IT201800010569A1 - Opening / closing device for a container for pourable products - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION of the Patent for Industrial Invention entitled:

"Opening / closing device for a container for pourable products"

The present invention relates to a closing / opening device for a container suitable for containing pourable products. In particular, this closing / opening device is of the three-piece type, i.e. equipped with a collar having a flange that can be associated in correspondence with a pierceable portion of the container, a cutting element capable of piercing the cutting portion during the first opening of the device, and an upper cap which is screwed to the collar and has the task, both of controlling the displacement of the cutting element when the device is first opened, and of preserving the pourable product inside the container during the period in which the container, even if open , has not yet been emptied of its content.

Opening / closing devices of this kind are known. For example, patent WO9505996 describes a three-piece closure device of the type discussed above.

This opening / closing device is extremely efficient, however it is not without drawbacks, especially in terms of environmental impact. In fact, once the hood has been removed, it is not always repositioned on the collar because it is either casually thrown away by the user immediately after the first opening, or it falls to the ground and, therefore, is no longer hygienically usable. This is clearly extremely harmful to the environment since the cap, as well as the entire opening / closing device, is made of plastic.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a three-piece opening / closing device of the type described above which reduces, or completely eliminates, the pollution problems caused by containers for pourable products of the known art.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an opening / closing device which is in any case simple from a structural point of view and, therefore, simple and economical to manufacture.

These and other purposes are achieved by an opening / closing device for container for pourable products having at least one pierceable portion, said opening / closing device comprising a collar which can be associated with said container in correspondence with said pierceable portion, a cap that can be moved on the external surface of said collar in a manner constrained by first guide means interposed between said cap and said collar, and a cutting element movable inside said collar, in a manner constrained by second guide means interposed between said cutting element and said collar for severing said pierceable portion, said device also comprising thrust means for said cutting element operated by said cap, during at least its first movement on said external surface of said collar, to promote the movement inside said groove of said at least one cutting element in the direction of said pierceable portion, char thanks to the fact that said cap is equipped with at least one through hole for pouring said pourable product and at least one lid rigidly fixed to said cap and able to seal or open the passage of said at least one through hole.

This solution therefore makes it possible to avoid having to remove the hood completely from the collar, but it also allows the lid to be used with

cap still associated with the collar both for storing the pourable product inside the container and for pouring the product outside the container, simply by lifting the cap.

Moreover, advantageously, said first guiding means constrain said cap to said collar in a rotatably only manner. In practice, therefore, the cap cannot slip off the collar and remain constrained to it even after causing the cutting element to move and the consequent breakage of the pierceable portion.

According to a preferred embodiment, the opening / closing device also comprises means for limiting the rotation of said cap with respect to the external surface of said collar between a first assembly position for said opening / closing device and a second locking position of said hood to said collar. Therefore, the rotation of the cap with respect to the collar is limited between two distinct positions: a first position, that of the end of assembly of the opening / closing device, ie with collar, cap and cutting element coupled together by pressure; and a second position, that in which the cap is angularly locked in such a position as to prevent the cutting element from completely cutting the pierceable portion thus causing it to fall into the container.

Furthermore, said limiting means comprise at least two parts, mutually engageable and respectively integral with said cap and said collar. In particular, said limiting means comprise at least one locking tooth engageable within at least one corresponding seat, in which said at least one locking tooth protrudes internally of said cap and said at least one seat is defined on said outer surface of said collar, or vice versa. In practice, when the cap is in its second position, said locking element engages with said seat in such a way that it no longer rotates with respect to the collar.

According to the invention, the angular interval between said first position and said second position is between 180 and 360 °. This prevents the cutting element from completely cutting the pierceable portion with the consequence that the latter falls into the container.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, said first guide means comprise a first projecting radial portion and a second projecting radial portion, in which said first projecting portion is integral with the external surface of said collar and said second projecting portion is integral with the internal surface of said cap and adapted to slide on said first projecting portion during the rotation of said cap with respect to said collar. Said first protruding portion and / or said second protruding portion is / are elastically deformable at least when said cap is associated with said collar during the assembly of said opening / closing device. In practice, therefore, the second protruding portion serves as a guide in the rotation of the cap on the outer surface of the casting and at the same time prevents the cap from slipping off the collar since the first portion always abuts the second portion.

Furthermore, the opening / closing device comprises a safety ring solidly constrained to the lower end of said cap by means of a plurality of breakable bridges; said frangible bridges are severed at least when said cap is displaced, or rotated, from said first assembly position for said opening / closing device to reach said second locking position.

Again, said lid is made in one piece with said cap.

Furthermore, said cap comprises a pouring spout. Preferably, said through hole is made on the upper surface of said pouring spout.

