WO2013072474A1

WO2013072474A1 - A neck, a cap, and a food package comprising such neck and cap

Info

Publication number: WO2013072474A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/072866
Authority: WO
Inventors: Göran Johansson; Bengt HÅKANSSON; Pär RYDBERG; Göran DAHL
Original assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
Priority date: 2011-11-18
Filing date: 2012-11-16
Publication date: 2013-05-23
Also published as: EP2780242A1

Abstract

A neck for a food package is provided. The neck comprises a tubular wall (204) extending from a first cylindrical portion (206) to a second cylindrical portion (208), said first portion (206) being configured to be attached to a package body (102) and said second portion (208) is defining a pouring spout (210), wherein said second portion (208) comprises threads (212) provided on the outer periphery of said second portion (208) for engagement with internal threads () of a cap (), and wherein said first portion (206) comprises a plurality of guiding elements (214) provided on the outer periphery of said first portion (206) for engagement with corresponding internal guides () of a tamper ring (), each of said guiding elements (214) comprises a curved guiding path (216).

Description

A neck, a cap, and a food package comprising such neck and cap

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to the field of packaging technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to a neck and a cap for a food package as well as to a food package including such neck and cap.

Background

For improving food safety packages enclosing food products may be provided with a sealable cap, engaging with a neck of the package, and a tamper ring. After filling of the package the cap and tamper ring is mounted on the neck of the package. The tamper ring is connected to the cap via yielding bridges which serves as a tamper proof of the package. The basic functionality of the tamper ring is that if a user is unscrewing the cap the yielding bridges will burst, and hence the tamper ring is no longer connected to the cap. A customer may thus detect if the package has been opened prior to his/her intent of buying the package.

The cap, which includes interior threads for engaging with outer threads of the neck, is removed from the neck by a rotating movement along the threads. Hence, a vertical movement of the cap relative the neck is achieved which results in a removal of the cap from the neck.

Preferably, the cap and the tamper ring are pre-manufactured as a single piece, whereby the yielding bridges are provided as relatively thin spaced-apart filaments of polymeric material.

In order to provide the desired anti-fraud proof the tamper ring is prevented from moving upwards on the neck. When the cap is unscrewed for the first time, the yielding bridges will be subject to a tension which increases during the rotational and vertical movement of the cap, until the tension causes the yielding bridges to burst.

An example of a neck/cap/tamper configuration is shown in US5137163. Here, the tamper ring is free to rotate around the neck in a horizontal plane when the package is held upright. Due to such rotational movability the yielding bridges will follow the rotational movement of the cap upon unscrewing, and a vertical force caused by the vertical movement of the cap will induce breaking of the yielding bridges.

Another example of a neck/cap/tamper configuration is described in

US5680945. In this document the tamper ring is prevented from rotating around the neck. Hence the yielding bridges will be subject to a horizontal force due to the horizontal displacement of the cap relative the tamper ring upon unscrewing, which horizontal force will cause the yielding bridges to burst. l The prior art solutions share the same drawback in that the vertical distance between the tamper ring and the cap, when remounted on the neck, is very small. Hence, even if the yielding bridges have been disrupted, it may be hard to detect such prior action since the cap may be screwed tightly on the neck such that the cap is arranged adjacent to the tamper ring.

Further, a customer may experience a high rotational force to be required in order to break the yielding bridges of the tamper ring. The opening sequence will thus be considered as jerky and irregular, which greatly reduces the overall user friendliness of the package.

In view of the prior art solutions, there is a need for a neck allowing a cap and a tamper ring to be mounted thereon which provides improved anti-fraud proof and customer handling.

Summary

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome or alleviate the above described problems.

The basic idea is to provide a neck and a corresponding cap/tamper ring assembly which, upon unscrewing the cap from the neck, provides a first rotational and vertical movement of the cap relative the neck, and a second rotational and vertical movement of the tamper ring relative the neck, wherein the direction of the first vertical movement is opposite the direction of the second vertical movement.

This means that the yielding bridges, connecting the cap with the tamper ring, will be subject to a vertical and horizontal force when the cap is unscrewed for the first time.

Such solution is advantageous in that the tamper ring will be forced

downwards on the neck when the cap is unscrewed for the first time. If the cap is screwed onto the neck after breaking the yielding bridges initially connecting the tamper ring with the cap, there will be an increased vertical distance between the cap and the tamper ring which facilitates fraud indication. This is due to the fact that the tamper ring has been urged downwards during the opening sequence, and is thus located further down the neck than before the cap was separated from the neck.

