Patent Publication Number: US-2023150719-A1

Title: An opening device for a sealed package and a sealed package provided with an opening device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an opening device for a sealed package containing a pourable product, in particular a liquid or pourable food product. 
     The present invention further relates to a sealed package containing a pourable product. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     As commonly known, many liquid or pourable food products, such as fruit juice, UHT (ultra-high-temperature treated) milk, wine, tomato sauce, etc., are sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material. 
     A typical example is the parallelepiped-shaped package for pourable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark), which is made by sealing and folding a laminated web of packaging material. The packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a carton and/or paper base layer, covered on both sides with layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene. In the case of aseptic packages for long-storage products, the packaging material also comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material, e.g. an aluminum foil, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material forming the inner face of the package eventually contacting the food product. 
     Packages of this sort are normally produced on fully automatic packaging machines, on which a continuous tube is formed from the web-fed packaging material. The web of packaging material is sterilized on the packaging machine, e.g. by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a hydrogen peroxide solution, which, once sterilization is completed, is removed from the surfaces of the packaging material, e.g. evaporated by heating. The web of packaging material so sterilized is maintained in a closed, sterile environment, and is folded and sealed longitudinally to form a vertical tube. 
     The tube is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product, and is sealed and subsequently cut along equally spaced cross sections to form pillow packs, which are then folded mechanically to form respective finished, e.g. substantially parallelepiped-shaped, packages. 
     Alternatively, the packaging material may be cut into blanks, which are formed into packages on forming spindles, and the packages are filled with the food product and sealed. One example of this type of package is the so-called “gable-top” package known by the trade name Tetra Rex (registered trademark). 
     To open the above packages so as to allow the pouring of the food product, various solutions have been proposed. 
     In particular, an opening device for a sealed package is known which comprises a frame, fitted about a pierceable portion of the package and defining a through pour opening, a removable threaded cap, which is screwed onto the frame to close the pour opening, and a tubular cutter engaging the pour opening and having, at one axial end, triangular teeth which cooperate with the pierceable portion to unseal the package. 
     In detail, each triangular tooth comprises a first cutting face and a second cutting face, which are joined to one another by a single sharp cutting edge defining a pointed tip of the tooth itself. 
     A drawback of this kind of cutter is seen in that, due to their pointed configurations, the tips of the teeth may be damaged, for example during the manufacturing operations of the opening device. 
     As an example, when the cutter is manufactured by injection molding, it is normally dropped by gravity from the mold into a container. This may cause, in some cases, a deformation to the pointed tips of the teeth. 
     As a consequence, the interaction between the pointed tips of the teeth and the pierceable portion may be suboptimal and negatively affect the opening operation of the package. 
     In view of this, a need is felt within the sector for an opening device comprising a cutter, which can be effectively and reliably used for unsealing a sealed package. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an opening device for a sealed package, which allows to meet the abovementioned need in a simple and economic manner. 
     This object is achieved by the present invention, as it relates to an opening device as claimed in claim  1 . 
     The invention also relates to a sealed package as claimed in claim  13 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Two preferred, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    shows a side view of a sealed package containing a pourable product and having an opening device according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a larger-scale cross-section along plane II-II of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of a cutter of the opening device of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a larger-scale perspective view of a detail of the cutter of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a larger-scale bottom view of the cutter of  FIG.  3    with a detail thereof represented in a further enlarged view; 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-section analogous to that of  FIG.  2   , illustrating a different embodiment of an opening device according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of a cutter of the opening device of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a larger-scale perspective view of a detail of the cutter of  FIG.  7   ; and 
         FIG.  9    is a larger-scale bottom view of the cutter of  FIG.  7    with a detail thereof represented in a further enlarged view. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Number  1  in  FIG.  1    indicates as a whole a sealed package  1  for liquid or pourable products, in particular for liquid or pourable food products. 
     Package  1  is made of sheet packaging material, presents a vertical axis X and comprises:
         a top part  1   a , in the present case defined by a horizontal wall;   a bottom part  1   b , opposite to top part  1   a  with respect to axis X and in the present case defined by a horizontal bottom wall; and   a plurality of lateral walls  1   c , extending parallel to axis X between bottom part  1   b  and top part  1   a  and which, in the present case, extend vertically.       

