Cap with a tamper evidence and a spout

Abstract

A cap arranged to interact with a spout. The cap comprises a top section, a side wall section attached to the top section and a tamper element attached to the side wall section in a tearing interface. The tearing interface may be provided with a weakening line that is arranged to break when the cap is unscrewed such that the tamper element is separated from the side wall section. The cap further comprises at least one resilient cutting element arranged to the side wall. The at least one resilient cutting element is arranged to cut off a membrane of the spout when the cap is unscrewed. The cap is arranged such that the weakening line is arranged to break before the membrane of the spout is cut off when the cap is being unscrewed from the spout.

Claims

1. A spout arranged to interact with a cap, said spout comprising: a membrane; a neck attached to said membrane in a cut off area, said neck and said membrane being integrally formed at the same time as a unitary structure; said membrane extending outside said neck such that a membrane projection is formed; and said membrane projection being configured to direct at least one resilient cutting element of said cap radially inwards when said cap is unscrewed such that said membrane is cut off from said neck by said at least one resilient cutting element so that the membrane separates from the neck at the cut off area at which the neck is attached to the membrane.

2. The spout according to claim 1, wherein said spout comprises a tamper element flange for preventing a tamper element of said cap from following the rest of said cap when said cap is being unscrewed.

3. The spout according to claim 1, wherein said spout is made of HDPE.

4. A bottle comprising a cap and a spout according to claim 1, the cap comprising: a top section, a side wall section attached to said top section, a tamper element attached to said side wall section in a tearing interface, said tearing interface being provided with a weakening line, said weakening line being arranged to break when said cap is unscrewed such that said tamper element is separated from said side wall section, said cap being configured such that said weakening line breaks before a membrane of said spout is separated from the spout when said cap is being unscrewed from said spout, at least one resilient cutting element arranged to said side wall, said at least one resilient cutting element being configured to cut off the membrane of said spout when said cap is unscrewed, said at least one resilient cutting element being directed radially inwards by contacting said membrane projection, and said at least one resilient cutting element possessing a length such that said weakening line breaks before said membrane of said spout is cut off by said at least one resilient cutting element.

5. The bottle according to claim 4, said bottle comprising a body section made of carton-based laminate, and a top section made of plastics, said top section comprising said spout.

6. A method for applying a cap to a spout, said cap comprising: a top section; a side wall section attached to said top section; at least one resilient cutting element fixed to said side wall, said at least one resilient cutting element being configured to cut off a membrane of said spout when said cap is unscrewed, said at least one resilient cutting element possessing a first end and a second end, the first end being fixed to the side wall section of the cap and the second end being a free end configured to cut off the membrane of the spout; between the first and second ends of the at least one resilient cutting element, the at least one resilient cutting element is devoid of structure that contacts the membrane when the second end of the resilient cutting element cuts off the membrane of the spout during unscrewing of the cap; said at least one resilient cutting element being directed radially inwards by contacting a membrane projection, said membrane projection being formed by an end of said membrane extending radially outside of said spout; and said second end of said at least one resilient cutting element extending towards said top section of said cap after cutting off said membrane of said spout, and said spout comprising: said membrane; a neck attached to said membrane in a cut off area, the neck and the membrane being integrally formed at the same time as a unitary structure; said membrane extending outside said neck such that said membrane projection is formed; a tamper element holder configured to prevent a tamper element of said cap from being unscrewed together with said cap; said spout being configured such that said tamper element is separated from said side wall section of said cap before said membrane is separated from said neck when said cap is being unscrewed from said spout; said membrane projection being configured to direct said at least one resilient cutting element of said cap radially inwards when said cap is unscrewed such that said membrane is cut off from said neck by at least one resilient cutting element; and the spout being configured, relative to a length of said at least one resilient cutting element, such that said tamper element is separated from said side wall of said cap before said membrane of said neck is cut off by said at least one resilient cutting element; said method comprises applying said cap onto said spout such that said at least one resilient cutting element of said cap is pulled over said membrane projection.

