EP0431240B1 - Pourer fitment for a fluid materials container and method of manufacture of fitment - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a pouring device made of plastic for attachment to a hole in a package for flowable filling material, the pouring device having a lower part which can be opened by means of a tear line and a closure part which can be moved by a hinge, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

In and of itself, filling material can be poured out through the hole in a package, which is generally located in the top surface thereof, without special additional devices. In the sense of the present invention, however, a specially designed part made of thermoplastic material is generally referred to as a pouring device, because the emptying of a plasticizer pack can only take place in an appropriate manner when such a pouring device is inserted, e.g. with clearly defined pouring stream etc.

Packages are known from EP-A-0.368.053 (document according to Article 54 (3) EPC), in the upper wall of which a hole is punched, which is closed by a separate pouring device. This known pouring device can be opened along an edge region of an openable part by that a closure part of the pouring device is torn up.

In the case of the package known from the aforementioned European patent, the pouring device is formed by injection molding, the lower part consisting of a ring covering the edge of the punched-out hole with a radial fastening flange, the height of the ring corresponding approximately to the thickness of the packaging material and at the upper region of the ring the closure part is molded. This known pouring device is primarily intended for attachment to the punched-out hole in the top of packs made of plastic-coated paper. The pouring device is a thermoplastic workpiece made of polyethylene or a material similar to the plastic with which the paper is coated.

From DE-A-22 57 512 a pouring device of the type mentioned at the outset is known, which is connected by clamping grooves to the top of a package, preferably a metal can. The entire pouring device is made of plastic by injection molding, the closure part being formed in the region of its dividing line from the lower part on the upper side of the latter. By forceful tearing to open the known pouring device, the closure part can be separated from the latter by breaking open the connecting means between the closure part and the lower part, so that the lower part is open.

The pouring device known from this German document cannot be clamped to the thin-walled top of a plastic package, because such a clamp connection would be neither stable nor leakproof. A welding or sealing of the known pouring device on a plastic wall can only be achieved with complex means, because the lower part provided with the snap grooves is designed to be relatively strong.

The object of the invention is to provide a pouring device for packs, with the aid of which packs of the most varied designs and of the most varied of materials can be well sealed on the one hand, in order, for example, to ensure storage and transport without risk of leakage, but on the other hand are also easy to open for the user. Another object is a method for producing a pouring device made of plastic, which can be reliably and economically produced even with large numbers per unit of time.

A pouring device with which the above-mentioned object can be achieved is characterized according to the invention in that the hole in the pack has a raised edge, the lower part has a protruding collar arranged on the inside of the edge and with the closure part at least along part of the Tear line is sealed and that the tear line is arranged in the lower part.

The pouring device according to the invention can be prefabricated and stored next to a pack-making machine, so that the pack can be closed with such a pouring device before or after filling and yet can be used in a very expedient manner for the user. The design of the new pouring device is very simple, and the attachment to the upstanding edge of the pack is reliable and durable, because the collar of the lower part creates a connection with a relatively large area.

It is particularly useful if the plastic is weldable. Thermoformable plastic material can also be used for the pouring device, e.g. a thermoplastic such as polypropene. PVC can also serve as such plastic, with polypropene being largely known in the art as polypropylene. The pouring device according to the invention then consists of perfectly reprocessable and easily rotable parts and materials, in contrast to many known pouring devices made of composite materials of e.g. Paper and plastic. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plastic material, e.g. the polypropene, also fill, the fillers here being chalk, mica, talc, gypsum or the like. In practice, filling levels of up to 70%, preferably 60%, have proven to be favorable. It has been shown that such filled plastic materials are easily rotten on the one hand, can of course also be easily reprocessed or recycled using simple methods, and on the other hand do not impair the properties of a plastic, so that such filled plastic materials are particularly deep-drawable and also sealable.

In the invention, the lower part is sealed to the closure part at least along part of the tear line. A sealed seam can be designed in this way, e.g. by applying heat by means of pressure via suitable sealing jaws, so that when the closure part is torn up, the lower part tears along the sealing seam, so that it correctly defines the tear line. This is then a special design of the tear line, which is seen in general terms and, according to the description above, by no means has to be designed only as a sealed seam. Usual tear lines are perforation lines or material cross sections along the tear line that are considerably weakened in cross-section compared to the neighboring material.

The closure member has a cup-shaped depression with a bottom and a raised collar on the edge. This collar is practically a cylinder jacket-shaped side wall of the cup, and the bottom of this depression is the cup bottom. Through this recess in the closure part, the manufacturer of the pouring device has the option of using the upstanding collar on the edge of the hole in a pack, which corresponds, for example, to one has cylindrical jacket-shaped ring to attach. A simple connection of plastic parts is welding with welding jaws and counter jaws, and the cup-shaped recess in the closure part advantageously provides the space for tools for jaws and counter jaws in the federal area to arrange.

At this point, however, it should be pointed out that the pouring device according to the invention can also be attached to the hole edge of a plasticiser pack over other surfaces of the lower part, namely the generally flat main surface of the lower part, which is placed over the hole edge of the pack and fastened there . More detailed explanations are described below.

