EP3638595B1 - Pour spout fitment and method of opening it - Google Patents
Pour spout fitment and method of opening it Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3638595B1 EP3638595B1 EP18733806.6A EP18733806A EP3638595B1 EP 3638595 B1 EP3638595 B1 EP 3638595B1 EP 18733806 A EP18733806 A EP 18733806A EP 3638595 B1 EP3638595 B1 EP 3638595B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- pour spout
- closure
- tab
- fitment
- knob
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 12
- 210000002105 tongue Anatomy 0.000 description 8
- 235000011389 fruit/vegetable juice Nutrition 0.000 description 4
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
- B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
- B65D5/72—Contents-dispensing means
- B65D5/74—Spouts
- B65D5/746—Spouts formed separately from the container
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
- B65D41/3423—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
- B65D41/3423—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt
- B65D41/3428—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with flexible tabs, or elements rotated from a non-engaging to an engaging position, formed on the tamper element or in the closure skirt the tamper element being integrally connected to the closure by means of bridges
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/32—Caps or cap-like covers with lines of weakness, tearing-strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices, e.g. to facilitate formation of pouring openings
- B65D41/34—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt
- B65D41/3442—Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers provided with tamper elements formed in, or attached to, the closure skirt with rigid bead or projections formed on the tamper element and coacting with bead or projections on the container
Definitions
- This invention relates to a pour spout fitment and to a method of opening a pour spout fitment.
- pour spout fitments are common on many containers of liquids.
- juice cartons sold to the general public are often provided with screw cap arrangements on one top panel of the carton, so that the end user can access the contents of the carton by unscrewing the screw cap and the user can also close the carton in the same manner and store the juice carton in their fridge.
- screw cap arrangements on one top panel of the carton, so that the end user can access the contents of the carton by unscrewing the screw cap and the user can also close the carton in the same manner and store the juice carton in their fridge.
- WO 2010/125354 discloses a pour spout fitment with a tamper evident arrangement.
- a package comprises a container and a pour spout fitment attached thereto, the fitment comprising a pour spout, a closure covering an outer end of the spout, and a tamper evident arrangement attached to the spout or the container, on the one hand, and, more weakly, by at least one frangible bridge to the closure, on the other hand, the arrangement being such that, through opening of the closure, each bridge is broken, but at least one significant portion of the tamper evident arrangement remaining attached to the spout or the container can project laterally outwards noticeably.
- each significant portion is pre-stressed laterally outwardly and is a leg portion extending longitudinally of the spout. In other embodiments, each significant portion is arcuate and extends about the spout.
- the pour spout fitment described in this document while performing effectively as a tamper evident arrangement for a pour spout fitment on a container is relatively complex to manufacture and relies on the tamper evident arrangement breaking from the closure of the fitment at one end while remaining connected to the spout of the fitment at the other end.
- a simpler tamper proof pour spout fitment is desirable.
- a pour spout fitment according to claim 1.
- the closure comprises a cap and a tamper evident band connected to the cap, the tamper evident band arranged to separate from the cap when the closure is removed from the pour spout, wherein the tab is mounted on the tamper evident band.
- the closure comprises two separate components, a cap and a tamper evident band, which are preferably connected together by a series of bridges around the cap. When the end user opens the closure, the bridges will break, leaving the tamper evident band in place while the cap is removed. The tab is located on the tamper evident band so that the tab remains in place and can be clearly seen in its position after having been forced outwards during the end user opening the closure.
- the pour spout comprises a neck and a flange connected to the neck, wherein the knob is mounted on the neck.
- the pour spout of the fitment can be constructed as a neck on which the closure is mounted at one end of the neck, with a flange being provided at the opposite end of the neck.
- the flange is in plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the neck and is of constant width around the neck.
- the purpose of the flange is to provide a sealing surface that is used to mount the pour spout fitment on a container such as a juice carton.
- the flange can be mounted on the exterior of the container or can be mounted on the interior of the container, with the neck of the pour spout passing through a hole in the container.
- the closure includes a slot, wherein the tab is located within the slot.
- the knob on the pour spout can also be located within the slot of the closure.
- the closure includes a slot that is visible to the end user of the container that has the pour spout fitment attached thereto.
- the slot provides a focal point for the user to clearly see whether the closure has been opened before or not, while also providing a channel for locating the tab.
