Pouring Element for a Composite Package with a Cutting Element for the First Opening of the Composite Package and a Package Provided with Such a Pouring Element

Abstract

Described and illustrated is a pouring element for a composite package. The pouring element includes a main body with a hollow cylindrical spout and a flange arranged at an axial end of the spout; a hollow cylindrical cutting element, guided in a movable manner in the spout, with at least one cutting tooth for opening the composite package; and a reclosable screw cap, which, when the composite package is initially opened, serves to drive the cutting element; wherein the main body, the spout, the cutting element, and the screw cap are arranged concentrically about a vertical axis and wherein the outer hollow cylinder wall of the cutting element has a screw thread, which serves as a movable guide in the spout. In order to design and further develop known pouring elements such that the forces necessary to assemble the cutting element and main body can be decreased and that the force for assembly can be reduced to prevent possible damage to parts due to high forces, the inner hollow cylinder wall of the spout has at least one internal thread having a lower thread section and an upper thread section, the upper thread section of the internal thread has a radially reduced average thread height compared to the lower thread section, and the lower thread section spans half a turn of helix rotation of the at least one internal thread on the axial end of the spout where the flange is arranged.

Claims

1. A pouring element for a composite package, the pouring element comprising a main body with a hollow cylindrical spout and a flange arranged at an axial end of the spout; a hollow cylindrical cutting element, guided in a movable manner in the spout, with at least one cutting tooth for opening the composite package; and a reclosable screw cap, which, when the composite package is initially opened, serves to drive the cutting element; wherein the main body, the spout, the cutting element, and the screw cap are arranged concentrically about a vertical axis and wherein the outer hollow cylinder wall of the cutting element has a screw thread, which serves as a movable guide in the spout; wherein the inner hollow cylinder wall of the spout has at least one internal thread having a lower thread section and an upper thread section, wherein the upper thread section of the internal thread has a radially reduced average thread height compared to the lower thread section and in that the lower thread section spans half a turn of helix rotation of the at least one internal thread on the axial end of the spout where the flange is arranged.

2. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the internal thread has a reduced thread height in an insertion zone where the screw thread is located in the initial position of the cutting element before the composite package is initially opened.

3. The pouring element according to claim 2, wherein the screw thread comprises at least one additional thread segment located in the region of the at least one cutting tooth.

4. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the regions of the cutting element circumferentially outside of where the at least one cutting tooth is located form flexible regions, wherein the screw thread is designed at least partially with thinner and/or less high threads.

5. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the threads of the lower thread section are fully formed with a constant thread height along their helix length.

6. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the average thread height of the upper thread section is less than 80%, preferably less than 60%, of the average thread height of the lower thread section.

7. The pouring element according to claim 2, wherein the thread height of the internal thread in said insertion zone is less than 70% of the average thread height of the lower thread section.

8. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein both the average thread height of the lower thread section FA and the thread height of the screw thread span more than 75% of the difference between the radii of the inner hollow cylinder wall of the spout and the outer hollow cylinder wall of cutting element.

9. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the thread width of the at least one internal thread, measured along the vertical axis at the base of the at least one internal thread, is constant along the thread irrespective of any changes in thread height.

10. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the height of the upper internal threads in the outermost third of the hollow cylindrical spout, viewed along the vertical axis, decreases steadily towards the pouring opening, preferably the spout also being funnel-shaped above the at least one internal thread.

11. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the outer thread and the internal thread comprise more than one, preferably four, thread starts.

12. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the lower thread section is further stabilized by vertical webs located on the outside of the hollow cylindrical spout.

13. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the upper thread section of the spout comprises a safety element located in a region of the spout remote from the flange to mechanically hold the cutting element in place before and during assembly.

14. The pouring element according to claim 1, wherein the main body has a closure part with a central region and preferably comprises an annular weakening zone which connects to the spout.