     The packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a layer of base material, e.g. paper, covered on both sides with layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene. In the case of aseptic packages for long-storage products, such as UHT milk, the packaging material also comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material, e.g. an aluminum foil, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material, and is in turn covered with one or more layers of heat-seal plastic material 
     Package  1  further comprises a pierceable portion  3  ( FIG.  2   ), which is arranged at top part  1   a  and is at least partly detachable from the rest of the packaging material, to allow the product to be poured-out from the package  1  itself. 
     Alternatively, pierceable portion  3  may be arranged partly at top part  1   a  and partly at one or more of lateral walls  1   c  of package  1 . 
     Opening device  10  is applied to package  1  by conventional fastening systems, such as adhesives, i.e. glue, or by micro flame, induction heating, ultrasound, laser, or other heat-sealing techniques. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, opening device  10  is applied to top part  1   a  of package  1  and is reclosable. 
     Alternatively, opening device  10  may be applied partly to top part  1   a  and partly to one or more of lateral walls  1   c  of package  1 . 
     As shown in particular in  FIG.  2   , opening device  10  defines an axis A and essentially comprises:
         a frame  2  fitted about pierceable portion  3  of package  1 , and defining a pour opening  4  for the pourable food product coaxial with axis A;   a cap  5  which is movably associated to frame  2  to close pour opening  4 ; and   a tubular cutter  6  engaging pour opening  4  coaxially with axis A and having, at one axial end  7 , cutting means  8  which are configured to cooperate with pierceable portion  3  to unseal package  1 .       

     In one embodiment, cap  5  is associated coaxially to axis A to frame  2  and is rotatable around axis A. 
     In a version, cap  5  is screwable to frame  2 . When cap  5  is unscrewed off frame  2  for the first time, cap  5  drives tubular cutter  6  as it will be better explained in the following. 
     In another version, cap  5  is rotatably coupled to frame  2  so that it rotates around axis A without moving along axis A. When cap  5  is rotated around axis A with respect to frame  2  for the first time, cap  5  drives tubular cutter  6 . In this case cap  5  can comprise a base body rotatably coupled to frame  2  and a lid hinged to the base body. The lid can be moved around a hinge axis from a closed configuration to an open configuration after cap  5  has been rotated around axis A and cutter  6  has pierced pierceable portion  3 . 
     In the embodiment shown, axis A is parallel to axis X ( FIG.  1   ). Alternatively, axis A may be transversal to axis X. 
     In particular, frame  2  comprises ( FIG.  2   ):
         an annular base  11 ; and   a cylindrical collar  12 , which is coaxial with axis A, projects from annular base  11  on the opposite side to that destined to be attached to top part  1   a  of package  1  and is configured to receive cap  5 .       

     Collar  12  comprises, in turn:
         an outer surface  13 , which is designed for comfortably supporting the user&#39;s mouth when consuming the food product directly from package  1 ; and   an inner surface  14 , which radially extends opposite to outer surface  13  with respect to axis A and defines pour opening  4 .       

     Inner surface  13  and outer surface  14  are substantially cylindrical. 
     In addition, outer surface  13  has a thread  40 . 
     Cap  5  comprises a circular end wall  16  and a substantially cylindrical lateral wall  17  downwardly projecting from end wall  16  and housing collar  12  of frame  2  when opening device  10  is closed ( FIG.  2   ). 
     In detail, cylindrical lateral wall  17  comprises an inner surface  18  with a thread  41 . 
     Thread  41  is configured to engage thread  40  of outer surface  13  of frame  2  when opening device  10  is closed. 
     Furthermore, cap  5  is formed integrally with a tamper-evidence ring  9 , which is coaxially connected to cap  5  itself by means of a plurality of breakable bridges and which is destined to remain fitted to frame  2  once the bridges are broken and cap  5  is unscrewed off frame  2 . 
     Opening device  10  also comprises ( FIG.  2   ):
         guide means  44  guiding the movement of cutter  6  with respect to frame  2 ; and   guide means  45  guiding the movement of cutter  6  with respect to cap  5 .       

