EP2454169B1

EP2454169B1 - Opening and closing device

Info

Publication number: EP2454169B1
Application number: EP10743017.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pierottavio Canegallo
Original assignee: GRC PACK LUXEMBOURG SA
Current assignee: GRC PACK LUXEMBOURG SA
Priority date: 2009-07-13
Filing date: 2010-07-13
Publication date: 2014-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-13
Also published as: JP6130668B2; MX2012000549A; IT1394738B1; KR20120083282A; PL2454169T3; ITMI20091237A1; WO2011006631A1; JP2012532812A; EP2454169A1; KR101822819B1; ES2477941T3; ZA201200854B

Description

Field of application

In its more general aspect, the present invention relates to the sector of packaging of fluid products.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an opening and closing device for containers in flexible material, such as bags, sachets and the like, intended for the packaging of fluid products, such as for example food products and medical products.
The present invention likewise relates to a package for fluid products comprising a flexible container and such an opening and closing device as well as a method for the packaging of fluid products in such a package.

Prior art

The use is well known of opening and closing devices on containers in flexible material, in particular bags, sachets and the like, for packaging liquid or semi-liquid food products, such as for example beverages or juices, and also solid food products having appropriate characteristics of fluidity (or flow), such as for example food products in powder or granular.
These containers are generally obtained from a sheet (or also several sheets) of an appropriate flexible material which is folded and sealed at least laterally so as to define a bottom and two opposite side walls between which an internal space is formed for the food product, said opposite walls ending above with a mouth for the insertion of the food product required.
More particularly, opening and closing devices for flexible containers of the aforesaid type are known comprising a pourer body in a rigid plastic material provided with a neck for the administration of the food product, and an opening and closing element, usually a cap stopper, associated removably with the upper end of the neck, for example by means of a threaded coupling for the unscrewing and the screwing of the cap stopper from and on the neck according to needs.
The pourer body is moreover provided with appropriate sealing surfaces by means of which it is sealed to corresponding opposite sections of the mouth of the flexible container previously filled with the food product required according to known technologies, for example by pressing when hot the opposite sections of the mouth one towards the other and against the sealing surfaces of the pourer body previously placed between said sections.
Nevertheless, with the current technologies, it is difficult to seal optimally, that is to say with liquid tightness, an opening and closing device of the aforesaid type between the sections of the mouth of the flexible container which is still open, more particularly in zones close to the ends of the sealing surfaces of the pourer body where the walls of the opposite sections of the mouth stop being joined reciprocally and start to divert to adapt to the sealing surfaces of the pourer body, and despite the general good compatibility of the materials subjected to sealing which make up the container and the pourer body.
Consequently it frequently occurs that the flexible container is not closed hermetically as required to the extent of possibly allowing the release of the food product contained therein towards the exterior and also the entry of air inside the container with consequent possible deterioration of the organoleptic properties of said food product and jeopardising of the duration of conservation (shelf life) indicated on the label.
This disadvantage takes on greater importance where the flexible container has previously been made sterile and the food product has been packaged in sterile (or aseptic) conditions due for example to its high degradability and/or to increase its duration of conservation (shelf life).
Opening and closing devices for flexible containers as described above are also known wherein the neck is provided below with a blade or similar cutting means and is mobile in the pourer body from a position of maximum removal of the blade from the container to a position of maximum proximity wherein the neck is blocked irreversibly and is able to perforate the container by means of the abovementioned blade, placing itself thereby in fluid communication with the food product inside the container.
An opening and closing device as described above for flexible containers is described for example in the European patent application 08012211.2 .
These opening and closing devices, with the flexible container previously filled with the food product required and closed, are inserted with their pourer body in a special pocket obtained from the folding of end portions terminating at the upper edges of the walls of the flexible container and then enclosed partially in this pocket by bringing the opposite walls of the pocket together until sealing them one to the other and to the pourer body at the respective sealing surfaces.
Although these opening and closing devices are satisfactory from the functional viewpoint, the optimal application of an opening and closing device illustrated above in the special pocket of a flexible container is at times difficult and laborious.
More particularly, due to the particular shape with curved surfaces of the pocket, it is at times difficult to insert the pourer body until reaching the lower end of the pocket and also to position the pourer body in an essentially vertical fashion.
WO 2006/103020 discloses a cap-type closure for a flexible container comprising a pourer body (discharge pipe) associated with a removable cap, and a base in the form of a film attached to the pourer body. The film 18 is shaped in such a way that its peripheral edges 20 are sealed on the top of the container.
DE 90 06 744 discloses a flexible container provided with a cap-type closure including a pourer body (pipe 25) associated with a removable cap and a base in the form of a flat sheet. The flat sheet is sealed to an annular flange of the pourer body and on the top of the container
EP 0661 208 discloses a process for producing a self-supporting package having an outlet stopper which comprises:

(a) a process for supplying a self-supporting bag which has an opening part for filling contents at the top thereof and holding the bag at a vertical position,
(b) a process for opening the opening part of the self-supporting bag,
(c) a process for filling the self-supporting bag with contents,
(d) a process for supplying an outlet stopper which has an outlet with a stopper on a ship-shaped flange to the opening part, and
(e) a process for sealing the side faces of the ship-shaped flange of the main part of the outlet stopper to the inner side faces of the opening part of the self-supporting bag; said processes being conducted in the order of the processes (a), (b), (c), (d) to (e), consecutively.

The problem at the basis of the present invention is therefore that of making available an opening and closing device for flexible containers intended for the packaging of fluid products such as for example food and medical products, as well as a relative method for packaging of these fluid products which overcome the disadvantages previously mentioned with reference to the prior art.

