DESCRIPTION

[0001]The present invention is in the field of thin-walled packages fitted with a spout, which packages are usually referred to as a "pouch". In particular, the present invention refers to a closure assembly for a spout of said package.

[0002]Said packages are primarily used to contain fruit juices, yogurt, fruit puree, energy drinks, and similar products for children. These packages have become very popular due to their compact size, great practicality of use, and playful aspect linked to the use of the spout, which attracts the attention of children. Several hundred million units are produced and sold every year.

[0003]Typically, spout closures, which are made of plastics material, comprise a cap and a guarantee seal, which comprises a guarantee ring joined to the cap by a plurality of breakable bridges. When the cap is unscrewed for the first time, the bridges break, thus separating the cap from the guarantee ring and making the first opening apparent.

[0004]Recently, research and development efforts of manufacturing companies have focused on constructing a closure assembly with a guarantee seal in which, even after the first opening, the cap remains attached to the guarantee ring to prevent it from being lost in the environment.

[0005]Solutions of caps for spouts of thin-walled packages that are provided with a strap which keeps the cap connected to the spout, for example by means of a collar, are already known.

[0006]The known solutions, however, have some drawbacks.

[0007]For example, the cap that remains connected to the spout hinders the use of the spout itself. It is not uncommon, in fact, that, when using the spout, the cap touches the region around the lips, thus annoying the user.

[0008]The object of this invention is to make a closure assembly for a spout of a thin-walled package that meets the aforesaid requirements and is particularly comfortable to use.

[0009]This object is achieved by a closure assembly according to claim 1. The claims dependent on these claims describe preferred variant embodiments involving further advantageous aspects.

[0010]The features and advantages of the closure assembly according to this invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example according to the figures in the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0011]Fig. la and lb show a package comprising the closure assembly that is the object of the present invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, in a perspective view and in a front view, respectively;

[0012]Fig. 2a through 2c depict a spout group of the closure assembly in a perspective view, in a front view and in a side view, respectively;

[0013]Fig. 3a through 3e depict a spout group of the closure assembly, according to various embodiments;

[0014]Fig. 4a through 4e depict the cross section of an engagement plate of the spout group according to the embodiments of Fig. 3a through 3e, along the cross- sectional plane A-A in Fig. 3a through 3e;

[0015]Fig. 5a and 5b depict two front views of a closure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016]Fig. 6a and 6b are longitudinal cross sections of the closure of Fig. 5a and 5b, respectively;

[0017]Fig. 7a shows a closure in an initial open configuration;

[0018]Fig. 7b is an enlargement of a detail in Fig. 7a, showing a breakable segment of the guarantee seal;

[0019]Fig. 7c is an enlargement of a detail in Fig. 7a, showing breakable bridges of the guarantee seal;

[0020]Fig. 8a through 8d depict a closure according to another embodiment of the invention; [0021]Fig. 9a through 9d depict a closure according to yet another embodiment of the invention;

[0022]Fig. 10a and 10b are two cross sections of a closure assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023]Fig. 11a and lib depict a package according to the present invention in a use configuration;

[0024]Fig. 12 shows a cross section of a portion of the package of Fig. 11a;

[0025]Fig. 13a through 13c depict three perspective views of the closure assembly in two configurations;

[0026]Fig. 14 is an enlargement of a detail in Fig. 5a, showing a first attachment portion of the guarantee seal; [0027]Fig. 15 is a cross section of the first attachment portion of Fig. 14, along the cross-sectional plane B-B in Fig. 14.

[0028]In reference to the figures in the attached drawings, reference sign 1 has been used to indicate a closure assembly of a thin-walled package 500, usually referred to as a "pouch". Said package 500 comprises a bag 2 for containing the product.

[0029]According to an embodiment, the package 500 comprises a front wall 4 and a rear wall 6 which face each other and are formed by a flexible, monolayer or multilayer film. The walls 4, 6 are welded together along the side edges or, in an embodiment variant, sides are provided which are made of flexible film and welded to the walls 4, 6.

[0030]The closure assembly 1 comprises a spout group 10 which extends along a spout axis X-X and is typically made of plastics material in a single piece, by injection molding.

[0031]According to an embodiment, the spout group 10 has an internal spout duct 12 extending along the spout axis X-X from a lower end 14a, intended to be contained in the bag 2, to an upper end 14b in which a mouth 16 for dispensing the product is found.

[0032]The spout group 10 comprises a connecting portion 20, referred to as a "weld boat," which is suitable for being sealingly applied to the bag 2, preferably between the top edges of the walls 4, 6, for example by welding.

