[0001] The present invention relates to a two-component container in accordance with the
preamble of claim l.
[0002] Two-component containers are used, for instance, for handling two-component cements,
which release noxious gases, by making the reaction between the components take place
in a gas-tight space, separated from the environment, by means of a piercing mechanism.
During the mixing, the components form the desired cementing composition, which can
be applied to a desired object.
[0003] A prior-art invention described in FI patent publication 57 378 comprises two concentric
containers and a cover with the inner container holding a piercing mechanism, whose
construction consists of a separate piercing member fabricated in one piece and with
its maximum dimension in the orthogonal direction to the axis of the container being
at least of the same order of magnitude with the diameter of the inner container.
[0004] A drawback of prior-art technology is that due to the construction of the piercing
member used, the hole pierced at the compartmental wall of the inner container in
practice is formed at the circumferential area, which makes the mixing of components
inefficient. Due to the method of piercing the hole at the circumferential area, the
piercing mechanism is so unreliable as to require in practice the cover to be adapted
removable, which deteriorates the system's hermeticity.
[0005] The aim of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior-art
technology and to provide a novel piercing mechanism for a two-component container.
[0006] The invention is based on providing a piercing member whose maximum dimension in
the plane orthogonal to the inner container axis extends to approximately half way
of the container diameter, and which is complemented with a support member, which
makes the combined maximum extension of the support member and the piercing member
in the plane orthogonal to the container axis to be approximately of the magnitude
of the container diameter.
[0007] More specifically, the mechanism in accordance with the invention is characterized
by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim l.
[0008] The invention offers substantial benefits.
[0009] The piercing mechanism in accordance with the invention pierces the hole in the center
of the inner container compartmental wall, which makes the mixing effective. By means
of the support member, the piercing member is centered and the reliability of the
piercing mechanism increases so much as to allow the cover to be permanently attached
to the can, which improves the hermeticity of the container and simultaneously increases
the allowable storage time of the material.
[0010] In the following, the invention will be examined in more detail by means of the exemplifying
embodiments in accordance with the attached drawings.
Figure l shows a pressed blank of the piercing member.
Figure 2 shows the bending of the blank shown in Figure l into the final form.
Figure 3 shows in side view the piercing member in accordance with Figure 2 with the
support member attached.
Figure 4 shows in cut side view the piercing member in accordance with Figure 3 inserted
in a two-component container.
Figure 5 shows in cut side view the first pass of the end seal fabrication of the
container in accordance with Figure 4.
Figure 6 shows in cut side view the second fabrication pass of the seam in accordance
with Figure 5.
Figure 7 shows in cut side view the seam in accordance with Figure 5 in final form.
[0011] Figure l shows a possible solution for fabricating a blank l for the piercing member
of a piercing mechanism. The blank l can be divided into an upper part 6, a blade
part 2, and blade support flaps 3. The support flaps 3 are bent outwards from the
plane of the blank l, after which the blank l is bent in accordance with Figure 2
into a V-shape by using a punch 5 and an anvil 4. To the other side of the bent blank
is attached in accordance with Figure 3, e.g. by welding, an oblong support member
7, fabricated of thin sheet metal. In accordance with Figure 4, a can 8 forms compartment
II and the part of the container remaining below it forms compartment I. The piercing
member l3 with its support member is inserted in the inner can 8 of the two-component
container so that the support member 7 is essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal
axes of cans l0 and 8. Then, the blade part 2 rests against a downward convex wall
of the inner can 8, fabricated of a thin material, e.g. aluminum, and the upper part
6 is either resting against the upwards concave cover 9 or located to its immediate
vicinity. The largest dimension of the piercing member blank l is approximately of
the same magnitude with the inner can 8 diameter, which makes the largest dimension
of the bent blank l to be in the order of magnitude with the can radius. Due to the
chosen blank length, the blade part 2 becomes located essentially to the center of
the can 8. Because the support member 7 inhibits the sideways movement of the piercing
member l3, the piercing of the inner can 8 bottom takes place extremely reliably when
the blade part is pressed through the center of the can cover 9. Then, the upper part
6 of the piercing member l3 under the cover 9 mediates the piercing force and the
blade part 2 punches a hole in the center of the inner can 8 bottom to allow the contents
of the inner can 8 to flow into the lower can l0 for effective mixing.
[0012] Thanks to the reliable piercing mechanism, a seam ll of the container can be fabricated
so that the cover 9 of the container is non-detachable. The fabrication is accomplished
in accordance with Figures 5...7 by applying in accordance with Figure 5 to the inner
surface of the cover part 9, an adhesive-like sealing material l2 and providing an
essentially larger folding margin at the cover part 9, compared with the margin of
can parts 8 and l0. Using a prior-art method, the edge of the cover part 9 is roll-bent
over the prefolded edges of can parts 8 and l0 in accordance with Figure 6; and also
using a prior-art method, the seam is completed in accordance with Figure 7. Then,
the sealing material l2 provides hermeticity for the entire container assembly.
1. A two-component container (l0), e.g. a cylindrical can, which is divided by a compartmental
wall (8 ), at least approximately perpendicular to the direction of the container
axis, into two compartments (I and II) for two different kinds of material, which,
when desired, can be mixed with each other, for which purpose one of the compartments
(e.g. II), is provided with a separate piercing member (l3), which comprises a blade
part (2) abutting the compartmental wall (8 ) and an upper part (6) contacting the
external wall of the container, e.g. a cover (9), so that when the container is pushed
on the aforementioned outer wall, the blade part (2) of the piercing member (l3) punches
a hole in the compartmental wall (8 ) to allow mixing the materials in both compartments
(I and II) without opening the container,
characterized in that
the maximum dimension of the piercing member (l3) in a plane orthogonal to the container
axis is at least approximately half of the diameter of the aforementioned second compartment
(II) and the piercing member (l3) is provided with a support member (7), which makes
the combined maximum extension of the support member (7) and the piercing member (l3)
in a plane orthogonal to the compartment axis to be at least approximately of the
same magnitude as the diameter of the aforementioned second compartment (II).
2. A container in accordance with claim l,
characterized in that the upper part (6) of the piercing member (l3) is in contact with the inner
surface of the cover (9) at least approximately in the center part of the cover, while
the blade part (2) is in contact with the inner surface of the compartmental wall
(8 ) of the inner can on its center area.
3. A container in accordance with claim l,
characterized in that the outer can (l0), the inner can (8) and the cover (9) are attached to each
other by roll-bending the adhesive-like sealing material l2 covered edge of the cover
(9) over the preformed edges of cans (l0 and 8) to provide a hermetic can seal.