EP0751897B1 - Opening device for a liquid package - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/EP95/00475 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 19, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 19, 1996 PCT Filed Feb. 10, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO95/25671 PCT Pub. Date Sep. 28, 1995Apparatus for forming a reclosable opening in a top wall of a fluid pack while maintaining sealing integrity of the pack until it is first opened includes an opening member secured to the top wall of the pack. The opening member includes an inner disk portion having a central opening and an outer annular portion with the disk portion and the annular portion being separated by a slot which is interrupted by a bridging portion so that it extends circularly over almost 360 DEG . A tongue is mounted for rotation about the central opening and includes a blade extending from the underside of the tongue. The blade is spaced along the tongue to be received within the slot. The blade is longer than the opening member is deep so that the blade pierces the pack and opens the pack as the tongue is rotated to move the blade along the slot. The inner disk portion can then be hinged between a closed position in alignment with the outer annular portion and an opened position generally perpendicular to the outer annular portion.

Description

The invention relates to a device for opening a package, on the upper wall Devices for opening and reclosing are provided.

There are packages made of plastic coated paper by folding and sealing, in the top floor at a corner in the paper a hole is left so that this through a injected plastic rib is closed and connected with a tab. That rib extends a bit from the point of the pouring edge towards the center of the Upper floor and there is a mushroom-like bolt in cross section through a hole in the Upper wall connected. To open it, the user grips the molded tab and tears it predominantly inside the package along a perforation in the paper of the Top floor to form a pull tab and thus pouring opening. This well-known Pack requires a relatively complex to create the opening device Injection molding process in the area of the top floor. The through the injected plastic closed openings and holes in the top wall of paper can be used in an aseptic Package must not be provided with the necessary gas barriers, e.g. a metal foil.

In another plasticizer pack, which is made entirely of plastic, an im Top hole arranged closed by a two-part opening device, which in this way is designed flat so that no parts protrude beyond the overall contour of the top wall. It is a prefabricated and held on magazine opening device that a lower and an upper part, which are connected to each other via a hinge-like folding line are connected. For sealing, a thin plastic film is placed between the two and on the Lower part fixed, which ensures tightness. This known opening device requires a hole with a raised collar in the top wall of the pack To have anchoring options. In the case of aseptic packaging, the Hole area are particularly covered.

Also known is an opening device made of plastic, which corresponds to a corresponding Perforation lines provided liquid pack of paper is sealed. This Opening device consists of a first outer part with a pouring edge and a separately arranged at a distance from the inside and movable relative to the outer part second inner part, both molded from plastic and kept in stock. The Design of the opening device parts is somewhat complex, and both parts are through cast threads connected together, one of which protrudes as a loop for opening.

The user presses the inner part to open it for the first time, which means that it is one The pivot point rotates and the paper underneath along the perforation lines under rotation tears the inner part around a horizontal axis.

The object of the invention is to provide a pack with a device with the features of the introduction to provide the type mentioned in such a way that with simple manufacture and more user-friendly Handling when opening the absolute tightness of the package until the first opening is guaranteed and, if necessary, aseptic conditions of the pack interior by opening can be maintained better.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that a disc made of plastic the top wall is sealed, in the middle a recess for receiving a pivot pin and at a distance around this recess, a continuous one extending over almost 360 ° Has slot, which on the opposite side of the pouring edge of at least a bridge on which a knife is held in a rest position, is interrupted that a tab is rotatable about the axis of the pivot pin at the Arranged top of the disc and is bendable with respect to this axis, and that that in Position of use knives protruding into the slot at the bottom of the tab attached and designed to pierce the top wall longer than the thickness of the disc. The making of such Opening device is easier because there are only two, preferably detachable, with each other previously connected parts by injection molding of plastic, the washer and the Tab. In addition, the opening device on a closed top wall of a Package be sealed without the package opening even at a single point must have. This ensures absolute tightness until the first opening. Man may further provide a gas barrier to the inner surfaces of the package, e.g. with a Cover the metal foil so that the aseptic filling conditions of the Packaging can be guaranteed until it is opened for the first time. Handling when opening is advantageously logical and simple.