The cup-shaped recess in the closure part is particularly expedient in a further advantageously designed embodiment of the invention, according to which the pouring device is characterized in that the lower part has a cup-shaped recess with a bottom and a collar which stands up at its edge, the tear line in the bottom of the bottom part is arranged. If the attachment of the pouring device to a raised perforated edge of a pack with the advantage of attaching cheeks and counterbrakes in the cup-shaped recess was mentioned above, then it is in particular the last-mentioned embodiment, in which it is sufficient that the lower part with a to provide cup-shaped recess, in which, however, both parts of the pouring device have a cup-shaped recess, which are preferably even dimensioned with respect to one another in such a way that the cup-shaped recess of the closure part can be pushed into the recess of the lower part. In this embodiment, the inside diameter of the depression of the lower part is therefore approximately the same size as the outside diameter of the cup-shaped depression of the closure part.

On the outer surface of the collar of the cup-shaped depression of the lower part takes place along an annular line the welding to the edge of the hole in the pack, if it is parallel to the collar of the recess.

It is also expedient if, according to the invention, a tab-shaped or ring-shaped gripping device is also attached to a location of the closure part, preferably diametrically opposite the hinge. This is preferably shaped similarly to the closure part, preferably in such a way that it does not protrude significantly beyond the outer surface of the closure part, if possible only with the measure of the material thickness. If, for example, the pouring device is made from a plastic film that has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm, preferably 1 to 2 mm, then the gripping device can be moved by e.g. Allow 1.5 mm to protrude above the top surface of the pouring device, which is roughly parallel to the top of the pack. In this way, the pouring device can be made very flat, i.e. with minimal height. The pack manufacturer is therefore inclined to use a pouring device according to the invention, because it is practically designed, economical to buy and so little space-consuming that it can be accommodated in a suitably designed pack completely within its outer contour, as a special embodiment described below will show.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the tear line in the bottom of the lower part is self-contained and preferably runs along a round or polygonal line or has a point. The design of tear lines as perforation lines in plastic packaging of coated paper are known per se. Forming tear lines in a closed manner is also known per se in connection with plastic films. However, it is new and not suggested in any package to design a pouring device of the type mentioned above and in the bottom of the cup with the aim to arrange to open the lower part in the manner specified by this tear line. This embodiment is also particularly favorable where, for tearing out the remaining piece of the bottom of the lower part, a surface covering this remaining piece is provided, for example the bottom of the closure part. Even with another configuration of the closure part, in which, for example, a cup bottom is not deep-drawn, this configuration of the tear line would be of no use. There are also differently designed lower parts without such a floor, so that the special tear line is unimportant or missing.

The tear line with the tip is arranged so that the tip lies at the point where the tear force comes first to the tear line in order to concentrate the tear forces at the point-shaped tip and to facilitate the tear-open and thus to ensure the design of the torn opening precisely .

Furthermore, it is advantageous according to the invention if almost all outer surfaces of the lower part - in the closed state of the pouring device - can be covered from the outside by the closure part.

These surfaces of the closure part are the surfaces which can come into contact with the filling material and on which, at least partially, filling material can remain after the partial emptying of the plasticizer package, with the result that impurities are collected from here or in the case of Bacteria are formed. Dust and other dirt particles particularly endanger those surfaces of a pouring device on an eluent pack that - even when pouring for the first time - come into contact with or come into contact with the filling material. If all of these parts are flat, ie if more or less the entire area of all these parts is properly covered, then the hygiene of such a package is significantly improved. Even the pouring device according to the invention thus allows an improvement in hygiene, regardless of the design of the package.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the pouring device is characterized in that the lower part has a collar encompassing the cup-shaped recess of the closure part, which is provided at its end facing the closure part with a radially outwardly projecting annular surface which is on the opposite side of the hinge Side has converging outer edges, in which the tear line is arranged as a straight predetermined breaking line for the formation of a pouring edge. This is clearly an embodiment other than that described above. A type of pouring device was mentioned above, in which the lower part e.g. has no bottom that runs approximately parallel to the bottom of the recess of the closure part. Such an embodiment is concerned here. With this type of pouring device, material can be saved, specifically in the area of the lower part, because this has a collar, the outer end facing the closure part can be designed similarly to the above embodiments, but is free at the opposite end and not flows into a floor.

In such an embodiment, there would be the possibility that the filling material could get between the lower part and the closure part - at least in small quantities - and could even come into contact with the environment and its contaminants if it were not provided in a further embodiment of the invention that the lower part has a common outer edge with the closure part and both parts are welded together liquid-tight along this common outer edge. It Although there are numerous types of plasticizers in which welding along a common outer edge, as described last, is not necessary. However, especially in the case of liquids of low viscosity, it is necessary to weld the common outer edge, because this means that all lines are liquid-tight with respect to the inside of the pack.

If you look at the pouring device of the type described here, then a - preferably straight - edge of the closure part, namely along which the hinge runs with the lower part, will be liquid-tight due to the design as a hinge and fold connection, while on the other, essentially U -shaped lines along the common outer edge the welding of the closure part with the lower part specifies the liquid tightness. The cup-shaped depressions or at least one of the cup-shaped depressions, namely that in the closure part, are then arranged within this essentially U-shaped or V-shaped welding line on the common outer edge. Such a pouring device is complete and hermetically sealed to the outside.