Summary of the invention

This technical problem is solved by an opening and closing device for a container in flexible material intended for the packaging of fluid products, the device comprising a pourer body and an opening and closing element associated removably with said pourer body and being characterised in that it comprises further a base substantially flattened and shaped so that it can be folded around a perimetric portion of predetermined external profile of said pourer body and can be sealed peripherally thereto, said base being intended to be sealed below to a predetermined portion of said flexible container provided with an aperture or which can be opened so as to bring into fluid communication said pourer body with the internal volume of said flexible container.
In the present description the term "fluid products" is understood to indicate liquid or semi-liquid products and also solid products having appropriate features of fluidity (or flow - so-called free-flowing) such as for example food products in powder or granular. These products can be food products such as for example beverages or juices and also medical products, for example physiological solutions, medicines of various types.
According to an embodiment of the opening and closing device according to the invention, the pourer body comprises a neck of predetermined axis for the dispensing of said fluid product and the base is formed integral with the pourer body below or at the lower end of said neck and has a hole coaxial with the neck of said pourer body.
According to another embodiment of the opening and closing device according to the invention, the base has at least one folding line for facilitating the folding and the sealing of the base around the periphery of said upper portion of predetermined external profile of the pourer body.
The base preferably comprises first folding lines having an overall profile substantially equivalent to the external profile of said perimetric portion of the pourer body on said base and second folding lines arranged externally to the profile defined by said first folding lines.
Moreover, the base can comprise further third folding lines situated internally to the profile defined by said first folding lines.
According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the first folding lines are formed externally and close to the orthogonal projection of the perimetric portion of the pourer body on the base.
In the present invention, the folding lines of the base can be made in various ways in themselves conventional and are preferably constituted by weakening lines made in a conventional manner, more particularly by means of incision.
According to an embodiment of the opening and closing device according to the invention, the perimetric portion of the pourer body comprises a flattened flange of predetermined external profile provided with perimetric sealing surfaces.
According to another embodiment of the opening and closing device according to the invention, the base is formed integral with said neck at the lower end thereof.
According to a further embodiment of the opening and closing device according to the invention, the pourer body comprises a collar formed integral with said base, the neck is provided with means of cutting of a predetermined portion of said flexible container and the neck is moreover rotatably movable in said collar between an upper end stop position wherein said cutting means are situated in said collar in the position of maximum removal from the flexible container and a lower end stop position wherein said cutting means are in the position of maximum advancement and capable of perforating said predetermined portion of said flexible container.
The present invention likewise relates to a package comprising a flexible container and an opening and closing device of the aforesaid type.
According to an embodiment, this package comprises a flexible container having a first wall and a second wall opposite one to the other and sealed peripherally along at least part of the respective side edges, a space internal to said walls containing a fluid product and an opening and closing device of the aforesaid type, said device being sealed with the respective base on the internal surfaces of respective upper end portions of said first wall and said second wall and said base being folded and optionally sealed around the portion of predetermined external profile of the pourer body and said end portions of said first wall and said second wall being folded one towards the other and optionally sealed one to the other in zones not affected by the coupling with said portion of the pourer body and affected optionally by a residual portion of said base.
The present invention likewise relates to a method for packaging of a fluid product in a package of the aforesaid type. This method comprises the steps of:

providing a flexible container comprising a first wall and a second wall opposite one to the other and sealed laterally except in corresponding end portions ending at the respective upper edges of said first wall and said second wall, said container being open along a mouth defined between said upper end portions of said first wall and said second wall,
providing an opening and closing device of the aforesaid type,
filling said open flexible container with a fluid product through said mouth,
reciprocally diverting said upper end portions of said first wall and said second wall so as to lay them down along a substantially horizontal plane,
sealing the base of said opening and closing device on the internal surface of said laid down end portions of the first wall and of the second wall,
folding said base and said laid down end portions of said first wall and said second wall and sealing said folded base around a portion of predetermined external profile of the pourer body of said opening and closing device and/or sealing one to the other said folded end portions of said first wall and said second wall in zones not affected by the coupling with said portion of the pourer body and affected optionally by a residual portion of said base.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the package comprises a flexible container having a first wall and a second wall opposite one to the other and sealed peripherally along at least part of the respective side edges, a space inside said walls containing a fluid product, a gusset element extended between the upper edges of said first wall and said second wall and sealed at least laterally to said first wall and said second wall at respective upper end portions of said first wall and said second wall and an opening and closing device according to claim 8, said device being sealed with the respective base on said gusset element and said base being folded and optionally sealed around the portion of predetermined external profile of the pourer body and said end portions of said first wall and said second wall with said gusset element being folded one towards the other and optionally sealed one to the other in zones not affected by the coupling with said portion of the pourer body and affected optionally by a residual portion of said base.
According to the invention, the method for packaging of a fluid product in a package of the aforesaid type comprises the steps of:

providing a flexible container comprising a first wall and a second wall opposite one to the other and sealed laterally except in corresponding end portions ending at the respective upper edges of said first wall and said second wall, and a gusset element extended between the upper edges of said first wall and said second wall and sealed at least laterally to said first wall and said second wall at said corresponding upper end portions, said container being open along a mouth defined between said upper end portions of said first wall and said second wall,
providing an opening and closing device of the aforesaid type,
filling said open flexible container with a fluid product through said mouth,
sealing the faced edges of said mouth so as to close said flexible container hermetically,
reciprocally diverting said upper end portions of said first wall and said second wall so as to lay down said gusset element along a substantially horizontal plane,
sealing the base of said opening and closing device on said gusset element,
folding said base and said end portions of said first wall and of said second wall with said gusset element and sealing said folded base around a portion of predetermined external profile of the pourer body of said opening and closing device and/or sealing one to the other said folded end portions of said first wall and said second wall in zones not affected by the coupling with said portion of the pourer body and affected optionally by a residual portion of said base.

