Unscrewing security device for containers
An unscrewing security device for a sealing lid which may be or is mounted on a fixed neck of a motor vehicle radiator, comprising a lid outer section with a handle element, locking elements which may be locked to a counter locking element on the neck and a lid inner piece comprising a valve arrangement preferably embodied as an over and under pressure combination, whereby a turning lock acts between the lid outer piece and the neck. According to the invention, such an unscrewing security device may be provided with the turning lock by application of operational data in an optimal manner, whereby the rotation lock is operated by an actuator controlled according to the operating conditions in the container or for an engine, which is mounted in a housing, itself mounted inside or outside the container in the vicinity of the lid outer piece.
The present invention relates to a device for preventing unscrewing of a closure cap, which can be mounted on a stationary stub of a container, in particular a motor vehicle radiator, as generically defined by the preamble to claim 1.
In one such unscrewing prevention device, known from European Patent Disclosure EP 0 760 789 B1, a control bolt of the twist preventer is acted upon, counter to the action of a compression spring, by a so-called memory spring, which expands at a suitably high temperature. The control bolt is disposed in an axial blind bore of a thickened portion of the stub that is provided with the counterpart closure element. In this disposition of the twist preventer, it is difficult to bring the heat, which exists concretely in the container, to the heat-variable memory spring without major temperature losses.
The object of the present invention is therefore to create an unscrewing prevention device of the type defined at the outset whose twist preventer is disposed in an optimal way for the delivery of operating data.
For attaining this object, in an unscrewing prevention device of this type, the characteristics recited in claim 1 are provided.
By the provisions according to the invention, depending on the type of drive mechanism intended for the twist preventer, an optimal position of the drive mechanism with a view to delivering the operating data to be employed is attainable.
In one embodiment, the characteristics of claim 2 are provided, which means that the housing that receives the drive mechanism is disposed in an optimal way at the place where the pressure or temperature are directly present. Moreover, the housing is accommodated in a space-saving way. In this respect, the characteristics of claim 3 and/or claim 4 may advantageously be provided.
In another exemplary embodiment having the characteristics of claim 5, the housing is mounted on the outside of the container whenever the operating data have been taken from the operating status of the engine. This moreover has the advantage that the container itself needs to change only insignificantly. In this respect it may be expedient to provide the characteristics of claim 6.
Advantageous structural features in terms of the twist preventer are obtained from the characteristics of one or more of claims 7 through 10.
Various ways of triggering the drive mechanism are advantageously apparent from the characteristics of claims 11, 12, 13, and 14.
Advantageous structural features in terms of the housing and the diaphragm will become apparent from the characteristics of one or more of claims 15 through 18.
Further details of the invention can be learned from the ensuing description, in which the invention is described and explained in further detail in terms of the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing.
Shown are:
The device 10, 110, 210, 310, 410 for preventing unscrewing of a cap or the like shown in a plurality of exemplary embodiments in the drawing is used for operationally controlled prevention of unscrewing of a closure cap 11, 111, 211, 311, 411 from the closure element 12, 112, 212, 312, 412 of a container 13, 113, 213, 313, 413, for instance a motor vehicle radiator, whenever, because of the operating state of the container (increased pressure or temperature), unscrewing the closure cap from the container stub can be dangerous to the user.
The closure cap 11, 111, 211, 311, 411 has an outer part 14, 114, 214, 314, 414 with a grip element 16, 116, 216, 316, 416, which is integrally provided with a closure element 17, 117, 217, 317, 417, which here serves a female thread 18, 118, 218, 318, 418 for screwing the closure cap onto and unscrewing it from the opening of the stub 12, 112, 212, 312, 412, which has a male thread 19, 119, 219, 319, 419, of the motor vehicle radiator 13, 113, 213, 313, 413 or other container. It is understood that the closure element 17, 117, 217, 317, 417, instead of having a thread, may be provided with a bayonet mount element, which can be connected to a corresponding bayonet mount element on the stub. An inner part 21, 121, 221, 321, 421 of the cap is disposed in suspended fashion, concentrically with the closure element 17, 117, 217, 317, 417, on the inside of the grip element 16, 116, 216, 316, 416. The inner part 21, 121, 221, 321, 421 of the cap is rotatable relative to the grip element 16, 116, 216, 316, 416 of the outer part 14, 114, 214, 314, 414 of the cap but is axially held firmly. The inner part 21, 121, 221, 321, 421 of the cap is embodied as a valve pot and receives an overpressure/negative-pressure valve assembly 22, 122, 222, 322, 422, shown only schematically in dashed lines, whose overpressure valve is triggerable in one or two stages.