15. A package, in particular cardboard/plastic composite package, wherein it is provided with a pouring element according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] 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

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a pouring element according to the invention in perspective view,

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the pouring element according to the invention from FIG. 1 in a plan view,

[0033] FIG. 3A shows a main body of the pouring element according to the invention in perspective view from above,

[0034] FIG. 3B shows the main body from FIG. 3A in a vertical section along the line IIIB-IIIB in FIG. 3A, partially enlarged,

[0035] FIG. 3C shows the main body from FIG. 3A in a vertical section along the line IIIC-IIIC in FIG. 3A,

[0036] FIG. 4 shows the screw cap of the pouring element according to the invention in a vertical section,

[0037] FIG. 5A shows a cutting element of the pouring element according to the invention in perspective view,

[0038] FIG. 5B shows the cutting element from FIG. 5A in a vertical section along the line VB-VB,

[0039] FIG. 6A shows the main body from FIG. 3 with the cutting element partially inserted in a vertical section before the start of assembly of the cutting element,

[0040] FIG. 6B shows the pouring element according to the invention, still without a screw cap, during the assembly of the cutting element in the main body, also in a vertical section,

[0041] FIG. 7A shows the pouring element according to the invention in a vertical section before assembling the screw cap and

[0042] FIG. 7B shows the finished pouring element in a vertical section along the line VIIB-VIIB from FIG. 2 after assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] A preferred exemplary embodiment of a pouring element 1 according to the invention is shown in the drawing. FIG. 1 shows a pouring element 1 in a fully assembled and closed condition with a vertical axis VA without a composite package. A reclosable screw cap 2, which is used for the first opening and for reclosing of the composite package, is located on a main body 3, of which only a circumferential flange 4 is visible in FIG. 1, which is used for connection with and integration into the composite package (not shown). In the plan view in FIG. 2, a VIIB-VIIB section line is also shown, which is discussed in more detail below.

[0044] In the exemplary embodiment shown and preferred in this respect, the screw cap 2 has, in addition to the actual cover element 12, an underlying anchor ring 13 and in turn a ring 14 arranged underneath. In the exemplary embodiment represented and preferred in this respect, the cover element 12 is connected to the anchor ring 13 via a one-piece Tether T, i. e. a retaining strap. For this purpose, the screw cap 2 is provided with at least one slot S by means of a circumferential slit blade. In the exemplary embodiment shown and preferred in this respect, two slots S are present, as is visible from FIG. 1. To produce them, two cuts are made in parallel planes. As a result, the screw cap 2 is connected via a tether T, wherein both tether arms are connected to the anchor ring 13 in one piece. In FIG. 1, however, only the front end of the Tether T is visible. However, it is also possible to provide only a single slot if only one attachment to the anchor ring is desired via a single end of the tether strap. In this case, the slot runs over the circumference at least partially in a helix shape such that the two ends of this slot are at different heights relative to the vertical axis VA. In addition, a design without a tether is also possible, only with a cover element 12 and with a ring 14.

[0045] The main body 3 of the pouring element 1 according to the invention, which is partially concealed in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the screw cap 2, is shown individually in FIG. 3A in a perspective view from above. It comprises a horizontal flange 4, the outer edge of which is to be sealed with the package edge of a punched opening in a composite package (not shown), as described in more detail below. It also comprises a hollow cylindrical spout 5, which has an external thread 6 and an internal thread 7. The internal thread 7 has a lower thread section 7A and an upper thread section 7B, wherein the lower thread section 7A is a fully formed thread with a full thread height and which spans a half turn of helix rotation of the internal thread 7, wherein the upper thread section 7B is flattened towards the pouring opening of the spout 5. Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, the internal thread 7 is made from four single parallel threads.