[0033]According to an embodiment, the spout group 10 comprises a first plate 22 orthogonal to the spout axis X-X.

[0034]According to an embodiment, the connecting portion 20 is axially delimited by this first plate 22.

[0035]According to an embodiment, the spout group 10 further comprises a second plate 24, also orthogonal to the spout axis X-X, and axially spaced from the first plate 22. The second plate 24 has two opposing straight edges 25', 25'' connected by two leading edges 26', 26'' which are, for example, arched.

[0036]According to the invention, the spout group 10 further comprises a threaded spout 30. Preferably, the spout 30 extends axially from the second plate 24 and ends with the mouth 16.

[0037]In one embodiment, the spout group 10 further comprises an engagement plate 26, which is orthogonal to the spout axis X-X and projects radially outward from the outer side surface of the spout 30. The projection of the shape of the engagement plate 26 along the spout axis X-X onto the second plate 24 is entirely contained within said second plate 24, so as not to interfere with the movement of the packages along the filling lines.

[0038]In an imaginary plane orthogonal to the spout axis X-X, said engagement plate 26 has a cross section having various shapes (Fig. 4a through 4e): cylindrical circular crown shape; cylindrical circular crown chamfered by straight portions at the straight edges 25', 25'' of the second plate 24; grooved with arched edges; grooved with straight edges; cylindrical circular crown chamfered by mixed straight and arched segments.

[0039]According to an embodiment, a ring seat 100 is formed between the engagement plate 26 and the second plate 24. Furthermore, a coupling seat 120 is formed between the first plate 22 and the second plate 24.

[0040]According to the invention, the spout group 10 comprises a coupling region 110, which will be discussed below .

[0041]According to the invention, the closure assembly 1 further comprises a closure 40 applicable to the spout group 10. The closure 40 comprises a cap group 42.

[0042]The cap group 42 comprises a cap 46 screwable to the spout 30 and extends along a cap axis Y-Y, and an overcap 44, which are preferably made separately and joined together.

[0043]According to an embodiment, the cap 46 comprises an annular, internally threaded cap wall 48, a cap base 50 which closes the cap wall 48 at one end, and a cap flange 52, radially projecting outward from the cap wall 48 at the other end.

[0044]The closure 40 further comprises a guarantee seal 54 to highlight the first opening of the closure 40. Said guarantee seal 54 comprises a guarantee ring 56, an annular guarantee band 58 and a plurality of breakable bridges 60.

[0045]According to the invention, the guarantee ring 56 is axially constrained to the spout 30, for example arranged in the ring seat 100, between the second plate 24 and the engagement plate 26.

[0046]The guarantee band 58, in an unbroken seal configuration, is axially overlapped on the guarantee ring 56, from which it is axially separated by a first separation line 62 along which bridges 60 are arranged; the cap flange 52 is in turn axially overlapped on the guarantee band 58, from which it is axially separated by a second separation line 64 along which further bridges 60 are arranged.

[0047]In other words, the plurality of bridges 60 join the guarantee band 58 to the guarantee ring 56 and the guarantee band 58 to the cap flange 52.

[0048]According to an embodiment, the guarantee band 58 extends between an initial portion 58a and an end portion 58b, and is wound about the cap axis Y-Y in a circumferential pattern, whereby, in an unbroken seal configuration, the initial portion 58a is circumferentially adjacent to the end portion 58b and spaced apart therefrom.

[0049]According to an embodiment, the guarantee seal 54 further comprises a first attachment portion 66, which is more resistant than the bridges 60 and joins the guarantee band 58, and in particular the initial segment 58a thereof, to the guarantee ring 56. The guarantee seal 54 further comprises a second attachment portion 68, which is more resistant than the bridges 60 and joins the guarantee band 58, and in particular the end segment 58b thereof, to the cap 46, and in particular to the cap flange 52.

[0050]Moreover, according to an embodiment, the guarantee seal 54 comprises a breakable segment 70 which extends predominantly circumferentially and joins the initial portion 58a of the band 58 to the end portion 58b.

[0051]Preferably, the breakable segment 70 is configured to encounter a preferential break at the initial segment 58a, whereby the part remaining after the first opening remains attached to the end segment 58b (Fig. 7a and 7b). To this end, the breakable segment 70 has a cross section with decreasing resistance from the end segment 58b to the initial segment 58a.

