EP1084062B1 - Opening/closing device in particular for container with flexible wall and container with flexible wall associated with said device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device wherein the lid (2), when it is in closed position, closes the tubular guide (1) top opening. The nozzle (3) fixed by its base to a container or bag containing the liquid, is engaged in the guide (1) and fixed thereto by its base by bayonet fitting (21, 22) enclosing between the two parts the support neck (5). By pivoting about criss-cross ribs (10) the lid (2) tilts over such that its cam surface (13), then its locking surface (20) press laterally on the nozzle (3) and maintain the lips (19) in open position.

Description

The present invention relates to a device opening / closing, especially for container with wall flexible, comprising a tubular end piece of deformable material and suitable to be returned secured to the container by one end and having the other end two parallel lips defining a slit straight spill. It also concerns a flexible-walled container and associated tubular tip to such a device.

Manufacturers are currently making an effort to reduce the amount of material in the packaging, for reasons not not only economical, but also ecological. The bet on the flexible refill packaging market is moving in this direction.

However, flexible packaging has certain disadvantages for the consumer. In particular, the consumer must either transfer the contents of the packaging flexible in a primary packaging, or to accommodate impractical characteristics of this type of packaging: risk accident when it is full and sagging when it is started, questionable aesthetics, etc.

On the other hand, the closing devices of these packaging is generally ill-suited to the use of its content directly from the flexible packaging, in particular when it comes to liquid or pasty contents.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a opening / closing device, in particular for flexible-walled container, which responds better than known devices under the conditions indicated above, of a simple and quick handling, allowing an easy flow and fast, with good sealing in the closed position and a reduced cost price.

For this purpose the present invention relates to a opening / closing device, especially for a container flexible wall, comprising a tubular end-piece made of material deformable, secured to the container by one end and having at the other end two parallel lips determining a straight discharge slit, this device further comprising a rigid tubular guide associated with the end piece and means for rigidly and securely fixing removable the guide and the end piece to each other by their bases, said tubular guide comprising means arranged for cooperate with the mouthpiece to force the lips of the slot into discarded positions.

Preferably, the lips of the nozzle are sealed with so that the container is perfectly sealed before first opening of the nozzle.

Various embodiments of the device are the subject of claims 3 to 17.

The invention also relates to a container with a wall flexible and a tubular end piece associated with such a device, as claimed in claims 18 and 19.

les figures 1, 2 et 3 sont respectivement des vues en coupe latérale et frontale, et en plan de dessus d'une première forme d'exécution,

la figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'une partie du dispositif des figures 1 à 3,

la figure 5 est une vue en perspective éclatée de l'embout et du guide tubulaire selon les figures 1 à 4 avec différents éléments auxiliaires,

les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues correspondant aux figures 1 et 2 montrant l'embout pourvu d'un siphon,

les figures 8, 9 et 10 sont respectivement des vues en coupe latérale et frontale, et en plan de dessus d'une seconde forme d'exécution,

la figure 11 est une vue en perspective d'une partie du dispositif des figures 8 à 10,

les figures 12, 13, 14 et 15 sont des vues en perspective de différentes réalisations d'un support de contenant,

les figures 16 et 17 sont des vues schématiques partielles d'une troisième forme d'exécution du dispositif selon l'invention, l'embout étant présenté en position fermée à la figure 16 et en position ouverte à la figure 17,

la figure 18 est une vue schématique de l'élément-guide du dispositif des figures 16 et 17, illustrant de façon détaillée l'agencement des organes d'actionnement de l'ouverture de l'embout,

la figure 19 est une vue schématique illustrant l'insertion d'un support entre l'élément-guide des figures 16 et 17 et le sachet,

la figure 20 est une vue en perspective d'un contenant muni de son support et de l'élément-guide des figures 16 et 17,

les figures 21 et 22 sont des vues schématiques de variantes d'exécution de l'élément-guide illustré aux figures 16 et 17,

la figure 23 est une vue en perspective d'un exemple d'embout destiné au dispositif selon l'invention,

la figure 24 est une vue de dessus de l'embout de la figure 23,

la figure 25 est une vue depuis dessous de l'embout de la figure 23,

la figure 26 est une coupe longitudinale de l'embout de la figure 23 selon le plan médian A-A de l'embout déterminé par la fente de l'embout,

la figure 27 est une coupe transversale de l'embout de la figure 23 selon un plan médian B-B perpendiculaire à la direction de la fente de l'embout, et

la figure 28 représente le détail D de la figure 27 à plus grande échelle.