In the methods described above of the present invention, the sealing is carried out according to conventional techniques such as for example heat-sealing, also known by the term of heat-welding, ultrasound welding, use of adhesives, etc.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be made clearer by the description given herein below of some preferred embodiments, said description being given by way of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

In the accompanying drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 represent overall perspective views and with detached parts respectively of an opening and closing device for flexible containers according to an embodiment of the invention,
Figure 3 shows a sectioned view of the opening and closing device of Figures 1 and 2,
Figure 4 shows a view of a detail of the opening and closing device of Figures 1 and 2,
Figures 5-8 show respective steps of packaging of a fluid product in a package according to the invention comprising a flexible container and the opening and closing device of Figures 1 and 2,
Figures 8a and 8b show schematically a detail in relation to the steps of packaging illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 respectively,
Figure 9 shows a package according to the invention comprising a flexible container whereon the opening and closing device of Figures 1 and 2 is applied,
Figure 10 shows a partially sectioned portion of the package of Figure 9 on occasion of opening of the same,
Figure 11 represents a perspective view of an opening and closing device for flexible containers according to another embodiment of the invention,
Figure 12 shows a sectioned view of the opening and closing device of Figure 11,
Figures 13-15 show respective steps of packaging of a fluid product in a package according to the invention comprising a flexible container and the opening and closing device of Figure 11,
Figure 16 shows a package according to the invention comprising a flexible container whereon the opening and closing device of Figure 11 is applied,
Figure 17 shows a portion of the package of Figure 16, partially sectioned, on the occasion of opening of the same,
Figures 18 and 19 show respective embodiments of the base of the opening and closing device according to the invention.

