EP2013100B1 - Plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The closure consists of a lower closure part, which forms a drinking and pouring neck, in addition to a closure cap, which is pivotally connected to the lower closure part by a hinge. The drinking and pouring neck sits in a planar disc, onto which the hinge of the closure cap is formed. Below the disc, the drinking and pouring neck is surrounded by a deformable wall that forms a cone or dome, said wall extending obliquely downwards from the neck and being connected to the outer edge of the lower closure part. The drinking and pouring neck projects beneath the underside of said deformable wall and the lower edge of said neck forms at least two piercing elements. A spacer strip is formed onto the lower edge of the closure cap by means of one or more material bridges that act as predetermined breaking points. The spacer band guarantees that the cap has never been opened.

Description

This invention relates to a plastic closure with a drinking or pouring spout and a foil dosing device, which offers a first-opening guarantee and also serves to open a film-sealed container or container spout equipped with this closure, without the actual drinking or pouring spout. Having to touch the nozzle with your fingers. This closure is suitable for containers of all kinds, especially those made of plastic, composite board, glass, but also for tubes or other containers made of a combination of the aforementioned materials. It is especially suitable for contents of liquid or pasty consistency.

There are already a variety of plastic closures with a drinking or spout nozzle, which are commonly known as sports closures. They usually consist of a closure bottom, which is screwed onto a threaded connector, and a hinged thereto molded cap. In the center of the closure part a drinking and pouring nozzle is attached, which is axially displaceable for opening and closing. For initial use, the entire closure must be unscrewed from the container, then the sealing film on the container neck can be torn away and then the closure is screwed back onto the container, after which the cap is removed or opened and the drinking or pouring spout releases. In other solutions, the sealing film is pierced after opening the cap by pressing the drinking and pouring spout axially downwards with your fingers ( US 5,853,109 A1 ). Because this the nozzle must be touched, this solution can Hygiene requirements are not fully sufficient. All these solutions are also designed in several parts, ie they are made of several, individually molded and then assembled together parts. These multi-part solutions are expensive and require complicated, space-consuming assembly systems.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a closure with drinking and pouring spout, which offers a Erstöffnungsgarantie, with which the sealing film of a container equipped therewith or container neck can be opened without the actual drinking or spout nozzle must be touched with your fingers and without the entire closure of the container must be removed. In addition, this closure should be made in one piece, ie in a single injection.

This object is achieved by a plastic closure with drinking or pouring spout and Folienstech device, consisting of a closure lower part, which forms a drinking and spout nozzle, and a closure cap which is pivotally connected via a hinge to the closure bottom, and characterized in that the drinking and pouring spout sits in a flat disc on which the hinge of the cap is formed, that below the disc of the spout and pouring spout is enclosed by a deformable wall, the one inside arched cone or an outwardly domed dome, and which wall from the nozzle leads obliquely downwards and is connected to the outer edge of the closure base, wherein the drinking and pouring spout projects beyond this deformable wall on its underside and its lower edge at least two Lancing elements forms, and that at the bottom of the cap a Distanzban d is formed over one or more material bridges acting as predetermined breaking points, wherein the spacer strip encloses the deformable wall in the closed state of the closure cap and rests on the outer edge of the closure base, so that the closure cap can be pressed downwards after tearing this spacer strip down of the drinking and pouring spout passing through it and deformation of the deformable wall.

