WO2022112931A1

WO2022112931A1 - Cap for opening/closing containers for pourable products

Info

Publication number: WO2022112931A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/060841
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Silla; Luigino Michetti
Original assignee: Easy Plast S.R.L.
Priority date: 2020-11-25
Filing date: 2021-11-23
Publication date: 2022-06-02
Also published as: IT202000028466A1

Abstract

Object of the invention is a cap (10) for opening a container for pourable products and having a frangible region. The cap comprises a collar (20) fixable to the container substantially at said frangible region, and a piercing element (30) that extends, at least partially, at the aforesaid frangible region and is hinged to the collar (20) and rotatable with respect to the latter between a position outside of the container and a position inside of the container. The cap provides a flexible membrane connected, at its ends, to a respective portion of the collar (20) and, in intermediate portions, to the piercing element (30). The membrane is deformable such as to allow the passage of the piercing element (30) from the position outside of the container to the position inside of the container, the position wherein the piercing element (30) pierces the frangible region.

Description

"CAP FOR OPENING/CLOSING CONTAINERS FOR POURABLE

PRODUCTS" k k k k k

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Object of the invention is a cap for opening/closing containers for pourable products.

In particular, the cap in question is preferably used in those parallelepiped-shaped containers which are made by welding some layers of different material, such as, for example, paper, polyethylene and/or aluminum, and which further have at least one frangible region, i.e. a surface portion which can easily be pierced, cut or broken, such as to allow the fluidic communication between the inside and outside of the container. Such frangible region is made by eliminating one or more of said layers of different material or, alternatively, by adopting weakening lines prearranged on the surface of the container, thus allowing to facilitate the opening of the container and simultaneously maintaining the integrity of the product preserved therein.

KNOWN PRIOR ART

As mentioned, containers for pourable products, wherein said containers have a frangible region, are known.

In traditional containers, it is possible to pour the product or to drink it directly from the container, for example by using a straw, once an opening has been created in said frangible region.

Embodiments which comprise a cap fixed by means of a collar to the container in the proximity of the frangible region and itself provided with means for breaking the frangible region are also known.

For example, the document FR 2 789 362 describes a cap which provides a piercing element hinged to the collar and which is facing the opening area and can move between an initial position, in which it is completely outside of the container, and a final position, in which it is mostly inside of the container.

The cap further comprises a striker also hinged to the collar and configured to push the piercing element towards the inside of the container, such as to pierce the wall of the container.

In this configuration, the striker substantially assumes the initial position of the piercing element and acts as an element for pouring the product contained inside of the container. The document US 6,354,467 describes a cap which provides a piercing element hinged to the collar.

A breaking element, which operates in combination with a tab-like lever both mounted hinged-like inside the collar, is provided.

The activation of the breaking element occurs by means of the tab which operates to rotate a distal end of the breaking element against a precut region.

The breaking element and the tab are retained inside the container separately from the flow of the product which is poured from the container through the opening formed by the removal of the tab.

A plurality of ribs arranged on the surface of the breaking element facing the container is combined with the tab to define at least one air inlet towards the outside of the package such as to facilitate the uniform flow of the product coming out of the package.

A lid is hinged to the collar and rotates with respect to the collar itself such as to provide a reversible closure between the lid and the collar.

The document DE20010210U1 in the name of SIG Combibloc International Systems GmbH describes a pouring device applicable to the flat upper wall of a container for pourable products. Such device comprises a base body having a circumferential flange and an opening element which simultaneously forms the pouring element. Such opening element pierces the upper wall of the container at a weakened zone. The opening element is rotatable around a rotation axis connected to the base body. The opening device further comprises a flexible sealing membrane arranged between the base body and the opening element.

A technical problem not solved by the systems described consists in that the user, once the frangible region has been opened, must pour the content into a receptacle, for example a glass or a cup, or drink directly from the container by using a straw, which must already be provided for the user himself.

