ES2361992A1 - "opening cap of a corresponding container and container" (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Opening cap of a container (7) comprising: a base (1) with a lower surface (3) and a hole (5), and a cover (9), attached to the base (1) through an axis (11) parallel to the lower surface (3) of the base (1). The lid comprises a first part (13) that passes through the hole and remains below the bottom surface of the base when the lid is tilted, a second part (17) opposite the first part, and a lower surface (10). The cap comprises a folded tube (19), formed by a first section (21), a second section (23) and a fold area (25) in which it is folded 180º. The first section is fixed to the lower surface (10) of the lid. The fold area is in the first part and the free ends of both sections are oriented towards the second part. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Opening cap of a container and container correspondent.

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an opening plug of a package comprising a base with a lower surface and a hole, where the cap is suitable for being attached to a container through from the bottom surface of the base. The plug also comprises a cover, attached to the base through a tilting axis parallel to the bottom surface of the base so that the lid can swing with respect to the base along the axis, between a position closed, in which the lid is substantially parallel to the lower surface of the base, and an open position in which the lid forms an angle greater than 60º from the surface bottom of the base, and preferably forms an angle close to the 90º with the bottom surface of the base. The lid, meanwhile, it comprises a first part with a first end edge that crosses the hole and is below the bottom surface from the base to swing the cover along the axis, a second part opposite the first part with respect to the axis, and a surface lower.

The invention also relates to a package that It comprises a liquid and a cap according to the invention.

State of the art

Containers that contain liquids usually present a problem at the time of pouring the liquid. He liquid, instead of forming a uniform and continuous stream, It usually comes out in an irregular way, gushing out. This is particularly accused in the case of parallelepipedic containers, such as those commonly known as tetrabrik®.

Document ES P201031551 describes a closure system of a container, which has [a] a main body with an exit hole, where the exit hole defines an axis perpendicular to the exit hole, [b] a suitable closing element to close the outlet opening in an airtight manner, and [c] a duct attached to the main body and having a first end close to the hole, so that the closing element is suitable to also close the first end, and a second end more away from the hole than the first end, in a sense perpendicular to the axis. In this way the air intake is allowed inside the container in a way that does not hinder the liquid that is coming out. This allows to decrease and even avoid totally irregular flow of liquid when leaving the container. Thanks to the presence of the duct, air can enter through of the duct and the duct takes it inside the container in a area where it no longer causes irregular flow at the exit of the container.

However, the fact that the duct is in contact with the contents of the package, in particular in the case of food products, is an inconvenience that makes it difficult to put in practice of this type of systems.

On the other hand, the closures of containers as described in US 6,554,181. These closures include a pouring element that can be re- close, with a base member and a closing lid, which at the same Time serves as a means of opening. A tab surrounds the surface opening of the pouring element and is fixedly connected with a container (of composite material) that has a flat mouth in its upper part. The closing cover has support pins sides that are supported in corresponding recesses in The base member. The support pins can rotate around of recesses so that they define a tilting axis of the lid regarding the base member. Additionally, among the member of base and the closing cover is provided with a locking connection positive that is destroyed after the first performance of the cover of closing.

However, this type of packaging closure They have the same problems indicated above.

In general, these systems or closure plugs they are, at the same time, opening systems or plugs. Effectively, in the same way that they serve to close the container once filled in the factory they are also used to open it by of the user (as well as for new closure if the content in its entirety). Therefore they can be called indistinctly in both ways.

Summary of the invention

The invention aims to overcome these inconvenience This purpose is achieved by a plug of opening of a container of the type indicated at the beginning characterized because it comprises a folded tube, formed by a first section, a second section and a fold zone in which the second section is fold 180º with respect to the first section forming a fold zone, where the first section is fixed to the lower surface of the cap, and where the tube has the fold zone arranged in the first part and the free ends of the first section and the second stretch are oriented towards the second part.

