Technical field of the invention
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The invention concerns an opening/closing device for container for pourable products.
Known prior art
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According to the known art, there are opening/closing devices for pourable products which comprise an upper cap, a control ring, a hinge for connecting the cap to the control ring. Such device further comprises a collar and a tamper evident element arranged below the control ring in a first position in which such opening/closing device has not been tampered with. Such control ring is combinable at least rotatably with a collar about a longitudinal axis and the cap is rotatable with respect to the control ring about an axis orthogonal to the aforementioned longitudinal axis between a first position, in which the passage of the pourable product through the collar is prevented, and a second position, in which the pourable product is allowed to pass through the collar. Finally, the opening/closing device further comprises means for preventing the rotation of the tamper evident element with respect to the collar when the control ring is rotated for the first time with respect to the collar itself and a plurality of connecting elements between the control ring and the tamper evident element, preferably of the ring-shaped type (in this case known under the English term "tamper evidence ring" or "tamper evident"). These connecting elements comprising, in a known way, frangible bridges which break at the first rotation of the control ring with respect to the collar. Actually, the rotation prevention means, by preventing the rotation of the tamper evident ring with respect to the collar while the control ring is rotated, cause these bridges to break and the subsequent descent of the tamper evident element.
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Unfortunately, in some opening/closing devices, the collar is not very extended in the longitudinal direction, therefore, the tamper evident element is almost close to the control ring, making it difficult for the user to understand if the opening/closing device was actually tampered with.
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Moreover, if the closing device was to be separated from the container, the tamper evident ring and the part of the device comprising the control ring and the cap connected to the ring by means of the hinge would have to be separated in a distinct way. This not only involves greater effort for the user to perform this operation, since two elements must actually be separated from the container, but also a risk that the tamper evident ring, or the cap joined to the control ring, can get lost and, therefore, not be properly disposed of.
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Therefore, object of the present invention is to make an opening/closing device for containers for pourable products, which allows the user to more easily understand that the container has been opened, i.e. that the opening/closing device has been tampered with for the first time.
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Further object of the present invention is to make an opening/closing device which is anyhow structurally simple and easy to make.
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Finally, object of the present invention is to improve the proper disposal of the opening/closing devices when separated from the container.
Summary of the invention
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The objects mentioned above are achieved thanks to an opening/closing device according to claim 1.
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In particular, the objects are achieved thanks to an opening/closing device for a container for pourable products, comprising a cap, a control ring, a hinge for connecting said cap to said control ring, said device further comprising a tamper evident element arranged below said control ring in a first position in which said device has not been tampered with, said control ring being combinable at least rotatably with a collar about a longitudinal axis and said cap being movably constrained with respect to said control ring by means of said hinge between a closed position, in which the passage of said pourable product through said collar is prevented, and an open position, in which said pourable product is allowed to pass through said collar, said opening/closing device comprising at least one non-removable connecting element between said control ring and said tamper evident element, said opening/closing device being characterized by comprising means for guiding said tamper evident element away from said control ring along said longitudinal axis at least when said control ring is rotated for the first time with respect to said collar to reach a second position in which said device has been tampered with, said collar comprising one or more radial projections arranged at said tamper evident element, at least when it is in said first position, and adapted for locking said tamper evident element in position when said second position is reached.
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This solution allows the proposed objects to be achieved. Actually, the tamper evident element will stay connected to the control ring and will anyhow allow the user to be able to easily understand if the container has been opened, i.e. if the device was tampered with or not.
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According to a first embodiment, said tamper evident element comprises one or more ring-shaped tamper-evident portions.
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In particular, said one or more ring-shaped tamper-evident portions comprises a tamper-evident arch, wherein said tamper-evident arch is connected to said control ring by means of a connecting element.
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In practice, in such a situation, this tamper-evident arch is made in one piece with the control ring which, in its lower part, has a cut extending the entire radial extent of the tamper-evident arch.
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Alternatively, said one or more ring-shaped tamper-evident portions comprise two or more tamper-evident arches, wherein said two or more tamper-evident arches are connected to said control ring by means of at least two connecting elements. Moreover, said one or more tamper evident portions are arranged concentrically with respect to said collar.
