Pouring element for a composite package with a cutting element for the first opening of the composite package and a package provided with such a pouring element

Abstract

A pouring element (1) for a composite package with a main body (3), having a flange (4) and a hollow cylindrical spout (5), a hollow cylindrical cutting element (8) guided in movable manner in the spout (5) with at least one cutting tooth (23) for opening the composite package and a reclosable screw cap (2), which, when the composite package is initially opened, serves to drive the cutting element (8), wherein the main body (3), the spout (5), the cutting element (8) and the screw cap (2) are arranged concentrically about a vertical axis (VA). In order to be able to reduce the force required for the assembly operation of the cutting element (8) so that, on the one hand, tilting of the cutting element (8) is reliably excluded and, on the other hand, possible damage due to high forces is avoided, it is provided that, as seen along the vertical axis (VA), the cutting element (8) has two assembly aids (M1, M2) on the side of the hollow cylindrical cutting element (8) opposite the at least one cutting tooth (23), which are opposite one another and, viewed along the vertical axis (VA), represent the outermost regions of the cutting element (8), wherein the cutting element (8) is designed to be flexible between the two assembly aids (M1, M2) and thus forms flexible regions (F).

Description

[0001]March 6, 2024Pouring element for a composite package with a cutting element for the first opening of the composite package and a package provided with such a pouring elementThe invention relates to a pouring element for a composite package with a main bodyhaving a flange and a hollow cylindrical spout, a hollow cylindrical cutting elementguided in a movable manner in the spout, with at least one cutting tooth for openingthe composite package, and a reclosable screw cap, which, when the compositepackage is initially opened, serves to drive the cutting element, wherein the mainbody, the spout, the cutting element and the screw cap are arranged concentricallyabout a vertical axis, as well as a package with a pouring element of this type.Pouring elements applied to drink packages are integrated as part of the gable of thecomposite package for simplified handling during pouring and the possibility ofreclosing composite packages. This type of pouring element is shown, for example, inEP 1795456 A1. The hollow cylindrical cutting element opens the previously gas-tight composite package for the first time, thus forming a pouring opening, whereinthe screw cap enables the now open composite package to be resealed. The cuttingelement, which is movably guided in the spout, is provided with force acceptingelements and is thereby driven by corresponding force transmission elements on thescrew cap. During the first opening process, the cutting element approaches theregion of the composite package to be opened and after the first contact of the twoelements, at least one cutting tooth of the cutting element separates the compositepackage in the region of a weakening zone. The movement path that the at least onecutting element travels is in the area of the weakening zone.The opening process can be divided into the following stages, for example. Theapproach of the cutting element mentioned above can also be omitted if the twoelements already touch in the assembled state. The cutting element then movesthrough the composite material and separates it with the cutting teeth along a cuttingline. This separation process is a combination of separation, plastic deformation andmaterial displacement, wherein a uniform and controlled application of the forces isadvantageous. As soon as a large part of the circumference has been separated, thecutting element starts to fold the freely cut composite material or a closure part (aspart of the main body) to the side and thus clears the spout for pouring the content.Folding away is carried out with the aid of the remaining piece of the weakening zone,which has not been separated, as a pivot axis, wherein first the cutting tooth and thenthe outer side of the cutting element exert force on the freely cut part while folding thesame inside the package and thus press it to the side. After the pouring element hasbeen completely opened, the piece of composite material or the closure part isapproximately parallel to the central axis along the outer wall of the screwed-incutting element. This reliably guarantees free pouring of the product contained in thecomposite package.Pouring elements with such a closure part are mainly, but not exclusively, used inaseptic packages. In this case, previously sterilised foodstuffs are packaged underaseptic conditions in similarly sterilised packaging materials in order then to obtainso-called aseptic packages. Apart from the question of aseptics, there are varioustypes of composite packages into which a pouring element according to the inventioncan be integrated.In a first manner, the pouring element is an integral part of the composite package,which is introduced during the manufacturing process of the same. For this purpose,blanks of composite material, which are initially shaped into package sleeves bysealing the longitudinal seam, are usually firstly connected to the pouring element in aso-called “form fill and seal” packaging machine (FFS). These semi-shaped products,which are open on one side, are then filled with the product and sealed thereafter. Thefirst step can be provided in different ways: For example, the flange can be connectedto one side of the package sleeve by a further plastic element, which is injection-TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024moulded directly in the packaging machine. The flange can also be welded directly tothe package sleeve or even glued to it without using an additional plastic element.In a second manner, an initially completely sealed composite package ismanufactured, wherein a punched hole is present