Sealing plug for an outlet opening of a container and container having a sealing plug

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing plug for an outlet opening of a container which accommodates a liquid melt. The sealing plug has a sealing region disposed on the outer surface thereof that is configured to come into contact with a section of the delimiting wall delimiting the outlet opening in order to close the outlet opening. The sealing plug narrows from the sealing region towards a front end along the longitudinal axis of the sealing plug. The front end is configured for insertion into the outlet opening, wherein a section between the sealing region and the front end is designed to have a concave shape.

1 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A sealing plug for an outlet opening of a container which receives a liquid melt, the sealing plug comprising:
 an outside surface defining a sealing region, said sealing region configured to contact a section of a boundary wall that delimits the outlet opening for closing the outlet opening,   wherein the sealing region is tapered along a longitudinal axis of the sealing plug from the sealing region to a front end of the sealing plug constructed to be inserted in the outlet opening,   wherein a first section of the sealing region extending between the sealing region and the front end has a concave shape or wherein the sealing region is located in a concave-shaped section of the sealing plug,   wherein a radius of the concave-shape first section is greater than half a difference between a cross-section of the sealing plug at the sealing region distal from the front end and a cross-section of the front end.   
     
     
         14 . The sealing plug of  claim 13 , wherein a surface of the sealing plug has only continuous shape changes in a region between an end of the sealing region distal from the front end and immediately before the front end. 
     
     
         15 . The sealing plug of  claim 13 , wherein a second substantially cylindrical section is located between the concave-shaped first section and the front end. 
     
     
         16 . The sealing plug of  claim 13 , wherein the front end has a flat surface located in a plane which is oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sealing plug. 
     
     
         17 . The sealing plug of  claim 16 , wherein the flat surface is an end face of the substantially cylindrical second section arranged between the concave-shaped first section and the front end. 
     
     
         18 . The sealing plug of  claim 13 , wherein a convex-shaped section is arranged above the sealing region. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The sealing plug of  claim 13 , further comprising a fluid outlet opening arranged at the front end and a feed line, with a fluid which flowing through the feed line exiting through the fluid outlet opening. 
     
     
         21 . A container for receiving a melt, comprising:
 a boundary wall delimiting an outlet opening, and   a sealing plug having a longitudinal axis and a contoured outside surface defining a sealing region configured to come into contact with a section of the boundary wall for closing the outlet opening, wherein the sealing plug is tapered along the longitudinal axis from the sealing region to a front end of the sealing plug constructed to be inserted into the outlet opening,   wherein the contoured outside surface of the sealing plug and a shape of the outlet opening are matched to one another and define a gap therebetween when the sealing plug is partially lifted out of the outlet opening while the front end of the sealing plug is still inserted in the outlet opening, such that the melt flowing into the outlet opening has a flow direction in a flow region adjacent to the boundary wall that is oriented substantially parallel to the boundary wall,   wherein a first section of the sealing region extending between the sealing region and the front end has a concave shape or wherein the sealing region is located in a concave-shaped section of the sealing plug,   wherein a radius of the concave-shape first section is greater than half a difference between a cross-section of the sealing plug at the sealing region distal from the front end and a cross-section of the front end.   
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein the gap widens towards the front end. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A container for receiving a melt, comprising:
 a boundary wall delimiting an outlet opening, and   a sealing plug having a longitudinal axis and a contoured outside surface defining a sealing region configured to come into contact with a section of the boundary wall for closing the outlet opening,   wherein the sealing plug is tapered along the longitudinal axis from the sealing region to a front end of the sealing plug constructed to be inserted into the outlet opening,   wherein a first section of the sealing region extending between the sealing region and the front end has a concave shape or wherein the sealing region is located in a concave-shaped section of the sealing plug,   wherein a radius of the concave-shape first section is greater than half a difference between a cross-section of the sealing plug at the sealing region distal from the front end and a cross-section of the front end.