Effectively the opening plug according with the invention thus includes a tube that will allow the entry of air inside the container in a way that does not hinder the liquid that is coming out, which will reduce or even eliminate totally the irregular flow of the liquid when leaving the container and the consequent bubbling. Additionally, the tube is completely outside the container until the moment it is opened. This This prevents the tube from being in contact with the contents of the container during periods of time between filling the container and the opening of the same by the user. As already mentioned previously this is particularly interesting in the case of food products, in which hygiene conditions and Asepsis are very strict.

Advantageously, the cap includes means of guided suitable for guiding the free end of the second section so that force the free end of the second section to separate from the lower surface of the base. In a preferred solution, the guiding means include a region of the lower surface of the base, arranged on the path traveled by the free end of the second section, where the region forms an acute angle with the trajectory so that it forces the free end of the second section to separate from the bottom surface of the base. In another solution preferably the guide means include a partition, arranged in the bottom surface of the base, and arranged in the path crossed by the free end of the second section, where the partition it forms an acute angle with the path so that it forces the free end of the second section to separate from the surface bottom of the base. Indeed, since the fold zone is arranged in the first part, that is, at a non-zero distance from the tilting axis, when the cover is tilted around the axis of tilting the free end of the second section can be moved horizontally (in general, in a direction parallel to the surface bottom of the base) in a direction that goes from the first part to the second part. However, it is important to force the free end The second section is inserted inside the container. Form to achieve this is by including some guiding means that force the free end of the second section to separate from the bottom surface of the base in the "down" direction is say, into the container.

Preferably the second section has about tearing means in its lower part. Sure enough, all the opening plug assembly is usually located over a hole upper, present in the package and which is usually closed by a sheet (usually a metal sheet) that functions as seal and seal. By rotating the cover around the shaft of tilt, the first extreme edge of the first part of the lid perforates this sheet thus allowing the contents of the container. In the cap according to the invention, the free end from the second section you must also drill this sheet and, in this sense, it is advantageous that you have these means of tearing in your part lower. These tearing means can be, for example a more or less alive edge that does the function of blade or, for example, an edge with sawtooth or similar. Alternatively or additionally, the sheet has an area of weakening that coincides with the second section of the tube, facilitating so that the second section of the tube pierces the sheet and enters the inside of the container

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the folding of the tube is achieved by bending by the fold zone In this case, for example, the tube can be of a flexible enough material, or it may have a stretch what sufficiently flexible or it can have a section with a geometry that facilitates its bending, such as a bellows.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the tube is split in said first section and said second section, which are joined together by a hinge. The hinge can be an independent element, but preferably it get the hinge from the tube itself, leaving an area of union between both sections that is thin enough and Small enough to be flexible and able to function as a hinge. In general the tube can be of any geometry suitable for the function to be exercised, but preferably it is a prismatic tube and most preferably it is of square cross section or rectangular. In the latter case the hinge would be obtained from a simple way making the two sections of the tube together each other by one of the side faces thereof.

Advantageously the lid has a means of retention of the second tranche fit to retain the second tranche when it forms a right angle with the first section. In this way, at opening the lid ensures that the second section is retained in a position that is optimal for the function to be fulfilled (allow the air inlet in an area far from the content outlet of the container). In this way, if the container is opened a second time the second section is already positioned properly and pointing in the corresponding address.

Preferably the first section and / or the second section section have coupling means, suitable for coupling both sections fluidly when they form a right angle to each other. Indeed, the function of the set is to allow the entry of air in the container. This does not require that the coupling between the two sections, when they form a right angle to each other, be perfectly waterproof, but it could work even if there were some air leaks through the fold zone. However, it is better than fold zone be as tight as possible, for which it is it is advisable to have coupling means that improve this tightness These coupling means can be very diverse, for example, a tongue and groove type socket can be provided between the two sections, some of the sections may have some type of lip or board, etc.

The object of the invention is also a container comprising a liquid characterized in that it comprises a stopper of according to the invention. Preferably the package comprises a liquid that is a food product.

