Patent Application
20210093069
This application claims priority to German Patent Application no. 10 2019 126 132.5 filed Sep. 27, 2019, which application is incorporated herein by reference in it's entirety.
The disclosure relates to a cream jar comprising an inner jar having an inner container for receiving a cream or a similar viscous fluid, an outer jar for receiving the inner jar, and a lid member, the lid member comprising a lid having a thread and a mating thread disposed on the inner jar and/or on the outer jar, the lid member being used to close the inner container of the inner jar.
Cream jars of the kind mentioned above are sufficiently known. For instance, WO 2007/045474 A1 and WO 2016/066529 A1 show cream jars having an inner jar, an outer jar and a lid member. A cream or another viscous fluid is received by an inner container of the inner jar. The lid member is connected to the outer jar via a screw top so that the inner container of the inner jar can be closed. The screw top is suitable for repeatedly opening and closing the cream jar and thus for removing the cream or refilling the jar with the cream or another viscous fluid. The outer jar, the inner jar and the lid member are additionally characterized by the fact that the individual components of the lid member or the components of the outer jar and of the inner jar are connected to each other not only in a form fitting manner but also in a bonded manner, which creates a particularly stable and optically pleasing design of the cream jar. The disadvantage is that the components of the outer jar, of the inner jar and of the lid member are not easily separated from each other once they have been put together to form a cream jar. Since the outer jar, the inner jar and the lid member are often made of different materials, such as metal or plastics, cream jars according to the state of the art are not easy to recycle or to reuse because individual components of the cream jars cannot simply be severed from other components and be replaced.
Therefore, the object of the present disclosure is to propose a cream jar that is simple to produce while being more easily reused and recycled.
To attain said object, the cream jar according to the disclosure has the features of claim 1.
The cream jar according to the disclosure comprises an inner jar having an inner container for receiving a cream or a similar viscous fluid, an outer jar for receiving the inner jar, and a lid member, the lid member comprising a lid having a thread and a mating thread disposed on the inner jar and/or on the outer jar, the lid member being used to close the inner container of the inner jar. The inner jar is replaceable, the inner jar and the outer jar forming a severable connection, said connection being a latching connection.
The cream jar according to the disclosure offers the advantage that the connection formed between the inner jar and the outer jar is not a bonded connection formed by gluing or welding, for example, but a latching connection which can be established and severed repeatedly. By severing the latching connection, the inner jar of the cream jar can be removed and replaced with another inner jar, for example. This allows the outer jar to be reused by replacing the inner jar. If the outer jar is not going to be reused, the lid, the inner jar and the outer jar can be easily separated by severing the screw connection and the latching connection when the cream jar is to be disposed of. If the lid, the inner jar and the outer jar are made of different materials, these materials can simply be separated and thus be recycled separately. The lid and the outer jar can be made of metal, for example, in order to provide the cream jar with a particularly pleasing optical design. The inner jar, on the other hand, can be made of plastic, which makes production of the inner jar particularly simple and cost-efficient.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the inner jar has an axial edge web at a container opening, said axial edge web corresponding to an axial edge web formed on a container neck of the outer jar in such a manner that the axial edge web of the inner jar is in form-fitting contact with the axial edge web of the outer jar when the latching connection is established. The establishment of the latching connection in an axial edge web of the outer jar and an axial edge web of the inner jar makes production of a cream jar with a latching connection particularly simple.
Particularly advantageously, the axial edge webs of the inner jar and of the outer jar can be shaped inn such a manner that they are not visible from outside when the cream jar is closed with the lid member.
Preferably, the latching connection is realized by a latching element on the axial edge web of the inner jar and a corresponding mating latching element on the axial edge web of the outer jar. A connection between the latching element and the mating latching element can be established by lightly pushing them against each other and can be severed by lightly pulling. This is easily done by a person. The latching element and the mating latching element are simply introduced into or molded onto the axial edge webs of the inner jar and the outer jar.
Advantageously, the mating latching element of the outer jar can be a corrugation. In this case, the mating latching element is of a particularly simple design and is easily produced.
Furthermore, it is advantageous for the cream jar to have an axial anti-rotation means realized between the inner jar and the outer jar in at least one horizontal plane. The anti-rotation means counteracts rotating of the outer jar and the inner jar. This is particularly advantageous when a person wants to remove a cream or a viscous fluid from the inner container of the inner jar and strokes along the wall of the inner container, which can cause the inner jar to move with the finger if there is no anti-rotation means.
It is advantageous if the anti-rotation means comprises a contour on the inner container of the inner jar and a corresponding mating contour on the outer jar, the contour and the mating contour having a shape other than a circular shape. The shape other than the circular shape can be achieved by rounded portions, corners, polygons or other shapes. When the contour and the mating contour establish a form fit, relative rotating of the inner jar and the outer jar is no longer possible. Advantageously, the form fit between the contour and the mating contour is established at the same time as the latching connection.
Advantageously, the contour of the anti-rotation means can be realized on an outer wall of the inner container of the inner jar, an inner wall of the inner container having an essentially circular contour. The contour of the anti-rotation means is not visible to a person while said person removes a cream or a viscous fluid from the cream jar because the contour is disposed on an outer wall of the inner jar and thus faces the inner side of the outer jar. The inner wall of the inner container has a circular contour which allows simple and residue-free removal of the cream from the inner container so that no cream residue remains in corners or bulges of the inner wall.