The tear line, which was mentioned above to form a pouring edge as a straight predetermined breaking line, is arranged when the top view of the closure part is viewed from above again so that when the U or V-shaped welding line is viewed, the latter is at a small distance from the bottom of the U. or cuts from the bottom of the V (the tip of the V). This tip of the U or the V forms the gripping tip of the pouring device, so to speak, which the user grips and pulls upwards away from the top wall of the pack. The tear line breaks, so that the gripping tip torn off the lower part of the pulled-up closure piece sticks to the closure part and is pulled up like a hinge. This tearing open while opening the welding line along the common outer edge. So now the cup-shaped recess of the closure part pulled out of the lower part, then the hole of the package is open. The pouring takes place over the preferably straight edge of the break line resulting from the tearing, which is why the predetermined break line forms a pouring edge. This outer edge of the lower part has the function of the pouring edge.

In the embodiment described last, the preferably straight predetermined breaking line runs at a distance of 2 to 10, preferably 3 to 7 mm, from the bottom of the U or the tip of the V. Nevertheless, the sealing welding line runs from one end of the hinge U- or V- shaped to the other end of the hinge, whereby the pouring device and the associated package is liquid-tight. If the front end of the pouring device is defined as close to the pouring edge, then the tear line, which preferably runs parallel to the fold line with the hinge at the front, is the break line, while the otherwise described U or V-shaped line is a sealing or welding line. This does not contradict the fact that the breaking line, which is a weakening line as a predetermined breaking line, was also created by sealing and is therefore a weld seam, which ultimately has the function of a tear line.

For the manufacturer of the pouring device described above, a method is particularly interesting which, by simple measures using only small amounts of material, is able to create a pouring device which has a lower part which can be opened by means of a tear line and a closure part which is articulated with one another via a hinge are connected. To create such a pouring device, it is provided according to the invention that from a continuous sheet of thermoformed plastic, a series of successively lying, essentially flat-lying blanks touching one another at points and / or lines formed, rolled up into a wrap and the blanks are separated before being attached to the hole in the pack.

Depending on the design of the pouring device, adjacent blanks touch one another point by point and / or line by line after they have been deep-drawn and punched out. According to the invention, the blanks are advantageously separated only when they are fed to a machine, not described here, by means of which the pouring device is attached to a package or the like. Prior to this, the blanks, although pretreated, remain in the form of a strand, ie one can always have a row, possibly a very long row of a few hundred blanks or pouring devices.

It is particularly preferred if, according to the invention, the blanks are formed by deep drawing and punching and punched out waste is preferably recycled. The initially flat blanks are deep-drawn if parts to be deep-drawn are provided, preferably the closure part with the cup-shaped depression and / or the lower part with a depression. If the deep drawing on the continuous web of plastic material has been carried out, the punching is carried out so that the blanks are still in the form of a continuous web or a series of blanks, but only touch one by one and / or lines and already with about deep-drawn parts are provided. When punching, pieces of waste are inevitable, and due to the special selection of the plastic material described above, it is sensible and easy to recycle it.

It is also expedient if, according to the invention, the blanks are folded in on themselves, rolled up and partially welded before being rolled up. One could imagine rolling up blanks in a completely flat state to form a wrap. However, it has already been mentioned that, according to the invention, the blanks are deep-drawn if necessary before punching out. Nevertheless, the deep-drawn and punched blanks, if any, are still in a strand or in a row of touching blanks one behind the other, so that such a row, strand or web could be rolled up into a roll. However, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if, after the measures mentioned last, the already deep-drawn and punched blanks are first folded into themselves, for example along a folding line serving as a hinge, with a gripping device optionally being additionally placed. If that after the pouring device to be produced even requires a welding line, be it that it becomes a predetermined breaking line, be it a self-contained tear line or be it that several such lines and / or a sealing line must be produced according to a common outer edge, then also this welding is carried out on the blank before it is separated, so that an almost completely formed pouring device is produced, which is still in the state of a strand or a web in that the one pouring device is connected to the next. Such a strand is then rolled up into a roll according to the teaching of the invention and is available for further processing. For example, in a capping machine, such a roll can be consumed by separating the pouring devices piece by piece and then applying them to the package.

Figuren 1 bis 4

eine erste Ausführungsform,

Figuren 5 bis 9

eine zweite Ausführungsform und

Figuren 10 bis 14

eine dritte Ausführungsform einer Ausgießeinrichtung gemäß der Erfindung; dabei zeigen

Figur 1

eine abgebrochene vertikale Querschnittsansicht einer Ausgießeinrichtung, die am zylindermantelförmig hochstehenden Lochrand angebracht ist, im geschlossenen Zustand,

Figur 2

die gleiche Ansicht wie Figur 1 im geöffneten Zustand,

Figur 3

eine Querschnittsansicht des tiefgezogenen und ausgestanzten Zuschnittes für eine Ausgießeinrichtung nach den Figuren 1 und 2 noch in dem im wesentlichen flachliegenden Zustand,

Figur 4

die Draufsicht auf drei hintereinanderliegenden Zuschnitten aus einem hier nicht weiter gezeigten Strang von einigen hundert Zuschnitten,