[0046] The spout 5 has a plurality of vertical guide ribs 9 arranged on its outer circumference distributed over the circumference below the outer thread 6. The depth of the vertical guide ribs 9 corresponds approximately to the height of the external thread 6. The upper edges of all lateral guide surfaces of the vertical guide ribs 9 lie in a plane and ensure during the assembly process that the screw cap 2 is evenly widened and centred during the assembly process after having passed the external thread 6 of the spout 5. In addition to the vertical guide ribs 9, a circumferential web 10A can be found in the region of these guide ribs 9, which is not designed to be rotationally symmetrical, but instead has recesses in some regions. Parallel to this circumferential web 10A and below this, web sections 10B can also be seen which have the same outer contour as the circumferential web 10A. In addition to the aforementioned features, the guide ribs 9 or the circumferential webs 10A and web sections 10B also ensure a stiffening of the spout 5 on the side of the closure part 19. This stiffening results in a more stable guidance of the cutting element 8 during the opening process. Moreover, a plurality of vertical webs 11 can be seen below the vertical guide ribs 9 and in extension thereto as well as below the webs 10B. These vertical webs 11 serve as both locking elements on the outside and reinforcing elements for the internal thread 7.

[0047] FIG. 3B shows the main body 3 shown in FIG. 3A in a vertical section along the line IIIB-IIIB from FIG. 3A with a partial enlargement of the section of the left cylinder wall of the spout 5. Due to the different heights of threads 7A and 7B, shown as thread heights THA and THB, the respective inner diameter DA of the lower thread section 7A is smaller than the inner diameter DB of the upper thread section 7B with the flattened top, as can be more clearly seen from the enlarged portion.

[0048] At its bottom, the main body 3 has a closure part 19 with a central region 20 and comprises an annular weakening zone 21 which connects to the spout 5 and a conical annular intermediate region 22 which extends between the weakening zone 21 and the central region 20 of the base of the main body 3 and which jointly seal the pouring opening. The chamfering of the intermediate region 22 compensates for the thickness difference between the central region 20 and the weakening zone 21.

[0049] The internal thread 7 serves to accommodate a cutting element 8, which, however, is only shown starting in FIGS. 5A and 5B and is also described in more detail further below.

[0050] FIG. 3C shows a similar view as in FIG. 3B, wherein the cutting line the line IIIC-IIIC from FIG. 3A is turned clockwise about an angle of 50 compared to the line IIIB-IIIB shown in Fig. 3A. Such a design is favorable with regard to the assembly of the cutting element 8, which needs to be inserted into the cylindrical spout 5. The internal thread 7 has a reduced thread height 7B in areas where the screw thread is located in the initial position of the cutting element 8 before the composite package is initially opened (insertion zone). The transition sections from the insertion zone with a reduced thread height 7B to the adjacent sections with fully formed thread height 7A are more clearly visible in this orientation. The insertion zone is arranged in the region of the upper thread 7B, which is clearly shown with the curly bracket right of FIG. 3C. Moreover, the position of the external thread 25 of the cutting element 8 (not shown here) is indicated with a dot pattern.

[0051] This essentially serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, the application of the cutting element 8 into the cylindrical spout 5 is eased since the areas where an application would generate the highest forces have the reduced thread height 7B. On the other hand, it is advantageous that even in the initial stages there is a high enough thread overlap to guarantee a stable opening process. Later this is ensured by the lower thread section 7A. Since only the insertion zones where the screw thread 25 is initially located have a reduced height, the screw thread 25 and the internal thread 16 have a high enough thread overlap after only a short rotation of the screw cap 2 and therefore the cutting element 8. Ideally, the internal thread 16 bordering the insertion zone in the direction of opening (below and along the helix) has the same thread height as in the lower thread section 7A.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a vertical section through the screw cap 2 of the pouring element 1 according to the invention, wherein the cover element 12, the anchor ring 13 and the ring 14 of the screw cap 2 are clearly shown. Two of a total of three force transmission elements 15, which extend downwards from the cover element 12, are also particularly clearly visible. Furthermore, an internal thread 16 can be recognised inside the cover element 12, which corresponds to the external thread 6 of the spout 5 of the main body 3. In addition, FIG. 4 shows that the anchor ring 13 has a circumferential retaining web 17 in its lower region. This is described in more detail below.

