Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DESCRIPTION
"TOY CAP"
[ 0 0 0 1 ] The
object of the present invention is a cap,
for example made of plastic, for a small bottle or a
container, in particular for containing drinks intended
for children, such as fruit juices and purées, yoghurts,
soft drinks, etc. In particular, the object of the
present invention is a cap for a flexible packaging,
usually called a "pouch", equipped with a spout.
[0002] The present
invention is particularly suitable
for containers for drinks intended for children, as it is
provided with a guarantee seal which ensures the
integrity of the package and at the same time encourages
the purchase of a package, as the cap, once separated
from the bottle or container, may be used as a toy (for
this reason it is called a "toy cap").
[0003] The
present invention therefore falls within
the field of toy caps, that is, caps which, once
unscrewed from the pouch, may be used for playing;
further examples of toy caps, which may be used
differently from the one according to the present
invention, are illustrated in documents WO-A1-2014/083478
and EP-A1-2489605 in the name of the Applicant.
[0004] The
object of the present invention is achieved
by a cap made according to claim 1. The dependent claims
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define further advantageous variant embodiments.
[0005] The features and advantages of the cap
according to the present invention will be apparent from
the description given below, provided by way of non-
limiting example, in accordance with the accompanying
figures, wherein:
- figure la shows a cap according to an embodiment of
the present invention, according to an observation point
from above;
- figure
lb represents the cap of figure la, according
to an observation point from below;
- figures 2a and 2b show the cap of the preceding
figures, respectively in a plan view from above and in a
plan view from below;
- figures
3a and 3b show the cap of the preceding
figures, according to two side views; and
- figure 4 illustrates the cap of the previous figures
in an inverted configuration suitable for the toy.
- figure 5 represents a cap according to a further
embodiment of the present invention; and
- figure 6 shows a functional diagram of a cap
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0006] With
reference to the accompanying figures, a
cap, preferably in one piece and made of plastic, for
containers for children's beverages, for example fruit
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juices and purées, yoghurts, soft drinks and the like, is
collectively indicated at 1. In particular, the cap 1 is
intended for closing flexible packages (pouches), for
example of the type illustrated in the document EP-Al-
1538105 in the name of the Applicant, provided with a
spout.
[0007]
Preferably, the flexible package comprises a
container comprising two front walls, made of a sheet of
flexible material, and possibly sides, for example made
as bellows, and a spout assembly comprising a spout,
welded sealingly between the front walls of the
container.
[0008] The cap 1 comprises a closure body 4,
comprising a tubular closure wall 2 which extends along a
main axis X; the closure wall 2 is internally provided
with a thread 6, for screwing to the container, and in
particular for screwing to the spout thereof.
[0009] The
closure wall 2 extends between a lower end,
where a mouth opening 8 is found, which allows the
insertion of the spout, and an upper end, where a base 10
is found, which closes the closure wall 2.
[00010]
Preferably, the base 10 comprises, internally,
a seal assembly suitable to form the seal between said
base and the spout.
[00011] At the
lower end, at the mouth opening 8, the
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cap 1 comprises a guarantee seal 14, suitable to tear in
at least one portion by unscrewing the cap 1 from the
container.
[00012] For
example, the guarantee seal 14 comprises an
annular band 16, connected to the closure wall 2 and
arranged radially outwardly therefrom; said band 16 is
connected to the closure wall 2 at a plurality of
connection points comprising weakened portions suitable
to break by unscrewing the cap 1 from the container.
[00013] In particular, the guarantee seal 14 is
suitable to engage with resistant elements of the
container, for example protruding ridges of the spout
assembly, and said weakened portions are suitable to
break by the relevant rotation between the cap and said
resistant elements.
[00014] An embodiment of the guarantee seal is
described in the International Application WO-Al-
2008/050361, in the name of the Applicant.
[00015] Furthermore, according to one embodiment
(figures la to 4), the cap 1 comprises an annular outer
wall 20, which extends around the main axis X and is
continuous or made up of separate sections; the outer
wall 20 therefore surrounds the closure wall 2.
[00016] Preferably, the outer wall 20 is radially
spaced from the closure wall 2, forming a compartment 22
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inside the cap. The band 16 of the guarantee seal 14 is
arranged radially inside the outer wall 20.
[00017] The
outer wall 20 is connected to the closure
wall 2, for example by means of at least one rib 23,
preferably three or four ribs evenly spaced angularly,
arranged in the inner compartment 22.
[00018]
According to a preferred embodiment, the outer
wall 20 extends axially from a lower edge 24, for example
at the height of the lower end of the closure wall 2, to
an upper edge 26, near the height of the base portion 10,
defining an upper opening 26', which is, for example,
circular.
[00019] In
particular, preferably, the outer wall 20
extends axially above the base 10 of the closure wall 2.
In other words, the upper edge 26 is arranged axially
above the base 10 of the closure wall 2.
[00020] On
the other hand, inferiorly, the outer wall
extends preferably axially up to the height of the
lower end of the closure wall 2, so that the guarantee
20 seal 14 projects axially therebelow.
[00021] Preferably, moreover, the upper edge 26 is
encircled, for example at the same height, by an outer
edge 26", with a polygonal shape, preferably with
rounded corners.
[00022] In other
words, said outer edge 26" comprises
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a plurality of rectilinear sections 28 in annular
succession, which form a polygonal shape, for example
hexagonal. Said rectilinear sections 28 are preferably
connected by arched sections 30 in such a way that the
polygonal shape does not have sharp corners.
[00023] Preferably, the lower edge 24 resembles the
shape of the outer edge 26", with corresponding lower
sections 28', which are preferably rectilinear, and
arched sections 30'.
