Closure device and packaging comprising a closure device of this type

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure device (1) for attaching to a packaging container (2), the packaging container (2) being closable by the attached closure device (1) such that it can be reclosed but cannot be opened by children. The invention is characterized in that the closure device (1) is made in a proportion of at least 70% of a paper-based material and comprises a tab receptacle (4) delimiting a receiving space (6),and an insertion tab (5) having a hook element (7), wherein: the insertion tab (5), in order to close the closure device (1), can be inserted in the receiving space (6) of the tab receptacle (4); in the receiving space (6) an edge (9) is provided with which a free end (8) of the hook element (7) of the insertion tab (5) lockingly engages when the insertion tab (5) is inserted in the receiving space (6) so that it is possible to withdraw the insertion tab (5) from the receiving space (6), in order to open the closure device (1), only when simultaneously pressure is applied to the hook element (7) in order to release locking; for this purpose, an opening (21) is formed in a wall of the tab receptacle (4) near the edge (9), through which opening pressure can be applied to the hook element (7), which is inserted in the receiving space (6), in such a way that the free end (8) of the hook element (7) is released from locking. The invention also relates to a packaging (100) comprising a packaging container (2) having a removal opening (3) and a closure device (1) of the above type.

Description

[0001] “Closing device and packaging with such a closing device”

[0002] The invention relates to a closure device for attachment to a packaging container, wherein the packaging container can be closed in a child-resistant and resealable manner by means of the attached closure device, as well as to a packaging with such a closure device.

[0003] Legal requirements stipulate that the packaging of certain household chemicals must be equipped with child-resistant closures. This includes, for example, the outer packaging of detergents and cleaning products, especially if they are offered as single-serve packs in the form of pouches, pods, discs, or caps.

[0004] Various types of child-resistant closures are already known for plastic packaging. Opening these closures often requires a combination of multiple movements, such as a simultaneous push and turn movement, or a sequence of several consecutive opening steps. Such complex movement patterns are generally not possible for children in the age groups requiring special protection. At the same time, an adult can usually open such a closure without much difficulty.

[0005] Increased environmental and sustainability awareness is leading to the proportion of plastic in packaging being increasingly reduced and replaced with biodegradable and / or more easily recyclable materials, such as paper-based materials. Consumers consider paper-based materials, in particular, to be more sustainable than plastics, so the highest possible proportion of such materials is desirable. At the same time, packaging made from paper-based materials must also meet child safety requirements. Therefore, various approaches already exist to combine the goals of sustainability and child safety in the area of ​​packaging.

[0006] For example, DE 10 2019 132 879 A1 discloses a bag-shaped paper packaging with a child-resistant closure designed as a zipper. While the bag of this packaging is preferably made entirely of paper-based material, a disadvantage is that the closure is made entirely, or at least largely, of plastic. This makes it difficult to separate the emptied packaging and recycle it. To do this, the closure would first have to be separated from the rest of the packaging. This appears to be in need of improvement.

[0007] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) The present invention therefore aims to provide a durable closure device for a package, which closure device meets the requirements for child safety and can simultaneously be easily opened by an adult. A further object of the invention is to provide a package equipped with such a closure device.

[0008] These objects are achieved by a closure device having the features of patent claim 1 and by a package having such a closure device having the features of patent claim 9.

[0009] Specific embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0010] According to claim 1, the invention relates to a closure device for attachment to a packaging container, wherein the packaging container can be closed in a child-resistant and resealable manner by means of the attached closure device. The closure device is characterized in that it is made of at least 70% paper-based material and comprises a tab receptacle defining a receiving space and an insert tab comprising a hook element. The insert tab can be inserted into the receiving space of the tab receptacle to close the closure device, and an edge is arranged in the receiving space against which a free end of the hook element of the insert tab comes to rest in a locking manner when the insert tab is inserted into the receiving space.so that pulling the insertion tab out of the receiving space to open the closure device is only possible by simultaneous pressure on the hook element to release the locking device, wherein for this purpose an opening is formed in a wall of the tab receptacle adjacent to the edge, through which the hook element inserted into the receiving space can be subjected to pressure in such a way that the free end of the hook element is released from the locking device.

[0011] The invention thus provides that, for the child-resistant closure of a packaging container, a closure device can be attached to the packaging container, which closure device is made of at least 70% paper-based material. If the packaging container itself is also made of paper-based material, the combination of packaging container and closure device can be easily recycled without the closure device having to be separated from the packaging container beforehand. The closure device according to the invention comprises a tab receptacle delimiting a receiving space and an insertion tab comprising a hook element, wherein the insertion tab can be inserted into the receiving space of the tab receptacle to close the closure device.

[0012] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) a free end of the hook element of the tuck-in tab comes into contact with the edge arranged in the receiving space in such a way that the tuck-in tab cannot easily be pulled out of the tab receptacle again. In order to open the closure device, it is necessary that pressure is exerted on the hook element at the same time, by means of which pressure the free end of the hook element is released from the locking device so that the tuck-in tab can be pulled out of the tab receptacle. According to the invention, for this purpose an opening is formed in a wall of the tab receptacle adjacent to the edge, through which opening the hook element inserted into the receiving space can be directly subjected to pressure so that the free end of the hook element is released from the locking device.