There will be described below by way of examples of the preferred embodiments and different variants of the subject of the invention with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are views in lateral and front section, and in plan view of a first embodiment, respectively,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of part of the device of FIGS. 1 to 3,

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the end piece and of the tubular guide according to FIGS. 1 to 4 with different auxiliary elements,

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the nozzle provided with a siphon,

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are respectively views in lateral and front section, and in top plan of a second embodiment,

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of part of the device from FIGS. 8 to 10,

FIGS. 12, 13, 14 and 15 are perspective views of different embodiments of a container support,

FIGS. 16 and 17 are partial schematic views of a third embodiment of the device according to the invention, the nozzle being presented in the closed position in FIG. 16 and in the open position in FIG. 17,

FIG. 18 is a schematic view of the guide element of the device in FIGS. 16 and 17, illustrating in detail the arrangement of the actuating members of the opening of the end piece,

FIG. 19 is a schematic view illustrating the insertion of a support between the guide element of FIGS. 16 and 17 and the bag,

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a container provided with its support and of the guide element of FIGS. 16 and 17,

FIGS. 21 and 22 are schematic views of alternative embodiments of the guide element illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17,

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an example of a nozzle intended for the device according to the invention,

FIG. 24 is a top view of the nozzle of FIG. 23,

FIG. 25 is a view from below of the end piece of FIG. 23,

FIG. 26 is a longitudinal section of the tip of FIG. 23 along the median plane AA of the tip determined by the slot of the tip,

FIG. 27 is a cross section of the tip of FIG. 23 along a median plane BB perpendicular to the direction of the slot in the tip, and

Figure 28 shows the detail D of Figure 27 on a larger scale.

In general, the device represented in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a rigid tubular guide 1 carrying a hinged cover 2, and a tip 3, also shaped tubular, engaged in guide 1 and fixed to the latter. The end piece 3 is in one piece, made of a thin plastic material and flexible, closed at the top. It extends towards the bottom, outside of the guide 1 by a grooved structure 4, shown in Figures 3 in the shape of a diamond, used for fixing by welding of a container or a walled bag flexible (Figures 12 to 15). Guide 1 and end piece 3 secured of the container, are connected to each other in a removable manner, these connecting means ensuring at the same time the mounting of the assembly on a support or suspension flange rigid 5.

The tubular guide 1 with its cover 2, and the support 5, are elements intended to be used permanently, so that nozzles 3 fixed by the base 4 to containers or sachets will be sold separately as refills intended to be reported on elements 1 and 5.

More precisely, the tubular guide 1 has two parallel wings 6 between which is formed a notch 7 and which are provided with cylindrical housings or bosses 8 cooperating with complementary means 9, for example two perpendicular ribs 10 (figure 1) formed in the tilting cover 2 to ensure its pivoting and constituting three privileged positions of the cover, know a closed position, an open position at 180 ° from the closed position and a position intermediate at 90 ° allowing the positioning of the guide tubular on the nozzle.

The cover 2 is an elongated piece, of section rectangular, integral with a rounded lower part (see Figure 4) with a spout 11 at the front to facilitate the closing movement, with an extension 12 behind the pivot axis to facilitate the opening movement, this extension having on its lower side in the figure 1 a curved surface 13 acting as a cam. The faces cover 2 have a limited housing 14 laterally by two beads 15, and inclined faces 16 applied in closed position against faces 17 of the upper end of guide 1.

The flexible tubular part of the end piece 3 is cylindrical with its base and narrows on either side of a median plane upwards so as to form two symmetrical sides connected by a straight edge 18 at its top. This ridge extends between two parallel lips 19, sealed at their edges before the first opening of the container, and which, in the closed position of the cover, are engaged between the beads 15.