[0052]Preferably, moreover, the bridges 60 are configured to preferably break at the guarantee band 58, whereby any residual protrusions remaining after the first opening remain attached to the guarantee ring 56 or to the cap flange 52, leaving the guarantee band 58 free of protrusions (Fig. 7a and 7c).

[0053]For this purpose, the bridges 60 have a cross section with decreasing resistance from the guarantee band 58 toward the guarantee ring 56 or toward the cap flange 52, whereby, at the guarantee ring 56 or at the cap flange 52, the cross section is small and particularly weak.

[0054]According to a preferred embodiment, the first separation line 62 has a Greek fret (Fig. 8a through 8d) or wavy circumferential pattern (Fig. 9a through 9d), whereby the guarantee band 58 and the guarantee ring 56 interpenetrate axially, forming projections and respective indents.

[0055]For example, the guarantee band 58 has at least one axial projection 80, which corresponds to the relevant axial indent 82 of the guarantee ring 56. According to a further example, the guarantee ring 56 has at least one axial projection 84 which corresponds to the relevant axial indent 86 of the guarantee band 58.

[0056]Advantageously, when the closure 40 is first screwed to the spout group 10, the projections 80 of the guarantee band 58 push on the projections 84 of the guarantee ring 56, which act as circumferential abutments, dragging the guarantee ring 56 into rotation, thus preventing the bridges 60 from breaking between the guarantee band 58 and the guarantee ring 56.

[0057]In an embodiment, the attachment of the guarantee band 58 to the guarantee ring 56 and to the cap 46 is configured such that if the cap is pulled so that it causes a break and separation from the spout group 10 this breakage preferably occurs at the attachment between the guarantee band 58 and the guarantee ring 56.

[0058]To this end, the resistant cross section of the first attachment portion 66 is smaller than the resistant cross section of the second attachment portion 68 and the resistant cross section of the guarantee band 58, so as to cause preferential breakage in this region (Fig. 14 and 15).

[0059]According to an embodiment, the over-cap 44, preferably made of plastics material in a single piece, for example by injection molding, comprises an annular grip 92. The grip 92 is spaced radially outward from the cap 46, preferably from the cap wall 48.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the over-cap 44 further comprises flaps 93 which make the grip 92 jointed with the cap 46.

[0061]According to an embodiment, the grip 92 has a grip opening 94 at the top, i.e., on the side of the cap base 50, which grip opening is delimited by an opening edge 108 that overlaps the cap base 50 and is arranged axially spaced therefrom. At the bottom, however, the grip 92 has a perimeter edge 98 substantially coplanar with the lower edge of the cap wall 48, below which the cap flange 52 is located.

[0062]According to a variant embodiment, the closure 40 is made of plastics material in a single piece, for example by injection molding.

[0063]Having applied the closure 40 to the spout group 10 (Fig. 6b) by screwing the cap 46 to the spout 30, the guarantee ring 56 is at least partially received in the ring seat 100, from which it is impossible to be pulled out axially without damaging it. The guarantee band 58, however, is located outside of the ring seat 100, above the engagement plate 26.

[0064]In an embodiment, the guarantee ring 56 is freely rotatable in the ring seat 100.

[0065]According to a further embodiment, locking means are provided which prevent or limit the free rotation of the guarantee ring 56 in the ring seat 100.

[0066]According to the invention, in an open configuration of the closure 40 in which the cap 46 is unscrewed from the spout 30 and the bridges 60 are broken, the guarantee band 58 forms a strap 58' which connects the cap group 42 to the guarantee ring 56.

[0067]In other words, upon unscrewing the closure 40 from the spout 30, the breakable segment 70 breaks, as do the bridges 60, so that after unscrewing, the guarantee band 58 takes the form of the strap 58', connected to the guarantee ring 56 by the first attachment portion 66 and to the cap 46, and in particular to the cap flange 52, by the second attachment portion 68. The closure 40, although unscrewed from the spout 30, thus remains connected to the spout group 10.

[0068]According to the invention, the over-cap 44 comprises a coupling portion 95. In a use configuration, the closure assembly 100 provides that the coupling portion 95 is engaged with the coupling region 110 of the spout group 10 in order to retain the cap group 42 in a predefined position with respect to said spout 30.

[0069]In other words, the strap 58' constitutes a permanent connection between the cap group 42 and the spout group 10. The engagement between the coupling portion 95 of the cap 42 and the coupling region 110 of the spout 30 may be achieved only when the cap group 42 is unscrewed from the spout 30 and allows the cap group 42 to be kept in a predefined position with respect to the spout 30, such as not to cause discomfort to the user when the spout 30 is between the lips.