7. A method for packaging liquid food in a bottle, said method comprising forming a body portion of said bottle in the form of a sleeve of a carton-based laminate, forming a top section of said bottle, said top section comprising a spout, the spout comprising: a membrane; a neck attached to said membrane in a cut off area; said membrane extending outside said neck such that a membrane projection is formed; said membrane projection being arranged to direct at least one resilient cutting element of said cap radially inwards when said cap is unscrewed such that said membrane can be separated from said neck; a tamper element holder arranged to prevent a tamper element of said cap from being unscrewed together with said cap; said spout being arranged such that said tamper element is separated from a side wall of said cap before said membrane is separated from said neck when said cap is being unscrewed from said spout, joining said top section to said body portion, filling said bottle with liquid food via an open end of said bottle, sealing said open end of said bottle, and applying a cap onto said spout according to claim 6, the cap comprising: a top section; a side wall section attached to said top section; a tamper element attached to said side wall section in a tearing interface, said tearing interface being provided with a weakening line, said weakening line being arranged to break when said cap is unscrewed such that said tamper element is separated from said side wall section; at least one resilient cutting element arranged to said side wall, said at least one resilient cutting element being arranged to cut off a membrane of said spout when said cap is unscrewed; wherein said cap is arranged such that said weakening line is arranged to break before said membrane of said spout is cut off when said cap is being unscrewed from said spout.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of forming said top section of said bottle comprises molding said spout.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein an upper spout section comprising said membrane is pre-made and said step of forming said top section of said bottle comprises molding a main spout section such that said upper part section is joined to said body portion.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said cap is applied onto said upper spout section before said upper part section is joined to said body portion.

11. A package comprising: a spout comprising a neck, a membrane attached to the neck at a cut off area, and outer threads, the membrane of the spout comprising a membrane projection extending radially outside of the spout, the neck and the membrane being integrally formed at the same time as a unitary structure; a cap comprising inner threads, the inner threads of the cap aligning with the outer threads of the spout so that the cap is unscrewable from the spout; the cap comprising a top section, a side wall section attached to the top section, and a plurality of resilient cutting elements extending radially inwards from the side wall; the plurality of resilient cutting elements being configured to cut off the membrane of said spout when said cap is unscrewed so that the membrane separates from the neck at the cut off area at which the neck is attached to the membrane; the plurality of cutting elements being directed radially inwards by contacting the membrane projection to cut off the membrane from the neck; the plurality of cutting elements possessing a first end and a second end, the first end being fixed to the side wall section of the cap and the second end being a free end configured to cut off the membrane of the spout; between the first and second ends of the plurality of cutting elements, all of the plurality of cutting elements are devoid of structure that contacts the membrane when the second end of the resilient cutting element cuts off the membrane of the spout during unscrewing of the cap; and the second end of each of the plurality of resilient cutting elements extending towards the top section of the cap after cutting off the membrane of the spout.

12. The spout according to claim 1, further comprising: a tamper element holder configured to prevent a tamper element of said cap from being unscrewed together with said cap; and the spout being configured, relative to a length of said at least one resilient cutting element, such that said tamper element is separated from said side wall of said cap before said membrane of said neck is cut off by said at least one resilient cutting element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a carton-based bottle having a top section made of plastic and a body made of carton-based laminate.

(3) FIG. 2 A-C illustrates a tamper evident opening device comprising a cap and a spout.

(4) FIG. 3 A-B illustrates another tamper evident opening device comprising a cap and a spout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a bottle 100. The bottle 100 comprises a body portion 102, which may be made of a carton based laminate, a top portion 104, which may be made of plastic, a cap 106 provided with a tamper ring 108.

(6) This type of package may be made by first forming a sleeve of the carton-based laminate. In a second step the plastic top can be formed in a molding step. The plastic top may comprise a shoulder section, a neck portion and a membrane. The shoulder portion may be arranged to join the sleeve, which form basis for the body portion, to the neck portion. In a case where the spout is arranged to interact with a screw cap the neck portion may be provided with threadings or a cam curve. The membrane may be a lid joined to the neck portion. In this way the plastic top may be molded in one piece.

(7) In a next step the sleeve with the top portion 104 joined thereto can be filled with product with the top portion placed downwards. After being filled the open end of the sleeve may be sealed and folded to a flat bottom and a cap may be applied, e.g. by screwing the cap onto the neck portion, such that a package according to FIG. 1 is formed.

(8) Alternatively, for instance if the package is a blow molded plastic bottle, the membrane may be joined to the neck portion after the package has been filled with product.

(9) FIG. 2 A-C illustrates three stages of an opening process of a cap and spout according to a first embodiment. In the first and second step, illustrated in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the interior of the package is unaffected, that is no germs or other unwanted objects may find their ways into the package. This is herein illustrated by a shaded interior.

