Abstract:
Containers are provided which include a flexible packaging suitable for containing a product in the form of granules, powder or flakes. Such containers include those having a first cut made in an outer wall of the packaging, the cut forming a first through-opening for pouring. A pouring spout may be inserted in the first opening. The spout may be pivotable about a horizontal hinge line (x), between a retracted closed position and an extended open position. A reinforcing element may be attached to a portion of the packaging around the first opening and the spout. The reinforcing element may be more rigid than the flexible packaging and may have a second through-cut that forms a second opening in the reinforcing element, juxtaposed on the first opening in the packaging and communicating with the latter opening.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a container, made of flexible material, for products in the form of granules, powder or flakes. 
       PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Products in the form of granules, powder or flakes (e.g. detergents, coffee or other food products) are widely sold in packaging made of a flexible material. The containers generally used are made of paper, cardboard, plastic or multi-layer materials of various types and compositions. 
         [0003]    The main characteristic of this type of packaging, unlike rigid or semi-rigid packaging, consists in the ability to adapt to the volume, and possibly the shape, of the contents, which change as said contents are consumed. However, packaging of the aforementioned type has a number of disadvantages, relating to the need for the packaging to include an opening suitable for pouring the contents. 
         [0004]    One solution commonly used consists in cutting or removing part of the packaging, in general a top corner, shown by way of example in  FIG. 1  with the reference number  12 . The problems with such a solution include the difficulty in controlling the amount dispensed during pouring and/or preventing, when closing the packaging, the contents from spilling with the result, in the latter case, that the packaged product is exposed to moisture, external pests, inappropriate use by children, etc. 
         [0005]    Prior art solutions aimed at overcoming the abovementioned problems include attaching hinges or tape or “tin tie” closure means to the packaging (for example, near the top joint  10  of the flaps of the packaging), but they have the disadvantage that it is not easy to dispense a controlled amount of the contents without resorting to the use of spoons and scoops, which becomes more awkward the more the contents are used up. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A general object of the present invention is to provide a container which facilitates both dispensing a controlled amount of the contents and resealing after use. 
         [0007]    This and other objects and advantages are achieved, according to one aspect of the invention, by a container having the features defined in claim  1 . Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. 
         [0008]    In summary, a container comprises flexible packaging suitable for containing a product in the form of granules, powder or flakes. A first cut is made in an outer wall of the packaging, said cut forming a first through-opening for pouring. A pouring spout is inserted in the first opening. The spout is pivotable about a horizontal hinge line, between a retracted closed position and an extended open position. A reinforcing element is attached to a portion of the packaging around the first opening and the spout. The reinforcing element is more rigid than the flexible packaging and has a second through-cut that forms a second opening in the reinforcing element, juxtaposed on the first opening in the packaging and communicating with the latter opening. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Some preferred, non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a flexible container with a tab cut into the packaging; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1 , with the addition of a pouring spout in the closed position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 2 , with the pouring spout in the fully open position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a partial view in vertical section of the container of  FIG. 3 , with the pouring spout in the fully open position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a partial view in vertical section of the container of  FIG. 3 , according to a further embodiment; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a partial view of a container according to yet another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a container is generally indicated by the reference sign A and comprises a packaging  9  made of flexible material, able to adapt to the shape of the contents. The container A may vary in size and generally has the shape of a pouch or bag. The container A may be used to dispense various kinds of products in the form of granules or powder or flakes, such as coffee, salt, sugar, detergents, etc. 
         [0017]    For the flexible material of the packaging  9 , a sheet of polymer material, biodegradable or non-biodegradable, for example polyethylene or paper, may be used. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 , the packaging  9  has a vertical side wall  18 . The shape of the container A can change over time (for example, if the container is crumpled or folded). The shape of the packaging  9  shown in the drawings is to be considered purely an example. The packaging  9  may have, at the top, flaps  20  joined together along the edge  10  and/or the flanks  12 , so as to seal the packaging and preserve the contents. 