In Figure 1, the cover 2 is shown in lines mixed in open position. The rear extension 12 engages between the wings 6, the cam surface 13 presses against the end piece 3 in a direction parallel to the edge 18 which press the tip against the opposite line of guide 1. When the full open position is reached, the flat part 20 of the rear face of the cover bears against the nozzle. The edge 18, which tore during the first opening, is then split and the two lips 19 have opened as we see it according to the quadrilateral line drawn in lines in Figure 3, which allows for a convenient discharge of the contents of container. Note that the beads longitudinal lips 19 are interrupted at right middle of the edge 18 to allow the lips to take the visible shape in phantom in Figure 3

As already said, the base 4 of the end piece 3 is provided to be welded to the top of a container or flexible wall bag while the guide 1 is connected by removable fixing means to this base. Figures 1 and 2 are shown bayonet fixing means 21 and 22 which ensure that the notch 7 of the guide 1 is oriented correctly relative to the edge 8 of the end piece 3. Others fixing means can be provided, for example engagement notched, screwing, clipping. Initially a nozzle fixed on a container is closed, lips 19 being joined so waterproof. When first used, they open by tearing off and then return to the joined position under the effect of beads 15. At its base, the guide 1 has a flange 23 (figure 4) which comes to rest against the edge an opening of the support 5 when the device.

The nozzle 3 can be equipped with certain auxiliary means such as those represented in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Thus in the FIG. 5 a segment of tube 24 with deformable membranes, in arcs, forms a valve which can regulate the return of the product in the container. This element 24 is engaged in a housing 25 of the base of the nozzle. Another element auxiliary is a siphon 26 with a flange 27 which can also engage in the housing 25 so that the body of the trap is located inside the container. The siphon 26 is formed of two parts as seen in Figures 5, 6 and 7. It retains the remaining liquid contained in the nozzle and This prevents air from entering when you straighten the container after use. As another item auxiliary (not shown) we can cite for example a tube plunger ensuring that liquid spills out through the opening lips 19 comes from the bottom of the container.

A second embodiment of the device is shown in Figures 8 to 11, repeating the same references as for Figures 1 to 4.

In this embodiment, the pivot axis of the cover 2, also shown in vertical position at the Figure 8, is arranged lower than in the embodiment described, which allows the cam 13 of the cover to attack the nozzle in a lower position, which results in a higher attack force. It is thus possible to provide for a more solid sealing of the lips of the nozzle, this which prevents the tip from loosening, for example unfortunately when the container is grasped by the nozzle.

In addition, the tip of this embodiment has two lateral ribs 40 extending in the middle part upper end. These ribs have the effect of forcing the lips 19 to close properly when the lid is closed, which notably has the effect of cutting off the flow of content when it is a pasty product.

The device shown in Figures 12 and 13 is provided a siphon 44 comprising a cup 45 and a brake sleeve arranged to slide vertically inside a tubular lower part 47 of the end piece 3, so that prevent the return of the liquid.

The device and the container according to the invention are thus particularly well suited to contain products liquids (e.g. fruit juice) or pasty (e.g. ketchup, mustard), whether food or no.

Figures 12 to 15 show different forms of containers or sachets and supports. Containers can be of different forms or capacity and the supports of different structures. However in all cases the support has a neck 5 with an opening capable of being tightened between the flange 23 of the guide and the base 4 of the nozzle. AT Figure 12 the support 28 has two sides 29 which rest position are oblique to each other from so that the support can be placed in a standing position. The containing 30 with flexible wall is housed between the sides 29 of so that by pressing on these, the liquid or the pasty product is spilled.

Figure 13 shows a support 31 with a rear upright blade-shaped with eyelet 32 and connection rigid at the neck 5. The base of the upright forms a sleeve 33 conforming to the shape of the container 34. In this case when the cover 2 is in the open position, support 31 must be tilted so that the liquid can spill. It is a self-pressing system which prevents the contained product from go back down into the container.

In Figure 14 the support 35 is reduced to a simple gallows, with flat base and upper part forming handle. Container 36 which can be of any form is suspended, like the other supports, under the neck 5 of the bracket by the connection of the end piece with the tubular guide.

Finally Figure 15 shows a pressure support 37 similar to support 28 but of smaller dimensions in height and a container 38 adapted to these dimensions. The described containers can contain any liquid, in particular beverages or other food liquids or not, but also fluid products like sauces, condiments, etc.

