Resealable spout element for cardboard / plastic composite packages having tamper-evident seals that indicate initial opening - Patent Application 20070122999

Abstract

A resealable spout element for cardboard / plastic composite packaging, particularly beverage packages, is shown and described, having a peripheral fastening flange (1) and a base element (8) having external threads, with opening means disposed inside the base element (8) at least in an unopened state of the spout element, and a screw cap (2) having internal threads, the opening means designed to create a pour opening inside the spout element when the composite package is opened for the first time by loosening the screw cap (2) and thereby destroying the composite material or barrier layer of the package located on the base element, and at least one tamper-evident seal disposed between the base element (8) and the screw cap (2). In order to reduce the assembly effort of such a resealable spout element, it is provided that an anchor ring (3) is arranged below the screw cap (2) and is non-rotatably connected to the screw cap via a hinge (9), and that the tamper-evident seal consists of an indicator element (4), one end of which is fixedly connected to the anchor ring (3) or the screw cap (2) and the other end of which is connected to the anchor ring (3) by the predetermined breaking point (5), so that when the screw cap (2) is loosened, a predetermined breaking point (5) is broken from at least one mandrel element (6) arranged on the fastening flange (1), thus indicating to the consumer that the first opening has already taken place.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a resealable spout element for cardboard / plastic composite packaging, particularly beverage packaging. , solid a base element having a mounting flange and an external thread, and having opening means disposed inside the base element at least in an unopened state of the spout element; and a screw cap having an internal thread, the opening means designed to create a pouring opening inside the spout element when the composite package is opened for the first time by loosening the screw cap and destroying a composite material or barrier layer of the package located on the base element, and at least one tamper-evident seal disposed between the base element and the screw cap. [Background technology]

[0002] A typical spout element is known from the applicant's patent application DE 10 02 04 199 A1. To assemble the spout element, the screw cap is moved over a cutting element protruding from the spout element and pressed (squeezed) onto the base element together with it. As a tamper-evident seal, a plate is molded onto the screw cap and connected to it via a connecting bridge. For connection to the base element, the plate has pins on its underside that engage in corresponding recesses in the flange of the base element and are crimped from below after assembly.

[0003] Therefore, in order to implement a tamper-evident seal, such known spout elements require, on the one hand, a relatively large space for receiving the plate on the fastening flange, and, on the other hand, a crimping operation to be able to establish a snap-fit ​​or material bond connection between the plate and the fastening flange.

[0004] Furthermore, a self-opening, resealable plastic spout element for use in a liquid package is already known from US Pat. No. 5,629,999, in which a screw cap is secured to a base element of the spout element via a securing flange, which also serves as a tamper-evident seal and is broken when the screw cap is opened for the first time.

[0005] Pour spout elements are also known which have a plate or flap inside the base element which acts as a barrier layer and is pushed aside by the screw cap and removed or folded inside the package to allow a pour opening when the composite package is opened for the first time (Patent Document 3).

[0006] Furthermore, spout elements are known in which an indicator element is arranged directly in the lower area of ​​the screw cap to indicate that the first opening has already taken place (US Pat. No. 4,629,499). It is also known from US Pat. No. 5,629,499, in which a ring produced integrally with the screw cap is used as a tamper-evident seal, which ring is cut off when the screw cap is opened for the first time and remains as an indicator element on the base of the base element.

[0007] Based on this, it is now an object of the present invention to design and further develop a reclosable spout element of the type mentioned at the outset, which requires reduced assembly effort. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] German Patent No. 10 2006 016 113(B3) [Patent Document 2] German Patent Application Publication No. 10 2007 057 863(A1) [Patent Document 3] European Patent German Translation No. 600 24 772(T2) [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2008 / 002249(A1) [Patent Document 5] U.S. Patent No. 5,482,176(A) Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to independent claim 1, the object is achieved in that the anchor ring is arranged below the screw cap and is non-rotatably connected to the screw cap via a hinge, and the tamper-evident seal consists of an indicator element, one end of which is fixedly connected to the anchor ring and the other end of which is connected to the anchor ring or to the screw cap by the predetermined breaking point, such that when the screw cap is loosened a predetermined breaking point is broken from at least one mandrel element arranged on the fastening flange, thus indicating to the consumer that the initial opening has already taken place.