in the composite package, usually inthe gable region, into which a pouring element is introduced. The pouring element isusually inserted by welding the flange to at least one layer of the composite material.Alternatively, these parts can also be glued together. This second type of compositepackage is also characterised in particular in that the insertion of the pouring elementcan be independent of the manufacture of the composite package. The manufacture ofthe hole and also the insertion of the pouring element can therefore take place in eachcase before, during or after the manufacture of the composite package itself. Bothsteps are preferred before manufacture in order not to make the packaging machinesthemselves unnecessarily complicated. This arrangement of the production steps alsorepresents the simplest possibility of inserting the pouring element into the punchedhole from the inside.Another type concerns the composite packages with what is known as an overcoatedhole (OCH = OverCoated Hole). In this case, the punched hole is coated on one or bothsides with polymer and the barrier layer before folding and manufacturing of thepackage sleeve, resulting in the package being sealed in a gas-tight manner again inthe area of the hole. In composite packages of this type, the weakening zone is formedby the these layer(s), wherein the cutting on the first opening of a package of this typetakes place close to the edge of the overcoated hole.Composite packages of this type are normally produced in one of two types ofpackaging machines. In this first alternative, an endless web of sterilised compositematerial is shaped into a tube and sealed, after which it is filled with the similarlysterilised product and sealed and cut at equal distances transversely thereto. Theresulting “package pillows” are then formed along the pre-folded edges intoparallelepipedic packages. The sealing seam formed during transverse sealing in theTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024gable region is usually referred to as a gable seam. The second alternative uses blanksof composite material, which are first shaped into package sleeves by sealing thelongitudinal seam and then shaped on mandrels into package bodies open on one side,then sterilised, filled and lastly sealed and finally shaped.Generally, the gable region can be designed differently, such as for example as aparallel surface to the base surface (flat gable package), as a surface formed at leastpartially at an angle to the base surface (oblique gable package) or also as a saddleroof with two opposing, oblique surfaces ('gable top' package). It is also possible todesign the gable as a truncated pyramid. In this case, the flange of the pouring elementis square and has sealing surfaces running downwards in a truncated pyramid-likeshape at the edges, which are sealed with the composite material of the package,wherein four protruding ears are created, which are folded over onto the gable sidesand sealed there. The precise layer structure of the composite material can varydepending on requirements, but at least consists of a carrier layer of cardboard andcover layers of polymer. In addition, a barrier layer, for example, aluminium (Al),polyamide (PA) or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) may be necessary toensure an increased barrier effect for aseptic products against gases, in particularoxygen, for aseptic products and also against light in the case of aluminium. For thisreason, composite packages of this type are also referred to as cardboard / polymercomposite packages. If the pouring element is integrated as part of the compositepackage, it should have a similarly strong barrier effect against gases and light as thecomposite material used. At the same time, cheap materials should of course be usedthat are easy to recycle together. This also applies in particular to the materials of thepouring elements used.The pouring elements explained in more detail above thus generally consist of threeindividual elements, namely the main body, the opening means and the screw cap.Before sealing with the composite package, it is therefore necessary to assemblepouring elements consisting of the individual elements. For this purpose, the openingmeans is introduced into the main body from above and inserted into it until theTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024upper edge of the spout of the main body and the upper edge of the opening meansrun roughly in one plane. The opening means is either screwed in or pressed inlinearly. The screw cap is then pressed from above onto the main body in apredetermined orientation, wherein both the anchor ring and the screw cap arewidened with their hollow cylindrical thread region in order to be able to be movedover the external thread of the hollow cylindrical spout. This process is also known aspressing.A generic pouring element with all features of the preamble of claim 1 is known fromWO 2022 / 189028 A1. This document describes in detail the assembly of the screwcap on the element already pre-assembled there, consisting of the main body andcutting element.A further pouring element with all features of the preamble of claim 1 is known fromEP 2739539 B1. Even if the opening function and arrangement of at least three teethon the opening means enable a reliable and safe initial opening of a beverage packagewith this well-known pouring element, the assembly of a pouring element of this typeis complex, since large forces must be applied to assemble the combined screwelement and cutting element and the spout to be applied to the package in order topress the combined screw and cutting element into the spout of the pouring elementin an axial direction.Since the cutting element and the main body cannot be screwed into each other, theshape of the cutting element, which is not designed as a simple hollow cylinder, causesan unevenly distributed rigidity over the circumference during pressing in, wherebyan undesired wedging of the cutting element in the main body