Push-pull closure for a drink container

• US 9,522,769 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAPA GmbH (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MAPA GmbH (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Itzek, Eckhard, Seidler, Bjoern Frederik, Holschumacher, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Van Buskirk, James M
• Application Number:
  US12/993,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20110303630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,785 Days
• Field of Search: 2202543-2545, 220/233, 215/361, 215/311, 215/229, 222/153, 222/521, 222/525, 222/545, 239/541
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/247 moving linearly, i.e. without rotational motion

Abstract

Push-pull closure for a drink container comprising a body element which comprises a through-opening and a fastening device, with which it may be sealingly and releasably connected to an opening of the drink container, a mouthpiece which may be axially displaceably inserted into the through-opening of the body element and which comprises at least one locking portion which may engage behind the through-opening of the body element, and a locking element which may be releasably attached to the inner face of the body element facing the drink container, the locking element being arranged so that the locking portion of the mouthpiece may not adopt a position in which it does not engage behind the through-opening of the body element, when the mouthpiece is inserted into the through-opening and the locking element is attached to the inner face of the body element.

Claims

1. A push-pull closure for a drink container comprising

a body element (10) which comprises a through-opening (18) and a fastening device (12), with which it is sealingly and releasably connected to an opening of the drink container (110),

a mouthpiece (40) which is axially displaceably inserted into the through-opening (18) of the body element (10) and which comprises at least one locking portion (44) which is engageable behind the through-opening (18) of the body element (10), wherein the at least one locking portion is a latching lug (44), which is formed on the outer face of the mouthpiece (40) and the lower end thereof, and wherein the mouthpiece (40) has a through-opening (48) for a beverage, and

a locking element (80), the locking element is separate from the mouthpiece which is releasably attachable to the inner face of the body element (10) facing the drink container (110),

the locking element (80) being arranged so that the locking element (80) protrudes at least partially into the through-opening (48) of the mouthpiece (40) when the mouthpiece (40) is inserted into the through-opening (18) of the body element (10) and the locking element (80) is releasably attached to the inner face of the body element (10), and a gap (52) between the locking element (80) and the mouthpiece (40) is dimensioned such that the locking portion (44) of the mouthpiece (40) is not adoptable to a position in which it does not engage behind the through-opening (18) of the body element (10), when the mouthpiece (40) is inserted into the through-opening (18) and the locking element (80) is attached to the inner face of the body element (10),

wherein the locking element (80) has at least two fastening portions (92) which extend in a plane arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the locking element (80), and which is anchored in corresponding receivers (54) on the body element (10) by rotating the locking element (80) relative to the body element (10).

2. The push-pull according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece (40) is substantially cylindrical and in that on the body element (10) or on the mouthpiece (40) a seal (22) is arranged which, irrespective of the position of the mouthpiece (40) inserted into the body element (10), effects a seal between the body element (10) and the mouthpiece (40).

3. The push-pull closure according to claim 1, wherein the locking element (80) has a closure portion which opens up the through-opening of the mouthpiece (40) in a first position of the mouthpiece (40) inserted into the through-opening (18) of the body element (10) and closes the through-opening of the mouthpiece in a second position of the mouthpiece (40) inserted into the through-opening (18) of the body element (10).

4. The push-pull closure according to claim 3, wherein the closure portion is formed on a pin (82, 84) of the locking element (80) which protrudes from below into the through-opening of the mouthpiece (40) when the mouthpiece (40) is inserted into the through-opening (18) of the body element (10) and the locking element (80) is attached to the inner face of the body element (10).

5. The push-pull closure according to claim 4, wherein the closure portion is formed at the upper end of the pin (82, 84) and terminates approximately flush with the upper end of the mouthpiece (40) when the mouthpiece (40) is in its second position.

6. The push-pull closure according to claim 3, wherein the through-opening (48) of the mouthpiece (40) has a diameter which, at the upper end of the mouthpiece (40), corresponds to the diameter of the upper end of the pin (82, 84) and widens downwards.

7. The push-pull closure according to claim 3, wherein the closure portion is arranged at a distance from the upper end of the mouthpiece (40) when the mouthpiece (40) is in its second position.

8. The push-pull closure according to claim 7, wherein the closure portion is arranged below the through-opening (18) of the body element (10).

9. The push-pull closure according to claim 3, wherein the closure portion is arranged at the lower end of the pin (82, 84).

10. The push-pull closure according to claim 3, wherein two closure portions are provided, spaced apart from one another.

11. The push-pull closure according to claim 10, wherein the two closure portions include a first closure portion formed at the upper end of the pin (82, 84) and a second closure portion formed below said first closure portion on the pin (82, 84), the diameter of the pin (82, 84) in the region of the second closure portion approximately corresponding to the diameter of the mouthpiece (40) in this region, when the mouthpiece (40) is in its second position.

12. The push-pull closure according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece (40) is arranged to be inclined relative to a longitudinal axis of the body element (10) and the drink container (110) when inserted into the through-opening (180 of the body element.

13. The push-pull closure according to claim 1, wherein a pivotable flap (100) is provided which covers and forms a seal over the mouthpiece (40) in a closed state of the flap (100).

14. The push-pull closure according to claim 13, wherein said pivotable flap (100) is constructed and arranged so that in the closed state it prevents a displacement of the mouthpiece (40) from its second position.

15. The push-pull closure according to claim 13, wherein the pivotable flap (100) has approximately the shape of a segment of a spherical shell, the pivot axis extending approximately through the center point of the spherical shell.

16. The push-pull closure according to claim 12, wherein the body element (10) above the fastening device (12) is approximately in the shape of a hemispherical shell and has a recess (16) in the region of the through-opening (18) for the mouthpiece (40).

17. The push-pull closure according to claim 1, wherein a drink container (110) is present.