CLOSURE FOR A SPOUT OF A FLEXIBLE THIN-WALLED PACKAGING

Description

This invention is in the field of thin-walled flexible packaging, customarily referred to as “pouches,” and particularly in the field of pouches provided with a spout for dispensing the product, customarily referred to as “spouted pouches.”

These packages are now widely used and appreciated for their great convenience of use and versatility, especially among children, for whom the use of the spout also has a playful component. Currently, they are mainly used for containing products such as juices and fruit purees, yoghurt, energy drinks, and the like. Currently, several hundred million pieces are sold annually.

One of the needs of the industry is to ensure a comfortable use of the flexible packaging, especially when users hold the spout between the lips.

At the same time, the closures must have a tamper evident seal that makes it clear to the user if the package has already been opened, especially in the case of food products, for which correct preservation is essential, without, of course, compromising the convenience of use.

Moreover, given the numbers involved, the correct disposal of the packaging and the closure of the spout after use is one of the most important requirements in the sector; in this regard, many companies are concentrating their research and development efforts on defining closures for which, after unscrewing the cap from the spout, the cap remains attached to said spout, so that it cannot be dispersed into the environment.

It is the object of this invention to provide a closure for a spout of a thin-walled flexible packaging that satisfies the requirements of the sector, and in particular that is comfortable and convenient for the user to use.

This object is achieved by a closure according to claim 1. The dependent claims describe additional advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The features and advantages of the closure according to this invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example according to the figures in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1a and 1b depict a package comprising a closure according to the present invention, respectively in a closing configuration and in an opening configuration;

FIGS. 2a and 2b depict two front views of a closure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the closure according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3a is a cross-section of the closure shown in FIG. 3,

FIGS. 4a e 4b are two front views of a tamper evident seal of the closure, according to one embodiment of the invention, in a configuration of an unbroken or intact seal, and in a configuration of a broken seal;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a closure according to one embodiment of the present invention in an intact condition;

FIG. 5′ is an enlargement of the box VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the closure applied to a spout;

FIG. 6a is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 7a and 7b show a closure according to one embodiment of this invention in a usage configuration.

In reference to the figures in the attached drawings, the numeral 1 has been used to indicate as a whole a spout for a thin-walled package, usually referred to as a “pouch.” In particular, the spout is suitable for pouring the product contained in the packaging and is closed by said closure 1.

According to the invention, the closure 1 comprises a cap 2 that may be screwed to the spout, the cap comprising an annular cap wall 4 having a central cap axis Y, extending between a lower end 6 and an upper end 8, closed by a cap base 10.

For example, the cap wall 4 is cylindrical or tapered from the lower end 6 toward the upper end 8, e.g., substantially frustoconical.

According to one embodiment, the cap 2 comprises a cap flange 12, at the lower end 6, projecting radially toward the outside from the cap wall 4.

According to the invention, the closure 1 further comprises a tamper evident seal 20 that is suitable for indicating the first opening of the closure.

The tamper evident seal 20 comprises a tamper evident ring 30 suitable for being applied to the spout, whereby it is connected thereto at least axially, and, for example, is free to rotate thereupon.

The tamper evident ring 30 comprises an annular upper ring face 34d that delimits the tamper evident ring at the top.

According to one embodiment, the tamper evident ring comprises an annular ring wall 34 comprising the upper ring face 34d, which delimits the upper ring wall 34 at the top.

According to one embodiment, the ring wall 34 also comprises a lower ring face 34a, for example in the form of a circular crown lying on an imaginary plane orthogonal to the cap axis Y-Y, a cylindrical outer side surface 34b and an inner side surface 34c.

In accordance with one embodiment, on the inner side surface 34c there is an annular protuberance 34′ which is continuous or in parts and which, when the ring is applied to the spout, implements an axial constraint, causing it to snap.

According to the invention, the upper ring face 34d is a wavy sinusoidal surface, formed by a circumferential succession of ring ridges 36 and ring depressions 38. Each ring depression 38 has a bottom ring surface 38′, while each ring ridge 36 has a ring ridge surface 36′.

According to one embodiment, the bottom ring surface 38′ and the ring ridge surface 36′ are curved surfaces.

For the upper face 34d, with reference to at least one of said ring depressions 38, a lower ring plane P1 is defined, which is tangential at the bottom to the bottom ring surface 38′, and, with reference to at least one of said ring ridges 36, an upper ring plane P2 is defined, which is tangential at the top to the ring ridge surface 36′. Preferably, the upper ring face 34d is contained between the lower ring plane P1 and the upper ring plane P2.