[0013] Here, too, opening the closure device requires a combination of two movements: pressing the hook element through the opening formed in the wall of the tab holder and simultaneously pulling the tuck-in tab out of the tab holder. The direction in which the pressure is applied to the hook element and the direction in which the tuck-in tab is pulled out of the tab holder are essentially orthogonal to each other. Such a complex movement pattern, which generally requires both hands, is generally impossible for small children to perform, although it can be accomplished by an adult without major difficulty.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the opening is formed in a front wall section of the tab receptacle, and the edge in the receiving space is also arranged in the region of the front wall section of the tab receptacle. Alternatively, the opening is formed in a rear wall section of the tab receptacle, and the edge in the receiving space is also arranged in the region of the rear wall section of the tab receptacle.

[0015] A "front wall section" is understood to mean a section of the wall of the tab holder that, when a closure device is attached to a packaging container, faces away from the packaging container and toward a consumer. Similarly, a "rear wall section" is understood to mean a section of the wall of the tab holder that, when a closure device is attached to a packaging container, faces the packaging container and away from a consumer.

[0016] A difference between the two previously described designs is that the opening in the wall of the tab holder, if it is formed in a front wall section of the tab holder, is immediately visible to a consumer, whereas if it is formed in a rear wall section of the tab holder,

[0017] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) is not immediately visible to a consumer. In light of the child-resistant nature of the closure device, the latter alternative may be particularly advantageous, as it visually conceals an essential element of the opening mechanism.

[0018] In both cases, a consumer can exert direct pressure on the hook element formed on the insertion tab through the opening in the wall, causing the free end of the hook element to move away from the edge within the receiving space and thus release it from the locking mechanism. The closure device can be opened by simultaneously pulling the insertion tab out of the receiving space.

[0019] In principle, the tab holder and the insert tab can be designed as two separate elements that can be attached individually to the packaging container, for example by gluing and / or sealing and / or welding.

[0020] However, according to the invention it can also be provided that the closure device is formed by folding and gluing from a coherent two-dimensional material blank, wherein the two-dimensional material blank comprises a first partial section for forming the tab receptacle and a second partial section for forming the tuck-in tab. In this embodiment of the invention, the tab receptacle and the tuck-in tab are therefore not formed as independent individual parts, but can both be formed by folding and gluing from a coherent material blank. For this purpose, the material blank can have fold lines along which the material section can be folded, wherein the tab receptacle is formed by additionally gluing individual regions of the folded material section.In particular, the material blank includes a section that serves to attach the closure device to a packaging container. When the closure device is attached, for example, glued, to a packaging container, the insert tab can be inserted into the tab receptacle in such a way that the closure device, and thus the packaging container, is child-resistant.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the first section of the two-dimensional material blank comprises a tab for forming the edge within the receiving space. In other words, the edge serving to lock the hook element in the closed position of the closure device can also be formed directly by folding the material blank. A tab provided for this purpose on the first section of the material blank is folded into the receiving space of the tab receptacle and glued there to the wall of the tab receptacle. The edge is formed by a free end of the tab.

[0022] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Additionally, it may be provided that the first section of the material blank comprises at least one tab for forming a spacer element. By repeatedly folding this tab, turning it into the receiving space, and partially gluing it to the wall of the tab receptacle, a spacer element can be formed, by means of which a front wall section and a rear wall section of the tab receptacle can be held at a substantially fixed distance from one another. In particular, multiple tabs can be provided to form multiple spacer elements. The at least one spacer element thus serves to stabilize the receiving space.

[0023] One embodiment provides that the second section comprises a tab that serves to form the hook element of the insertion tab. In this way, the hook element can also be formed by folding the corresponding tab.

[0024] The invention can be designed such that the closure device is made of at least 80%, preferably at least 95%, and more preferably 100% paper-based material. In other words, the closure device can be made entirely, or at least to a very large extent, from a paper-based material.

[0025] According to claim 9, the invention also relates to a packaging with a packaging container having a removal opening and a closure device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the closure device is attached to the packaging container in such a way that the removal opening can be closed in a child-proof manner by closing the closure device.

[0026] The closure device can be attached to the packaging container by gluing and / or sealing and / or welding.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the opening is formed in a front wall section of the tab receptacle facing away from the packaging container, such that it is immediately visible to a consumer, wherein, correspondingly, the edge in the receiving space is also arranged in the region of the front wall section of the tab receptacle. In this case, to open the closure device, a consumer can exert pressure from the front of the tab receptacle facing them through the visible opening on the hook element, which is also visible through the opening, so that the hook element is released from the locking mechanism on the edge located within the receiving space and the insert tab can be pulled out of the tab receptacle.

[0028] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) According to an alternative embodiment, the opening is formed in a rear wall section of the tab receptacle facing the packaging container in such a way that it is not directly visible to a consumer, wherein, correspondingly, the edge in the receptacle space is also arranged in the region of the rear wall section of the tab receptacle. In this case, to open the closure device, a consumer must reach into a space between the tab receptacle and the packaging container and, through the opening formed there in the rear wall of the tab receptacle and not directly visible to the consumer, exert pressure on the hook element located in the tab receptacle, so that the hook element is released from the locking device on the edge lying within the receptacle space and the tuck-in tab can be pulled out of the tab receptacle.It is an advantage of the latter alternative that the opening in the wall of the tab holder, as an essential element of the opening mechanism, is not immediately visible, so that it is generally even more difficult for a child to gain access to the contents of the packaging container.