The unscrewing prevention device 10, 110, 210, 310, 410 has a twist preventer 25, 125, 225, 325, 425, which has a drive mechanism 27, 127, 227, 327, 427, disposed in a housing 26, 126, 226, 326, 426 provided inside or outside the container 13, 113, 213, 313, 413, and this drive mechanism actuates a locking bolt 28, 128, 228, 328, 428 in order to cause it to engage or disengage a detent opening 29, 129, 229, 329, 429 in the grip element 16, 116, 216, 316, 416 of the closure cap 11, 111, 211, 311, 411. In the various exemplary embodiments, the drive mechanism 27, 127, 227, 327, 427 is triggerable in accordance with various specifications.
In the exemplary embodiment of
The exemplary embodiment shown in
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
The exemplary embodiment shown in
The cylindrical part 431 of the housing 426 is covered on its inner end by a cap 432, which fits over the cylindrical part 431 on the outside in detent-locking fashion. The cap part 432 is provided toward the bottom with a connecting opening 439, which here is concentric in the middle and which makes it possible to transmit the pressure conditions in the interior of the container 413 to the axially movable piston 440.
During engine operation, the coolant in the container 13, 113, 213, 313, 413 will heat up, so that the temperature and pressure will rise there. Because in the exemplary embodiments of
The same is correspondingly true for the exemplary embodiment of
In the exemplary embodiment of
It is understood that whenever the operating position (temperature increase or pressure increase), which is picked up directly or indirectly, changes to the normal or outset position, the locking action is undone again, because the locking bolt 28, 128, 228, 328, 428 is returned under the influence of the compression spring 36, 136, 236, 326, 426.
It is understood that in the exemplary embodiments of
Moreover, in all the exemplary embodiments, it is possible to provide a rockerlike force booster between the drive mechanism 26, 126, 226, 326, 426 and the locking bolt 28, 128, 228, 328, 428 that is deflected away from it.
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A device for preventing unscrewing of a closure cap mounted on a stationary stub of a container, such as a motor vehicle radiator, the closure cap having:
- an outer part with a grip element and a closure element connected to a counterpart closure element of the stationary stub; and
- an inner part with a valve assembly, the device including: a twist preventer operative between said outer part of said closure cap and said stationary stub; a housing located according to one of: inside an outside of the container near the outer part of said closure cap; and a drive mechanism triggered by one of: the operating data in the container and an engine, wherein: said twist preventer being actuatable by said drive mechanism.
20. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said housing that receives said drive mechanism is disposed inside the container and below said counterpart closure element of said stationary stub.
21. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 20, wherein:
- said housing that receives said drive mechanism is integrated with the container wall.
22. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 21, wherein:
- said housing is formed by a cylindrical part, protruding from the container wall, and a cap part that closes said cylindrical part.
23. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said housing that receives said drive mechanism on the outside of the container and is oriented toward a circumferential region of said outer part of said closure cap remote from said counterpart closure element of said stationary stub.
24. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 23, wherein:
- said housing is placed on the outside of the container and is retained on a flange that is concentric with said stationary stub.
25. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said twist preventer has a locking bolt, which can be shifted into position by said drive mechanism into a detent opening of said outer part of said closure cap.
26. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 25, wherein:
- said drive mechanism acting on said locking bolt acts unilaterally, and
- said locking bolt is acted upon by a spring in the opposite direction.
27. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 25, wherein:
- said drive mechanism acting on said locking bolt acts on both sides.
28. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 25, wherein:
- said locking bolt is oriented vertically or horizontally.
29. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said drive mechanism is pressure-controlled and is formed by a diaphragm or piston communicating with the container interior.
30. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said drive mechanism is thermically controlled and is formed by an expanding-material capsule communicating with the container interior.
31. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said drive mechanism is electromagnetically controlled as a function of the engine data, and
- said locking bolt is part of an electromagnet.
32. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said drive mechanism is uk as a function of the engine data, and
- said locking bolt is coupled for motion with a negative-pressure diaphragm.
33. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 19, wherein:
- said housing is provided with axial openings pointing toward the container interior.
34. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 29, wherein:
- said diaphragm or the piston is fastened or axially guided in pressuretight fashion in said housing.
35. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 34, wherein:
- said diaphragm is fastened in pressuretight fashion between a circumferential edge of said housing and a cap part of said closure cap.
36. The unscrewing prevention device of claim 35, wherein:
- said cap part of said closure cap is provided with the axial openings.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 12, 2002
Publication Date: Jun 9, 2005
Inventor: Heinrich Reutter (Waiblingen)
Application Number: 10/499,677