Closure for a spout of a flexible thin-walled packaging

Abstract

A closure for a spout of a flexible thin-walled packaging having a cap and a tamper evident seal with a tamper evident ring is provided. The tamper evident ring has an upper ring face delimiting the tamper evident ring at a top and consisting of a wavy sinusoidal surface having ring ridges and ring depressions, each ring depression having a bottom ring surface. The tamper evident portion has a lower portion face delimiting the tamper evident portion at a bottom and consisting of a wavy sinusoidal surface having portion ridges and portion depressions, each portion ridge having a portion ridge surface. At least one breakable bridge joins the bottom ring surface and the portion ridge surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A closure for a spout of a flexible thin-walled packaging, comprising:
 a cap comprising an annular cap wall having a central cap axis;   a tamper evident seal comprising a tamper evident ring suitable for being applied to the spout, a tamper evident portion integral with the cap and at least one breakable bridge that, when the tamper evident seal is unbroken, joins the tamper evident ring to the tamper evident portion;   wherein the tamper evident ring comprises an upper ring face delimiting the tamper evident ring at a top, and consisting of a wavy sinusoidal surface comprising ring ridges and ring depressions which follow each other circumferentially, wherein each ring depression has a bottom ring surface;   wherein the tamper evident portion comprises a lower portion face delimiting the tamper evident portion at a bottom, and consisting of a wavy sinusoidal surface comprising portion ridges and portion depressions which follow each other circumferentially, wherein each portion ridge has a portion ridge surface;   wherein a ring ridge is contained in a respective portion depression and a portion ridge is contained in a respective ring depression;   and wherein said at least one breakable bridge joins the bottom ring surface and the portion ridge surface and is contained in said ring depression.   
     
     
         2 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the upper ring face and the lower portion face are complementary. 
     
     
         3 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom ring surface and the portion ridge surface are curved surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cap further comprises a cap flange radially externally projecting from the annular cap wall, and wherein the tamper evident portion protrudes from the cap flange. 
     
     
         5 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one breakable bridge is axially tapered, being thicker near an attachment to the bottom ring surface and thinner near the portion ridge surface. 
     
     
         6 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the tamper evident seal comprises a plurality of breakable bridges. 
     
     
         7 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cap further comprises a drip-catcher device suitable for sealingly engaging the spout, so that a product contained in the flexible thin-walled packaging does not escape. 
     
     
         8 . The closure of  claim 7 , wherein the drip-catcher device comprises a drip-catcher ring integrated into a cap base inside the cap, so that, between the annular cap wall and the drip-catcher ring an annular housing is provided, suitable for accommodating a portion of the spout. 
     
     
         9 . The closure of  claim 1 , further comprising a strap suitable for keeping the cap connected to the tamper evident ring even when the tamper evident seal is broken. 
     
     
         10 . The closure of  claim 9 , wherein the strap extends from a region of an outer side surface of the tamper evident ring to a region of an outer side surface of the annular cap wall. 
     
     
         11 . The closure of  claim 10 , wherein the strap comprises a first portion protruding from the tamper evident ring, a second portion protruding from the cap, and an arched connecting portion that connects the first portion and the second portion, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected to the tamper evident ring and to the cap, respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the closure is made in a single piece of plastic material. 
     
     
         13 . The closure of  claim 4 , wherein the tamper evident portion protrudes axially from the cap flange. 
     
     
         14 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the tamper evident seal comprises a number of breakable bridges equal to the number of ring depressions. 
     
     
         15 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the closure is made in a single piece by injection molding.