[0029] In the embodiments described here, the closure device comprises a hook element and an opening in the wall of the tab receptacle. In principle, it is also possible for the closure device to have several, for example two, hook elements and correspondingly two spaced-apart openings in the wall of the tab receptacle, so that to open the closure device by external pressure, both hook elements must be simultaneously released from their locking position on the edge before the insertion tab can be pulled out of the tab receptacle. Due to the precise action required with both hands, the child safety of such a closure device is generally even higher.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the packaging container can be designed as a stand-up pouch and made of a paper-based material. Alternatively, the packaging container can also be designed, for example, as a cuboid-shaped package made of a paper-based material. The packaging container can be used to hold goods that require child-proof storage, for example, household chemicals such as detergents and cleaning agents, especially detergents and cleaning agents presented in portion packs.

[0031] According to the invention, the entire packaging, comprising a packaging container and a closure device, can be made essentially entirely from a paper-based material and is thus particularly easy and efficient to recycle.

[0032] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the accompanying figures. They show:

[0033] Figure 1: a first material blank for forming a first embodiment of the closure device according to the invention;

[0034] Figure 2: a packaging with a formed from the material blank of Figure 1

[0035] Locking device in the open position;

[0036] Figure 3: the packaging of Figure 2, with the packaging completely closed;

[0037] Figure 4: a section through the closed closure device from Figure 3 in a detailed view;

[0038] Figure 5: an enlarged section of Figure 4;

[0039] Figure 6: a second material blank for forming a second embodiment of the closure device according to the invention;

[0040] Figure 7: a packaging with a formed from the material blank of Figure 6

[0041] Locking device in the open position;

[0042] Figure 8: the packaging of Figure 7, with the packaging completely closed;

[0043] Figure 9: a section through the closed closure device from Figure 8 in a detailed view;

[0044] Figure 10: an enlarged section of Figure 9.

[0045] Figure 1 shows a two-dimensional material blank, designated as a whole by 10, for forming a closure device 1. The closure device 1, which can be formed from the material blank 10, is part of a packaging 100 shown in Figures 2 and 3, comprising a packaging container 2 and the closure device 1 attached to the packaging container 2. The packaging container 2 is designed as a stand-up pouch with a removal opening 3 and serves, for example, to hold portion packs of a washing or cleaning agent. Both the packaging container 2 and the closure device 1 are made of a paper-based material.

[0046] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Before describing the material blank 10 and the manner in which the closure device 1 is formed from the material blank 10, the operation of the closure device 1 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 2 to 5.

[0047] The closure device 1 enables child-resistant closing of the packaging container 2. For this purpose, the closure device 1 comprises a tab receptacle 4 and an insert tab 5. The tab receptacle 4 delimits a substantially cuboid-shaped, upwardly open receiving space 6, into which the insert tab 5 can be inserted from above to close the closure device 1. For this purpose, the insert tab 5 is folded forward over the removal opening 3 of the packaging container 2 and inserted into the receiving space 6 of the tab receptacle 4. A hook element 7 is formed on the insert tab 5, the free end 8 of which comes into locking contact with an edge 9 arranged in the receiving space 6 and not visible in the illustration in Figures 2 and 3 when the insert tab 5 is inserted into the receiving space 6. This will be explained in more detail later with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

[0048] As soon as the free end 8 of the hook element 7 has come into locking contact with the edge 9, it is no longer possible to easily pull the insertion tab 5 out of the receiving space 6 of the tab receptacle 4, so that the packaging container 2 is securely closed, as shown in Figure 3. To open the closure device 1, pressure must be applied to the hook element 7 from the outside in order to release it from the locking position on the edge 9. For this purpose, an opening 21 is formed in a front wall section 20 of the tab receptacle 4, through which opening the hook element 7 inserted into the receiving space 4 can be subjected to pressure by a user with their finger in such a way that the free end 8 of the hook element 7 is released from the locking position and, at the same time, the insertion tab 5 can be pulled out of the tab receptacle 4 again to open the closure device 1.In the embodiment of Figure 1, the opening 21 is arranged exclusively in the front wall section 20. In principle, it is also possible for the opening 21 to extend beyond the fold line designated 18 into the rear wall section 22. However, the essential feature of the embodiment according to Figures 1 to 5 is that at least part of the opening 21 is located in the region of the front wall section.

[0049] 20, so that this opening 21, as can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, is immediately visible to a consumer.

[0050] Figure 3 shows the packaging 100 in the closed state, in which the insertion flap 5 is inserted into the receiving space 6 of the flap holder 4. Through the opening

[0051] 21 in the front wall section 20 of the wall of the tab holder 4 through the hook element 7 inserted into the receiving space 6. By pressure from the outside and through the opening 21 on the hook element 7, this can be released from the locking on

[0052] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) the edge 9 arranged in the receiving space 6 can be released and by simultaneously pulling the insertion tab 5 upwards, the latter can be pulled out of the tab receptacle 4 to open the closure device 1.

[0053] Figure 4 shows a representation of a part of the packaging 100 in section along the section line AA in Figure 3. Shown are the front and rear walls of the packaging container 2 as well as the tab receptacle 4 arranged in the region of the front wall of the packaging container 2. The tab receptacle 4 in turn comprises a front wall section 20 and a rear wall section 22 resting directly on the packaging container 2. The receiving space 6 is formed between the wall sections 20 and 22. An edge 9 is arranged in the receiving space 6, which is more clearly visible from the enlarged detailed view in Figure 5. The edge 9 is formed here by the free end of a tab 23 bent inwards into the receiving space 6. When the insertion tab 5 is inserted into the receiving space 6, the free end 8 of the hook element 7 comes to rest on the edge 9 in a locking manner, see Figure 5.This has the consequence that the insertion tab 5 cannot be easily pulled out of the receiving space 6 in a direction according to arrow S. Instead, to open the closure device 10, it is necessary to release the hook element 7 from the locking device on the edge 9 by applying pressure from the outside in the direction of arrow P and through the opening 21 in the wall of the tab receptacle 4 and at the same time to pull the then released insertion tab 5 upwards in the direction of arrow S out of the tab receptacle 4.