     Guide means  44  are partly arranged on cutter  6  and partly arranged on frame  2 . 
     Guide means  45  are partly arranged on cutter  6  and partly arranged on cap  5 . 
     In detail, as cap  5  is unscrewed off frame  2 , guide means  45  push cutter  6  towards pierceable portion  3  and guide means  44  drive cutter  6  along a predetermined piercing path through pierceable portion  3 . 
     In the present example, guide means  44  and guide means  45  are configured to cause a rectilinear movement of cutter  6  parallel to axis A followed by a rotational movement of cutter  6  about axis A during unscrewing of cap  5  off frame  2 . 
     According to a possible alternative not shown, guide means  44 ,  45  may be also configured to cause any other combination of movements of the cutter  6  towards pierceable portion  3  with respect to frame  2  and cap  5 . 
     With particular reference to  FIGS.  2  and  3   , cutter  6  comprises a main body  20  coaxial to axis A and delimited at one axial end opposite to axial end  7  by an annular flange  15 , which is perpendicular to axis A. 
     Main body  20  of cutter  6  comprises:
         a radially inner surface  50  carrying the portion of guide means  45  arranged on cutter  6 ; and   a radially outer surface  51 , opposite to inner surface  50  and carrying the portion of guide means  44  arranged on cutter  6 .       

     Inner surface  50  and outer surface  51  are substantially cylindrical or slightly conical and downwardly extend from annular flange  15 . 
     In detail, when package  1  is sealed, cutter  6  is completely fitted inside collar  12  of frame  2  ( FIG.  2   ) and axial end  7  of cutter  6  is arranged opposite to circular end wall  16  of cap  5 . 
     When package  1  is unsealed, cutter  6  is positioned partly inside package  1  with cutting means  8 , after having at least partly detached pierceable portion  3  from the rest of the packaging material. 
     With particular reference to  FIGS.  2  to  4   , cutting means  8  of cutter  6  comprise a plurality of teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  downwardly protruding from axial end  7  of main body  20  parallel to axis A and circumferentially placed side by side along a circular sector  22  of axial end  7 . 
     In particular, moving circumferentially along circular sector  22  it is possible to define a first tooth  23  at an angular extremity of circular sector  22  and a last tooth  24  at the opposite angular extremity of circular sector  22 . 
     In addition, a plurality of intermediate teeth  25  is circumferentially arranged between first tooth  23  and last tooth  24  along circular sector  22 . 
     In the embodiment shown, cutting means  8  comprise eleven teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  ( FIG.  3   ). 
     Axial end  7  of main body  20  of cutter  6  further comprises a portion  21  having no cutting function, which extends along a circular sector  26  ( FIG.  3   ). 
     Circular sectors  22  and  26  define together a total of 360° about axis A. 
     In the embodiment shown, circular sector  22  is bigger than circular sector  26 . In particular, circular sector  22  has an angular extension greater than 180°. 
     In addition, the extension or height of cutter  6  parallel to axis A is smaller along circular sector  26  than along circular sector  22 . In other words, portion  21  protrudes from main body  20  less than teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25 . 
     Furthermore, each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  (see as example  FIG.  4    which discloses one tooth  25 ) comprises:
         two cutting faces  27 ,  28 , which are directed transversally to axis A and converge towards a free end  19  of tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  itself; and   an edge  29  defined by respective cutting faces  27  and  28  and extending at free end  19 .       

