Plunger tube connector for a container for packaging a product,
particularly a chemical product
The present invention relates to the field of the containers for
5 packaging products, particularly chemical products.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a plunger
tube connector for a container for packaging a product, particularly a
toxic and/or harmful and/or odorous and/or inflammable chemical
product. "Packaging" means storing the product in a container
10 allowing the transport and the preservation, before opening, of the
physicochemical structure of said product for a relatively long
duration, for example approximately several months.
Such a packaging container is generally associated with a
plunger tube for the filling or emptying thereof. The plunger tube
15 forms a conduit for inserting or distributing the product.
Conventionally, for filling or emptying, the cap of the
container is removed and the plunger tube is inserted inside the
container. This is referred to then as an open-top container. For
emptying, the lower end of the plunger tube can, for example, be
20 brought to bear on or be at a very small distance from the bottom of
the container in order to be able to distribute all of the product.
With such a process, the user of the container can be in direct
contact with the product. Furthermore, the user can also be in contact
with the fumes of the product. This can be especially problematic,
25 particularly when the product is a toxic and/or harmful and/or odorous
and/or inflammable product.
The aim of the present invention IS to overcome these
disadvantages.
More particularly, the ann of the present invention is to
30 provide a plunger tube connector for a container for packaging a
product, particularly a chemical product, for mounting the plunger
tube on the container in an easy and safe manner.
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It is also the mm of the invention to provide a connector
allowing an adjustment of the height of the plunger tube and locking
of said tube in position after adjustment.
The present invention finally relates to a connector having a
5 simple and economical design.
In an embodiment, the plunger tube connector for a container
for packaging a product, particularly a chemical product, comprises a
body provided with a through-bore for passage of the plunger tube, a
tightening means mounted on the body and provided with an opening
10 for passage of said plunger tube, and a compression ring arranged
axially at least partially between the body and the tightening means
and comprising a surface for contact with an external surface of the
plunger tube. Said compression ring engages the body and/or the
tightening means in order to obtain, when bringing said body and said
I 5 tightening means closer to one another in a relative axial manner, an
inward radial movement of said ring.
With the connector, it is possible to insert the plunger tube into
the associated container without it being necessary to completely open
the upper part of the container. Indeed, the body of the device can be
20 connected directly or indirectly via an additional element at an
opening of the container having a diameter that is substantially greater
than that of the plunger tube. Therefore, this reduces the risk of direct
contact between the product stored in the container and the user and
the risk of inhalation of the fumes of the product.
25 Furthermore, with the connector, it is possible to slide the
plunger tube through said device until it reaches the desired position
inside the container, then lock the height thereof in a particularly easy
manner.
To insert the plunger tube inside the device and adjust the
30 height, it is sufficient to position the body and the tightening means in
a spaced-apart position wherein the compression ring does not axially
block the insertion and sliding of the plunger tube. Under these
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conditions, the plunger tube can be inserted and slide inside the device
as a result of simple axial pushing.
Then, the positional locking of the plunger tube is easily
obtained by bringing the body and the tightening means closer to one
5 another in a relative axial manner. Indeed, bringing them closer to one
another causes an inward radial movement of the compression ring,
which allows a radial compression of the external surface of the
plunger tube to be obtained. The compressron nng exerts a
substantially radial force directed inwards such as to radially compress
10 the external surface of the plunger tube and prevent said tube and the
connector from being axially detached. The compression ring forms a
means of axially locking the plunger tube in relation to the body and
to the tightening means of the device.
The device also has the advantage of allowing easy
15 dismounting of the plunger tube, for example, to reposition it at a
different height inside the container, or to replace it, or to use the
device and the plunger tube on another container with different
dimensions and/or volume. To this end, the tightening means should be
moved relative to the body in the spaced-apart position wherein the
20 compression ring is not radially urged inwards.
Preferably, the body and the tightening means define an axial
space inside which the compression ring is housed. The compression
ring is, therefore, held axially between the body and the tightening
means. This arrangement allows for the prevention of a possible axial
25 detachment of the compression ring with respect to the other elements
forming the connector. The device forms a unitary assembly which can
be handled, transported and mounted with a particularly limited risk of
accidental separation of the constituent elements.
Advantageously, the contact surface of the compression ring is
30 continuous in the circumferential direction. The possible infiltration of
liquid or gas between the plunger tube and the compression ring is
therefore greatly reduced.
\.
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In an embodiment, the body or tightening means comprises a
truncated portion to obtain the inward radial movement of the
compression ring when bringing the body and the adjusting means
closer to one another in a relative axial manner. This arrangement
5 allows the inward radial movement of the compression ring to be
obtained simply and effectively during axial urging of said ring by the
body and/or the adjusting means.
