Oxygen impermeable spout for a flexible pouch
AssigneeGuala Pack S.P.A.
InventorStefano TAMARINDO
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spout (1) for a flexible pouch (100) for liquid food, such as fruit juices, yogurt, fruit or vegetable purees and the like, includes a tubular barrier (30) embedded in the tube (18), made of a material impermeable to atmospheric oxygen. The spout is made by molding equipment that includes a counter-mold (300) with fixed insert (302) and a movable skirt (304), slidably fitted on the fixed insert (302). The spout may be made by a production method in which, during the injection of a first oxygen permeable plastic material, the skirt (304) is moved, coming out of the barrier (30), which remains in a fixed initial position.
Claims15
-17. (canceled)
A method of production of a spout for a flexible pouch, wherein the spout comprises:
- a mouth portion having a mouth for taking the liquid;
- a connecting portion for a sealed connection with the pouch;
- an end portion comprising a tube having extension along a longitudinal axis, provided with an opening in connection with the mouth through an internal duct;
- wherein the end portion includes a tubular barrier at least partially embedded in the tube, made of a first plastic material having a permeability to atmospheric oxygen lower than permeability of the remaining part of the spout;
- and
- wherein the method is executable by a molding equipment comprising two half-molds which, coupled, define a cavity corresponding to an outer shape of the spout;
- a counter-mold, comprising a fixed insert and a movable skirt, slidably fitted on the fixed insert;
- wherein the fixed insert has a shape corresponding to the duct of the spout and the movable skirt has a shape corresponding to an inner tubular layer which delimits the duct and is radially within the barrier;
- wherein during injection of the first plastic material permeable to oxygen, the skirt is translated outwardly from an imprint, pulling out of the barrier which remains in a fixed initial position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.