FIELD OF INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

This invention is related to a holder for receiving a package containing a pourable product. The package is presumed to be manufactured of paper, cardboard, plastics or combinations thereof. The product may be constituted by liquids, such as milk, juice etc. but may also be of a granular or pulverulent nature as long as pouring out of the package in question is possible. The package may for instance be the one which is marketed under the trademark TETRA PAK.

Many, in particular elderly and persons having a reduced mobility and strength in their hands, find it difficult to open packages of the nature here in question due to the fact that the opening operation requires folding, tearing and/or cutting. Even if producers of such packages aim at making the same as easy to open as possible they have to ensure that the packages are closed during necessary operations such as transport etc. The require¬ ment of a secure closure has resulted in packages which still are experienced to be difficult to open.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide means adapted to enable simple opening of packages of the nature here in question so that their contents may be poured. In this connection the invention starts from such a known holder which is recited in the precharacterizing portion of claim 1, said holder involving a simplified handling and displacement of the package.

The holder according to the invention fulfils the object defined by comprising a cutting member adapted to penetrate the package to produce a pouring opening therein. Thus, by using this cutting member the user may easily and conveniently penetrate the package without having to carry out such operations like folding, tea¬ ring, shearing by means of a pair of scissors or the like.

It is preferred that the cutting member is adapted to form a pouring spout. Thus, the cutting member itself will then, while remaining in engagement with the package, simplify pouring of its contents.

An embodiment according to the invention which is particularly favourable from a handling point of view comprises an operating device connected to the cutting member, said operating device being in its turn connected to the holder and actuateable by a user to operate the cutting member between a first position, in which the cutting member is in a passive position and allows application of the package in the holder, and a second position, in which the cutting member has penetrated the package applied in the holder. A development of the invention resides in the fact that an operating member contained in the operating device forms a cover for the holder.

Further preferable designs within the scope of the invention appear from the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the enclosed drawings, a more specific descrip¬ tion of an embodiment of the invention cited as an example will follow hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a perspective view of the holder according to the invention illustrated obliquely from above;

Fig 2 is a perspective view of the holder viewed obliquely from below;

Fig 3 is a sideview of an upper portion of the holder in a state suitable for receiving a package;

Fig 4 is a view similar to Fig 3 but illustrating the holder with a package contained therein and with the package penetrated by the cutting member;

Fig 5 is a partially cut view of the holder viewed from above in the state according to Fig 4 (however, without package); and

Fig 6 is a view of the cutting member on its own and viewed in a front view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The holder illustrated in the drawings has in this case the character of a container having a parallel epipedic basic shape. The holder comprises four vertical side walls 1-4 and a bottom 5, which in unison delimit a space 6 for receiving the package 7 indicated in Fig 4 and containing a pourable product, such as a liquid.

The holder comprises a cutting member 8 adapted to penetrate the package 7 in the area of its upper part, preferably closely under its upper limitation portion, to produce a pouring opening therein. The cutting member 8 is designed to form a pouring spout, from what it follows that the cutting member is intended to remain partially introduced into the package 7 until the contents thereof has been poured out of the package.

It is preferred that the cutting member 8 has a channel like shape, the product flowing along the channel formed by the cutting member. As particularly clearly appears from Figs l and 6, the cutting member 8 has in this embodiment a V-shaped cross

section although it also could have U-shaped or any other cross section shape suitable for the purpose. The cutting end portion of the cutting member 8 comprises edges 9, which from a cut tip 10 extend sloping obliquely rearwardly away from the package. This means that the cut tip 10 penetrates the package firstly and thereafter the edges 9 cut slits in the package so that a lug 11 (Fig 4) is cut out, said lug being connected to the package at the top. In the embodiment exemplified having a cutting member with a V-shape, also the lug 11 will of course be V-shaped. It is preferred that the cutting member 8 comprises means 12 to retain the package lug 11 folded inwardly into the package so that this lug does not prevent pouring of the product out of the package by operating similar to a check valve. Said means 12 is in the example formed by a projection, which is arranged in the channel of the cutting member 8 and which is located somewhat rearwardly of the cutting edges 9 and which may extend substantially verti¬ cally upwardly from the bottom of the channel.

An operating device generally denoted 13 is connected to the cutting member 8, said operating device being in its turn connec¬ ted to the holder and being actuateable by a user to operate the cutting member 8 between a first position (Figs 1 and 3), in which the cutting member is in a passive position and allows application of the package 7 in the holder, and a second position (Figs 2, 4 and 5) in which the cutting member has penetrated the package applied in the holder.

The holder has in its forward wall 3 a recess 14, which is located at the top of said wall, preferably as a sunk portion of its upper margin, and in which the cutting member 8 moves between its first and second positions. The recess 14 has a shape corre¬ sponding to the shape of the cutting member 8, i.e. the recess 14 is in the example V-shaped. In order to avoid the cutting portion 9, 10 of the cutting member contacting the package on introduc¬ tion thereof into the holder from above, the cutting member 8 should be located entirely outside the internal space of the holder in the first position of the cutting member. The holder

may then comprise a shelf 15 adapted to support the cutting end portion of the cutting member from below in the first position of the cutting member. This shelf 15 forms an extension outwardly of the bottom portion of recess 14 and may for instance be formed by a projection 16 arranged on the outside of the wall 3 of the holder, the upper surface of said projection 16 forming the shelf 15.

The operating device 13 comprises at least two arms 17, 18, a first 17 of which is connected to the cutting member 8 whereas the second 18 is hingedly connected to the holder about an axle 19. The arms 17, 18 are mutually hingedly connected by means of an axle 20.

The second arm 18 is in the embodiment formed by a part of a cover 21 of the holder, the cutting member 8 being in its first position when the cover is open and in its second position when the cover is closed.

