EP0735976B1 - Device for opening a package - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a combination of a pouring part with a device for opening the on the top wall of an eluent pack attached, raised from the top wall protruding pouring part, the pouring part one collar protruding from the top wall and a collar attached to its outer end Has closure wall, on which a surface part is arranged, with one the pouring part comprehensive, detachably attached to the pouring cap, which is at least 90 ° is rotatable relative to the pouring part and an interior and at least two projecting into it Knife, which by loosening an upper section for opening by cutting in the at least partially annular surface field can be introduced.

In the case of an older, in-house proposal, one has one in the area of the pouring opening Thermoformable plastic existing top wall deformed by deep drawing that a cylindrical jacket, closed to the outside, only to the interior of the pack forms an opening pouring part onto which a cap is pushed or screwed, in any case is attached detachably. The pouring part according to this older, company-internal Proposal has a cylindrical jacket-shaped collar and one at its outer end attached closure wall. In the outer peripheral area of the closure wall was a Line of weakness provided, and the disc-shaped adjacent to the closure wall the flat wall of the cap was welded to the closure wall. So you tried to keep the pack completely sealed, although the cap is only applied afterwards and was welded. This makes it easier to aseptically pack goods. In addition, one wanted to achieve that when removing the cap for the first opening Closure wall along the line of weakness detached from the pouring part and with the cap Will get removed.

However, it has been shown over time that not only those within the line of weakness or Break line lying surface of the closure wall but also a piece of the pouring part at Losing weight was ripped out. In other samples, the top surface of the cap torn out because the predetermined breaking line was not weak enough.

An opening device of the type mentioned is already known from EP-A-0.530.677. The pouring part is relatively expensive there by deep drawing a material stain formed, which is sealed from the inside to the edge of a hole cut in the top wall and is formed from outside by deep drawing. The well-known pouring part itself has the shape a cylindrical jacket-shaped cap, the surface field closes the outer edge, just and extends generally parallel to the top wall. In the known device the cap has an internal thread, and the pouring part has a corresponding external thread on the outside. In the upper area of the screw cap there are at least two knives protruding inwards appropriate. Their first penetration into the pouring part of the top wall is often not unproblematic with the result that the cutting line created by the screw rotation is uncontrolled, so that pouring becomes difficult. Pouring is radially inward Knives protruding transversely to the direction of the axis of rotation of the screw cap are only possible if the entire upper section is cut off. But then this upper section can be integrated into the Inside the pack fall, which is undesirable for the end user.

The invention is therefore based on the object of an opening device at the beginning mentioned type so that the knife more easily in contact with the surface field can be brought and reduces the risk of the cut portion falling into the container becomes.

This object is achieved in that the cap without an axial offset is rotatable in one plane that the surface field with the collar at an angle in cross section from 5 ° to 60 °, preferably from 15 ° to 45 ° and very particularly preferably from 25 ° to 35 ° and that the knives can be inserted into the surface field in such a way that the loosened upper one Section held by the cap and is removable by removing the cap. Opening the Pouring part takes place through the cap without thread engagement with the pouring part, the Knives can only be turned in one plane together with the cap without axial offset. The knife is also useful in such a way suitable on the Cap attached that the cut-out closure wall, which is then from the pouring part is separated, but advantageously sticks to the inside of the cap and is reliably held so that you do not have to dispose of another part of the packaging when removing the cap.

According to the invention, a pouring part can be placed on an upper wall and fastened there, which can be perforated, but the pouring part itself can be closed on one side. The Opening device according to the invention can therefore be particularly preferred for a pouring part can be used, which consists of an upper wall made of thermoformed plastic, is deep-drawn, so to speak in a cup shape closed on one side. The shaped in this way Pouring part then has the collar described, outside the closure wall and in between the surface field, which encircles the outer end of the collar. For a particularly effective incision is then provided the feature in cross-section rectilinear surface field at a certain angle to that also in cross section straight collar. The essence of this arrangement is essentially one to create a good insertion direction for the cutting knife. It turned out to be special preferably emphasized when the knife is aligned perpendicular to the surface field.

