Pouring Element with Protective Cutting Element Guide

Abstract

A pouring element for a composite package is represented and described, including a main body with a pouring tube and a circumferential fastening flange, a hollow cylindrical cutting element arranged concentrically and guided movably in the pouring tube and a resealable screw cap. The cutting element can be driven for the first opening of the composite package by the screw cap. At least two guide ribs formed on the pouring tube interact correspondingly with transfer means formed internally on the cutting element such that an opening path with an at least a predominantly axial piercing segment in front and followed by a straight rotational segment about the longitudinal axis of the pouring tube. The cutting element is arranged such that it can be guided along the opening path. In order to ensure increased safety when guiding the cutting element, the pouring tube has at least two first safety elements, which, together with the at least two guide ribs, are configured to achieve a guidance on both sides for the transfer means of the cutting element along the piercing and/or rotational segment of the opening path.

Claims

1. A pouring element for a composite package, comprising a main body, with a pouring tube and a circumferential fastening flange, a hollow cylindrical cutting element arranged concentrically and guided movably in the pouring tube and a resealable screw cap, wherein the cutting element can be driven for the first opening of the composite package by the screw cap and wherein at least two guide ribs formed internally on the ouring tube interact correspondingly with transfer means formed externally on the cutting element such that an opening path is plotted with an at least a predominantly axial piercing segment in front and followed by a straight rotational segment about the longitudinal axis of the pouring tube, wherein the cutting element is arranged such that it can be guided along the opening path, wherein the pouring tube has at least two first safety elements which, together with the at least two guide ribs, are designed to achieve guidance on both sides for the transfer means of the cutting element along the piercing and/or rotational segment of the opening path.

2. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein each guide rib forms an angle of 90° to 120°, preferably 90°, to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pouring tube.

3. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the transfer means on the cutting element are designed as at least two transfer ribs, which extend in a first section in the circumferential direction.

4. The pouring element according to claim 3, wherein each transfer rib has a height measured in the axial direction, which is 90 to 99% of the clear distance measured in the axial direction between guide rib and corresponding first safety element.

5. The pouring element according to claim 3, wherein the at least two transfer ribs have a second section at their end located at the front in the direction of rotation, which extends at an angle of 90° to 120°, preferably 90°, away from the first section towards the circumferential fastening flange.

6. The pouring element according to claim 5, wherein the second sections each have a width measured in the circumferential direction, which is 90 to 99% of the clear distance measured in the circumferential direction between the guide rib and corresponding first safety element.

7. The pouring element according to claim 3, wherein the at least two first safety elements are designed as axially arranged longitudinal ribs and after the opening process, each longitudinal rib is enclosed laterally by two of the at least two transfer ribs of the cutting element.

8. The pouring element according to claim 7, wherein the rotational segment of the opening path is additionally downstream of an axial segment.

9. The pouring element according to claim 8, wherein for every three transfer ribs evenly distributed in the circumferential direction as a transfer means, three corresponding guide ribs and three first safety elements are formed.

10. The pouring element according to claim 9, wherein at least one second safety element is attached in a region of the pouring tube remote from the circumferential fastening flange.

11. The pouring element according to claim 10, wherein the at least one second safety element is chamfered on at least one side facing away from the circumferential fastening flange.

12. The pouring element according to claim 10, wherein an additional pure rotational section is upstream of the opening path, wherein the cutting element is arranged such that it is held securely in an original holding position additionally with the second safety element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to a drawing which simply represents a preferred exemplary embodiment. In the drawing

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a pouring element according to the invention in a perspective view,

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a pouring element according to the invention as an exploded view in perspective view from below,

[0027] FIG. 3A to 7A show a pouring element according to the invention in perspective view from below in different stages of the opening process,

[0028] FIG. 3B to 7B show a pouring element according to the invention in view from below in different stages of the opening process and

[0029] FIG. 3C to 7C show first and second guide means according to the invention as well as safety elements in a projected vertical view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a pouring element 1 according to the invention in a perspective view from the outside. In this case, it is in the assembly position, i.e. as it is also applied on a composite package. The individual components of the pouring element 1 can be seen better in the exploded view of FIG. 2. A screw cap 2 is attached to a main body 4 together with a hollow cylindrical cutting element 3.