A further problem arises whenever loose straws are used, due to the possible dispersion of these plastic objects in the environment whenever they are not properly thrown away in specific containers for the recovery of plastics. An object of the present invention is thus to solve the aforementioned problems, in particular by implementing a cap for containers of pourable products which is particularly adapted to prevent the dispersion of plastics in the environment. Further object of the present invention is to achieve the aforementioned results in a simple and economic way.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention thus intends to achieve the aforesaid objectives by means of a cap for opening a container for pourable products, having a frangible region, said cap comprising a collar fixable to the aforesaid container substantially at least at part of the aforesaid frangible region, and a piercing element that extends, at least partially, at the aforesaid frangible region and which is hinged to the aforesaid collar and rotatable with respect to the latter between a position outside of the aforesaid container and a position inside of the aforesaid container, the cap being characterized by providing a flexible membrane, where the aforesaid flexible membrane is connected, at its ends, to a respective portion of the aforesaid collar and, in intermediate portions, to the aforesaid piercing element, the aforesaid membrane being deformable such as to allow the passage of the aforesaid piercing element from the position outside of the aforesaid container to the position inside of the aforesaid container and wherein said piercing element pierces the aforesaid frangible region.

An advantage of the invention resides in that it allows both to open a container of pourable products by using the elements present in the cap itself and to intrinsically arrange a straw to be able to drink directly from the container or to possibly be able to have a channel for pouring the product into a different receptacle, such as for example a glass or a cup. Further characteristics of the invention can be deduced from the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer in the light of the following detailed description with the aid of the attached drawings, in which: - figure 1 depicts an axonometric view of the cap according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a closed position;

- figure 2 depicts an axonometric view of the cap of figure 1 in a slightly opened position;

- figure 3 depicts an axonometric view of the cap of figure 1 in a more opened position with respect to the position of figure 2;

- figure 4 depicts an axonometric view of the cap of figure 1 in a completely opened position;

- figure 5 depicts an axonometric view of the cap of figure 1 in a completely opened position and shown from the bottom;

- figure 6 depicts a sectional view of the cap of figure 1 in a closed position;

- figure 7 depicts a sectional view of the cap of figure 1 in a slightly opened position;

- figure 8 depicts a sectional view of the cap of figure 1 in a more opened position with respect to the position of figure 7; and;

- figure 9 depicts a sectional view of the cap of figure 1 in a completely opened position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The invention will now be described with initial reference to figures 1-5 in which the cap for opening/closing containers for pourable products is depicted, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and generally denoted by the numerical reference 10. In particular, in figure 1, the cap 10 is depicted in a closed position and a lid 70, which can rotate with respect to a collar 20 around a hinge 100, is visible in such figure.

Figures 2-3 depict axonometric views of the cap of figure 1, respectively in a slightly opened position and in a position in which the lid 70 is tilted of about 45° with respect to the collar 20 and the cap 10.

A portion of a piercing element 30, a portion 40 of a membrane and a pivot pin 50 combined with the piercing element 30 are also visible in figure 3.

Figure 4 depicts an axonometric view of the cap 10 of figure 1 in a completely opened position, where the substantially cylindrical shape of the piercing element 30 is visible, as well as the flexible membrane divided into a first portion 40 connected to a first side 20a of the collar 20 and into a second portion 42 connected to a second side 20b of the collar 20. The first portion 40 and the second portion 42 of the membrane being sealingly made with the collar 20. The piercing element 30 comprises an upper part 31 arranged on top of the membrane, i.e. on the membrane side facing the outer environment, and a lower part 32 which is under the membrane, i.e. on the membrane side facing the pierceable portion of the container. In an alternative embodiment, the membrane can also be made of a material different from the material with which the collar 20 and/or lid 70 is/are made. In this case, the material of the membrane has greater elasticity than that with which the collar and/or lid is/are made.

Moreover, the piercing element 30 is hollow inside since provided with a through hole 35 to allow, once the container is opened, the passage of the pourable product. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the piercing element 30 is a straw.