The tamper evident seal 20 further comprises an annular tamper evident portion 40 which is coaxial to the cap 2, integral therewith and preferably made in one piece with said cap 2.

According to one embodiment, the tamper evident portion 40 protrudes axially from the cap flange 12.

The tamper evident portion 40 comprises an annular lower portion face 44d that delimits the tamper evident portion at the bottom.

In accordance with one embodiment, the tamper evident portion 40 consists of the wall portion 44 comprising a lower portion face 44d, which delimits the wall portion 44 at the bottom.

According to one embodiment, the wall portion 44 also comprises an upper face portion 44a, for example in the form of a circular crown lying on an imaginary plane orthogonal to the cap axis Y-Y, a cylindrical outer side surface 44b and an inner side surface 44c.

According to one embodiment, the cap flange 12 comprises an upper flange surface 12′ that engages with the cap wall 4, and a lower flange surface 12″ that engages with the wall portion 44, preferably the upper face portion 44a.

In accordance with the invention, the lower face portion 44d consists of a wavy sinusoidal surface comprising portion ridges 46 and portion depressions 48 that follow one another circumferentially. Each portion depression 48 has a bottom portion surface 48′, while each ring portion 46 has a portion ridge surface 46′.

According to one embodiment, the bottom portion surface 48′ and the portion ridge surface 46′ are curved surfaces.

According to one embodiment, for the lower portion face 44d, with reference to at least one of said ridge portions 46, a lower portion plane T1 is defined, which is tangential at the bottom to the portion ridge surface 46′, and, with reference to at least one of said portion depressions 48, an upper plane T2 is defined, which is tangential at the top to the bottom portion surface 48′. Preferably, the lower portion face 44d is contained between the lower portion plane T1 and the upper portion plane T2.

When the tamper evident seal 20 is intact, a ring ridge 36 is contained within a relevant depression portion 48 and a ridge portion 46 is contained within a relevant ring depression 38. In other words, said ridge portion 46, when the tamper evident seal 20 is intact, extends beyond the upper ring plane P2, towards the lower ring plane P1; furthermore, said ridge ring 36, when the tamper evident seal 20 is intact, extends beyond the lower portion plane T1, towards the upper portion plane T2. In other words again, the tamper evident portion 40 and the tamper evident ring 30 interpenetrate axially, in such a way that the ridges 36, 46 are received within the respective depressions 48, 38.

In accordance with one embodiment, the tamper evident ring 30 and the tamper evident portion 40, preferably the upper ring face 34d and the lower portion face 44d, are complementary.

According to one embodiment, the upper ring face 34d and the lower portion face 44d are not corrugated throughout the circumferential dimension thereof.

Preferably, they consist of sinusoidal corrugated sections 34′, 44′ and flat sections 34″, 44″, still preferably alternating. In other words, corrugated sections 34′, 44′ and flat sections 34″, 44″ alternate along the tamper evident seal 20.

According to one embodiment, the flat sections 34″ of the upper ring face 34d lie on the upper ring plane P2, and the flat sections 44″ of the lower portion face 44d lie on the upper portion plane T2.

The tamper evident seal 20 further comprises at least one breakable bridge 50, which connects the tamper evident ring 30 to the cap 2.

On the side of the tamper evident ring 30, said at least one bridge 50 protrudes from the relevant bottom ring surface 38′ of the upper ring face 34d and is entirely received within the relevant depression 38; in other words, it extends between the lower plane P1 and the upper plane P2.

From the part of the cap 2, i.e. the tamper evident portion 40, said at least one bridge 50 is joined to the portion ridges 46, and in particular to the portion ridge surface 46′.

According to a preferred embodiment, said at least one bridge 50 is axially tapered, being thicker near the attachment to the bottom surface 38′ of the tamper evident ring 30 and thinner near the ridge surface 46′ of the tamper evident portion 40 of the cap 2. Preferably, said bridge 50 has a truncated tetrahedron shape. In other words, the bridges are configured to break by traction in the vicinity of the tamper evident portion 40.

In accordance with one embodiment, the tamper evident seal 20 comprises a plurality of bridges 50, preferably a number of bridges 50 equal to the number of ring depressions 38. In other words, each ring depression 38 accommodates a bridge 50.