According to another embodiment shown in Figures 16 at 20, the device of the invention comprises a tubular guide 50 comprising two fingers 51, 51 ', arranged so diametrically opposite inside the guide, in the plane center of the nozzle according to its slit line, and of which actuation, according to the direction of the arrows on the Figures 16 and 17, is intended to cause the tearing of the slot 58 of the nozzle 3 'and its opening.

For this purpose, each of the fingers has an element 52, 52 ' projecting outside the guide member 50 through orifices 53, 53 '. As shown schematically in the Figure 18, the fingers 51, 51 'can be cut from a tubular element or integral with a form element tubular 54, intended to be inserted inside the guide element 51, the said tubular element 54, once put in place inside the guide element 51 projecting towards the bottom for fixing the guide element assembly 50 - fingers 51, 51 'on the base of the nozzle. To this end, the part lower of the tubular element 54 comprises members 55, 55 'intended to cooperate with corresponding bodies of the base of the nozzle 3 ′, of the type already described above in look at the first mode of execution of the device the invention, such as by snap-fastening or of the type bayonet. The set is arranged, as we have also already described, so as to allow its mounting on a support 56 as shown in Figures 19 and 20. As seen in these figures, a protective cover 57, removable or fixed by a hinge at the upper end of the guide element 50, can be expected.

As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the tear and the opening of the nozzle is obtained by a simple pressure on pushers 52, 52 '.

The elasticity of the tip, especially when it is made made of polyethylene, is in principle sufficient for it to closes by itself when the pressure is released on the pushers 52, 52 '.

However, in order to obtain good closing security, the tip can be made as shown in Figures 23 to 28.

In these figures, there is shown a tip 3 'of shape tubular with base 70 oval (figure 25), which allows reduce the dimensions of the nozzle and consequently the welding lengths of the nozzle on the container.

As can be seen in Figures 23 and 27, the tip 3 'has ribs on each of its main faces 71, 71 ', which are pressed against the inner wall of the guide element 50 during the opening of the end piece and which, by therefore, force the tip to close when interrupts the pressure on the pushers 52, 52 'of the fingers 51, 51 '.

The slot of the nozzle shown in Figures 23 to 28 is sealed during the injection of the nozzle (see in especially the detail in figure 28). It is understood also possible to seal this slot after its injection, by means known per se.

The elasticity of the tip produced according to the embodiment shown in Figures 23-28 is such that, once the slot 58 of the end piece has been torn, it is no longer necessary to press on pushers 52, 52 'to make remove the dough or liquid from the sachet. It suffices to compress the contents of the sachet, for example by pressing one against the other the two side panels of the support 56 shown in Figure 20. The pressure of the paste or liquid contained in the sachet is then enough to spread the lips of the slot 58. Thanks to the ribs 71, 71 ', the slot then closes of itself when the pressure is released on the support 56.

According to a first variant, represented in FIG. 21, of the embodiment which has just been described, the guide element may include a lower part 60 intended to be able be fixed on the base of the nozzle and an upper part 61 can be rotated relative to the part lower 60, said upper part 61 being provided at its upper end of a cover-shaped part 62 in which is cut an opening 63 intended for the passage of the upper end of the nozzle. The heartbreak of the nozzle and its opening is obtained, in this case, by the rotation of the upper part 61 of the guide element.

To avoid torsional movement of the part upper end of the nozzle, which could intervene when turn part 61 of the guide element, shaped elements of fingers 64, 64 'integral with the lower part 60 of the guide element can be interposed between the edge of the opening 63 of the cover 62 and the end piece. These fingers 64, 64 ' remaining fixed, they prevent a twisting movement of the upper part of the nozzle when the part 61.

The present invention thus makes it possible to propose liquid or pasty products packaged in containers flexible walls, using a minimum of material and a minimum space requirement, similar to refill bags, convenient to use and can be used as is, without transfer to a standard container of the wall type rigid. As we have seen, the containers according to the invention ensure complete protection of the product they contain, even when the packaging is started, in particular thanks to the fact that the container is flexible, therefore deformable, and that it is designed to be suspended. In addition, as we have also described, its aesthetics can easily be customized. On the other hand, both the container and the tip of its closure system are designed to use a minimum material, which is advantageous for both producer and consumer, the rigid tubular guide 1 or 50, as well as the supports 29, 34, 35, 37 and 56 not being intended for disposal, but which may be reused with a new container.

