Patent Description:
Such opening/closing devices are known. For example, document <CIT>describes a three-piece locking device of the type discussed above.

Said opening/closing device is extremely efficient, but it is not without drawbacks, especially in terms of environmental impact. In fact, the cap, once removed, is not always repositioned on the collar because, either is carelessly thrown away by the user immediately after the first opening, or falls on the ground and, therefore, is no longer hygienically usable. This is clearly extremely damaging to the environment as the cap, as well as the entire opening/closing device, is made of plastic.

Document <CIT>, describes a closing device that can be applied mainly to containers made entirely of plastic and that can be opened by means of suitable cutting elements that are activated when the container is first opened and that, once opened, can be conveniently opened and closed several times. This design describes, in particular, a closing device comprising a collar, a cutting edge and a rotating cap, equipped with a lower part and a lid which can also be rotated to the said lower part by means of a plastic hinge. The cap is associated with the collar and is attached to it in a way that can only be rotated by means of a lower cylindrical retaining element. The cap includes means for rotating the cutting element the first time the closing element is rotated with respect to the collar.

This solution, which should be applied to completely plastic containers, although it avoids the environmental problems associated with such devices since the cap remains always associated with the collar, would not be usable in laminated containers to which the opening/closing device of this invention are applicable. In these containers, which are normally parallelepiped shaped, the opening/closing device is positioned on the upper face, close to one side of the upper face of the parallelepiped (or also the pouring side), so that when the cap is removed, the product contained in the container can be easily poured, orienting the latter precisely on the side of the upper face closest to the closing device. The application of the cap described in <CIT> on a laminated container would not allow the user to obtain an efficient pouring of the product since the upper lid, once lifted, could also be on the "wrong" side of the upper face of the parallelepiped, namely it could be on the side of the upper face closest to the device, so that the liquid would be poured by orienting the container from the side of the upper face further away to the opening/closing device. In addition, the user should also hold the cap during pouring to prevent it from rotating.

A purpose of this invention is therefore to create a three-piece opening/closing device of the type described above that reduces, or completely eliminates, the problems of pollution caused by containers for pourable products of known art and that, at the same time, allows an efficient pouring of the product present in the container on whose upper face the opening/closing device is associated. Another purpose of this invention is to create an opening/closing device that is still simple from a structural point of view and, therefore, simple and economical to manufacture.

These and other purposes are achieved by an opening/closing device according to the claim <NUM> of the present invention.

This solution allows, therefore, to avoid having to remove the cap completely from the collar, but allows to use the lid with the cap still associated with the collar both to store the product to be poured into the container and to pour the product outside the container, simply by lifting the cap. In practice, therefore, the cap cannot be pulled out of the collar and remains tied to it even after causing the cutting element to move and the consequent breakage of the perforable portion. According to the invention, moreover, the rotation of the cap with respect to the collar is limited between two distinct positions: a first position, the one of the end of the assembly of the opening/closing device, that is, with the collar, cap and cutting element coupled together by pressure; and a second position, in which the cap is clamped at an angle in a position that prevents the cutting element from completely cutting the perforable portion, thus causing it to fall into the container. This also has the effect of ensuring that, when the cap is open, the pouring can be done at the side of the container closest to the collar and, therefore, it is easier for the user to pour the product in the container. Moreover, this pouring takes place with the collar locked in a stable position, namely at the second position. In this way, the user will not have to worry about keeping the cap in a precise angular position with respect to the collar, but will be able to make the pouring in peace.

Furthermore, such limiting means shall comprise at least two mutually binding parts attached to the cap and the collar respectively. In particular, such limiting means shall include at least one locking tooth engaging in at least one corresponding seat, in which at least one locking tooth protrudes inside that cap and at least one seat is defined on that outer surface of that collar, or vice versa. In practice, when the cap is in its second position, this locking element engages with this seat in such a way that it no longer rotates with respect to the collar.

According to the invention, the angular interval between said first position and said second position is between <NUM> and <NUM><NUM>. This prevents the cutting element from completely cutting off the perforable portion with the result that the perforated portion falls into the container.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, said first guiding means comprise a first protruding radial portion and a second protruding radial portion, wherein said first protruding portion is integral to the external surface of said collar and said second protruding portion is integral to the internal surface of said cap and capable of crawling on said first protruding portion during the rotation of said cap with respect to said collar. Said first protruding portion and/or said second protruding portion shall be elastically deformable at least when said cap is associated with said collar during the assembly of said opening/closing device. In practice, therefore, the second protruding portion serves as a guide in the rotation of the cap on the external surface of the casting and at the same time prevents the cap from slipping out of the collar because the first portion is always in contact with the second portion.