Advantageously, said lid is hinged to said cap by means of a plastic hinge associated with the lateral surface of said cap. In particular, said plastic hinge is arranged on said side surface in an angular position such that at least when said cap is in its second locking position said lid, when open, is on the side of the container opposite to the side, or sides, more next payment.

Always according to the invention, a method is made available for the first opening of a container for pourable products equipped with an opening / closing device according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, comprising the steps of:

a) moving said cap with respect to said collar;

b) causing, during said step a), the displacement of said cutting element in the direction of said pierceable portion of said container in order to cut it;

characterized in that it comprises, after said step b), step c) of lifting said lid integral with said cap to pour the product contained in said container.

Still according to the invention, the method comprises step d) of limiting the movement of said cap between a first assembly position for said opening / closing device and a second locking position of said cap to said collar.

In particular, said step a) comprises step al) of rotating said cap with respect to the external surfaces of said collar between said first position and said

second position. Preferably, the angular interval between said first position and said second position is comprised between 180 and 360 °.

Some particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the attached figures, in which:

Figure 1A is a perspective view of the opening / closing device according to the invention still closed and mounted on a container for pourable products; Figure 1B is a perspective view of the opening / closing device according to the invention open and mounted on a container for pourable products;

Figure 2A is a perspective view of the opening / closing device according to the invention without the cap;

Figure 2B is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of Figure 2A, still in its first position and equipped with a cap;

Figure 3A is a partial perspective view of the device of Figure 1 after the cap has reached its second position;

Figure 3B is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of Figure 3A;

Figure 4A is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1 with the lid open, in its second position;

Figure 4B is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of Figure 4A.

With particular reference to these figures, 1 indicates the generic opening / closing device according to the invention.

The opening / closing device 1 is applied on a container 100 (not shown here completely but known to the skilled in the art) for pourable products having a pierceable portion 101 (see Figure 3B). Said container 100 is made in a known way by means of a laminated material, obtained by overlapping

between them various layers of paper, cardboard, aluminum, polyethylene and / or other additional materials, suitably shaped and folded, generally in the shape of a parallelepiped, and having at its top a pierceable portion 101, or a portion of the laminate that is devoid of the layer of paper, or cardboard, and therefore easily pierced by a cutting body to allow the liquid contained within the container 100 to escape.

According to the embodiment described here, the opening / closing device 1 comprises a collar 2 which can be associated with the container 100 in correspondence with the pierceable portion 101, a cap 3 which can be moved on the external surface 2a of the collar 2 in a manner constrained by first guide means 40 interposed between the cap 3 and the collar 2, and a cutting element 5 movable on the inner surface 2b of the collar 2, in a way constrained by second guide means 60 interposed between the cutting element 5 and the collar 2 to cut the pierceable portion 101. The second guide means 60 are of the screw 61 and nut screw 62 type, in which the screw 61 is integral with the cutting element 5 and the nut screw 62 is integral with the collar 2. It should be noted that the opening device / closure 1 is made of plastic material such as, for example, polypropylene. Other plastic materials can in any case be used for making the device 1 without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

The collar 2 also comprises a flange 30 which completely surrounds the pierceable portion 101 of the container 100 and which, from its lower side 30a, is associated with the container 100 for gluing.

The cutting element 5, of annular shape, comprises at its end 5a a plurality of teeth 5b to facilitate the breaking of the pierceable portion 101.

The opening / closing device 1 also comprises thrust means 7 for

the cutting element 5 operated by the cap 3, during at least its first displacement on the outer surface 2a of the collar 2, to promote the displacement of the cutting element 5 inside the casing 2 in the direction of the pierceable portion 101.

These thrust means 7 are made in one piece with the cap 3. In particular, according to the invention, while the cap 3 moves on the collar 2, the cutting element 5 is forced by the thrust means 7 to move in the direction of the pierceable portion 101 to cut it at least in part.

Advantageously, the cap 3 is equipped with a through hole 32 for the pouring of the pourable product and a lid 10 integrally constrained to the cap 3 and able to seal or open the passage of the through hole 32 to, respectively, store or pour the product contained in the container 101. In practice, therefore, without the need to remove the cap 3 from the collar 2, the user, once the cutting element 5 has pierced the pierceable portion 101, can lift the lid 10 and pour the liquid product contained in the container 100.

It should be noted that the thrust means 7 comprise two fins 71 (in the attached figures only one fin is shown for reasons of simplicity) which assume a partially cylindrical shape which project axially from the upper surface 3a of the cap 3 inside it. Furthermore, the thrust means 7 comprise suitable engagement elements (not shown here but known to the person skilled in the art) for the two fins 71 integral with the cutting element 5. When the cap 3 is placed on the collar 3 at least one fin 71 of the two fins come into contact with an engagement element thus subjecting the cutting element 5 to a twisting moment. This twisting moment causes the roto-translation of the cutting element 5 on the internal surface 2b of the collar 2 and the consequent perforation of the pierceable portion 101.