According to a first aspect, a neck for a food package is provided. The neck comprises a tubular wall extending from a first cylindrical portion to a second cylindrical portion, said first portion being configured to be attached to a package body and said second portion is defining a pouring spout, wherein said second portion comprises threads provided on the outer periphery of said second portion for engagement with internal threads of a cap, and wherein said first portion comprises a plurality of guiding elements provided on the outer periphery of said first portion for engagement with corresponding internal guides of a tamper ring, each of said guiding elements comprises a curved guiding path.

According to a second aspect, a cap for closing a pouring spout of a neck of a food package is provided. The cap comprises a tubular wall extending from an open end to a closed end, and a tamper ring connected to said tubular wall by means of a plurality of yielding bridges, said tubular wall comprises threads provided on the inner periphery for engagement with outer threads of a neck, and wherein said tamper ring comprises a plurality of guides provided on the inner periphery for engagement with corresponding outer guiding elements of said neck, each of said guides comprises a curved guiding path.

According to a third aspect, a food package is provided comprising a sleeve made of a carton-based laminate, a neck according to the first aspect connected to said sleeve, and a cap according to the second aspect screwed onto said neck .

According to a fourth aspect, a method for providing a food package according to the third aspect is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a neck according to the first aspect, providing a cap according to the second aspect, screwing said cap onto said neck thus forming a neck-cap assembly, providing a carton-based sleeve extending between two open ends, moulding said neck-cap assembly to one of said open ends of said sleeve, introducing food product through the remaining open end of said sleeve, and folding and sealing the remaining open end of said sleeve.

According to a fifth aspect an assembly comprising a neck and a cap according to the description above or below is provided, hereinafter referred to as a cap-neck assembly.

Brief Description of Drawings

The above, as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non- limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a carton-based bottle having a top section made of plastic and a body made of a carton-based laminate;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a neck according to an embodiment;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a cap for engagement with the neck shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4a-c are side views showing an opening sequence of the cap/neck arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Detailed Description

With reference to Fig. 1 , an example of a food package 100 is shown. The food package 100 has a shape of a bottle formed by a body portion 102, which may be made of a carton-based laminate, a top portion 104, which may be made of plastic, and a cap 106 provided with a tamper ring 108.

Such kind of package may be provided by first forming a sleeve of the carton- based laminate, i.e. a tubular body extending between two open ends. In a second step, performed before, after, or in parallel with the sleeve forming, the plastic top portion 104 is provided by molding. The plastic top portion 104 may comprise a shoulder section and a neck portion. The shoulder section is thus arranged to connect the sleeve, which forms basis for the body portion 102, to the neck portion. The neck portion is preferably provided with threads for engaging with corresponding threads of the cap 106 including the tamper ring 108.

After the cap is screwed onto the top portion 104 sleeve is filled with food content. Preferably, this is done by turning the sleeve and the top portion assembly upside down, such that the remaining open end of the sleeve is facing upwards. After being filled the open end of the sleeve may be sealed and folded to a flat bottom such that a package according to Fig. 1 is formed.

The neck, i.e. the upper part of the top portion 104, is shown in further details in Fig. 2. The neck 200 includes a tubular wall 204 which extends from a first cylindrical portion 206, i.e. the lower part of the neck 200, to a second cylindrical portion 208, i.e. the upper part of the neck 200 when the neck forms part of a food package standing upright. Hence, the first cylindrical portion 206 is configured to be connected to a main body of a package (not shown), either directly or via a shoulder section (not shown). The second cylindrical portion 208 extends from the first cylindrical portion 206 to an upper end 210 which forms a pouring spout through which the food product enclosed by the finished package is allowed to exit.

The pouring spout 210 may in some embodiments be sealed by a membrane covering the entire pouring spout 210, i.e. the open end of the second cylindrical portion 208. In such embodiments the membrane is removed when the package is opened for the first time, which e.g. is described in the co-pending international patent application PCT/EP201 1/057886 by the same applicant.

The second cylindrical portion 208 is configured to receive and guide a recloseable cap for closing the pouring spout 210, thus preventing enclosed food product to discharge unintentionally. Hence, the cylindrical portion 208 has an annular cross section, which outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cap. The guiding functionality is provided by means of threads 212 arranged on the outer periphery of the second cylindrical portion 208. The threads 212 are

consequently constructed to engage with corresponding threads on the interior surface of the cap.