[0031] The lower part of the screw cap 2 is designed as an anchor ring 5, which serves to reliably rule out the removal of the screw cap 2 from the main body 4 or a composite package provided therewith after the opening process. For this purpose, screw cap 2 and anchor ring 5 are connected to each other in a hinged manner. This hinge is formed by two weakening zones 6 arranged one above the other, which both span only part of the entire circumference of the screw cap 2 and are usually formed by a plurality of successive cuts. In addition to the weakening zones 6, an indicator element 7 also serves as an authenticity seal, which is designed in such a way that it is already visibly broken before the cutting element 3 has damaged the laminated hole during the piercing process, as can be seen in FIGS. 6A and 7A. This functionality cannot always be guaranteed with weakening zones 6 alone.

[0032] Inside the screw cap 2, the thread pitches of the inner thread 8 can be seen, which make it possible to open and close the pouring element 1 via a helical screw movement. Force transfer elements 9, which act on force transfer elements 10 of the cutting element 3 in order to drive the cutting element 3 during the screw movement of the screw cap 2 and move it along the intended path, can also be recognised. The effective area of the force transfer elements 9 forms an angle of between 30° and 60° to the cap surface. This effective angle enables the driving of the cutting element 3 in the piercing and rotational movement. At the lower end of the force transfer elements 9, another section serves to guide the cutting element 3 better during the horizontal rotational movement. The force transfer elements 10 have two corresponding surfaces in order to optimally absorb the force of the rotational movement of the screw cap 2.

[0033] On the upper border of the cutting element 3, two of three transfer ribs 11 extending in the circumferential direction are visible, with these transfer ribs in each case having a second section 12 at the end leading in the rotational direction, which is designed at an angle of 90° to the transfer ribs 11. The lower border of the cutting element 3 is equipped with a plurality of, in this exemplary embodiment 12, cutting teeth 13. The cutting teeth 13 have a shape with tips optimised for the piercing process and a cutting edge located at the front in the direction of rotation, which cut open the laminated hole during the pure rotational movement. In addition, the teeth are arranged consecutively such that a notch is created between two cutting teeth 13 in each case, which is able to sever possible longitudinally stretched polyethylene threads that could arise through “PE drawing”. The angle region, which is not equipped with cutting teeth 13, must be smaller than the maximum angle of rotation of the cutting element 3 so that the laminated hole can first be cleanly separated and then the unsevered region can be easily pushed aside. In this free region, a residual drainage gap 14 is also formed, which ensures that, after a completely successful opening process and in particular after the first resealing, at least this point of the pouring channel is free of elements protruding into the composite package. This also makes it possible for the last residues of the filling material to be emptied from the composite package through this gap.

[0034] In the lowermost part of the exploded view, a pouring tube 15 can be seen and, at the lower border, a circumferential fastening flange 16, which together form the main body 4. In order to fasten the pouring element 1 to a composite package, the circumferential fastening flange 16 is either wetted with an adhesive or welded directly to the outermost plastic layer of the composite package. Guide ribs 17, as well as first and second safety elements 18 and 19 can be seen on the inner wall of the pouring tube according to the invention. The thread pitches of an external thread 20, which serve as a counterpart to the inner thread 8 of the screw cap 2, can in turn be seen on the outside of the pouring tube. On the lower border of the main body 4, a plurality of centring elements 21 are visible, which, on the one hand, additionally centre the cutting element 3 but also form a termination towards the laminated hole. The longitudinal axis A of the pouring tube 15 and hollow cylindrical cutting element 3 can also be seen, which are arranged concentrically. The longitudinal axis A thus also acts as a rotational axis of the rotation of the cutting element 3 during the opening process.