The plastic disc is through the circular slot extending to the Interruption divided into two parts, which are connected in the area of the interruption are e.g. to form a hinge. Both parts of the disc, namely the inner circular disc part and the outer ring member are on the plastic surface of the package sealed up. Except for the bridging, through which the pitch circle of the slot is interrupted , both parts of the disc are located radially apart from each other.

The plastic of the tab has sufficient softness or elasticity so that the tab is bendable relative to the axis of the pivot pin. At a distance from the radius of the circular Slit from the axis of the pivot pin on the underside of the tab is the knife mentioned attached, which extends down over the length described. In a The knife is held in the rest position in the area of the bridging so that it touches the top wall not injured. For example, the knife tip on the plastic cannot at this point the disc is perforated throughout.

If the user wishes to open the top wall, then he bends the tab upwards from the Away the top wall and turn it around the axis of the pivot pin until the knife on one anywhere above the slot. Here the user releases the tab, so that Knife moves into the slot. If necessary, if the knife still covers the top wall should not have punctured, the user presses the tab from above and stabs with it the knife tip through the top wall under the slot. At this first piercing it can also be the contact of a cutting blade of the knife with the top wall. Laterally, the knife also has at least one blade, so that the user Tab can now turn in one direction or the other around the axis of the pivot pin in such a way that the top wall in the area below the circular slot except for the aforementioned bridging an arc of almost 360 ° is cut.

Preferably the opening device, i.e. the disc according to the invention, nearby be attached to an outer edge of the top wall of the pack, so that here the pouring edge will be. The user places the flap over this by partially turning it back Pouring edge, then the knife is on the opposite side of the bridging Slot. The user then bends the tab up, preferably using instructions for use marked the hinge point, the tab can be located under the inner circular disk part Fold out part of the top wall in a hinge-like manner so that a towards the pouring edge Opening becomes completely free. You can see the simple and user-friendly handling When opening.

However, the device according to the invention can also be reclosed. The user then only needs to push the tab down again, so that the inner circular disc part in the original position comes to lie and - except for the narrow, circular slot - closes the top wall again.

The disc is both in the area of the outer ring part and the inner circular disc part at least point or line-like, but preferably over the entire surface, on the plastic Sealed top wall. The outer contour of the disc can be oval, circular. polygonal, e.g. be square or triangular. It is preferably circular. The radius of the outer Ring part is preferably larger by 1/3 to 1/4 of the radius of the inner circular disk part than the radius of the inner circular disk part.

The knife can be made of plastic or metal and attached to the underside of the tab be. "Bottom" here means the direction perpendicular to the top wall, one Elastic packaging is usually set up so that the pouring device with the here described opening device on the wall "above", namely the top wall, is attached. This is preferably flat, but only needs to be level in the area of the opening device be that the tab for cutting can be rotated along the circular slot.

This ensures that the top wall under the sealed pane is cut If the knife is pressed down, the knife must be in the direction of the top wall Safety cut through the material of the top wall. This succeeds when the knife is longer than the thickness of the disc.

With such an opening direction, it can be made entirely or partially of plastic open existing and plastic-coated paper packs.

It is expedient according to the invention if two spaced-apart, web-like bridges are provided, between which there is an open, bag-like one Indentation is made in the disc. While a single bridge-like bridging in Extension of the circular slot is sufficient, but the safety of the device vastly improved when you have two bridges spaced apart provides. Should, contrary to expectations, break a bridging bridge, for example because it closes was often moved, then the inner circular disc part still hangs over the other Bridging bridge on the outer ring part.

The arrangement of an open, bag-like depression between the two is very preferred Bridges. This is because the knife can be lowered into the rest position. Lifting out for first opening has already been described above.

