EP3752435A1

EP3752435A1 - Spout closure for pouches

Info

Publication number: EP3752435A1
Application number: EP18800330.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alberto Buzzi
Original assignee: Guala Pack SpA
Current assignee: Guala Pack SpA
Priority date: 2018-02-14
Filing date: 2018-10-26
Publication date: 2020-12-23
Also published as: IT201800002680A1; CN111836763A; CR20200343A; RU2020129770A; BR112020016634A2; MX2020008490A; WO2019158986A1; CL2020002079A1

Abstract

A one-piece closure (1) for a pouch comprises a spout portion (2), a cap portion (4) and a breakable membrane (40) that joins the spout portion (2) and the cap portion (4). The membrane (40) has a variable radial thickness (Sr).

Description

DESCRIPTION

" SPOUT CLOSURE FOR POUCHES"

[0001] The object of the present invention is a spout closure for a thin-walled flexible package, generally called "pouch", usually used to contain liquid, dense or semi-dense food products.

[0002] Such packages, usually provided with a closure with a cap and a spout, are undergoing enormous growth and every year several hundred million pieces are produced. Particularly appreciated is their ease of use, mainly due to the ease of squeezing the packaging to get the product out .

[0003] In this perspective, the closure of the package acquires particular importance and it is essential that the cap may be easily removed from the spout.

[0004] However, it has been found that sometimes it is rather difficult to separate the cap from the spout, and the user must often rotate and bend the cap repeatedly, until it detaches.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to create a closure with a cap and a spout that satisfies the aforesaid requirements and at the same time overcomes the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the prior art.

[0006] Such object is achieved by a closure with a cap and spout made according to claim 1. The dependent claims describe further advantageous embodiments.

[0007] The features and advantages of the closure according to the present invention will be apparent from the description given below, provided by way of non-limiting example, in accordance with the accompanying figures, wherein :

- figures 1 and 2 show a closure for flexible packaging, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- figures 3 and 4 represent axial sections of the closure of figures 1 and 2;

figure 5 schematically illustrates the partial circumferential extension (180°) of a closure membrane according to the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

figure 6 shows a further embodiment of a closure according to the invention.

[0008] With reference to the accompanying figures, a closure according to an embodiment of the present invention, intended for a flexible package with thin walls, usually called a pouch, is collectively indicated at 1.

[0009] Preferably, the package comprises a pouch consisting of two flexible front walls made of single-layer or multi-layer film. Along the upper edge of the front walls there is arranged the closure 1, welded tightly therebetween. The side edges and the lower edge, on the other hand, may be welded together or welded to a bottom and/or side panels.

[0010] The closure 1 is one-piece, i.e. made of a single piece of plastic material, typically by means of injection molding.

[0011] The closure 1 comprises a spout portion 2 and a cap portion 4, joined to the spout portion 2.

[0012] The spout portion 2 extends predominantly along a rectilinear spout axis Z, between an inner end 6, intended to be placed inside the package pouch, and an opposite outer end 8, joined to the cap portion 4.

[0013] The spout portion 2 comprises, from the inner end 6 to the outer end 8, a connecting section 10, usually called a boat section, intended to be welded to the edges of the walls of the pouch.

[0014] Said connecting section 10 provides for two corrugated faces 12, 14, extending radially on an imaginary plane containing the spout axis Z, joining to the end in respective edges 16, 18.

[0015] The spout portion 2 further comprises, preferably, a flat base 20, lying substantially on an imaginary plane orthogonal to the spout axis Z, joined with the connecting section 10. For example, said base 20 has a circular shape. [0016] The spout portion 2 further comprises a spout section 22, joined to the connecting section 10 or to the base 20, projecting axially therefrom.

[0017] Preferably, said spout section 22 has a cylindrical outer surface, shaped by a succession of ridges and valleys having axial extension, for example with a square wave circumferential profile.

[0018] The spout portion 2 is penetrated internally by a usually circular cylindrical spout tube 30, coaxial to the spout axis Z between the inner end 6, where it defines an inlet opening 6a, and the outer end 8, where it defines an outlet opening 8a.

[0019] When the closure 1 is intact, the cap portion 4 closes the outlet opening 8a and is joined to the outer end 8 of the spout portion 2 by means of a membrane 40 of the closure 1.

[0020] Said membrane 40 is preferably placed at an outer end 8 of the spout portion 2, lying substantially on a plane orthogonal to the spout axis Z and has a circular crown shape .

[0021] In particular, said membrane 40 extends radially internally relative to an edge of an outlet opening 8a defined by the extension of an imaginary surface on which lies an end segment of the side surface of the spout tube 30. [0022] The membrane 40 is breakable by maneuvering the cap portion 4; in other words, it has structural features, such as axial height and radial thickness, so as to break due to maneuvering the cap portion 4, particularly by the bending thereof.

[0023] The membrane 40 has circumferentially a variable radial thickness Sr.

[0024] For example, the thickness Sr has a first thickness Sri substantially constant for a first section of the circumferential extension and a second thickness Sr2 for a second part of the circumferential extension.

[0025] In particular, the second thickness Sr2 is greater than the first thickness Sri.

[0026] Preferably, moreover, between the first segment with thickness Sri and the second segment with thickness Sr2 there is a transition zone T with increasing thickness from the first thickness Sri to the second thickness Sr2.

