannot be received in the closing cap, which makes the handling of the device more difficult (for instance when it is a matter of removing the folded-up film bag after use, together with the closing cap). In DE 10 2007 060 382 A1, this is accomplished with am annular body, onto which the folded-up film is slipped. This is perceived as comparatively complex.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,180 describes a device for dispensing pasty materials, in which at the transition between a cylindrical receptacle and a closing cap there is provided a widening, into which the emptied film is placed. However, this solution too relies on steps, which can lead to complications.
US 2009/0065527 A1 describes a device for dispensing liquids, in which a step is likewise provided (in this case on the inside) between closing cap and receptacle for the material (with the problems described above).
EP 1 0 65 153 A1 describes a film package for a pasty substance, having a tubular film bag, to the end face of which is fixedly attached a cover part. Due to the fixed connection between tubular film bag and cover part, the tubular film bag cannot be inserted in the direction of the cover part, which makes the handling of the device more difficult.
The present invention has set out to provide an arrangement in which a complete accommodation of the film of the emptied film bag within the receiving space of the closing cap is ensured with sufficient certainty.
This object is achieved with an arrangement according to the features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements are defined in the subclaims.
A fundamental central idea of the present invention consists in providing coupling devices, which act between the cylindrical receptacle and the closing cap and which ensure that the (entire) inner cross section A of the cylindrical receptacle and the (entire) inner cross section B of the closing cap, at its distal end facing the cylindrical receptacle, overlap (at least substantially fully). According to the invention, a deviation (tolerance) of less than 50%, preferably less than 20%, of the wall thickness of the closing cap at its distal end facing the cylindrical receptacle from the (full) overlap is also possible. The two inner cross sections A, B thus do not have to be fully in register. In the prior art (see
The cylindrical receptacle and the closing cap are preferably (fixedly) connectable to each other, for instance via integral bonding and/or force closure and/or form closure, for instance via a frictional closure and/or a tongue and groove connection and/or a screw joint and/or a bayonet fastening and/or a screw cap.
The film bag is supported against the closing cap. In particular, the film bag is essentially movable in relation to the closing cap and is not (fixedly) connected thereto. Insofar as the film bag is in contact with the closing cap, it can also be redetactable from the closing cap (without resulting in damage to film bag and/or closing cap and/or to any bonding layer which may be present).
By way of clarification, it is pointed out that the cylindrical receptacle does not necessarily have to have the basic shape of a circular cylinder, but can also be a cylinder of slightly oval basic shape, for instance. Accordingly, the inner cross section A of the cylindrical receptacle would then not be an exact circle, but rather, for instance, a slight oval. Correspondingly, the inner cross section B of the closing cap would have to be oriented to the respectively concrete inner cross section A, possibly also deviating slightly from the rotational form, of the cylindrical receptacle. For instance, it would be conceivable to reshape a circular inner cross section A or circular inner cross section B with 48 mm diameter as an oval, such that mutually perpendicular axial dimensions of 49 mm and 47 mm are given for the inner cross section A and the inner cross section B.
In a preferred refinement, the cylindrical receptacle has at its end facing the closing cap a circumferential groove or tongue, in which the closing cap is secured in the radial direction perpendicular to the center axis of the cylindrical receptacle.
This also radial securement of the closing cap is advantageous, since traditionally an exact observance of the predefined inner cross section B for the receiving space of the closing cap generally produced as a disposable plastics part cannot always be adequately ensured, and steps or gaps can also thereby be formed.
In a preferred embodiment, the closing cap is axially securable by a screw joint, a bayonet fastening or a screw cap according to the principle of a cap nut, in the direction of the center axis X relative to the cylindrical receptacle.
In a concretely possible embodiment, the cylindrical receptacle forms a groove which is open toward the inner side of the cylindrical receptacle, wherein the groove in the radial direction, viewed from the center axis X, has a width which corresponds to the width of the closing cap at its distal end. The distal end of the closing cap is in this embodiment thus inserted into the cylindrical receptacle such that the inner faces of cylindrical receptacle and closing cap are in mutual alignment.
By way of supplement or additionally, it is also possible, however, that the closing cap has a groove, in which that end of the cylindrical receptacle which is facing the closing cap engages. In a concretely possible embodiment, that end of the cylindrical receptacle which is facing the closing cap can have a circumferential tongue, which engages in the groove of the closing cap.
