Abstract:
A closure device attachable above a location of a closed receptacle, consisting of a stopper portion with a cylindrical pour-out spout which is connected or connectable to the receptacle, and of a screw cap which may be screwed onto the lower part, as well as of a cylindrical piercing means which in the axial direction is open at both sides and is displaceably mounted in the lower part, wherein catch means are present in the screw cap, said catch means moving the piercing means helically downwards when screwing off the screw cap for the first time, wherein the piercing means is equipped with at least one cutting element.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is related to closure devices for drink containers such as pouches and the like.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Closure devices for drink pouches and containers are known in various embodiments from various documents, and are known to be obtainable on the market. On the part of the applicant, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,690 is seen as being one of the earliest documents describing such a closure device. This reference describes a closure device where the catch means in the screw cap serves to encourage a movement of the piercing means running in the axial direction. The piercing means does not rotate, but rather employs only an axial, translatory motion according to the action of the catch means. The rotation required for achieving a screw motion is prevented by cams on the piercing means that are arranged on suitable guides in the pour-out spout.  
         [0003]     The cutting element with the mentioned embodiment according to the &#39;690 patent is formed of a multitude of teeth. A solution which is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,133 is comparable. Here, the cutting element consists of a continuous peripheral gapless series of teeth which border one another, so that the piercing means practically has the shape of an annular saw tooth. This solution otherwise has the same drive system as the previously described embodiment according to &#39;690 patent.  
         [0004]     In all previously mentioned references the piercing means as a result have a purely axial translatory movement without any rotation. This means that the piercing means is literally pushed through the packaging material of which the receptacle consists. For this, one needs to know that all closure devices which correspond to the initial mentioned construction type, up to this date, have been attached onto receptacles which are manufactured of a multi-layered material and essentially consists of paper and/or cardboard with additional extraordinarily thin layers of plastic and/or aluminum. The cutting elements which consists of a multitude of teeth as already mentioned, could only carry out a perforation with their tips. In order for corresponding closures to be capable of functioning at all, the receptacles needed to have a part-punching (part-perforation) or part embossing by way of which the packaging material was already greatly weakened. Such a pre-punching means that the cylindrical pour-out spout of the lower part&#39;s opening needed to be attached over this pre-punching in an as congruent as possible manner. This is extremely difficult with regard to technology, in particular since the attachment of the lower part&#39;s opening may not be placed in an exact manner with a mechanical connection, but rather the opening of the lower part needs to be bonded onto the packaging, and with the manufacturing speeds required today, a deviation is always present in practice. Accordingly, the dimensions were designed such that a certain tolerance is permitted. Thus, the pre-punching is dimensioned somewhat smaller that the free diameter of the cylindrical pour-out spout. The rejection rate with closures of this construction type were extremely high despite these precautionary measures. These rejects were not only caused by the fact that the hardly realizable accuracy could not be kept, but also because of the problem of a suitable adhesive dosing/metering in order to bond the lower part opening onto the film. Even slight excesses of adhesive lead to the adhesive also partly being squeezed towards the center when pressing-on, and thus this adhesive reaches precisely the region of the pre-punching. As soon as the adhesive is cured, one may no longer realize a correct and perfect severing of the packaging material by way of the piercing means. Logically, a problem also results when using too little adhesive, since then the bonding of the lower part&#39;s opening on the film-like packaging material is inadequate and when rotating on, the piercing means has practically only pushed off the foil of the packaging material from the flange of the pour-out spout.  
         [0005]     After this problem was recognized, closure devices of the initially mentioned type have been realized, with which the piercing means was no longer advanced in a purely translatory movement, but as initially mentioned, the piercing means was then moved downwards while twisted in a helical manner. For this, suitable catch means were provided in the screw cap, which cooperate with correspondingly cooperating catch means in the piercing means. Solutions of this type are known for example from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,297,696, 5,482,176 and 5,960,992. However all these devices continue to demand a pre-punching of the film material of which the receptacle consists, and furthermore with these solutions, the cutting means is always realized by a continuous crown of teeth. Thanks to the screw movement which was then effected, these teeth in practice executed a sawing activity. Added to this is the fact that a certain eccentric attachment of the closure device relative to the pre-punching was less pragmatic, since the teeth crown, given the eccentricity, crosses the pre-punching at least once, usually twice, and thus at least one tooth may penetrate there and thus perform the perforation of the plastic film layer. Since the plastic is embedded, this may no longer expand more than specifically in the narrow slot-like region of the pre-punching which is only a few hundredths of a millimeter. The teeth thus on the one hand could sever the paper/cardboard layers in the manner of a saw and thus perforate the plastic film as soon as the teeth engaged the plastic film. With this, the multitude of teeth was seen as an advantage, since a multitude of perforations arise due to this.  