The threads 212 are preferably arranged as three parallel protrusive elements

213 which run helically along the periphery of the second cylindrical portion 208. Each protrusive element 213 is preferably extending approximately one turn of the periphery and has an angle of inclination of approximately 6 mm per revolution.

The first cylindrical portion 206 is configured to receive and guide a tamper ring, initially connected to the cap by means of yielding bridges which will be described in further detail below. For this purpose, the first cylindrical portion 206 is provided with a plurality of guiding elements 214 arranged on the outer periphery of the first portion 206. The guiding elements 214 are constructed to engage with corresponding internal guides of the tamper ring.

Each one of the guiding elements 214 has a curved shape forming a curved guiding path 216. Each guiding element 214, and consequently each guiding path, extends from a start position 218 to an end position 220. The start position 218 is defined as the position of the guiding path at which a tamper ring guide is initially engaged. Consequently, the end position 220 is defined as the position of the guiding path at which the same tamper ring guide is finally disengaged.

The guiding path 216 of each guiding element 214 is defined by the lower surface of the guiding element 214. Hence, the guiding element 214 has a vertical extension between the lower surface and an upper surface.

The curved guiding path includes a downward slope, i.e. a decline which has a negative derivative compared to the incline of the threads 212 of the second cylindrical portion 208, which has a positive derivative. All references to derivatives are made with respect to a two-dimensional projection of the neck wherein the longitudinal axis Z of the neck coincides with an y-axis, and wherein an x-axis coincides with the radial direction of the tubular wall. Due to the curved path, the absolute value of the derivative is continuously increasing when moving from the start position 218 to the end position 220.

As shown in Fig. 2, the guiding elements 214 are disposed such that the derivative at the start position 218 of the curved guiding path is zero, or close to zero. This means that the tangent at the start position 218 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis Z of the neck. Further, the shape of the curved guiding path corresponds to a circular arc. However, other continuous shapes are also possible, as long as the absolute value of the derivative of the guiding path is increasing along the curved path. The curved guiding paths are advantageous in that a tamper ring, which is urged to rotate upon rotation of the cap, will also be urged downwards by the curved guiding elements. Due to the curved shape, the initial vertical movement will be relatively small but continuously increasing as the downward slope of the curved guiding paths is increasing. Hence, a user will only need to apply a small force at the beginning of the rotating movement, and the force will need to increase continuously in order to separate the tamper ring from the cap. Due to the increased amount of force needed, starting from a relatively low force, a user or customer will experience a smooth opening sequence.

The neck 200 may be configured to fit with food packages enclosing a volume between 0,1 and 5 liters. Preferably, the pouring spout 210 of the neck 200 is approximately 45 mm in diameter and is thus configured to form part of a 1 liter food package. The neck 200 comprises a plurality of guiding elements 214, wherein the number of guiding elements 214 disposed around the first portion 206 is between 5 and 25. Each guiding element 214 preferably forms a circular arc having a length between 10 to 120° of the periphery of the neck 200, and the vertical distance between the start position 218 and the end position 220 is preferably between 0,5 and 4 mm.

As an example, a neck 200 comprises 20 guiding elements 214, each guiding element being 5 mm long and having a radius of 40 mm. The depth of each guiding element 214, i.e. the length measured in a radial direction of the tubular wall 204, is approximately 2,5 mm.

The guiding elements 214 may be disposed in at least two subsections, wherein the distance between adjacent guiding elements 214 in a first subsection is smaller than the distance between two subsections.

This is advantageous in that the tamper ring will be allowed to retain at its original distance from the cap at peripheral positions corresponding to the space between two subsections, while at the same time be urged downwards by the guiding paths of each subsections. Hence, the yielding bridges will not break simultaneously, which thus reduces the momentary force applied by a consumer for achieving the desired opening action.

With reference to Fig. 3, a cap 300 is shown. The cap 300 is configured for closing the pouring spout 210 of a neck 200 of a food package 100, and comprises a tubular wall 304 extending from an open end 306 to a closed end 308. A tamper ring 310 is connected to the tubular wall 304 by means of a plurality of yielding bridges 312.