Figure 5 depicts an axonometric view of the cap of figure 1 in a completely opened position and shown from the bottom.

In such figure, it is possible to appreciate, among other, the fact that an end of the piercing element 30 is cut along a tilted plane with respect to a longitudinal axis of the piercing element 30 to create a sharp portion 60. Such sharp portion is on the lower part 32 of the piercing element 30.

The sharp portion 60 is adapted to pierce the frangible region of the container for pourable products to which the cap 10 is applied.

The collar 20 of the cap 10 is fixable to the container for pourable products at the frangible region. In particular, the collar 20 fully surrounds the frangible region.

The piercing element 30 extends, at least partially, at the frangible region and is hinged to the collar 20.

Moreover, the piercing element 30 is rotatable with respect to the collar 20 itself between a position outside of the container and a position inside of the container . Advantageously, the cap 10 provides a flexible membrane connected, at its ends, to a respective portion of the collar 20 and, in intermediate portions, to the piercing element 30. Such connection is sealed, thus - once the pierceable portion of the container is cut by the occlusion element 30 - the product contained inside the container will only be able to come out of the straw 30, through the through hole 35.

As mentioned previously, the flexible membrane is divided into a first portion 40 connected to a first side 20a of the collar 20 and into a second portion 42 connected to a second side 20b of the collar 20.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the piercing element 30 is moulded in one piece with the flexible membrane. The membrane is deformable such as to allow the passage of the piercing element 30 from a position outside of the container to the position inside of the container, the position in which the piercing element 30 pierces the frangible region with the aid of the sharp portion 60. Preferably, the shift of the piercing element 30 from the outside position to the position inside the container involves a rotation substantially of 90° on a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the collar 20. Figure 6 depicts a sectional view of the cap 10 of figure 1 in a closed position.

In such figure, the piercing element 30 appears substantially parallel to the collar 20.

Moreover, the pivot pin 50 combined with the piercing element 30 is visible in figure 6.

The cap 10 further comprises a sealing element 80 partially hollow inside to favor its deformability and configured to be inserted into the piercing element 30, on the end opposite the one where the sharp portion 60 is present, at an open portion 61 of the piercing element 30. In a further embodiment not shown herein, the sealing element 80 can also not be hollow inside, without thereby departing from the protection scope of the present invention .

Figures 7-8 depict sectional views of the cap of figure 1, respectively in a slightly opened position and in a position in which the lid 70 is tilted of about 45° with respect to the collar 20 of the cap 10. Figure 9 depicts a sectional view of the cap of figure 1 in a completely opened position.

Different positions the lid 70 can assume up to a position of complete opening thereof are also depicted with a dashed line in figure 9.

Always in figure 9, the fact that the piercing element 30 is in a vertical configuration where the sharp portion 60 is directed towards the inside of the container, in a configuration of complete opening of the container, is visible.

During the opening step of the cap 10, the lid 70 can thus rotate around the hinge 100, by releasing itself from a retaining element 90 which is, in this embodiment, shaped like a hook which can be engaged with a profile 91 made on the lid 70.

The cap 10 can further be closed by bringing back the lid 70 to the initial position of figure 6 and making said lid 70 engage with the retaining element 90.

The aforesaid lid 70 provides for the presence of the aforementioned sealing element 80.

The present invention was described with reference to a lid 70 with the warning, however, that the lid 70 is not essential for the operation of the invention, thus making it possible to have embodiments of the invention in which the lid 70 is not present. In this case, the sealing element 80 is obtained on the collar 20, at the retaining element 90 instead of on the lid 70.

In the operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a user can open the lid 70 by levering it such as to make it rotate around the hinge 100 and to release it from the retaining element 90.

Such movement, as also visible in the section of figure 7, causes the sealing element 80 to drag an end of the piercing element 30, at the open portion 61, opposite the one where the sharp portion 60 is; such piercing element

30 rotates such as to move to a position in which the sharp portion 60 pierces the frangible region, thanks to the deformation of the flexible membrane in its two portions 40 and 42.