Figur 5

eine ähnliche Ansicht wie Figur 1, jedoch von einer zweiten Ausführungsform,

Figur 6

eine Draufsicht auf die Ausgießeinrichtung nach Figur 5 im geschlossenen Zustand,

Figur 7

eine ähnliche Ansicht wie Figur 2, jedoch von der zweiten Ausführungsform,

Figuren 8 und 9

ähnliche Darstellungen wie bei den Figuren 3 und 4, hier aber bei der zweiten Ausführungsform,

Figuren 10 und 12

ähnliche Darstellungen wie bei den Figuren 1, 2, 5 und 7, jedoch bei der dritten Ausführungsform und außerdem mit umgekehrten Seiten, weil z.B. das Scharnier links angeordnet ist,

Figur 11

eine ähnliche Ansicht wie Figur 6, jedoch von der dritten Ausführungsform,

Figuren 13 und 14

ähnliche Ansichten wie die Figuren 3 und 4 der ersten Ausführungsform, Figuren 8 und 9 der zweiten Ausführungsform, hier aber entsprechend der dritten Ausführungsform, zu den Figuren 10 bis 12 gehörend,

Figur 15

perspektivisch eine geschlossene Packung, wobei der Betrachter auf die mittlere Längsseitenkante blickt, die hintere Längsseitenkante rechts und die vordere Längsseitenkante links sieht,

Figur 16

ebenfalls perspektivisch die Packung, jedoch nach dem Öfnen der Ausgießeinrichtung, die in der Oberwand der Packung vorn angeordnet ist,

Figur 17

die Draufsicht auf die geschlossene Packung gemäß Figur 15,

Figur 18

die Seitenansicht der Packung nach dem Öffnen im Zustand der Figur 16,

Figur 19

eine Rückansicht der geschlossenen Packung, wenn man in Figur 15 von der hinteren Längsseitenkante nach vorn in Richtung Ausgießeinrichtung blickt,

Figur 20

eine Draufsicht auf die Packung ohne Öffnungsstück, wobei der Betrachter im vorderen Bereich der Oberwand, auf welche er blickt, nur das Loch innerhalb der Vertiefung sieht,

Figur 21

eine Querschnittsansicht entlang der Linie VII-VII der Figur 20,

Figur 22

eine abgebrochene Querschnittsansicht entlang der Linie VIII-VIII der Figur 20, allerdings nur vom oberen Teil der Packung, wie dies auch in Figur 21 gezeigt ist,

Figur 23

eine Ansicht entlang der Linie IX-IX der Figur 17,

Figur 24

eine Einzelansicht gemäß dem strichpunktierten Kreis in Figur 23,

Figur 25

eine ähnliche vergrößerte Einzelansicht wie in Figur 24, jedoch nach dem Aufreißen des Verschlußteiles,

Figur 26

eine schematische Seitenansicht des geöffneten Öffnungsstückes, wobei das Verschlußteil um das Scharnier um 90° herumgeschwenkt ist und vertikal aus der Oberwand der Packung heraussteht, wenn das Unterteil als horizontal in der Packungsoberwand liegend angenommen wird,

Figur 27

perspektivisch eine andere Ausführungsform von Packung in geöffnetem Zustand, vergleichbar mit dem Zustand der Figur 16, wobei jedoch die Ausgießöffnung den größten Teil der Oberwand einnimmt,

Figur 28

eine Seitenansicht der geschlossenen Packung der Ausführungsform gemäß Figur 27, und zwar wenn man auf die vordere linke Seitenwand der Packung blickt, so daß die rechte, hintere Längsseitenkante für den Betrachter unsichtbar wird,

Figur 29

eine Draufsicht auf die geschlossene Packung gemäß Figur 28,

Figur 30

eine Rückansicht auf die geschlossene Packung, wenn man auf die hintere Längsseitenkante nach vorn in Richtung Gießkante blickt,

Figur 31

eine Seitenansicht auf die geöffnete Packung der Ausführungsform der Figur 27, wenn man auf die mittlere Längsseitenkante blickt und die Gießkante links angeordnet ist und

Figur 32

eine Draufsicht auf das Öffnungsstück bei der Ausführungsform nach Figur 27.

Further advantages, configurations and possible uses of the present invention result from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. Show it:

Figures 1 to 4

a first embodiment,

Figures 5 to 9

a second embodiment and

Figures 10 to 14

a third embodiment of a pouring device according to the invention; show

Figure 1

FIG. 2 shows a broken vertical cross-sectional view of a pouring device, which is attached to the perforated edge of the cylinder jacket in the closed state,

Figure 2

the same view as Figure 1 in the open state,

Figure 3

a cross-sectional view of the deep-drawn and punched blank for a pouring device according to Figures 1 and 2 still in the essential lying flat,

Figure 4

the top view of three successive blanks from a strand of a few hundred blanks not shown here,

Figure 5

2 shows a view similar to FIG. 1, but of a second embodiment,

Figure 6

5 shows a top view of the pouring device according to FIG. 5 in the closed state,

Figure 7

2 shows a view similar to FIG. 2, but of the second embodiment,

Figures 8 and 9

Similar representations as in Figures 3 and 4, but here in the second embodiment,

Figures 10 and 12

Similar representations as in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 7, but in the third embodiment and also with reversed sides, for example because the hinge is arranged on the left,

