Closing Element and Container Provided with Such a Closing Element

Abstract

The present invention relates to a closing element ( 6 ) for a container, wherein the container comprises an end surface provided with a drinking or pouring opening, the closing element comprising: —a first element part ( 10 ) which is adapted to be fixedly mounted on the end surface along said drinking or pouring opening and which has an opening substantially corresponding to the drinking or pouring opening in the end surface; —a second element part ( 11 ) arranged with a first hinge ( 13 ) on the first element part, wherein the second element part is provided with a flexible closing part, wherein the second element part is pivotable between a closed position; —a third element part ( 12 ) arranged with a second hinge ( 14 ) on the second element part, wherein the third element part is embodied to be grasped.

1 . Closing element for a container, particularly a beverage container, wherein the container comprises an end surface provided with a drinking or pouring opening, the closing element comprising:
 a first element part which is adapted to be fixedly mounted on the end surface along said drinking or pouring opening and which has an opening substantially corresponding to the drinking or pouring opening in the end surface;   a second element part arranged with a first hinge on the first element part; and   a third element part arranged with a second hinge on the second element part, wherein the third element part is embodied to be grasped; wherein the second element part or the third element part is provided with a flexible closing part, wherein the second or third element part is pivotable between a closed position, which substantially closes the opening in the first element part with the closing part, and an opened position which leaves the opening in the first element part substantially open.   
     
     
         2 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the flexible closing part comprises a peripheral wall, and the peripheral wall is provided with a radially protruding anti-release edge for releasable attachment of the associated element part to the first element part. 
     
     
         3 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the anti-release edge extends all the way around the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         4 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the flexible closing part comprises one or more radial protuberances for the purpose of holding the second element part in the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a protuberance and/or anti-release edge has a substantially rounded side and an opposite, substantially flat side. 
     
     
         6 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one or more strengthening ribs are provided on the inner side of the peripheral wall and/or wherein the flexible closing part comprises one or more open pressure chambers for allowing the peripheral wall to expand in radial direction when pressure increases. 
     
     
         7 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 6 , comprising two or more strengthening ribs extending substantially parallel relative to each other. 
     
     
         8 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container has an upright edge and wherein the closing element comprises fixing means for releasable fixing of the closing element to said upright edge of the container and/or wherein the second element part comprises a notch and wherein the second element part is adapted in the opened position to clamp fixedly with the notch to the upright edge of the container. 
     
     
         9 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , manufactured from a flexible plastic, in particular manufactured integrally, and more particularly manufactured in an injection moulding process. 
     
     
         10 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first element part comprises:
 a first element sub-part provided with one or more first mounting elements;   a second element sub-part provided with one or more second mounting elements; and   wherein the first and second element sub-parts can be coupled to each other via the mounting elements, wherein the element sub-parts preferably comprise peripheral edges which are formed, in the coupled situation wherein the element sub-parts extend on either side of the end surface of the container, to form a peripheral groove in which the edge around the opening in the end surface is received.   
     
     
         11 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein element sub-parts, preferably the mounting elements thereof, comprise locking means for locking the element sub-parts in coupled position, wherein in the coupled position the first element sub-part extends preferably in the container and the second element sub-part extends outside the container. 
     
     
         12 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first element sub-part is manufactured from a different material than the second element sub-part, wherein the second element sub-part is preferably manufactured from the same material as the second and third element parts. 
     
     
         13 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the central part of the second element part is open. 
     
     
         14 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second and third element parts have a form such that the third element part can be received in the second element part. 
     
     
         15 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the element parts are embodied so that the second and third element parts extend substantially aligned adjacently of each other in the closed situation. 
     
     
         16 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second element part is substantially U-shaped, wherein hinges are preferably formed on the two outer ends of the U-shape. 
     
     
         17 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the third element part can be pivoted to a position fitting between the legs of the U-shape. 
     
     
         18 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second element are embodied to pivot the third element part beyond the peripheral edge of the end surface of the beverage container in the fully opened position. 
     
     
         19 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the third element part comprises a fixing part for fixing thereof to the beverage container in the fully opened position. 
     
     
         20 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the fixing element comprises a hook-like member provided on the closing part. 
     
     
         21 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the closing element comprises a fixing means for releasable fixing of the closing element to an upright edge round the end surface of the beverage container, wherein the fixing comprises at least one notch provided in the second element part, and wherein the second element part is adapted to be fixedly clamped with the notch to the upright edge of the container in the opened situation, wherein the second element part preferably comprises a protuberance at the position of the notch and wherein a notch is preferably provided in the first element part for receiving therein the protuberance of the second element part in the closed position. 
     
     
         22 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third element parts are coupled concertina-wise to each other. 
     
     
         23 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising at least one set of sealing elements provided on different element parts in order to seal the container prior to use, wherein a sealing element comprises at least one of a notch in an element part and a protrusion from an element part and/or wherein sealing elements of different element parts are at least partially fused together and/or wherein the sealing elements are mutually coupled via a tear line. 
     
     
         24 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a strengthening sleeve adapted to be placed over the free outer end of the third element part in order to strengthen the gripping part thereof, wherein the strengthening sleeve preferably comprises a receiving space for receiving therein the free outer end of the third element part, wherein the strengthening sleeve is preferably manufactured from material which is less elastic than the material of the third element part. 
     
     
         25 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 24 , comprising a fixing part for fixing the strengthening sleeve to the outer end of the third element part. 
     
     
         26 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a first element part adapted to be placed on the inner side of the container against the edge of a drinking or pouring opening, wherein the first element part comprises a clamping part for clamping the gasket fixedly between the end wall of the container and the first element part. 
     
     
         27 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the gasket comprises a substantially round and substantially elastic ring and/or wherein there is formed on the gasket a closing flange embodied to be placed on the outer side of the container against the edge of a drinking or pouring opening. 
     
     
         28 . Closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first hinge part and a second hinge part are arranged between the first and second element parts, wherein the hinge parts extend obliquely relative to the plane of the first element part and/or relative to each other. 
     
     
         29 . Container with a closing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container preferably comprises a liquid-tight and/or gas-tight closable can packaging, in particular a beverage can or oil can. 
     
     
         30 . Closing element for a container, particularly a beverage container, wherein the container comprises an end surface provided with a drinking or pouring opening, the closing element comprising:
 a first element part which is adapted to be fixedly mounted on the end surface along said drinking or pouring opening and which has an opening substantially corresponding to the drinking or pouring opening in the end surface;   a second element part arranged with a first hinge on the first element part; and   a third element part arranged with a second hinge on the second element part, the third element part comprising a flexible closing part and being pivotable between a closed position, in which the closing part is arranged in said opening in the first element part for substantially closing the same, and an opened position which leaves the opening in the first element part substantially open, the third element part further being configured to be grasped;   wherein the first, second and third element parts are coupled concertina-wise to each other and wherein the central part of the second element part has an open space to receive at least partly the third element part when in the closed position.