[0054] Such a complex movement pattern is generally not possible for small children, so that the packaging container 2 can be closed in a child-proof manner by the closure device 10.

[0055] The engagement of the hook element 7 in the region of the edge 9 when inserting the insertion tab 5 into the receiving space 6 is particularly also acoustically perceptible, so that a user has certainty that the packaging 100 is properly closed.

[0056] The closure device 1 shown in Figures 2 to 5 was formed by folding and gluing the two-dimensional material blank 10 shown in Figure 1. The material blank 10 is made of cardboard and comprises a first section 11 for forming the tab receptacle 4 and a second section 12 for forming the insert tab 5.

[0057] Both the section 11 and the section 12 comprise several fold lines, which are shown as dashed lines in Figure 1. To form the flap holder 4, a flap 23 is first pushed forward along the corresponding fold line onto the

[0058] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) front wall section 20 and glued to it. In this way, the edge 9 comes to lie adjacent to the opening 21. Then, two flaps 13 and 14 are folded several times along the respective fold lines and folded forward onto the rear wall section 22 and partially glued to it. The flaps formed from the flaps 13 and

[0059] 14 formed elements later act as spacer elements between the front wall section 20 and the rear wall section 22.

[0060] Subsequently, side flaps 15 and 16 are folded forward along their fold lines and finally, the front wall section 20 is folded upwards along the fold lines 17 and 18 onto the rear wall section 22. The front wall section 20 and the rear wall section 22 are connected by means of the flaps

[0061] 15 and 16 are bonded together by gluing, so that the receiving space 6 is formed between the wall sections 20 and 22. The spacer elements formed by the two tabs 13 and 14 essentially keep the front wall section 20 and the rear wall section 22 of the tab receptacle 4 at a fixed distance from one another, thus stabilizing the receiving space 6.

[0062] The second subsection 12 is folded back along the fold lines 19 so that a packaging container 2 to be closed can be inserted between the folded subsection 12 and the tab receptacle 4 formed from the subsection 11. A connection between the packaging container 2 and the closure device 1 is then achieved by gluing a rear wall of the packaging container 2 to a region 30 of the second subsection 12 and by gluing a front wall of the packaging container 2 to regions of the rear wall section 22 of the tab receptacle 4; see also the sectional view in Figure 4.

[0063] In order to be able to insert the insertion tab 5 for closing the closure device 10 into the receiving space 6 of the tab receptacle 4, the second partial section 12 is folded along the fold lines 31 and 32, specifically forward in the view of Figure 2. Finally, along the fold line 33, the tab 24 encompassing the free end 8 of the partial section 12 is folded backward in the view of Figure 2 to form the hook element 7.

[0064] In this way, it is possible to form the closure device 1 entirely from a continuous two-dimensional material blank 10 by folding and gluing, which in turn is produced, for example, by punching out of a cardboard material. Such a closure device 10 can be easily attached to various packaging containers, for example, to a stand-up pouch made of paper. By slight modifications to the dimensions of the

[0065] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) However, a closure device can also be formed from the material blank 10, which can be attached, for example, to a cuboid-shaped cardboard packaging.

[0066] Figure 6 shows a second material blank 10 for forming a second embodiment of the closure device 10 according to the invention. Identical components are provided with the same reference numerals. The material blank 10 of Figure 6 differs from the material blank 10 of Figure 1 only in that the opening 21 is formed in the rear wall section 22 of the tab receptacle 4, and the tab 23, which serves to form the edge 9, also extends from the rear wall section 22.

[0067] The formation of a closure device 1 from the material blank 10 of Figure 6 by folding and gluing takes place analogously to the above-described formation of the closure device 1 from the material blank 10 of Figure 1. Only the tab 23 is here, due to its modified arrangement, not folded over onto the front wall section 20 but rather onto the rear wall section 22 and glued to this, so that the edge 9 here again comes to lie adjacent to the opening 21 which is also arranged in the rear wall section 22. In addition, the tab 24 of the partial section 12 is folded forwards rather than backwards along the fold line 33 to form the hook element 7, which can also be seen from Figure 7.

[0068] Figures 7 and 8 show a packaging 100 comprising a packaging container 2 and a closure device 1 made from the material blank 10 of Figure 6, in the open and closed states, respectively.

[0069] A key difference from the illustration in Figures 2 and 3 is that the opening 21 in the embodiment according to Figures 7 and 8 is not directly visible, as it is located in the rear wall section 22 of the tab receptacle 4 and is thus facing away from the viewer. To open the closure device 1 according to Figures 7 and 8, a user must reach with one or more fingers from a lower edge 34 of the tab receptacle 4 between the tab receptacle 4 and the front wall of the receptacle 2, where they can feel the opening 21 arranged in the rear wall section 22 of the tab receptacle 4. They can then exert pressure on the hook element 7 through the opening 21, so that the free end 8 of the hook element 7 is again released from the locking device on the edge 9 and the insertion tab 5 can then be pulled out of the tab receptacle 4.