Figure 11

6 shows a view similar to FIG. 6, but of the third embodiment,

Figures 13 and 14

Similar views as Figures 3 and 4 of the first embodiment, Figures 8 and 9 of the second embodiment, but here according to the third embodiment, belonging to Figures 10 to 12,

Figure 15

a closed package in perspective, the viewer looking at the central longitudinal side edge, the rear longitudinal side edge on the right and the front longitudinal side edge on the left,

Figure 16

also the perspective of the package, but after opening the pouring device, which is arranged in the top wall of the package,

Figure 17

the top view of the closed package according to Figure 15,

Figure 18

the side view of the package after opening in the state of Figure 16,

Figure 19

a rear view of the closed pack when in FIG. 15 looks forward from the rear longitudinal side edge towards the pouring device,

Figure 20

3 shows a plan view of the package without an opening piece, the viewer in the front region of the top wall, which he is looking at, only seeing the hole within the depression,

Figure 21

2 shows a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII in FIG. 20,

Figure 22

20 shows a broken cross-sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 20, but only from the upper part of the package, as is also shown in FIG. 21,

Figure 23

17 shows a view along the line IX-IX of FIG. 17,

Figure 24

23 shows a single view according to the dash-dotted circle in FIG. 23,

Figure 25

24 shows a similar enlarged individual view as in FIG. 24, but after the closure part has been torn open,

Figure 26

2 shows a schematic side view of the opened opening piece, the closure part being pivoted around the hinge by 90 ° and protruding vertically from the top wall of the pack if the bottom part is assumed to be horizontal in the top wall of the pack,

Figure 27

in perspective another embodiment of the package in the open state, comparable to the state in FIG. 16, but with the pouring opening taking up most of the top wall,

Figure 28

27 shows a side view of the closed package of the embodiment according to FIG. 27, namely when one looks at the front left side wall of the package, so that the right, rear longitudinal side edge becomes invisible to the viewer,

Figure 29

a plan view of the closed package according to Figure 28,

Figure 30

a rear view of the closed package if one looks towards the rear longitudinal side edge towards the pouring edge,

Figure 31

a side view of the opened package of the embodiment of Figure 27, if one looks at the middle longitudinal side edge and the pouring edge is arranged on the left and

Figure 32

a plan view of the opening piece in the embodiment of Figure 27.

First, Figures 1 to 14 are explained with the three different embodiments of pouring devices shown there. The same parts are provided with the same reference numerals, and in comparison to the embodiment in FIG. 1, FIGS. 5 to 14 with the two other embodiments are described only with regard to their differences from the first embodiment.

The pouring device, generally designated 10, is shown in the broken-away representations of FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 and 12 in each case welded into the upstanding rim 33 of the hole 13 of a liquid pack. A special pack is also described in more detail below. First of all, the pouring device is in the foreground. The weld seam along which the pouring device 10 is sealed at the edge 33 of the hole 13 in the pack is designated by 34. It has an annular shape because the hole 13 and also the corresponding outer contours of the pouring device 10 are circular in the embodiments shown here. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 7, one can see the indentation track 35 of the welding jaw, not shown, which has been pressed in from the outside and which has pressed in the upstanding edge 33 of the hole 13 in order to achieve the annular sealing seam 34. Behind this groove-shaped track 35 is therefore the sealing seam 34, with the aid of which the lower part 20 is welded into the hole 13 is.

Various subsections of the same belong to the lower part 20. In the three embodiments, it can be seen particularly clearly from FIGS. 2, 7 and 12 the cup-shaped recess 36 with the bottom 37 and the collar 38 standing up at the edge thereof. It should be mentioned here that this cup-shaped recess 36 of the lower part 20 in the third embodiment 10 to 14 has no bottom. In this embodiment, this is omitted, as a result of which the entire plastic material required for this can be saved.

With the lower part 20, the closure part 21 is articulated via a hinge 22.

The closure part 21 also includes a plurality of sections: a cup-shaped depression 39 with a flat bottom 40 and a collar 41 standing up on its cylinder-jacket-shaped edge. An annular gripping device 43 is attached to the closure part 21 at a point 42 diametrically opposite the hinge 22, namely via a folding line articulated at point 42. This only relates to Figures 1 to 9, i.e. to the first two embodiments. The ring-shaped gripping device 43 has in the middle a cylindrical jacket-shaped ring surface 44, which in the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4 is arranged coaxially to collar 41 or collar 38 and in the second embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 9 next to the articulation point 42 is pulled down into the cup-shaped recess 39 of the closure part 21. Before gripping, the ring-shaped gripping device 43 is attached at 44 and housed in the cup-shaped recess 39.

A tear line 25 can be seen in the lower part 20 in all embodiments.

In the first two embodiments, this tear line 25 is located in the bottom 37 of the lower part and is designed as a self-contained line with no beginning and end and has a tip 45 as the force introduction point. Although this is shown somewhat rounded in FIG. 6, it acts like a force introduction point and can therefore also be referred to as a tip in FIG. 6.

In the third embodiment according to FIGS. 10 to 14, tear line 25 is designed as a straight predetermined breaking line and, after tearing off, serves as pouring edge 46 as shown in FIG. 12.