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According to a preferred but not limiting aspect, at least part of said guiding means interact with said one or more ring-shaped projections to lock said tamper evident element in position when said second position is reached.
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In particular, according to a preferred embodiment, said guiding means comprise one or more first ramps protruding radially from said collar or from the inner surface of said one or more ring-shaped tamper-evident portions, and one or more second ramps protruding radially from the inner surface of said one or more ring-shaped tamper-evident portions or from said collar, wherein said one or more second ramps slide on said one or more first ramps at least when said control ring is rotated for the first time, so that said tamper evident element is moved away from said control ring to reach said second position. Said one or more first ramps and said one or more second ramps are preferably inclined by 45° with respect to said longitudinal axis X.
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It should be observed that at the first rotation of the control ring, the latter can only rotate in one direction, generally anticlockwise. Said one or more first ramps and said one or more second ramps are configured so that, in this first rotation, the sliding of said one or more second ramps on said one or more first ramps involves the movement of the tamper evident element away from the control ring.
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According to a particular aspect, the control ring can only rotate with respect to the collar.
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In practice, the device comprises an interaction element adapted to interact with said control ring to prevent said control ring from disengaging from said collar, wherein said interaction element restricts the movement of said control ring along said longitudinal axis so that said control ring can only be rotated with respect to said collar; said interaction element is preferably a ring radially jutting out from said collar. Therefore, in this case, during the first rotation of the control ring with respect to the collar, the displacement of the tamper evident element away from the control ring does not involve any displacement along the longitudinal axis of the control ring.
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According to a preferred but not limiting aspect, said one or more radial projections comprise at least one ring-shaped element having one or more interrupted regions, wherein said one or more second protruding second ramps, at least when sliding on said one or more first radially protruding ramps at the first rotation of said control ring, cross said one or more interrupted regions and engage with said one or more radial projections when said tamper evident element reaches said second position, to prevent said tamper evident element from returning to said first position.
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According to a preferred but not limiting embodiment, the device comprises said collar.
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The objects are also achieved by means of a container for pourable products, comprising a main body which can be filled with said pourable product and an opening/closing device according to one or more of claims 1 to 14, wherein said main body comprises a pouring section and wherein said opening/closing device is fastened to said main body around said pouring section.
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Still, the objects are achieved by means of a bottle comprising a main body and an opening/closing device according to one or more of claims 1 to 13, wherein said main body comprises said collar for pouring said pourable product.
Brief description of the figures
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Reference will be made to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:
- figure 1A shows a side view of a first embodiment of the opening/closing device according to the invention, still closed;
- figure 1B shows an axonometric view of the device of figure 1A;
- figure 1C shows a side view of the device of figure 1A in which the cap is open;
- figure 2A shows a side view of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention, still closed;
- figure 2B shows an axonometric view of the device of figure 2A;
- figure 2C shows a side view of the device of figure 2A in which the cap is open;
- figure 3A shows a side view of the device of figure 1A, still closed, in which the two second ramps are shown with a dashed line;
- figure 3B shows a side view of the device of figure 1A, still closed, in which the two first ramps are shown and in which the two second ramps and part of the tamper evident element were not depicted to make it easier to see those two first ramps;
- figure 3C shows a side view of the device being opened, when the tamper evident element has now reached the second position and the first ramps lock the tamper evident element in position against the two or more interrupted protruding portions;
- figure 3D is a detailed view of figure 3C, in which the two second ramps are illustrated dashed;
- figure 4 shows an axonometric view of a container portion with which the device according to the invention is combined;
- figure 5 shows an exploded axonometric view of the embodiment of figure 2A;
- figure 6 shows an axonometric view of the control ring, the cap and the tamper evident element of figure 5, when the cap is open;
- figures 7A-7D show four axonometric views of the collar of figure 5, which are rotated by 90° relative to each other.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments
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Various embodiments and variants of the invention will be described hereunder, and this with reference to the figures set forth above. In particular, the opening/closing device according to the invention will be referred to as 1.