- the knob can also be located within the same slot, protruding from the pour spout through the slot of the closure, again to be visible to the end user.
- the provision of the slot also means that when the user opens the closure the slot guides the tab over the knob, forcing the tab outwards.
- the pour spout fitment is provided with multiple sets of knobs on the pour spout and tabs on the closure such that when the closure is rotated relative to the pour spout, each tab on the closure contacts a respective knob on the pour spout, forcing each tab outwards relative to the pour spout.
- the tamper evident arrangement can be provided with multiple tab and knob arrangements around the closure, in order to provide multiple visible indicators to the end user, to assist them in determining if a closure has already been opened.
- the multiple sets of knobs on the pour spout and tabs on the closure are evenly spaced around the pour spout fitment, which provides the best visibility to the end user.
- Figure 1 shows a cross-section through a pour spout fitment 10 for a container.
- the pour spout fitment 10 comprises a pour spout 12 and a closure 16 which is rotatably mounted on the pour spout 12.
- the pour spout 12 comprises a neck 20 and a flange 22 connected to the neck 20.
- the closure 16 comprises a cap 24 and a tamper evident band 26 connected to the cap 24, the tamper evident band 26 arranged to separate from the cap 24 when the closure 16 is removed from the pour spout 12.
- the pour spout fitment 10 is designed to be fitted to a container such as a juice carton.
- the pour spout 12 is provided with an external screw thread 30 and the closure 16 is provided with an internal screw thread 32 that mates with the external screw thread 30 of the pour spout 12.
- the user of the container is able to open the container by unscrewing the closure 16, which causes the cap 24 to separate from the tamper evident band 26, which are connected together by a small number of bridges that are spaced around the periphery of the cap 24.
- the end user can open and close the cap 24 as many times as the wish after the bridges between the tamper evident band 26 and the cap 24 have been broken.
- the pour spout fitment 10 is provided with an additional tamper evident arrangement, which is described in more detail below.
- the pour spout 12 includes a knob projecting from the pour spout 12, and the closure 16, which is rotatably mounted on the pour spout 12, includes a tab 18, such that when the closure 16 is rotated relative to the pour spout 12, the tab 18 on the closure 16 contacts the knob 14 on the pour spout 12, forcing the tab 18 outwards relative to the pour spout 12.
- This arrangement provides a very clear visual indication of whether the pour spout fitment 10 has been opened or not.
- Figure 2 shows a perspective view from above of the pour spout fitment 10, showing the pour spout 12 including the knob 14 projecting from the pour spout 12, and the closure 16 including a tab 18. These are arranged such that when the closure 16 is rotated relative to the pour spout 12, the tab 18 on the closure 16 contacts the knob 14 on the pour spout 12, forcing the tab 18 outwards relative to the pour spout 12.
- the closure 16 includes a slot 28 and the tab 18 is located within the slot 28.
- the knob 14 on the pour spout 12 is also located within the slot 28 of the closure 16.
- the pour spout fitment 10 is actually provided with multiple sets of knobs 14 on the pour spout 12 and tabs 18 on the closure 16 such that when the closure 16 is rotated relative to the pour spout 12, each tab 18 on the closure 16 contacts a respective knob 14 on the pour spout 12, forcing each tab 18 outwards relative to the pour spout 12.
- knobs 14 and tabs 18 are present, although only two are visible from the view shown in Figure 2 .
- a pair of adjacent arrangements is present on opposite sides of the pour spout fitment 10.
- the user When the user opens the pour spout fitment 10 for the first time, they rotate the cap 24 relative to the spout 12, which begins to separate the cap 24 from the tamper evident band 26.
- the tab 18 moves towards the knob 14, since the knob 14 is mounted on the pour spout 12 which is stationary relative to the movement of the cap 24.
- the tab 18 engages the knob 14, the tab 18 is pushed outwards into a visible sticking out position and the tamper evident band 26 will separate entirely from the cap 24, completing the opening process.
- FIG 3 shows the pour spout fitment 10 in the same configuration as that shown in Figure 2 , but illustrating a side view of the fitment 10.
- two adjacent tabs 18 can be seen and two respective knobs 14, prior to the opening of the closure 16.
- Each tab 18 and knob 14 is located within a respective slot 28 and the slots 28 and tabs 18 are formed as part of the tamper evident band 26 which forms the lower part of the closure 16, where the cap 24 forms the upper part of the closure 16.
