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.

A welding promoting element for an opening device is insertable into a lid (25) of said opening device to connect said lid (25) to a closing element (10) closing a pouring opening (14) of said opening device; the welding promoting element comprises a sheet element (31) provided with a layer (32) of electrically conductive material, with a first layer (33) of heat-sealable plastic material and with a second layer (34) of heat-sealable plastic material arranged on opposite sides of said layer (32), said layer (32) having a thickness comprised in the range 5-15 m and each of said first layer (33) and second layer (34) having a thickness comprised in the range 10-50 m.

A welding promoting element for an opening device is insertable into a lid (25) of said opening device to connect said lid (25) to a closing element (10) closing a pouring opening (14) of said opening device; the welding promoting element comprises a sheet element (31) provided with a layer (32) of electrically conductive material, with a first layer (33) of heat-sealable plastic material and with a second layer (34) of heat-sealable plastic material arranged on opposite sides of said layer (32), said layer (32) having a thickness comprised in the range 5-15 m and each of said first layer (33) and second layer (34) having a thickness comprised in the range 10-50 m.

A lid for an opening device for a container includes a body having a longitudinal axis and provided with a top wall and with a side wall internally provided with a thread element suitable for cooperating with a further thread element of a spout of the opening device, the lid further including at least one driving element arranged to receive the fingers of a user during unscrewing of the lid from the spout and during screwing of the lid on the spout, the at least one driving element being delimited by an upper wall and by a lower wall extending from the side wall and spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, the lower wall diverging from the upper wall when moving away from the side wall.

An applying unit for applying lids to necks of containers may be provided. The applying unit may include a conveying device configured to advance the containers along a path in an advancement direction; a group of applying heads, each applying head configured to screw a lid onto a corresponding neck; and a movement device configured to move the group of applying heads along the advancement direction, so that each applying head may be coupled to a corresponding neck along a portion of the path. The movement device may be configured to act on a common support element configured to support the applying heads of the group, so as to synchronously move the applying heads along the advancement direction.

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.

A lid for an opening device for a container includes a body having a longitudinal axis and provided with a top wall and with a side wall internally provided with a thread element suitable for cooperating with a further thread element of a spout of the opening device, the lid further including at least one driving element arranged to receive the fingers of a user during unscrewing of the lid from the spout and during screwing of the lid on the spout, the at least one driving element being delimited by an upper wall and by a lower wall extending from the side wall and spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, the lower wall diverging from the upper wall when moving away from the side wall.

An apparatus for capping a container (10) comprises: a conveying device for conveying the container (10) along a path; an applying head (23) for applying a lid (1) onto a neck (9) included in an opening device of the container (10); a welding head (43) arranged downstream of the applying head (23), the welding head (43) comprising a welding element (51) for welding the lid (1) to the opening device.

A method of applying a lid (1) onto a neck (9) of a container (10), the lid (1) having a side wall (3) extending around an axis and an end wall (2) extending transversely to said axis, comprises the following steps: positioning the lid (1) onto the neck (9); exerting on the end wall (2) a force directed towards the container (10), so as to level the lid (1) on the neck (9); screwing the lid (1) onto the neck (9) by rotating the lid (1) in a screwing direction.

An applying unit for applying lids (1) to necks (9) of containers (10) comprises: a conveying device for advancing the containers (10) along a path in an advancement direction (F); a group of applying heads (23), each applying head (23) being arranged to screw a lid (1) onto a corresponding neck (9); a movement device (26) for moving the group of applying heads (23) along the advancement direction (F), so that each applying head (23) is coupled to a corresponding neck (9) along a portion of said path. The movement device (26) is configured to act on a common support element (24) supporting the applying heads (23) of said group, so as to move synchronously the applying heads (23) along the advancement direction (F).