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The opening/closing device 1 is applied on a container 100 for pourable products.
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This container 100 for pourable products comprises a main body 101. This main body 101 can be made by means of a laminated material and take a parallelepiped shape, for example. The main body 100 comprises a plurality of faces (shown only in part in figure 4 for simplicity) and a pouring section (not shown, but know to the technician of the field). The opening/closing device 1 is fastened to the main body 101 at its upper face 102, around that pouring section.
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According to a preferred but not limiting embodiment, the opening/closing device 1 comprises a cap 2, a control ring 3 and a hinge 35 to connect the cap 2 to the control ring 3.
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The device 1 further comprises a tamper evident element 5 arranged below the control ring 3 in a first position P1, in which the device 1 has not been tampered with.
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Furthermore, in the embodiment described herein, the control ring 3 is only rotatably combinable with the collar 4 about a longitudinal axis X and the cap 2 is movably constrained with respect to the control ring 3 by means of said hinge 35 between a closed position C, in which the passage of the pourable product through the collar 4 is prevented, and an open position O, in which the pourable product is allowed to pass through the collar 4.
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According to the embodiment described herein, it should be observed that the rotation of the cap 2 with respect to the control ring 3 occurs about an axis Y orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X (in figures 1C and 2C, this axis Y is orthogonal to the drawing sheet). In practice, the hinge 35, of the plastic type, has a longitudinal axis corresponding to the axis Y and allows the cap 2 to rotate about that axis Y. The opening/closing device 1 comprises at least one non-removable connecting element 9 between the control ring 3 and the tamper evident element 5. In practice, the control ring 3 and the tamper evident element 5 are not separable from one another and therefore, also after the first rotation of the control ring 3 with respect to the collar 4, the tamper evident element 5 stays integrally combined with the control ring 3.
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Furthermore, the opening/closing device 1 comprises means 60 for guiding the tamper evident element 5 away from the control ring 3 along the longitudinal axis X at least when the control ring 3 is rotated for the first time with respect to the collar 4 to reach a second position P2, in which the device 1 has been tampered with. This collar 4 comprises a plurality of radial projections 20 arranged at the tamper evident element 5, at least when it is in the first position P1, and adapted for locking the tamper evident element 5 in a stable position when the second position P2 is reached. In practice, after the control ring 3 has been moved away during the first rotation of the latter with respect to the collar 4, the tamper evident element 5 stays locked in a stable position when its second position P2 is reached against the radial projections 20 of the collar 4. This allows the user to be able to immediately understand if the container has been opened, therefore if the device 1 was tampered with.
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According to a first embodiment, the tamper evident element 5 comprises a ring-shaped tamper-evident portion 5a. This ring-shaped tamper-evident portion is connected to the control ring 3 by means of a single connecting element 9.
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In this not limiting embodiment shown in figures 1A-1C and 3A-3D, the tamper evident element 5 comprises only one tamper-evident arch 5a. This tamper-evident arch 5 is connected to the control ring 3, as stated above, by means of a single connecting element 9.
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Moreover, the tamper-evident arch 5a and the control ring 3 are arranged concentrically with respect to the collar 4.
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In the case of the aforementioned embodiment, the tamper-evident arch 5a has a radial extent of 180° with respect to the collar 4 (or the control ring 3). In this case, this tamper-evident arch 5a is on the extension of the connecting element 9, which is also arch-shaped and which has a radial extent equal to that of the tamper-evident arch 5a. In practice, the arch-shaped connecting element 9 is an integral part of the control ring 3 and is indistinguishable from the same, whereas the tamper-evident arch 5a is connected to that connecting element 9.
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According to a further embodiment shown in figures 2A-2C and 5, the tamper evident element 5 comprises a ring-shaped tamper-evident portion 5b and 5c. In particular, these two ring-shaped portions comprise two tamper-evident arches 5b and 5c having an extent of just less than about 180° each.