         [0018]    A cut  22  is made in the wall  18 , passing through the packaging  9 . The cut  22  may have various shapes and may be, for example, substantially H-shaped, as in the embodiment shown here, or in the shape of an inverted U, triangle, trapezoid, etc. 
         [0019]    The cut  22  defines a tab  23  that is pivotable outwards about a hinge line x. The outline  22   a  of the tab  23  may match the profile of the through-cut  22  (as in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ), with the exception of two vertical slits  22   b  of the through-cut  22 . The reference sign  22   c  indicates two opposite vertical sides of the cut  22 , which are in this example substantially parallel. 
         [0020]    Rotating the tab  23  outwards about the hinge line x opens a pouring opening  21  which, being in communication with the interior of the packaging  9 , allows the contents to be poured out. 
         [0021]    A pouring spout  24  is rigidly secured to the tab  23  ( FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 ). The purpose of the pouring spout  24  is to allow a controlled amount of the contents to be dispensed, and to reclose the pack properly, so as to preserve the integrity and/or prevent undesired spilling of the contents. 
         [0022]    The design of the pouring spout can vary from the example described below. The general configuration and the operation as regards opening and closing of a pouring spout are considered to be generally known. In the present example, the spout  24  comprises a central portion  24   a , which is attached to the tab  23 , preferably by means of an adhesive, and two side flanks  24   b  retracted into the packaging  9 . Two identical upper protuberances  24   c  are formed at the side edges of the flanks  24   b , with the function of stop means; the protuberances  24   c  are designed to abut against an inner surface  18   b  of the wall  18  of the container, to determine the position of maximum opening of the spout ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0023]    The pouring spout  24  may be moved between a retracted closed position ( FIG. 2 ) and an extended open position ( FIG. 3 ) so as to dispense a controlled amount of a product in the form of granules, powder or flakes, contained inside the pack A. 
         [0024]    A reinforcing element  26  is attached around the opening  21 , said element taking the form of a plate or label, for example the form of a hollow plate shaped like a frame (closed or open) or ring (closed or open). These shapes, as well as the shape of the outer contour of the reinforcing element  26 , are not to be considered as limiting. 
         [0025]    In the example shown, the reinforcing element  26  is attached, for example by means of an adhesive, to the outer surface  18   a  of the wall  18 . In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the reinforcing element may be attached to the inner surface  18   b  of the wall  18 . 
         [0026]    The reinforcing element  26  has an opening  26   c , at least partially juxtaposed on and communicating with the opening  21  in order to allow the contents of the container A to be poured out when the spout  24  is open. 
         [0027]    In the example of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the opening  26   c  also serves as a seat for the spout  24 . The reference sign  26   e  indicates two opposite vertical sides of the opening  26   c , which are in this example substantially parallel. The side flanks  24   b  of the spout  24  are in contact with the opposite vertical sides  26   e  of the opening  26   c . In this configuration, during the movements of closing and opening of the spout  24 , the side flanks  24   b  of the spout slide against, and are guided by, the opposite vertical sides  26   e  of the opening  26   c.    
         [0028]    If, as in the example of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the opening  26   c  of the reinforcing element  26  and the cut  22  of the packaging  9  are substantially juxtaposed and overlapping, the side flanks  24   b  of the spout  24  may be in contact with both the opposite vertical sides  26   e  of the opening  26   c  and with the opposite vertical sides  22   c  of the cut  22 . In this configuration, during the movements of closing and opening of the spout  24 , the side flanks  24   b  of the spout slide against and are guided by the opposite vertical sides  26   e  of the opening  26   c  and the opposite vertical sides  22   c  of the cut  22 . 
         [0029]    The reinforcing element  26  may have upper slits  25 , aligned with the upper slits  22   b  of the cut  22  and capable of guiding the upper edges of the side flanks  24   b  of the spout (along all or part of their extension) during the movements of opening and closing of the spout. Each upper slit  25  engages slidingly with the two opposite faces of the upper edge of a respective side flank  24   b  of the spout, improving the stability of the spout. 
         [0030]    The reinforcing element  26  is more rigid than the flexible packaging  9 . For example, the reinforcing element  26  may be made of plastic, cardboard, card, paper, metal or another suitable material. 