Detailed description

Referring to Figures 1-4, an opening and closing device for flexible containers according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. This opening and closing device is denoted overall by reference numeral 1.
The opening and closing device 1 comprises, as main elements, a flattened and foldable base 2, a pourer body denoted overall by 3, and a cap stopper 4, coaxially associated one with the other along a longitudinal axis X-X.
The pourer body 3 comprises a substantially cylindrical collar 5 formed integral with the base 2 and extended above it, the collar 5 defining internally a channel 8 coaxial with reference to the abovementioned axis X-X for the passage of a fluid product, for example a food or medical product, and a neck 22 rotatably engaged in said channel 8, said neck 22 being provided below with cutting means for the opening of a flexible container specified herein below.
The collar 5 has externally, and at a predetermined distance from the base 2, a flattened flange 6 of predetermined external profile and predetermined thickness along the longitudinal axis X-X, the flange 6 being extended along the entire circumferential perimeter of the collar 5. More particularly, the flange 6 is formed integral with the collar 5 and has a substantially hexagonal perimetric (or external) profile with opposite appendages 6a and surfaces 7 along its entire perimeter defined by its thickness for the sealing to the base 2 as will be explained in greater detail further on in the description.
The collar 5 has moreover externally an annular band 9 formed integral and situated over the flange 6 in close proximity thereof. The annular band 9 has a plurality of teeth 10 in circumferential succession whose function will be explained herein below.
As an alternative to the annular band 9 a separate ring may be provided having said teeth formed integral in circumferential succession, said ring being fitted on the collar 5 and restrained thereto by means of appropriate bridges.
The flattened and foldable base 2 is intended to be sealed to a flexible container illustrated further on, in the manner which will be shown in greater detail herein below, and has a first substantially central portion 2a and a second portion 2b or peripheral portion which can be sealed to the flange 6 of the pourer body 3. Moreover, the base 2 has a through hole 11 coaxial with the channel 8 inside the collar 5 and a plurality of folding lines for facilitating the folding of the base 2, after application of the same to the flexible container required, around the sealing surfaces 7 of the flange 6, and the sealing to the latter.
More particularly, the base 2 has a substantially rectangular shape and has first folding lines 12 around the hole 11 bordering the central portion 2a of the base 2 and having an overall profile substantially equivalent (or corresponding) to the external profile of the flange 6 of the pourer body 3 and second folding lines 13 situated externally to the profile defined by the first folding lines 12 in the portion 2b of the base 2 which can be sealed to the flange 6 along the respective sealing surfaces 7.
Advantageously, the first folding lines 12 are formed externally and close to the orthogonal projection of the flange 6 on the base 2, so that this orthogonal projection is situated in the central portion 2a of the base 2 bordered by the first folding lines 12, as shown more particularly in Figure 4.
In the present non-limiting embodiment, the second folding lines 13 are extended longitudinally and/or transversely from the first sealing lines 12 until reaching substantially the edges of the base 2.
The base 2 comprises moreover third folding lines 14 arranged in the portion 2a of the base 2 internally to the profile defined by the first folding lines 12. In the present embodiment these third folding lines extend substantially transversely between opposite first folding lines 12.
As regards the channel 8 inside the collar 5, it has to be said that it is provided internally with a threading 28 along a short axial section to engage rotatably the neck 22 as will be explained in greater detail herein below; moreover a pair of annular ridges, more specifically an upper annular ridge 29a and a lower annular ridge 29b, are provided internally to the collar 5, said annular ridges constituting an upper end stop for the movement of the neck 22 and interacting, in the manner which will be explained in greater detail herein below, with a corresponding annular ridge (ring) 29c formed on the neck 22 above the threaded section 28.
More particularly, in said upper end stop position, the ring 29c of the neck 22 is situated between the upper annular ridge 29a and the lower annular ridge 29b of the collar 5. Moreover, the ring 29c of the neck 22 interacts appropriately with the internal walls of the channel 8 preventing advantageously any seepage of liquids through the channel 8 once the flexible container is open (perforated) whereto the opening and closing device 1 is applied.
As regards the neck 22, it has to be said that it comprises a substantially cylindrical body 30 coaxial in relation to the abovementioned longitudinal axis X-X and having an upper end portion 31 provided with external threading 32 along one of its axial sections, a lower end portion 33 also provided with external threading 34 along one of its axial sections and an intermediate portion 36 between the upper end portion 31 and the lower end portion 33 without threading.
The cylindrical body 30 has internally a channel 40 for the passage of a fluid product coaxial with the channel 8 of the collar 5, said channel 40 extending axially along the entire upper end portion 31, the lower end portion 33 and the intermediate portion 36 and being open at the lower end and at the upper end of the neck 22.
The lower portion 33 of the cylindrical body 30 ends below with a blade 42 which is eccentric in relation to the axis X-X for opening a flexible container, said blade being obtained by cutting the cylindrical body 30 below along a cutting plane which is slanted in relation to the axis X-X.
The neck 22 has moreover a cylindrical shell 36 formed integral therewith which is above the intermediate portion 35 of the cylindrical body 30, the cylindrical shell 36 being provided above with a plurality of teeth 38 in circumferential succession along an annular band 37 and projecting therefrom and below an internal annular recess 39 intended to couple substantially by slotting with the teeth 10 of the collar 5 of the base on occasion of the first opening of a flexible container whereto the opening and closing device 1 is applied.
The cap stopper 4 comprises a head 45 and an annular shell 46 provided externally with knurling 47 and internally with a threading 48 which, together with the external threading 32 of the upper end portion 31 of the neck 22, constitutes a threaded coupling for the screwing and unscrewing of the cap stopper 4 from and on the neck 22 of the pourer body 3 according to needs.
The cap stopper 4 has moreover a guarantee band made up of a ring 49 fitted on the annular shell 46 and restrained thereto by means of appropriate bridges (not shown), the ring 49 being provided internally with a plurality of teeth, not shown in that wholly conventional, which engage between the teeth 38 of the cylindrical shell 36 of the intermediate portion 35 of the neck 22 corresponding to a substantially cogged coupling.
In this way, the cap stopper 4 is made rotatably integral with the neck 22 of the pourer body 3.
