Opening device for a packaging for pourable products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11724864-B2
Application number	US-202017439848-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2020
Priority date	Mar 26, 2019
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

An opening device configured to be applied to packaging for pourable products comprises: a pouring spout defining a pouring opening through which to pour, in use, the pourable product; a cap configured to engage and disengage the pouring spout to respectively close and open the pouring opening; a closing element closing and/or sealing the pouring opening, formed in one piece with the pouring spout and connected to the pouring spout by a breakable connecting portion configured to break during first opening of the opening device; the closing element comprising a protruding portion extending through the pouring opening and connected to the cap; and tamper-evidence device fitted to the pouring spout and initially connected to the cap by at least one breakable connecting bridge configured to break during first opening of the opening device; wherein the cap is hinged to the tamper-evidence device thereby being permanently tethered to the pouring spout.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An opening device configured to be applied to a packaging for pourable products, said opening device comprising:
a pouring spout defining a pouring opening through which to pour, in use, said pourable product;
a cap configured to engage and disengage said pouring spout to respectively close and open said pouring opening;
a closing element closing and/or sealing said pouring opening, formed in one piece with said pouring spout and connected to said pouring spout by a breakable connecting portion configured to break during first opening of said opening device; said closing element comprising a protruding portion extending through said pouring opening and connected to said cap; and
tamper-evidence means fitted to said pouring spout and initially connected to said cap by means of at least one breakable connecting bridge configured to break during first opening of said opening device;
said cap being hinged to said tamper-evidence means thereby being permanently tethered to said pouring spout.

2. The opening device as claimed in claim 1 , and further comprising a hinge element permanently hinging said cap to said tamper-evidence means.

3. The opening device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said hinge element comprises a first end portion fitted to said cap, a second end portion fitted to said tamper-evidence means, and a connection portion connecting said first end portion and said second end portion to one another.

4. The opening device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said cap comprises a top portion and a lateral portion, said lateral portion projecting from said top portion and being configured to engage said pouring spout to close said pouring opening;
said first end portion being fitted to said lateral portion.

5. The opening device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said tamper-evidence means comprise a tamper-evidence ring configured to be fitted to said pouring spout;
said second end portion being fitted to an external lateral surface of said tamper-evidence ring.

6. The opening device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said pouring spout comprises a cylindrical collar having a first longitudinal axis and coaxially defining said pouring opening;
said cap having a second longitudinal axis and being configured to coaxially engage said collar to close said pouring opening;
said tamper-evidence ring being configured to be fitted coaxially around said collar and to be axially fixed relatively to said first longitudinal axis.

7. The opening device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said cap and said hinge element are formed integrally in one piece.

8. The opening device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said cap, said hinge element and said tamper-evidence means are formed integrally in one piece.

9. The opening device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said cap is configured to engage said pouring spout in a snap-in manner.

10. The opening device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said closing element is made of plastic material molded onto an opening portion of said packaging.

11. The opening device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said breakable connecting portion is configured to break by means of the pulling action exerted by said cap onto said protruding portion.

12. A package containing a pourable product and obtained from a sheet of packaging material having an opening portion;
said package comprising the opening device as claimed in claim 1 , and fitted at said opening portion.

13. The package as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said pouring spout of said opening device is made of plastic material molded onto said opening portion.

14. The package as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said closing element of said opening device is made of plastic material molded onto said opening portion.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Corradi Davide
• De Paola Rocco
• Cani Franco
• Tedeschi Massimo
• Tavoni Francesca
• Bertani Giulio
• Martini Pietro
• Veronesi Livio

Classifications

• B65D51/222 Primary

  the piercing or cutting means being integral with, or fixedly attached to, the outer closure · CPC title

• B65D5/749 Primary

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

• B65D41/485

  with integral internal sealing means · CPC title

• B65D47/088

  located at an edge of the base element · CPC title

• B65D55/0818

  Destructible or permanently removable bands, e.g. adhesive · CPC title