(10) In a first stage, or an initial step, illustrated in FIG. 2A, a cap 200 is placed on a spout 300. The cap 200 can be provided with flexible knives 202 or other cutting elements. The flexible knives 202 can be flexible in the sense that they can be folded upwards when the cap is screwed onto the spout such that the flexible knives can be pulled over a membrane 302 of the spout 300 when the cap 200 is screwed onto the spout 300 for the first time. As illustrated, an end of the membrane 302 may extend outside the neck portion forming a membrane projection. With the help of the membrane projection the flexible knives 202 can be directed radially inwards when the cap 200 is unscrewed for the first time.

(11) Further, the cap 200 may be provided with a tamper ring 204, or any other tamper element. In order to provide for that the tamper ring 204 is prevented from following the rest of the cap 200 when it is unscrewed, the tamper ring 204 may be provided with a tamper ring projection 206 arranged to interact with a tamper ring flange 304 on the spout 300. The tamper ring projection 206 may be resilient such that the cap 200 including the tamper ring 204 may be screwed onto the spout 300. Further, in order to facilitate that the tamper ring 204 is separated from a side wall of the cap 200, a weakening line 208 may be provided in the interface between the tamper ring 204 and the rest of the cap 200. In the same way, in order to facilitate that the membrane 302 is separated from the rest of the spout, a membrane weakening line 306 may be provided in the interface between the membrane 302 and the spout 300.

(12) In FIG. 2B a second stage, or an intermediate stage, of the process of unscrewing the cap 200 is illustrated. As illustrated, the tamper ring projection 206 can hook to the tamper ring flange 304 with the effect that the tamper ring 204 is prevented from following the rest of the cap, in turn having the effect that the tamper ring 204 is separated from the rest of the cap 200.

(13) As illustrated, the flexible knives 202 have been directed radially inwards due to that the cap has been moved upwards, the design of the neck portion below the membrane projection and the design of the flexible knives 202. However, the cap 200 and the spout 300 can be designed such that no penetration of the membrane weakening line 304 occur before the tamper ring 204 is separated from the rest of the cap 200. This can be made, for instance, by choosing appropriate length of the neck portion, length of the membrane projection and length of the flexible knives 202.

(14) In FIG. 2C a third stage, or an open stage, is illustrated. The flexible knives 202 have cut off the membrane 302. As illustrated, after having cut off the membrane 302 it can be held by the flexible knives within the cap 200, thereby leaving no waste when opening the package.

(15) In order to provide for that the cap easily can cut off the membrane of the spout the cap may be made of a harder material than the spout, e.g. the cap may be made of polypropylene and the spout may be made of High Density PolyEthylene (HDPE). However, other plastic material suitable to be used for liquid food may be used as well, such as Low Density PolyEthylene (LDPE) and Medium Density PolyEthylene (MDPE).

(16) FIG. 3A-B illustrates another embodiment having a different tamper solution otherwise similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A-C. Unlike the tamper ring solution illustrated in FIG. 2 A-C, which is based on that the tamper ring 204 is separated from the rest of the cap 200 due to a vertical force generated when the cap 200 is unscrewed, the tamper solution illustrated in FIG. 3A-B is based on a horizontal force generated when a cap 400 is unscrewed from a spout 500.

(17) FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-section of the cap 400 and the spout 500 along a line A. As illustrated, the cap 400 can be provided with wedge-shaped elements 402 and the spout 500 can be provided with corresponding wedge-shaped elements 502. The wedge-shaped elements 402 can be resilient such that when the cap 400 for the first time is screwed onto the spout 500 the wedge-shaped elements 402 are pulled over the corresponding wedge-shaped elements 502. This has the effect that when the cap 400 is unscrewed the wedge-shaped elements 402 will be prevented to follow the cap 400 by the corresponding wedge-shaped elements 502, which in turn has the effect that the tamper ring 404 is separated from the rest of the cap 400.

(18) Moreover, although not illustrated, according to yet another embodiment the cap may be provided with a tamper ring flange and the spout may be provided with a spout flange having a diameter greater than a diameter of the tamper ring flange. After having applied the cap onto the spout these are placed in a hole, having a diameter less than both the tamper ring flange and the spout flange, of the carton-based laminate from the inside of the bottle such that the tamper ring flange and the spout flange are both in contact with an inside of the carton-based laminate. Then, e.g. by using UV light, the tamper ring flange and the spout flange can be welded to the package. In the similar way, as illustrated in the FIG. 3A-C the cap may be separated into a cap portion and a tamper ring portion when the cap is unscrewed from the spout. This separation may be facilitated by weakening lines.

(19) Further, as can be readily understood, the general principle of this invention can be applied to all sorts of packages provided with opening devices.

(20) The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.