According to the invention, it is also particularly advantageous if the knife is of a flat design is distributed over the circumference of the preferably cylindrical interior of the cap, at least two, preferably four knives are attached.

So far it has only been stated about the design of the pouring part that it consists of one can be cup-shaped part, which is preferably on one side outside through the Closure wall is closed. The cross section mentioned above, in which the collar on the one hand and the surface field on the other hand appear as straight lines, the cut lies in a plane perpendicular to the top wall of the pack. If you make a perpendicular cut, which runs parallel to the top wall of the pack, and if you let it go through the collar, then different configurations for the pouring part come into question. The cutting line between the collar and said cross-sectional plane parallel to the top wall circular, oval, polygonal or similar. The circular shape is preferred because it is due to mechanical reasons. Only in such a case is that interior space "preferably cylindrical" located within the collar.

On the circumference of the interior formed by the pouring part, which is in particular is located next to the closure wall, this interior serves to accommodate the at least two flat knives. The structure has proven particularly favorable in that preferably four knives at a distance of about 90 ° to each other distributed around the circumference of the interior are arranged. Here you can weld knives made of metal or plastic or otherwise attach to the peripheral wall of the interior. It is also conceivable that flat knife from the Manufacture and form the same plastic as the pouring part. But it is also sufficient to select sealable material with the plastic of the pouring part and remove the knife this to form and attach to the interior.

A particularly favorable plastic material can be a thermoplastic, e.g. Polypropene. PVC can also serve as such plastic, with polypropene in technology is also widely known as polypropylene. The top wall or the area around it Pouring part, which can be deep-drawn from the top wall, preferably consists of perfectly reprocessable and easily rotten parts and materials. Here you can particularly preferably choose a plastic material, e.g. the polypropene that is filled with chalk, mica, talc, plaster or the like being thought of as fillers. In the In practice, degrees of filling of up to 70%, preferably 60%, have proven to be favorable. It has It has been shown that such filled plastic materials are easily rotten on the one hand, of course can also be easily reprocessed or recycled using simple methods can and on the other hand not affect the properties of a plastic, so that such filled plastic materials are particularly sealable and also deep-drawable.

It is also advantageous according to the invention if the knives are in the direction of the axis of rotation Seen cap are triangular and their cut line with the inner surface of the cap with the an angle β of 0.5 ° to 10 °, preferably 1 °, perpendicular to the plane of the cap to 6 ° and particularly preferably from 2 °. The in the direction of the axis of rotation of the cap and so that the central axis of the interior of the pouring part is triangular in shape of the knife designed so that the hypotenuse is on the circumference of the interior while the tip protrudes radially inwards towards the center if you have a knife shaped in this way with the surface field Engages, the tip of the triangle is inserted as the beginning of the incision in the surface field. The pressure and Cutting forces allow a reliable penetration and opening of the surface field. The Edges of the triangular knife arranged next to the tip serve as cutting blades and cut the surface field when turning the cap after the first piercing along a cutting line.

