Patent Publication Number: US-6216945-B1

Title: Pouring element

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pouring element adapted for attachment to a package via a base plate. The pouring element contains a pouring aperture, which after attachment, is designed to reside essentially congruent with a pouring hole formed in the package. The present invention contemplates attachment to a package having a tearable material layer covering the pouring hole located therein. A lid is hingedly attached to the base plate. The underside of the lid preferably contains a sealing structure for sealing the pouring aperture. An opening means is hingedly attached to the interior of the pouring aperture and extends essentially along the length thereof, such that, prior to the opening of the package, the opening means is maintained in a position relatively parallel to the tearable material layer covering the pouring hole. A support element may be hingedly attached to, and may extend from a top surface of the opening means. The tearable material layer covering the pouring hole can be torn by pressing the lid against the support element, which in turn causes the opening means to be pushed through the tearable material layer and into the package. 
     Pouring elements of this type are commonly used on packages containing free-flowing materials, such as cold, cold-sterile, hot, and aseptic liquids. Such packages commonly assume the form of cuboid flat-gabled cartons. These cartons are frequently constructed from a composite material comprising a carrier layer of paper or cardboard, a bonding agent layer, and a barrier layer (particularly of aluminum), with a plastic layer on both sides. 
     A known pouring element is described in the German published application DE 44 09 947 A1. The pouring element disclosed therein has a base plate, which allows the pouring element to be glued to a package. A lid is hingedly attached to the base plate. A cutting device is attached to the side of the lid, such that when the lid is hinged in the direction of the package the cutting device tears open an opening surface located thereon. While this known pouring element provides ease of use, it has the disadvantage of creating a relatively small pouring aperture. A further, and more significant disadvantage results from the cutting device being permanently attached to the lid. As the lid is also used to seal the package, each time the lid is swiveled anew into and out of the package, there exists the danger that the contents of the package will become polluted with contaminants that may collect at the free, upper-side of the lid. 
     An additional known pouring element of this type can be seen in the British patent application GB 2 267 896 A. In this known pouring element, an opening means is designed as a plate element hingedly connected with a rim of the pouring element. With the opening surface of the package to which the pouring element is attached untorn, the plate element is arranged in the pouring aperture and rests on the opening surface. During storage of the unopened package, the lid covers the pouring aperture so that contamination of the pouring aperture, the opening means, and the opening surface is safely avoided. However, in order to open the package, it is necessary to force the plate element through the material of the opening surface and into the package by applying pressure with a finger of the hand. In this manner, the plate element takes with it the respectively perforated opening surface material. Unfortunately, this method allows for the possibility that contamination adhering to the skin of the finger may enter the package or otherwise be lodged in the pouring aperture, thereby contaminating the contents of the package during the opening process or during the later pouring of the contents. 
     A similar pouring element is shown in WO 90/14280. The pouring element utilizes an element rigidly arranged on the lid to drive an opening means into the package to which the pouring element is attached. This pouring element is disadvantageous in regard to both its hygiene and its function. The opening element for pushing in the opening aperture of the package is rigidly hinged to the lid, and thus unprotected during transport and storage. Although contact with a finger is avoided in this invention, because of its complicated geometric shape, the opening element may trap contaminants, and therefore, may still possibly contaminate the contents of the package during the opening process. This pouring element is also functionally disadvantageous, because during the opening process the opening element is hinged through almost 180 degrees of rotation. To achieve this rotation, the composite portion of the package at the package opening aperture must also be bent by approximately the same amount. Such bending may result in restoring forces that may lead to separation of the pouring element from the package. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pouring element of the type above-described, whereby the opening process of the package is simplified, and whereby the opening process is conducted hygienically so that the contents of the package are not contaminated. 
     According to the present invention, this object may be achieved through the use of a support element for assisting in the operation of an opening means. The support element is designed to be in communication with the opening means, and upon the first opening of the lid, to automatically raise itself into the hinged path thereof. The lid and the support element are thereby releasably coupled upon the moving of the lid to its closed position. Therefore, upon closing for the first time, the lid will contact the support element and thereby cause the opening means to penetrate the tearable material layer and enter the pouring hole of the package. Thus, a simple and hygienic opening of the package may be achieved. 
     In one embodiment of the pouring element of the present invention, with the package yet unopened, the opening means is arranged to reside in a pouring aperture and to be hingedly connected to a base plate. Preferably, a support element is integrally attached via a film hinge to an opening means in one piece and is retained in a position substantially parallel to the surface of the package, between the opening means and a lid. Therefore, when the lid is in a closed position, the support element is retained in a pre-tensioned position. In this design, during storage and transport of the package the pouring aperture is sealed by the lid. 