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In this case, each tamper-evident arch 5b, 5c is connected to the control ring 3 by means of two connecting elements 9a, 9b corresponding to non-removable bridges. Also in this case, the two tamper-evident arches 5b and 5c and the control ring 3 are arranged concentrically with respect to the collar 4.
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According to a preferred but not limiting embodiment, the device 1 comprises one or more first frangible connecting bridges between the tamper evident element 5 (5a for the first embodiment and 5b, 5c for the second embodiment) and the control ring 3. These first frangible bridges are severed during the first rotation of the control ring 5, when the tamper evident element 5 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2.
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According to an alternative embodiment, the device 1 can comprise one or more second frangible bridges between the control ring 3 and the cap 2, both in the absence of the first frangible bridges and in the presence of these first frangible bridges.
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According to a preferred but not limiting embodiment, with particular reference to the embodiment shown in figures 1A-1C and 3A-3C, the guiding means 60 comprise two first ramps 61 protruding radially from the collar 4 and two corresponding second ramps 62 protruding radially from the inner surface 5d of the ring-shaped tamper-evident portion 5 which, in this case, corresponds to the tamper-evident arch 5a. These second ramps 62 slide on the first ramps 61 when the control ring 3 is rotated for the first time, so that the tamper evident element 5, i.e. the tamper-evident arch 5a, is moved away from the control ring 3 to reach the second position P2. The first ramps 61 and the second ramps 62 are preferably inclined by 45° with respect to said longitudinal axis X.
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It should be observed that these first ramps 61 and second ramps 62 are oriented so that, considering the rotation direction of the control ring 3 which, as stated above, at the first rotation turns out to be either only anticlockwise or only clockwise (preferably anticlockwise), the push exerted by the first ramps 61 on the second ramps 62 is so that it causes the tamper evident element 5 to move away from the control ring 3.
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Furthermore, the ring-shaped radial projections 20 comprise two interrupted regions 66, therefore the radial projections 20 have an interrupted ring shape around the collar 4 with the longitudinal axis X in the center. These two second ramps 62, when sliding on the first ramps 61 radially protruding from the collar 4 at the first rotation of said control ring with respect to the collar 4, cross the two interrupted regions 66 and engage the radial projections 20 when the tamper evident element 5 reaches the second position P2, to prevent the tamper evident element 5 from returning to the first position P1.
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Generally, at least part of said guiding means (said second ramps 62 in this case) therefore interact with said one or more ring-shaped projections 20 to lock said tamper evident element 5 in position when said second position P2 is reached.
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In particular, during the first rotation of the control ring 3 with respect to the collar 4, the two second ramps 62 reach, after having slid along the first two ramps 61, a position lower than that of the radial projections 20. At this point, continuing the rotation of the control ring 3, these second ramps 62 begin to slide on the lower face 20a of the radial projections 20. This way, the tamper evident element 5 is prevented from returning to the first position P1.
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It should also be observed that the number of first ramps 61 (and second ramps 62) per tamper-evident arch can also be only one.
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Moreover, one or more second ramps 62 are combined with each tamper-evident arch (5a for the first embodiment and 5b, 5c for the second embodiment), so that to be able to deform them until the second position P2 is reached. In the event of multiple tamper-evident arches, for example in the case of the embodiment described in figures 2A-2C and 5, 6 and 7, the number of first ramps 61 will be four and the number of corresponding second ramps 62 will also be four, wherein two first ramps 61 and two second ramps 62 are combined with a tamper-evident arch 5b of the two tamper-evident arches 5b, 5c, and the remaining first 61 and second 62 ramps will be combined with the other tamper-evident arch 5c.
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Moreover, the device 1 further comprises means to prevent the control ring 3 from returning to its initial assembly position, after having performed its first rotation. The first rotation of the control ring 3 can occur, as stated above, in one rotation direction only. This way, the two first ramps 61 cannot return to a position such that they pass back within the interrupted regions 66 and therefore bring back the tamper evident ring 5 (or 5a, 5b, 5c) to the first position P1, starting from the second position P2 reached at the end of the first rotation.