[0035] FIG. 3A shows the pouring element 1 in the same perspective view from below as FIG. 2 in the assembled assembly position. It is particularly easy to see here how the force transfer elements 9 and the force transfer elements 10 are joined together. It is also clearly visible that the tooth tips of the cutting teeth 13 of the cutting element 3 maintain sufficient distance from the lower surface of the circumferential fastening flange 16 and thus also from the laminated hole if the pouring element has been applied on a composite package. This in turn prevents accidental premature damage to the laminated hole. FIG. 3B shows the same situation viewed from below, with the force transfer elements 9 of the screw cap 2 being hidden in order to ensure a better overview. The rear ends of the horizontal transfer ribs 11 can be seen here on both sides of the guide ribs 17, since these rest on it and are thus concealed in this view.

[0036] FIG. 3C shows a unwinding of a tube, with only the interacting elements on the inner side of the pouring tube 15 and those on the outer side of the cutting element 3 being drawn. It is for example easy to see that angles α, which the guide ribs 17 form with the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the pouring tube 15 and angles β of the second section 12 correspond. In this exemplary embodiment, both are approximately 90° so that the two ribs can slide along their entire equally aligned surfaces. It can also be seen how the transfer ribs 11 rest on the guide ribs 17 in the assembly position and thus support the cutting element 3 in a stable position. In parallel, the transfer ribs 11 are held in position from above by the second safety elements 19 (not shown here).

[0037] FIG. 4A to 4C show the pouring element at the beginning of the piercing movement, for which screw cap 2 and cutting element 3 must have already been rotated a little in order to leave the original stable position. This rotational movement is marked with arrows in all sub-figures. FIG. 4B indicates how the cutting element 3 has rotated and the transfer ribs 11 now rest on the guide elements 17. FIG. 4C also shows how a second section 12 of the transfer ribs 11 can be guided flat along guide elements 17 even before the first safety elements 18 are engaged. FIGS. 4A and 4B also show the longitudinal axis A of the pouring tube 15 of the pouring element 1, with the piercing movements along this axis and the rotational movements about this axis being carried out as parts of the cutting process.

[0038] In FIG. 5A to 5C, the piercing movement of the cutting element 3 along the opening path was started by rotating the screw cap 2 further, as shown by the respective direction arrows. Since these two elements are remote from one another, it is easily recognisable how the force transfer elements 9 and the force transfer elements 10 have already advanced in their relative position, although only a small part of the entire opening process has been carried out. It can also be seen how the tooth tips of the cutting teeth 13 would protrude over the lower border of the circumferential flange element 16 and thus pierce the laminated hole in an applied pouring element 1. In the case of angles α and β of 90°, as shown in this exemplary embodiment, the views from FIG. 4B to 6B are identical because the cutting element 3 is inserted purely axially. FIG. 5C clearly shows how the second section 12 of the transfer ribs 11 is inserted between the guide rib 17 and the first auxiliary element 18. For this purpose, the width of the second sections 12 measured in the horizontal direction, which was drawn in here as X1, must be smaller than the clear distance of the guide rib 17 and the first safety element 18 also measured in the horizontal direction, which was drawn in as X2. In practice, X1 and X2 should be selected in such a way that the second section 12 is narrowly guided, yet there is still sufficient clearance to enable a clean and problem-free sliding along. It can also be seen here that the legs of the second section 12 run slightly pointed towards one another in order to facilitate insertion in the gap of the width X2.

