Opening device for a container and a method for producing such opening device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10625901-B2
Application number	US-201816046014-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

An opening device for a container comprises a pouring spout defining a pouring opening to pour in use the content of the container, a closing element closing the pouring opening and connected to the pouring spout by a breakable connection, and a closure fitted to the pouring spout in a removable manner to close the pouring opening at a region thereof different from that closed by the closing element; the closing element is formed in one piece with a protruding portion extending through the pouring opening and welded to the closure far away from the closing element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A closure for an opening device of a container, the closure comprising a lid configured to be fitted to a pouring spout of the opening device, and welding promoting means for connecting the lid to a closing element of the opening device, the lid comprising an end wall and a cylindrical lateral wall projecting from the end wall, the cylindrical lateral wall surrounding an interior space in the lid, the end wall possessing an end surface facing toward the interior space of the lid, the welding promoting means comprise a welding promoting element distinct from the lid and permanently connected to the end surface of the end wall of the lid.

2. The closure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical lateral wall projecting from the end wall of the lid possesses an inner surface facing the interior space in the lid, the inner surface of cylindrical lateral wall includes an interior thread that is threadably engageable with an outer thread on a neck of pouring spout of the container.

3. The closure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lid includes an annular rib that is integral with the end surface of the end wall, the annular rib extending entirely axially towards the interior space in the lid, the annular rib surrounding a seat at which is positioned the welding promoting element.

4. The closure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the annular rib is positioned radially inwardly of the cylindrical lateral wall so that the cylindrical lateral wall surrounds the annular rib.

5. The closure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the welding promoting element comprises a sheet element including a layer of conductive material and having:
a first face configured to be welded to the closing element of the opening device by heat generated by inducing an electric current in the layer of conductive material; and
a second face opposite the first face and welded to the end surface of the end wall of the lid of the opening device by heat generated by inducing an electric current in the layer of conductive material.

6. The closure as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the sheet element further comprises a first and a second layer of heat-sealable plastic material arranged on opposite sides of the layer of conductive material, the first layer of heat-sealable plastic material defining the first face, and the second layer of heat-sealable plastic material defining the second face.

7. The closure as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first face of the sheet element is completely exposed to the interior space in the lid.

8. A closure for an opening device of a container, the closure comprising a lid configured to be fitted to a pouring spout of the opening device and a welding promoting element that is weldable to a closing element of the opening device, the lid comprising a cylindrical lateral wall and an end wall completely closing one end of the cylindrical lateral wall, the cylindrical lateral wall projecting axially from the end wall and surrounding an interior space in the lid, at least a portion of the cylindrical lateral wall being threaded to threadably engage a thread on a neck of pouring spout of the container, the end wall of the lid possessing an end surface facing toward the interior space of the lid, the welding promoting element being permanently fixed to the end surface of the end wall, the welding promoting element comprising a conductive material layer possessing opposite surfaces including one surface facing toward the end surface of the end wall and an other surface facing toward the interior space in the lid, the end wall of the lid covering an entirety of the one surface of the conductive material layer, the other surface of the conductive material layer being covered by a heat-sealable plastic material so that upon inducing an electric current in the conductive material layer the closing element may be welded to the heat-sealable plastic material of the welding promoting element.

9. The closure as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the cylindrical lateral wall possesses an inner surface facing the interior space in the lid, the portion of the cylindrical lateral wall that is threaded being the inner surface of the cylindrical lateral wall.

10. The closure as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the lid includes an annular rib that is integral with the end surface of the end wall, the annular rib extending entirely axially towards the interior space in the lid, the annular rib surrounding a seat at which is positioned the welding promoting element.

11. The closure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the annular rib is positioned radially inwardly of the cylindrical lateral wall so that the cylindrical lateral wall surrounds the annular rib.

12. A method for producing a closure for an opening device of a container, the method comprising:
providing a lid configured to be fitted to a pouring spout of the opening device, the lid comprising an end wall and a cylindrical lateral wall projecting from the end wall, the cylindrical lateral wall surrounding an interior space in the lid, the end wall possessing an end surface facing toward the interior space of the lid;
providing a welding promoting element configured to connect the lid to a closing element of the opening device, the welding promoting element that is distinct from the lid;
inserting the welding promoting element in the lid so that the welding promoting element faces the end surface of the end wall; and
permanently connecting the welding promoting element to the end surface of the end wall of the lid.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the welding promoting element comprises a sheet element including a layer of conductive material; and the permanently connecting of the welding promoting element to the end surface of the end wall of the lid is performed by inducing an electric current in the layer of conductive material to produce a localized heat adapted to weld a face of the sheet element to the end surface of the end wall of the lid.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the end wall of the lid is a non-apertured end wall so that the end wall forms a completely closed end of the lid.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the end wall of the lid to which the welding promoting element is permanently connecting includes an annular rib axially protruding from the end wall toward the interior space of the lid, the annular rib being positioned inwardly of the cylindrical lateral wall and surrounding a seat, the permanent connection of the welding promoting element to the end surface of the end wall of the lid comprising permanently connecting the welding promoting element to the end surface of the end wall so that the welding promoting element is located at the seat.

16. The closure as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising an annular rib axially protruding from the end wall of the lid toward the interior space of the lid, the annular rib being positioned inwardly of the cylindrical lateral wall, the annular rib surrounding a seat at which is located the welding promoting element.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the end wall of the lid to which the welding promoting element is permanently connecting is a non-apertured end wall so that the end wall forms a completely closed end of the lid.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Martini Pietro
• Veronesi Livio
• Bertani Giulio
• Morciano Davide

Classifications

• B65D2251/02

  Grip means · CPC title

• B65D5/747 Primary

  with means for piercing or cutting the container wall or a membrane connected to said wall · CPC title

• B65D53/04

  Discs · CPC title

• B65D2251/023

  Ribs or recesses · CPC title

• B65D5/749 Primary

  a major part of the container wall or membrane being removed from the container after the opening · CPC title