RECYCLABLE POURING SPOUT DEVICE

Abstract

A pouring spout device for packaging, including: a surround provided with a pouring opening, a cap connected to the surround by a hinge, the cap being configured to pivot between a closed position, in which the cap closes the pouring opening, and an open position, in which the cap frees the pouring opening, a plastic sealing part on the cap is arranged on an external face of the cap and extends along the edge of the cap, the sealing part comprising two lateral sealing portions which project from the lateral sides of the cap and a connecting portion connecting the two lateral portions and projecting from an upper side of the cap, the two lateral portions and the connecting portion being configured to bear against a surface of the surround when the cap is in the closed position.

Claims

1. A pouring spout device for a packaging, the pouring spout device comprising: a frame intended to be fastened to the packaging, the frame being provided with a pouring opening, a cover connected to the frame by two flanges and a hinge, the hinge delimiting a lower side of the cover, the cover being configured to pivot between a closed position in which the cover shuts off the pouring opening and an open position in which the cover releases the pouring opening, a sealing part made of plastic material overmolded on the cover and disposed on at least part of an external face of the cover extending along an edge of the cover, the sealing part comprising two lateral sealing portions which protrude respectively from two lateral sides of the cover and a connecting sealing portion connecting the two lateral sealing portions and protruding from an upper side of the cover, the two lateral sealing portions and the connecting sealing portion being configured to bear against an external surface of the frame in the closed position of the cover.

2. The pouring spout device according to claim 1, which comprises two sealing elements made of a film of plastic material overmolded on the frame, each of the two sealing elements being disposed on at least part of the external surface of the frame extending at least along part of a lateral edge laterally delimiting the pouring opening, so that the two sealing elements are in contact with the sealing part in the closed position of the cover.

3. The pouring spout device according to claim 1, wherein the two flanges are each made of film of plastic material.

4. The pouring spout device according to claim 1, wherein the two flanges each have at least three fold lines configured so that, in the closed position of the cover, the two flanges are each folded down under the surface of the cover, above the pouring opening of the frame.

5. The pouring spout device according to claim 1, which comprises a fastening part made of a film of plastic material overmolded on the frame, the fastening part being disposed on at least partly the external surface of the frame extending along an external peripheral edge of the frame.

6. The pouring spout device according to claim 1, wherein the cover, the hinge and the frame are formed of cardboard.

7. The pouring spout device according to claim 1, wherein the frame and/or the cover comprises a series of through holes configured to receive the plastic material overmolded on the cover, so as to reinforce a hold of the plastic material overmolded on the cover on material constituting the frame and/or the cover.

8. The pouring spout device according to claim 2, wherein the two sealing elements are produced by molding with the sealing part, each of the two flanges is produced by molding with the sealing part, and/or the pouring spout device comprises a fastening part made of a film of plastic material overmolded on the frame, the fastening part being disposed on at least partly the external surface of the frame extending along an external peripheral edge of the frame and the fastening part is produced by molding with the sealing part.

9. The pouring spout device according to claim 1, wherein the plastic material is biosourced.

10. The pouring spout device according to claim 2, which comprises a third connecting sealing element made of a film of plastic material overmolded on the frame, the third connecting sealing element connecting the two sealing elements so as to form a sealing assembly configured to come into contact with the sealing part in the closed position of the cover.

11. The pouring spout device according to claim 10, wherein the third connecting sealing element is disposed on at least part of the external face of the frame and extends at least along part of the lateral edge laterally delimiting the pouring opening of the frame.

12. The pouring spout device according to claim 10, wherein the sealing part comprises a closing lip extending at least partially along an inner margin of the sealing part so as to cooperate with the sealing assembly in the closed position of the cover.

13. The pouring spout device according to claim 12, wherein the closing lip is configured to cooperate with an inner margin of the sealing assembly.

14. The pouring spout device according to claim 12, wherein the closing lip comprises at least one snap-fitting means configured to be snap-fitted to the sealing assembly in the closed position of the cover.