[0070] Figures 9 and 10 show, in analogy to Figures 4 and 5, a sectional view and a detail of the sectional view in an enlarged view. These figures show that a user, in order to open the closure device 1, has to pull from the lower edge 34 of the

[0071] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Tab holder 4 must engage between the tab holder 4 and the front wall of the packaging container 2 in order to be able to move in the space between

[0072] Tab receptacle 4 and front wall of the packaging container 2 to be able to feel the opening 21 in the rear wall section 22 of the tab receptacle 4 and to exert pressure on the hook element 7 through this opening 21 in a direction indicated by the arrow P. As a result of this pressure, the free end 8 of the hook element 7 is released from its locking on the edge 9 and the insertion tab 5 can be pulled out of the tab receptacle 4 in a direction indicated by the arrow S.

[0073] It is an advantage of this embodiment that the opening 21 and thus an essential element of the opening mechanism is not immediately visible from the outside, so that it is generally even more difficult for a child to gain access to the contents of the packaging container 2.

[0074] In the two embodiments described here, the closure device 1 is each made from a continuous material blank 10. In principle, the tab receptacle 4 and the insertion tab 5 can also be formed independently of each other and individually attached to a packaging container 2.

[0075] INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) “Sealing device and packaging incorporating such a sealing device”

[0076] The invention relates to a closure device for attachment to a packaging container, wherein the packaging container can be closed in a child-resistant and resealable manner by means of the attached closure device, as well as to a packaging with such a closure device.

[0077] Legal requirements stipulate that the packaging of certain household chemicals must be equipped with child-resistant closures. This includes, for example, the outer packaging of detergents and cleaning products, especially if they are offered as single-serve packs in the form of pouches, pods, discs, or caps.

[0078] Various types of child-resistant closures are already known for plastic packaging. Opening these closures often requires a combination of multiple movements, such as a simultaneous push and turn movement, or a sequence of several consecutive opening steps. Such complex movement patterns are generally not possible for children in the age groups requiring special protection. At the same time, an adult can usually open such a closure without much difficulty.

[0079] Increased environmental and sustainability awareness is leading to the proportion of plastic in packaging being increasingly reduced and replaced with biodegradable and / or more easily recyclable materials, such as paper-based materials. Consumers consider paper-based materials, in particular, to be more sustainable than plastics, so the highest possible proportion of such materials is desirable. At the same time, packaging made from paper-based materials must also meet child safety requirements. Therefore, various approaches already exist to combine the goals of sustainability and child safety in the area of ​​packaging.

[0080] For example, DE 10 2019 132 879 A1 discloses a bag-shaped paper packaging with a child-resistant closure designed as a zipper. While the bag of this packaging is preferably made entirely of paper-based material, a disadvantage is that the closure is made entirely, or at least largely, of plastic. This makes it difficult to dispose of the emptied packaging separately and recycle it. This would require the closure to be separated from the rest of the packaging. This appears to be in need of improvement.

[0081] FALSELY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) The present invention therefore aims to provide a durable closure device for a package, which closure device meets the requirements for child safety and can simultaneously be easily opened by an adult. A further object of the invention is to provide a package equipped with such a closure device.

[0082] These objects are achieved by a closure device having the features of patent claim 1 and by a package having such a closure device having the features of patent claim 10.

[0083] Specific embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0084] According to claim 1, the invention is a closure device for attachment to a packaging container, wherein the packaging container can be closed in a child-resistant and resealable manner by means of the attached closure device.The closure device is characterized in that it is made of at least 70% paper-based material and comprises at least two tabs, wherein at least one slot is formed in a first tab and a second tab comprises at least one hook element with a locking lug, wherein the hook element can be guided from a rear side of the first tab through the slot to a front side of the first tab to close the closure device, and wherein the locking lug is designed such that when the hook element is guided through the slot on the front side of the first tab it comes to rest on an edge-side boundary of the slot such that a return of the hook element through the slot to open the closure device is only possible by a simultaneous displacement of the slot relative to the hook element.

[0085] In other words, the invention provides that for the child-resistant closure of a packaging container, a closure device can be attached to the packaging container which is made of at least 70% of a paper-based material.

[0086] If the packaging container itself is made of a paper-based material, the combination of packaging container and closure device can be easily recycled without the closure device having to be separated from the packaging container beforehand. The closure device according to the invention comprises at least two tabs in which at least one hook element and at least one corresponding slot are formed. The hook element can be guided through the slot to close the closure device, wherein the hook element guided through the slot hooks onto an edge-side boundary of the slot by means of a locking lug formed on the hook element in such a way that a return of the

[0087] WRONGLY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) The passage of the hook element through the slot to open the closure device is only possible by simultaneous displacement of the slot relative to the hook element.

[0088] Here, too, opening the locking device requires a combination of two movements: a movement to return the hook element and, at the same time, a movement to move the slot relative to the hook element. Therefore, both hands are required to open the locking device in this way. Such a complex movement pattern is generally impossible for small children to perform, but can be accomplished by an adult without major difficulty.

[0089] The at least two tabs can, in principle, be designed independently of one another and can be attached individually to the packaging container. For example, they can be attached to the packaging container by gluing and / or sealing and / or welding. At least one pair consisting of a slot and a corresponding hook element is used to close the closure device.