can occur. However, apouring element of this type with a wedged cutting element can no longer perform itsfunction and must instead be ejected and disposed of as scrap.Based on this, the object underlying the present invention is to design and furtherdevelop the pouring element mentioned at the outset and previously described inTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024more detail such that the forces necessary to assemble the cutting element can bedecreased. In addition, tilting of the cutting element must be reliably ruled out duringassembly. Furthermore, the force for assembly shall be reduced to prevent possibledamage to parts due to high forces. Nevertheless, good thread overlap for the openingprocess should be ensured as far as possible.This object is achieved in a pouring element with the features of the preamble of claim1 in that, seen along the vertical axis, the cutting element has two assembly aids on theside of the hollow cylindrical cutting element opposite the at least one cutting tooth,which are opposite each other and, seen along the vertical axis, represent theoutermost regions of the cutting element, wherein the cutting element is designedflexibly between the two assembly aids and thus forms flexible areas.According to the invention, during the assembly process of the hollow cylindricalcutting element, a defined tilting of the cutting element takes place by an alternatingapplication of force to the two assembly aids even in the event of a deformation of thecutting element. Due to the flexible design in the area between the assembly aids, analternating load is created on both assembly aids, ensuring that force is applied evenlyto opposite areas during the entire assembly process.According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer radius of thehollow cylinder of the cutting element is at least 50% of the total height of the cuttingelement measured along the vertical axis. The height has been proven to ensurereliable insertion of the cutting element into the main body without making assemblyunnecessarily difficult.Preferably, the outer radius of the hollow cylinder of the cutting element is at least70%, in particular at least 85%, of the total height of the cutting element measuredalong the vertical axis. This also reduces the overall height of the pouring element.Cutting elements of this type with greater radial expansion compared to verticalexpansion facilitate the flexible movement of the entire cutting element. The flexibleTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024pivot movement is performed via an axis that is approximately perpendicular to thevertical axis. Accordingly, the wider the cutting element, i.e. with a comparativelylarger outer radius, the more prominent the flexible areas can be.A further teaching of the invention provides that when measured along the verticalaxis, the height of the flexible areas is a maximum of 55%, in particular a maximum of45%, of the total height of the cutting element. This also improves the flexibility of theflexible areas.According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, measured along thevertical axis, the height of the assembly aids is between 5 and 15% of the total heightof the cutting element. Heights in this range have proven to be a good compromise.There should be a minimum height so that the contact points remain securely on theassembly aids during assembly. At the same time, unnecessarily high and wastefulelements must be avoided.A further teaching of the invention provides that the inner radius and the outer radiusof the hollow cylinder of the cutting element differ by a maximum of 1.3-2.0 mm,preferably 1.6-1.9 mm. The maximum wall thickness described here guarantees alightweight cutting element that in turn does not react too rigidly during assembly.The aforementioned special embodiment of the geometry of the cutting elementallows a brief deformation of the cutting element, despite its manufacturing as aninjection-moulded part from a single material, when the cutting element is introducedinto the spout of the main body. After assembly, the stability of the cutting element isagain sufficiently large for a safe opening process, as the cutting element is guided in apositive-locking manner in its lower area over the entire circumference.According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that thecutting teeth are provided exclusively in the region of the individual assembly aids,TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024seen in the circumferential direction. This also ensures that the cutting element isstiffened below the assembly aids.Another preferred teaching of the invention provides that at least one assembly aid isdesigned as a grouping of at least two individual assembly aid parts. This can allow fora more stable mounting position through three or more contact points between anassembly tool and the cutting element.In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the outer hollow cylinderwall of the cutting element has a screw thread which serves as a movable guide in thespout. In this case, the screw thread preferably has fewer overlapping thread turns inthe entire flexible areas than the maximum number of thread turns of the internalthread executed on the cutting element.According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the screw thread in theflexible regions is designed at least partially with thinner and / or less high threads.This results in improved stability of the cutting element and good guidance in thespout, as well as improved flexibility. Thinner here describes the extension of a singlethread turn along the vertical axis. The height of the thread, on the other hand, relatesto the radial extension of the thread turns measured from the outer wall of the cuttingelement.According to another preferred teaching of the invention, it is provided that the innerhollow cylinder wall of the spout has an internal thread, wherein the thread turns aredesigned to be less high towards the pouring