[0039] FIG. 6A to 6C show the pouring element 1 at the end of the piercing process and thus at the transition to the horizontal rotational movement. The cutting teeth 13 are now protruding so far that all cutting edges act on the laminated hole (not shown here). Since the laminated hole expands as an elastic layer during piercing, there are usually still polyethylene flakes between different teeth in this position, which are then only severed during the horizontal rotational movement. Between the foremost and rearmost of the cutting teeth 13 is also a continuously undamaged point of the laminated hole, to which the remainder of the laminated hole remains attached so that it can be pushed aside by the cutting element 3. It can also be recognised that the force transfer elements 9 now interact with their lowermost and vertically formed section with the force transfer elements 10. Since from this point only screw cap 2, via the flat unscrewing movement, moves in the axial direction, this vertically formed section is rather small compared to the rest of the force transfer elements 9.

[0040] FIG. 6C now shows the second function of the first auxiliary elements 18, since the transfer ribs 11 are visibly guided on both sides during the rotational movement. In the prior art, the cutting element 3 was supported from this point of the cutting process only by the forces acting on the laminated hole from below. The increased safety due to this support function is illustrated here very clearly. It can also be seen how the height Y1 measured in the axial direction can be no greater than the clear distance of the guide rib 17 and the first safety element 18 measured in the axial direction, which is drawn in here with Y2, so that the horizontal rotational movement can be carried out. Here, too, the lengths Y1 and Y2 are selected such that the horizontal transfer ribs 11 are narrowly guided, yet there is still sufficient clearance to enable a clean and problem-free sliding along. A dashed line shows particularly well on the second section 12 how the transfer ribs 11 of the cutting element 3 advance during the course of the rotational movement.

[0041] Finally, FIG. 7A shows how the cutting element 3 was rotated roughly 120° about the axis of the pouring element 1. It can also be seen that the screw cap 2 is still unscrewed far enough upwards during the screw movement such that the force transfer elements 9 and the force transfer elements 10 can now be crushed against one another when the cutting element 3 rests on the respective next first safety element 18 through the second sections 12 of the transfer ribs 11, as can be seen in FIGS. 7b and 7C. After this crushing, the screw cap 2 no longer comes into direct contact with the cutting element 3 and is only held by the threaded pair between screw cap 2 and main body 4. Depending on the length and pitch of this thread pair, the screw cap 2 will now be unscrewed a different length further. It has been shown that a total rotation of 360° to 450° is considered optimal by the consumer. In this exemplary embodiment, the total rotation of the screw cap 2 is 410°, with the cutting element being driven only over roughly 120° such that a completely open laminated hole can be guaranteed before the screw cap 2 is detached from the main body 4.

[0042] It can be easily recognised in FIGS. 7B and 7C that the second section 12 is now in each case on the next first safety element 18, viewed in the direction of rotation. The end position of the cutting element 3 after the first opening is shown here, since roughly from this point the force transfer elements 9 are no longer in active contact with the force transfer elements 10. When the pouring element 1 is resealed, the force transfer elements 9 on the rear side of the force transfer elements 10 are pushed inwards so that they pass by. In the case of reopening, these elements in turn engage with one another and the cutting element 3 is thus displaced once again axially towards the package. Depending on the exact design and arrangement of the various elements, this interruption can naturally occur at a different point between the original movement and the movement during the second opening. Thus, in other embodiments, it would also be possible that part of this second axial movement of the cutting element 3 already occurs during the first opening or that the last part of the rotational movement about the longitudinal axis A is only carried out during reopening.

[0043] The invention is not limited to the represented exemplary embodiment, but rather can be expanded to a variety of configurations without departing from the underlying idea of the invention. For this purpose, further preferred embodiments are provided in the dependent claims.

[0044] In particular, ribs should not be forgotten in this context. As already mentioned, a rib is a longitudinally formed reinforcement part of a component construction, with such ribs protruding here, for example, from the inner wall of the pouring tube of the main body in order to guide the cutting element. Of course, most functions of this invention can also be fulfilled by, for example, at least two smaller elements protruding from the wall of the pouring tube, which can have different forms and are arranged linearly. In other words, this would be a rib in which gaps have been introduced.