[00024] The outer
wall 20, therefore, has an outer face
32 comprising surface portions 34, 36, and in particular
central portions 34, which join the rectilinear sections
28 of the outer edge 26" with the lower sections 28' of
the lower edge 24, and fitting portions 36, which join
the arched sections 30 of the outer edge 26" with the
arched sections 30' of the lower edge 24.
[00025] Preferably, the cap 1 comprises secondary
graphic symbols 38, arranged on the outer face 32 of the
outer wall, for example, one for each central portion 34.
[00026] For
example, said secondary graphic symbols 38
represent stylized playing cards or the faces of a game
die or fantasy symbols.
[00027] Preferably, moreover, the cap 1 comprises at
least one tab 40 projecting radially outwardly from the
closure body 4, and in particular from the outer wall 20,
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and in particular, from the outer face 32 thereof.
[00028] Preferably, the cap 1 provides a tab 40 for
each central portion 34 of the outer face 32, preferably
arranged near the lower edge 24.
[00029] For example, said
tabs 40 have a flat shape,
substantially contained on an imaginary plane orthogonal
to the main axis X.
[00030] For example, said
tabs 40 are delimited by an
arched perimetric edge 42, which is, for example,
semicircular.
[00031] Each tab 40 has
an upper face 44, facing the
upper edge 26 of the outer wall 20, and an opposite lower
face 46, facing the lower edge 24 of the outer wall 20.
[00032] Preferably, the
cap 1 comprises primary graphic
symbols 48, arranged on each tab 40, for example on the
lower face 46 thereof.
[00033] For example, said
primary graphic symbols 48
represent numbers, stylized playing cards, faces of a
game die, or fantasy symbols.
[00034] According to a
further embodiment (figure 5),
the cap 1 has no outer wall and provides for a plurality
of lugs 40' protruding from the outer surface of the
closure wall 2.
[00035] Preferably, each lug 40' is substantially
contained on an imaginary plane that contains the main
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axis X and has a flat shape that preferably extends
axially from the top to the bottom end of the closure
wall 2.
[00036] Preferably, three lugs 40' are provided,
equally spaced angularly.
[00037]
According to the invention, the cap 1 further
comprises a rotation structure 50 suitable to provide a
support for imparting manually to the cap a rotation
around the main axis X, as is usually the case for a
spinning top.
[00038] Preferably, said rotation structure 50 is
symmetrically shaped around the main axis X.
[00039]
Preferably, the rotation structure 50 protrudes
axially above the upper edge 26, that is, externally to
the upper opening 26', of the outer wall 20 or above the
lugs 40'.
[00040] Preferably, said rotation structure 50 is
supported by the base 10 and protrudes therefrom.
[00041] The
rotation structure 50 has a tapered shape,
for example pointed, that is suitable to provide an
unstable support, so that at the end of the rotation, the
cap rests on a side on the ground plane T.
[00042] For example, said rotation structure 50
comprises a plurality of segments 52 having a converging
shape towards the main axis X, for example with an arched
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or rectilinear lateral edge 54.
[00043] Said segments converge towards a support 56,
for example a flat base, as in the accompanying figures,
or recessed, or a circular border.
[00044] Preferably, said segments 52 are at least
three, arranged on imaginary planes containing the main
axis X.
[00045]
Preferably, in the embodiment with the outer
wall 20, said imaginary planes also contain the median
planes of said ribs 23.
[00046] In
normal use, after unscrewing the cap from
the spout, the cap may be used as a spinning top, for
example turned over, i.e. so that the rotation structure
50 rests on a ground plane T.
[00047] For
example, a user, often a child, may grasp
the overturned cap 1 between the tabs 40 or the lugs 40',
rest the rotation structure 50 on the ground plane T and
impart the desired rotation.
[00048] Once
the rotation is complete, the overturned
cap 1 rests on a side (figure 4), since the rotation
structure 50 provides an unstable support, i.e. it does
not keep the cap in equilibrium.
[00049] In the embodiments that provide for it,
according to the rectilinear section 28, which remains
resting on the ground plane T, a central portion 34 of
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the outer face 32 or a tab 40, and therefore a particular
graphic symbol, is selected among the secondary graphic
symbols 38 or among the primary graphic symbols 48.
[00050]
Advantageously, the primary graphic symbols 48
are arranged on the lower face of the tabs 40, so as to
be visible when the overturned cap is used as a spinning
top.
[00051] According to a further use, the cap 1 is
rotated by the user by resting the guarantee seal 14 on
the ground plane, gripping the tabs 40 or the lugs 40' or
the rotation structure 50 between the fingers and
imparting the rotation.
[00052] In
particular (figure 6), once the barycenter G
of the cap 1 is defined and the rotation structure 50 is
placed on a ground plane T in such a way that the main
axis X is orthogonal to the ground plane T, a vertical
distance A is defined between the barycenter G and the
ground plane T.
[00053] Moreover, once an imaginary plane I passing
through the barycenter G and orthogonal to the central
axis X is defined, a radial distance B is defined on the
imaginary plane I between the barycenter G and the radial
end of the cap 1, for example defined by the periphery of
the outer wall 20 or by the end of one of said lugs 40'.
[00054] Preferably, the radial distance B is greater
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than the vertical distance A.
[00055] The Applicant has recognized how this
relationship between the vertical distance A and the
radial distance R allows a cap particularly suitable to
act as a spinning top to be obtained, in that it is
possible to impart an adequate torque for the rotation of
the cap, and the same cap remains in rotation for an
acceptable time before losing balance and tipping over on
its side.
[00056]
Innovatively, the cap described above meets the
needs of the sector, as it can be used by children as a
toy, and in particular as a spinning top.
[00057] It is
clear that one skilled in the art, in
order to meet contingent needs, may make changes to the
cap described above, all contained within the scope of
protection defined by the following claims.
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