FIG. 1

Einen Verschluss mit geschlossener Verschlusskappe mit einem integrierten Distanz- und Distanzband zwischen der Verschlusskappe und dem Verschlussunterteil, von der Seite her gesehen;

FIG. 2

Den Verschluss nach Figur 1 mit aufgeschwenkter Verschlusskappe und offengelegtem Trink- und Ausguss-Stutzen;

FIG. 3

Den Verschluss nach dem Spritzen mit aufgeschwenkter Verschlusskappe;

FIG. 4

Den Verschluss nach dem Entfernen des Distanzbandes in einem Querschnitt, beim Niederdrücken der Verschlusskappe;

FIG. 5

Den Verschluss nach den Figuren 1 und 2 in einer Ansicht von schräg unten gesehen;

FIG. 6

Den Verschluss nach den Figuren 1 und 2 in einer Ansicht von schräg unten gesehen, mit anderem Blickwinkel;

FIG. 7

Den Verschluss vor dem ersten Öffnen mit intaktem Distanzband und zugeklappter Verschlusskappe in einer Ansicht von hinten mit Blick auf das Scharnier der Verschlusskappe;

FIG. 8

Einen Verschluss nach den Figuren 1 und 2 im Querschnitt, aufgeschraubt auf einen mit einer Folie verschlossenen Behälterstutzen in der unteren, niedergedrückten Stellung des Trinkstutzens;

FIG. 9

Einen solchen Verschluss im Querschnitt, der auf einen mit einer Folie verschlossenen Behälterstutzen aufgeprellt ist;

FIG. 10

Einen solchen Verschluss im Querschnitt, der über das folienversiegelte Loch einer Verbundpackung aufgeschweisst ist;

FIG. 11

Verschiedene Behälter und Packungen, auf welche ein solcher Verschluss montiert werden kann.

In the figures, various variants of this one-piece closure for application to a plurality of containers are shown in different views. Based on these figures, the shutter will be described in detail and its function will be explained.
It shows:

FIG. 1

A closure with a closed cap with an integrated distance and distance band between the cap and the closure bottom, seen from the side;

FIG. 2

The lock after FIG. 1 with swiveled cap and exposed drinking and spout nozzle;

FIG. 3

The closure after spraying with swung-open cap;

FIG. 4

The closure after removing the spacer tape in a cross section, when depressing the cap;

FIG. 5

The closure after the FIGS. 1 and 2 seen in a view obliquely from below;

FIG. 6

The closure after the FIGS. 1 and 2 in a view seen obliquely from below, with a different angle;

FIG. 7

The closure before first opening with intact spacer band and closed cap in a view from the rear, looking at the hinge of the cap;

FIG. 8th

A closure after the FIGS. 1 and 2 in cross section, screwed onto a sealed with a foil container neck in the lower, depressed position of the drinking nozzle;

FIG. 9

Such a closure in cross-section, which is aufgeprellt on a sealed with a foil container neck;

FIG. 10

Such a closure in cross-section, which is welded over the foil-sealed hole of a composite package;

FIG. 11

Various containers and packages on which such a closure can be mounted.

The FIG. 1 shows the shutter 1 in the view from the side. It can be seen in turn from top first the closure cap 2, at the lower edge of which a spacer strip 5 is formed over some material bridges 14 intended to act as predetermined breaking points. This also acts as a spacer tape and is on the closure part 4, so that therefore the cap 2 can not be folded down or pressed down. At the bottom of the closure, a further spacer band 6 is formed over the material bridges 15. A lip 16 on the cap 2 helps to fold it up to open. On the other side of the cap you can see the hinge 21, via which the cap is connected to the upper edge with a disc not visible here, which is located at the height of the upper edge of the spacer strip. The closure bottom forms here a threaded cap, which is screwed onto the threaded connector to a container. So that it can be unscrewed from this if necessary, it is externally provided with ribs 3. The spacer strip 5 forms in the vicinity of the hinge 21, a tab with ribs 11, which can be taken to tear away.