It should be noted that in other embodiments not shown here the number of fins 71 is different from that indicated in the embodiment described here, moreover also the second guide means 7 could be different such as, for example, comprising cam elements which interact with suitable guides which allow the cutting element 5 to move along a trajectory not only helical, but partly helical and partly rectilinear.

According to the embodiment described here, the first guiding means 40 constrain the cap 3 to the outer surface 2a of the collar 2 in a rotatable manner only.

This solution therefore makes it possible to avoid having to remove the cap 3 completely from the collar 2, but allows the lid 10 to be used even with the cap 3 still associated with the collar 2 both for storing the product that can be poured into the container 100 and for pouring the product. outside the container 100, simply by lifting the cap 10.

Furthermore, the device 1 also comprises means 11 for limiting the rotation of the cap 3 with respect to the external surface 2a of the collar 2 between a first assembly position P1 for the opening / closing device 1 and a second position P2 for locking the cap to the collar 2. In practice, therefore, the cap 3 rotates for a determined angular interval, starting from a first position P1, which is that of the initial assembly of the device 1 leaving the production plant, until it reaches a second locking position at the collar 2. The angular interval between the first position P1 and the second position P2 is between 180 and 360 °. In the embodiment described here, the rotation range is 355 °. This has the advantage that the cutting element 5, which will then rotate by an angle

equal to that of rotation of the cap 3, it will not be able to completely pierce the pierceable portion 101, thus causing it to fall into the container 100. As shown in the attached figures, the first guide means 40 comprise a first protruding radial portion 41 and a second protruding radial portion 42, in which the first protruding portion 41 is integral with the external surface 2a of the collar 2 and the second protruding portion 42 is integral with the internal lateral surface 3b of the cap 3 and is capable of sliding on the first protruding portion 41 during the rotation of the cap 3 with respect to the collar 2. The first protruding portion 41 is however slightly elastically deformable at least when the cap 3 is associated with the collar 2 during the assembly of the opening / closing device 1, thus allowing the association of the cap 3 to the collar 2. Such guide means 40, however, prevent the cap 3 from slipping axially from the collar 2 once was assembled to the collar 2 itself.

Furthermore, the opening / closing device 1 comprises a safety ring 80 solidly constrained to the lower end 3d of the cap 3 by means of a plurality of breakable bridges 81. The breakable bridges 81 are broken when the user rotates the cap 3 for the first time with respect to collar 2, thus moving from its first position P1. The breaking of these bridges 81 is obtained, in a known way, thanks to suitable fracturing elements 90 integral with the collar 2.

The limiting means 11 comprise at least two parts 12, 13 mutually engageable and respectively integral with the cap 3 and the collar 2.

In particular, the limiting means 11 comprise a locking tooth 12 engageable within a corresponding seat 13. The locking tooth 12 protrudes inside the cap 3 and the seat 13 is defined on the outer surface 2a of the collar 2. The seat 13, moreover, it is made by means of a pair of protrusions 13a, 13b suitably spaced to leave space between them to accommodate the tooth 12 at the end of the rotation of the cap 3 from its first position P1 to its second locking position P2. The projection 13a of the seat 13 which first comes into contact with the tooth 12 is shaped like a ramp to facilitate the entry of the tooth 13 into the space formed between the two protrusions 13a, 13b and thus lock the cap 3 in position.

In other embodiments not shown here, the locking tooth 12 protrudes externally from the collar 2, while the seat 13 is defined on the internal lateral surface 3b of the cap 3, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described here, the tooth 12 and the seat 13 are sized in such a way that they do not interfere during the axial sliding of the cap 3 with the collar 2, during the assembly of the device 1, and instead can only be engaged with each other during the reciprocal rotation between the cap 3 and the collar 2.

As shown in the attached figures, the lid 10 is made in one piece with the cap 3.

The cap 3 has a pouring spout 31 which projects externally from the upper surface 3a of the cap 3 itself. The through hole 32 is made on the upper surface of the pouring spout 31. The diameter of the spout is smaller than the diameter of the upper surface 3a of the cap 3, so as to define a sort of stepped surface 33 on the cap 3. The cover 10 is hinged to the cap 3 by means of a plastic hinge 35 associated with the external lateral surface 3c of the cap 3. In particular, the plastic hinge 35 is located precisely in correspondence with the aforementioned step 33.

The thrust means 7 are arranged around the lower end section 31a of the spout 31 and project axially from the upper surface 3a of the cap 3 inside it.