     Upon the first opening of the lid, the support element raises itself automatically into the hinged path of the lid. Subsequently, when the lid is later closed it will meet the raised support element attached to the opening means, and upon continued movement will cause the opening means to penetrate the tearable material layer covering the pouring hole of the package. After penetration, both the opening means and the support element will remain in a substantially vertical position, protruding into the package. However, because both the opening means and the support element were protected from contaminants during storage and transport, the contents of the package are not at risk of contamination by contact therewith. 
     Unhindered pouring of the contents of the package may be ensured, by providing a retaining device on the support element that automatically compresses during insertion of the support element into the pouring hole of the package. Once the opening means is completely inserted into the pouring hole, the retaining device automatically spreads apart in such a manner that its free end is supported by the interior of the package, thereby maintaining the inserted position of both the support element and the opening means within the package. 
     Alternately, or in addition to providing a retaining device on the support element, a catch element may be provided on the opening means to hold the opening means in an inserted position after the opening of the package. In this way, any potential obstruction to the pouring of the package contents by the opening means may be avoided. 
     The pouring element of the present invention can be of simplified design. For example, the bottom surface of the lid may have a circumferential ridge for sealing the pouring aperture when in a closed position. This circumferential ridge may also serve as a limit stop for the support element. Thus, portions of the pouring element may have multiple functions. 
     In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the pouring element may have a support element attached to the lid. In this embodiment, with the lid closed and the package unopened, the support element resides between the lid and the opening means. Upon opening of the lid, the support element automatically extends itself out therefrom. Thus, upon a first closing of the lid with the support element so extended, the support element will contact the opening means present in the pouring aperture, thereby forcing the opening means to penetrate the tearable material layer and extend into the pouring hole of the package. The opening means may remain in this inserted position, while the support element will be removed upon re-opening of the lid. 
     The opening means may also be formed onto the free end of the support element, thereby ensuring that even under unfavorable conditions, the opening means will be guided into the pouring aperture by the support element during closing of the lid. Such attachment is particularly effective if, for example, the opening means is designed to be substantially in the shape of an arrowhead. Such a design is also favorable to a reduction in production costs, as the support element and lid may be formed as a single component. 
     To avoid interference with the pouring of the contents of the package by the support element, it is preferable in this embodiment that the support element have the ability to be retained within the lid. The support element may be hinged into the underside of the lid, such that after the opening of the package, the support element may be snapped into a non-interfering position therein. Alternatively, or additionally, the support element may also be designed to be detachable from the lid. Each of the above designs helps to avoid the possibility of dirt collecting at the support element and entering the package. 
     Although not essential, preferably, the support element is bar shaped. A bar shaped support element efficiently allows the force required to open the package to be safely transmitted from the lid to the opening means. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned above, other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and embodiments, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a lateral view showing a pouring element of the present invention in an open position; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the pouring element of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a lateral view showing an alternate embodiment of a pouring element of the present invention in an open position, wherein a support element is attached to the underside of a lid; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the pouring element of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a front view depicting the support element shown affixed to the lid of the pouring element in FIG.&#39;s  3  and  4 ; 
     FIG. 6 is a lateral view, in cross-section, of another embodiment of a pouring element of the present invention in an open position; 
     FIG. 7 is a lateral view, in cross-section, of still another embodiment of a pouring element of the present invention, shown here attached to an unopened package with its lid closed; 
     FIG. 8 shows the pouring element of FIG. 7, but with the lid in an open position and with a support element extended; 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the pouring element of FIGS. 7 and 8, wherein the package has been opened by using the lid to drive the support element and an opening means through a pouring opening therein; and 
     FIG. 10 is a rear view of the package and pouring element of FIG. 9, in partial cross-section, illustrating the position of the opening means within the package after the opening thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     The pouring elements  1 ,  50 ,  100 ,  150  shown in FIGS. 1-10 are preferably made from a plastic material and all possess a base plate  2 ,  52 ,  102 ,  152  with an essentially rectangular shape. On one of the shorter sides  4 ,  54 ,  104 ,  154  of each of the base plates  2 ,  52 ,  102 ,  152  a lid  5 ,  55 ,  105 ,  155  is formed integrally therewith. A film hinge  6 ,  56 ,  106 ,  156  is used to connect the lid  5 ,  55 ,  105 ,  155  to the respective base plate  2 ,  52 ,  102 ,  152 , such that the lid may rotate from the open position shown in FIGS. 1-4,  6  and  8  to a closed position in which the lid rests against the base plate as shown in FIGS. 7,  9  and  10 . 