         [0031]    The reinforcing element  26  may have one or more of the following effects:
       it locally thickens the container in the most stressed portion thereof, i.e. the portion located around the pouring spout, thus increasing the stiffness and strength of the packaging, to prevent tears and rips in the container;   it guides the spout as it rotates about the line x, limiting any twisting that would not only make opening and closing of the spout awkward, but would also increase the risk of tearing the tab; and   it optionally determines, by interacting with the side flanks  24   b  and the stop protuberances  24   c  of the spout  24 , the maximum extent of pivoting of the spout, by means of abutment surfaces  26   a  and  26   b  which engage with abutment surfaces  24   d  and  24   e , respectively, of the central portion  24   a  (the abutment of the spout on the surface  26   b  of the reinforcement  26 , shown in  FIG. 4  is not, however, a necessary condition).       
 
         [0035]    In the embodiment, shown schematically in section in  FIG. 5 , the reinforcing element  26  does not take the form of a hollow plate or a frame, but a solid plate, in which a through-cut is made in the shape of an inverted U, matching and overlapping the cut  22  made in the packaging  9 . As in the case of the cut  22 , from which the tab  23  is made, a tab  26   d  that is pivotable outwards about a hinge line x is made from the cut in the reinforcing element  26 . By pivoting the tab  26   d  outwards about the hinge line x, the opening  26   c  is opened. 
         [0036]    The tab  26   d  of the reinforcing element  26  may be rigidly secured, for example by means of an adhesive, on the inside to the tab  23  of the opening  21  and on the outside to the wall  24   a  of the spout  24 . 
         [0037]    In all the embodiments shown, when the spout  24  is opened, both the openings  21  and  26   c  are also opened. 
         [0038]    The two tabs  23  and  26   d  may have the same shapes and sizes; it is possible, however, in an embodiment not shown, for the shapes and the sizes of the two tabs  23  and  26   d  to be different from one another. 
         [0039]    The tab  26   d  of the reinforcing element  26  is pivotable integrally with the tab  23  and the spout  24  about the hinge line x, helping to strengthen the interface of attachment between the spout and the pouring opening  21 . 
         [0040]    According to a further embodiment, shown in  FIG. 6 , the side flanks  24   b  of the spout  24  are each received in one of a pair of substantially vertical through-slots  27 , spaced apart horizontally on two opposite sides of the opening  26   c . The opening  26   c  is located in an intermediate position between the slots  27 , which in the example shown are parallel. A respective vertical strip  28  of the reinforcing element  26  is defined between the opening  26   c  and each slot  27 , having a stabilizing effect. During the movements of closing and opening of the spout  24 , each slot  27  engages in sliding contact with both the opposite faces of a respective side flank  24   b  of the spout, exerting a guiding action which gives greater stability to the spout and optimizes the seal at the interface between the spout and the rest of the container. 
         [0041]    Through-slots (not shown), which correspond to and are juxtaposed on the slots  27 , may be formed also through the packaging  9 . 
         [0042]    In all the embodiments, the opening  26   c  may have a shape other than the rectangular shape shown in the drawings. 
         [0043]    In a further embodiment (not shown), the reinforcing element  26 , attached for example to the outside of the wall  18 , may be associated with a second reinforcement, attached to the inner surface  18   b  of the packaging, helping to further stiffen the region of the pack where the spout is installed. The internal reinforcement may be made of the same material as the external reinforcement, or of a different material, and may have the same shapes and sizes as the external reinforcement, or rather have different shapes and sizes. 
         [0044]    According to a further different embodiment (not shown), the reinforcing element  26  may extend only in the immediate vicinity of the area above the opening  21 , so as to reinforce only the area of abutment of the central portion  24   a  and of the protuberances  24   c  acting as stop means for the spout  24 . 
         [0045]    Various aspects and embodiments of the invention have been described. It is understood that each embodiment may be combined with any other embodiment. The invention, moreover, is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but may vary within the scope as defined by the appended claims.