- the tamper evident band 26 and the cap 24 are at this point connected together by bridges.
- each of the four arrangements is identical, being formed from a tab 18 and knob 14 lying within a slot 18 that is present within the tamper evident band 26 of the closure 16.
- Each knob 14 protrudes from the tamper evident band 26 through a respective slot 28 and the top of each knob 14 lies flush with the tamper evident band 26, not extending outwardly more than the band 26.
- the rotational force exerted by the user's hand on the closure 16 forces the tabs 18 into contact with the knobs 14, as the knobs 14 are located on the spout 12 and remain stationary relative to the movement of the tabs 18 located on the closure 16.
- the contact between the knobs 14 and the tabs 18 forces the tabs 18 outwards and away from the neck 20 of the spout 12, creating a readily visible indicator that the closure 16 has been opened, since all of the tabs 18 will have been forced outwards, indicating that the closure 16 has been opened.
- Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the pour spout fitment 10 after having been opened, in a view similar to Figure 2 (which shows the same view of the fitment 10 before opening of the closure 16).
- the cap 24 has been screwed back onto the pour spout 12, but it can be clearly seen that the closure 16 has been opened, thereby providing the additional tamper evident arrangement.
- Each of the tabs 18 are sticking out from the tamper evident band 26, which is caused by each of the tabs 18 being pushed outwards by a respective knob 14 when the closure 16 is first opened by the end user.
- Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the pour spout fitment 10, which differs from the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 .
- the closure 16 further includes a tongue 34 and the knob 14 includes an indent 36 such that when the closure 16 is rotated relative to the pour spout 12, the tongue 34 becomes located in the indent 36.
- the tongue 34 of the closure 16 extends into the slot 28 of the closure 16.
- the tongue 34 is present to ensure that the tamper evident band 26 is not moved after the closure 16 has been opened, which could lead to one or more tabs 18 moving into positions where they are less visible to the user.
- each tab 18 there is also a notch 38 present in each tab 18 which is equal and opposite to each of the tongues 34.
- Figure 6 shows this second embodiment of the pour spout fitment, after the closure 16 has been opened. As the user rotates the cap 24, as in the fitment 10 of the first embodiment, each tab 18 contacts a respective knob 14, pushing each of the tabs 18 outwards into its visible position pointing outwards. At the same time, the relative movement between the closure 16 and the spout 12 results in the tongue 34 of each closure 16 locating within a respective indent 36 of a knob 14.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
Description
- This invention relates to a pour spout fitment and to a method of opening a pour spout fitment.
- Pour spout fitments are common on many containers of liquids. For example, juice cartons sold to the general public are often provided with screw cap arrangements on one top panel of the carton, so that the end user can access the contents of the carton by unscrewing the screw cap and the user can also close the carton in the same manner and store the juice carton in their fridge. For safety reasons and for health reasons, it is desirable to have a tamper evident pour spout fitment so that the end user can tell if a pour spout fitment has been opened already.
-
WO 2010/125354 discloses a pour spout fitment with a tamper evident arrangement. In this document, a package comprises a container and a pour spout fitment attached thereto, the fitment comprising a pour spout, a closure covering an outer end of the spout, and a tamper evident arrangement attached to the spout or the container, on the one hand, and, more weakly, by at least one frangible bridge to the closure, on the other hand, the arrangement being such that, through opening of the closure, each bridge is broken, but at least one significant portion of the tamper evident arrangement remaining attached to the spout or the container can project laterally outwards noticeably. In one embodiment, each significant portion is pre-stressed laterally outwardly and is a leg portion extending longitudinally of the spout. In other embodiments, each significant portion is arcuate and extends about the spout. - The pour spout fitment described in this document, while performing effectively as a tamper evident arrangement for a pour spout fitment on a container is relatively complex to manufacture and relies on the tamper evident arrangement breaking from the closure of the fitment at one end while remaining connected to the spout of the fitment at the other end. A simpler tamper proof pour spout fitment is desirable.
- Other closure systems are described in
EP 2266883 , which relates to a fitment having the features listed in the preamble of appended claim 1, andWO 99/05681 - It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.
- According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pour spout fitment according to claim 1.
- According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of opening a pour spout fitment according to claim 8.
- Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a pour spout fitment with a tamper evident component that is simple to manufacture and is less likely to not function when compared to the prior pour spout fitments with tamper evident arrangements. As the user turns the closure, which is for example a screw cap, then the tab of the closure contacts the knob of the pour spout with the result that the tab is forced outwards, creating a clear visible indication that the closure has been opened. Since none of the components for the tamper evident arrangement need to be connected together, there is no requirement for a breaking to occur between components, when the closure is opened. This reduces the likelihood of the tamper evident arrangement failing.
- The closure comprises a cap and a tamper evident band connected to the cap, the tamper evident band arranged to separate from the cap when the closure is removed from the pour spout, wherein the tab is mounted on the tamper evident band. The closure comprises two separate components, a cap and a tamper evident band, which are preferably connected together by a series of bridges around the cap. When the end user opens the closure, the bridges will break, leaving the tamper evident band in place while the cap is removed. The tab is located on the tamper evident band so that the tab remains in place and can be clearly seen in its position after having been forced outwards during the end user opening the closure.
- Preferably, the pour spout comprises a neck and a flange connected to the neck, wherein the knob is mounted on the neck. The pour spout of the fitment can be constructed as a neck on which the closure is mounted at one end of the neck, with a flange being provided at the opposite end of the neck. The flange is in plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the neck and is of constant width around the neck. The purpose of the flange is to provide a sealing surface that is used to mount the pour spout fitment on a container such as a juice carton. The flange can be mounted on the exterior of the container or can be mounted on the interior of the container, with the neck of the pour spout passing through a hole in the container.
- Ideally, the closure includes a slot, wherein the tab is located within the slot. The knob on the pour spout can also be located within the slot of the closure. In a preferred embodiment of the tamper evident arrangement in the pour spout fitment, the closure includes a slot that is visible to the end user of the container that has the pour spout fitment attached thereto. The slot provides a focal point for the user to clearly see whether the closure has been opened before or not, while also providing a channel for locating the tab. The knob can also be located within the same slot, protruding from the pour spout through the slot of the closure, again to be visible to the end user. The provision of the slot also means that when the user opens the closure the slot guides the tab over the knob, forcing the tab outwards.
- Advantageously, the pour spout fitment is provided with multiple sets of knobs on the pour spout and tabs on the closure such that when the closure is rotated relative to the pour spout, each tab on the closure contacts a respective knob on the pour spout, forcing each tab outwards relative to the pour spout. The tamper evident arrangement can be provided with multiple tab and knob arrangements around the closure, in order to provide multiple visible indicators to the end user, to assist them in determining if a closure has already been opened. Preferably, the multiple sets of knobs on the pour spout and tabs on the closure are evenly spaced around the pour spout fitment, which provides the best visibility to the end user.
- Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
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Figure 1 is a cross-section through a pour spout fitment, -
Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the pour spout fitment, -
Figure 3 is a side view of the pour spout fitment, -
Figure 4 is a perspective view from above of the pour spout fitment after being opened, -
Figure 5 is a perspective view from above of a second embodiment of the pour spout fitment, and -
Figure 6 is a perspective view from above of the pour spout fitment ofFigure 5 after being opened. -
Figure 1 shows a cross-section through apour spout fitment 10 for a container. Thepour spout fitment 10 comprises a pourspout 12 and aclosure 16 which is rotatably mounted on thepour spout 12. Thepour spout 12 comprises aneck 20 and aflange 22 connected to theneck 20. Theclosure 16 comprises acap 24 and a tamperevident band 26 connected to thecap 24, the tamperevident band 26 arranged to separate from thecap 24 when theclosure 16 is removed from thepour spout 12. Thepour spout fitment 10 is designed to be fitted to a container such as a juice carton. - The