If you look vertically at the axis of rotation of the cap or the central axis of the interior, parallel to the top wall, so to speak, then you can see the geometric cutting line between the Knife and the inner surface of the edge. You then look at the baseline or fortification line of the knife, which is the hypotenuse in the case of a triangular shape. This cutting line is in the case of a flat knife a straight line that is neither in the direction of the axis of rotation of the cap nor in the the last-mentioned direction of view parallel to the top wall also runs below the aforementioned Angle β to it. This tilting the plane of the triangular knife against the vertical plane lying to the cap axis not only favors cutting but also ensures Matching with a thread if the pouring part has an external thread and the cap Has internal thread, so that this angle β is coordinated with the pitch of the thread, so that with the rotation along the thread, the knife along the circumference through the Surface field in a plane substantially parallel to the closure wall also moves grips the multiple knives under the then cut off closure wall, that the latter is held reliably and can be removed together with the cap. Falling in of the cut-off part of the closure wall is thus advantageously excluded.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the interior of the cap is cylindrical and is on the outside by a preferably hinge-like protective pane and on the inside delimited by a central body, through which a second, open on one side in the cap Recording room is formed. The structure of this special embodiment of the cap is like this chosen that the interior is preferably smaller than the last-mentioned second receiving space. The interior is then closed on both sides, while the recording room is open on one side in such a way that the cap is also adapted to the correspondingly cylindrical one Pouring part can be placed. This can be done either by screwing on or by plugging, clamping or the like. In this embodiment with the Middle body, the knives are so protected by the interior of the cap that you have no access to the knives without opening the protective screen like a hinge. To attach such a cap for the first time, the receiving space is above the pouring part moved, both volumes are coordinated. The end user must open it then first open the hinged protective screen, remove the cap, turn around 180 ° and with the interior opened by opening the protective screen place on the pouring part so that the knives engage with the surface field and cut through when turning.

It is also advantageous according to the invention if the central body is disc-shaped with a central and rotationally symmetrical thickened, both in the inner and in the second Recording space protruding part. The disc shape of the middle body is to be thought of as the Disk over a certain radius of e.g. half or two thirds of the radius of the disc is thickened and has a thinner ring shape on the outside. The pouring part is with to form appropriate and coordinated deep-drawing tools. The closure wall of the The pouring part is then slightly higher at the edge and has a disc-shaped depression in the middle area. This configuration of the central body on the one hand and the closure wall the pouring part, on the other hand, is understood to mean that the cap is more firmly attached to the pouring part can be attached, but above all is reliably centered. The design of this in the middle thickened middle body also serves to hold the cut Closing wall, which occurs in the event of an abrupt transition from the thickened middle part to the thinner outer ring receives a bead-like stiffening.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is designed so that the interior the cap is cylindrical and at least as much deeper than the collar of the pouring part is formed that the respective knife of the Surface field of the pouring part is disengaged, and that the cap on its open side has a tear-off ring attached over a predetermined breaking line. Unlike the one before described special first embodiment is the sole consideration of the cap Interior not closed on both sides. The viewer can look inside the cap see that or the knives. The user attaches the cap to the pouring part, or is from the The manufacturer manufactured the cap for the first time without opening the pouring part on the latter put on or screwed to it, then remain in the new second embodiment Knife out of engagement with the surface field. The end user now wishes the package and thus opening the pouring-out point, he recognizes a tear-off ring, which he along the mentioned The breaking line must first tear off before moving the cap further to the pouring part can. Only then do the knives engage with the surface field and during rotation or the last part of the rotation is then the cut already described.

Yet another and preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that that the interior of the cap is cylindrical and at least as much deeper than that Collar of the pouring part is formed as the open side of the cap at a distance from the Top wall stands, and that on the inside of the cap or the outside of the pouring part annular resistance bead or the like is attached. This last described Embodiment replaces the tear-off ring with the predetermined breaking line by the resistance bead, which serves the same functions as in the previously described embodiment of the Tear ring.

Figur 1

eine Querschnittsansicht durch das Ausgießteil und die Kappe, wobei der Schnitt durch die Drehachse der Kappe gelegt ist,

Figur 2

eine Ansicht auf die Kappe der Figur 1 von oben, wobei allerdings die scharnierartig angelenkte Schutzscheibe weggelassen ist,

Figur 3

eine Schnittansicht ähnlich der Figur 1, wobei jedoch der Winkel β zwischen der Grund- und Befestigungslinie des Messers an der Inneren Oberfläche des Innenraumes und der Ebene senkrecht zur Kappenachse gezeigt ist und

Figur 4

die teilweise geschnittene Anordnung der Kappe beim Schneiden, mit aufgeklappter Schutzscheibe.