According to the invention, the opening/closing device comprises a retaining ring integrally constrained at the lower end of said cap by means of a number of breakable bridges; said breakable bridges shall be severed at least when said cap is moved, or rotated, from said first assembly position for said opening/closing device to reach said second locking position.

Again, said lid is made in one piece with said cap.

Additionally, the cap includes a pouring spout. Preferably, the through-hole is made on the upper surface of the pouring spout.

Advantageously, that lid is hinged to that cap by means of a plastic hinge associated with the lateral surface of that cap. In particular, said plastic hinge shall be placed on this side surface in such an angular position that, at least when this cap is in its second locking position, this lid, when opened, is on the side of the container opposite to the nearest side or sides of pouring.

Further according to the invention it is made available a method for the first opening of a container for pourable products provided with an opening/closing device according to one or more of claims <NUM> to <NUM>, comprising the steps of:.

said method further comprising subsequently to said step b), the step c) of raising said lid integral with said cap for pouring the product contained in said container, characterized that the method further comprises the step d) of limiting the displacement of said cap between a first assembled position for said opening/closing device and a second locked position of said cap to said collar.

In particular, said phase a) comprises phase a1) of rotating the cap in relation to the outer surface of the collar between that first position and that second position. Preferably, the angular interval between said first position and said second position is between <NUM> and <NUM>°.

Finally, step c) includes the step of rotating the lid with respect to the cap.

Some forms of particular realization of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only and not limited to, with reference to the attached figures, in which:.

With particular reference to these figures, it has been indicated with <NUM> the generic opening/closing device according to the invention.

The opening/closing device <NUM> is applied on a <NUM> container (here not shown completely but known to the skilled person) for pourable products having a perforable portion <NUM> (see <FIG>). Said container <NUM> is made in a well-known way using a laminated material, obtained by superimposing several layers of paper, or cardboard, aluminum, polyethylene and/or other additional materials, suitably shaped and folded, usually in the shape of a parallelepiped, and having at its top a perforated portion <NUM>, or a portion of the laminate that is free of the layer of paper, or cardboard, and therefore easily perforable by a sharp body to allow the leakage of the liquid contained in the container <NUM>.

According to the embodiment described here, the opening/closing device <NUM> comprises a collar <NUM> that can be associated with container <NUM> in correspondence with the perforable portion <NUM>, a cap <NUM> that can be moved on the external surface 2a of collar <NUM> in a way bound by the first guide means <NUM> placed between cap <NUM> and collar <NUM>, and a cutting element <NUM> that can be moved on the internal surface 2b of collar <NUM> in a way bound by the second guide means <NUM> placed between cutting element <NUM> and collar <NUM> to cut off the perforable portion <NUM>. The second guiding means <NUM> are of the screw <NUM> type and the nut <NUM> type, in which the screw <NUM> is attached to the cutting element <NUM> and the nut <NUM> is attached to the collar <NUM>. It should be noted that the opening/closing device <NUM> is made of plastic material such as, for example, polypropylene. Other plastic materials can be used for the realization of the device <NUM> without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Collar <NUM> also includes a flange <NUM> that surrounds the entire perforable portion <NUM> of the container <NUM> and that, from its lower side 30a, is associated with the <NUM> container for gluing.

The annular-shaped cutting element <NUM> has at its end 5a a plurality of teeth 5b to facilitate the breakage of the perforable portion <NUM>.

The opening/closing device <NUM> also includes pushing means <NUM> for cutting member <NUM> actuated by cap <NUM>, during at least its first movement on the outer surface 2a of collar <NUM>, to promote the movement inside the collar <NUM> of cutting member <NUM> in the direction of the perforable portion <NUM>.

These pushing means <NUM> are made of in one piece with cap <NUM>. In particular, according to the invention, while cap <NUM> moves on the collar <NUM>, the cutting element <NUM> is forced by means of the pushing means <NUM> to move in the direction of the perforable portion <NUM> to cut it at least partially.

Advantageously, cap <NUM> is equipped with a through-hole <NUM> for pouring the pourable product and a lid <NUM> attached firmly to cap <NUM> and able to close tightly, or open the through-hole passage <NUM> to, respectively, store or pour the product contained in container <NUM>.

In practice, therefore, without the need to remove the cap <NUM> from the collar <NUM>, the user, once the cutting element <NUM> has perforated the perforable portion <NUM>, can lift the lid <NUM> and pour the liquid product contained in the container <NUM>.

It should be noted that the pushing means <NUM> include two wings <NUM> (in the attached figures it is represented only one wing for reasons of simplicity) that assume a partially cylindrical shape that project axially from the upper surface 3a of the cap <NUM> inside the same. In addition, the pushing means <NUM> include appropriate engaging elements (not shown here but known to the skilled person) for the two fins <NUM> attached to the cutting element <NUM>. When cap <NUM> is placed on the collar <NUM> at least one fin <NUM> of the two fins comes into contact with a commitment element, thus subjecting the cutting element <NUM> to a torque. This torque causes the cutting element <NUM> to be rotated over the inner surface 2b of collar <NUM> and the perforation of the perforable portion <NUM> to occur.