Further, the tubular wall 304 comprises threads 314 provided on the inner periphery for engagement with outer threads 212 of the neck 200. The tamper ring 310 is provided a plurality of guides 316 provided on the inner periphery for engagement with corresponding outer guiding elements 214 of said neck 200. Each of said guides 316 forms a curved guiding path 318 extending from a start position 320 to an end position 322, wherein the distance along a longitudinal axis Z of the cap 300 between said start position 320 and said open end 306 is less than the corresponding distance between said end position 322 and said open end 306.

The guides 316 are disposed at equal distance from each other around the inner periphery of the tubular wall 304, and the shape of each guiding path 318 corresponds to the shape of the guiding paths 216 of the neck. Hence, the upper surface of the guides 316, i.e. the guiding path 318 arranged to align with the guiding path 216 of the neck 200, has a shape of a circular arc.

The depth of the guides 316, i.e. the length measured in a radial direction of the tubular wall 304, is preferably less than the depth of the guiding elements 214 of the neck 200. Hence, the guiding elements 214 of the neck 200 are allowed to be folded downwards when the tamper ring 210 is screwed onto the neck 200. Due to the flexibility of the folded guiding elements 214 they are urged upwards to their idle position, thus creating a radial pressing force on the tamper ring 310. This may be advantageous in that when the yielding bridges have burst, the tamper ring 310 will still be held at its position by the pressing force induced by the guiding elements 216 of the neck 200.

In a further embodiment, the downward or vertical movement of the tamper ring 310 will cause the tamper ring 310 to be positioned below the guiding elements 214 of the neck. Due to the flexibility of the guiding elements 214, those will return to their idle position and extend above and beyond the tamper ring 310. Hence, it will not be possible to return the tamper ring 310 upwards and adjacent to the cap 300, since the guiding elements 214 will act as preventive means keeping the tamper ring at a significant distance from the cap 300.

Fig. 4a to 4c shows an opening sequence in more detail. Here, the tamper ring 310 is illustrated as transparent in order to show the interaction between the guides of the cap and the guiding elements of the neck. Figs. 4a-c may also be used to illustrate a cap/neck assembly as further defined by the claims.

Starting with Fig. 4a, the cap 300 has been screwed onto the neck 200. The neck 200 is assumed to be connected to a food package (not shown) according to what has been described above. As shown in Fig. 4a, i.e. before the cap is unscrewed for the first time, the yielding bridges 312 are intact and form a connection between the cap 300 and the tamper ring 310. The guides 316 of the cap 300 are aligned with the guiding elements 214 of the neck 200 such that the respective guiding paths are engaged to each other. That is, the upper side of a guide 316 is aligned with the lower side if a corresponding guiding element 214. As can be seen in Fig. 4a, the start position of the guides 316 are vertically aligned with the end position of the guiding elements 214. The guides and guiding elements are disposed in a subsection, wherein a second subsection is arranged on the opposite side of the cap/neck. Hence, no guides or guiding elements are provided between the two subsections.

In Fig. 4b, the cap has been subject to a rotational movement such that the peripheral distance between a guide and a corresponding guiding element has changed. Due to such rotational movement, the cap 300 is urged upwards while the tamper ring 310 is urged downwards. However, the tamper ring is still connected to the cap via the yielding bridges. As can be seen in Fig. 4b the tamper ring 310 will bend slightly, which is due to the fact the it is the guides/guiding elements which provide the vertical movement of the tamper ring 310. Hence, at positions where there are no guides/guiding elements present, the tamper ring 310 will only be subjected to a rotational movement. This is the case in the area between two adjacent sub-sections of guiding elements, wherein the number of such areas may vary according to specific applications and embodiments.

In Fig. 4c, the cap 300 has been rotated such that the yielding bridges 312 have deformed sufficiently to break. Hence, the breaking occurs due to a rotational movement of the cap 300 forcing the cap 300 to move upwards due to the threads, and at the same time forcing the tamper ring 310 to move downwards due to the curved guides/guiding elements.

A method for providing a food package is not illustrated in the drawings yet comprises the steps of providing a neck according to the first aspect, providing a cap according to the second aspect, screwing said cap onto said neck thus forming a neck- cap assembly, providing a carton-based sleeve extending between two open ends, moulding said neck-cap assembly to one of said open ends of said sleeve, introducing food product through the remaining open end of said sleeve, and folding and sealing the remaining open end of said sleeve. This method as such is previously disclosed in patent applications by the present applicant, e.g. in WO2009/154535 and in regard of further details reference is made to that application. In that application a compression moulding technique is used, yet the skilled person should be aware of that other moulding techniques may be used. The compression step may e.g. be removed.

