[0001] The present invention relates to an assembly of a venting mouth and a cooperating
cap for being mounted to a container.
[0002] Such an assembly is known in the prior art. When the assembly is mounted to a container
the cap can be temporarily removed from the venting mouth in order to release overpressure
from the container.
[0003] An object of the invention is to provide an improved assembly of a venting mouth
and a cooperating cap.
[0004] This object is accomplished with the assembly according to the invention, wherein
the cap is provided with a cap aperture and the venting mouth is provided with a venting
mouth aperture, wherein the cap is movable with respect to the venting mouth between
an open condition in which a flow path between the venting mouth aperture and the
cap aperture exists and a closed condition in which the flow path is closed.
[0005] An advantage of the assembly according to the invention is that it can be used for
venting without removing the cap from the venting mouth.
[0006] In the closed condition the cap and the venting mouth may contact each other at a
sealing region which is located between the venting mouth aperture and the cap aperture.
[0007] In a particular embodiment the venting mouth has a tubular portion including a venting
plate at an inner side thereof, which venting plate is provided with the venting mouth
aperture.
[0008] The venting plate may be located at an axial end of the tubular portion of the venting
mouth.
[0009] The cap may have a closure plate opposite to the venting plate, which closure plate
is provided with the cap aperture.
[0010] In the event that the cap and the venting mouth contact each other at a sealing region
in the closed condition the sealing region may surround the venting mouth aperture
and extend up to the cap aperture. This means that the cap aperture and the venting
mouth aperture are not located above each other which minimizes the risk of material
falling through the cap aperture into the venting mouth aperture.
[0011] In an embodiment the venting mouth aperture is surrounded by a rim at the sealing
region and the cap is shaped such that in the closed condition the cap and the venting
mouth contact each other at the rim and inside the rim.
[0012] Preferably, the cap and the venting mouth are adapted such that the cap moves away
from the venting mouth when the cap is moved with respect to the venting mouth from
the closed condition to the open condition, wherein a retaining system prevents the
cap from being separated from the venting mouth in the open condition, since the cap
will not be separated from the venting mouth in the open condition.
[0013] The cap may be a screw cap, which is advantageous in case of manually opening the
cap.
[0014] In the latter case the retaining system may comprise cooperating blocking elements
at cooperating threads of the venting mouth and the screw cap.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment the blocking elements are adapted such that they snap with
respect to each other when turning the cap in a direction from the open condition
to the closed condition and block with respect to each other when turning the cap
in opposite direction, since this facilitates mounting the cap onto the venting mouth.
[0016] The blocking elements may be wedge-shaped projections which are located between neighbouring
ribs of the threads of the venting mouth and the screw cap.
[0017] An advantage of applying the screw cap in combination with the retaining system is
that when the cap has to be tightened, i.e. turned from the open condition to the
closed condition, it is already positioned correctly with respect to the venting mouth.
[0018] The invention will hereafter be elucidated with reference to the schematic drawings
showing embodiments of the invention by way of example.
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of an assembly of a venting
mouth and a cooperating cap according to the invention in a disassembled condition.
Fig. 2 is a similar view as Fig. 1, but showing the assembly from a different side
and in an assembled condition.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cap of Fig. 1 as seen from a different side.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly as shown in Fig. 1 in an open condition.
Fig. 5 is a similar view as Fig. 4, but showing a closed condition.
[0019] Figs. 1-5 show different views of an embodiment of an assembly 1 of a venting mouth
2 and a cooperating cap 3 according to the invention. The assembly 1 is intended for
being mounted to a container (not shown), for example a big bag. The assembly enables
an operator to temporarily vent the container. The venting mouth 2 has a tubular portion
including a circular cross-section which is surrounded by a circumferential flange
4. The flange 4 may be welded or glued to a container.
[0020] The venting mouth 2 has an venting plate 5 at an axial end of the tubular portion
thereof. The venting plate 5 is provided with a plurality of venting mouth apertures
6. In this case the venting mouth apertures 6 are formed by discrete arched slots
at radial and angular distance from each other, but alternative shapes and dimensions
are conceivable.
[0021] Fig. 3 shows the cap 3 as a separate part. The cap 3 is a screw cap and has an internal
thread which cooperates with an external thread 7 of the tubular portion of the venting
mouth 2. For clarity reasons the internal thread is not shown in Fig. 3. The cap 3
has a closure plate 8 which is located opposite to the venting plate 5 of the venting
mouth 2 and which extends substantially parallel to the venting plate 5 of the venting
mouth 2, see Figs. 4 and 5. The closure plate 8 is provided with a plurality of cap
apertures 9, in this case six cap apertures 9, which are located at equiangular distance
from each other in circumferential direction of the cap 3. The cap apertures 9 are
provided at thickened portions of the cap 3 which provide projections around the cap
3. The thickened portions reinforce the cap 3 at locations where the cap apertures
9 are provided as well as provide grip to facilitate manual turning of the cap 3 with
respect to the venting mouth 2.