     In detail, cutting faces  27 ,  28  are planar and are differently oriented from one another. 
     In addition, cutting faces  27 ,  28  are arranged on the side of inner surface  50  of cutter  6  and are directed transversally to inner surface  50 . 
     In the embodiment shown, intermediate teeth  25  are equal to one another, whereas first tooth  23  and last tooth  24  are different from each other and from intermediate teeth  25 . 
     In detail, cutting faces  27  of respective intermediate teeth  25  are sloped by congruent angles with respect to inner surface  50  and annular flange  15  of cutter  6 . 
     Similarly, cutting faces  28  of respective intermediate teeth  25  are sloped by congruent angles with respect to inner surface  50  and annular flange  15  of cutter  6 . 
     In the embodiment shown, moving along circular sector  22 , cutting face  28  of one tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  is adjacent to cutting face  27  of the adjacent tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  ( FIG.  4   ). 
     In detail, each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  is separated from the adjacent teeth by an edge  36 . 
     Furthermore, edge  29  is rectilinear and preferably rounded. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , cutting face  27  of first tooth  23  and cutting face  28  of last tooth  24  are connected to portion  21  of axial end  7 . 
     Each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  further comprises ( FIG.  5   ):
         an edge  33 , which is arranged between cutting face  27  and outer surface  51 ;   an edge  34 , which is arranged between cutting face  28  and outer surface  51 ;   an edge  37 , which is arranged between cutting face  27  and inner surface  50 ; and   an edge  38 , which is arranged between cutting face  28  and inner surface  50 .       

     Advantageously, each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  comprises ( FIG.  5   ):
         a further cutting face  30 , which is circumferentially interposed between respective cutting faces  27 ,  28 ;   an edge  31 , which is arranged between cutting face  30  and cutting face  27 ; and   an edge  32 , which is arranged between cutting face  30  and cutting face  28 .       