If one looks at the respective closure part 21 with the pouring device closed, one can see that almost all surfaces of the lower part 20 are covered by the closure part 21.

All three embodiments show a lower part 20, on the collar 38 of which a transversely radially outwardly projecting annular surface 47 is provided, specifically on the end of the collar 38 facing the closure part 21.

In the third embodiment according to FIGS. 10 to 14, the lower part 20 has no bottom, but only the ring-shaped collar 38. In the case of a liquid pack, there would be leaks, but these are eliminated by starting from one end 48 of the hinge 22 in accordance with 11, a sealing welding line 50 runs approximately transversely to the rectilinear folding edge as a hinge 22 at a distance next to the collar 41 of the cup-shaped recess 39 of the closure part 21 up to the point 51, then in a V-shape along the converging outer edges 49 to the gripping tip 29 with the designation 50 'continues. From the gripping tip 29, this sealing weld seam runs with the designation 50 '' along the other leg of the V continue to corner 52, where the two converging outer edges 49 have now - as seen in the opposite direction from the gripping tip 29 - again diverged. From this point 52, this sealing weld seam then runs with the designation 50 ″ ″ straight and parallel to the sealing weld seam section 50 up to the corner 53, where it abuts the straight folding edge serving as hinge 22 again. It can be seen that the fold line along hinge 22 on the one hand and the sealing weld seam 50, 50 ', 50'',50''' on the other hand make the entire space below the closure part 21 tight. The straight line predetermined breaking line 25 is neither impaired by this, nor does it form a leak.

When the pouring device 10 according to the first two embodiments is torn open, the user grips the annular gripping device 43, tears it away from the stitching point 44, opens the folding edge 42 and then pulls the closure part 21 up by tearing the tear line 25, so that a remnant of the bottom 37 of the lower part 20, namely within the tear line 25, sticks to the bottom 40 of the closure part 21, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 7. The pouring device is now open.

FIG. 4 can be used for the description to explain the method for producing a pouring device made of plastic with lower part 20 and closure part 21, which are movably connected to one another via the hinge 22.

Here, an endless web 54 is shown in broken lines, from which the latter can be cut out by punching along the edge lines 55 of the individual blanks 56. The punching is done in such a way that only those shown and hatched between the middle and bottom cut, for example Areas 57 are thrown away as waste. These are collected as small pieces of waste, melted and returned to the material for the plastic to form a new plastic sheet 54.

Before punching out, the deep drawing is carried out from the flat web 54 into the shape shown in cross section in FIG. 3, from which some profiles can be seen. After deep-drawing, punching is carried out in the manner described and, for better folding, e.g. along the line 58 shown twice, a partial section from the edge of the web 54 to the dashed line 22, e.g. be inserted once every 10 or 100 blanks in order to be able to better roll up the finished pouring device 10 into a coil.

After deep drawing and punching, possibly after inserting some partial cuts 58, the blank is then folded along its fold lines 22, 42 etc. (arrows 59 in FIGS. 3, 8 and 13). Then the welds are carried out which are required to connect the individual sections of the blanks 56, ie in the first two embodiments the weld seam to form the tear line 25 and the tacking point 44 for the annular gripping device; in the third embodiment, the weld along the predetermined breaking line 25 and the sealing weld 50, 50 ', 50' ', 50' ''.

Along the points 60 and lines 61 (FIG. 4), the upper two blanks 56 are connected to one another in such a way that they still hang together like a string in the conveying direction 62.

The package used in the preferred embodiments described here is intended according to FIGS. 15 to 26 for milk, juices or the like, the package according to FIGS. 27 to 32 for yogurt, for example.

The respective package consists of a tube 1 with a square cross section and four side walls 2, 3, 4, because the fourth side wall is not shown in any drawing. But you can imagine the side wall 3 diametrically opposite. The four side walls 2 to 4 are separated from one another by longitudinal side edges, all of which lie parallel to the longitudinal center line 5 of the pack. These are the front longitudinal side edge 6, the rear longitudinal side edge 7 and the two central longitudinal side edges 8, which are diametrically opposite one another between the front 6 and the rear longitudinal side edge 7. In FIGS. 18, 27, 31 the middle longitudinal side edges are indicated by a line, but in reality all the longitudinal side edges are rounded, which is why no sharp line 8 can be seen in the perspective representations in particular. However, the reader readily understands that four flat side walls 2 to 4 are surrounded by four - preferably rounded - edges 6-8 or are separated from one another by them. The tube is delimited on its underside by a floor (not specified in more detail) and on its top by the top wall 9, the bottom and top wall each lying in one plane.

In the first embodiment of the liquid pack, the plane of the top wall 9 can be clearly seen because the pouring device, generally designated 10, occupies only a small part of the top wall 9, for example an area of 5 to 30%, preferably 10 to 20%. In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 27 to 32, however, the top wall 9 is practically only present as a ring next to the pouring device 10.