[0090] According to one embodiment of the invention, the closure device is formed by folding a continuous two-dimensional material blank, wherein the two-dimensional material blank comprises a central section for attachment to the packaging container and the at least two tabs extending from the central section. In this embodiment of the invention, the at least two tabs are thus not formed as independent individual parts, but rather form sections of a continuous material blank. For this purpose, the material blank can have fold lines along which the material section can be folded to form the central section and the individual tabs.When the central section is attached to a packaging container, the individual tabs can be made to overlap by folding them along the fold lines in such a way that the hook elements for closing the closure device and thus the packaging container can be passed through the corresponding slots.

[0091] One embodiment of the invention provides that the two-dimensional material blank comprises three tabs extending from the central section. The central section can be substantially rectangular, and a tab can extend from each of three sides of the rectangular central section. It can be provided that two slots are formed in one tab and a hook element is formed in each of the two further tabs. Alternatively, it can also be provided that two hook elements are formed in one of the tabs and a slot is formed in each of the two further tabs. In both of the above-mentioned

[0092] ERRONEOUSLY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) In some embodiments, two pairs of one slot and one hook element are used.

[0093] According to one embodiment of the invention, the at least one slot and the at least one hook element are aligned such that they extend in a vertical direction when the closure device is attached to a packaging container. Accordingly, to open the closure device designed in this way, a displacement of the slot relative to the hook element in a vertical direction is required. According to an alternative embodiment, the at least one slot and the at least one hook element are aligned such that they extend in a horizontal direction when the closure device is attached to a packaging container. With such an embodiment, to open the closure device, a displacement of the slot relative to the hook element in a horizontal direction is required.

[0094] According to the invention, it can be provided that the at least one slit is formed in a tab by punching out, and that the at least one hook element is formed in a further tab by cutting and subsequently folding out the cut-in area from a main plane of the tab. In other words, not only can the slit be formed directly in a tab by punching out, but the hook element can also be formed from the tab material by cutting the corresponding tab, for example, along an approximately semicircular cutting line and the cut-in area is subsequently folded out of the plane of the tab as a hook element. The specific cutting line is selected such that the locking lug is also formed on the hook element.

[0095] The invention can be designed such that the closure device is made of at least 80%, preferably at least 95%, and more preferably 100% paper-based material. In other words, the closure device can be made entirely, or at least to a very large extent, from a paper-based material.

[0096] According to claim 10, the invention also relates to a packaging with a packaging container having a removal opening and a closure device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the closure device is attached to the packaging container in such a way that the removal opening can be closed in a child-proof manner by closing the closure device.

[0097] The closure device can be attached to the packaging container by gluing and / or sealing and / or welding.

[0098] FALSELY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) According to one embodiment, the packaging container can be designed as a stand-up pouch and made of a paper-based material. Alternatively, the packaging container can also be designed, for example, as a cuboid-shaped package made of a paper-based material. The packaging container can be used to hold goods that require child-proof storage, for example, household chemicals such as detergents and cleaning agents, especially detergents and cleaning agents presented in portion packs.

[0099] According to the invention, the entire packaging, comprising a packaging container and a closure device, can be made essentially entirely from a paper-based material and is thus particularly easy and efficient to recycle.

[0100] The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the accompanying figures. They show:

[0101] Figure 1: a package with a closure device in the opened state;

[0102] Figure 2: the packaging of Figure 1, with the closure device partially closed;

[0103] Figure 3: the packaging from Figures 1 and 2, the packaging being completely closed;

[0104] Figure 4: a material cut for forming the closure device from the

[0105] Figures 1 to 3;

[0106] Figure 5: an alternative material cut to form a

[0107] locking device.

[0108] Figure 1 shows a package, designated as a whole by 1, which can be used, for example, as outer packaging for portion packs of a detergent or cleaning agent. The package 1 comprises a packaging container 2, which is designed as a stand-up pouch with a dispensing opening 3, and a closure device 4. Both the packaging container 2 and the closure device 4 are made of a paper-based material.

[0109] The closure device 4 is shown separately in Figure 4 and is formed from a continuous two-dimensional cardboard material blank 5. The closure device 4 comprises a central section 4a, as well as three

[0110] FALSELY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) central section 4a consists of tabs 4b, 4c, 4d extending therefrom. The central section 4a serves to attach the closure device 4 to the packaging container 2. In the packaging according to Figure 1, the closure device 4 is glued to the rear wall 6 of the packaging container 2 in the region of the central section 4a. Between the tabs 4b, 4c, 4d and the central section 4a of the closure device 4, fold lines 7 are formed along which the material blank 5 can be folded.

[0111] Two slots 8a, 8b are formed in the tab 4b by punching. Hook elements 9a, 9b are formed in each of the two tabs 4c and 4d by cutting the tabs 4c, 4d along an approximately semicircular cutting line 10a or 10b, respectively, and the cut-in areas are subsequently folded out of the plane of the tab 4c, 4d such that the hook elements 9a, 9b lie in a plane essentially perpendicular to the plane of the tabs 4c, 4d. The dashed lines in Figure 4 in the area of ​​the hook elements 9a, 9b are each folding lines along which the hook element 9a, 9b is folded out of the plane of the respective tab 4c, 4d. A locking lug 11a, 11b is formed on each of the two hook elements 9a, 9b.