The arm 17 is suitably rigidly connected to the cutting member 8. Furthermore, the arm 17 is suitably guidedly displaceably held relative to the holder by means of a guide 22 in the area between the connection of the arm and cutting member 8 and the connection of the arm with the arm 18, said guide 22 functioning as a restriction for the arm 17 to movement of the portion thereof received in the guide 22 upwardly and downwardly. The guide 22 could for instance, as illustrated in the drawings, be realised by means of two projections 22 arranged on the holder, said projections at least partially engaging about the arm 17 on the side thereof turned away from the holder so that the arm 17 also is restricted against movement away from the holder substantially perpendicularly to the main longitudinal extent of arm 17.

Two first arms 17 are in the embodiment connected to the cutting member 8, said arms being at least in part located along and outside the two opposite sides 1 and 2 of the holder and said arms being hingedly connected to two second arms 18 formed by

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portions of the cover 21. The arms 17 have suitably each the shape of an L, one shank of which is connected to the respective arm 18 and the other shank of which is rigidly connected to the cutting member 8. The first mentioned shanks extend substantially parallel to those sides 1, 2 of the holder which are substan¬ tially parallel to the main direction of movement of cutting member 8 whereas the second shanks extend substantially parallel to a holder side 3 forming a plane substantially perpendicular to the main direction of movement of the cutting member 8. The guides 22 are suitably provided on the outside of sides 1 and 2 of the holder.

The cover 21 comprises in the embodiment a substantially planar upper portion 23, which in the closed position of the cover forms an upper closure of the holder, and two side portions 24 angu- lated relative to the upper portion, said side portions 24 being at least partially located externally of sides 1 and 2 of the holder in the closed position of the cover. Parts of the angu- lated side portions 24 form the previously mentioned second arms 18, the hinge axles 19 of which also form a common pivot axis for cover 21.

The axles 19 are suitably formed by means of projections provided on the outside of the holder, more specifically on its sides 1 and 2, and holes in the arms 18 and cover 21 respectively, said holes receiving the projections. These projections suitably comprise extreme heads adapted to allow passage through the holes but to counteract the projections and the holes thereafter disengaging from each other. Thus, a snap locking known per se is in view. In a corresponding manner it is preferred that the hinge axles 20 between arms 17 and arms 18 and cover 21 respectively are formed by projections received in holes, the projections also here comprising widened end portions receivable through the holes but serving to prevent the projections from entering out of engagement with the holes thereafter. The projections forming the hinge axles 20 are suitably provided on arms 17 whereas the holes are provided in arms 18 and cover 21 respectively.

In order to simplify handling of the holder it is suitable that it comprises, as appears from Fig 2, a handle 25, which is arranged on the outside of that side 4 of the holder which is opposite to the side 3, at which the cutting member is intended to penetrate the package.

It is understood that the cover 21 in the embodiment exemplified will obtain the character of an operating member for the cutting member 8 since the latter on closing of the cover will be moved into the holder and then penetrates the package.

The operating device 13 is adapted to actuate, at least during the latter part of the movement of the cutting member 8 from its first (Figs 1 and 3) to its second (Figs 2, 4 and 5) position, that portion of the cutting member which is located adjacent to the package 7 downwardly into sealing contact to the package. The movement intended appears clearly on study of Figs 3 and 4, from which it can be seen that the cutting member 8 at the end of its movement will move obliquely downwardly into the package into pressing contact to those marginal portions of the package which result by penetration thereof. This movement pattern is obtained by hinge 20 between arms 17 and 18 being located at a level below hinge 19 between arms 18 and the holder when the cutting member 8 is in its penetrating second position (Fig 4), connection lines between the hinge axles 19, 20 and the cutting tip of cutting member 8 forming a triangle in this position. During at least the termination of the movement of cutting member 8 to the position according to Fig 4 the hinge axle 20 moves rearwardly/downwardly in an arc about hinge axle 19. In the first position of the cutting member according to Fig 3 the hinge axle 20 is located above the position according to Fig 4 and it may then be substan¬ tially on the same level as hinge axle 19 or even somewhat above that level.

The holder described operates in the following manner: In order to introduce a package into the holder, its internal space 6 is exposed by opening cover 21. This opening causes cutting member 8

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to be moved, through the medium of arms 17, to a position, in which the cutting member does not prevent introduction of the package. The cover is then closed, said closure causing, through the medium of the levers 18 formed by the cover and arms 17, cutting member 8 to be drawn into the internal space of the holder while cutting through the package in the way illustrated in Fig 4. In the final position corresponding to closed cover, cutting member 8 is partially located within package 7 with its cutting end portion and cutting member 8 then presses downwardly while establishing a sealing contact between itself and the package. The user may then by inclining the holder forwardly make the product in the package flow out of the same through the penetration provided in the package and within the channel like cutting member. The sealing contact between the cutting member and the package makes the product not to leak out or only leak to an unimportant degree, under the cutting member. When the package has been emptied of its contents the cover is again opened, the cutting member being moved away so that the package may be withdrawn.

If necessary, the holder may be provided with means exerting a retaining action on the cover in its closed position. Such means are suitably formed by engaging means on the cover and on the holder, e.g. on its sides 1 and 2.

The invention is of course not only restricted to the embodiment described. It would for instance probably be possible to delete the cover if a cover would not be desired; the user would in this case have to actuate arms 17 and/or arms 18, for instance via one or more handles or other suitable operating members arranged on the arms, in order to achieve the movement of cutting member 8. Such an operating member could for instance be achieved by designing arms 18 as forming the shanks of a substantially U-shaped yoke, the base of which located in the area of the rear wall 4 of the holder then operating as an operating member for the intended pivoting of the yoke about the hinge axles 19. Also

other modifications are possible within the scope of the inven¬ tion.