Advantageously, the mating contour of the anti-rotation means can be formed by a radial edge web of the outer jar disposed on the container neck of the outer jar. Such a radial edge web of the outer jar is molded on the axial edge web of the outer jar, thus protruding therefrom. This makes the mating contour of the anti-rotation means particularly simple to produce because it can be die-cut or cut from a basic form of the outer jar. Additionally, a projecting edge strip in the shape of a radial edge web allows the mating contour to be produced in a particularly material-saving way.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the axial edge web of the inner container forms the latching element of the latching connection and the mating thread of the lid member on opposite sides, the latching element being formed on an inner wall of the axial edge web and the mating thread being formed on an outer wall of the axial edge web. The particular advantage is that the axial edge web of the inner container fulfills two functions, namely forming the latching connection and forming the mating thread. Since the latching element and the mating thread are formed on opposite walls, they can be realized and severed independently of each other.
For example, the latching connection can be severed while the lid is closed. Additionally, it is advantageous for the latching element and the mating thread to be disposed on the same axial edge web because this facilitates material-saving production since no more than one structure has to be molded in order to form the latching element and the mating thread.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the inner jar has a radial edge web, said radial edge web being disposed between the inner container and the axial edge web of the inner jar, the radial edge web being in contact with an inner wall of the lid when the inner container of the inner jar is closed with the lid member. This makes it possible for the inner container of the inner jar to be covered in a sealed manner without requiring a separate seal in the cream jar. Moreover, the radial edge web can have any width, which allows a desired appearance or a desired closure of the inner container to be achieved.
Advantageously, the lid member can have an insert, which can be disposed on the inner wall of the lid and which can be in contact with the radial edge web of the inner jar when the inner container of the inner jar is closed with the lid member. Using an insert in the lid of the lid member is advantageous in particular in order to avoid cream residue or residue of the viscous fluid on the inside of the lid and to simplify reuse of the lid, if applicable. The insert forms an additional layer between the lid and the inner container, said layer being preferably made of plastic or a rubber material, making it easily washable.
An insert of such a material additionally offers improved sealing properties, in particular when the lid and the inner container are made of different materials, such as metal and plastic. The insert can be replaceable, which simplifies cleaning of the insert and makes reuse of the lid member hygienic.
Advantageously, the insert of the lid member is connected to the inner wall of the lid in a form-fitting manner. This ensures that the insert cannot drop out of the lid. This is advantageous in particular when cream residue sticks to the insert and to the radial edge web of the inner jar, causing the insert to adhere to the radial edge web of the inner jar. The form-fitting connection between the insert and the inner wall of the lid prevents the insert from dropping out when the cream jar is opened by turning the thread and the mating thread.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the insert of the lid member has an edge which engages into a groove formed on the inner wall of the lid.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the outer jar has an opening at its underside, the opening of the outer jar allowing access to a surface at an underside of the inner jar from outside. First of all, such an opening of the outer jar at an underside leads to material being saved during production of the outer jar. Since the opening is disposed at the underside of the outer jar, it is not visible when the cream jar is set down, the opening thus not affecting the optical appearance of the cream jar. The fact that a jar bottom of the inner jar is accessible from outside through the opening allows a person to reach the inner jar from outside and to exert pressure on it, for example, said pressure being suitable for severing the latching connection. Thus, the outer jar and the inner jar can be separated particularly easily.
Advantageously, the opening of the outer jar can have a diameter which corresponds to at least a diameter of a human finger so that the latching connection can be severed without tools simply by using a finger to exert pressure on the underside of the inner jar from outside. This allows the outer jar and the inner jar to be separated at any times.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the lid is a hollow body, which can be composed of at least two connected lid elements. A lid of this kind makes a solid impression, while it is produced in a particularly material-saving way. This is advantageous if the lid is made of metal, for example. In this case, the lid, while maintaining its solid appearance, can be light and thus require particularly little material for production.
It is advantageous if the lid elements of the lid are bonded to each other. The bonded connection allows a stable connection of the lid elements to be established in a lid whose lid elements are made of the same material. When the lid elements are made of the same material, such as the same metal, the lid consisting of at least two lid elements can still be easily recycled.
Advantageously, the lid elements of the lid can be welded or glued together.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the outer jar is a hollow body, said hollow body being composed of at least two bonded outer jar elements, which are preferably a jar sleeve and a jar bottom. The bonded outer jar elements are preferably made of the same material, such as metal or plastic. Since the outer jar is a hollow body, little material is needed to produce the outer jar. Additionally, an outer jar made of outer jar elements consisting of the same metal is particularly easy to recycle.
It is advantageous for the outer jar elements of the outer jar to be welded or glued together. Additionally, a larger variety of shapes of the outer jar can be achieved while a large amount of material is saved when outer jar elements of different shapes are used.
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the disclosure will be explained in more detail with the aid of drawings.
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Outer jar 11 forms opening 18 at underside 17, a bottom 32 of inner container 19 accommodated in inner jar 14 being accessible from outside through said opening 18. A finger can be used to exert pressure on bottom 32 of inner jar 14 through opening 18 of outer jar 11 in order to sever the latching connection between inner jar 14 and outer jar 11 by a force acting in the axial direction. Since lid member 13 and inner jar 14 are in threaded engagement, latching connection 25 can be severed even when a container opening 20 of inner jar 14 is closed with lid member 13. As can further be seen, jar sleeve 15 of outer jar 11 forms an outer wall 33 and container neck 16 of outer jar 11.
As further shown in
The selected sectional view along section line in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2019 126 132.5 | Sep 2019 | DE | national |