side. In this case, the height of the threadturns in the outermost third of the hollow cylindrical spout, seen along the verticalaxis, preferably decreases steadily towards the pouring side, at least in sections in theangular sections in which the assembly aids are arranged in assembled condition. Thisallows for easier centring during the assembly process and the last section of theassembly (with most thread overlaps) can be performed with less force.TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024According to a further embodiment of the invention, the entire cutting element,including the flexible regions, is manufactured from polyolefin.The invention further relates to a package, in particular a cardboard / polymercomposite package, with a pouring element applied to it according to any one ofclaims 1 to 14.The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a drawingwhich represents only one preferred exemplary embodiment. The drawing shows inFig. 1 a pouring element according to the invention in perspective view,Fig. 2 the pouring element according to the invention from Fig. 1 in planview,Fig. 3 a main body of the pouring element according to the invention inperspective view from above,Fig. 4 the screw cap of the pouring element according to the invention inavertical section,Fig. 5A a cutting element of the pouring element according to theinvention in perspective view,Fig. 5B the cutting element in a vertical section along the line VB – VBfrom Fig. 5A,Fig. 6A the main body from Fig. 3 with the cutting element attached in avertical section before the start of assembly of the cutting element,TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024Figs. 6B to 6E further embodiments of the assembly process of the main bodyand cutting element in a vertical section,Fig. 6F the pouring element according to the invention still without ascrew cap following successful assembly of the cutting element inthe main body, also in a vertical section,Fig. 7A the pouring element according to the invention in a vertical sectionbefore assembling the screw cap andFig. 7B the finished pourting element in a vertical section along the lineVII-VII from Fig. 2 after assembly.A preferred exemplary embodiment of a pouring element 1 according to the inventionis shown in the drawing. Fig. 1 shows a pouring element 1 in a closed condition with avertical axis VA without a composite package. A reclosable screw cap 2, which is usedfor the first opening and for reclosing a composite package, is located on a main body3, from which in Fig. 1 only one circumferential flange 4 is visible, which is used forconnection with and integration into the composite package (not shown). In the planview in Fig. 2, a section line VIB-VIB is also shown, which is discussed in more detailbelow.The main body 3 of the pouring element 1 according to the invention, which isconcealed in Figures 1 and 2 by the screw cap 2, is shown in Fig. 3 shown individuallyin a perspective view from above. It essentially consists of a horizontal flange 4, theouter edge of which is sealed with the package edge of a punched opening in acomposite package (not shown), as described in more detail below, and a hollowcylindrical spout 5, which has an external thread 6 and an internal thread 7. Theinternal thread 7 serves to accommodate a cutting element 8, which, however, is onlyrecognisable in Figures 5A and 5B and is also described in more detail there.TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024According to the invention, the spout 5 has a plurality of vertical guide ribs 9 arrangedon its outer circumference distributed over the circumference below the outer thread6. It can be seen that the depth of the vertical guide ribs 9 corresponds approximatelyto the height of the external thread 6. The upper edges of all lateral guide surfaces ofthe vertical guide ribs 9 lie in a plane and ensure during the assembly process that thescrew cap 2 is evenly widened and centred during the pressing process after passingthe external thread 6 of the spout 5. In addition to the vertical guide ribs 9, acircumferential web 10A can be found in the region of these guide ribs 9, which is notdesigned to be rotationally symmetrical, but instead has recesses that are notdescribed in more detail in some regions. Parallel to this circumferential web 10A andbelow this, web sections 10B can also be seen which have the same outer contour asthe circumferential web 10A. In addition to the aforementioned features, the guideribs 9 or the circumferential webs 10A and web sections 10B also ensure a stiffeningof the spout 5 on the side of the closure part 19. This stiffening results in a more stableguidance of the cutting element 8 during the opening process.A plurality of vertical webs can be seen below the vertical guide ribs 9 and inextension thereto as well as below the webs 10B, which serve as locking elements 11.The function of these locking elements 11 is described in more detail further below inconjunction with the description of Fig. 4. In the exemplary embodiment shown andpreferred in this respect, the screw cap 2 has, in addition to the actual cover element12, an underlying anchor ring 13 and in turn a strap 14 arranged underneath, which isalso clearly visible from the outside in the perspective view of Fig. 1.In the exemplary embodiment represented and preferred in this respect, the coverelement 12 is connected to the anchor ring 13 via a one-piece Tether T, i.e. a “retainingstrap”. For this purpose, the screw cap 2 is provided with at least one slot S by meansof a circumferential slit blade. In the exemplary embodiment shown and preferred inthis respect, two slots S are present, as is visible from Fig. 1. To produce them, twocuts are made in parallel planes. As a result, the screw cap 2 is connected via a tetherT, wherein both tether arms are connected to the anchor ring 13 in one piece. In Fig. 1,TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024however, only the front “end” of the Tether T is visible. However, it is