Device for automatically opening containers including means for breaking the sealing element of the container

Abstract

The present invention refers to an automatic opening device for a package, the device comprising an spout, a cap and a means for tearing the sealing element of a package, which can be either the aluminium layer of an aseptic carton package, or a sealing element located under the spout or the plastic material of a plastic pouch or the like.

1 - Automatic opening device for packages ( 90 , 100 , 120 , 120 ′) comprising:
 a spout ( 94 , 107 , 127 , 127 ′) provided in its external region with at least one segment of external screw thread ( 95 ,  108 , 128 ) having at least one entry; 
 a spout sealing means ( 94 , 107 , 127 , 127 ′), which comprises one from the group that include a cap ( 89 ) and an assembly formed by an upper sealing element ( 101   a , 121   a ) and a base element ( 101   b , 121   b , 121   b ′), the sealing means provided in its internal region with at least one segment of internal screw thread ( 91 , 102 , 122 ); 
 a means for cutting the sealing elements located below the spout ( 94 , 107 , 127 ,  127 ′); 
 
       the automatic opening device for packages being characterized in that:
 it is provided with a locking device ( 96 , 104 , 124 , 124   a ) whose upper edge is affixed to the lower edge of the spout sealing means by means of lower rupture elements ( 96   a ,  104   a ,  124   a ); 
 the lower region of the locking device is provided with a locking means which can be one from the group comprising flexible locking elements ( 93 , 105 ) and locking elements ( 125 ); 
 the means for cutting the sealing elements located below the spout ( 94 , 107 , 127 , 127 ′) comprises one from the group comprising a rotary cutting means and a pivoting cutting means. 
 
     
     
         2 - Automatic opening device for packages ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 the spout ( 94 ) is provided with a plurality of segment of external screw thread ( 95 ) and an upper ring ( 94   a ) located near to the upper edge of the spout ( 94 );   the lower edge of the spout ( 94 ) is affixed to the upper region of a locking ring ( 97 ), the lower region of which is affixed to the upper region of a base element ( 98 );   the lower region of the base element ( 98 ) is affixed to the upper region of a flange ( 99 ), which is provided with a hole whose diameter is at least identical to the internal diameter of the base element ( 98 ), the geometric axis of said hole in the flange ( 99 ) being coincident with the geometric axis of the base element ( 98 );   each segment of external screw thread ( 95 ) comprises an upper thread and a lower thread whose lower ends extend to the lower portion of the spout ( 94 ), the upper end of the upper thread extends beyond the upper ring ( 94   a ) and is located near to the upper edge of the spout ( 94 ), and the upper end of the lower thread of the external screw thread ( 95 ) is connected to the lower portion of the upper ring ( 94   a );   the sealing means comprises a cap ( 89 ) which comprises a hollow cylindrical body whose upper edge is affixed to an upper element ( 89   a );   the cap ( 89 ) is provided with a plurality of segment of internal screw threads ( 91 );   the means for cutting the sealing elements comprises a cutting device ( 92 ), which comprises a hollow cylindrical body whose upper edge is affixed to the lower region of the upper element ( 89   a ) of the cap ( 89 ), the lower region of the cutting device ( 92 ) being provided with at least one cutting element ( 92   a );   the locking device ( 96 ) comprises a hollow body provided with a cylindrical lower region, the upper edge of which is affixed to an upper region shaped as a truncated cone, the diameter of the upper edge of the upper region shaped as a truncated cone being less than the diameter of the lower edge of the tapered form upper region;   the upper edge of the upper tapered region of the locking device ( 96 ) is provided with a plurality of rupture elements ( 96   a ), which are also connected to the lower edge of the cap ( 89 ), forming a breakable interconnection between the locking device ( 96 ) and the cap ( 89 );   the edge of the internal lower region of the locking device ( 96 ) is provided with a plurality of lower locking elements ( 93 ), each of which comprises a body that projects obliquely upwards towards the geometric axis of the locking device ( 96 ).   
     
     
         3 - Automatic opening device for packages ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 the spout ( 107 ) is provided with a plurality of segment of external screw thread ( 108 ) and an upper ring ( 107   a ) located near the upper edge of the spout ( 107 ), and a secondary locking ring ( 107   b ) is provided in the median region of the body of the spout ( 107 );   the lower edge of the spout ( 107 ) is affixed to the upper region of a primary locking ring ( 109 ), the lower region of which is affixed to the upper region of a base element ( 110 ), which comprises a hollow cylindrical body whose diameter must be larger or at least identical to the internal diameter of the spout ( 107 );   the lower region of the base element ( 110 ) is affixed to the upper region of a flange ( 111 ), which is provided with an orifice with a diameter at least identical to the internal diameter of the base element ( 110 ), the geometric axis of the base element ( 110 ) and the orifice of the base element ( 111 ) being coincident;   each segment of external screw thread ( 108 ) comprises an upper thread and a lower thread whose lower ends extend to the lower portion of the spout ( 107 ), the upper end of the upper thread extends beyond the upper ring ( 107   a ) and is located near to the upper edge of the spout ( 107 ), and the upper end of the lower thread of the external screw thread ( 108 ) is connected to the lower portion of the upper ring ( 107   a );   the sealing means comprises an upper sealing element ( 101   a ) and a base element ( 101   b ), the upper sealing element ( 101   a ) comprising a disc-shaped body whose lower region is provided with a sealing projection ( 101   a ′) which is shaped like a cylinder trunk, the upper edge of the sealing projection ( 101   a ′) being rigidly affixed to the lower region of the upper sealing element ( 101   a ′), the base element ( 101   b ) comprising a hollow cylindrical body whose internal region is provided with at least one segment of internal screw thread ( 102 ) and the edge of the lower internal region of the base element ( 101   b ) being provided with a plurality of upper locking elements ( 103 ), each of which comprising a body that projects obliquely upwards, towards the geometric axis of the base element ( 101   b );   the upper sealing element ( 101   a ) and the base element ( 101   b ) are connected by means of a pivoting connecting element ( 112 );   the means for cutting the sealing elements comprises a cutting device ( 106 ), which comprises a hollow cylindrical body whose upper edge is affixed to the upper internal region of the base element ( 101   b ), the lower region of the sealing device cut ( 106 ) being provided with at least one cutting element ( 106   a );   the locking device ( 104 ) comprises a hollow body provided with a cylindrical lower region, whose upper edge is affixed to an upper region of a papered shape, the diameter of the upper edge of the upper region shaped as a truncated cone being less than the diameter of the lower edge of the upper region of a tapered form;   the upper edge of the upper trunked cone region of the locking device ( 104 ) is provided with a plurality of rupture elements ( 104   a ), which are also connected to the lower edge of the base element ( 101   b ), forming a breakable interconnection between the locking device ( 104 ) and the base element ( 101   b );   the edge of the lower internal region of the locking device ( 104 ) is provided with a plurality of lower locking elements ( 105 ), each of which comprising a body that projects obliquely upwards towards the geometric axis of the locking device ( 104 ).   
     