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These means for preventing the control ring 3 from returning to its initial assembly position can comprise, for example, a first abutment element 80 integral with the collar 4 and a second abutment element 83 integral with the control ring 3 and able to go beyond the first abutment element 80 in the first rotation direction of the control ring 3 with respect to the collar 4, but not shaped so that to go beyond the same first abutment element 80 when the rotation direction of the control ring 3 about the collar 4 is opposite that of the first opening. These preventing means further comprise a third abutment element 81 integrally constrained to the collar 4 and shaped to abut against the second abutment element 82 in the rotation direction of the first opening of the control ring 3, without it being possible for this second abutment element 83 to go beyond it. This allows to prevent the control ring 3 from performing a complete 360° rotation in both directions about the collar 4 and, therefore, from returning to the assembly position.
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According to the embodiment described herein, the opening/closing device 1 comprises an interaction element 30 adapted to interact with the control ring 3 to prevent the control ring 5 from disengaging from the collar 4. This interaction element 30 restricts the movement of the control ring 3 along the longitudinal axis X. In the case of the embodiment described herein, the control ring 3 can only rotate with respect to the collar 4 and cannot therefore translate longitudinally along the axis X.
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The interaction element 30 is preferably a ring radially jutting out from the collar 4.
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It should be observed that the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures and described up to now provides that the collar 4 is part of the opening/closing device 1 and that the latter is mounted on the main body 101 of the container 100, around the pouring section. In this embodiment, the collar 4 preferably comprises a flange 41 which rests on the surface 102 of the container when the device 1 is mounted on the body 101 of the container 100.
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In any case, although not shown in the accompanying figures, the opening/closing device 1 can anyhow be mounted on the main body of a bottle (not shown herein). In this case, the collar 4 is not part of the opening/closing device 1, but represents the neck of the bottle itself and does not have any flange. In this case, the opening/closing device 1 is combined with the neck of the bottle.
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In the case of the opening/closing device 1 comprising the collar 4, in a preferred but not limiting embodiment it is provided that it further comprises cutting means 50 configured to sever a separating membrane and means of actuating said cutting means 50 configured to actuate, at the first rotation of the control ring 5, the cutting means 50 from a rest position to a working position.
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In particular, the actuating means comprise two thrust elements 55 integrally constrained to the cap 2 and corresponding abutment elements 56 with these thrust elements 55 constrained to the cutting means 50 when the control ring 3 is rotated for the first time. This way, at the first rotation of the control ring 3, the two thrust elements 55 come into contact with the corresponding abutment elements 56, therefore rotating the cutting means 50 which will have severed the membrane present on the container 100, at the end of the rotation of the control ring 3. The cutting means 50 consist in a tubular element comprising, at its terminal end, a plurality of teeth 57 to sever the aforementioned membrane. This membrane is arranged at the pouring section of the container 100.
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The cap 2 comprises a covering wall 21 and a perimeter wall 22 which in part surrounds the covering wall 21, along the inner surface 21a.
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The two thrust elements 55 are arranged jutting out from the inner surface 21a of the covering wall 21.
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According to a preferred but not limiting embodiment, the cap 2 is combinable with the collar 4 when it is in the closed position C.
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In particular, the device 1 comprises means for the bayonet connection between the collar 4 and the cap 2 to allow the cap 2 to be opened and to keep the closed position. In particular, when the cap 2 is combined with the collar 4, it is in the closed position C, whereas when it is disengaged from the collar 4, it is in its open position O.
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In this regard, the collar 4 has a guide 44 for an engagement element 45 integral with the cap 2. In a first rotation section of the control ring 3, this engagement element 45 stays engaged with the lower surface of the guide 44, thus actually preventing the cap 2 from opening, i.e. its rotation about the horizontal axis Y. Beyond this first angular rotation section, the engagement element 45 is no longer engaged with the guide 44 and the cap 2 can therefore rotate about the horizontal axis Y to move from its closed position to the open one and vice-versa. The cap 2 has an edge 23 facing the edge of the control ring 3, when the cap 2 is in its closed position C.