     A pouring aperture  7 ,  57 ,  107 ,  157  having a pouring spout  8 ,  58 ,  108 ,  158  is formed into each base plate  2 ,  52 ,  102 ,  152 . The mouth of each pouring spout  8 ,  58 ,  108 ,  158  is preferably located along the short side  9 ,  59 ,  109 ,  159  of each base plate  2 ,  52 ,  102 ,  152  opposite the film hinge  6 ,  56 ,  106 ,  156 . 
     A rim  13 ,  63 ,  113 ,  163  is preferably located on the underside  12 ,  62 ,  112 ,  162  of each lid  5 ,  55 ,  105 ,  155  and is preferably shaped so that when the lid is closed, the periphery of the rim will rest flush against the inside of an edge  14 ,  64 ,  124 ,  164  of the pouring aperture  7 ,  57 ,  107 ,  157 . In addition, a catch  15 ,  65 ,  115 ,  165  is preferably formed on the unhinged, short side of the lid  5 ,  55 ,  105 ,  155 . With the lid  5 ,  55 ,  105 ,  155  closed, the catch  15 ,  65 ,  115 ,  165  snaps over and encompasses the pouring spout  8 ,  58 ,  108 ,  158 , thereby preventing any unintentional opening of the pouring element  1 ,  50 ,  100 ,  150 . 
     FIGS. 1-5 show the state of the pouring elements  1 ,  50 ,  100 ,  150  after the initial opening of the lid  5 ,  55 ,  105 ,  155 , and prior to the opening of the package. Referring specifically to the embodiment of the pouring element  1  of FIGS. 1 and 2, an opening means  10  is shown to extend within a pouring aperture  7  and to be connected to a base plate  2  by an opening means film hinge  11 . In this embodiment, the opening means  10  acts as a pressure plate, and contains a cutting device (not shown) on its underside. A substantially bar shaped support element  16  can be seen to be integrally formed onto a top, frontal portion of the opening means  10 , by way of a support element film hinge  17 . 
     Prior to the first opening of the package, the lid  5  is in a closed position, thereby sealing the pouring aperture  7  and the pouring spout  8 . With the lid  5  in this position and the package unopened, the support element  16  resides in a position essentially parallel to the surface (not shown) of the package, in between the opening means  10  and the underside  12  of the lid. In this hinged position, a restoring force R is created about the axis of the support element film hinge  17 , such that the support element  16  will automatically move into a raised position (as shown in FIGS. 1-2) upon the initial opening of the lid  5 . As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the support element  16  may assume a position substantially perpendicular to the opening means  10  and base plate  2 . 
     Upon closing of the lid  5  on the as yet unopened package, the free end  19  of the support element  16  will enter the space defined by the inner periphery of the rim  13 . Upon further closing of the lid  5 , the free end  19  of the support element  16  will contact and be moved along the underside  12  of the lid until it becomes wedged against a frontal, interior portion  20  of the rim  13 . Continued movement of the lid  5  will cause an opening force to be passed through the support element  16  to the opening means  10 , thereby causing the opening means to penetrate a tearable material layer covering a pouring opening (not shown) and enter the package. When fully closed, the lid  5  will rest tightly against the pouring aperture  7  and pouring spout  8 . 
     When the lid  5  is next opened, the opening means  10  and the support element  16  will remain in a position protruding into the package. Elastic forces present in the support element film hinge  17  will tend to cause the free end  19  of the support element  16  to move further into the package, thereby preventing any obstruction of the pouring opening during dispensing of the package contents. 
     In the alternate embodiment of the pouring element  50  of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3-5, a support element  66  is preferably constructed substantially in the shape of an arrowhead. The support element  66  is preferably integrally formed with the lid  55 , and attached thereto along a support element film hinge  67  that joins the widened section of the support element to a portion of the underside  62  of the lid located within a frontal portion of the interior of a rim  63 . This connection allows the support element  66  to rotate along the support element film hinge  67  and into the space delineated by the rim  63 . 
