This application claims the benefit of PCT Application DE2005/001691, filed on Sep. 23, 2005, German Patent Application 10 2004 046 677.7, filed Sep. 24, 2004, and German Patent Application 10 2004 049 225.5, filed Oct. 8, 2004, the content of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The disclosure relates to a seal between the open body end of a container and an edge of a lid that may be pressed into the open body end. The lid may be removable. Both components may be made from (relatively) light gauge sheet metal. It is of primary concern to provide for a particularly safe seal, in particular for liquid hazardous materials, capable to also withstand mechanical impact such as from shock or fall.
A seal for a sheet metal container is shown in WO-A 1992/04248 (Baltics). This seal assembly provides for an intermediate ring that receives a seal ring and that contributes to the mechanical safeguarding of the appropriate engagement of the lid in the closed position. For safety an adhesive is applied to the respective interacting sealing surfaces which interconnects the compound.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure a seal may be provided which may possess the requisite high standards pertaining to such seal applications, and may be simpler and more economical to produce.
The insertable lid herein may be essentially similar to existing shapes of lids, allowing for the use of prevailing manufacturing methods and tools. Technical modifications can thus be held to a minimum, constituting an attendant objective of the disclosure rather than impeding the same.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a high degree of leak tightness may be achieved through the (direct) interaction between open body end (end of body) and lid edge (edge of the lid), rendering the use of an additional intermediate ring redundant. In the area of a sharp bend, the open body end may abut against (directly, or indirectly through a residual compound welt) the lid sheet metal (the defining edge) within its at least partially rolled edge (rolled edge) and thus may provide for a seal through direct contact, preferably with an expandable surface, under a reciprocal radial preload.
This area may be, at the same time, covered in the radially peripheral area by the sealing material (compound) provided within the rolled edge of the lid, in particular provided as a swelling compound.
In the course of a closing process, the body end with its bending radius comes into contact with the sealing material on the outside of the defining edge of the lid.
Subsequently several exemplary embodiments illustrate and supplement the disclosure.
The lid 1 as a component of the seal has an edge (edge section 1) with the lid surface 3 connected through a relatively deep, channel-like bead 4, which can also serve to dampen for example mechanical impacts. Its outer defining edge 5 extends in axial direction past the lid surface 3 and transitions into an outward bent rolled edge 7, whose sheet edge 8 ends at a (distinct) radial distance from the upper section 5a of the defining edge 5. The rolled edge has a sufficiently sized bending radius allowing for a sealing material 9 of appropriate volume to be received within it, which extends downward beyond the lower opening slot d8 of the rolled edge 7, over a certain distance alongside the defining edge 5.
The barrel 2a,10 of the container 2 (the body) may be bent outward by 180″ with a small bending radius 11 in order to provide for the opening of the body or container. The sheet metal 18 extends from the bending radius in the radial distance Ar predetermined by the dimension of the bending radius, in parallel with the barrel 10 of the body and axially downward with a longitudinal dimension L18, which distinctly exceeds the diameter d7 of the rolled edge 7 of the lid 1.
Subsequently, the sheet metal is bent outward in a radially and axially rising manner in order to form a support shoulder 12. At the peripheral edge of the support shoulder, the sheet metal is axially bent downward and ends in a roll-in 13 provided with a large diameter as compared to the rolled edge 7 of the lid or to the diameter dimension d11 of the small or sharp bend 11, the diameter being chosen such that the roll-in 13 is adjacent to the body wall 10 with its radially interior section or even abuts against it.
In a modification the body sheet metal can be shaped, at least in a given section, between the support shoulder 12 and the roll-in 13, into an outwardly protruding opening aid 16, as depicted in dashed lines in
In order to mechanically secure the engagement of the lid with the body end after closing, the body wall 10 and the outer defining edge 5 of the lid 1 each possess a corrugation 15 or 14, or a similar engaging element.
The open body end 10 with the bend 11 extends as far as possible into the interior of the rolled edge 7, approximately to the transition 6 between the outer defining edge 5 and the rolled edge 7 of the lid. The body barrel 10 enters into (direct or indirect) contact with the outer defining edge 5. This contact extends along the surfaces of the wall segments 5 and 10 and may occur under a radial preload as suggested schematically in
By means of this contact, which is being established under preload, a reliable seal may already be accomplished by mechanical means between the two participating elements of the seal.
The deep and wide channeled bead 4, the large rolled edge 7, the radial distance between the wall sections 10 and 18, the beveled support shoulder 12, and the large volume roll-in 13 at least adjacent to the body 10, in combination form a very effective cushioning and damping system, which may be capable of safely absorbing any impacts from pressure or shock, that may affect the area of the seal from the outside, without compromising seal effectiveness under these impacts.
The description and illustration of the seal clarifies, that the body end 10 with all elements of the seal—11, 18, 12, 13, and, if applicable, 16—can be formed from a single sheet metal blank. An additional intermediary ring is not required.
The lid can be essentially manufactured with known methods and means. The entire seal can thus be produced in a simple and economical manner, providing for excellent stability and tightness, thus making it suitable for hazardous materials containers.
In a further embodiment according to
The modification compared to the earlier described embodiments pertains to the body corrugation 15, which may be formed as a corrugation 15′ in a more pronounced radial and outward manner, thus providing for a supporting effect to the annular roll-in 13. According to
The body or container corrugation 15′ may also be provided axially more extended, but similarly also less extended, for example such as illustrated in
The section 14′ of the lid which is engaging into the corrugation 15′ may be formed such that positive locking and/or a friction engagement may be achieved when assuming its closed position within the corrugation 15′. An at least partial degree of lateral support may also be provided, whereby the axial upward pressure of the corrugation 14′ within the lid can be utilized for the further support of the corrugation 15′ in the container, wherein both corrugations can jointly support the annular roll-in 13 in the radially inward, and the axially downward direction.
An interconnection of support corrugations and roll-ins, which join from all adjacent elements of the seal area, may be created.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2004 046 677.7 | Sep 2004 | DE | national |
10 2004 049225.5 | Oct 2004 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/DE2005/001691 | 9/23/2005 | WO | 3/20/2007 |