Brief description of the drawings

Other advantages and features of the invention they are appreciated from the following description, in which, without no limitation, preferential modes of embodiment of the invention, mentioning the drawings that are accompany. The figures show:

Figs. 1 to 3, show one of the closures of package described in US 6,554,181.

Fig. 4, a schematic side elevation view of a cap according to the invention, mounted on a container tetrabrik® type.

Fig. 5, a schematic view of a section length of the cap of figure 4.

Fig. 6, a schematic view of a section length of the cap of figure 4 in one position corresponding to an intermediate point between the closed position and the open position

Fig. 7 a schematic view of a section length of the cap of Figure 4 in the open position.

Fig. 8, a schematic view of a section length of the cap of Figure 4 in closed position after having Been opened a first time.

Detailed description of some embodiments of the invention

In Figs. 1 to 3, some plugs are shown closure (or opening caps) of containers as they are known in The state of the art. These plugs comprise a base 1 with a bottom surface 3 and a hole 5. The cap is fixed to a container 7, preferably to a tetrabrik® type container. Container 7 It has an upper hole and the cap is positioned on the container 7 so that the hole 5 matches the hole top of the container 7. The cap also includes a lid 9 attached to the base 1 through a tilting axis 11 parallel to the bottom surface 3 of the base 1. The cover 9 has a surface lower 10. When the lid 9 is opened, the lid 9 is tilted in relation to of the base 1 according to the axis 11. The cover 9 has a first part 13 with a first end edge 15, so that by tilting the cover 9 the first end edge 15 crosses the hole 5, so remaining below the bottom surface 3 of the base 1. By therefore, the first end edge 15, in fact, also crosses the upper hole of the container 7 and, consequently, perforates the sheet 33 seal that is usually included in this type of packaging and that close the upper hole of the container 7. The lid 9 also has a second part 17 that is opposite to the first part 13 with respect of the axis 11 of tilting. In general, these plugs, as well as any other that includes these characteristic elements, are suitable for incorporating the present invention.

In Figs. 4 to 8, a plug of according to the invention. The cap comprises a folded tube 19, formed by a first section 21, a second section 23 and an area of fold 25. The two sections 21 and 23 are folded one on the another so that the fold zone 25 is arranged in the first part 13 of the cover 9, and the free ends 27 and 29 of both sections 21 and 23 are oriented towards the second part 17. The first section 21 is fixed to the bottom surface 10 of the cover 9 so that the tube 19 is integral with the cover 9. This is the geometry presented by the plug before being used, and is the one shown specifically in figure 5.

When opening cover 9 (see Fig. 6) the first extreme edge 15 moves down due to the movement of swinging of the lid 9. This causes the fold zone 25 to be move to the left (according to the figure). The extreme Free 29 of the second section 23 is guided by a guide means 31 so that it separates from the bottom surface 3 of the base 1. Additionally, these guiding means 31 force the free end 29 of the second section 23 to pierce a seal sheet 33 and to enter inside the container 7 through the hole higher. In the example shown in the figures the guiding means 31 are formed by a region of the lower surface itself 3 of the base 1 that is arranged in the path traveled by the free end 29 of the second section 23 and forming an acute angle with this trajectory, for example it has a suitable concave shape, so that it forces the free end 29 of the second section 23 to separate from the bottom surface 3 of the base 1.

Figure 9 shows the cover 9 in position fully open The free end 29 of the second section 23 is inserted inside the container 7. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the tube 19 is of cross section square and is partially sectioned forming the two sections 21 and 23. Both sections 21 and 23 are linked together through one of their faces, which is what forms the hinge that allows the folding of both sections 21 and 23 about themselves. The cap also includes some retention means 37. These retention means 37, drawn schematically in figures 5 and 6 serve to retain the second section 23 in the position shown in figure 7. Thus, at close the lid 9 again, the relative position between both sections 21 and 23 as shown in figure 8. Of this so, when the container 7 is opened again, the relative position between Both sections 21 and 23 are already adequate to perform their function.