pour spout 12 is provided with anexternal screw thread 30 and theclosure 16 is provided with aninternal screw thread 32 that mates with theexternal screw thread 30 of thepour spout 12. The user of the container is able to open the container by unscrewing theclosure 16, which causes thecap 24 to separate from the tamperevident band 26, which are connected together by a small number of bridges that are spaced around the periphery of thecap 24. The end user can open and close thecap 24 as many times as the wish after the bridges between the tamperevident band 26 and thecap 24 have been broken. - The
pour spout fitment 10 is provided with an additional tamper evident arrangement, which is described in more detail below. Thepour spout 12 includes a knob projecting from thepour spout 12, and theclosure 16, which is rotatably mounted on thepour spout 12, includes atab 18, such that when theclosure 16 is rotated relative to thepour spout 12, thetab 18 on theclosure 16 contacts theknob 14 on thepour spout 12, forcing thetab 18 outwards relative to thepour spout 12. This arrangement provides a very clear visual indication of whether thepour spout fitment 10 has been opened or not. -
Figure 2 shows a perspective view from above of thepour spout fitment 10, showing thepour spout 12 including theknob 14 projecting from thepour spout 12, and theclosure 16 including atab 18. These are arranged such that when theclosure 16 is rotated relative to thepour spout 12, thetab 18 on theclosure 16 contacts theknob 14 on thepour spout 12, forcing thetab 18 outwards relative to thepour spout 12. Theclosure 16 includes aslot 28 and thetab 18 is located within theslot 28. Theknob 14 on thepour spout 12 is also located within theslot 28 of theclosure 16. - The
pour spout fitment 10 is actually provided with multiple sets ofknobs 14 on thepour spout 12 andtabs 18 on theclosure 16 such that when theclosure 16 is rotated relative to thepour spout 12, eachtab 18 on theclosure 16 contacts arespective knob 14 on thepour spout 12, forcing eachtab 18 outwards relative to thepour spout 12. In the embodiment shown inFigure 2 , foursuch knobs 14 andtabs 18 are present, although only two are visible from the view shown inFigure 2 . A pair of adjacent arrangements is present on opposite sides of thepour spout fitment 10. - When the user opens the
pour spout fitment 10 for the first time, they rotate thecap 24 relative to thespout 12, which begins to separate thecap 24 from the tamperevident band 26. At the same time, as thecap 24 rotates, thetab 18 moves towards theknob 14, since theknob 14 is mounted on thepour spout 12 which is stationary relative to the movement of thecap 24. As thetab 18 engages theknob 14, thetab 18 is pushed outwards into a visible sticking out position and the tamperevident band 26 will separate entirely from thecap 24, completing the opening process. -
Figure 3 shows thepour spout fitment 10 in the same configuration as that shown inFigure 2 , but illustrating a side view of thefitment 10. Here, twoadjacent tabs 18 can be seen and tworespective knobs 14, prior to the opening of theclosure 16. Eachtab 18 andknob 14 is located within arespective slot 28 and theslots 28 andtabs 18 are formed as part of the tamperevident band 26 which forms the lower part of theclosure 16, where thecap 24 forms the upper part of theclosure 16. The tamperevident band 26 and thecap 24 are at this point connected together by bridges. - On the opposite side of the pour
spout fitment 10 an identical pair of tamper evident arrangements oftabs 18 andknobs 14 are also present, making four such arrangements in total on this pourspout fitment 10. Each of the four arrangements is identical, being formed from atab 18 andknob 14 lying within aslot 18 that is present within the tamperevident band 26 of theclosure 16. Eachknob 14 protrudes from the tamperevident band 26 through arespective slot 28 and the top of eachknob 14 lies flush with the tamperevident band 26, not extending outwardly more than theband 26. - When the user opens the
closure 16 by unscrewing thecap 24, the rotational force exerted by the user's hand on theclosure 16 forces thetabs 18 into contact with theknobs 14, as theknobs 14 are located on thespout 12 and remain stationary relative to the movement of thetabs 18 located on theclosure 16. The contact between theknobs 14 and thetabs 18 forces thetabs 18 outwards and away from theneck 20 of thespout 12, creating a readily visible indicator that theclosure 16 has been opened, since all of thetabs 18 will have been forced outwards, indicating that theclosure 16 has been opened. -
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the pourspout fitment 10 after having been opened, in a view similar toFigure 2 (which shows the same view of thefitment 10 before opening of the closure 16). In this Figure, thecap 24 has been screwed back onto the pourspout 12, but it can be clearly seen that theclosure 16 has been opened, thereby providing the additional tamper evident arrangement. Each of thetabs 18 are sticking out from the tamperevident band 26, which is caused by each of thetabs 18 being pushed outwards by arespective knob 14 when theclosure 16 is first opened by the end user. - Once the user opens the