The prefabrication of the plastic disc and the preferably pivotable relative to this attached tab is also easy to manufacture with simple spraying machines, if in a further embodiment of the invention the central recess for the pivot pin itself extended to the top wall of the pack and preferably entirely due to the thickness of the disc is designed throughout. This recess can be bag-shaped in cross section be designed, the production of the injection mold both for the recess and for the to these appropriately adapted pivot pins is even easier if the Recess extends through the entire thickness of the disc. The extension of the Recess through the disc or the inner circular disc part in the direction of the The top wall is used to connect the tab so that it can be rotated so that it is not without more can be pulled out. The tab with attached pivot pin can for example in the manufacture by bending the plastic parts into the recess to be snapped. However, other conventional arrangement methods are also conceivable.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is characterized in that under Use of the essential features according to the above description additionally one Auxiliary edge is attached to the circumference of the disc with the exception of the pouring edge. It is understood that on the pouring side of course no interference, no resistance and no barrier should be provided. The pouring aid edge preferably extends vertically a little way out of the pane, for example 1 to 5 mm, preferably 2 to 3 mm. This will open and tear out the top wall in the Area of the inner circular disk part, especially in the case of liquid contents, the liquid thereon prevented from running onto the top wall. It is rather by the pouring aid edge from guided and can then run over the pouring edge without interference.

It is also expedient according to the invention if the distance between the two ends of the Gleßhilfskante from each other is little larger than the width of the tab. In top view, the In other words, the pouring aid edge runs towards the pouring edge in a funnel shape. Front across is then the pouring edge, which is from the two spaced ends of the The pouring aid edge extends. When the pouring aid edge extends vertically upwards from the pane protruding edge, wall or web, then you can add the front ends use to fix the tab in the position of use, e.g. from the first reclosing on.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can also be provided that the tab is flat and elongated such that its length is preferably from the axis of the integrally connected pivot pin to its front end by 1 to 3 cm, preferably 2 cm, is greater than the distance between the axis of the pivot pin and the pouring edge. Poses one such a flap after first cutting the under the Disc located top floor in the position where the tab over the pouring edge then it protrudes slightly over the edge of the pack, but makes it easier for the user grasping and folding up the flap together with the inner circular disc part - under Use of the hinge in the area of the bridging.

The pivot pin can preferably be integrally molded with the tab during injection molding be. When looking for its attachment in the above, face the top wall expanding recess prefers a different design, you can of course also connect separately to the flap by means of snap or clamp locks, by latching or other known techniques.

Figur 1

die Draufsicht auf eine durch Falten hergestellte quaderförmige Packung bzw. ihre ebene, rechteckige Oberwand mit an deren rechter Seite nahe einer Ausgießkante befindlicher Öffnungsvorrichtung, deren Lasche sich in der Ruheposition befindet,

Figur 2

eine Querschnittsansicht durch eine solche Packung mit der auf die Oberwand aufgesiegelten Scheibe, bei welcher jedoch die Lasche in die Drei-Uhr-Stellung gedreht wurde und das Messer durch den Schlitz in der Scheibe und das Material der Oberwand hindurchreichend gezeigt ist,

Figur 3

eine ähnliche Darstellung wie Figur 2, bei welcher jedoch die Lasche mit der Scheibe und dem darunter befindlichen Teil der Oberwand in die Öffnungsstellung herausgeschwenkt ist, und

Figur 4

eine Draufsicht auf eine quaderförmige Packung mit einer an einer Seite (rechts) befindlichen Öffnungsvorrichtung einer anderen Ausführungsform mit Gießhilfskante.

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

Figure 1

the top view of a cuboid-shaped pack produced by folding or its flat, rectangular upper wall with an opening device located on the right-hand side near a pouring edge, the tab of which is in the rest position,

Figure 2

2 shows a cross-sectional view through such a pack with the disk sealed onto the upper wall, but in which the tab has been turned to the three o'clock position and the knife is shown reaching through the slot in the disk and the material of the upper wall,

Figure 3

a representation similar to Figure 2, but in which the tab with the disc and the underlying part of the top wall is pivoted out into the open position, and

Figure 4

a plan view of a cuboid pack with an opening device located on one side (right) of another embodiment with pouring aid edge.