[0022] The cap 3 is rotatable with respect to the venting mouth 2 between an open condition,
as shown in Fig. 4 and a closed condition, as shown in Fig. 5. In the open condition
a flow path 10 between the venting mouth apertures 6 and the cap apertures 9 exists.
In the closed condition the flow path 10 is closed. In the latter case the closure
plate 8 of the cap 3 and the venting plate 5 of the venting mouth 2 contact each other
at a sealing region 11 between the venting mouth apertures 6 and the cap apertures
9. The sealing region 11 surrounds the venting mouth apertures 6 and extends up to
the cap apertures 9. In this case the sealing region 11 is provided with a rim 12
which surrounds the venting mouth apertures 6. In the closed condition the cap 3 and
the venting mouth 2 contact each other at the rim 12 and inside the rim 12.
[0023] When the cap 3 is rotated anti-clockwise with respect to the venting mouth 2 the
closure plate 8 of the cap 3 moves away from the venting plate 5 of the venting mouth
2 from the closed condition to the open condition, hence opening the flow path 10.
[0024] The assembly is provided with a retaining system which prevents the cap 3 from being
separated from the venting mouth 2 in the open condition. In the embodiment as shown
in the figures the retaining system comprises cooperating blocking elements 13 at
the threads of the venting mouth 2 and the screw cap 3, see Figs. 1 and 3. The blocking
elements 13 are wedge-shaped projections which are located between neighbouring ribs
of the threads and which snap behind each other when turning the cap 3 in a direction
from the open condition to the closed condition. This means that the cap 3 can be
turned in a direction from the open condition to the closed condition relatively easily
in order to facilitate assembling the assembly, whereas the blocking elements 13 makes
turning the cap 3 in opposite direction difficult when the cooperating blocking elements
of the cap 3 and the venting mouth 2 contact each other. Hence, in the open condition
the cap 3 cannot be turned further in a direction from the closed condition to the
open condition easily. The cap 3 can be turned from the open condition to the closed
condition without being blocked.
[0025] The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawings and described
hereinbefore, which may be varied in different manners within the scope of the claims
and their technical equivalents.
1. An assembly (1) of a venting mouth (2) and a cooperating cap (3) for being mounted
to a container, wherein the cap (3) is provided with a cap aperture (9) and the venting
mouth (2) is provided with a venting mouth aperture (6), wherein the cap (3) is movable
with respect to the venting mouth (2) between an open condition in which a flow path
(10) between the venting mouth aperture (6) and the cap aperture (9) exists and a
closed condition in which the flow path (10) is closed.
2. An assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein in the closed condition the cap (3)
and the venting mouth (2) contact each other at a sealing region (11) which is located
between the venting mouth aperture (6) and the cap aperture (9).
3. An assembly (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the venting mouth (2) has a tubular
portion including a venting plate (5) at an inner side thereof, which venting plate
(5) is provided with the venting mouth aperture (6).
4. An assembly (1) according to claim 3, wherein the venting plate (5) is located at
an axial end of the tubular portion of the venting mouth (2).
5. An assembly (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the cap (3) has a closure plate
(8) opposite to the venting plate (5), which closure plate (8) is provided with the
cap aperture (9).
6. An assembly (1) according to claims 2 and 5,
wherein the sealing region (11) surrounds the venting mouth aperture (6) and extends
up to the cap aperture (9).
7. An assembly (1) according to claim 6, wherein the venting mouth aperture (6) is surrounded
by a rim (12) at the sealing region (11) and the cap (3) is shaped such that in the
closed condition the cap (3) and the venting mouth (2) contact each other at the rim
(12) and inside the rim (12).
8. An assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (3)
and the venting mouth (2) are adapted such that the cap (3) moves away from the venting
mouth (2) when the cap (3) is moved with respect to the venting mouth (2) from the
closed condition to the open condition, wherein a retaining system (13) prevents the
cap (3) from being separated from the venting mouth (2) in the open condition.
9. An assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap is a
screw cap (3).
10. An assembly (1) according to claim 8 and 9,
wherein the retaining system comprises cooperating blocking elements (13) at cooperating
threads of the venting mouth (2) and the screw cap (3).
11. An assembly (1) according to claim 10, wherein the blocking elements (13) are adapted
such that they snap with respect to each other when turning the cap (3) in a direction
from the open condition to the closed condition and block with respect to each other
when turning the cap (3) in opposite direction.
12. An assembly (1) according to claim 11, wherein the blocking elements are wedge-shaped
projections (13) which are located between neighbouring ribs of the threads of the
venting mouth (2) and the screw cap (3).