The neck 22 is rotatably engaged below in the collar 5 by means of a threaded coupling between the external threading 34 of the lower end portion 33 and the internal threading 28 of the channel 8 of the collar 5. More particularly, this threaded coupling allows a rotary movement of the neck 22 from an upper end stop position wherein the eccentric blade 42 of the lower end portion 31 is situated inside the channel 8 in the position of maximum removal from the flexible container whereto the opening and closing device 1 is applied, to a lower end stop position, corresponding to the slotting engagement of the annular recess 39 with the teeth 10 of the collar 5, wherein the eccentric blade 42 goes beyond the hole 11 of the base 2 and is able to perforate said flexible container, bringing into fluid communication the internal space of the container with the pourer body 3 and more specifically with the channel 40 of the neck 22.
Advantageously, the threading 32 of the upper end portion 31 of the neck 22 and the threading 34 of the lower end portion 33 are made in substantially opposite directions. As will be shown herein below, this advantageously allows the user, on the first opening, to perforate the flexible container whereto the opening and closing device 1 is applied, and to unscrew subsequently the cap stopper 4 from the neck 22 by means of a rotary movement in a single direction.
Figures 5-8 show the main steps of the method of application of the opening and closing device 1 to a flexible container and of packaging of a fluid product in this flexible container, creating with this a package according to the invention.
More particularly, referring to Figure 5, the method according to the invention provides above all for the making available of a flexible container, denoted overall by 50, made up essentially of a bag formed preferably from a single multilayer (composite) or single-layer flexible sheet of an appropriate material for foods. It can be formed by way of a non-limiting example from a sheet in metallic material, in particular aluminium, or a composite sheet comprising a metal and a plastic material for foods and/or board or cardboard. As an alternative it is possible to make the bag 50 with a plurality of sheets of a flexible material such as those indicated above.
More particularly, the bag 50 comprises a bottom 51, preferably of the gusset type, a first wall 52 and a second wall 53 substantially opposite one to the other and sealed peripherally at respective first side edges 52a and 53a and respective second side edges 52b and 53b, and a space for the containing of a fluid product, liquid or solid (free-flowing), inside the first wall 52 and the second wall 53.
The lateral sealing between the first wall 52 and the second wall 53 extends from the bottom 51 along the first side edges 52a and 53a and the second side edges 52b and 53b and ends at an upper end portion 52c of the first wall 52 and a corresponding upper end portion 53c of the second wall 53 ending at the upper edge 52d of the first wall 52 and the upper edge 53d of the second wall 53 respectively.
In these respective end portions 52c and 53c, the first wall 52 and the second wall 53 are sealed laterally, that is to say at the respective first side edges 52a and 53a and second side edges 52b and 53b, to a gusset element 55 arranged at the upper end of the bag 50 and extended between the upper edge 52d of the first wall 52 and the upper edge 53d of the second wall 53.
The gusset element 55 is preferably formed by a folded end portion of one from among the first wall 52 and the second wall 53.
Nevertheless, the gusset element 55 can also be a separate element (for example a separate flexible sheet) applied (i.e. joined) to the flexible sheet or flexible sheets which makes/make up the first wall 52 and the second wall 53 or it can be formed by respective folded portions of the first wall 52 and of the second wall 53 joined one to the other.
In the method according to the invention, the flexible bag 50 is open along a mouth 56 defined between the upper end portions 52c and 53c of the first wall 52 and of the second wall 53. More particularly, in the present embodiment, this mouth is defined between the upper edge 53d which is free (i.e. not yet sealed) of the second wall 53 and the free end 55a of the gusset element.
At this point a step is provided of filling of the flexible container 50 described above, still open, with a quantity of a fluid product 58 appropriately predetermined by means of a batcher 59 through the mouth 56 (Figure 5).
In the case of sterile or aseptic packaging, this step of filling is preceded by a step of sterilisation of the flexible container 50 in a conventional manner, for example with hydrogen peroxide.
Once filling has been completed, the mouth is closed so as to seal hermetically the flexible container 50. This is carried out by sealing the free end 55a of the gusset element 55 to the free upper edge 53d of the second wall 53, closing in this way the mouth 56, as indicated by the arrows A in Figure 6.
At this point, the method according to the invention (Figure 7) provides for the step of sealing the opening and closing device 1 with the respective base 2 on the gusset element 55 of the flexible container 50. This is carried out by reciprocally diverting the upper end portion 52c of the first wall 52 and the upper end portion 53c of the second wall 53 so as to lay down in a substantially complete manner the gusset element 55 (that is to say along a substantially horizontal plane) and then sealing the base 2 on the gusset element 55 (Figure 7).
Advantageously, in the present embodiment, the sealing of the base 2 on the gusset element 55 is carried out with the aid of two opposite rigid blocks 60 with a substantially wedge shape, said blocks 60 being arranged by means of a movement of reciprocal proximity (arrows B and C of Figure 7) close to the first wall 52 and the second wall 53 respectively slightly below the upper end portion 52c of the first wall 52 and the upper end portion 53c of the second wall 53.
These blocks 60 each have a substantially horizontal upper surface 61 whereon the upper end portion 52c of the first wall 52 and the upper end portion 53c of the second wall 53 are advantageously held and supported, previously reciprocally removed during the application (for example by pressing) of the base 2 on the gusset element 55 (arrow D of Figure 7), facilitating thereby and making more effective the sealing of the base 2 to the gusset element 55.
At this point, the method according to the invention provides, after having moved the rigid blocks 60 away from the first wall 52 and from the second wall 53 (arrows E of Figure 8), for the step of folding the base 2 with the upper end portion 52c of said first wall 52, the upper end portion 53c of said second wall 53 and with the gusset element 55, of sealing of at least part of the folded base 2 to the sealing surfaces 7 of the flange 6 of the pourer body 3 of the device 1 (arrows F of Figure 8) and of sealing one to the other the abovementioned folded end portions 52c and 53c of said first wall 52 and said second wall 53 in end zones of the gusset element 55 not affected by the coupling with the flange 6 and optionally affected by a residual portion of the base 2 (arrows G of Figure 8), obtaining thereby a package 70 according to the invention as shown in Figure 9.