15. A method for manufacturing a pouring spout device for a packaging, the pouring spout device comprising: a frame intended to be fastened to the packaging, the frame being provided with a pouring opening, a cover connected to the frame by two flanges and a hinge, the hinge delimiting a lower side of the cover, the cover being configured to pivot between a closed position in which the cover shuts off the pouring opening and an open position in which the cover releases the pouring opening, a sealing part made of plastic material overmolded on the cover and disposed on at least part of an external face of the cover extending along an edge of the cover, the sealing part comprising two lateral sealing portions which protrude respectively from two lateral sides of the cover and a connecting sealing portion connecting the two lateral sealing portions and protruding from an upper side of the cover, the two lateral sealing portions and the connecting sealing portion being configured to bear against an external surface of the frame in the closed position of the cover, comprising the following steps of a) providing a frame provided with a pouring opening and a cover connected to the frame by a hinge, b) providing a mold configured so that the cover is disposed in the open position, and c) overmolding the plastic material on the frame and the cover in the open position, so as to form a sealing part on a peripheral margin of the cover.

16. The pouring spout device according to claim 2, wherein the two flanges are each made of film of plastic material.

17. The pouring spout device according to claim 16, wherein the two flanges each have at least three fold lines configured so that, in the closed position of the cover, the two flanges are each folded down under the surface of the cover, above the pouring opening of the frame.

18. The pouring spout device according to claim 17, which comprises a fastening part made of a film of plastic material overmolded on the frame, the fastening part being disposed on at least partly the external surface of the frame extending along an external peripheral edge of the frame.

19. The pouring spout device according to claim 18, wherein the cover, the hinge and the frame are formed of cardboard.

20. The pouring spout device according to claim 19, wherein the frame and/or the cover comprises a series of through holes configured to receive the plastic material overmolded on the cover, so as to reinforce a hold of the plastic material overmolded on the cover on material constituting the frame and/or the cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0105] Other characteristics and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, of three non-limiting examples of implementation, made with reference to the appended figures in which:

[0106] FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the assembly consisting of the frame of the cover and of the hinge according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0107] FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the pouring spout device comprising a sealing part on the cover, two sealing elements on the frame and two flanges connecting the frame to the cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0108] FIG. 3 represents a rear view of the pouring spout device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0109] FIG. 4 represents a bottom view of the pouring spout device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0110] FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of the pouring spout device comprising a sealing part, two sealing elements, two flanges and fastening parts on the frame, according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0111] FIG. 6 represents a rear view of the pouring spout device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure of FIG. 5.

[0112] FIG. 7 represents a bottom view of the pouring spout device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure of FIG. 5.

[0113] FIG. 8 represents a perspective view of the pouring spout device according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0114] FIG. 9 represents a bottom view of the pouring spout device according to the embodiment of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0115] Referring to FIG. 1, the pouring spout device 100 comprises a frame 1, intended to be fastened to a packaging and in which is formed a pouring opening 2, and a cover 3, a lower side of which forms a hinge 4 connecting it to the frame 1. The cover 3 is configured to pivot between a closed position (not illustrated) in which the cover 3 shuts off the pouring opening 2 and an open position (FIGS. 1 to 7) in which the cover 3 releases the pouring opening 2. The frame 1 and the cover 3 consist of a thick sheet of a rigid cellulose material, such as cardboard, having a basis weight greater than 224 g/m2. The cover 3 advantageously comes from the cutting of the pouring opening 2 in a cardboard plate with the dimensions of the frame 1 so that the cover 3 and the pouring opening 2 have the same dimensions. As visible in the figures, the frame 1 and the cover 3 has a quadrilateral shape and in particular an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape. The lower side (or the hinge 4) of the cover 3 is formed in the direction of the width of the cover 3 but according to an alternative not illustrated, the hinge 4 is formed in the direction of the length of the cover 3. According to another alternative not illustrated, the quadrilateral is a trapezium or any parallelogram other than a rectangle.