         [0006]     However it has been ascertained that a plurality of perforations per se results in no advantage. Rather, it has been shown that a multitude of teeth automatically leads to the fact that these teeth need to be relatively weak. Whilst this is of hardly any relevance with regard to the perforation as long as the teeth are sharp, it has however been shown that the severing of the essentially thicker main layers of paper and cardboard in a saw-like manner leads to the fact that these teeth become blunter on the one hand, and get surrounded by fibers on the other hand, and the result of this is a lower perforating ability.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, further developments have proceeded from this recognition, with which on the one hand the number of teeth were reduced and on the other hand the shape of the teeth were designed differently. Thus for example a solution with a number of equally high teeth which are distributed over the periphery in a non-uniform manner is known from European Patent Application No. 1,415,926. Finally, according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,779, a closure device with a piercing means is disclosed which only has a single tooth. This tooth is designed in a suitably strong manner and has different surfaces with a different effect. Thus the tooth has a sharp-edged, angular region which serves for perforation, as well as a cutting region. Thanks to its suitable thickness, it simultaneously also has a repelling function, where this repelling function is realized by a separate displacer that is likewise arranged on the piercing means. The one-tooth version has definitely not proven its worth. The procedures of severing the cardboard, the perforation of the plastic film component and cutting the complete material and finally folding away the cut-out part have not been able to be optimized with a single element.  
         [0008]     The documents which have been described in detail earlier, which show closure devices with a cylindrical piercing means with which the complete lower piercing means edge is provided with a multitude of equally high teeth led to the fact that practically all teeth simultaneously reached the film to be pierced. With this however, the force necessary for severing the plastic films was increased enormously. The elasticity of the film for this reason did not lead to the desired effect, that with the impinging of the teeth, the perforation is severed practically equally to the contact of a soap bubble. In order to avoid this negative effect, Japanese Patent Application No 11-171233 suggests a solution with a plurality of teeth which are all arranged at different heights. The force for severing the film is reduced by way of this.  
         [0009]     As already mentioned initially, all previously known closure devices of the initially mentioned type which may be obtained on the market, with regard to their design have been conceived for a packaging material which as mentioned, consists of mixtures of the most different of materials, and in particular contains a high constituent of paper and cardboard. Such packaging material has a corresponding strength which is desired in certain cases, but with regard to those cases in which in particular the waste volume is to be reduced, as well as other properties which are not being discussed in detail here, are to be achieved, packaging material that consists essentially of only one plastic film and merely has one or more additional blocking layers of other materials is suitable, wherein these blocking layers have a thickness in the region of several μ. All previously known closure devices are completely unsuitable for such materials.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     It is therefore the object of the present invention to create a closure device of the initially mentioned type, which whilst avoiding the previously known problems, is especially suitable for soft packaging which practically consists of a single plastic film with or without blocking layers. A closure device is characterized in that three cutting elements are arranged distributed over the periphery of the lower edge, wherein the cutting elements are teeth and the distance of the tips of the first tooth to the second tooth on the periphery has a magnitude X, at the distance of the tip of the second tooth to the third tooth has the magnitude Y, whilst the distance of the tips of the third tooth to the first tooth is Z, and that a stiffening shoulder running in the peripheral direction is allocated to each of them, wherein the stiffening shoulder is arranged on two teeth following the tooth in the cutting rotation direction, and on a third tooth running ahead of this tooth in the cutting direction, wherein each shoulder with the associated tooth are designed merging into one another, and that furthermore the tips of all three teeth are arranged at the same height distanced to the lower edge and that the closed receptacle to be opened is manufactured of a single-layer or multi-layer plastic film. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the features of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the closure part from below with the piercing means fully screwed into the lower part&#39;s opening;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional plan view of the closure device whilst omitting the screw cap, with the piercing means partly screwed-off;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is the closure device of  FIG. 2  with the piercing means completely screwed-off up to the position of use; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the piercing means in its “unwound” state, for clarifying the arrangement of the three cutting elements according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     A single preferred embodiment model is represented in the accompanying drawings, wherein here, the screw cap that results in no new aspects with regard to the invention has been omitted. The publication WO 03/002419 is expressly referred to with regard to the design of the screw cap, which has a cover surface on whose lower side an annular wall is integrally formed which in turn on its lower side, that directed toward the center, comprises catch elements which cooperate with corresponding pawl-like catch elements on the piercing means. Thus for the present invention which relates essentially to the particular design of the piercing means, it is assumed that this piercing means is equipped with a screw cap which with at least respect to its functional parts, corresponds to the design according to the screw cap in WO 03/002419.  