Advantageously, the folding of the base 2 around the sealing surfaces 7 of the flange 6 is facilitated by the folding lines 12, 13 and 14 described above. More particularly, with reference to Figures 8a and 8b, the folding of the laid down base 2, as shown schematically in Figure 8a, together with a portion of the pourer body 3 after application of the same on the gusset element 55 (as illustrated previously with reference to Figure 7) entails a slight lowering of part of the central portion 2a of the base 2 at opposite peripheral zones not affected by the through hole 11 together with the lowering of the portion of the gusset element 55 sealed at these zones, this lowering being facilitated by the third folding lines 14 (arrows H of Figure 8b).
Moreover, the folding of the base 2 entails the raising of the peripheral portion 2b of the base 2 with the upper end portion 52c of said first wall 52, the upper end portion 53c of said second wall 53 and the remaining part of the gusset element 55, this raising being facilitated by the first folding lines 12 and by at least part of the second folding lines 13 (more particularly the lines 13 extended longitudinally).
Moreover, thanks to the particular shape of the folding lines, the base 2 goes to form, once folded, a pocket whose internal profile is substantially complementary to the external profile of the flange 6, making thereby easier and more accurate the sealing of the base 2 to the surfaces 7 of sealing of the flange 6 and the sealing of the folded end portions 52c and 53c of said first wall 52 and said second wall 53 in the end zones of the gusset element 55 not affected by the coupling with the flange 6 and affected optionally by a residual portion of the base 2.
To open the package 60 according to the invention (first opening), it is sufficient for the consumer to turn the cap stopper 4 in a predetermined direction (for example the anticlockwise direction indicated by the arrow H), advantageously gripping on the knurling 47 of the cylindrical shell 46, until reaching the lower end stop position of the eccentric blade 42 corresponding to the maximum advancement of said blade in the bag 50. This rotation entails the lowering of the neck 22 with the relative blade 42 and of the cap stopper 16 rotatably integral therewith and the perforation of the bag 50 by the blade 42 at the gusset element 55 after the blade 42 has traversed the hole 11 of the base 2. More particularly, the lowering of the neck 22 from the upper end stop entails the passage of its annular ridge 29c below the lower annular ridge 29b of the collar 5 (thanks to the force of the rotation and to the fact that the component material of the annular ridges 29a and 29b has adequate elasticity) and ends on reaching of the lower end stop with the blocking of the neck 22 to the collar 5 by means of slotted coupling of the cylindrical shell 36 at its internal annular recess 39 with the teeth 10 of the annular band 9.
It should be noted that, by virtue of the lowering performed during the packaging of the end zones of the central portion 2a of the base 2, the portion of the gusset element 55 situated at the through hole 11 of the base 2, in addition to finding itself in a slightly raised position compared to these end zones, is also sufficiently taut, facilitating thereby the perforation of the bag 50 by the blade 42.
At this point, continuing the rotation of the cap stopper 4 in the same direction will cause the tearing of the ring 49 constituting the guarantee band and the cap stopper 4 can be unscrewed from the neck 22, thus accessing the content of the bag 50. The final result of the first opening of the package 60, after unscrewing of the stopper 4, is shown in Figure 10.
It should also be noted that the package 1 can also be readily closed again given that the consumer, on each dispensing of a required quantity of the fluid product contained in the bag 50, can easily provide for closure again of the package 60 by screwing the cap stopper 4 to the upper end portion 31 of the neck 22, the latter being restrained firmly in position by the slotted coupling of the cylindrical shell 36 at its internal annular recess 39 with the teeth 10 of the annular band 9.
Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, an opening and closing device for flexible containers according to another embodiment of the invention is described. This opening and closing device is denoted overall by 101.
The elements of the opening and closing device 101 which are structurally and/or functionally equivalent to corresponding elements of the opening and closing device 1 described above will be assigned the same reference numerals of the latter with the addition of 100.
The opening and closing device 101 comprises, as main elements, a flattened and foldable base 102, a pourer body denoted overall by 103 and a cap stopper 104 coaxially associated one with the other along a longitudinal axis X-X.
The pourer body 103 comprises a substantially cylindrical neck 122 formed integral with the base 102 and extended above it, the neck 122 defining internally a channel 140 coaxial with reference to the abovementioned axis X-X for the passage of a fluid product.
The neck 122 has externally and at a predetermined distance from the base 102 a flattened flange 106 of predetermined external profile and predetermined thickness along the longitudinal axis X-X, the flange 106 being extended along the entire circumferential perimeter of the neck 122.
More particularly, the flange 106 is formed integral with the neck 122 and has a substantially hexagonal perimetric (or external) profile with opposite appendages 106a and surfaces 107 along its entire perimeter defined by its thickness for the sealing to the base 102, as will be explained in greater detail further on in the description.
The neck has moreover, above the flange 106, a plurality of teeth 138 in circumferential succession and, above the teeth 138, an external threading 132.
The cap stopper 104 comprises a head 145 and an annular shell 146 provided externally with knurling 147 and internally with a threading 148 which, together with the external threading 132 of the neck 122, constitutes a threaded coupling for the screwing and unscrewing of the cap stopper 104 from and on the neck 122 of the pourer body 103 according to needs.
The cap stopper 104 has moreover a guarantee band made up of a ring 149 fitted on the annular shell 146 and restrained thereto by means of appropriate bridges (not shown), the ring 149 being provided internally with a plurality of teeth, not shown in that wholly conventional, which engage between the teeth 138 of the neck 22 corresponding to a substantially cogged coupling.
The flattened and foldable base 102 is intended to be sealed to a flexible container, illustrated further on, in the manner which will be shown in greater detail herein below and has a substantially central first portion 102a and a second portion 102b or peripheral portion which can be sealed to the flange 106 of the pourer body 103. Moreover, the base 102 has a through hole 111 coaxial with the channel 140 inside the neck 122 and a plurality of folding lines for facilitating the folding of the base 102, after the application to the flexible container 150, around the sealing surfaces 107 of the flange 106 and the sealing to the latter.
More particularly, the base 102 has a substantially rectangular shape and has first folding lines 112 around the hole 111 bordering the central portion 102a of the base 102 and having an overall profile substantially equivalent to the external profile of the flange 106 of the pourer body 103 and second folding lines 113 arranged externally to the profile defined by the first folding lines 112 in the portion 102b of the base 102 which can be sealed to the flange 106 along the respective sealing surfaces 107.