     
         4 - Automatic opening device for packages ( 120 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 the spout ( 127 ) is provided with a plurality of segment of external screw thread ( 128 ) and an upper ring ( 107   a ) located near to the upper edge of the spout ( 127 );   the lower edge of the spout ( 127 ) is affixed to the upper region of a flange ( 111 ), which is provided in its external region with at least one recess ( 131 ) and an orifice whose diameter is substantially identical to the internal diameter of the spout ( 127 ), the geometric axis of the flange ( 130 ) and the spout ( 127 ) being coincident;
 each segment of external screw thread ( 128 ) comprises an upper thread and a lower thread whose lower ends extend to the lower portion of the spout ( 127 ), the upper end of the upper thread extends beyond the upper ring ( 127   a ) and is located near to the upper edge of the spout ( 127 ), and the upper end of the lower thread of the external screw thread ( 128 ) is connected to the lower portion of the upper ring ( 127   a ); 
   the sealing means comprises an upper sealing element ( 121   a ) and a base element ( 121   b ), the upper sealing element ( 121   a ) comprising a disc-shaped body whose lower region is provided with a sealing projection ( 121   a ′) which is shaped like a cylinder trunk, the upper edge of the sealing projection ( 121   a ′) being rigidly affixed to the lower region of the upper sealing element ( 121   a ), the base element ( 121   b ) comprising a hollow cylindrical body whose internal region is provided with at least one segment of internal screw thread ( 122 ) and the edge of the internal lower region of the base element ( 121   b ) being provided with a plurality of upper locking elements ( 123 ), each of which comprises a body that projects obliquely upwards, towards the geometric axis of the base element ( 121   b );   the upper sealing element ( 121   a ) and the base element ( 121   b ) are connected by means of a pivoting connecting element ( 132 );   the means for cutting the sealing elements comprises a cutting device ( 126 ), which comprises a hollow cylindrical body whose upper edge is affixed to the internal upper region of the base element ( 121   b ), the lower region of the cutting device ( 126 ) provided with at least one cutting element ( 126   a );   the locking device ( 124 ) comprises a cylindrical hollow body, whose upper edge is provided with a plurality of rupture elements ( 124   a ), which are also connected to the lower edge of the base element ( 121   b ), making up a breakable interconnection between the locking device ( 124 ) and the base element ( 121   b );
 the external lower region of the locking device ( 124 ) is provided with a plurality of locking elements ( 125 ), which comprise radial projections extending away from the body of the locking device ( 124 ). 
   
     
     
         5 - Automatic opening device for packages ( 120 ′) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 the sealing means comprises an upper sealing element ( 121   a ) and a base element ( 121   b ′), the upper sealing element ( 121   a ) comprising a disc-shaped body whose lower region is provided with a sealing projection ( 121   a ′) which is shaped like a cylinder trunk, the upper edge of the sealing projection ( 121   a ′) being rigidly affixed to the lower region of the upper sealing element ( 121   a ), the base element ( 121   b ′) comprising a cylindrical hollow body whose edge of the internal lower region is provided with a plurality of upper locking elements ( 123 ), each of which comprises a body that projects obliquely upwards, towards the geometric axis of the base element ( 121   b ′), a cam follower ( 136 ) being affixed to the internal region of the base element ( 121   b ′); 
 the upper sealing element ( 121   a ) and the base element ( 121   b ′) are connected by means of a pivoting connecting element ( 132 ); 
 the means for cutting the sealing elements comprises a pivoting cutting element ( 134 ), which is fixed to the lower region of the spout ( 127 ′) by means of a flexible element, the upper and lower regions of the pivoting cutting element ( 134 ) being respectively provided with a cam ( 135 ) and cutting elements ( 137 ); 
 the locking device ( 124 ) comprises a hollow cylindrical body, whose upper edge is provided with a plurality of rupture elements ( 124   a ), which are also connected to the lower edge of the base element ( 121   b ′), comprising a breakable interconnection between the locking device ( 124 ) and the base element ( 121   b ′); 
 the external lower region of the locking device ( 124 ) is provided with a plurality of locking elements ( 125 ), which comprise radial projections extending away from the body of the locking device ( 124 ).