         [0016]     Apart from the screw cap which as already mentioned is not represented here, the closure device which in its entirety is indicated at  1 , additionally comprises two further parts, specifically an annulus  2  and a cylindrical piercing means  3  which is mounted therein in the manner of a screw connection. The closure device  1  according to the invention, thus in the position of use, consists of three separate elements, wherein the screw cap, although only hinted, is present in  FIG. 1  with the reference numeral  4 . In  FIG. 1 , the assembled closure device  1  may be recognize from below with a view onto the annulus  2 , wherein the cylindrical piercing means  3  is shown in the fully screwed-in position. The screw cap would be recognizable here with a view of the inner side of the cover surface  41 , and its catch elements which are radially inwardly resilient stays, are indicated at  42 . These catch elements  42  are designed such that they catch the piercing means  3  on screwing on the screw cap  4 , wherein the piercing means  3  is set into a screw movement with which the piercing means  3  is moved out of the annulus  2  in the direction of the receptacle, and the piercing means  3  thus severs the film of the packaging. The screwing-on direction is indicated with the arrow F. The screw cap  4  is closed on rotating in the opposite direction. On opening for the first time, with which the screw cap  4  is rotated in the direction F, the piercing means  3  is moved into an end position as is represented in  FIG. 3 . In that position, the catches  42  of the screw cap  4  are no longer actively connected to the piercing means  3 , so that the piercing means  3  remains in the end position when afterwards the screw cap  4  is rotated back in the direction opposite to the arrow F. After actuation of the closure device  1  for the first time, this functions as a common screw closure on a annular pour-out.  
         [0017]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are particularly referred to with regard to the subsequent explanations which relate to the annulus  2 . The annulus  2  comprises two main components which are manufactured integrally with one another as one piece, specifically a cylindrical tube section  20  which forms the pour-out spout, and a connection flange  22  arranged at the end of this. The connection flange  22  serves for a bonding or welding connection of the closure device  1 . to the packaging, which is not shown here and which consists of a single-layer or multi-layer plastic film as has already been mentioned. In the case that the annulus  2  is to be connected to the packaging by way of welding, the lower side  25  may be provided with energy conducting ribs  26  which here are only indicated in  FIG. 1 . Furthermore the connection flange  22  at the end may be provided with an optional orientation notch  23  which is only drawn in the  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The optional orientation notch  23  serves merely as an orientation aid in an assembly device. Thus a positioning which may be brought radially into a certain angular position is possible thanks to the orientation notch  23 . This may be advantageous depending on the design of the assembly device, but in now way is it compelling.  
         [0018]     The cylindrical tube section  20  or the pour-out spout comprises an outer thread  21  which is arranged on its cylindrical outer surface and which serves for connection to the screw cap  4 . This outer thread is preferably formed as a fine thread so that the screw cap may be pressed on directly during assembly without any screw movement, wherein the inner thread of the screw caps which cannot be seen here, with the outer thread  21  on the pour-out spout may be pushed over one another in a pawl-like manner. The cylindrical tube section  20  furthermore has an inner thread  24  which is only suggestively recognizable in  FIG. 1  and is designed as two-path inner thread. Here with regard to the invention it is not important as to whether this inner thread  24  is designed of single flight or multiple flights.  
         [0019]     The elements which are particularly important with regard to the invention may be recognized on the piercing means  3 , and  FIGS. 3 and 4  are particularly referred to with regard to their description and explanation. The cylindrical piercing means  3  comprises a cylindrical tube section  30  which here is completely open on both sides. The cylindrical tube section  30  has an outer thread  31  which cooperates with the inner thread  24  in the cylindrical tube section  20 , the pour-out spout. The piercing means  3  is drawn in its lowermost position in  FIG. 3 , so that the inner thread  24  is evident in the pour-out spout  20 . The piercing means  3  has an annular peripheral wall (skirt)  32  whose lower end-face  33  forms a base surface for the three cutting elements  34 ,  35 ,  36  which are integrally formed thereon as one piece. The cutting elements  34 ,  35 ,  36  are thus formed as one piece with the peripheral wall  32  of the cylindrical tube section  30  via the end-face  33 . The three cutting elements in each case comprise one tooth.  