The compression ring can also comprise a truncated external
surface engaging the truncated portion of the body or of the tightening
10 means and radially opposite the contact surface.
According to another feature, the compression ring can
comprise a centering portion arranged inside the tightening means and
a retaining portion axially extending said centering portion. The
truncated external portion of the compression ring can be provided on
15 the retaining portion.
In an embodiment, the compression ring is made from synthetic
material, particularly from PTFE. In an alternative, the compression
ring can be made from metal or from a metal alloy that is elastically
deformable, for example copper.
20 Preferably, the tightening means is mounted on the external
surface of the body, particularly by means of screwing.
In an advantageous embodiment, the device further comprises a
sealing plug mounted on the body and intended to seal a bunghole of
the associated packaging container. Therefore, the connector allows,
25 furthermore, the bunghole of the container to be sealed. The device,
therefore, allows a double function to be provided, namely the
mounting and locking of the plunger tube, firstly, and the plugging of
the bunghole of the associated container, secondly.
The sealing plug can be mounted on the external surface of the
30 body, particularly by means of screwing. The sealing plug can also
comprise fixing means intended to engage the bunghole of the
packaging container.
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In an embodiment, the body, the tightening means and the
sealing member are made from metal, particularly from steel.
The invention also relates to a packaging container containing
a product, particularly a chemical product, and comprising at least a
5 bunghole, a connector as defined above which is mounted at the
bunghole, and a plunger tube passing through the connector and
extending inside the container.
The present invention will be better understood upon studying
the detailed description of an embodiment taken by way of nonlimiting
10 example and illustrated by the appended drawings, wherein:
15
- figure 1 is a cross section view of a container comprising a
connector according to an embodiment,
- figure 2 is a cross section view of the connector of figure 1,
and
- figure 3 is a front view of the connector of figures 1 and 2.
Figure 1 shows a container designated by the general numeric
reference 10 in a supposed vertical position. In the envisaged use, the
container 10, with axis 1 Oa, is intended to package one or more toxic
and/or harmful and/or odorous and/or inflammable chemical products
20 P. The container 10 can, of course, be used to package other types of
chemical or other products.
The container 10 comprises, at the upper end thereof, a
bunghole 12, a plunger tube 14 extending inside the container and out
of said container, and a connector 16 mounted at the bunghole 12 and
25 through which the plunger tube 14 extends. As will be described in
greater detail belo\\(, the connector 16 is provided to allow the plunger
tube 14 to slide inside the container I 0 and said tube to be locked in
position. The plunger tube 14 allows the container 10 to be filled
and/or emptied.
30 The container 10 also compnses, at the upper end thereof, an
additional bunghole (not shown) provided .for pressure equalization
when filling or emptying the container. This additional bunghole can
be provided with a simple odor filter or with a gas adsorber, or a hose
·"·
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connected to a pump or to a compressor such that it is possible to
create the pressure or low pressure necessary inside the container for
emptying or filling, respectively.
As illustrated more visibly in figures 2 and 3, the connector 16
5 comprises a body 18, with axis 18a, a tightening nut 20 mounted on
the body, a compression ring 22 mounted axially between the body and
the tightening nut, and a sealing plug 24 for closing the bunghole of
the container.
The body 18 comprises a bore 26 axially passing straight
10 through said body for passage of the plunger tube. The bore 26 is
formed by a cylindrical portion 26a coaxial with the axis 18a and
extending axially from the lower end of the body 18, and by a
truncated portion 26b extending said cylindrical portion and flaring
outwards. The truncated portion 26b opens at the upper end of the
15 body 18. The body 18 comprises an external surface 28 on which is
provided, from an upper end, a first thread (not referenced) for fixing
and screwing the tightening nut 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the
body 18 has a tubular general shape. In an alternative, the body 18
could have a curved shape.
20 The tightening nut 20 comprises an annular axial tightening
part 30 internally comprising a thread (not referenced) engaging the
thread of the body 18. The tightening part 30 externally comprises six
flats such as to allow the nut 20 to be tightened with a wrench. The
tightening part 30 is extended, at an axial end located on the side
25 opposite the body 18, by a radial wall 32 comprising a throughopening
34 for passage of the plunger tube 14 and that is coaxial with
the axis 18a, The nut 20 and the body 18 define an axial space inside
which the compression ring 22 is entirely mounted.