All parts 1 to 10 of the pack of both embodiments consist of thermoformed plastic. From FIGS. 19 and 30, the outer contour can be seen for the two exemplary embodiments, which is essentially cuboid with a flat top wall 9 is. So that no parts protrude from the outer contour and so that good stackability and repackaging is possible, groove-like depressions 11 are provided in both the bottom and the top wall 9, in which a seam 12 runs, which extends essentially perpendicularly from the plane of the top wall 9 or the floor protrudes. This seam 12 surrounds the entire cuboid or tube 1 of the pack, that is, it continues along the front 6 and rear longitudinal side edges 7 in such a way that the double-walled seam 12, as can be seen particularly clearly from FIG. 22 (two seam parts 12 'and 12 '') - a level can be laid which exactly halves the cuboid of the pack in the embodiments shown here. In the perspective representation of FIGS. 15, 16 and 27, just as in the side view of FIGS. 18 and 31, one looks perpendicularly to this plane, in which the seam 12 is arranged like a frame, while in FIGS. 19 and 30 one looks in the direction of this Level and thus also looks at the edge of the seam 12. Seen from the top wall 9, the seam 12 runs from one corner to the opposite along the diagonal - as is also the case with the bottom - in the case of the top wall 9, however, interrupted by the pouring device 10. Along the front and rear longitudinal side edges 6 and 7, the seam 12 can protrude vertically, without being folded over and tacked onto the outer surface, without protruding beyond the outer contour of the cuboid, because the longitudinal side edges 6 to 8 of the tube 1 are rounded, and in this space created by the rounding, the seam 12 runs through the rounding of the longitudinal side edges 6 to 8 on the one hand and through the groove-shaped depressions 11 in the bottom and in the top wall of the pack, on the other hand, the seam 12 runs within the outer contour of the pack.

It can be seen particularly clearly from FIG. 20 that the seam 12 is interrupted by the hole 13 in the top wall 9. In other words, the seam running in a straight line over the top wall 9 ends 12 in front of the edge 14 of the hole 13, is omitted in the region of the hole because there is no material here, and continues again on the opposite side behind the hole 13. In areas next to the hole, which can be seen in FIGS. 21 and 23 and are denoted by 15, the height of the seam 12 is reduced by 5 to 30%, preferably by 10 to 15% of the total height of the seam 12. As a result, an opening piece 16 covering the hole 13 can be inserted, fastened and arranged so that the pouring device 10 having the opening piece 16 does not protrude beyond the outer contour of the package.

For this purpose, an enlarged part 17 of the otherwise groove-like recess 11 is provided in the upper wall 9, in which the pouring device 10 is located, this part 17 of the recess 11 being widened so that it surrounds the pouring device 10. In other words, the pouring device 10 is arranged with its opening piece 16 in such a way that it is recessed in this part 17 and also does not protrude beyond the outer surface of the upper wall 9.

FIGS. 15 and 16 clearly show a further recess 18 designed as a recessed grip. Such a recessed grip is also to be thought of in the second embodiment according to FIGS. 13 to 18, although it is not expressly shown there.

In the second embodiment, the seam 12 does not have to run through a recess in the region of the upper wall 9, because the interruption by the pouring device 10 takes up practically the entire upper wall 9. As a result, the surface of the wide depression 17 according to the first embodiment for the yoghurt mug according to the second embodiment of the upper wall 9 is to be assumed accordingly.

In the case of a pack with a volume of, for example, 2 liters, the recess 18 defining the recessed grip is arranged in the upper half of the respective rear side wall 3 or 4, as a result of which the end user supports the pack quite close to the center of gravity, so that the pouring out becomes very convenient and light.

The area surrounding the recess 18 (recessed grip) on the side wall 3 and also that on the adjacent side wall 4 connected therewith can be provided for printing.

The pouring device 10 is a separate opening piece 16 inserted into the hole 10 in the top wall 9 and welded along the edge 14 of the hole 13 in the top wall 9. In order to describe this in more detail, FIGS. 20 and 21 are best considered first. From these one can see the seam 12 interrupted by the hole 13 in the top wall 9, which (according to a particularly clear illustration in FIG. 22) consists of the two webs 12 ', 12' 'welded together and in the recess 11 or the widened one Well 17 runs.

To form the pouring device 10, as it is designed in principle in both of the embodiments shown here, it is best to consider FIGS. 17, 23 and 26. The pouring device therefore consists of the opening piece 16 welded into the hole 13 along its annular edge 14. FIG 23 clearly shows the ring-shaped welding region 19, illustrated by a thicker line, between the opening piece 16 and the hole 13. The part-cylinder-shaped ring 14, which is the edge of the hole 13, forms part of this welding surface 19, because the latter also sits on the top wall 9 and the recesses 15 on top of the seam 12 away.

This in the hole 13 of the top wall 9 along the surface 19th welded opening piece 16 in turn consists of a lower part 20 and a closure part 21 connected to it via a hinge 22. For a clearer representation of the hinge 22 it is best to take a look at FIG. 26, although also FIG. 27 clearly shows the position of the in the second embodiment Hinge 22 reproduces.

The opening piece 16, i.e. Both the lower part 20 and the closure part 21 have a cup-shaped recess 23, as can be seen clearly in the cross-sectional view of FIGS. 23 and 26. A welding line 25 which defines the ultimately desired pouring opening 24 runs in the "bottom of this cup".