The liquid pack, not shown, has a cuboid shape with side wall 1, front wall 2 and top wall 3, which are connected to one another via a front folded edge 4. Under "front" is understood here that side of the top wall 3 on which the pouring edge 5 of the Opening device is located.

The opening device consists of a disc 6 and a rotatable with respect to the disc 6 on this captively arranged tab 7.

The disk 6 in turn consists of plastic and is in its entirety on the top wall 3 the package sealed. Through a slot 8 which extends in a circle over approximately 280 ° the disc 6 is divided into an inner circular disc part 9 and an outer ring part 10. Both are apart from two web-like bridges 11 arranged at a distance a from one another separated from each other. Between these there is a sack-like depression 12 in the pane, which is open at the top away from the top wall 3, as can be seen particularly clearly in the cross-sectional view who sees Figure 2. Both the inner circular disk part 9 and the outer ring part 10 are sealed separately from one another on the plastic surface of the upper wall 3. In front the first time the package is opened, the inner circular disc part 9 is thus Top wall 3 below and the web-like bridges 11 held on the back of the pack.

In the middle (axis of rotation 13) a recess 14 is formed in the disc 6, which according to Representation of Figures 2 and 3 (in cross section) to the top wall 3 expanded such that a Shoulder 15 results. The recess 40 extends entirely through the thickness D of the disc 6, 9, 10 through. In other words, when looking at the pane 6 of FIG look at the bottom of a cylindrical hole with a larger diameter and from the opposite Side view of disc 6 on a cylindrical smaller hole, both of them merge. In the middle of this through hole, i.e. the central recess 14, the axis of rotation 13 is arranged.

A pivot pin 16 with axis of rotation 13 is molded onto the tab 7 in the rear region thereof and has a configuration corresponding to the recess 14. So he owns one of the Bottom of the tab 7 in the direction of the top wall 3 facing cylinder with a smaller one Diameter and further down, attached to this, a cylindrical part with something larger diameter, which lies on the shoulder 15 of the recess 14 and thereby is secured against falling out upwards.

At a distance A from the axis of rotation 13 of the pivot pin 16 to the front end 17 of the tab 7 a knife 18 with a pointed lower edge 19 is attached to the underside thereof. Except if that Knife 18 is arranged in the bag-like recess 12 or over the web-like Bridges 11 is located, the knife 18 projects into the slot 8 of the disc 6 down in Direction to the top wall 3 or after pressing down through it, as in the Cross-sectional view of Figure 2 is shown. The length I of the knife 18 is greater than the thickness D of the disc 6, as can clearly be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3. It is understood that the Distance A of the knife 18 from the axis of rotation 13 on the tab accordingly equal to that Radius of the part-circular slot 8 in the disc 6 is.

In the embodiment of Figure 4 is on the circumference of the disc 6 with the exception of Pouring edge 5 a pouring auxiliary edge 20 attached, which backwards (to the middle of the Top wall 3) closes semicircularly and from there - in plan view of disc 6 - extends in a funnel-shaped straight line to the ends 21. The distance d between the two ends 21 of the Pouring auxiliary edge 20 from each other is little larger than the width B of the tab 7. This allows turn the tab from the position shown in Figure 4 by 180 ° and then in the position reached Fix the three o'clock position (when looking very closely, the distance d in Figure 4 is slightly smaller and to think more about the width B)).

The length L of the tab 7 from its front end 17 to the axis 13 of the pivot pin 16 recognizes is particularly good from FIG. 2. This length L is 2 cm larger than the distance D5 of the Distance of the pouring edge 5 from the same axis 13 of the pivot pin 16. This is how is shown in Figure 2, an advantageous projection of the tab 7 over the front wall 2 of the Pack and good handling of the opening device ensures, as now described becomes.

