Pouring Element and Composite Package With Improved Opening Behaviour

Abstract

Please replace the Abstract at page 19 with the following replacement paragraph: Illustrated and described is a pouring element for a composite package, including a main body with a flange, a hollow cylindrical spout, which defines a central axis, and a closure part formed in the spout, which runs substantially orthogonal to the central axis, with a central region and a weakening zone running in a ring-shaped manner around the central region, wherein a conical ring-shaped intermediate region is formed between the weakening zone and central region, a hollow cylindrical cutting element movably guided in the spout with at least one cutting tooth for severing the weakening zone to open the spout and composite package, a reclosable screw cap, which serves to drive the cutting element when the composite package is opened for the first time. Two alternative composite packages for liquid foodstuffs are also described, which are provided such that a pouring element according to the invention is integrated into the gable region of the composite package. In order to enable a clearly defined and smooth cutting process, the cutting element and the closure part are designed such that at least one part of a projection of the cutting tooth lies parallel to the central axis on the intermediate region.

1 . A pouring element for a composite package, comprising:
 a main body with a flange, a hollow cylindrical spout, which defines a central axis, and a closure part formed in the spout, which runs substantially orthogonal to the central axis, with a central region and a weakening zone running in a ring shape around the central region, wherein a conical ring-shaped intermediate region is formed between the weakening zone and the central region,
 a hollow cylindrical cutting element movably guided in the spout with at least one cutting tooth for severing the weakening zone to open the spout and composite package, 
 a reclosable screw cap, which serves to drive the cutting element when the composite package is opened for the first time, 
 wherein 
 the cutting element and the closure part are designed such that at least one part of a projection of the cutting tooth lies parallel to the central axis on the intermediate region. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the weakening zone has less than 50% of the height of the central region measured parallel to the central axis.   
     
     
         3 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the weakening zone extends between an inner radius and an outer radius substantially orthogonal to the central axis.   
     
     
         4 . The pouring element according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the difference between the inner radius and the outer radius is at least twice as large, measured parallel to the central axis, as the height of the weakening zone.   
     
     
         5 . The pouring element according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein an inner radius of the hollow cylindrical cutting element comprises a maximum of 95% of the inner radius of the weakening zone.   
     
     
         6 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the weakening zone connects directly to the spout.   
     
     
         7 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cutting tooth is designed to be ground on the inside at the end facing the weakening zone.   
     
     
         8 . The pouring element according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the ground section of the cutting tooth continuously transitions relative to and along the central axis from a chamfered inner surface into an inner surface parallel to the central axis.   
     
     
         9 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cutting tooth extends at the end facing the weakening zone in a circumferential direction in a plane orthogonal to the central axis.   
     
     
         10 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cutting element is designed to be radially thickened inwards in the region of the cutting tooth.   
     
     
         11 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least 30%, preferably at least 50%, of the surface of the intermediate region facing the cutting element is covered by a projection of the cutting element parallel to the central axis.   
     
     
         12 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cutting element has two cutting teeth.   
     
     
         13 . The pouring element according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an injection-moulding point is located on the closure part on the central axis.   
     
     
         14 . A composite package for liquid foodstuffs which is provided such that a pouring element according to  claim 1 , is integrated into the gable region of the composite package. 
     
     
         15 . The composite package for liquid foodstuffs, which is provided such that a pouring element according to  claim 1  is integrated into the gable region of the composite package, wherein the gable region has polyhedral gable surfaces, which are correspondingly connected to a polyhedral flange of the pouring element.