For the securement of the closing cap in the axial direction (parallel to the center axis X), there can be provided a screw cap, which at its end facing the cylindrical receptacle has first engagement means, which are configured correspondingly to second engagement means configured at that end of the cylindrical receptacle which is facing the closing cap. The first engagement means configured on the screw cap can be constituted, for instance, by an internal thread which is screwable onto a corresponding external thread provided on the outer side of the cylindrical receptacle. Instead of a thread, a bayonet fastening, for instance, would also be conceivable however.
In a preferred refinement, the screw cap can have alignment devices, which ensure an alignment of a preferred axis of the screw cap collinearly to the central center axis X of the cylindrical receptacle. Ideally, the proposed screw cap effects in this respect a securement of the closing cap both in the axial direction parallel to the longitudinal axis X and in the radial direction, i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X.
In a further preferred embodiment, the closing cap has a press-out nozzle, which in particular is integrally molded on. In this case, the alignment devices of the screw cap can comprise, for instance, contact elements, which embrace the press-out nozzle from the outside and thus secure the closing cap in the desired alignment.
In a concretely possible embodiment, the arrangement further comprises a transmission unit for the connection of an, in particular, electric drive, in order to the pressing element in the direction of the closing cap.
In a further possible embodiment, in addition to the cylindrical receptacle for receiving a film bag, there is further provided at least one cartridge receiving device for receiving an exchangeable cartridge containing a second pasty or fluid substance, and a mixing device for mixing the two substances, wherein the transmission unit is configured and designed to effect via appropriately provided drive elements a simultaneous pressing of the substance out of the film bag and of the substance out of the cartridge receiving device, with subsequent mixing of the two substances.
The invention is explained also with regard to further features and advantages in greater detail below, on the basis of the description of illustrative: embodiments and with reference to the following drawings, in which:
In
Since the closing cap 13 is inserted in the cylindrical receptacle 12, in the prior art the inner cross section B of a receiving space 16 of the closing cap 13 is smaller, at least by twice the wall thickness of the closing cap 13 at its distal end, than the inner cross section A of the cylindrical receptacle. Hence, for the film of the film bag 11, a step 37′ is created when, in the emptying operation, the remaining film of the film bag is pressed into the receiving space 16 of the closing cap 13.
An additional problem is created by the fact that, due to tolerances and/or deviations from an exact circular form, the closing cap 13 has a cross section which, in relation to the inner cross section of the cylindrical receptacle 12, allows one or more gaps 38′. In the pressing-out of the film bag, a part of the film can therefore be pressed into such a gap 38′, with the result that the closing cap 13 can subsequently no longer be removed, at any rate no longer without the use of tools, from the cylindrical receptacle 12. Moreover, there is the risk that, in the event of an improper transfer of the emptied film into the receiving space 16 of the closing cap 13, damage can occur to the pressing ram, above all to the sealing lips disposed on the periphery of the pressing ram.
The embodiments according to
In a first embodiment, which is illustrated in
In
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In
The closing cap 13 is fastened to the cylindrical receptacle via a screw cap 27. For this purpose, the screw cap 27 has at its end facing the cylindrical receptacle 12 first engagement means 29, which are configured correspondingly to second engagement means 30 configured at that end of the cylindrical receptacle 12 which is facing the closing cap 13. In the concrete case, the first engagement means 29 on the screw cap 27 are constituted by an internal thread and the second engagement means 30 on the cylindrical receptacle are constituted by a correspondingly configured external thread.
In addition, in the present embodiment the closing cap 13 further has alignment devices 31, which are concretely formed by contact elements 33. Said contact elements 33 are supported against a press-out nozzle 32 integrally molded onto the closing cap 13 and ensure, furthermore, that the preferential direction of the closing cap 13 is aligned collinearly with the center axis X of the cylindrical receptacle 12.
In
Via a transmission unit 34 and appropriately provided drive elements 40, the arrangement is made such that, in a mutually coordinated manner, the pasty or fluid substance is pressed out of the film bag 11 simultaneously with a pressing of the pasty or fluid substance out of the exchangeable cartridge 36, wherein both substances, before being dispensed through a dispensing nozzle 41, are mixed together in the mixing device 39 configured as a mixer.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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14186052.8 | Sep 2014 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2015/071507 | 9/18/2015 | WO | 00 |