     In detail, cutting face  30  is planar and is directed transversally to cutting faces  27 ,  28 , inner surface  50  and outer surface  51 , annular flange  15  and axis A. 
     Similarly to cutting faces  27 ,  28 , each cutting face  30  is arranged on the side of inner surface  50  of cutter  6 . 
     Edges  31 ,  32  are directed transversally to inner surface  50  and outer surface  51  and annular flange  15  ( FIG.  5   ). 
     In addition, with reference to  FIG.  5   , edges  31 ,  32  of each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  converge into the respective edge  29 . 
     Furthermore, edges  31 ,  32  are rectilinear and preferably rounded. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  further comprises an edge  35 , which is arranged between cutting face  30  and outer surface  51 . 
     In the embodiment shown, edges  33 ,  34 ,  35  are rectilinear and substantially sharp. 
     In addition, edge  35  is the furthest portion of respective teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  from annular flange  15  parallel to axis A and all points of edge  35  are at the same distance from annular flange  15  parallel to axis A. 
     In summary, each cutting face  30  is shaped like a scalene triangle having edges  31 ,  32  and  35  as sides. 
     In the embodiment shown, edge  31  is shorter than edges  32  and  35 . 
     Furthermore, each cutting face  27  is enclosed by edges  29 ,  31 ,  33 ,  36  and  37 ; each cutting face  28  is enclosed by edges  29 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38 . 
     Cutting faces  27 ,  28  and  30  and edges  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35  of respective teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  at least partly contribute to cut pierceable portion  3  when cutter  6  interacts with the pierceable portion  3  itself. 
     Preferentially but not necessarily, edge  29  is not involved in the cutting action of pierceable portion  3 . 
     The operation of opening device  10  will now be described starting from a closed or sealed condition of the package  1 . 
     In this condition, pierceable portion  3  is not pierced, cap  5  is screwed onto frame  2  and closes pour opening  4  and cutter  6  is completely fitted inside collar  12  of frame  2  ( FIG.  2   ) and has teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  spaced apart from the pierceable portion  13 . 
     When cap  5  is rotated about axis A, thread  41  is moved with respect to thread  40  and cap  5  is progressively unscrewed off frame  2 . 
     At the same time, guide means  45  push cutter  6  towards pierceable portion  3  and guide means  44  drive cutter  6  along the predetermined piercing path through pierceable portion  3 . 
     As cutting means  8  of cutter  6  come into contact with pierceable portion  3 , teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  start to pierce and cut pierceable portion  3 . 
     In particular, tooth  23  is the first to begin the cutting action on pierceable portion  3  and as the rotation of cutter  6  continues, intermediate teeth  25  and last tooth  24  start, in turn, to pierce pierceable portion  3 . 
     Preferably, intermediate teeth  25  and last tooth  24  start to pierce pierceable portion  3  at the same time. 
     In detail, cutting face  30  of each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  is the first part that comes into contact with pierceable portion  3 . 
     As guide means  44  feed cutter  6  through pierceable portion  3 , teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  are moved down along axis A and at least cutting faces  27 ,  28  and  30  of respective teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  perform the cutting action. 
     In the embodiment shown, edges  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35  of respective teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25  at least partially contribute to cut pierceable portion  3 . 
     Preferably but not necessarily, edge  29  is not involved in the cutting action of pierceable portion  3 . 
     Once cap  5  is completely unscrewed off frame  2 , pierceable portion  3  is at least partly detached from the rest of the packaging material and cutter  6  is positioned partly inside package  1 . 
     In this condition, package  1  is unsealed and the product can be poured-out through pour opening  4 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  6   , numeral  10 ′ indicates an opening device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     Opening device  10 ′ is similar to opening device  10  and will be described hereinafter only insofar as it differs therefrom; corresponding or equivalent parts of opening devices  10 ,  10 ′ will be indicated where possible by the same reference numerals. 
     In particular, opening device  10 ′ differs from opening device  10  in that cutting face  30 ′ is a convex curved surface and in that edges  31 ′,  32 ′ and  35 ′ are curved edges ( FIGS.  6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9   ). 
     In the embodiment shown, cutting faces  30 ′ of respective teeth  24 ′ and  25 ′ have the same curvature. 
     Similarly to edge  35 , edge  35 ′ is the furthest portion of each tooth  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ from annular flange  15  parallel to axis A. 
     In particular, since edge  35 ′ is curved, the points of edge  35 ′ are located at respective different distances from annular flange  15 . 
     Furthermore, edge  31 ′ is shorter than edges  32 ′,  35 ′. 
     The operation of opening device  10 ′ is similar to that of opening device  10  and is described only insofar as it differs therefrom. 
     In particular, as cap  5  is unscrewed off frame  2 , the first part of tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25  that comes into contact with pierceable portion  3  is cutting face  30 ′, which is a convex curved surface. 
     Subsequently, as guide means  44  feed cutter  6 ′ through pierceable portion  3 , teeth  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ are moved down along axis A and at least cutting faces  27 ,  28 ,  30 ′ of respective teeth  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ perform the cutting action. 
     Furthermore, edges  31 ′,  32 ′,  35 ′, which are curved, at least partially contribute to cut pierceable portion  3 . 
     The advantages of opening devices  10 ,  10 ′ and sealed package  1  according to the present invention will be clear from the above description. 
     In particular, since each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ comprises cutting face  30 ,  30 ′, which is circumferentially interposed between respective cutting faces  27 ,  28 , cutter  6 ,  6 ′ can be effectively and reliably used for unsealing package  1 . 
     In fact, teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ,  25 ′ are less damageable, compared to the teeth of the known opening devices discussed in the introductory part of the present description. 
     Cutting face  30 ,  30 ′ and the particular arrangement and shape of edges  31 ,  32 ,  35 ,  31 ′,  32 ′,  35 ′ make teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ robust and effective. 
     As a matter of fact, since cutting faces  27 ,  28  of each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ are not divided by edge  29  only, the forces acting on each tooth as pierceable portion  3  is cut are distributed over cutting face  30 ,  30 ′ and not over a single edge  29 . 
     Cutting face  30 ′, which is convex and curved, is particularly advantageous in this respect, because it allows a homogeneous distribution of the forces acting on the respective tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′. 
     In the final analysis, teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ are less deformable when compared to the teeth of the prior art cutters. 
     Therefore, the interaction between cutter  6 ,  6 ′ and pierceable portion  3  are less likely to be negatively affected. 
     Finally, it is apparent that modifications and variants not departing from the scope of protection of the claims may be made to opening device  10 ,  10 ′ and to package  1  according to the present invention. 
     In particular, two circumferentially consecutive teeth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ of cutting means  8  may be circumferentially spaced from one another along axial end  7 . 
     Furthermore, axial end  7  may comprise more than one non-cutting portion  21 . 
     In addition, circular sector  22  may be smaller than circular sector  26 . 
     Furthermore, each tooth  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  23 ′,  24 ′,  25 ′ may comprise more than one cutting face  30 ,  30 ′ other than cutting faces  27 ,  28 . 
     Cutting faces  27 ,  28  may be at least partially curved.