[0116] The pouring spout device 100 according to the present disclosure further comprises a sealing part 10 made of overmolded plastic material extending in the extension plane of the cover 3, so as to extend the dimensions of the upper side 8 of the cover 3, (side opposite to the lower side forming the hinge 4) and on the two lateral sides 9, 9 (visible in FIGS. 2 to 4). Thus, in the closed position of the cover 3, the sealing part 10 covers and bears against the external surface 5 of the frame 1, on each of the lateral edges delimiting the pouring opening 2. Concretely, the sealing part 10 comprises two lateral sealing portions 6, 6 protruding respectively from the two lateral sides 9, 9 of the cover 3 and a connecting sealing portion 7 connecting the two lateral sealing portions 6, 6 protruding from the upper side 8 of the cover 3. Although this is not visible in the perspective views, the connecting sealing portion 7 comes to cover the frame 1 of the pouring spout 100 in the closed position of the cover 3.

[0117] As visible in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the sealing part 10 also covers part of the external face E of the cover 3 (in the form of three strips) through which is provided a series of through holes 11 (visible in FIGS. 1, 2 and following) configured to receive the overmolded plastic material. This configuration makes it possible to reinforce the hold of the sealing part 10 made of plastic on the cover 3 made of cardboard.

[0118] According to one arrangement not visible in the figures, the overmolded plastic material is advantageously made of biosourced plastic. Thus the pouring spout device 100 consisting of cellulose and biosourced plastic is completely recyclable.

[0119] Also illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 7, the pouring spout device 100 comprises two sealing elements 12 overmolded on the frame 1. Specifically, each of the two sealing elements 12 are disposed on at least part of the external surface 5 of the frame 1, extending partially along a lateral edge 13 laterally delimiting the pouring opening 2 (FIGS. 2 to 7). These two sealing elements 12 produced by molding with the sealing part 10, each covering the wafer of a lateral edge 13 as well as part of the internal surface 15 of the frame 1 to guarantee a good hold between the two materials (FIGS. 4 and 7).

[0120] These two sealing elements 12 on the frame 1 are opposite and in contact with the two lateral sealing portions 6, 6 of the cover 3 in the closed position of the cover 3 so as to allow a very good sealing during the shuttering of the pouring opening 2 and the conservation of the contents of the packaging.

[0121] In this embodiment, the pouring spout device 100 is fastened to the packaging by using a glue, coated on the packaging and/or on the external surface 5 of the frame 1.

[0122] Also visible in the figures, the connecting sealing portion 7 comprises a protrusion 16 forming a gripping portion configured to allow the gripping of the cover 3. This gripping portion 16 is provided with a tooth 17 configured to cooperate and be snap-fitted to a notch 18 provided in the frame 1. This arrangement makes it possible to fasten the cover 3 to the frame 1 in the closed position of the cover 3 which is then removably locked.

[0123] The implementation of the present disclosure as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, differs from that illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 in particular by the provision of a fastening part 19 made of plastic film overmolded on the frame 1. The fastening portion 19 extends along an external peripheral edge of the frame 1 and a part of the external surface 5 of the frame 1 by filling a series of through holes 11 provided in the frame 1, so as to improve the holding of the plastic on the frame 1 (visible in FIG. 7). This configuration is useful to allow fastening by welding of the pouring spout 100 to the packaging. The fastening part 19 is produced by molding with the sealing part 10.

[0124] According to one possible implementation of the present disclosure, the device 100 also comprises two flanges 20 connecting the cover 3 and the frame 1. These two flanges 20 are made of a film of plastic material (refer to FIGS. 2 to 7), each produced by molding with the sealing part 10. Each of the flanges 20 comprises three fold lines 21 configured so that, in the closed position of the cover 3, the flanges 20 are each folded down under the cover 3, without coming into contact with the sealing part 10 on the cover 3 nor with the two sealing elements 12 on the frame 1. This configuration makes it possible to increase the opening angle of the cover 3 vis--vis the frame up to 120 degrees for example. According to another arrangement not illustrated, each of the flanges 20 have a single fold line.

[0125] According to another arrangement not illustrated, the two flanges 20 are made of cellulose, in particular paper.

