Packaging System For At Least One Product Preparation Component, And Corresponding Method For Handling The Product Preparation Component

Abstract

A packaging system for at least one product preparation component is disclosed. Said packaging system having a first container for storing a first product preparation component, a second container for storing at least one other product preparation component, and a closure device sealing off an opening of the first container from the surroundings by way of a closure element having a coupling device in order to couple the second container to the closure device and establishes a fluidic connection between the first container and the second container. Additionally, a method for handling at least one product preparation component is disclosed. The method ensures a reliable packaging system which allows a user-friendly handling of the contained product preparation components. This is achieved in that the closure element and the coupling device are joined together as separate components in a non-releasable manner to form the closure device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging system for at least one product preparation component, comprising a first container for storing a first product preparation component, a second container for optionally storing at least one other product preparation component, and a closure device which seals off an opening of the first container from the surroundings by means of a closure element and has a coupling device in order to couple the second container to the closure device and in order to establish a fluidic connection between the first container and the second container, wherein the closure element and the coupling device are joined together as separate components in a non-releasable manner in order to form the closure device. 
     
     
         2 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure element, excluding its destruction, is connected to the first container in a non-releasable manner by means of a fastening sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure element comprises a cap which, in the initial state of the closure device, is connected to the fastening sleeve of the closure element via a predetermined breaking point. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging system according to  claim 3 , wherein the cap is arranged to be shiftable relative to the coupling device axially with respect to an axis of the closure device, and to be secured against rotation about the axis. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling device has a thread for screwing to the second container. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening sleeve and the coupling device each have at least one mutually corresponding rotation stop element which allows the relative rotation of the fastening sleeve and the coupling device about the axis of the closure device only until the corresponding rotation stop elements abut one another. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging system according to  claim 6 , wherein either the fastening sleeve or the coupling device has at least two rotation stop elements which interact with the at least one corresponding rotation stop element of the coupling device or the fastening sleeve in such a way that an initial stop and an end stop for the relative rotation between the fastening sleeve and the coupling device about the axis of the closure device is formed. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap is connected to the first container via a thread which has a rotational direction counter to that of the thread of the coupling device. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cap has a pot-like basic structure, at least one opening being provided in the circumferential wall of the cap. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein another product preparation component is stored in the second container to mix the first product preparation component with the at least one other product preparation component after the second container has been coupled to the first container by means of the closure device. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure device can be coupled to the second container in a liquid-tight manner. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure device has at least one sealing element to ensure a liquid-tight connection to the first and/or second container. 
     
     
         13 . A method for transferring at least one product preparation component from a first container to a second container using a packaging system according to  claim 1 , characterized by the following method steps:
 a. attaching the first container to the second container by means of the closure device by bringing corresponding threads on the coupling device and on the second container into engagement,   b. screwing the closure device to the second container by means of the coupling device up to the coupling end position between the coupling device and the second container,   c. continuing the relative rotation between the first container or the closure element and the second container, the cap which is arranged to be secured against rotation relative to the coupling device being separated from the closure element at the predetermined breaking point,   d. further continuing the relative rotation between the first container or the closure element and the second container, the separated cap being connected to the first container by means of a thread which has a rotational direction counter to that of the thread of the coupling device, and the cap thus being unscrewed from the first container,   e. forming a fluidic connection between the first and second container via at least one cleared opening in a circumferential wall of the pot-like, at least partially unscrewed cap,   f. transferring the product preparation component from the first to the second container.   
     
     
         14 . A method for mixing a multi-component product preparation using a packaging system according to  claim 1  comprising a first container for storing a first product preparation component and a second container for storing at least one other product preparation component, characterized by the following method steps:
 a. attaching the first container to the second container by means of the closure device by bringing corresponding threads on the coupling device and on the second container into engagement, 
 b. screwing the closure device to the second container by means of the coupling device up to the coupling end position between the coupling device and the second container, 
 c. continuing the relative rotation between the first container or the closure element and the second container, the cap which is arranged to be secured against rotation relative to the coupling device being separated from the closure element at the predetermined breaking point, 
 d. further continuing the relative rotation between the first container or the closure element and the second container, the separated cap being connected to the first container by means of a thread which has a rotational direction counter to that of the thread of the coupling device, and the cap thus being unscrewed from the first container, 
 e. forming a fluidic connection between the first and second container via at least one cleared opening in a circumferential wall of the pot-like, at least partially unscrewed cap, 
 f. transferring the first product preparation component from the first to the second container, 
 g. mixing the two product preparation components in the first and/or second container. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the method steps a-e for coupling the two containers can be carried out reversibly, such that the two containers can be analogously decoupled again when the relative rotational direction is reversed according to method steps e-a. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the relative rotation between the fastening sleeve and the coupling device about the axis of the closure device is limited to a range of rotation of less than 360° by mutually corresponding rotation stop elements being provided on the fastening sleeve and the coupling device, which rotation stop elements allow a relative rotation only between an initial stop position and an end stop position of the corresponding rotation stop elements.