[0027] Preferably, the first segment with thickness Sri extends for a large part of the circumferential extension of the membrane 40, while the second segment with thickness Sr2 extends for a limited predefined length, for example between 10% and 20% of the circumferential length or for an angular width between 30° and 60°.

[0028] In addition, the second segment of thickness Sr2 straddles the closure line between the mold and counter mold. Advantageously, this allows the imperfection on the membrane due to the mold closing line to be masked.

[0029] The cap portion 4 preferably comprises a plug section 50 directly joined to the membrane 40, having a predefined axial extension and preferably consisting of an annular wall 52 that delimits a plug compartment 52 inside .

[0030] Preferably, the annular wall 52 has a frusto-conical outer side surface.

[0031] Moreover, said plug section 50 preferably comprises at least one sealing element, e.g. a pair of sealing elements 54, 56, protruding from the outer surface of the annular wall 52, axially spaced.

[0032] The plug section 50 is sealingly insertable into the spout tube 30 through the outlet opening 8a, so that, when the cap portion 4 is separated from the spout portion 2 for using the pouch, the pouch may be closed again by inserting the plug section 50 into the spout tube 30.

[0033] The cap portion 4 comprises moreover a gripping section 60 intended to be maneuvered by a user to remove the cap portion 4 from the spout portion 2.

[0034] According to a first embodiment (figures 1 and 2), the gripping section 60 comprises a lower base 62 that closes the plug compartment 52 and an upper base 64 placed at the top of the gripping section 60, spaced axially from the lower base 62.

[0035] Moreover, preferably, said gripping section 60 comprises a plurality of transverse walls 66, substantially lying on imaginary planes parallel to the spout axis Z, spaced transversely, which axially join the lower base 62 and the upper base 64.

[0036] According to a further embodiment (figure 6), the gripping section 60 comprises the lower base 62 and a blade element 70 that juts axially from the lower base 62.

[0037] Said substantially flat blade element 70 lies on an imaginary plane passing through the spout axis 2 and has a first blade face 72 and a second blade face 74; at least one of either the first blade face 72 and the second blade face 74 faces the second segment with thickness Sr2.

[0038] Preferably, moreover, said gripping section 60 comprises a plurality of ribs 76, for example parallel to each other and of different height, which join at least one between the first blade face 72 and the second blade face 74 to the lower base 62.

[0039] Innovatively, the closure according to the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art, as the rupture of the membrane is greatly facilitated along the first segment to then continue along the second segment .

[0040] The separation of the cap portion from the spout portion is therefore particularly simple, especially if the cap portion is bent in the correct direction.

[0041] Advantageously, moreover, the pouch provided with the closure according to the invention is also safer, because, in case the pouch accidentally falls, the thicker portion of the membrane allows the blow to be cushioned.

[0042] It is apparent that one skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent needs, may make changes to the closure described above, all contained within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. One-piece closure (1) for a thin-walled flexible package, comprising a spout portion (2), provided internally with a spout tube (30) having extension along a spout axis (Z), a cap portion (4) and a breakable membrane (40) which joins the spout portion (2) and the cap portion (4), wherein said membrane (40) has a variable radial thickness (Sr) .

2. Closure according to claim 1, wherein the membrane (40) is placed at an outer end (8) of the spout portion

2. lying substantially on a plane orthogonal to the spout axis (Z) and has a circular crown shape.

3. Closure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the membrane (40) extends radially internally with respect to a perimeter edge of an outlet opening (8a) defined by the imaginary extension of a surface on which lies an end segment of a side surface of the spout tube (30) .

4. Closure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the membrane (40) has a first circumferential segment having a first substantially constant thickness (Sri) and a second circumferential segment having a second thickness (Sr2), wherein the second thickness (Sr2) is greater than the first thickness (Sri)

( Sr2>Srl ) .

5. Closure according to claim 4, wherein between the first segment and the second segment there is a transition zone (T) with increasing thickness from the first thickness (Sri) to the second thickness (Sr2) .

6. Closure according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the first segment extends for the predominant part of the circumferential extension of the membrane (40) .

7. Closure according to claim 6, wherein the second segment extends for a length between 10% and 20% of the circumferential length or for an angular width between 30° and 60°.

8. Closure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap portion (4) comprises a plug section (50) directly connected to the membrane (40), sealingly insertable into the spout tube (30) .

9. Closure according to claim 8, wherein said plug section (50) comprises at least one sealing element, for example, a pair of sealing elements (54,56) protruding from the outer surface.

10. Closure according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the plug section (50) consists of an annular wall (52) which internally delimits a plug compartment (52) and has an external frusto-conical side surface.

11. Closure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap portion (4) comprises a gripping section

(60) intended to be maneuvered by a user to remove the cap portion (4) from the spout portion (2) .

12. Closure according to claim 11, wherein said gripping section (60) comprises a lower base (62), an upper base (64) and a plurality of transverse walls (66) which axially join the lower base (62) and the upper base (64) .

13. Closure according to claim 11, wherein the gripping section (60) comprises a blade element (70) which has a first blade face (72) and a second blade face (74), wherein at least one of the first blade face (72) and the second blade face (74) faces the thicker segment of the membrane (40) .

14. Mold assembly for injection molding of a closure according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a female and male mold which, to delimit a mold imprint, are joined on a closure plane, wherein the thicker segment of the membrane (40) straddles the closing line between the mold and counter mold.

15. Flexible thin-walled package comprising a closure (1) according to any one of the claims 1 to 13.