The presence of the pin 50 facilitates such rotation. Whenever the lid 70 is absent, the user will rotate the piercing element 30 such as to lead the sharp portion 60 to sever the frangible region of the container.

The vertical position of the piercing element 30 is of the stable type, i.e. in the absence of any constraint such as, for example, the aforementioned retaining element 90 or of the lid 70, such piercing element 30 would be pushed by the membrane, or better by the first portion 40 and second portion 42 of the membrane, such as to assume the vertical position.

The user can thus make the pourable product come out of the container through the through hole 35 of the piercing element 30, on the end opposite that of the sharp portion 60, i.e. the one at the upper part 31 of the piercing element 30, or can drink the product directly through the piercing element 30. To close the cap, it is sufficient to repeat the movements described in the opposite direction.

Obviously, modifications or improvements that are dictated by contingent or particular reasons may be made to the invention as described, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as claimed below.

Claims

1. Cap (10) for opening a container for pourable products, having a frangible region, said cap (10) comprising a collar (20) fixable to the aforesaid container at the aforesaid frangible region and a piercing element (30) that extends, at least partially, at the aforesaid frangible region and is hinged to the aforesaid collar (20) and rotatable with respect to the latter between a position outside of the aforesaid container and a position inside of the aforesaid container, the cap (10) being characterized by providing a flexible membrane (40,42), where the aforesaid flexible membrane (40,42) is connected, at its ends, to a respective portion of the aforesaid collar (20) and, in intermediate portions, to the aforesaid piercing element (30), the aforesaid membrane being deformable such as to allow the passage of the piercing element (30) from the position outside of the aforesaid container to the position inside of the aforesaid container and wherein said piercing element (30) pierces the aforesaid frangible region.

2 . Cap (10) according to claim 1, wherein the aforesaid piercing element (30) is moulded in one piece with the aforesaid flexible membrane (40).

3. Cap (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforesaid piercing element (30) divides the aforesaid flexible membrane (40,42) into a first portion (40), connected to a first side of the aforesaid collar (20) and a second portion (42), connected to a second side of the aforesaid collar (20).

4 . Cap (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to

3, wherein the aforesaid piercing element (30) is connected to a pivot pin (50) integral with the aforesaid flexible membrane (40).

5 . Cap (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to

4, wherein said piercing element (30) comprises an upper part (31) and a lower part (32), wherein said upper part is on top of said membrane and said lower part is under said membrane.

6. Cap (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to

5, wherein the shift of the aforesaid piercing element (30) from the outside position to the position inside of the aforesaid container involves a rotation substantially of 90° on a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aforesaid collar (20).

7 . Cap (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to

6, wherein a sealing element adapted to be inserted into an open portion of the aforesaid piercing element (30) is provided.

8. Cap (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, wherein the aforesaid cap (10) provides a lid (70) hinged to the aforesaid collar (20).

9. Cap (10) according to claim 8, wherein the aforesaid lid (70) provides a sealing element (80) adapted to be inserted into an open portion (61) of the aforesaid piercing element (30), the aforesaid sealing element (80) preferably comprising a hollow portion (72) configured to be engaged with a portion of the aforesaid piercing element (30).

10. Cap (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, wherein an end of the aforesaid piercing element (30) is cut along a plane tilted with respect to a longitudinal axis of the aforesaid piercing element (30) such as to create a sharp portion (60) of the aforesaid piercing element (30), the aforesaid sharp portion (60) being adapted to pierce the aforesaid frangible region.

11. Cap (10) according to claim 5 and 10, wherein said sharp portion (60) is arranged at said lower part (32) of said piercing element.

12. Cap (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, wherein said piercing element (30) is a straw.

13. Cap (10) according to claim 12, wherein said open portion (61) of said piercing element (30) is arranged on the end opposite the one in which said sharp portion (60) is arranged, at said upper part of said piercing element (30).