Advantageously, the first folding lines 112 are formed externally and close to the orthogonal projection of the flange 106 on the base 102, so that this orthogonal projection is situated in the central portion 102a of the base 2 bordered by the first folding lines 112.
In the present non-limiting embodiment, the second folding lines 113 are extended longitudinally and/or transversely from the first sealing lines 112 until reaching substantially the edges of the base 102.
The base 102 comprises moreover third folding lines 114 arranged in the portion 102b of the base 102 internally to the profile defined by the first folding lines 112. In the present embodiment these third folding lines extend substantially transversely between opposite first folding lines 112.
Figures 13-15 show the main steps of the method of application of the opening and closing device 101 to a flexible container and of packaging of a fluid product in this flexible container for making a package according to the invention.
Referring to Figures 13 and 14, the method according to the invention provides first of all for the making available of a flexible container, denoted overall by 150, made up essentially of a bag formed preferably from a single multilayer (composite) or single-layer flexible sheet of an appropriate material for foods. It can be formed by way of a non-limiting example from a sheet in metallic material, in particular aluminium, or a composite -sheet comprising a metal and a plastic material for foods and/or board or cardboard. As an alternative it is possible to make the bag 150 with a plurality of sheets of a flexible material such as those indicated above.
More particularly, the bag 150 comprises a bottom 151, preferably of the gusset type, a first wall 152 and a second wall 153 substantially opposite one to the other and sealed peripherally at respective first side edges 152a and 153a and respective second side edges 152b and 153b, and a space for the containing of a fluid product, liquid or solid (free-flowing), inside the first wall 152 and the second wall 153.
The lateral sealing between the first wall 152 and the second wall 153 extends from the bottom 151 along the first side edges 152a and 153a and the second side edges 152b and 153b and ends at a corresponding upper end portion 152c of the first wall 152 and a corresponding upper end portion 153c of the second wall 153 ending at the upper edge 152d of the first wall 152 and the upper edge 153d of the second wall 153 respectively.
In the method according to the invention, the flexible bag 150 is open along a mouth 156 defined between the upper end portions 152c and 153c of the first wall 152 and of the second wall 153 through which the flexible container 150 is filled with the fluid product required in a similar manner to what has already been illustrated above with reference to the flexible container 50.
Once filling has been completed, the sealing is carried out of the opening and closing device 101 with the respective base 102 on the upper end portions 152c and 153c of the first wall 152 and of the second wall 153. This is carried out by diverting reciprocally the upper end portion 152c of the first wall 152 and the upper end portion 153c of the second wall 153 so as to lay them down along a substantially horizontal plane (i.e. forming substantially a flat angle one with the other) and then applying and sealing the base 102 on the internal surfaces (now on view) of the upper end portions 152c and 153c (arrows L in Figures 13 and 14).
Advantageously, in the present embodiment, the sealing of the base 102 on the upper end portions 152c and 153c is carried out with the aid of two opposite rigid blocks 160 (shown as dotted lines) with a substantially wedge shape, said blocks 160 being arranged by means of a movement of reciprocal proximity close to the first wall 152 and the second wall 153 respectively, slightly below the upper end portion 152c of the first wall 152 and of the upper end portion 153c of the second wall 153.
These blocks 160 each have a substantially horizontal upper surface 161 whereon the upper end portion 152c of the first wall 152 and the upper end portion 153c of the second wall 153 are advantageously held and supported, previously moved away reciprocally during the application thereon (for example by pressing) of the base 102, facilitating thereby and making more effective the sealing of the base 102.
At this point, the method according to the invention provides, after having moved the rigid blocks 160 away from the first wall 152 and from the second wall 153, for the step of folding the base 102 with the upper end portion 152c of said first wall 152 and the upper end portion 153c of said second wall 153 (arrows M of Figure 15), of sealing at least part of the folded base 102 to the sealing surfaces 107 of the flange 106 of the pourer body 103 and of sealing one to the other the abovementioned folded end portions 152c and 153c of said first wall 152 and said second wall 153 in respective end zones not affected by the coupling with the flange 106 and optionally affected by a residual portion of the base 102, obtaining thereby a package 170 according to the invention as shown in Figure 16.
Advantageously, the folding of the base 102 around the sealing surfaces 107 of the flange 106 is facilitated by the folding lines 112, 113 and 114 in a similar manner to that illustrated previously in relation to the folding of the base 2 of the device 1 described above. Moreover, thanks to the particular shape of these folding lines, the base 102 goes to form, once folded, a pocket whose internal profile is substantially complementary to the external profile of the flange 106, making thereby easier and more accurate the sealing of the base 102 to the flange 106 at the sealing surfaces 107 of the flange 106 and the sealing of the folded end portions 152c and 153c of said first wall 152 and said second wall 153 in the respective end zones not affected by the coupling with the flange 106 and affected optionally by a residual portion of the base 102.
To open the package 170 according to the invention (first opening), it is sufficient for the consumer to turn the cap stopper 104 in a predetermined direction so as to cause the tearing of the ring 149 constituting the guarantee band and the subsequent unscrewing of the cap stopper 104 from the neck 122, thus accessing the content of the bag 150. The final result of the first opening of the package 170, after unscrewing of the stopper 104, is shown in Figure 17.
It should be noted that the package 170 can also be readily closed again given that the consumer, at each dispensing of a required quantity of the fluid product contained in the bag 150, can easily provide for closure again of the package 170 by screwing the cap stopper 104 to the neck 22.
Figures 18 and 19 show some of the many possible embodiments of the base of an opening and closing device according to the invention.
More particularly, Figure 18 shows a flattened and foldable base 200 wholly similar to the base 2 described above, from which it differs substantially due to the fact that it has a substantially octagonal shape.
Figure 19 instead shows a flattened and foldable base 300 similar to the base 2 described above wherefrom it differs due to the absence of the third folding lines 14 and due to the fact that the first folding lines 12 define a profile around the hole 11 which is substantially elliptical rather than hexagonal as in the base 2.