The FIG. 2 shows the closure with unfolded cap 2. In this state, the closure comes out of the injection mold. The spacer strip 5 is integrally formed on the lower edge of the closure cap 2. On the inside of the cap can be seen a ring 25, which is placed over the drinking and pouring spout 13 on closing the cap 2 and then encloses it at the top. This drinking and pouring spout 13 is arranged here centrally in a flat disc 7, with which the closure cap 2 is connected via the hinge 21. Outside of this flat disc 7 latching elements 12 are formed. The disk 7 with the enclosed by her drinking and pouring spout 7 can be pressed axially downwards, after which the latching elements 12 snap on matching snap elements on the closure part 4 and the disc 7 together with the drinking and pouring spout 13 in this lowered position hold or arrest. The drinking and pouring spout 13 has at the upper edge on the outside a bead 10. This is positively enclosed by the ring 25 on the inside of the cap 2, when the cap 2 is pivoted down to the neck. In the clear opening 9 of the drinking and pouring spout 13 is a star-shaped reinforcement 31 molded. If the closure cap 2 is pivoted from the position shown here onto the closure bottom part 4, then the ring 25 snaps over the upper edge of the drinking and pouring spout 13 and keeps the cap 2 pivoted downwards. Then the closure shows up as in FIG. 1 shown.

The FIG. 3 shows the shutter again in this position, but in a different angle, so you can see the area below the flat disc 7. As can be seen, extends below the disc 7 from the drinking and pouring spout 13 from a deformable wall 8, which forms a kind of vault or dome here, that is, the wall is curved outward and extends obliquely down and is at her lower end connected to the upper edge of the closure part 4. This wall 8 may also form a cone with inwardly curved wall or a bellows. To open the closure, the closure cap 2 is pressed axially downwards in the swung-open state. At the closed closure as in FIG. 1 The spacer strip 5 is first torn away, while the closure cap 2 is still closed.

This condition of the closure is in FIG. 4 illustrated by a cross section. With a finger or with the hand now the cap 2 is moved down. As a result, the drinking and pouring spout 13, with its inner reinforcement 31 and the disk 7 surrounding it, also shifts axially downward, while the wall 8, which is arched in this way, deforms. Finally, engage the latching elements 12 on the outer edge of the disc 7 with associated latching elements 32 at the upper edge of the closure part 4 a. At the same time, the lower, serrated edge of the drinking and pouring spout 13 has pierced with its lancing elements 22, the sealing film which is mounted over the closure equipped with threaded connector or glued to the shoulder 30, which on the inside of the closure part. 4 is formed. Only now is the cap 2 swung open and thus releases the drinking and pouring spout 13. The sealing film was therefore bitten and opened, without the drinking and pouring spout 13 had to be touched with your fingers!

In FIG. 5 the shutter is shown in perspective from below. At the back of the closure you can see the hinge 21. In the center of the closure can be seen the drinking and pouring spout 13 with the piercing elements 22 at its lower edge. The spout 13 is enclosed from below by the deformable wall 8. This forms here the underside of a vaulted raise. It is also provided with areas 17,18 which form bulges up or down, and facilitate the deformation of the wall 8 during depression of the nozzle 13 by the cap 2. In the example shown, S-shaped ribs 19 are still formed. These cause when depressing the nozzle 13 and deforming the wall 8 that the nozzle 13 is placed during its downward movement in a slight rotation, which facilitates the piercing and cutting a sealing foil with the lancing elements 22. In FIG. 6 you see a similar picture in a slightly different angle.

The FIG. 7 shows the closed shutter as seen from behind. You can see the hinge 21, the closed cap 2 and at its lower edge then the spacer strip 5, which acts as a spacer by rising with its lower edge on the lower closure part 4 and prevents the depression of the cap 2 on the closure part 4. For depressing this spacer band 5 must first be removed. For this purpose, it can be taken on the tab with the ribs 11 and be torn off under breakage of the various fine material bridges from the lower edge of the cap 2.

The FIG. 8 shows a cross section through such a closure after the depression of the cap 2. As can be seen, thereby the drinking and pouring spout 13 was depressed and its lower, equipped with lancing elements 22 edge has the sealing film 26, which closed the container neck 23, torn. The disk 7 latched on the bottom of the closure 4 and now holds the drinking and pouring spout 13 in this position, even if the cap 2 is swung open. The spacer strip 5 is no longer visible because it was previously demolished. The closure bottom is designed as a threaded cap with internal thread 27.