It should be noted that in other embodiments not shown here the number of wings <NUM> is different from that indicated in the form of realization described here, also the second guiding means <NUM> could be different such as, for example, including cam elements that interact with appropriate guides that allow the cutting element <NUM> to move along a trajectory that is not only helical, but partly helical and partly straight.

According to the embodiment described here, the first guiding means <NUM> only rotate the cap <NUM> to the outer surface 2a of the collar <NUM>.

This solution allows, therefore, to avoid having to remove the cap <NUM> completely from the collar <NUM>, but it allows to use the lid <NUM> also with cap <NUM> still associated with the collar <NUM> both to store the product to be poured into the container <NUM> and to pour the product outside the container <NUM>, simply by lifting the lid <NUM>.

In addition, device <NUM> also includes means <NUM> to limit the rotation of cap <NUM> with respect to the outer surface 2a of collar <NUM> between a first assembly position P1 for opening/closing device <NUM> and a second position P2 for locking the cap to collar <NUM>. In practice, therefore, cap <NUM> rotates for a given angular interval, starting from a first P1 position, which is the initial assembly position of device <NUM> at the exit of the production plant, until it reaches a second locking position to the collar <NUM>.

The angular range between the first position P1 and the second position P2 is comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>°. In the form described here, the rotation interval is <NUM>°.

This has the advantage that the cutting element <NUM>, which will therefore rotate at an angle equal to that of rotation of cap <NUM>, will not be able to fully perforate the perforable portion <NUM>, thus causing it to fall into the container <NUM>.

Furthermore, such a solution allows the lid <NUM> to open in such a position that the product contained in the container <NUM> is easily poured into the collar <NUM> at the second locking position P2 of the cap <NUM>. Moreover, the user does not have to worry about keeping the cap <NUM> in a precise angular position to allow it to be poured as it is locked in a fixed position with respect to the collar <NUM>.

As shown in the attached figures, the first guide vehicles <NUM> comprise a first protruding radial portion <NUM> and a second protruding radial portion <NUM>, in which the first protruding portion <NUM> is attached to the outer surface 2a of collar <NUM> and the second protruding portion <NUM> is attached to the inner lateral surface 3b of cap <NUM> and is suitable for sliding on the first protruding portion <NUM> during the rotation of cap <NUM> with respect to collar <NUM>. The first protruding portion <NUM> is also slightly elastically deformable at least when cap <NUM> is associated with collar <NUM> during the assembly of the opening/closing device <NUM>, thus allowing the association of cap <NUM> with collar <NUM>. These guide means <NUM> also prevent cap <NUM> from being axially removed from collar <NUM> once it has been assembled with collar <NUM> itself.

The opening/closing device <NUM> includes a retaining ring <NUM> integrally constrained at the lower end 3d of cap <NUM> by means of a number of breakable bridges <NUM>. Breakable bridges <NUM> are broken when the user turns cap <NUM> for the first time with respect to collar <NUM>, thus moving from its first position P1. The breakage of these bridges <NUM> is obtained, in a known way, thanks to appropriate <NUM> fracturing elements attached to the collar <NUM>.

The limitating means <NUM> comprise at least two mutually binding parts <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively attached to cap <NUM> and collar <NUM>.

In particular, the limiting means <NUM> include a locking tooth <NUM> that can be engaged within a corresponding seat <NUM>. The locking tooth <NUM> is protruding inside the cap <NUM> and the seat <NUM> is defined on the external surface 2a of the collar <NUM>. The seat <NUM>, however, is made by a pair of protruding elements 13a, 13b suitably spaced to leave space between them to accommodate the tooth <NUM> at the end of the rotation of the cap <NUM> from its first position P1 to its second locking position P2. The protrusion 13a of the seat <NUM> that first comes into contact with the tooth <NUM> is in the form of a ramp to facilitate the entry of the tooth <NUM> within the space obtained between the two protruding elements 13a, 13b and so lock in position P2 the cap <NUM>.

In other embodiments not shown here, the locking tooth <NUM> is protruding from the outside of the collar <NUM>, while the seat <NUM> is defined on the inner lateral surface 3b of the cap <NUM>, without leaving the scope of protection of this invention.

In addition, in the form described here, tooth <NUM> and seat <NUM> are dimensioned in such a way that they do not interfere during the axial sliding of cap <NUM> with collar <NUM>, during the assembly of device <NUM>, and can only be engaged with each other during the reciprocal rotation between cap <NUM> and collar <NUM>.

As shown in the attached figures, the lid <NUM> is made in one piece with cap <NUM>.