closure 16, then thecap 24 separates from the tamperevident band 26, since the user's rotation of thecap 24 relative to thespout 12 causes the bridges connecting thecap 24 to the tamperevident band 26 to break. However, once thecap 24 is replaced onto thespout 12, as inFigure 4 , it is not immediately apparent that the bridges between thecap 24 and the tamperevident band 26 have been broken, and this illustrates the advantage of thetabs 18, which are much more clearly visible in the Figure than the separation of thecap 24 from the tamperevident band 26. - By providing
multiple tabs 18 on a pourspout fitment 10, as inFigure 4 , then the user will readily see atab 18 from whichever angle they are viewing the container on which thefitment 10 is mounted. This helps the user to immediately see that theclosure 16 has already been opened. Once theclosure 16 has been opened, the tamperevident band 26 has separated from thecap 24 and will no longer rotate, regardless of any rotation of thecap 24. This leaves thetabs 18 in the positions shown inFigure 4 , bent outwards and highly visible to any end user who is handling the container on which thefitment 10 is mounted. -
Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the pourspout fitment 10, which differs from the embodiment shown inFigures 1 to 4 . In this embodiment, theclosure 16 further includes atongue 34 and theknob 14 includes anindent 36 such that when theclosure 16 is rotated relative to the pourspout 12, thetongue 34 becomes located in theindent 36. Thetongue 34 of theclosure 16 extends into theslot 28 of theclosure 16. Thetongue 34 is present to ensure that the tamperevident band 26 is not moved after theclosure 16 has been opened, which could lead to one ormore tabs 18 moving into positions where they are less visible to the user. - As can be seen in
Figure 5 , there is also anotch 38 present in eachtab 18 which is equal and opposite to each of thetongues 34.Figure 6 shows this second embodiment of the pour spout fitment, after theclosure 16 has been opened. As the user rotates thecap 24, as in thefitment 10 of the first embodiment, eachtab 18 contacts arespective knob 14, pushing each of thetabs 18 outwards into its visible position pointing outwards. At the same time, the relative movement between theclosure 16 and thespout 12 results in thetongue 34 of eachclosure 16 locating within arespective indent 36 of aknob 14. - The presence of the
tongues 34 and indents 36 result in the tamperevident band 26 becoming fixed in position relative to thespout 12, since thetongues 34 located within theindents 36 hold the tamperevident band 26 in position. The user can now remove and replace thecap 24 as many times as they wish, thetabs 18 will always be pointing outwards providing the clear visible indication that theclosure 16 has already been opened and providing a clear tamper evident arrangement. Once the user has opened the container on which the pourspout fitment 10 has been mounted, then thetabs 18 will be forced outwards relative to the pour spout, providing the necessary indication that the container has been opened.
Claims (14)
- A pour spout fitment (10) comprising:• a pour spout (12), and• a closure (16) rotatably mounted on the pour spout (12), the closure comprising a cap (24) and a tamper evident band (26) connected to the cap (24), the tamper evident band (26) arranged to separate from the cap (24) when the closure (16) is removed from the pour spout (12),characterised in that the pour spout (12) includes a knob (14) projecting from the pour spout (12) and the closure (16) includes a tab (18), such that when the closure (16) is rotated relative to the pour spout (12), the tab (18) on the closure (16) contacts the knob (14) on the pour spout (12), forcing the tab (18) outwards relative to the pour spout (12), wherein the tab (18) is mounted on the tamper evident band (26).
- A pour spout fitment according to claim 1, wherein the closure (16) includes a slot (28), wherein the tab (18) is located within the slot (28).
- A pour spout fitment according to claim 2, wherein the knob (14) on the pour spout (12) is located within the slot (28) of the closure (16).
- A pour spout fitment according to any preceding claim, wherein the pour spout fitment (10) is provided with multiple sets of knobs (14) on the pour spout (12) and tabs (18) on the closure (16) such that when the closure (16) is rotated relative to the pour spout (12), each tab (18) on the closure (16) contacts a respective knob (14) on the pour spout (12), forcing each tab (18) outwards relative to the pour spout (12).
- A pour spout fitment according to claim 4, wherein the multiple sets of knobs (14) on the pour spout (12) and tabs (18) on the closure (16) are evenly spaced around the pour spout fitment (10).
- A pour spout fitment according to any preceding claim, wherein the closure (16) further includes a tongue (34) and the knob (14) includes an indent (36) such that when the closure (16) is rotated relative to the pour spout (12), the tongue (34) becomes located in the indent (36).
- A pour spout fitment according to claim 6 as appended to claim 2, wherein the tongue (34) of the closure (16) extends into the slot (28) of the closure (16).