[0053] Moreover, FIG. 4 clearly shows that the ring 14 serving as a tamper-proof seal has on its inside a plurality of stop elements 18 arranged distributed over the circumference. The arrangement of the stop elements 18 is selected such that they lie in the assembled state of the pouring element 1 in the region of the vertical webs 11 as depicted in FIG. 3A. Aforementioned recesses in the circumferential webs 10A and 10B also align with these stop elements 18 to facilitate assembly. The stop elements 18 engage with the vertical webs 11 when the screw cap 2 is opened for the first time, so that a rotation of the circumferential ring 14 is reliably excluded. The vertical webs 11 are arranged in such a way that they, as can be seen clearly in FIG. 3A, are arranged below the protrusions 10A and 10B. The anchor ring 13 and ring 14 are connected to one another in a single piece via small material bridges. During the initial opening process, these material bridges break up due to the blocking catching of the circumferential ring 14 and thus signal to the consumer that the pouring element 1 has already been opened. A tamper-proof seal formed in this way is also known as a Tamper Evident element.

[0054] FIG. 5A shows a cutting element 8 individually in a perspective view. The hollow cylindrical structure of the cutting element 8 can first be seen, wherein three force accepting elements 24 evenly distributed over the circumference can be seen inside the cutting element 8, which are driven when the pouring element 1 applied to a composite package is opened initially. The drive is performed by the screw cap 2 (not shown here), which thereby causes the rotation of the cutting element 8 by means of force transmission elements 15, as described in more detail below. In addition, FIG. 5A clearly shows that the cutting element 8, which is represented and thus preferred, has a screw thread 25 on its outer side. In the preferred embodiment, the screw thread 25 comprises the same number of single parallel thread sections as the internal thread 7 of the spout 5 (without individual numerals).

[0055] The cutting element 8 from FIG. 5A is also shown in FIG. 5B in a vertical section along the line VB-VB in FIG. 5A. It is clearly discernible that between the two regions of the cutting element 8 arranged on the right and left, on which two assembly aids M1 and M2 are located at the top, a region is created which is marked with a dot pattern for better explanation, and which can serve as a flexible region F due to its significantly lower height. Outside this flexible region, the cutting element 8 is designed to be more than twice as high and also has two cutting teeth 23 in its lower region, which cannot be identified in the perspective view of FIG. 5A. The front region of the cutting element 8 from FIG. 5A also has a flexible region F: A region of significantly reduced height of the cutting element 8 between the internally arranged force accepting element 24 and the end of the reinforcement web for the cutting tooth 23 (not specified in more detail) in the bottom left in FIG. 5A.

[0056] The assembly of the main body 3 and the cutting element 8 for the pouring element 1 according to the invention is carried out by means of the following steps: [0057] Holding of the main body 3 on a base (for example with vacuum), [0058] Non-oriented placement of the cutting element 8 on a flat plate, [0059] Rotary alignment of the main body 3 and [0060] Relative axial movement of main body 3 and cutting element 8.

[0061] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the assembly of the main body 3 and the cutting element 8 in more detail. FIG. 6A initially shows the start of assembly with the cutting element 8 just inserted partially. FIG. 6B shows the further assembly process of the cutting element 8 in the main body 3. The special embodiment of the upper edge of the cutting element 8 according to the invention can also clearly be seen in FIG. 6A. In this representation, two optional raised assembly aids M1 and M2 can be clearly seen on the right and left at the upper edge of the cutting element 8. Between these assembly aids M1 and M2, the cutting element 8 is designed flexibly and thus forms flexible regions F, of which only the rear flexible region can be seen here due to the sectional view.

[0062] The main body 3 sealed with the flange 4 at the circumferential edge of an opening in a composite package (not shown) further has a closure part 19 formed in the spout 5 in the plane of the flange 4. As already described above with regard to FIG. 3B, the closure part 19 has a central region 20 and comprises an annular weakening zone 21 which connects to the spout 5 and a conical annular intermediate region 22 which extends between the weakening zone 21 and the central region 20 of the base of the main body 3 and which jointly seal the subsequent pouring opening.