[0112] To close the packaging 1 from Figure 1, in a first step, the two tabs 4c, 4d, which are already pre-folded along the fold lines 7, are folded over according to the arrows 12a, 12b so that they come to rest on the front wall 13 of the packaging container 2. The two tabs 4c, 4d can be connected, for example, glued, to the front wall 13 of the packaging container 2. This state is shown in Figure 2. The two hook elements 9a, 9b are, as described above, already folded out of the planes of the two tabs 4c, 4d. For the hook element 9a, the opening within the tab 4c created by folding out the hook element 9a is indicated by a dotted line in Figure 2.

[0113] In a subsequent step, the tab 4b is folded downward and over the tabs 4c, 4d according to arrow 14 in Figure 2, so that the hook element 9a can be guided through the slot 8a and the hook element 9b through the slot 8b with minimal effort. In other words, the two hook elements 9a, 9b are guided from a rear side 15 of the tab 4b through the slots 8a, 8b to a front side 16 of the tab 4b. This state is shown in Figure 3.

[0114] The locking lugs 11a, 11b formed on the hook elements 9a, 9b are designed in such a way that, when the hook elements 9a, 9b are guided through the slots 8a, 8b, they come into contact with an edge-side boundary of the slots 8a, 8b on the front side 16 of the tab 4b in such a way that a return of the hook elements 9a, 9b through the slots 8a, 8b to open the closure device 4 is only possible by a simultaneous displacement of the slots 8a, 8b relative to the hook elements 9a, 9b in the direction of the arrow 17 in Figure 3.

[0115] FALSELY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) In other words, the hook elements 9a, 9b with the locking lugs 11a, 11b formed thereon can be guided from a rear side 15 to a front side 16 of the tab 4b through the slots 8a, 8b with comparatively little effort to close the closure device 4. However, the locking lugs 11a, 11b engage therein in such a way that the hook elements 9a, 9b cannot be easily guided back through the slots 8a, 8b. Rather, an additional relative movement between the hook elements 9a, 9b and the slots 8a, 8b is required to release the hook elements 9a, 9b and to guide them back through the slots 8a, 8b to open the closure device 4.The simultaneous execution of a return movement of the hook elements 9a, 9b and a sliding movement of the slots 8a, 8b is generally not possible for small children, so that the removal opening 3 and thus the packaging 1 can be closed in a child-proof manner by the closure device 4.

[0116] The engagement of the hook elements 9a, 9b is not only visually but also acoustically perceptible, so that a user has the certainty that the packaging 1 is properly closed.

[0117] Figure 5 shows an alternative material blank 5 which is also suitable for forming a closure device 4 and is designed essentially similarly to the material blank according to Figure 4. In this case, the closure device 4 also comprises a central section 4a for fastening to a packaging container 2 and three tabs 4b, 4c, 4d extending from the central section 4a. The closure device 4 of Figure 5 differs from the closure device 4 of Figure 4 in that the two hook elements 9a, 9b are formed in the tab 4b, while a slot 8a, 8b is formed in each of the tabs 4c, 4d.

[0118] To close a closure device 4 attached to a packaging container 2 according to Figure 5, first the tab 4b is folded down onto a front wall 13 of the packaging container 2 and then the two tabs 4c, 4d are folded over so that they come to rest on the tab 4b, whereby the hook elements 9a, 9b with the locking lugs 11a, 11b formed thereon pass from a rear side 15 of the tabs 4c, 4d onto a front side 16 of the tabs 4c, 4d through the slots 8a, 8b and lock there in the manner described above. To open the closure device 4, in addition to the return movement of the hook elements 9a, 9b, a sliding movement of the slots 8a, 8b relative to the hook elements 9a, 9b is required so that the locked hook elements 9a, 9b are released again.

[0119] While the displacement movement in the embodiment according to Figures 1 to 4, in which the hook elements 9a, 9b and the slots 8a, 8b extend in a vertical direction

[0120] WRONGLY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) must be carried out in a vertical direction, in a closure device 4 according to Figure 5 in which the hook elements 9a, 9b and the slots 8a, 8b extend in a horizontal direction, it must be carried out in a horizontal direction.

[0121] In the two embodiments described here, the closure device 4 is each made from a continuous material blank 5. In principle, the tabs 4b, 4c, 4d having the slots 8a, 8b and the hook elements 9a, 9b can also be formed independently of one another and individually attached to a packaging container 2.

[0122] FALSELY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis)

Claims

Patent claims 1. A closure device (1) for attachment to a packaging container (2), wherein the packaging container (2) can be closed in a child-resistant and resealable manner by means of the attached closure device (1), characterized in that the closure device (1) is made of at least 70% paper-based material and comprises a tab receptacle (4) defining a receiving space (6) and an insertion tab (5) comprising a hook element (7), wherein the insertion tab (5) can be inserted into the receiving space (6) of the tab receptacle (4) to close the closure device (1), and wherein an edge (9) is arranged in the receiving space (6), against which edge a free end (8) of the hook element (7) of the insertion tab (5) comes to rest in a locking manner when the insertion tab (5) is inserted into the receiving space (6),so that pulling the insertion tab (5) out of the receiving space (6) to open the closure device (1) is only possible by simultaneous pressure on the hook element (7) to release the locking device, wherein for this purpose an opening (21) is formed in a wall of the tab receptacle (4) adjacent to the edge (9), through which opening the hook element (7) inserted into the receiving space (6) can be subjected to pressure in such a way that the free end (8) of the hook element (7) is released from the locking device.

2. Closure device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening (21) is formed in a front wall section (20) of the tab receptacle (4) and that the edge (9) is arranged in the receiving space (6) in the region of the front wall section (20) of the tab receptacle (4).

