Receptacles – Closures – Thermal releaser or actuator
Patent
1998-12-31
2000-06-13
Newhouse, Nathan J.
Receptacles
Closures
Thermal releaser or actuator
220DIG17, 220DIG32, B65D 5100
Patent
active
060737913
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a closure cap, which can be fastened to a fixed connector, for example, a motor vehicle radiator, an expansion tank for cooling or heating devices or the like, preferably by screwing it on or pushing it on and turning it. The closure cap has a screw cap or a push-and-turn cap and a rotatable engagement element, in which a valve, which preferably is embodied as an overpressure/underpressure combination, is arranged concentrically with the cap, wherein the valve has a sealing element which comes into sealing contact with the fixed connector when the closure cap is applied, wherein the closure cap, when applied to the fixed connector, can be secured against removal, preferably against unscrewing or twisting it off, by means of a temperature-dependent control element, in that by means of the temperature-dependent control element a coupling, fixed against relative rotation, between the cap and the engagement element can be achieved at normal temperature, and an uncoupling of the cap from the engagement element at excess temperatures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such closure caps are used, for example, in motor vehicle cooling systems, either directly as a radiator cap, or as a closure for the expansion tank. Here, the closure cap can either be screwed on by means of a screw thread, or it can be pushed on and rotated by means of a bayonet element. In connection with motor vehicle cooling systems there is a problem in regard to the closure caps in that as a rule the pressure is very high because of the high temperature in the cooling system. Even if at the time the motor is turned off the temperature in the cooling system is not too high, there can be a temperature, and therefore a pressure increase in the cooling system because of a certain amount of residual heating after the motor has been turned off. If the closure cap is removed during this time, there is an acute danger of scalding of the respective user. To counteract this, closure caps with a temperature-dependent unscrewing protection, such as described at the outset, have been developed which, in case of an excessive temperature in the cooling system, do not permit the user to remove the closure cap by actuating the cap, since during excess temperature the cap turns without contact with the engagement element.
A closure cap is known, for example, from Published international application WO 95/32904. With closure caps in accordance with this publication, a temperature-dependent control element constituted by a bimetal element is provided in accordance with a variant in a comparatively voluminous hollow chamber within the cap and above the engagement element, and in accordance with another variant a U-shaped coupling element can be lifted or lowered in the axial direction. Although both embodiments operate satisfactorily, the space between the engagement element and the cover required for this is considerable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a closure cap of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein the temperature-dependent unscrewing protection is housed in a space-saving manner, so that the cap can be given a compact appearance. The unscrewing protection furthermore is intended not to be prone to trouble and to be mounted in a simple and efficient manner.
This object is attained in connection with a closure cap of the type mentioned at the outset by the provision of a rocker-like coupling element, which essentially extends in the radial direction of the engagement element, is pivotable to a limited extent on an axis extending parallel with the top of the engagement element, and in the circumferential direction of the engagement element is interlockingly connected, fixed against relative rotation, with the engagement element, so that at normal temperatures the one end of the coupling element is pushed down by a resilient element in the direction toward the top of the engagement element, and at excess temperature the coupling element is pushed up by
REFERENCES:
patent: 4872584 (1989-10-01), Sakai
patent: 4927049 (1990-05-01), Giordano
patent: 5845800 (1998-12-01), Shaw et al.
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