In operation, the user grips the tab 7 at the front end 17 in the position of FIG. 1 the tab 7 in its nine o'clock position is bent up a little by the end 17, which means that Knife 18 is lifted out of the bag-like recess 12. Then the user turns the tab 7, for example in the clockwise direction according to the curved arrow 22, which Front end 17 of the tab 7 is still held bent up so that the lower Cutting edge 19 of the knife 18 slides over the web-like bridging 11. Behind it begins at point 23 of the circular slot 8. Here the user leaves the front end 17 of the Tab 7 loose, whereby the knife 18 with its front blade 19 through the slot 8 strikes down on the top wall and cuts through it. If necessary, the User by pushing down on the front end 17 of the tab 7 towards the Support the piercing process towards the top wall. The front blade now begins at point 23 the knife 18 engages with the paper of the top wall 3 when the tab 7 around the Rotation axis 13 around in the direction of the curved arrow 22 (clockwise direction) almost 360 °, e.g. 280 °, is rotated. During this movement, the knife 18 follows the slot 8 and cuts the top wall on exactly this part circle. Now the user turns the tab 7 from the eight o'clock position back to the three o'clock position, as in the cross section in figure 2 is shown.

The user grips the tab 7 at the front end 17 of the same from below and now folds it inner piece of the top wall, which is approximately the inner circular disk part 9 of the disk 6 corresponds in the direction of the arrow 24 bent upward to the left in FIG. 2 until the arrow in FIG. 3 shown opening position of the tab 7, disc 6 and top wall 3 is reached. One notices the pouring opening 25, through which the flowable filling material over the pouring edge 5 in the direction of the arrow 26 can be poured out to the right in FIG.

To reclose the tab 7 with the inner circular disc part 9 only in Clockwise to be folded down again so that the position of Figure 2 (reclosed) is reached.

The handling for opening and reclosing the opening device according to the alternative embodiment of Figure 4 is done in the same way.

Reference list

1

Side wall

2nd

Front wall

3rd

Top wall

4th

Folded edge

5

Pouring edge

6

disc

7

Tab

8th

slot

9

Circular disc part

10th

Ring part

11

Bridging

12th

deepening

13

Axis of rotation

14

Recess

15

shoulder

16

Pivot pin

17th

Front end of the tab 7

18th

knife

19th

Lower edge

20th

Pouring aid edge

21

end up

22

arrow

23

Job

24th

arrow

25th

Pouring opening

26

arrow

40

Recess

A

distance

B

width

d

distance

D

Thickness of the disc 6, 9, 10

D5

distance

I.

Length of the knife 18

L

length

Claims (6)

1. Device for opening a package, on the top (3) of which means (6, 7, 18) for opening and re-closing are provided, characterised in that a disc (6) made from plastics material is sealed onto the top (3), which in the centre (axis of rotation 13) is provided with a recess (14) for receiving a turning bolt (16) and a continuous slit (8) extending in a circular manner over almost 360° at a distance (A) around this recess (14), which is interrupted by at least one bridge (11), upon which a cutter (10) is held in a position of rest, on the side opposite to the pouring edge (5), in that a tongue (7) rotatable about the axis (13) of the turning bolt (16) is arranged on the top surface of the disc (6) and is bendable with respect thereto, and in that the cutter (18), projecting into the slit (8) in the operating position, is fixed underneath to the tongue (7) and in order to pierce the top wall (3) is configured longer (length l) than the thickness (D) of the disc (6).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that two tab-like bridges (11) are provided at a distance (a) apart from one another, between which a pocket-like depression (12) is provided in the disc (6).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the central recess (14) for the turning bolt (16) widens in the direction of the top (3) of the package, and is preferably configured to extend through the thickness (D) of the disc (6, 9, 10).
4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that an edge for assisting pouring (20) is fitted on the periphery of the disc (6) except on the pouring edge (5) (Figure 4).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the distance (d) apart from one another of the two ends (21) of the edge for assisting pouring (20) is slightly greater than the width (B) of the tongue (7) (Figure 4).
6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the tongue (7) is flat and configured in an elongated manner such that its length (L) from the axis (13) of the turning bolt (16) with which it is preferably integral to its leading edge (17) is 1 to 3 cm, preferably 2 cm greater than the distance (D5) of the axis (13) of the turning bolt (16) from the pouring edge (5).

Images