Toy cap

Abstract

A cap having a closing portion and a toy portion is provided. The toy portion has at least one toy element supported by the closing portion by breakable attachments. The at least one toy element is separable from the cap to be used as a toy in such a way that structural integrity of the closing portion is not compromised after the at least one toy element has been detached. The cap is for a spout of a thin-walled flexible package.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cap comprising a closing portion suitable for being applied to a mouth for closing the mouth, and a toy portion supported by the closing portion and comprising at least one toy element and at least one breakable attachment, said at least one toy element being supported by the closing portion by means of said at least one breakable attachment and being separable from the cap by breakage of said at least one breakable attachment in such a way that structural integrity of the closing portion is not harmed by breakage of said at least one breakable attachment. 
     
     
         2 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein said cap is made in a single piece of plastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the toy portion comprises a frame supported by the closing portion, and wherein the frame supports said at least one toy element by said at least one breakable attachment. 
     
     
         4 . The cap of  claim 3 , wherein the frame consists of a band protruding from a first area of the closing portion and terminating at a second area of the closing portion. 
     
     
         5 . The cap of  claim 3 , wherein the toy portion further comprises at least one framework, contained in the frame and supported by the frame, wherein said at least one framework surrounds a respective toy element and supports the respective toy element by said at least one breakable attachment. 
     
     
         6 . The cap of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one framework consists of an annular belt. 
     
     
         7 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the closing portion comprises an annular side wall that extends about a central axis between a lower end and an opposite upper end, and a base that closes the annular side wall at the upper end. 
     
     
         8 . The cap of  claim 7 , further comprising a tamper-evident seal arranged on a side of the lower end of the annular side wall and suitable for indicating a first opening of the cap. 
     
     
         9 . The cap of  claim 8 , further comprising a strap that connects a tamper-evident ring of the tamper-evident seal to the closing portion. 
     
     
         10 . The cap of  claim 9 , wherein the toy portion comprises a frame supported by the closing portion, wherein the frame supports said at least one toy element by said at least one breakable attachment, and wherein:
 with a centerline (Z) defining a thickness of the strap, said centerline (Z) lies on an imaginary plane which also contains the central axis; and   with a centerline (K) defining a thickness of the frame, said centerline (K) lies on an imaginary plane which contains the central axis and coincides with the imaginary plane that contains the centerline (Z) of the strap.   
     
     
         11 . The cap of  claim 10 , wherein the toy portion is substantially flat, being contained between two parallel imaginary planes, between which the imaginary plane containing the centerline (K) of the frame, the central axis, and the centerline (Z) of the strap is placed. 
     
     
         12 . A thin-walled flexible package comprising:
 a spout having a mouth; and   a cap according to  claim 1 , applied to the mouth of the spout.   
     
     
         13 . An assembly comprising:
 a plurality of caps, wherein each cap of the plurality of caps is according to any one of claims  claims 1 ; and   wherein at least two toy elements of the caps of said plurality of caps are mutually couplable.   
     
     
         14 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein said cap is made in a single piece of plastic material by injection molding. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least two toy elements are interlockable.