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

Figure 1

2 shows a cross-sectional view through the pouring part and the cap, the section being taken through the axis of rotation of the cap,

Figure 2

2 shows a view of the cap of FIG. 1 from above, although the protective disk hinged like a hinge is omitted,

Figure 3

2 shows a sectional view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the angle β between the base and fastening line of the knife on the inner surface of the interior and the plane perpendicular to the cap axis and

Figure 4

the partially cut arrangement of the cap when cutting, with the protective disk open.

1 shows the first embodiment of the opening device. From the top wall 1 of the pack, not shown, is a cup-shaped pouring part 2 by deep drawing shaped that the collar 3 protrudes from the top wall 1 raised. At the outer end 4 of the Collar 3 is followed by a surface field 5 set at approximately 45 °, which faces inwards In the closure wall 6 merges. This closure wall 6 points radially outwards from the center a recess 7, separated by beads 8, 9, on the outside an annular, raised part 10 has.

On the pouring part 2 there is a cap 13 fastened by a clamping ring 11 in grooves 12. This has a collar 14 on the outside, on the inside of which a central body 15 is integrally formed in a disk-like manner. The central and rotationally symmetrical thickened part can be clearly seen from the figures 16 of the central body 15.

The central body 15 creates a smaller interior 17 within the collar 14 of the cap 13, which is in the closed position of the cap 13 according to FIGS. 1 to 3 "above", i.e. from the top wall 1 in the direction 18 of the axis of rotation 19 of the cap 13. At the upper end of the collar 14 of the cap 13, a protective disk 21 is articulated via the hinge 20 Protective disc 21 is shown closed in the illustration of Figures 1 and 3 while it in the state of FIG. 4 is opened (broken off).

If you think of the protective disk 21 opened or removed, you can see the illustration 2. FIG. 2 looks towards the center body 15 in the direction of the axis of rotation 19 of the cap 13 the raised thickened part 16 in the form of a disc in the middle and the annular outside the same lying thinner part 22 of the central body 15 stepped beads 8 and 9. On the inner circumference of the collar 14 in the interior 17 are four, in the view of Figure 2 triangular knife 23 attached. In the cross-sectional view after Figures 1, 3 and 4 you can see that the plane of the respective knife 23 at an angle a to a plane 24 to be considered perpendicular to the cap axis 19. If you leave the respective Cut the inner surface 25 of the cap 13 on the plane of the knife 23, so that there is a straight line Section line 26 (Figure 3), which is also the base or attachment line of the knife 23. This Section line 26 closes an angle with the plane 24 mentioned (perpendicular to the cap axis 19) β of 2 ° (Figure 3).

In the embodiment of the cap 13 shown in the figures, the angle α is 45 °. He but can be similar to that and not in the figures specified angle, which the Includes surface field 5 with the collar 3 of the pouring part 2, enclose other angles, e.g. in an angular range from 5 ° to 60 °, preferably from 15 ° to 45 ° and very particularly are preferably from 25 ° to 35 °. It is preferred if the angle which the surface field 5 includes with the collar 3, equal to the angle a ist In the embodiment shown here is therefore α = 45 °.

The middle body 15 is on the outside via its annular, thinned part 22 with the collar 14 Cap 13 connected. The center body 15 separates the interior 17 as described above is described, from the larger second receiving space 27, softer in the state 1, the Ausgleßtell 2 receives.

On the surface facing the interior 17 are the inner surface 25 of the cap 13 and the adjacent surface of the annular, thinned part 22 of the central body 15 below at right angles to each other. On the other rare in the recording room 27 is here Cap 13 provided an interface 28 which is at the same angle to the inner Surface next to the second receiving space 27 is like that described above Surface field 5 to the collar 3. The embodiment shown here is this angle by an angle of 45 °. You can see how the raised, ring-shaped outer part 5, 10 of the pouring part 2 exactly in the bottom (formed by the central body 15) of the second Recording space 27 fits.