In accordance with one embodiment, moreover, the closure comprises a strap 60 suitable for keeping the cap 2 connected to the tamper evident ring 30 even when the tamper evident seal 20 is broken. In other words, whereas the bridges 50 break when the cap 2 is first unscrewed from the spout, the strap 60 is permanently connected, unless it is torn off forcibly by pulling.

According to one embodiment, the strap 60 extends from a region 60a of the outer side surface 34b of the tamper evident ring 30 to a region 60b of the outer side surface of the cap 2, preferably of the cap wall 4; for example, at the tamper evident portion 40, preferably at the outer side surface 44b.

In accordance with one embodiment, the strap 60 comprises a first portion 60′ projecting from the tamper evident ring 30, which is preferably straight, a second portion 60″ projecting from the cap 2, which is preferably straight, and an arched connecting portion 60″′ connecting the first portion 60′ and the second portion 60″.

According to one embodiment, the first portion 60′ and the second portion 60″ are respectively connected to the tamper evident ring 30 and to the cap 2.

In accordance with one embodiment, the strap 60 has an elliptical cross section, preferably in the connecting portion 60″′. Preferably, moreover, said connecting portion 60″′ is tapered with respect to the first and second portions 60′, 60″.

In particular, by virtue of the aforementioned characteristics, the cap 2 may be configured in a usage configuration (for example shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b) wherein, once disengaged from the spout, it is rotated by 360° such that the strap 60, preferably the connecting portion 60″′, forms a loop or a curl. In this way, the cap 2, being directed in the opposite direction in relation to the spout, does not bother the user who holds the spout between the lips.

According to one embodiment, the closure 1 is preferably made in a single piece, of plastics material, for example by injection molding.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment (for example depicted in FIG. 6a), the cap 2 comprises a drip-catcher device 15 suitable for sealingly engaging the spout, so that the product contained in the packaging does not escape, in particular when the package is turned upside down.

Preferably, the drip-catcher device 15 comprises a drip-catcher ring 16 which is internally integrated into the cap base 10, i.e. inside the cap 2. Furthermore, the cap 2 comprises an annular housing 17 comprised between the cap wall 4 and the drip-catcher ring 16, suitable for housing the spout, preferably the upper edge of the spout; for example, by means of interlocking engagement.

Innovatively, the closure according to this invention satisfies the aforementioned requirements, in that it provides a tamper evident seal that does not interfere with comfortable use of the spout.

Advantageously, the configuration of the tamper evident seal ensures a high level of comfort in the use of the flexible packaging because, when the bridges break as a result of unscrewing the cap, the residual sections that remain connected to the tamper evident ring are entirely contained in the depressions of the tamper evident ring and therefore cannot get in the way of or bother users who use the spout by holding it between the lips.

Advantageously, the wavy sinusoidal shape greatly improves comfort insofar as it allows the bridges to be well enclosed within the depressions of the tamper evident ring and not annoy the user in any way.

Advantageously, the wavy sinusoidal shape of the tamper evident portion means that even the cap, once disengaged from the straw, does not have protrusions that may annoy the user.

Advantageously, the wavy sinusoidal shape of the tamper evident portion and the tamper evident ring ensures an extremely precise engagement between the depressions and ridges during the engagement thereof, thereby avoiding erroneous and undesired overlaps between the tamper evident ring and the tamper evident portion.

Advantageously, the wavy sinusoidal shape of the tamper evident ring and the tamper evident portion facilitates the closure of the cap, in particular the depressions and ridges behave mutually as falls and rises, greatly facilitating the correct engagement thereof and consequently the correct closure of the spout, drastically decreasing the possibilities of error on the part of the user.

Advantageously, the correct engagement between the depressions and the ridges of the tamper evident ring and the tamper evident portion greatly decreases the probability of forming a gap between the spout and the cap; in this way the drip-catcher device may perform the task thereof in an optimal way, even when the packaging is upside down.

Advantageously, the irregular shape of the tamper evident ring with the alternation of thicker sections, near the ridges, and thinner sections, near the depressions, makes it possible to respectively alternate areas that are more and less rigid and therefore deformable, reducing the possibility of disengaging the tamper evident ring from the spout. In particular, the lever action is discharged within the deformable areas, thus reducing the ease of disengaging the tamper evident ring from the spout.

A person skilled in the art may, in order to meet specific needs, make several changes to the embodiments of the closure or substitutions of elements with other functionally equivalent ones. These variants are also contained within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims. Moreover, each variant described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be implemented independently of the other variants described.