Although the above description has been made with reference to a food packages, it should be readily understood that the general principle of the neck and cap could be applied to all sorts of packages provided with opening devices.

Preferably, the neck and cap assembly described above is further provided with a membrane sealing the spout of the neck, whereby the cap is provided with internal cutting elements for cutting off the membrane when the cap is removed from the neck for the first time. The provision of the guiding elements and the corresponding guides allows a quick break of the yielding bridges for releasing the tamper ring; hence the cutting elements may be designed such that the membrane is never cut off before breaking of the yielding bridges.

Further, the invention has mainly been described with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily understood by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

All references to "upper", "lower", "upwards", "downwards" etc. are made with respect to a package standing upright.

Claims

1. A neck for a food package, comprising

a tubular wall (204) extending from a first cylindrical portion (206) to a second cylindrical portion (208), said first portion (206) being configured to be attached to a package body (102) and said second portion (208) is defining a pouring spout (210), wherein

said second portion (208) comprises threads (212) provided on the outer periphery of said second portion (208) for engagement with internal threads of a cap, and wherein

said first portion (206) comprises a plurality of guiding elements (214) provided on the outer periphery of said first portion (206) for engagement with corresponding internal guides of a tamper ring, each of said guiding elements (214) comprises a curved guiding path (216).

2. The neck according to claim 1 , wherein each guiding path (216) extends from a start position (218) to an end position (220), wherein the distance along a longitudinal axis (Z) of the neck (200) between said start position (218) and said pouring spout (210) is less than the corresponding distance between said end position (220) and said pouring spout (210).

3. The neck according to claim 2, wherein the tangent at the start position (218) of each curved guiding path (216) is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the neck (200).

4. The neck according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each curved guiding path (216) has a shape corresponding to a circular arc.

5. The neck according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said plurality of guiding elements (214) are arranged in at least two sub-sections, wherein the peripheral distance between two adjacent sub-sections is greater than the peripheral distance between two adjacent guiding elements (214).

6. The neck according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of said guiding elements (214) is foldable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the neck (200).

7. The neck according to claim 6, wherein the length of each guiding element (214) in a direction coinciding with the radial direction of the neck (200) is greater than the corresponding length of the threads (212) of the second portion (208).

8. A cap for closing a pouring spout of a neck of a food package, comprising a tubular wall (304) extending from an open end (306) to a closed end (308), and

a tamper ring (310) connected to said tubular wall (304) by means of a plurality of yielding bridges (312),

said tubular wall (304) comprises threads (314) provided on the inner periphery for engagement with outer threads of a neck, and wherein

said tamper ring (310) comprises a plurality of guides (316) provided on the inner periphery for engagement with corresponding outer guiding elements of said neck, each of said guides (136) comprises a curved guiding path (318).

9. The cap (300) according to claim 8, wherein the guiding path (318) of each guide (316) extends from a start position (320) to an end position (322), wherein the distance along a longitudinal axis (Z) of the cap (300) between said start position (320) and said open end (306) is less than the corresponding distance between said end position (322) and said open end (306).

10. The cap according to claim 9, wherein the tangent at the start position (320) of each curved guiding path (318) is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the cap (300).

1 1 . The cap according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein each curved guiding path (318) has a shape corresponding to a circular arc.

12. The cap according to any one of claims 8 to 1 1 , wherein the peripheral distance between two adjacent guides (316) is equal along the entire periphery.

13. A cap-neck assembly, comprising a neck according to any one of claims 1- 7 and a cap according to any one of claims 8- 12 arranged on the neck.

14. A food package, comprising

a sleeve (102) made of a carton-based laminate, a neck (108, 200) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 connected to said sleeve (102), and

a cap (106, 300) according to any one of claims 8 to 12 screwed onto said neck (108, 200).

15. The food package according to claim 14, wherein the neck (108, 200) is connected to said sleeve (102) via a plastic shoulder (104).

16. A method for providing a food package according to claim 14 or 15, comprising the steps of:

providing a neck according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

providing a cap according to any one of claims 8 to 12,

screwing said cap onto said neck thus forming a neck-cap assembly, providing a carton-based sleeve extending between two open ends, moulding said neck-cap assembly to one of said open ends of said sleeve, introducing food product through the remaining open end of said sleeve, and folding and sealing the remaining open end of said sleeve.