To open the pouring part 2 for the first time, the end user grips the closed one Protective disc 21 after the position of Figures 1 and 3 and folds this around the hinge 20th such that the interior 17 with the knives 23 is visible. The user then pulls the Cap 13 from the pouring part 2 completely, rotates it by 180 ° and sets it back with the Interior 17 over the pouring part 2, as shown in Figure 4. Now there is the second The receiving space 27 is empty at the top, and the tips 29 of the bottom can now be in the interior 17 Prick triangular knife 23 into surface area 5 and cut it. in the State of FIG. 4, the knives 23 are already in and through the surface field 5. compact and have already created the cutting line 30 by a partial rotation of about 30 °. If the cap 13 is rotated by at least 90 ° in the embodiment shown here, then all quarter circle intersection lines 30 merge, and the closure wall 6 is on the one hand completely cut from the pouring part 2 and on the other hand from the knives 23 so clamped that with the removal of the cap 13, the closure member 6 is removed. The Pouring part 2 is open, the user can pour out the contents.

Reference list

1

Top wall

2nd

Pouring part

3rd

collar

4th

outer end of the collar 3

5

Surface field

6

Closure wall

7

deepening

8, 9

Beads

10th

part

11

Clamping ring

12th

Grooves

13

cap

14

Federation

15

Middle body

16

part

17th

inner space

18th

direction

19th

Axis of rotation

20th

hinge

21

Protective screen

22

part

23

knife

24th

level

25th

Inner surface

26

Cutting line

27

Recording room

28

Interface

29

sharpen

30th

Cutting line

Claims (7)

1. Combination of a pouring part with a device for opening the pouring part (2) attached to the top wall (1) of a package for flowable media, projecting in a raised manner from said top wall (1), wherein the pouring part is provided with a collar (3) standing up from the top wall (1) and a sealing wall (6) attached to the outer end (4) of said collar, on which a surface portion (5) is arranged with a cap (13) clamping over the pouring part (2), removably fitted to the pouring part (2), which can be rotated by at least 90° relative to the pouring part (2), and is provided with an internal space (17) and at least two cutters (23) protruding into said internal space (17), which can be introduced by cutting into the at least partially annular surface portion (5), removing an upper section (6-10) for opening, characterised in that the cap (13) is rotatable in a plane, without any axial offset, in that in cross-section, the surface portion (5) forms an angle of 5° - 60°, preferably of 15° - 45°, and particularly preferably of 25° - 35° with the collar (3), and in that the cutters (23) can be introduced into the surface portion (5) such that the upper section removed is held by the cap (13) and can be removed when the cap (13) is removed.
2. Combination according to claim 1, characterised in that the cutter (23) is configured planar and at least two, preferably four cutters (23) are attached, distributed around the periphery of the preferably cylindrical internal space (17) of the cap (13).
3. Combination according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the cutter (23), seen in the direction (18) of the axis of rotation (19) of the cap (13) is triangular, and its line of intersection (26) with the internal surface (25) of the cap (13) forms an angle β of 0.5° to 10°, preferably 1° to 6°, and particularly of 2° with the plane (24) lying perpendicular to the axis of the cap (19).
4. Combination according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the internal space (17) of the cap (13) is cylindrical and is delimited externally by a protective disc (21) preferably articulated in the manner of a hinge, and internally by a central body (15) by means of which a second receiving space (27), open on one side is formed.
5. Combination according to claim 4, characterised in that the central body (15) is disc-shaped and is provided with a central and rotationally symmetrically thickened part (16) protruding into both the internal space (17) and the second receiving space (27).
6. Combination according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the internal space (17) of the cap (13) is cylindrical and is configured deeper than the collar (3) of the pouring part (2) by at least as much that when the cap (13) is completely on, the respective cutter (23) is not in engagement with the surface portion (5) of the pouring part (2), and in that the cap (13) is provided on its open side with a pull ring attached over a pre-set breakage line.
7. Combination according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the internal space (17) of the cap (13) is cylindrical, and is configured deeper than the collar (3) of the pouring part (2) by at least as much as the distance of the open side of the cap (13) from the top wall (1), and in that an annular resistance bead or the like is attached onto the inside of the cap (13) or the outside of the pouring part (2).

Images