The FIG. 9 shows a very similar closure, with the only difference that here the closure bottom is not designed as a threaded cap, but as Aufpresskappe with a circumferential in-lying bead 29, with which it can be aufprellbar on a correspondingly shaped container neck. An existing between the closure and the container edge film can be glued on both sides or welded with induction heat.

The FIG. 10 shows a again similar closure, the closure bottom is formed in a flange 28, with which the closure over the foil-sealed hole of a container, for example, a carton pack is glued or welded. In the FIG. 11 Finally, some different types of containers are shown, which can be equipped with such a closure, namely a bottle made of plastic, namely a PET bottle, or a sheet metal or glass, then a composite cardboard in any form, for example a round or cylindrical Composite package or a brick composite package. But it is also suitable for a closed with a plastic lid with sealing foil cardboard cup or for a tube.

Claims (10)

1. A plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device, consisting of a closure bottom part, which forms a drinking and pouring neck, as well as a closure cap, which is connected by a hinge pivotably to the closure bottom part, characterized in that the drinking and pouring neck (13) sits in a planar disk (7), onto which the hinge (21) of the closure cap (2) is formed, in that beneath the disk (21) the drinking and pouring neck (13) is enclosed by a deformable wall (8), which forms a concave cone or a convex dorne, and which wall (8) leads obliquely downward from the neck (13) and is connected to the outer edge of the closure bottom part (4), the drinking and pouring neck (13) projecting over this deformable wall (8) on the underside thereof and its lower edge forming at least two piercing elements (22), and in that onto the lower edge of the closure cap (2) a distancing band (5) is formed via one or more material bridges (14) acting as predetermined breaking points, the distancing band (5), in the closed state of the closure cap (2), enclosing the deformable wall (8) and resting on the outer edge of the closure bottom part (4), so that the closure cap (2), after this distancing band (5) has been torn off, can be pressed downward, at the same time as the disk (7), and the drinking and pouring neck passing through it (13), are depressed and the deformable wall (8) is deformed.
2. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that formed onto the edge of the disk (7) are latching elements (12), which, when the planar disk (7) is depressed, engage on the upper edge (24) of the lower closure part (4), so that the disk (7) is hereafter locked in the depressed position on the closure bottom part (4).
3. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that the deformable wall (8) enclosing the drinking and pouring neck (13) is of dome-shaped configuration, the drinking and pouring neck being seated in the center of the formed dome.
4. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the deformable wall (8) enclosing the drinking and pouring neck (13) forms a cone, the drinking and pouring neck being seated in the center of this cone.
5. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that the deformable wall (8) has at least one sub-region (17, 18) offset downward or upward from its surface as a deformation aid.
6. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that the deformable wall (8) has at least one rib (19) as a twisting aid, running at an oblique angle to its radial, which rib is designed to set the pouring neck (13) and its piercing elements (22) in rotation as the wall (8) is deformed.
7. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that formed on the underside of the closure cap (2) is a ring (25), which, when the closure cap (2) is swung shut, encloses the upper edge of the drinking and pouring neck (13), and the closure bottom part, at the place where the deformable wall (8) adjoins its outer edge, has a circumferential edge (24), which is designed to act as a supporting surface for the lower edge of the distancing band (5).
8. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that the closure bottom part (4) forms on its underside a threaded cap with internal thread (27), which cap can be screwed onto the threaded neck (23) of a container.
9. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closure bottom part (4) has an inner, circumferential or part-circumferential bead (29), or a groove, with which it can be impacted on over a fittingly shaped pouring neck (23) of a container.
10. The plastic closure comprising a drinking or pouring neck and foil piercing device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closure bottom part (4) passes into a flange (28) protruding radially therefrom, which flange can be applied over the foil-sealed hole of a container.

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