[0010] The present invention recognizes that a fixed connection between the tamper-evident seal and the securing flange is not necessarily required, as the inventive mechanism of elements required for the tamper-evident seal will ensure that the function of the tamper-evident seal is fulfilled even if the indicator element is not connected to the securing flange or the mandrel element disposed thereon by a positive lock or material bond.

[0011] A further teaching of the present invention provides that the anchor ring is freely rotatable radially around the base element and is connected to the base element in an axially tensile-resistant manner. This configuration of the present invention ensures that even after the initial opening of the screw cap in a screwed-on state, the screw cap remains connected to the anchor ring arranged on the base element in a tensile-resistant manner via a suitable element, such as a hinge. This reliably prevents loose plastic parts from forming even when the package is open. The spout element according to the present invention can rotate freely when the screw cap is in an unfolded, open state. However, a certain frictional resistance acting in the circumferential direction is desirable to allow the open screw cap to rotate in a certain direction during pouring so that the pouring flow is not interrupted.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the anchor ring has at least one cam on its upper side, which is arranged in the region of the indicator element, has an inclined surface and engages in a corresponding recess in the lower edge of the screw cap. Due to the cam surface extending obliquely in the circumferential direction, the anchor ring is pressed towards the fastening flange when first opened, thereby ensuring that a predetermined breaking point existing between the anchor ring and the screw cap is broken.

[0013] A further teaching of the invention provides that the predetermined breaking point of the indicator element is arranged in the screw-on direction of the screw cap before the fixed connection with the anchor ring, which is advantageous if the dimensions and arrangement of the indicator element are adapted to the mandrel element in order to ensure that breaking of the predetermined breaking point is associated with the screw-on.

[0014] However, it is also possible to arrange the predetermined breaking point of the indicator element behind the fixed connection with the anchor ring in the screw-in direction of the screw cap. Another alternative is for the indicator element to be designed as a radially protruding loop, with the predetermined breaking point of the indicator element being arranged at the fixed connection with the anchor ring. In such an arrangement, the loop of the indicator element advantageously surrounds the mandrel element on the fastening flange before the spout element is opened for the first time.

[0015] According to another preferred teaching of the present invention, a membrane is provided as the predetermined breaking point of the indicator element, in such a configuration that the membrane is completely or largely broken so that the indicator element directly indicates to the consumer the initial opening of such a spout element.

[0016] According to a further feature of the invention, the mandrel element is arranged radially outside the anchor ring on the fastening flange. For this purpose, an internal bead can be designed on the anchor ring in the circumferential direction. This design increases the stability of the entire structure, the stability of the anchor ring, and also increases the tensile strength. However, if a higher assembly height is not an issue, it is also possible to arrange the mandrel element below the anchor ring on the fastening flange instead.

[0017] In particular, in the case of a spout element which is provided with a cutting element as opening means, the cutting element cuts the packaging material very abruptly during initial opening, so in a further configuration of the invention it is particularly advantageous if the indicator element and the mandrel element are aligned with each other in the unopened position in such a way that when the screw cap is screwed on, a predetermined breaking point is already broken from the mandrel element at a rotation angle of 3° to 10°, preferably at a rotation angle of 5° to 7°.

[0018] A different configuration of the present invention provides that a predetermined breaking point breaks when the screw cap is screwed on with a torque greater than 0.2 Nm.

[0019] In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the predetermined breaking point is broken when the screw cap is screwed on before the composite packaging is actually opened for the first time or before the inner barrier layer of the base element is destroyed, which means that even minimal manipulation of the screw cap can be reliably indicated.

[0020] A further teaching of the present invention provides that the lower cutout between the anchor ring and the screw cap is higher than the upper end of the support element, the cutout being the gap between the two elements below the hinge between the anchor ring and the screw cap.

[0021] A further preferred configuration of the invention provides that the indicator element is arranged on the opposite side of the hinge with respect to the periphery of the screw cap, which configuration reliably ensures that the functions of the indicator element and the hinge do not interfere with each other.

[0022] Finally, the spout element according to the invention, with its special configuration of the tamper-evident seal, can also be used as a transport protection.