Cap <NUM> has a pouring nozzle <NUM> that juts out from the top surface 3a of cap <NUM> itself. The through-hole <NUM> is made on the upper surface of the pouring nozzle <NUM>. The diameter of the nozzle is smaller than the diameter of the upper surface 3a of cap <NUM>, so that it is referred to as a kind of stepped surface <NUM> on cap <NUM>. Lid <NUM> is hinged to cap <NUM> by a plastic hinge <NUM> associated with the outer lateral surface 3c of cap <NUM>. In particular, the plastic hinge <NUM> is located right at the above-mentioned step <NUM>.

The pushing means <NUM> are arranged around the lower end section 31a of the nozzle <NUM> and protrude axially from the upper surface 3a of the cap <NUM> into it.

Moreover, cap <NUM> is equipped, on its inner side 10a, the one facing container <NUM> when closed, with U-shaped sealing elements <NUM> able to associate in a sealed fashion with the upper end section 31b of the pouring nozzle <NUM>. The nozzle <NUM> is therefore delimited, at the top, by the upper terminal section 31b and, at the bottom, by the lower terminal section 31a.

As shown in <FIG>, the plastic hinge <NUM> is placed on the outer lateral surface 3c of cap <NUM> in such an angular position that at least when cap <NUM> is in its second locking position P2 the lid <NUM>, when opened, is on the side of the container <NUM> opposite to the sides <NUM>, <NUM> of the container <NUM> closest to the collar <NUM> (see also <FIG>). In this way it is possible to easily pour the liquid contained in the container <NUM>, in fact the lid <NUM>, when opened, does not hinder the pouring of the product contained in the container <NUM> being, the collar <NUM>, in a position close to the sides of the faces <NUM> and <NUM> and the lid <NUM> in a position approximately opposite to the sides of the two faces <NUM> and <NUM>. If, on the other hand, the lid <NUM> is located, once opened and the collar <NUM> has reached its second position P2, near the sides of the two faces <NUM> and <NUM>, it would be difficult for the user to be able to pour the product contained in the container <NUM> especially at the beginning, when the container <NUM> is full. In fact, the same lid <NUM> would hinder the pouring of the product from the side or sides closest to collar <NUM> (in the example shown by the sides where the faces <NUM> and <NUM> closest to collar <NUM> are located).

Finally, the method for the first opening of a <NUM> container for pourable products equipped with an opening/closing device <NUM> of the type described above includes the phases of:.

and, finally, c) lifting the lid <NUM> attached to the cap <NUM> to pour the product contained in the container <NUM>.

According to the invention, the method also includes step d) to limit the rotation of cap <NUM> between the first assembly position P1 for opening/closing device <NUM> and a second locking position P2 of cap <NUM> to collar <NUM>.

In particular, the displacement of the cutting element <NUM> in the direction of the perforable portion <NUM> of the container <NUM> is a roto-translation caused by the second guiding means <NUM> by means of screw <NUM> and screw nut <NUM> integral with, respectively, to the cutting element <NUM> and to the collar <NUM>.

Step c) includes the step of rotating the lid <NUM> with respect to cap <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Opening/closing device (<NUM>) for a container (<NUM>) for pourable products, having at least one perforable portion (<NUM>), said opening/closing device comprising a collar (<NUM>) combinable with said container at said perforable portion, a cap (<NUM>) constrainedly movable by first guiding means (<NUM>), which are interposed between said cap (<NUM>) and said collar (<NUM>), on the outer surface (2a) of said collar (<NUM>), and a cutting element (<NUM>) constrainedly movable by second guiding means (<NUM>), which are interposed between said cutting element (<NUM>) and said collar (<NUM>), inside said collar (<NUM>) for severing said perforable portion, said device (<NUM>) further comprising pushing means (<NUM>) for said cutting element (<NUM>), which are actuated by said cap (<NUM>) during at least its first displacement on said outer surface (2a) of said collar (<NUM>), for promoting the displacement inside said collar of said at least one cutting element in the direction of said perforable portion, wherein said cap (<NUM>) is provided with at least one through hole (<NUM>) for pouring said pourable product and with at least one lid (<NUM>) integrally constrained to said cap and adapted to seal, or open, the passage of said at least one through hole (<NUM>), said first guiding means (<NUM>) only rotatably constraining said cap (<NUM>) to said collar (<NUM>), characterized further comprising means (<NUM>) for limiting the rotation of said cap with respect to the outer surface (2a) of said collar (<NUM>) between a first assembled position (P1) for said opening/closing device and a second locked position (P2) of said cap (<NUM>) on said collar (<NUM>), and in that by comprising a retaining ring (<NUM>) integrally constrained at the lower end of said cap by a plurality of frangible bridges, said frangible bridges being severed at least when said cap is displaced from said first assembled position.