also possible toprovide only a single slot if only one attachment to the anchor ring is desired via asingle end of the tether strap. In this case, the one slot runs over the circumference atleast partially in a helix shape such that the two ends of this slot are at differentheights relative to the vertical axis VA. In addition, a design without a tether is alsopossible, only with cover element 12 and with strap 14.Fig. 4 shows a vertical section through the screw cap 2 of the pouring element 1according to the invention, wherein the cover element 12, the anchor ring 13 and thestrap 14 of the screw cap 2 are clearly recognisable. Two of a total of three forcetransmission elements 15, which extend downwards from the cover element 12, arealso particularly clearly visible here. Furthermore, an internal thread 16 can berecognised inside the cover element 12, which corresponds to the external thread 6 ofthe spout 5 of the main body 3. In addition, Fig. 4 shows that the anchor ring 13 has acircumferential retaining web 17 in its lower region. This is described in more detailbelow.Finally, Fig. 4 clearly shows that the strap 14 serving as a tamper-proof seal has on itsinside a plurality of stop elements 18 arranged distributed over the circumference, thearrangement of which is selected in such a way that in the assembled state of thepouring element 1 according to the invention they lie in the region of the lockingelements 11 and below the webs 10 of the main body 3 and engage with the lockingelements 11 when the screw cap 2 is opened initially, so that rotation of thecircumferential strap 14 is reliably excluded. The locking elements 11 are arranged insuch a way that they, as can be seen clearly in Fig. 3, are below the webs 10A and 10B.The anchor ring 13 and strap 14 are connected to one another in a single piece viasmall material bridges (not shown). During the initial opening process, these materialbridges break up due to the blocking catching of the circumferential strap 14 and thussignal to the consumer that the pouring element 1 has already been opened. A tamper-evident seal formed in this way is also known as “Tamper Evident Element”.TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024For a better explanation of the alternately arranged assembly aids M1, M2 and flexibleareas F, Fig. 5A shows a cutting element 8 individually in a perspective view. Thefundamentally hollow cylindrical structure of the cutting element 8 can first be seen,wherein three force acceptance elements 24 evenly distributed over thecircumference can be seen inside the cutting element 8, which are driven when thepouring element 1 applied to a composite package is opened initially. The drive isperformed by the screw cap 2 (not shown here), which thereby causes the rotation ofthe cutting element 8 by means of force transmission elements 15, as described inmore detail below. In addition, Fig. 5A clearly shows that the cutting element 8, whichis represented and thus preferred, has a screw thread 25 on its outer side.The cutting element 8 from Fig. 5A is also shown in a vertical section along the lineVB-VB Fig. 5B for further explanation. It is clearly discernible that between the tworegions of the cutting element 8 arranged on the right and left, on which the twoassembly aids M1 and M2 are located at the top, a region is created which is markedwith a dot pattern for better explanation, and which can already serve as a flexibleregion F within the meaning of claim 1 due to its significantly lower height. Outsidethis flexible region, the cutting element 8 is designed to be more than twice as highand also has two cutting teeth 23 in its lower region, which cannot be identified in theperspective view of Fig. 5A. The front region of the cutting element 8 from Fig. 5A alsohas a flexible region F, in turn in the region of the significantly reduced height of thecutting element 8 between the internally arranged force acceptance element 24 andthe end of the reinforcement web for the cutting tooth 23 (not specified in moredetail) in the bottom left in Fig. 5A.The assembly of the main body 3 and cutting element 8 for the pouring element 1according to the invention is carried out by means of the following steps:- Holding of the main body 3 on a base (for example with vacuum),- Non-oriented placement of the cutting element 8 on a flat plate with two assemblyaids M1, M2 as the only contact zones,- Rotary alignment of the main body 3 andTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024 - Relative axial movement of main body 3 and cutting element 8.Figures 6A to 6F serve to illustrate the sequence of the assembly of the main body 3and cutting element 8 of the pouring element 1 in detail. Fig. 6A initially shows thestart of assembly with the cutting element 8 just attached. Figures 6B to 6E show, stepby step, the assembly process of the cutting element 8 in the main body 3. The specialembodiment of the upper edge of the cutting element 8 according to the invention canalso clearly be seen in Fig. 6A. In this representation, the two raised assembly aids M1and M2 can be clearly seen on the right and left at the upper edge of the cuttingelement 8. Between these assembly aids M1 and M2, the cutting element 8 is designedflexibly and thus forms flexible regions F, of which only the rear flexible region can beseen here due to the sectional view.The main body 3 sealed with the flange 4 at the circumferential edge of an opening ina composite package (not shown) further has a closure part 19 formed in the spout 5in the plane of the flange 4. The closure part 19 has a central region 20 and comprisesan annular weakening zone 21 which connects to the spout 5 and a conical annularintermediate region 22 which extends between the weakening zone 21 and the centralregion 20 of the base of the main body 3 and which jointly seal the subsequentpouring opening. The chamfering of the intermediate region 22 compensates for thethickness difference between the central region 20 and the weakening zone 21.As already explained