Claims (19)

1. An opening/closing device, in particular for a flexible-wall container, having a tubular nozzle piece made from deformable material and suitable for being fixed to the container by one end and having at the other end two parallel lips determining a rectilinear pouring slot, characterised in that it further comprises a rigid tubular guide (1, 50) associated with the nozzle (3, 3') and means for rigidly and removably fixing the guide and the nozzle to each other by their bases, the said tubular guide comprising means arranged to cooperate with the nozzle in order to force the lips of the slot into separated positions.
2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lips of the nozzle are sealed so that the container is perfectly fluidtight before the first opening of the nozzle.
3. A device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the tubular guide comprises members (51, 51') disposed so as to be diametrically opposite on each side of the nozzle in its mid-plane along its slot line (58), the said members being provided with parts (52, 52') projecting outside the tubular guide and serving as a pusher for the user to cause the tearing and/or separation of the lips of the nozzle.
4. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that the members (51, 51') are fixed to a tubular-shaped element (54) intended to be inserted inside the tubular guide.
5. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the said tubular-shaped element (54) has at its bottom part members (55, 55') intended to cooperate with corresponding members on the base of the nozzle (3') for fixing it to the base of the nozzle.
6. A device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the tubular guide has a bottom part (60) intended to be able to be fixed to the base of the nozzle and a top part (61) able to be rotated with respect to the bottom part (60), the said top part (61) being provided at its top end with a part in the form of a cover (62) in which there is cut an opening (63) intended for the passage of the top end of the nozzle, the tearing and/or separation of the lips of the nozzle being obtained by the rotation of the top part (61).
7. A device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that it has a cover pivoting on the tubular guide and cooperating in the open position with the wall of the nozzle in order to force the lips of the slot into a separated position.
8. A device according to claim 7, characterised in that the tubular guide (1) and the tilting cover (2) have means (8, 9) for providing the pivoting of the cover and members (10) arranged so as to constitute three favoured positions of the cover, namely a closed position, a position of opening at 180° with respect to the closed position and an intermediate position at 90° enabling the tubular guide to be placed on the nozzle.
9. A device according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterised in that the cover has, on one side of its pivot axis and in its face folding onto the guide in the closed position, a cavity whose edges engage on the lips of the nozzle so as to maintain them in the closed position.
10. A device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the guide has two parallel lateral flanges provided with pivoting means and the cover has between its two ends pivoting means complementary to those of the flanges, which cooperate with these.
11. A device according to claim 10, characterised in that the guide has a scallop between the said flanges.
12. A device according to claim 10, characterised in that the cover has, at its end situated beyond the pivoting means, a surface in the form of a cam which, at the time of the opening rotation, comes into contact with the wall of the nozzle close to one end of the lips and forces the latter into a position of separation whilst maintaining them in this position.
13. A closure device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the means of fixing the tubular guide to the nozzle are screwing, snapping on, engagement with notch, wedging or bayonet fixing means.
14. A device according to claim 13, characterised in that the said fixing means are arranged to mount the container-nozzle and tubular guide assembly on a rigid support or one with a clamp, covering the flexible walls of the container.
15. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the nozzle has at its base a shape facilitating its connection to the container by welding.
16. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an auxiliary element is attached to the nozzle so as to be situated inside the container, this auxiliary element being an angled tube segment forming a siphon, with or without a membrane for retaining liquid in the container, a tube immersed in the liquid, and an internal membrane functioning as a valve.
17. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the nozzle has at least two lateral ribs on its external surface.
18. A flexible-wall container, characterised in that it is associated with an opening/closing device according to one of the preceding claims.
19. A tubular nozzle made from deformable material for the device according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterised in that it has at its base means intended to cooperate with corresponding means on the nozzle in order to rigidly and removably fix the guide and nozzle to each other by their bases and in that it comprises ribs (71, 71') on its principal faces, disposed perpendicular to the direction of the slot in the nozzle.

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