Claims

Opening and closing device (1;101) for a container (50; 150) made of a flexible material and intended for the packaging of fluid products, the device comprising a pourer body (3; 103) and a opening and closing element (4;104) associated to said pourer body (3;103) in a removable way, it further comprises a base (2;102) being intended to be sealed on the lower side to a predetermined portion (55, 152c, 153c) of said flexible container (50;150) which is provided with an aperture or can be opened so as to bring said pourer body (3;103) in fluid communication with the internal volume of said flexible container (50;150) and being characterized in that said base (2;102) is flattened and shaped so as on application of the device (1;101) on said container (50;150) the base (2;102) is folded and optionally sealed around a perimetric portion (6;106) of predetermined external profile of said pourer body (3;103).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to claim 1, characterized in that said pourer body (3;103) comprises a neck (22;122) for the disposal of said fluid product having a prefixed axis and in that said base (2;102) is formed integral with said pourer body (3;103) under or at the lower end of said neck (22,122) and has a hole (11;111) coaxial with the neck (22;122) of said pourer body (3;103).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said base (2;102) has at least one folding line for facilitating folding and sealing of the base (2;102) around the periphery (7;107) of said portion (6;106) of predetermined external profile of said pourer body (3;103).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to claim 3, characterized in that said base (2;102) comprises first folding lines (12;112) having an overall profile which is substantially equivalent to the external profile of said perimetric portion (6;106) of the pourer body (3;103), and second folding lines (13;113) arranged externally to the profile defined by said first folding lines (12;112).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to claim 4, characterized in that said first folding lines (12;112) delimits a substantially central portion (2a ; 102a) of said base (2;102) provided with said coaxial hole (11;111) and in that said second folding lines (13;113) are formed in a peripheral portion (2b; 102b) of said base (2;102), said peripheral portion (2b; 102b) being sealable to said perimetric portion (6;106) of predetermined external profile of the pourer body (3;103).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said base (2;102) further comprises third folding lines arranged internally to the profile defined by said first folding lines (12;112).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to anyone of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said first folding lines (12;112) are formed externally and close to the orthogonal projection of said perimetric portion (6; 106) of the pourer body (3; 103) onto the base (2;102).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to anyone of preceding claims, characterized in that said perimetric portion of the pourer body (3;103) comprises a flattened flange (6;106) having a predetermined external profile and provided with sealing perimetric surfaces (7;107).
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to anyone of preceding claims 2 to 8, characterized in that said base (102) is formed integral with said neck (122) to the lower end thereof.
Opening and closing device (1;101) according to anyone of preceding claims 2 to 8, characterized in that said pourer body (3) comprises a collar (5) formed integral with said base (2), in that said neck is provided with cutting means (42) suitable to perforate a predetermined portion of said flexible container (50) and in that said neck (22) is also rotatably movable in said collar (5) between an upper end stop position wherein said cutting means (42) are situated in said collar (5) in the condition of maximum removal from the flexible container (50) and a lower end stop position wherein said cutting means (42) are in a position of maximum advancement and are capable of perforating said predetermined portion of said flexible container (50).
Package (170) for fluid products comprising a flexible container (150) having a first wall (152) and a second wall (153) opposite each other and peripherally sealed along at least a portion of the respective side edges (152a, 152b, 153a, 153b), a space inside said walls containing a fluid product and an opening and closing device according to anyone of the preceding claims from 1 to 9, said device being sealed with the respective base (102) onto the internal surfaces of respective upper end portions (152c, 153c) of said first wall (152) and of said second wall (153) and said base being folded and optionally sealed around said portion (106) of predetermined external profile of the pourer body (103) and said end portions (152c, 153c) of said first wall (152) and of said second wall (153) being folded the one towards the other and optionally sealed to each other in zones not affected by the coupling with said portion (106) of the pourer body (103) and optionally affected by a residual portion of said base (102).
Package (70) for fluid products comprising a flexible container (50) having a first wall (52) and a second wall (53) opposite each other and peripherally sealed along at least a portion of the respective side edges (52a, 53a; 52b, 53b), a space inside said walls containing a fluid product, a gusset element (55) extended between the upper edges (52d; 53d) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53) and sealed at least laterally to said first wall (52) and to said second wall (53) at the respective upper end portions (52c; 53c) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53) and an opening and closing device according to claim 10, said device being sealed with the respective base (2) onto said gusset element (55) and said base being folded and optionally sealed around said portion (6) of predetermined external profile of the pourer body (3) and said end portions (52c, 53c) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53) with said gusset element (55) being folded the one towards the other and optionally sealed to each other in zones not affected by the coupling with said portion (6) of the pourer body (3) and optionally affected by a residual portion of said base (2) .
Method for packaging a fluid product in a package according to claim 11, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a flexible container (150) comprising a first wall (152) and a second wall (153) opposite each other and laterally sealed except for respective end portions (152c; 153c) ending at the respective upper edges of said first wall (152) and of said second wall (153), said container (150) being open along a mouth (156) defined between said end upper portions (152c; 153c) of said first wall (152) and of said second wall (153);

- providing an opening and closing device (101) according to anyone of claims 1 to 9;

- filling said open flexible container with a fluid product through said mouth (156),

- reciprocally diverting said end upper portions (152c; 153c) of said first wall (152) and of said second wall (153) so as to lay them down along a plane substantially horizontal,

- sealing the base (102) of said opening and closing device (101) on the internal surface of said laid down end portions (152c; 153c) of the first wall (152) and of the second wall (153);

- folding said base (102) and said laid down end portions (152c; 153c) of the first wall (152) and of the second wall (153) and sealing said folded base (102) around a portion (106) of predetermined external profile of the pourer body (103) of said opening and closing device (101) and/or sealing said folded end portions (152c, 153c) of said first wall (152) and of said second wall (153) to each other at end zones not affected by the coupling with said portion (106) of the pourer body (103) and optionally affected by a residual portion of said base (102).
Method for packaging a fluid product in a package according to claim 12, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a flexible container (50) comprising a first wall (52) and a second wall (53) opposite each other and laterally sealed except in respective end portions (52c; 53c) ending at the respective upper edges (52d;53d) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53), and a gusset element extended between the upper edges (52d;53d) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53) and sealed at least laterally to said first wall (52) and to said second wall (53) at said respective upper end portions (52c;53c), said container (50) being open along a mouth (56) defined between said end upper portions (52c; 53c) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53);

- providing an opening and closing device (1) according to claim 10;

- filling said open flexible container (50) with a fluid product through said mouth (56),

- sealing the faced edges of said mouth (56) so as to close hermetically said flexible container;

- reciprocally diverting said end upper portions (52c; 53c) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53) so as to lay down said gusset element (55) along a plane substantially horizontal,

- sealing the base (2) of said opening and closing device (1) on said gusset element (55);

- folding said base (2) and said end portions (52c; 53c) of the first wall (52) and of the second wall (53) with the gusset element (55) and sealing said folded base (2) around a portion (6) of predetermined external profile of the pourer body (3) of said opening and closing device (1) and/or sealing said folded end portions (52c, 53c) of said first wall (52) and of said second wall (53) to each other at zones of the gusset element not affected by the coupling with said portion (6) of the pourer body (3) and optionally affected by a residual portion of said base (2) .