[0063] As explained further above with respect to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the cutting element 8 in the represented and in this respect preferred embodiment has two cutting teeth 23 on its underside, which are each arranged in the region below the assembly aids M1 and M2 as can be clearly seen in FIG. 6B. On its outer circumference, the hollow cylindrical cutting element 8 has a screw thread 25, which obviously hampers pressing the cutting element 8 axially into the main body 3.

[0064] As the last step of assembling the pouring element 1 according to the invention, the screw cap 2 is first aligned rotationally on the unit consisting of the main body 3 and cutting element 8 and then placed near the closure part so that the force transmission elements 15 of the cover element are arranged next to the force accepting elements 24.

[0065] In FIG. 7A, the position of the screw cap 2 is shown with reference to the main body 3 and the opening means completely inserted therein. The internal thread 16 of the cover element 12 is still arranged above the main body 3 and cutting element 8. On the left side of FIG. 7A it is visible how the retaining web 17 of the anchor ring just passes the uppermost thread of the external thread 6 of the spout 5 and how the stop element 18 of the ring 14 has already passed the external thread 6. The inner diameter of the circumferential retaining web 17 of the anchor ring 13 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the circumferential web 10A. However, a brief deformation of both elements is possible due to the plastic material used, wherein the circumferential retaining web 17 is widened. However, this expansion does not occur evenly over the circumference of the retaining web 17 due to the recesses present in the web 10A.

[0066] Finally, FIG. 7B shows the pouring element 1 in its fully assembled position. Between the screw cap 2 and the outer side of the spout 5 there is a first thread pair 6 and 16, which enables the screw cap 2 to be screwed on and tightened. The hollow cylindrical cutting element 8 with its cutting teeth 23 is arranged inside the main body 3, which, when the pouring element 1 and thus the composite package P is initially opened, separates the closure part 20 by destroying a partial section of the weakening zone 21. The vertical axis VA (shown only in FIG. 1) is defined by the concentrically arranged hollow cylindrical elements of the spout 5 and the cutting element 8.

[0067] The cutting element 8 rotates helically about the vertical axis VA during the opening process and moves along this axis. This helical movement is defined by a second thread pair 7 and 25, which is located between the inner side of the spout 5 and the cutting element 8 and ensures a positive guide of the cutting element 8 during its rotation. In this movement, the cutting element 8 is driven on at least one force accepting element 24 (not shown), which interacts with at least one corresponding force transmission element 15 of the screw cap 2.

[0068] Due to the special design of the internal thread 7 with an upper thread section 7B with a reduced height and a fully formed lower thread section 7A, lower forces, and therefore also less abrasion, during the assembly are achieved with the present invention. At the same time, the lower thread section 7A assures proper guidance of the cutting element 8 over the full opening process as the latter moves downwards.

List of Reference Numerals

[0069] 1 Pouring element [0070] 2 Screw cap [0071] 3 Main body [0072] 4 Flange [0073] 5 Spout [0074] 6 External thread [0075] 7 Internal thread [0076] 7A Lower thread section [0077] 7B Upper thread section [0078] 7SE Safety element [0079] 8 Cutting element [0080] 9 Vertical guide rib [0081] 10A Circumferential web [0082] 10B Step [0083] 11 Vertical web [0084] 12 Cover element [0085] 13 Anchor ring [0086] 14 Ring (tamper-proof seal) [0087] 15 Force transmission element [0088] 16 Internal thread [0089] 17 Retaining web [0090] 18 Stop element [0091] 19 Closure part [0092] 20 Central area [0093] 21 Annular weakening zone [0094] 22 Conical annular intermediate section [0095] 23 Cutting tooth [0096] 24 Force accepting element [0097] 25 Screw thread [0098] DA Inner diameter A [0099] DB Inner diameter B [0100] F Flexible area [0101] M1 Assembly aid [0102] M2 Assembly aid [0103] S Slot [0104] T Tether [0105] THA Thread height of lower thread section 7A [0106] THB Thread height of upper thread section 7B [0107] VA Vertical axis