The annular compression ring 22 is advantageously made as
30 one piece by molding a synthetic plastic, for example PTFE. The
compression ring 22 is elastically deformable. The ring 22 comprises
an annular centering portion 3 6 and an annular retaining portion 3 8
axially extending said centering portion. The centering portion 36 is
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radially centered inside the tightening part 3 0 of the nut and is axially
mounted in a bearing manner against the radial wall 3 2 of said nut.
The retaining portion 3 8 is mounted partially inside the truncated
portion 26b of the bore of the body 18 and bears against said portion.
5 The retaining portion 38 has a truncated external surface 40
substantially matching the shape of the truncated portion 26b of the
bore. The external surface 40 is in contact with said truncated portion
26b.
The compression ring 22 comprises an internal surface 42
10 provided to come into contact with the external surface of the plunger
tube. The internal surface 42 is radially opposite the truncated external
surface 40. The internal surface 42 forms the compression ring bore
which is coaxial with the axis 18a and extends along the centering 3 6
and retaining 38 portions. The internal surface 42 is annular, i.e.
15 continuous in the circumferential direction. As will be described in
greater detail below, when the nut 20 is screwed onto the body 18, the
axial urging force exerted by the nut on the compression ring 22
allows said ring to radially compress the external surface of the
plunger tube 14 and axially lock the tube.
20 The sealing plug 24 is mounted by means of screwing on the
external surface 28 of the body axially on the side opposite the
tightening nut 20. To this end, a second thread (not referenced) is
provided on the external surface 28 of the body 18 and engages a
thread (not referenced) of the plug 24. The plug 24 allows the
25 bunghole 12 (figure I) of the container to be sealed. In the illustrated
embodiment, the plug 24 has a cup shape. The plug. 24 comprises a
radial wall 42 comprising a threaded bore which is screwed onto the
body 18 and an axial portion 44 extending a large-diameter edge of
said radial portion. The axial portion 44 comprises, on the external
30 surface thereof, a thread (not referenced) provided to engage the
thread of the bunghole 12 in order to fix the device 16 on the
associated container I 0.
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After fixing the device 16 on the container 10, the following
steps are taken in order to insert the plunger tube 14 inside the device,
then to adjust the height of and lock said tube.
In a first step, the nut 20 is slightly unscrewed such that the
5 compression ring 22 is not axially urged by said nut. The thread of the
nut 20 remains engaged with the thread of the body 18. Then, during a
second step, the plunger tube 14 is inserted inside the opening 34 of
the nut, the internal surface 42 of the compression ring and the bore 26
of the body. The plunger tube 14 slides through the connector I 6 and
10 inside the container 10 until the lower end of said tube reaches the
desired position, for example bearing on or at an extremely small axial
distance from the bottom of the container.
In a third step, the tightening nut 20 is screwed onto the body
18 such as to axially bring the radial wall 32 of the nut and the body
15 18 closer to one another. Axially bringing the nut 20 closer in relation
to the body 18 causes the axial movement of the compression ring 22
in the direction of the body 18 and against the truncated portion 26b of
the bore of said nut, and an inward radial deformation of the retaining
portion 38 of the ring by means of said truncated portion 26b. The
20 retaining portion 3 8 of the compression ring deforms radially towards
the external surface of the plunger tube 14 and radially compresses
said surface. The internal surface 42 of the compression ring comes, at
least on part of the length thereof, radially into contact with the
external surface of the plunger tube I 4 and radially clamps said
25 surface. Therefore, the plunger tube 14 is axially locked in relation to
the .connector 16 as a result of the compression ring 22 jamming said
tube.
In the illustrated embodiment, the nut 20 is screwed onto the
external surface of the body I 8. In an alternative, it is possible to
30 screw the nut inside the body I 8. However, with such a design, it is
necessary to provide a larger axial dimension for the compression ring
22. In another alternative embodiment, it is possible to provide a
compression ring that is entirely conical and/or to provide on the
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contact internal surface 42 teeth radially projecting inwards, the arm
of which is to help the ring catch on the external surface of the pipe.
In the illustrated embodiment, the radial deformation of the
compression ring 22 allowing the axial locking of the plunger tube 14
5 is obtained thanks to the axial movement of the nut 20 and of the
compression ring 22, and to the engagement of the retaining portion 38
of said ring and the truncated portion 26b of the bore of the body. The
compression ring 22 therefore engages both the nut 20 and the body I 8
in order to radially clamp the plunger tube I 4.