in Figures 5A and 5B, the cutting element 8 in the representedand in this respect preferred embodiment has two cutting teeth 23 on its underside,which are each arranged in the region below the assembly aids M1 and M2. On itsouter circumference, the hollow cylindrical cutting element 8 has a screw thread 25,which initially makes it difficult to press the cutting element 8 axially into the mainbody 3.The inventive effect of the cutting element 8 which can be deformed by an alternatingapplication of pressure on the two assembly aids M1 and M2 now occurs. By formingTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024the flexible areas F between the two assembly aids M1 and M2, the cutting element 8is deformed in such a way that the lower part of the screw thread 25 is deformedinwards in the sectional plane shown. The cutting teeth 23 arranged in this plane alsocontribute to this, giving the cutting element 8 below the assembly aids M1 and M2increased rigidity. A “snapshot” of this situation is shown in Fig. 6B. You can see in theleft part of Fig. 6B that the lowest thread turn of the screw thread 25 moves past theupper thread turn of the inner thread 7 of the main body 3. In this case, the bending ofthe upper edge of the cutting element 8 is shown elevated for better illustration.Fig. 6C shows the situation after the passing of this first thread of the screw thread 25.On the right side of the sectional view in Fig. 6C, it is clearly possible to see that thelower thread turn of the screw thread 25 of the cutting element 8 rests on the twoupper thread turns of the internal thread 7.The application of axial force to the assembly aids M1 and M2 repeatedly results in thedeformation of the cutting element 8 in the lower area inwards already described forFig. 6B. A snapshot of this type of the deformation situation is shown in Fig. 6D,wherein in the left part the two lower threads of the screw thread 25 pass the twoupper threads of the internal thread 7 and a corresponding representation of thelowest thread of the screw thread 25 along the upper thread of the internal thread 7 ofthe main body is shown on the right side.The illustration in Fig. 6E corresponds to the one from Fig. 6C, wherein the cuttingelement 8 is in turn located one thread turn deeper in the internal thread 7 of themain body 3. This process is repeated until the cutting element 8 has reached its finalposition inside the spout 5 of the main body 3, as shown in Fig. 6F. One clearlyrecognises that in the lower region the cutting teeth 23 come to lie near the closurepart 19 or the cone-ring-shaped intermediate region 22. This completes the assemblyprocess of cutting element 8 and main body 3.TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024As the last step of assembling the pouring element 1 according to the invention, thescrew cap 2 is first aligned rotationally on the unit consisting of the main body 3 andcutting element 8 and then placed near the closure part so that the force transmissionelements 15 of the cover element are arranged next to the force acceptance elements24.In Fig. 7A, the position of the screw cap 2 is shown with reference to the main body 3and the opening means inserted therein, in the opening means designed as a cuttingelement 8 in the represented and in this respect preferred embodiment at the start ofthe assembly of the screw cap 2. The internal thread 16 of the cover element 12 is stillarranged above the main body 3 and cutting element 8. One can also see, on the leftside of Fig. 7A, that the stop element 18 of the strap 14 already passes the uppermostthread turn of the external thread 6 of the spout 5. The inner diameter of thecircumferential retaining web 17 of the anchor ring 13 is slightly smaller than theouter diameter of the circumferential web 10A. However, a brief deformation of bothelements is possible due to the plastic material used, wherein the circumferentialretaining web 17 is widened. However, this expansion does not occur evenly over thecircumference of the retaining web 17 due to the recesses present in the web 10A.Finally, Fig. 7B shows the pouring element 1 according to the invention in its fullyassembled position. Between the screw cap 2 and the outer side of the spout 5 there isa first thread pair 6 and 16, which enables screw cap 2 to be screwed on andtightened. The hollow cylindrical cutting element 8 with its cutting teeth 23 isarranged inside the main body 3, which, when the pouring element 1 and thus thecomposite package P is opened for the first time, separates the closure part 19 bydestroying a partial section of the weakening zone 21. The vertical axis VA (not shownhere) is defined by the concentrically arranged hollow cylindrical elements of thespout 5 and the cutting element 8.The cutting element 8 rotates about the vertical axis VA during the opening processand moves along this axis. This movement is defined by a second pair of threads 7 andTH / ha 220199WO06 March 202425, which is located between the inner side of the spout 5 and the cutting element 8and ensures a positive guide of the cutting element 8 during its rotation. In thismovement, the cutting element 8 is driven by at least one force acceptance element 24(shown in section), which interacts with at least one corresponding forcetransmission element 15 of the screw cap 2.TH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024 List of reference numerals1 pouring element2 Screw cap3 Main body4 Flange5 Spout6 External thread7 Internal thread8 Cutting element9 Vertical guide rib10A Circumferential web10B Web11 Locking element12 Cover element13 Anchor ring14 Strap (tamper-proof seal)15 Force transmission element16 Internal thread17 Retaining web18 Stop element19 Closure part20 Central region21 Annular weakening zone22 Conical annular intermediate section23 Cutting tooth24 Force acceptance element25 Screw threadF Flexible areaM1 Assembly aidTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024M2 Assembly aidS SlotT TetherVA Vertical axisTH / ha 220199WO06 March 2024