         [0020]     The cutting element  34  has one tooth  340 , the cutting element  35  a tooth  341 , and the third cutting element  36  a tooth  342 . In  FIG. 3  the screwing-on direction is represented by the arrow F. Each tooth  340 - 342  has a tip. With this, the tips  343  of the tooth  340  as well as the tip  344  of the tooth  341  are designed as perforating tips, whilst the tip  345  of the tooth  342  serves as a perforating tip, or as shown here, also as a pressing tip  345 . All tips  343 - 345  lie in a plane and thus situated distanced equally far from the lower end-face  33  of the peripheral wall  32 . With this, with a screwing-on movement, i.e. in the direction of arrow F in which the closure is opened or the screw cap  4  is removed and the cylindrical piercing means  3  moves in the direction of the receptacle, it is ensured that the tips simultaneously come to lie onto the film of the package. With this thus a tensioning of the film to be severed is effected in a first step. Only when this tension is built up is a perforation of the film then effected, as least with the two perforation tips  343  and  344 . Each tooth  340 - 342  comprises a suitable cutting edge  346 - 348 . The cutting edges  346 - 348  are arranged such that they become effective on rotation in the direction of the arrow F. Whilst the cutting edge  346  of the tooth  340  as well as the cutting edge  347  of the tooth  341  run from the corresponding tip  343  and  344  respectively to the lower end-face  33  of the cylindrical tube section  30 , the cutting edge  384  is shortened as a cutting edge runs from its tip  345  only up to a stiffening shoulder yet to be described. A stiffening shoulder  350 - 352  is allocated to each tooth  340 - 342 . The two stiffening shoulder  350  and  351  are arranged following the correspondingly allocated teeth  340  and  341  in the cutting direction, whilst the stiffening shoulder  352  is arranged running ahead of the corresponding tooth  342  in the running direction. In particular the stiffening shoulder  352  running ahead is also extended. The stiffening shoulders  350 - 352  serves for reinforcing the teeth  340 - 342  such that they do not fold over on building up the tension. Since it is particularly the tooth  342  which, as will yet be described hereinafter, has a further function, which is to accommodate increased forces, the corresponding stiffening shoulder  352  is designed longer.  
         [0021]     As is evident from the unrolled view according to  FIG. 4 , the distance between the first tooth  340  and the second tooth  341  is the distance X, whilst the distance between the second tooth  341  and the third tooth  342  has the distance Y, and finally the distance between the third tooth  342  and the first tooth  340  forms the distance Z. Here it is evident that the distances X and Y are shorter than the distance Z. With this, it is to be ensured that in particular the cutting elements  34  and  35  execute the main cutting activity, whilst the cutting element  36  exerts a cutting and displacement activity. In principle it is possible to design the distances X and Y equally large. This however is not absolutely necessary, but only represents a question of optimization which essentially depends on the material selection.  
         [0022]     The piercing means  3  on its inner surface situated towards the center comprises two catch edges  37  and  38  which cooperate with the catch elements  42 . More preferably one would situate one of the two catch edges  37  such that this is flush with the tip  343  of one of the cutting elements  34 . These catch edges form a thickening in the radial direction and accordingly stiffen the tooth, so that this is stiffened with respect to a deformation. The second catch edge  38  lies in the piercing means  3  roughly diametrically opposite the first catch edge  37 .  
         [0023]     Gaps  360  remain in each case between two adjacent cutting elements  34 - 36 . These gaps are preferably all equally large. This simplifies the engagement of suitable fingers of an assembly machine, but has no influence on the actual severing function of the piercing means. The gradients of the cutting edges  346 - 348  may also be differently large. In the embodiment shown here, the cutting edges  346  and  347  are designed equally in gradient, whilst the shortened cutting edge  348  of the cutting element  36  takes a flatter course. Thus in each case one cutting edge  346 - 348  runs from each tip  343 - 345 , whilst the edges distant to the cutting edge are indicated as following edges. The angle which the respective cutting edge and the associated following edge enclose with one another at the respective tip is indicated at α. This angle is preferably less than 150°. In the preferred embodiment, in particular with the tips  343  and  344 , as are shown here, the angle α is 90°. This again is in no way absolutely compelling but merely a preferred magnitude which was determined by experiment.  
         [0024]     As already mentioned, the lower side  25  of the flange  22  may be provided with energy conducting ribs  26 . These energy-conducting ribs  26  which are one embodiment of energy conducting means may of course be designed in different manners. Here too, experiments have shown that two embodiments are particularly suitable, specifically one with which these energy conducting means are also formed from ribs projecting perpendicularly from the flange, which either are arranged running radially from the inside to the outside in a flush manner or concentrically. These two versions may also be combined with one another. With the concentrically arranged energy conducting ribs, one would arrange at least the innermost energy rib approximately flush with the inner edge of the pour-out opening of the bung-like lower part.