- A method of opening a pour spout fitment (10), the pour spout fitment (10) comprising a pour spout (12) and a closure (16) rotatably mounted on the pour spout (12), the closure (16) comprising a cap (24) and a tamper evident band (26) connected to the cap (24), the tamper evident band (26) arranged to separate from the cap (24) when the closure (16) is removed from the pour spout (12), characterised in that the pour spout (12) includes a knob (14) projecting from the pour spout (12) and the closure (16) includes a tab (18), the method comprising rotating the closure (16) relative to the pour spout (12), such that the tab (18) on the closure (16) contacts the knob (14) on the pour spout (12), forcing the tab (18) outwards relative to the pour spout (12), wherein the tab (18) is mounted on the tamper evident band (26).
- A method according to claim 8, wherein the closure (16) includes a slot (28), wherein the tab (18) is located within the slot (28).
- A method according to claim 9, wherein the knob (14) on the pour spout (12) is located within the slot (28) of the closure (16).
- A method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the pour spout fitment (10) is provided with multiple sets of knobs (14) on the pour spout (12) and tabs (18) on the closure (16) such that when the closure (16) is rotated relative to the pour spout (12), each tab (18) on the closure (16) contacts a respective knob (14) on the pour spout (12), forcing each tab (18) outwards relative to the pour spout (12).
- A method according to claim 11, wherein the multiple sets of knobs (14) on the pour spout (12) and tabs (18) on the closure (16) are evenly spaced around the pour spout fitment (10).
- A method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the closure (16) further includes a tongue (34) and the knob (14) includes an indent (36) such that when the closure (16) is rotated relative to the pour spout (12), the tongue (34) becomes located in the indent (36).
- A method according to claim 13 as appended to claim 9, wherein the tongue (34) of the closure (16) extends into the slot (28) of the closure (16).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB1709353.5A GB2563401B (en) | 2017-06-13 | 2017-06-13 | Pour spout fitment |
PCT/EP2018/065471 WO2018229040A1 (en) | 2017-06-13 | 2018-06-12 | Pour spout fitment |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3638595A1 EP3638595A1 (en) | 2020-04-22 |
EP3638595B1 true EP3638595B1 (en) | 2021-08-18 |
Family
ID=59358283
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP18733806.6A Active EP3638595B1 (en) | 2017-06-13 | 2018-06-12 | Pour spout fitment and method of opening it |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP3638595B1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2563401B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2018229040A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB202000444D0 (en) * | 2020-01-13 | 2020-02-26 | Gbuk Group Ltd | Tamper evident cap |
WO2021204672A1 (en) * | 2020-04-09 | 2021-10-14 | Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. | Lid assembly for a spout of a package, lid-spout group for a package and package having a lid assembly |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2225778A (en) * | 1988-11-23 | 1990-06-13 | Lawson Mardon | Tamper evident closure |
US6000568A (en) * | 1995-08-30 | 1999-12-14 | Gv Engineering Pty Ltd. | Tamper evident closure comprising folding skirt extensions |
SE530031C2 (en) * | 2006-06-30 | 2008-02-12 | Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance | Opening device, screw cap for use in such an opening device and method for forming such an opening device |
DE102007029541A1 (en) * | 2007-06-25 | 2009-01-08 | Georg Menshen Gmbh & Co. Kg | Closure cap with tamper evident band |
IT1394565B1 (en) * | 2009-06-23 | 2012-07-05 | Silvia Ferrari | SCREW CAP FOR CONTAINERS CONTAINING LIQUID PRODUCTS |
NL2008558C2 (en) * | 2012-03-29 | 2013-10-01 | Ipn Ip Bv | Container closure assemblies. |
WO2015189436A1 (en) * | 2014-06-10 | 2015-12-17 | Betapack, S.A.U. | Closure with tamper-proof seal |
-
2017
- 2017-06-13 GB GB1709353.5A patent/GB2563401B/en active Active
-
2018
- 2018-06-12 EP EP18733806.6A patent/EP3638595B1/en active Active
- 2018-06-12 WO PCT/EP2018/065471 patent/WO2018229040A1/en unknown
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB201709353D0 (en) | 2017-07-26 |
GB2563401B (en) | 2020-04-15 |
WO2018229040A1 (en) | 2018-12-20 |
GB2563401A (en) | 2018-12-19 |
EP3638595A1 (en) | 2020-04-22 |
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