As can be seen more clearly in figures 2 and 3, usually this type of plug usually has a hole 5 that it is not only located under the first part 13 of the lid 9 (when the lid 9 is in the closed position) but the hole 5 it has an extension 39 arranged under the second part 17 of the lid 9. Thus, when lid 9 is open, the extension 39 allows fluid communication between the inside of container 7 and outside. In a preferred solution of cap according to the invention this extension 39 or else does not exist or it is closed by the first section 21 of the tube 19 so that when lid 9 is open the only fluidic communication possible between the inside of the container 7 and the outside, on the side right of the cover 9 (according to Figure 3, in fact the side left with figures 5 to 8) is through tube 19.

In the example shown in Figures 5 to 8, the second section 23 includes a tooth 41 at its bottom, which forms a tearing means suitable for tearing the sheet 33 seal that closes the top hole of the container 7.

Claims (13)

1. Opening cap of a container (7) that it comprises: [a] a base (1) with a lower surface (3) and a hole (5), said cap being able to be fixed to a container (7) through said lower surface (3) of said base (1), and [b] a cover (9), connected to said base (1) through an axis (11) of tilting parallel to said lower surface (3) of said base (1), so that said cover (9) can swing with respect to said base (1) along said axis (11), said cover (9) comprising: [b1] a first part (13) with a first end edge (15), said first end edge (15) crossing said hole (5) and remaining below said lower surface (3) of said base (1) to swing said cover (9) along said axis (11), [b2] a second part (17) opposite said first part (13) with respect to said axis (11), and [b3] a lower surface (10), characterized in that it comprises a folded tube (19), formed by a first section (21), a second section (23) and a folding zone (25) in which said second section (23) folds 180Q with respect to said first section (21) forming said fold zone (25), where said first section (21) is fixed to said lower surface (10) of said lid (9), and where said tube (19) has said fold zone (25) provided in the first part (13) and the free ends (27, 29) of said first section (21) and said second section (23) are oriented towards said second part (17). 2. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes guiding means (31) capable of guiding said free end (29) of said second section (23) so as to force said free end (29) of said second section ( 23) to be separated from said lower surface (3) of said base (1). 3. Cap according to claim 2, characterized in that said guiding means (31) include a region of said lower surface (3) of said base (1), arranged in the path traveled by said free end (29) of said second section (23), wherein said region forms an acute angle with said path such that it forces said free end (29) of said second section (23) to separate from said lower surface (3) of said base (1). 4. Cap according to claim 2, characterized in that said guiding means (31) include a partition, arranged on said lower surface (3) of said base (1), and arranged on the path traveled by said free end (29) of said second section (23), wherein said partition forms an acute angle with said path such that it forces said free end (29) of said second section (23) to separate from said lower surface (3) of said base (1) . 5. Cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said second section (23) has tearing means (41) in its lower part. 6. Cap according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said tube (19) is folded by said fold zone (25). 7. Cap according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said tube (19) is split into said first section (21) and second section (23), which are joined together by a hinge. 8. Cap according to claim 7, characterized in that said cap (9) has retention means (37) of said second section (23) suitable for retaining said second section (23) when it forms a right angle with said first section (21 ). 9. Cap according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that said first section (21) and / or second section (23) have coupling means, capable of fluidly coupling both sections when they form a right angle to each other. 10. Cap according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said base (1) has an extension (39) of said hole (5) disposed under said second part (17) of said cover (9), wherein said extension ( 39) is closed by said first section (21) when said cover (9) is swung around said axis (11) until it reaches its open position. 11. Container (7) comprising a liquid, characterized in that it comprises a cap according to any one of claims 1 to 10. 12. Container (7) according to claim 11, characterized in that said liquid is a food product. 13. Container (7) according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that it comprises an upper hole, coinciding with said hole (5), and a seal sheet (33) that closes said upper hole and is apt to be torn by said cover (9) when said cover (9) is swung around said axis (11), where said sheet (33) has a weakening zone that coincides with said second section (23) of said tube (19).