     An opening means  60  having a cutting device  70 , is formed along a thickened portion of the free end of the support element  66  and extends along the length thereof. Prior to the opening of the package, the lid  55  is in a closed position, thereby sealing the pouring aperture  57  and the pouring spout  58 . With the lid  55  in this position and the package unopened, the support element  66  and opening means  60  reside in a position essentially parallel to and in between the surface (not shown) of the package and the underside  62  of the lid. Upon the first opening of the lid  55 , restorative forces in the support element film hinge  67  will cause the support element  66  and the opening means  60  to automatically rotate away from the underside  62  of the lid and into a raised position. As shown in FIGS. 3-4, the support element  66  and opening means  60  may assume a position substantially perpendicular to the underside  62  of the lid  55 . 
     Upon closing of the lid  55  on the as yet unopened package, the opening means  60  is guided into the pouring aperture  57  of the pouring element  50 . Continued movement of the lid  55  will cause the cutting device  70  of the opening means  60  to penetrate a tearable material layer covering a pouring opening (not shown) and enter the package. The arrowhead shape of the support element  66  helps to ensure that the greatest possible widening of the pouring opening is achieved. When fully closed, the lid  55  will rest tightly against the pouring aperture  57  and pouring spout  58 . 
     Upon re-opening of the lid  55 , the support element  66  and integral opening means  60  may be rotated back against the underside  62  of the lid and retained in this position. In this way, pouring of the package contents is not impeded by either the support element  66  and opening means  60 . 
     Another embodiment of the pouring element of the present invention is depicted in FIG.  6 . In this embodiment, two hinged positions I and II of an opening means  110  are shown. Although used in this embodiment, for purposes of clarity, a support element has been omitted from FIG.  6 . The opening means  110  is preferably constructed to be similar to a lid element, in that when the package to which the pouring element is attached is still unopened, the opening means resides substantially parallel to the package surface and is aligned substantially with the upper edge of the pouring aperture  107 . The opening means  110  is preferably provided with a cutting ridge  114  on its underside. 
     The opening means  110  is hingedly connected to the base plate  102  of the pouring element  100  by way of an opening means film hinge  115 . The opening means film hinge  115  allows the opening means  110  to penetrate a tearable material layer covering a pouring opening (not shown) in the package during its movement V caused by closing the lid  105  against a support element (not shown). 
     Once the opening means is in a position II inside the package, it is held in position by catches  116  formed at the end of the cutting ridge  114  near the rear, short side  104  of the base plate  102 . The catches  116  are designed to engage with catching protrusions  117  formed along a rearward interior edge of the pouring aperture  107 . 
     Still another embodiment of a pouring element  150  can be seen by reference to FIGS. 7-10. The pouring element  150  is shown to be attached to an unopened package  171  having a pouring opening  170  closed off by a perforated section of the composite package material. In this unopened state the lid  155  rests substantially against the base plate  152 , thereby sealing the pouring aperture  157  and pouring spout  158  from the outside environment. 
     A preferably bar-shaped support element  173  is integrally formed with the opening means  174 , and is connected to a frontal portion thereof by means of a support element film hinge  175 . The support element  173  is preferably provided with laterally-protruding, flexible branches  180 , which radiate outward from approximately the center point of the support element toward the direction of the front of the support element. 
     The opening means  174  is configured similarly to a lid element and is preferably shaped to fit within the pouring aperture  157 . A cutting ridge  177  is provided on the underside of the opening means  174  for contacting and penetrating the pouring opening  170  of the package  171 . The opening means  174  is preferably integrally formed with the base plate  152  and connected thereto by means of an opening means film hinge  178 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 7, prior to opening of the package  171 , and with the lid  155  still closed against the pouring aperture  157 , the support element  173  resides substantially parallel to the top surface of the package  171  and in between the underside  162  of the lid and the top surface of the opening means  174 . However, upon opening the lid  155 , the elastic force present in the support element film hinge  175  will cause the support element  173  to automatically raise upward to a position extending outward from the pouring aperture  157  as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     Upon closing of the lid  155 , the free end of the support element  173  will eventually engage with the inner wall of a frontal portion of a rim  163  located on the underside of the lid. Further closing of the lid  155  imparts enough force to the support element  173  to subsequently cause the connected opening means  174  to penetrate the perforated section of the composite package material covering the pouring opening  170 , and thereby enter the package. A large portion of the support element  173  is also caused to enter the package  171 . 
     The flexible branches  180  of the support element  173  are compressed toward its main portion as they pass through the narrower lateral spacing of the pouring opening  170  edges. Upon clearing the edges of the pouring opening  170 , the elastic forces within the flexible branches  180  cause a spreading thereof, effectively locking the support element  173  into the inserted position in the package  171  (see FIG.  10 ).