[0070]Preferably, said coupling region 110 is positioned below the engagement plate 26, so as to be sufficiently distant from the mouth 16.

[0071]According to a preferred embodiment, moreover, in the use configuration, i.e., in the configuration in which the coupling portion 95 of the cap group 42 is engaged with the coupling region 110 of the spout group 10, the cap group 42 is arranged so that the cap axis Y-Y lies on an imaginary plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X-X of the spout group 10.

[0072]Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment, the grip 92 of the over-cap 44 comprises said coupling portion 95.

[0073]Preferably, the grip 92 extends axially from a lower end to an upper end. At the lower end, the grip 92 has an undulated, for example continuous, grip edge made up of a succession of low segments and high segments that are joined to each other.

[0074]According to an embodiment, the grip 92 comprises a grip body 96 and a cheek 97. This cheek 97 is a portion of the grip 92 that extends from the grip body 96.

[0075]Preferably, the course of the grip edge is such that it forms at least the cheek 97, which consists of a portion of the grip which extends between the high segment and the low segment.

[0076]Preferably, at the same time, the course of the grip edge forms at least one window of the grip, which is delimited on the upper side by the high segment and preferably not delimited on the lower side.

[0077]According to an embodiment, the grip 92 is preferably made of plastics material in a single piece, for example by injection molding.

[0078]Furthermore, according to an embodiment, said cheek 97 axially protrudes from the grip body 96 with respect to the cap axis Y-Y.

[0079]According to a first embodiment, the cheek 97 axially protrudes from the grip body 96 in the direction of the cap flange 52.

[0080]According to a second embodiment, the cheek 97 axially protrudes from the grip body 96 in the direction of the grip opening 94.

[0081]According to an embodiment, the cheek 97 comprises a cheek segment 97a which creates said coupling portion 95.

[0082]According to an embodiment, the coupling seat 120 of the spout group 10 forms said coupling region 110.

[0083]According to an embodiment, the cheek 97 comprises an outer surface 97' and an inner surface 97'', which will be discussed later.

[0084]According to a preferred embodiment, the cheek 97 comprises a reinforcing element 197 which makes the cheek 97, preferably the inner surface 91'', jointed with the cap 46. Preferably, said reinforcing element 197 forms the extension of a flap 93.

[0085]According to an embodiment, the cheek 97 further comprises a cheek tooth 297 extending radially from the inner surface 91''. This means that, in the use configuration, the cheek tooth 297 engages the first plate 22, while the outer surface 91'' engages the second plate 24.

[0086]According to a preferred embodiment, said cheek tooth 297 forms the extension of the reinforcing element 197.

[0087]According to an embodiment, the over-cap 44 has a plurality of coupling portions 95.

[0088]According to an embodiment, the over-cap 44 comprises two coupling portions 95, arranged symmetrically with respect to the cap axis Y-Y. Preferably, the grip 92 comprises said cheek 97 and a further cheek 97 which is symmetrical to the cheek 97 with respect to the cap axis Y-Y.

[0089]Therefore, the over-cap 44 preferably has two cheeks 97 and two windows, which are preferably symmetrical.

[0090]In a use configuration (Fig. 11a), the coupling portion 95 of the cap group 42 is engaged with the coupling region 110 of the spout group 10, so as to retain the cap group 42 in a predefined position with respect to the spout group 10, such as not to hinder the use of the spout 30.

[0091]According to an embodiment, the engagement between the coupling portion 95 and the coupling region 110 is a pressure engagement, obtained by forced insertion of the coupling portion 95 into the coupling region 110, for example of the cheek portion 97a into the coupling seat 120 of the spout group 10.

[0092]According to a further embodiment, the engagement between the coupling portion 95 and the coupling region 110 is a snap-in engagement.

[0093]According to yet a further embodiment, the engagement between the coupling portion 95 and the coupling region 110 is a positive-fit engagement, i.e. between a shaped element of the coupling portion 95 and a counter-shaped element of the coupling region 110, with or without forcing.

[0094]Innovatively, the closure assembly according to the present invention achieves the aforementioned object since it satisfies the needs of the sector.

[0095]In particular, the closure assembly is provided with a guarantee seal and allows the cap and the grip to be kept connected to the spout group, even after opening the package, thus keeping the cap in a position where it does not hinder the use of the spout.

[0096]It is clear that a person skilled in the art, in order to satisfy current needs, may make modifications to the closure assembly described above, said modifications all being contained within the scope of protection as defined in the following claims.