Container and method for adding a mixture component

• US 10,562,691 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Company KG (Alpla Privatstiftung)
• Original Assignee: Alpla Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Company KG (Alpla Privatstiftung)
• Inventors: Krammer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pagan, Jenine
• Application Number:
  US14/438,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20150251837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,315 Days
• Field of Search: 206219, 206222, 206217, 206568, 215 6, 215DIG 8
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/15 Tearable part of the closure B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2835 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3211 coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture

Abstract

The invention relates to a container and to the use thereof. The container has a chamber with a base for receiving a mixture component and an adapter for fixing the chamber to a second container. The adapter is connected to the chamber via a first connector and has a second connector to connect to the second container. Additionally, the adapter forms a flow channel for the mixture component extending between the first and the second connector. The adapter also has a blade element in the flow channel comprising a blade facing the base of the chamber in order to open the base. The first connector allows the chamber to rotate relative to the adapter and to the blade, said blade designed to cut through the base of the chamber along the edge of the base while the chamber rotates.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a chamber with a base configured for receiving a mixture component; and

an adapter configured to fasten the chamber to a second container, the adapter comprising;

a first connector configured to connect to the chamber, the first connector comprising a substantially helical guide track and a sliding projection, the sliding projection being movable in a guided manner along the guide track and in at least in the area of an end of the helical guide track, a step forms a resistance in relation to the movement of the sliding projection along the guide track;

a second connector configured to connect to the second container;

a flow channel for the mixture component extending between the first connector and the second connector; and

a blade element in the flow channel with a blade facing toward the chamber for opening the base, the first connector enabling a rotation of the chamber relative to the adapter and to the blade, wherein the blade is positioned so as to sever the base of the chamber along an edge of the base upon rotation of the chamber and wherein the chamber and the adapter are non-detachably connected to one another.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the chamber has a seal that extends along the edge of the base and is positioned to come into contact with the blade and to cooperate therewith in a sealing manner before or while the blade is in contact with a part of the base to be severed.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter and an inner diameter of the chamber are smaller at a base-side end than at an opposite end of the chamber.

4. The container of claim 1, further comprising a projection on an outside of the chamber, an outer diameter of the chamber being greater at a location of the projection than an inner diameter of the adapter on a side thereof facing toward the chamber.

5. The container of claim 4, further comprising a removable spacer between the projection and an edge of the adapter to prevent a convergence of the projection and the edge of the adapter.

6. The container of claim 4, wherein the projection encloses the chamber at least in part along a periphery of the chamber, the projection forming a seal that is positioned to cooperate in a sealing manner with the edge of the adapter upon contact therewith.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the blade is positioned to detach the base of the chamber only partially from the chamber upon rotation of the chamber, the rotation of the chamber relative to the adapter being limited in relation to a maximum rotation angle.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein rotation of the chamber relative to the adapter is limited with respect to a maximum rotation angle to less than 360 degrees.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the blade element is connected to the adapter and defines a flow opening for the mixture component, the blade being arranged at an edge of the flow opening.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the flow opening narrows in a direction of the second connector to form a funnel, and further comprises a recess for receiving the edge of an opening of the second container between the funnel and a side wall of the adapter.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is configured for a single use.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the blade and the adapter are integrally formed.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the second container is non-detachably connected to the container.

14. A container, comprising:

a chamber with a base configured for receiving a mixture component; and

an adapter configured to fasten the chamber to a second container, the adapter comprising;

a first connector configured to connect to the chamber, the first connector comprising a substantially helical guide track and a sliding projection, the sliding projection being movable in a guided manner along the helical guide track and a second guide track that is shorter in length than the helical guide track, the second guide track and the helical guide track meeting at an acute angle proximate their ends;

a second connector configured to connect to the second container;

a flow channel for the mixture component extending between the first connector and the second connector; and

a blade element in the flow channel with a blade facing toward the chamber for opening the base, the first connector enabling a rotation of the chamber relative to the adapter and to the blade, wherein the blade is positioned so as to sever the base of the chamber along an edge of the base upon rotation of the chamber and wherein the chamber and the adapter are non-detachably connected to one another.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein the chamber has a seal that extends along the edge of the base and is positioned to come into contact with the blade and to cooperate therewith in a sealing manner before or while the blade is in contact with a part of the base to be severed.

16. The container of claim 14, wherein an outer diameter and an inner diameter of the chamber are smaller at a base-side end than at an opposite end of the chamber.

17. The container of claim 14, further comprising a projection on an outside of the chamber, an outer diameter of the chamber being greater at a location of the projection than an inner diameter of the adapter on a side thereof facing toward the chamber.

18. The container of claim 17, further comprising a removable spacer between the projection and an edge of the adapter to prevent a convergence of the projection and the edge of the adapter.

19. The container of claim 17, wherein the projection encloses the chamber at least in part along a periphery of the chamber, the projection forming a seal that is positioned to cooperate in a sealing manner with the edge of the adapter upon contact therewith.

20. The container of claim 14, wherein the blade is positioned to detach the base of the chamber only partially from the chamber upon rotation of the chamber, the rotation of the chamber relative to the adapter being limited in relation to a maximum rotation angle.

21. The container of claim 14, wherein the blade element is connected to the adapter and defines a flow opening for the mixture component, the blade being arranged at an edge of the flow opening.

22. The container of claim 21, wherein the flow opening narrows in a direction of the second connector to form a funnel, and further comprises a recess for receiving the edge of an opening of the second container between the funnel and a side wall of the adapter.

23. A container, comprising:

a chamber with a base configured for receiving a mixture component; and

an adapter configured to fasten the chamber to a second container, the adapter comprising;

a first connector configured to connect to the chamber, the first connector comprising a substantially helical guide track and a sliding projection, the sliding projection being movable in a guided manner along the guide track, at least one end of the guide track comprising a stop for the sliding projection;

a second connector configured to connect to the second container;

a flow channel for the mixture component extending between the first connector and the second connector; and

a blade element in the flow channel with a blade facing toward the chamber for opening the base, the first connector enabling a rotation of the chamber relative to the adapter and to the blade, wherein the blade is positioned so as to sever the base of the chamber along an edge of the base upon rotation of the chamber and wherein the chamber and the adapter are non-detachably connected to one another.

24. The container of claim 23, wherein the chamber has a seal that extends along the edge of the base and is positioned to come into contact with the blade and to cooperate therewith in a sealing manner before or while the blade is in contact with a part of the base to be severed.

25. The container of claim 23, wherein an outer diameter and an inner diameter of the chamber are smaller at a base-side end than at an opposite end of the chamber.

26. The container of claim 23, further comprising a projection on an outside of the chamber, an outer diameter of the chamber being greater at a location of the projection than an inner diameter of the adapter on a side thereof facing toward the chamber.

27. The container of claim 23, wherein the blade is positioned to detach the base of the chamber only partially from the chamber upon rotation of the chamber, the rotation of the chamber relative to the adapter being limited in relation to a maximum rotation angle.

28. The container of claim 23, wherein the blade element is connected to the adapter and defines a flow opening for the mixture component, the blade being arranged at an edge of the flow opening.

29. The container of claim 28, wherein the flow opening narrows in a direction of the second connector to form a funnel, and further comprises a recess for receiving the edge of an opening of the second container between the funnel and a side wall of the adapter.

30. The container of claim 27, further comprising a removable spacer between the projection and an edge of the adapter to prevent a convergence of the projection and the edge of the adapter.

31. The container of claim 28, wherein the projection encloses the chamber at least in part along a periphery of the chamber, the projection forming a seal that is positioned to cooperate in a sealing manner with the edge of the adapter upon contact therewith.