[0023] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the following drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spout element according to the present invention in an assembled state (without the cardboard / plastic composite packaging). [Figure 2] 2 is the spout element of FIG. 1 at the start of the screw-on process of the screw cap. [Figure 3] 2 is another perspective view of the spout element of FIG. 1 with the screw cap further screwed on. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Figure 1 shows the (hidden) base element SolidThe mounting flange 1 and the screw cap 2 are clearly shown, the screw cap 2 being used for the initial opening and for resealing the package (not shown) after the initial opening. An anchor ring 3 is arranged below the screw cap 2 and is non-rotatably connected to it in order to reliably prevent the screw cap 2 from being removed from the spout element or the beverage package comprising it. To this end, the screw cap 2 and the anchor ring 3 are hingedly connected to each other.

[0026] According to the invention, an indicator element 4 is used as a tamper-evident seal, one end of which is fixedly connected to the anchor ring 3 and the other end of which is connected to the anchor ring 3 by a predetermined breaking point 5, in such a way that when the screw cap 2 is screwed on, the predetermined breaking point 5 is broken by a mandrel element 6 arranged on the fastening flange 1. In the unopened assembled position according to Figure 1, a certain distance can be seen between the predetermined breaking point 5 and the mandrel element 6.

[0027] 2 now shows the spout element of FIG. 1 after a slight rotation during the screwing process, where the predetermined breaking point 5 (no longer visible in the figure) has already struck the mandrel element 6. It is clear that further screwing of the screw cap 2 causes the mandrel element 6 to break off the predetermined breaking point 5 and thus detach the front end of the support element 4 from the anchor ring 3.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, when screwed further, the screw cap 2 together with the anchor ring 3 rises gently according to the pitch of the external thread (not shown) on the base element 8 or of the corresponding internal thread of the screw cap 2. The strip-like support element 4 is only integrally connected to the anchor ring 3 at its fixed connection.

[0029] In the depiction according to Fig. 3, in addition to the elements already mentioned, one can also see a type of hinge connection between the screw cap 2 and the anchor ring 3, which in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is preferred in this respect and is designed as a hinge 9. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the hinge 9 has a reinforcing element 9A or 9B on each side. Such a design ensures a secure connection between the screw cap 2 and the anchor ring 3, such that tearing of the screw cap 2 from the anchor ring 3 is reliably prevented.

[0030] Finally, FIG. 3 also shows that the indicator element 4 is arranged on the opposite side of the hinge 9 with respect to the periphery of the screw cap 2 .

[0031] The arrangement according to the invention allows for simpler assembly of the resealable spout element, in which the indicator element 4, which acts as a tamper-evident seal, does not need to be connected to the fastening flange 1 by a positive lock or material bond.

Claims

1. A resealable spout element for a cardboard / plastic composite package, the spout element having a fastening flange (1) and a base element (8) with an external thread, and having opening means arranged inside the base element (8) at least in an unopened state of the spout element, and a screw cap (2) with an internal thread, the opening means being designed to create a pour opening inside the spout element when the cardboard / plastic composite package is opened for the first time by unscrewing the screw cap (2) and thereby destroying a composite material or barrier layer of the cardboard / plastic composite package located on the base element, and at least one tamper-evident seal being arranged between the base element (8) and the screw cap (2), an anchor ring (3) is arranged below the screw cap (2) and is non-rotatably connected to the screw cap via a hinge (9); and the tamper-evident seal consists of an indicator element (4), one end of which is fixedly connected to the anchor ring (3) or the screw cap (2) and the other end of which is connected to the anchor ring (3) by the predetermined breaking point (5) so that, when the screw cap (2) is loosened, a predetermined breaking point (5) is broken from at least one mandrel element (6) arranged on the fastening flange (1), thus indicating to the consumer that the first opening has already taken place.

2. 2. The spout element according to claim 1, characterized in that the indicator element (4) and the mandrel element (6) are aligned with each other in the unopened position so that the predetermined breaking point (5) breaks from the mandrel element (6) after a rotation angle of 3° to 10° when the screw cap (2) is unscrewed.

3. 3. The spout element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the predetermined breaking point (5) breaks when the screw cap (2) is unscrewed before the composite packaging is opened for the first time or before the barrier layer is destroyed.

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