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 15 July 2024 (15.07.2024)1. Pouring element (1) for a composite package with a main body (3), having a flange (4) and a hollow cylindrical spout (5), a hollow cylindrical cutting element (8) guided in a movable manner in the spout (5), with at least one cutting tooth (23) for opening the composite package and a reclosable screw cap (2), which, when the composite package is initially opened , serves to drive the cutting element (8), wherein the main body (3), the spout (5), the cutting element (8) and the screw cap (2) are arranged concentrically about a vertical axis (VA), characterised in that seen along the vertical axis (VA), the cutting element (8) has two assembly aids (Ml, M2) on the side opposite the at least one cutting tooth (23) of the hollow cylindrical cutting element (8), which are opposite one another and, viewed along the vertical axis (VA), represent the outermost regions of the cutting element (8), wherein the cutting element (8) is designed in a flexible manner between the two assembly aids (Ml, M2) and thus forms flexible areas (F).

2. Pouring element according to claim 1, characterised in that the outer radius of the hollow cylinder of the cutting element (8) is at least 50% of the total height of the cutting element (8) measured along the vertical axis.

3. Pouring element according to claim 2, characterised in that the outer radius of the hollow cylinder of the cutting element (8) is at least 70%, in particular at least 85%, of the total height of the cutting element (8) measured along the vertical axis.AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)4. Pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that measured along the vertical axis, the height of the flexible areas (F) is a maximum of 55%, in particular a maximum of 45%, of the total height of the cutting element (8).

5. Pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that measured along the vertical axis, the height of the assembly aids (Ml, M2) is between 5 and 15% of the total height of the cutting element (8).

6. Pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the inner radius and outer radius of the hollow cylinder of the cutting element (8) differ by a maximum of 1.3-2.0 mm, preferably 1.6-1.9 mm.

7. Pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the at least one cutting tooth (23) is provided exclusively in the region of the assembly aids (Ml, M2), viewed in the circumferential direction.

8. Pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that at least one assembly aid (Ml or M2) is designed as a grouping of at least two individual assembly aid parts.

9. Pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the outer hollow cylinder wall of the cutting element (8) has a screw thread (25), which serves as a movable guide in the spout (5).AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)10. Pouring element according to claim 9, characterised in that the screw thread (25) has fewer overlapping thread turns in the entire flexible regions (F) than the maximum number of overlapping thread turns of the internal thread (7) executed on the cutting element (8).

11. Pouring element according to either claim 9 or claim 10, characterised in that the screw thread (25) in the flexible regions (F) is designed at least partially with thinner and / or less high threads.

12. Pouring element according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterised in that the inner hollow cylinder wall of the spout (5) has an internal thread (7) that serves to accommodate a cutting element (8), wherein the thread turns of the internal thread (7) are designed to be less high towards a pouring side in angular sections in which the assembly aids (Ml, M2) are arranged.

13. Pouring element according to claim 12, characterised in that the height of the thread turns in the outermost third of the hollow cylindrical spout (5), viewed along the vertical axis, decreases steadily towards the pouring side, at least in sections in the angular sections in which the assembly aids (Ml, M2) are arranged.

14. Pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the entire cutting element (8), including the flexible regions (F), is manufactured from polyolefin.AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)5. Package, in particular cardboard / polymer composite package, characterised in that it is provided with a pouring element according to any one of claims 1 to 14.AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

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