If you look at the closed pouring device 10 according to FIG. 17, then you can see there in dashed lines the welding line 25, which is actually equipped with a tip 26 towards the front tip of the pouring device 10, in order to concentrate the tear-off forces described below on a point on the welding line and thereby bring the initiation of the tear force into the right place. A part of the welding line 25 can be seen in cross-section through the individual view X in FIG. 23, which is shown more clearly in FIGS. 10 and 11. Before tearing, the welding line 25 surrounds the tear-out piece 27, which sticks to the closure part 21 after the tear-open and thereby defines the pouring opening 24 in the lower part 20.

A top view of the closed package according to FIGS. 17 and 29 shows in the region of the enlarged part 17 of the recess 11 in the top wall 9 from the pouring device, generally designated 10, to the outer surface of the closure part 21 with the cup-shaped recess 23, which is approximately circular designed cup-shaped depression 23 surrounding field of Closure part 21 is designed as a flat plate 28 which is provided at the front with a gripping tip 29. Figure 23 clearly shows for the first embodiment that this gripping tip 29 of the plate 28 protrudes over the so-called casting surface 30 with casting edge 31.

In operation, the end user will find the package shown in FIGS. 15 and 28 to 30 with the pouring device 10 closed. To open it, he grips the gripping tip 29 of the closure part 21 and pulls it up in the direction of the curved arrow 32 (FIGS. 24 and 26). The welding line 25 concentrates the tensile force on the tip 26, which is why the welding line 25 also becomes the tear line which ultimately opens the pouring opening 24 after the tear. The tear along this welding line 25 takes place in the manner shown schematically in FIG. 18 in such a way that the tear-out piece 27 is torn off the lower part 20 and is torn up over the remaining part of the welding line 25 on the closure part 21. 26, the closure part folds around the hinge 22 in the upright position, for example, when it moves in the direction of the curved arrow 32. In this, the pouring opening 24 is exposed, because the tear-out piece 27 hangs on the closure part 21. The pouring process can begin. The state according to FIG. 16 or according to FIG. 27 is reached for both embodiments. When the package is tilted, the filling material flows over the pouring surface 30 and detaches along the pouring edge 31 in a clearly definable jet.

To reclose, the closure part 21 only has to be folded down again in the direction opposite the curved arrow 32 (FIG. 26).

Claims (11)

1. A pouring device of plastic material for fitting to a hole (13) of a pack for filling material which is capable of flow, wherein the pouring device (10) has a bottom portion (20) which is openable by means of a tearing line (25) and a closure portion (21) which is pivotally movably connected thereto by way of a hinge (22), characterised in that the hole (13) has an upstanding edge (33), the bottan portion (21) has a projecting collar (38) arranged at the inside of the edge (33) and is sealed to the closure portion (21) at least along a part of the tearing line (25), and that the tearing line (25) is disposed in the bottom portion (20).
2. A pouring device according to claim 1 characterised in that the closure portion (21) has a cup-shaped depression (39) with a bottom (40) and an upstanding collar (41) at the edge thereof.
3. A pouring device according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the bottom porton (20) has a cup-shaped depression (36) with a bottom (37) and an upstanding collar (38) at the edge thereof, and the tearing line (25) is arranged in the bottom (37) of the bottom portion (20).
4. A pouring device according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that a grippingmeans (43) of a plate-like or ring-like configuration is disposed at a location (42) on the closure portion (21), preferably in diametrally opposite relationship to the hinge (22).
5. A pouring device according to claim 3 or claim 4 characterised in that the tearing line (25) in the bottom (37) of the bottom portion (20) is closed in itself and preferably extends along a line which is round or polygonal or has a tip (45).
6. A pouring device according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that almost all outer surfaces of the bottom portion (20) can be covered outwardly by the closure portion (21) in the closed condition of the pouring device (10).
7. A pouring device according to one of claims 2, 4 and 6 characterised in that the bottan portion (20) has a collar (38) which extends around the cup-shaped depression (36) of the closure portion (21) and which at its end towards the closure portion (21) is provided with a transversely radially outwardly projecting annular surface (47) having outside edges (49) which converge on the side in opposite relationship to the hinge (22) and in relation to which the tearing line (25) is arranged as a straight desired-rupture line for forming a pouring edge (46).
8. A pouring device according to one of claims 4, 6 and 7 characterised in that the bottom portion (20) has a common outside edge (49) with the closure portion (21) and that both portions (20, 21) are fluid-tightly welded together (50) along said common outside edge (49).
9. A process for the production of a pouring device (10) of plastic material for fitting to a hole (13) of a pack for filling material which is capable of flow, wherein the pouring device (10) has a bottom portion (20) which is openable by means of a tearing line (25), and a closure portion (21) which are pivotally movably connected together by way of a hinge (22), characterised in that a series of blanks (56) which are disposed in succession and which are substantially in a lying-flat condition and which are in contact with each other in a point-wise and/or line-wise manner are formed from an endless web (54) of plastic material which can be subjected to deep drawing, and rolled up to form a coil, and the blanks (56) are separated off prior to fitting to the hole (13) in the pack.
10. A process according to claim 9 characterised in that the blanks (56) are formed by deep dicing and stamping or punching and waste (57) which has been stamped or punched out is preferably recycled.
11. A process according to claim 9 or claim 10 characterised in that prior to the rolling operation the blanks (56) are folded into themselves, fitted together and partially welded.

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