Furthermore, the cap 10 is equipped, on its inner side 10a, the one facing the container 100 when closed, with U-shaped sealing elements 18 capable of sealing together with the upper terminal section 31b of the pouring spout 31. The spout 31 is therefore delimited, at the top, by the upper terminal section 31b and, at the bottom, by the lower terminal section 31a.

As shown in Figure 4B, the plastic hinge 35 is arranged on the outer lateral surface 3c of the cap 3 in an angular position such that at least when the cap 3 is in its second locking position P2 the lid 10, when open, is on the side of the container 100 opposite the sides 102, 103 of the container 100 closest to the collar 3. In this way it is possible to easily pour the liquid contained in the container 100.

Finally, the method for first opening a container 100 for pourable products equipped with an opening / closing device 1 of the type described above comprises the steps of:

a) rotate the cap 3 with respect to the collar 2;

b) causing, during step a), the displacement of the cutting element 5 in the direction of the pierceable portion 101 of the container 100 in order to cut it;

and, finally, c) lifting the lid 10 integral with the cap 3 to pour the product contained in the container 100.

According to the invention, moreover, the method also comprises the step d) of limiting the rotation of the cap 3 between the first assembly position P1 for the opening / closing device 1 and a second position P2 for locking the cap 3 to the collar 2 .

In particular, the displacement of the cutting element 5 in the direction of the pierceable portion 101 of the container 100 is a roto-translation caused by the second guide means 60 by means of screw 61 and nut screw 62 integral, respectively, to the cutting element 5 and to the collar 2.

Finally, it should be noted that the first rotation of the cap 3 also causes the breakage of the safety tab 80.

Claims (15)

CLAIMS 1. Opening / closing device (1) for container (100) for pourable products having at least one pierceable portion (101), said opening / closing device comprising a collar (2) associable with said container in correspondence with said pierceable portion, a cap (3) movable on the external surface (2a) of said collar (2) in a manner constrained by first guide means (40) interposed between said cap (3) and said collar (2), and a cutting element (5 ) movable inside said collar (4), constrained by second guide means (60) interposed between said cutting element (5) and said collar (2) to cut off said pierceable portion, said device (1) comprising also thrust means (7) for said cutting element (5) operated by said cap (3), during at least its first displacement on said outer surface (2a) of said collar (2), to promote internal displacement of said casting of said at least one element of ta in the direction of said pierceable portion, characterized in that said cap (3) is equipped with at least one through hole (32) for pouring said pourable product and at least one lid (10) fixedly fixed to said cap and able to close tightly, or open the passage of said at least one through hole (32). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said first guide means (40) constrain said cap (3) to said collar (2) only in a rotatable manner. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises means (11) for limiting the rotation of said cap with respect to the external surface (2a) of said collar (2) between a first assembly position (P1) for said device opening / closing and a second position (P2) for locking said cap (3) to said collar (2). 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said limiting means (11) comprise at least two parts, mutually engageable and respectively integral with said cap and said collar. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said limiting means (1) comprise at least one locking tooth (11) engageable within at least one corresponding seat (12), at least when said cap is in said second position, said at least a locking tooth protruding internally of said cap and said at least one seat being defined on said external surface of said collar, or vice versa. 6. Device according to one or more of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the angular interval between said first position and said second position is comprised between 180 and 360 °. 7. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said first guide means (40) comprise a first projecting radial portion (41) and a second projecting radial portion (42), in which said first portion protruding is integral with the external surface of said collar and said second protruding portion is integral with the internal surface (3b) of said cap (3) and able to crawl on said first protruding portion during rotation of said cap with respect to said collar, said first projecting portion and / or said second projecting portion being elastically deformable at least when said cap is associated with said collar during the assembly of said opening / closing device (1). 8. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a safety ring (80) solidly constrained to the lower end of said cap by means of a plurality of breakable bridges, said breakable bridges being cut at least when said cap is displaced from said first assembly position. 9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lid (10) is made integrally with said cap. 10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cap (3) comprises a pouring spout (31), said through hole (32) being made at the upper terminal end (31b) of said pouring spout . 11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lid is hinged to said cap by means of a plastic hinge associated with the lateral surface of said cap. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that said plastic hinge is arranged on said lateral surface in an angular position such that at least when said cap is in its second locking position, said lid, when open, is on the side of the container opposite the side (s) of the container closest to said collar. Method for first opening a container for pourable products equipped with an opening / closing device according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, comprising the steps of: a) moving said cap with respect to said collar; b) causing, during said step a), the displacement of said cutting element in the direction of said pierceable portion of said container in order to cut it; characterized in that it comprises, after said step b), step c) of lifting said lid integral with said cap to pour the product contained in said container. 14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises step d) of limiting the movement of said cap between a first assembly position for said opening / closing device and a second locking position of said cap to said collar. 15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that said step a) comprises step a) of rotating said cap with respect to the external surface of said collar between said first position and said second position.