Valve for a tubular container

Abstract

A device designed to be mounted in a complete container, the device comprising a container neck ( 3 ), in which a valve membrane ( 2 ) is mounted and fixed, the membrane having an opening ( 8 ) in its centre, which interacts with a central pin ( 9 ), which is a part of the neck ( 3 ), and the membrane and its opening sealing the container, since the membrane with a certain surface pressure till be pressed against the central pin ( 9 ), and that the membrane, directly subsequent to an emptying or a partial emptying continuously closes the container anew, this being done without any air flowing backwards and into the partially emptied container.

1 . A device designed to be mounted on a container, preferably on a bottle or a tube ( 28 ), the device comprising a container neck ( 3 )—called a neck below—in which a valve membrane ( 2 )—called a membrane below—is mounted, the membrane ( 2 ) being fixed in the neck ( 3 ), upwards by means of a thick portion ( 6 ) and downwards by means of one or several spokes ( 27 ), the membrane comprising an outer cylinder ( 15 ) with portions, designed in particular way, to obtain a reinforced tightness effect against an inner diameter ( 25 ) of the neck ( 3 ), as well as an upper surface ( 16 ), which has a tested shape, the membrane in its central area being provided with an opening ( 8 ), which interacts with a central pin ( 9 ), being a part of the neck ( 3 ), the opening ( 8 ) having a surface ( 14 ), which is designed in order to guarantee the tightness function, interacting with the central pin ( 9 ), having an envelope surface ( 23 ), which is convex to a certain degree and also the central pin is somewhat longer or is disposed slightly higher up than the thick portion ( 6 ), and consequently above the opening ( 8 ) of the membrane, the object being to obtain a controlled outflow from the container, and also the central pin ( 9 ), in that portion, where the membrane is sealing against this envelope surface, being provided with a diameter, which is somewhat larger than the opening ( 8 ), which means, that the membrane is not able to reach its neutral position and consequently that a sealing force between the membrane and the central pin is obtained, the membrane also having a tested stiffness and flexibility, which means, that the membrane is deformed at a positive pressure in the bottle/tube ( 28 ), a gap ( 29 ) being obtained between the membrane and the central pin, which means, that the positive pressure disappears or that the medium in the container flows out, and when the positive pressure disappears, the surface pressure between the surface ( 14 ) at the opening of the membrane and the central pin will be obtained again, which means, that the membrane is sealing again, and this leads in its turn to, that the container does not leak outwards or that no air can pass into the container, characterized in that the membrane ( 2 ) is constructed as a cylinder ( 15 ) with an opening at its bottom and having an upper surface ( 16 ), the cylinder ( 15 ) having an exterior surface ( 5 ), which interacts with the interior diameter ( 25 ) of the neck ( 3 ), the exterior surface ( 5 ) being provided with a sealing lip ( 32 ) and a corner ( 36 ) in order to reinforce the surface pressure between the neck ( 3 ) and the cylinder ( 15 ) and consequently guarantee the tightness between the neck ( 3 ) and the membrane ( 2 ). 
   
   
       2 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the membrane ( 2 ) is mounted in the interior of the neck ( 3 ) and is locked in an axial direction, upwards by means of said thick portion ( 6 ), disposed in the interior of the neck ( 3 ), and downwards by means of a central portion ( 7 ) and by means of one or several spokes ( 27 ), which connect the neck ( 3 ) with the central portion ( 7 ). 
   
   
       3 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the upper surface ( 16 ) of the membrane ( 2 ), which starts out from an outer corner ( 18 ) at the upper portion of the exterior surface ( 5 ) and extends inwards towards the centre with a first partial surface ( 19 ), which more or less directly from the corner ( 18 ) has a downwardly, towards the container, extended portion, designed at a radial portion ( 20 ) to be transformed into a second partial surface ( 21 ), which extends upwards towards the opening ( 8 ) of the membrane, the opening being disposed on roughly the same height level as the outer corner ( 18 ). 
   
   
       4 . A device according to  claims 1  and  3 , characterized in that the secondary partial surface ( 21 ) is terminated inwards towards the centre with an upper corner ( 22 ), which constitutes the upper point of the surface ( 14 ) on the inner portion of the second partial surface ( 21 ), said inner portion constituting the interface of the opening ( 8 ); and in that the surface ( 14 ) has an angle outwards from the centre of the membrane, the angle having been tested; and in that on the surface ( 14 ) there are one or several sealing lips ( 30 ), designed to afford an improved contact surface against the envelope surface ( 23 ) on the central pin ( 9 ). 
   
   
       5 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the membrane ( 2 ) has a tested stiffness/flexibility, which means, that the membrane, during an increased loading, an increased interior pressure, is deformed, resulting in that the surface pressure, which in the unloaded position exists between the surface ( 14 ) on the membrane and the central pin ( 9 ) will decrease and, when the positive pressure in the container is increased even more, will finally result in, that the gap ( 29 ) is obtained between the central pin ( 9 ) and the surface ( 14 ). 
   
   
       6 . A device according to  claims 1  and  6 , characterized in that as soon as a positive pressure in the container ceases to exist, the membrane will directly return to a position, in which the surface pressure between the surface ( 14 ) and the centre pin ( 9 ) will again be fully developed. 
   
   
       7 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the envelope surface ( 23 ) of the central pin ( 9 ) is slightly convex and on the same level above the bottom of the central portion ( 7 ) and on the same level as the lower edge of the thick portion ( 6 ) the central pin ( 9 ) has a diameter, which is slightly larger than the opening ( 8 ) in the membrane, which means, that, when the membrane is mounted in the container neck ( 3 ), the membrane and its inner surface ( 14 ) with its upper corner ( 22 ) will be in contact with the envelope surface ( 23 ), this having been obtained with a certain tested surface pressure, since the membrane has been pressed upwards in relation to the bottom of the central portion ( 7 ), the diameter of the central pin being larger than the opening in the membrane. 
   
   
       8 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the central pin ( 9 ) extends a small distance higher from the bottom of the central portion ( 7 ) than the lower edge on the thick portion ( 6 ), which means, that the central pin ( 9 ) extends beyond the membrane and its opening ( 8 ), a condition having been obtained, which enables the control of the outflow from the container and the creation of a dosing effect, which means, that a chosen or desired volume flows out from the container during each emptying. 
   
   
       9 . A device according to  claims 1  and  7 , characterized in that no air can flow into the container subsequent to a terminated emptying. 
   
   
       10 . A device according to  claims 1  and  9 , characterized in that a flexible container, e.g. a tube, is successively emptied in the same way as a rigid tube, since no air flows into and “fills up” the container. 
   
   
       11 . A device according to  claims 1  and  10 , characterized in that an improved shelf-life for the container medium is obtained, since no air will be permitted to flow into the container.