Opening device for a package, mold for molding an opening device for a package and package having an opening device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12509276-B2
Application number	US-202218688380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2021
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

There is described an opening device for a package having a designated pour opening and being filled with a pourable product. The opening device comprises a contact portion and a closing element detachably and/or rupturably attached to the contact portion and configured to close the designated pour opening. The closing element comprises a central main wall and a plurality of leg elements connected to and extending from the central main wall. The central main wall comprises a plurality of radially extending ridge elements, each one being interposed between one respective leg element and a center of the central main wall and a plurality of grooves, each one extending between one respective pair of leg elements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An opening device for a package having a designated pour opening and being filled with a pourable product;
the opening device comprises a contact portion and a closing element attached to the contact portion and configured to close the designated pour opening; wherein the closing element comprises:
a central main wall; and
a plurality of leg elements connected to and extending from the central main wall;
wherein the central main wall comprises:
a plurality of radially extending ridge elements, each one being interposed between one respective leg element and a center of the central main wall; and
a plurality of grooves, each one extending between one respective pair of leg elements.

2 . The opening device according to claim 1 , wherein each ridge element contacts the respective leg element.

3 . The opening device according to claim 1 , wherein the leg elements are angularly displaced from one another about a central axis of the central main wall.

4 . The opening device according to claim 1 , wherein the leg elements are connected to a peripheral portion of the central main wall; and
wherein the peripheral portion comprises the grooves.

5 . The opening device according to claim 1 , wherein the grooves are arc-shaped.

6 . The opening device according to claim 1 , wherein the central main wall comprises a first face;
wherein the leg elements extend from the first face of the central main wall; and wherein the grooves are arranged at the first face.

7 . The opening device according to claim 1 , wherein the central main wall comprises a central portion having a plurality of auxiliary grooves;
wherein the auxiliary grooves are angularly displaced from the ridge elements.

8 . The opening device according to claim 7 , wherein the central main wall comprises a first face and a second face;
wherein the leg elements transversally extend from the first face of the central main wall; and wherein the auxiliary grooves are arranged at the second face.

9 . The opening device according to claim 1 , wherein the closing element further comprises an annular coupling membrane radially protruding from the central main wall and detachably connecting the closing element to the contact portion.

10 . The opening device according to claim 1 , and further comprising a base frame configured to fix the opening device to the package around the designated pour opening and a collar extending from the base frame and defining a flow channel;
wherein the collar or the base frame comprises the contact portion.

11 . The opening device according to claim 10 , wherein the collar comprises an inner wall;
wherein the inner wall comprises a plurality of slots extending towards a delimiting rim, the delimiting rim delimiting a pouring outlet for the pourable product.

12 . The opening device according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of slots defines a plurality of pairs of slots;
each pair of slots being arranged adjacent to one respective leg element; and/or each pair of slots being arranged such that interposed between the respective slots is a projection of the respective leg element onto the inner wall.

13 . A package filled and/or fillable with a pourable product and comprising at least one opening device according to claim 1 .

14 . The package according to claim 13 , wherein the package comprises a main body having a designated pour opening and being formed from a multilayer composite packaging material, wherein the opening device is coupled onto the main body and about the designated pour opening.

15 . The package according to claim 13 , wherein the opening device is molded to a main body of the package and/or onto a precursor of the package.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Zanon Paolo
• Vietri Anna Rosa
• Martini Pietro
• Sassi Massimo
• Tavoni Francesca

Classifications

• B65D2251/0093

  Membrane · CPC title

• B65D17/507

  moulded in situ, e.g. during production of container · CPC title

• B65D5/749

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

• B65D2251/0015

  of the 41-type · CPC title

• B65D51/228

  a major part of the inner closure being removed from the container after the opening · CPC title