10 In another alternative embodiment, it is possible to mount the
centering portion 36 of the compression ring axially to bear against the
upper end of the body I 8 and provide on the radial wall 32 of the nut
20 a truncated opening 34 that can engage the retaining part 38 of the
ring. Under these conditions, when bringing the nut 20 and the body
15 I 8 closer to one another in a relative axial manner, the movement of
the nut causes the inward radial deformation of the compression ring
22. Therefore, when bringing the nut 20 and the body I 8 closer to one
another in a relative axial manner, only the nut engages the
compression ring 22 in order to axially lock the plunger tube 14.
20 In the illustrated embodiment, the sealing plug 24 is removably
mounted on the body 18 by means of screwing. In an alternative, it is
possible to fix the plug 24 on the body I 8 such that it cannot be
dismounted, for example by welding.
mounting of the plug 24 is advantageous
However, the
insofar as plugs
removable
of various
25 diameters can then be mounted on a same body 18. The diameter of the
plug 24 is chosen according to the diameter of the bunghole of the
associated container. Therefore, it is possible to use a single body 18,
a single nut 20 and a single ring 22 for containers having bungholes
with different diameters. Moreover, the elastic nature of the
30 compression ring 22 also allows an adaptability to various diameters
of plunger tubes.
The invention provides a connector for easily and quickly
adjusting the height of the associated plunger tube and locking said
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tube, and providing a good level of impermeability to liquids and
gases.
The connector of the invention is particularly suitable for
filling and emptying toxic and/or harmful and/or odorous and/or
5 inflammable products, in particular for the liquid chemical products
transported and/or stored in containers which can be filled or emptied
by applying pressure or low pressure. The connector of the invention
is particularly suitable for crop protection products, particularly used
for open field farming, in particular for fumigants, and more
10 particularly for disulfides, for example dimethyl disulfide, for halides,
for example methyl bromide, 1,3-dich1oropropene or
chloropicrin (ChC-N02), but also metam sodium (CH3-NH-CS2"Na+),
metam potassium (CH3-NH-CS2·K+) or sodium tetrathiocarbonate
(Na2CS4), and methyl isothiocyanate (MITC or CH3-NCS) and the
15 MITC precursors, for example dazomet, alone or in mixtures of two or
more therefrom in any proportions.

CLAIMS
I. A plunger tube connector for a container for packaging a
product, particularly a chemical product, characterized in that it
5 compnses:
10
- a body (18) provided with a through-bore (26) for passage of
the plunger tube,
- a tightening means (20) mounted on the body and provided
with an opening (34) for passage of said plunger tube, and
- a compression ring (22) arranged axially at least partially
between the body and the tightening means and comprising a surface
(42) for contact with an external surface of the plunger tube, said
compression ring engaging the body (18) and/or the tightening means
(20) in order to obtain, when bringing said body and said tightening
15 means closer to one another in a relative axial manner, an inward
radial movement of said ring.
20
2. The device as claimed m claim 1, wherein the body (18)
and the tightening means (20) define an axial space inside which the
compression ring (22) is housed.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1
surface ( 42) of the compressiOn ring
circumferential direction.
or 2, wherein the contact
1s continuous 111 the
4. The device as claimed 111 any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the body (18) or the tightening means (20) comprises a
25 truncated portion (26b) to obtain the inward radial movement of the
compression ring (22) when bringing the body and the adjusting means
closer to one another in a relative axial manner.
5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the compression
nng (22) comprises a truncated external surface ( 40) engaging the
30 truncated portion (26b) of the body or of the tightening means and
radially opposite the contact surface (42).
6. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the compression ring (22) comprises a centering portion (36)
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arranged inside the tightening means (20) and a retaining portion (38)
axially extending said centering portion.
7, The device as claimed in claim 6 dependent upon claim 5,
wherein the truncated external surface ( 40) of the compression ring is
5 provided on the retaining portion (38).
8. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the compression ring (22) is made from synthetic material,
particularly from PTFE.
9. . The dev.i ce as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
10 · wherein the tightening means (20) is mounted on the external surface
of the body (18), particularly by means of screwing.
10. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
further comprising a sealing plug (24) mounted on the body (18) and
intended to seal a bunghole of the associated packaging container ..
15 11. The device as claiiued in claim 10, wher~in the sealing plug
. (24) is mounted on the external surface of the body ( 18),_ particularly
by means of screwing.
12. The device as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the
sealing plug (24) comprises fixing means intended to engage the
20 bunghole of the packaging container.
' .
13. A packaging container containing a product, particularly a
chemical product, and comprising at least a bunghole, a connector as
claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is mounted at the
bunghole, and a plunger tube passing through the connector and
25 extending inside the container.