[0126] According to a third embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 9, the pouring spout device 100 differs from the previous ones described in FIGS. 1 to 7, in that it further comprises a third connecting sealing element 12 connecting the two sealing elements 12 overmolded on the frame 1. The third connecting sealing element 12 is made of a film of plastic material, overmolded on the frame 1 so as to be disposed on at least part of the external surface 5 of the frame 1 extending at least along part of the lateral edge 13 laterally delimiting the pouring opening 2 of the frame 1. The two sealing elements 12 and the third connecting sealing element 12 thus form a sealing assembly 21 of the frame 1 which cooperates with the sealing part 10 in the closed position of the cover 3. According to this third embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the sealing assembly 21 covers the entire lateral edge 13 of the pouring opening 2, apart of course from the hinge 4. The sealing part 10 may thus bear against the sealing assembly 21 in the closed position of the cover 3 which optimizes the sealing of the pouring spout device 100.

[0127] Also, another difference resides in that the sealing part 10 overmolded on the cover 3 comprises a closing lip 22 forming a prominence from the internal face of the cover 3 (opposite the external face E). The closing lip 22 extends at least in part along the inner margin of the sealing part 10. This closing lip 22 is configured to cooperate with the sealing assembly 21 covering a lateral edge 13 of the pouring opening 2 which extends in the direction of the thickness of the frame 1. This allows the insertion of the closing lip 22 into the pouring opening 2 when closing the cover 3 generating a tight contact between the facing surfaces of the sealing assembly 21 (outer margin) and of the sealing part 10 (inner margin).

[0128] In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the closing lip 22 is provided with three snap-fitting means, here lugs 23, configured to cooperate by snap-fitting with the lateral edge 13 of the pouring opening 2 provided with the sealing assembly 21 in order to close the pouring spout device 100 hermetically. According to another embodiment not illustrated, the closing lip 22 may comprise a single snap-fitting means 23, disposed in a central position of the connecting sealing portion 7, such as a plurality of snap-fitting means 23 distributed around the margin of the closing lip 22. It is then possible to dispense with the tooth 17 and the notch 18 of the two embodiments previously described.

[0129] As may be seen in the figures, the fastening part 19 extending along an external peripheral edge of the frame 1 may be omitted in this third embodiment as is the case in the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0130] This is useful when the pouring spout device 100 is intended to be assembled with a paper packaging devoid of inner plastic film. It is possible to glue the internal face of the frame 1 made of cardboard to the paper packaging, for example via a double-sided adhesive.

[0131] When, on the contrary, the paper packaging has a plastic film on its inner surface, the presence of the fastening part 19 advantageously allows fastening by fusion of the plastics brought into contact.

[0132] Also visible in FIG. 9, each of the lateral sealing portions 6, 6 comprises, plumb with the corresponding flange 20, a transverse projection 24, relative to the longitudinal direction of extension of each lateral sealing portion 6, 6, the transverse projection 24 extending towards the center of the cover 1. This makes it possible in particular to hold and stiffen the cover 3 as well as the connection between the flanges 20 and the cover 3.

[0133] According to one embodiment not visible in the figures, the pouring spout device comprises at least one compressed region adjoining an overmolded region. The at least one compressed region delimits the outline of the overmolding region, such as the sealing part 10 and/or the sealing assembly 21.

[0134] According to a second aspect not illustrated, the present disclosure proposes a method for manufacturing said pouring spout device 100 comprising [0135] a step a) of providing a frame 1 provided with a pouring opening 2 and a cover 3 connected to the frame 1 by a hinge 4, as illustrated in FIG. 1, [0136] a step b) of providing a mold configured so that the cover 3 is disposed in the open position (also visible in FIG. 1), and [0137] a step c) of overmolding the plastic material on the frame 1 and the cover 3 in the open position, so as to form a sealing part 10 on the peripheral margin of the cover 3 (sealing part 10 visible in FIG. 2).

[0138] Thus, the present disclosure proposes a recyclable pouring spout device 100, comprising a frame 1 and a cover 3 made of a rigid cellulose material, such as cardboard, and a sealing part 10 on the cover 3 and two sealing elements 12 on the frame 1, made of biosourced plastic material. The device 100 is configured to be easily fastened to a paper packaging (by gluing or by fusion) so as to allow a total recycling.

[0139] It goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the variant embodiments described above by way of example but that it comprises all the technical equivalents and variants of the means described as well as their combinations.