3. Closure device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening (21) is formed in a rear wall section (22) of the tab receptacle (4) and that the edge (9) is arranged in the receiving space (6) in the region of the rear wall section (22) of the tab receptacle (4).

4. Closure device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the closure device (1) is formed by folding and gluing from a coherent two-dimensional material blank (10), wherein the two-dimensional material blank (10) comprises a first partial section (11) for forming the tab receptacle (4) and a second partial section (12) for forming the insertion tab (5). INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) 5. Closure device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the first partial section (11) comprises a tab (23) for forming the edge (9) within the receiving space (6).

6. Closure device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first partial section (11) comprises at least one tab (13, 14) for forming a spacer element.

7. Closure device (1) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the second partial section (12) comprises a tab (24) which serves to form the hook element (7) of the insertion tab (5).

8. Closure device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closure device (1) is made of at least 80%, preferably at least 95%, more preferably 100% of a paper-based material.

9. Packaging (100), characterized in that the packaging (100) comprises a packaging container (2) with a removal opening (3) and a closure device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the closure device (1) is attached to the packaging container (2) in such a way that the removal opening (3) can be closed in a child-proof manner by closing the closure device (1).

10. Packaging (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that the closure device (1) is attached to the packaging container (2) by gluing and / or sealing and / or welding.

11. Packaging (100) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the opening (21) is formed in a front wall section (20) of the tab receptacle (4) facing away from the packaging container (2), such that it is immediately visible to a consumer, and that the edge (9) is arranged in the receiving space (6) in the region of the front wall section (20) of the tab receptacle (4).

12. Packaging (100) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the opening (21) is formed in a rear wall section (22) of the tab receptacle (4) facing the packaging container (2), such that it is not directly visible to a consumer, and that the edge (9) is arranged in the receiving space (6) in the region of the rear wall section (22) of the tab receptacle (4). INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) 13. Packaging (100) according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the packaging container (2) is designed as a stand-up pouch and is made of a paper-based material.

14. Packaging (100) according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the packaging (100) is made substantially entirely of a paper-based material. INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (RULE 20.6) Patent claims 1. Closure device (4) for attachment to a packaging container (2), wherein the packaging container (2) can be closed in a child-resistant and resealable manner by means of the attached closure device (4), characterized in that the closure device (4) is made of at least 70% of a paper-based material and comprises at least two tabs (4b, 4c, 4d), wherein at least one slot (8a, 8b) is formed in a first tab (4b, 4c, 4d) and a second tab (4b, 4c, 4d) comprises at least one hook element (9a, 9b) with a locking lug (11a, 11b), wherein the hook element (9a, 9b) for closing the closure device (4) extends from a rear side (15) of the first tab (4b, 4c, 4d) through the slot (8a, 8b) onto a front side (16) of the first tab (4b, 4c, 4d) and wherein the locking lug (11a, 11b) is designed such that when the hook element (9a,9b) on the front side (16) of the first tab (4b, 4c, 4d) comes to rest against an edge-side boundary of the slot (8a, 8b) in such a way that a return of the hook element (9a, 9b) through the slot (8a, 8b) for opening the closure device (4) is only possible by a simultaneous displacement of the slot (8a, 8b) relative to the hook element (9a, 9b).

2. Closure device (4) according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure device (4) is formed by folding from a continuous two-dimensional material blank (5), wherein the two-dimensional material blank (5) comprises a central portion (4a) for fastening to the packaging container (2) and the at least two tabs (4b, 4c, 4d) which extend from the central portion (4a).

3. Closure device (4) according to claim 2, characterized in that the two-dimensional material blank (5) comprises three tabs (4a, 4b, 4c) extending from the central portion (4a).

4. Closure device (4) according to claim 3, characterized in that two slots (8a, 8b) are formed in one tab (4b) and a hook element (9a, 9b) is formed in each of the two further tabs (4c, 4d).

5. Closure device (4) according to claim 3, characterized in that two hook elements (9a, 9b) are formed in one tab (4b) and a slot (8a, 8b) is formed in each of the two further tabs (4c, 4d).

6. Closure device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one slot (8a, 8b) and the at least one hook element (9a, FALSELY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis) 9b) are aligned such that they extend in a vertical direction when the closure device (4) is attached to a packaging container (2).

7. Closure device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one slot (8a, 8b) and the at least one hook element (9a, 9b) are aligned such that they extend in a horizontal direction when the closure device (4) is attached to a packaging container (2).

8. Closure device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the at least one slot (8a, 8b) is formed in a tab (4b, 4c, 4d) by punching out and that the at least one hook element (9a, 9b) is formed in a further tab (4b, 4c, 4d) by cutting and subsequently folding out the cut-in area from a main plane of the tab (4b, 4c, 4d).

9. Closure device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the closure device (4) is made of at least 80%, preferably at least 95%, more preferably 100% of a paper-based material.

10. Packaging (1), characterized in that the packaging (1) comprises a packaging container (2) with a removal opening (3) and a closure device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the closure device (4) is attached to the packaging container (2) in such a way that the removal opening (3) can be closed in a child-proof manner by closing the closure device (4).

11. Packaging (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the closure device (4) is attached to the packaging container (2) by gluing and / or sealing and / or welding.

12. Packaging (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the packaging container (2) is designed as a stand-up pouch and is made of a paper-based material.

13. Packaging (1) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the packaging (1) is made substantially entirely of a paper-based material. FALSELY SUBMITTED (RULE 20.5bis)

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