NL2028309B1 - Spout-cap unit, pouch comprising such a spout-cap unit, and method for manufacturing the spout-cap unit. - Google Patents

Abstract

A spout-cap unit, comprising: a spout including a sealboat, an outlet tube, a retaining member; a cap for closing the outlet tube in a closed position; wherein the spout and the cap are tethered together via at least one tethering member to form the spout-cap unit, the tethering member being connected to the spout at one end and to the cap at the opposite end, wherein the cap is releasable from the outlet tube and can be brought in a released state, wherein in said released state the cap and the spout remain tethered via the tethering member, the tethering member allowing the cap to be moved to a retaining position away from the outlet of the outlet tube, wherein at said retaining position the cap can be coupled with the retaining member of the spout for retaining the cap at the retaining position

Description

Title: Spout-cap unit, pouch comprising such a spout-cap unit, and method for manufacturing the spout-cap unit.

BACKGROUND A first aspect of the present invention relates to a spout-cap unit including a spout part and a cap part. A second aspect of the present invention relates to a pouch comprising such a spout-cap unit. A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing such a spout-cap unit.

According to EU Directive 2019/9804, any beverage container that is intended for single-use only may no longer contain a cap that is removable from the spout when sold in the EU after 3 July 2024. This Directive is aimed at reducing the amount of plastic waste in the environment.

At present, many single-use beverage containers, e.g. pouches filled with a fruit substance, yoghurt, a liquid, etc. etc. etc. comprise caps that are screwed on the spout and that are attached to said spout via a tamper evident closure. The cap is typically screwed on the spout after the pouch is filled with the substance, and closes the outlet tube of the spout. Once the pouch is opened by removing the cap from the outlet tube of the spout, the cap is physically disconnected from the spout. Although it can be screwed back on, often such caps end up in the environment. Examples of such spouts and caps for closing beverage containers can easily be found in the patent literature. To mention just one example, reference is made to EP2076448 A1.

Often, the cap and the spout are made of (slightly) different plastic compositions. When the cap is screwed back on the spout, recycling of the two different materials is actually quite difficult, as it is difficult to sort and distinguish the two slightly different plastic materials during recycling.

Non-separable spouts and caps complying with EU Directive 2019/904 may e.g. be obtained by using a flip-top closure having a film hinge to connect cap and spout, as e.g. found nowadays on bottles comprising a liquid. For example, a film hinge is disclosed in patent application EP0510388 A1. A first disadvantage of such a film hinge is that the cap tends to move back to its closed position when opened, and pricks into the nose of a user drinking from the bottle. This is unpleasant for the user. A second disadvantage of such film hinges is that they do not solve the recycling problem described in the above, as the bottle and the cap are often made of different materials which are not easily sorted during recycling. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a user-friendly cap-spout unit that complies with EU Directive 2019/904, i.e. of which the cap and the spout cannot be separated (in normal use). Preferably, such a cap-spout unit should be made of a single material, to make recycling more easy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to a first aspect, the disclosure presents a spout-cap unit, comprising: a spout part including a sealboat, an outlet tube, and a retaining member; and a cap part for closing an outlet of the outlet tube in a closed position of the cap part; wherein the spout part and the cap part are tethered together via at least one tethering member to form the spout-cap unit, the tethering member being connected to the spout part at one end of the tethering member and to the cap part at the opposite end of the tethering member, wherein the cap part is releasable from the outlet tube of the spout part for providing the cap part in a released state, wherein in said released state the cap part and the spout part remain tethered together via the tethering member, the tethering member allowing the cap part to be moved to a retaining position that is positioned away from the outlet of the outlet tube, wherein at said retaining position the cap part can be coupled with the retaining member of the spout part for retaining the cap part at the retaining position. Advantageously, the cap part and the spout part of the spout-cap unit remain connected to each other in both the closed position and the retaining position of the cap part, as well as in any intermediate position. Of course, when using an excessive force, it may be possible to break the tethering member(s) and physically separate the spout part and the cap part. However, in normal use the cap part and the spout part remain connected to each other, thereby complying with EU Directive 2019/3904. In embodiments, after having opened the cap and placing it in the retained position to consume a consumable from the pouch or container of which the spout-cap unit is a part, the cap can be placed back on the outlet tube to close the outlet again.

Further advantageously, the retaining position is located away from the outlet of the outlet tube, and the cap is coupled with the retaining member when in the retaining position. At this retaining position, the cap is temporarily fixed so that the cap does not hinder a user when consuming the contents of the pouch to which the spout- cap unit will typically be sealed. For example, the coupling of the cap with the retaining member can be achieved by clicking the cap on the retaining member, by hooking the cap under the retaining member, or by pressing the cap on the retaining member.

Further advantageously, embodiments of the present disclosure allow the spout-cap unit to be produced at lower cost than presently known spout-cap combination. The presently used spouts and caps are typically made in two different moulds, of two different materials, with both the cap and the spout having screw thread. Both the cap and the spout are, therefore, relatively expensive parts. With the present solution, in embodiments it is expected that the spout-cap unit has about the same cost-price per unit as present-day spouts, thus reducing the total cost of the spout-cap combination with the cost price of the present-day cap.

According to the present disclosure, the spout-cap unit comprises a spout part.

A spout is an element well known to those skilled in the art of single-use plastic containers, such as pouches. A spout is typically sealed to a pouch before or after the pouch is filled with a consumable good (which consumable good can be a food product, or a non-food product). All known spouts comprise at least a sealboat, to which the pouch is sealed and an outlet tube, through which the consumable good in the pouch is consumed by a user.

As is known to those skilled in the art, when filling the pouch, the outlet tube may be used as an inlet, particularly when the spout is sealed to the pouch before the pouch is filled. The consumable product is then typically introduced in the pouch through the outlet tube of the spout, which then thus functions as an inlet tube.

However, to the end consumer it is an outlet tube, through which the consumable good comes out of the spout / pouch. A retaining member is nowadays typically not found on a spout. The function and advantage of the retaining member will become more clear from the below description.

According to the present disclosure, the cap part of the spout-cap unit, in a closed position, closes the outlet of the outlet tube. Also a cap is an element well known to one skilled in the art of single-use plastic containers. Typically, on presently available single-use plastic pouches the cap is screwed on the spout and must be unscrewed to open the pouch. It is noted that such a screw connection may not be implemented on the spout-cap unit according to the present disclosure.

According to the present disclosure, the spout part and the cap part are tethered together via at least one tethering member. The tethering member is e.g. a line or wire of injection-moulded material, that is formed at the same time, i.e. in a single mould together with, the cap and the spout. The tethering member will typically be of the same material as the spout part and the cap part. The tethering member may typically not prevent separation of the spout and the cap from each other under all circumstances. For example, one willing to do so may separate the spout and the cap by cutting the tethering member or by snapping the tethering member by pulling on the cap. However, in normal operating conditions, where the cap is manipulated with some care, the spout and cap should remain attached to each other via the tethering member. The tethering member effectively forms a flexible bridge between the spout part and the cap part, joining the two together. The tethering member is preferably connected to the outer surface of the cap part, as well as to the outer surface of the spout part.

The area in between the inner surface of the cap part and the outer surface of the outlet tube is preferably substantially empty, the inner surface of the cap being substantially free (i.e. spaced apart) from the outer surface of the outlet tube, allowing the cap part to be released from the outlet tube. Compared to the closed position, wherein the cap covers the outlet tube, when the cap is removed from the outlet tube itis in a released state.

The tethering member preferably has a flexibility that allows the cap, once it is released from the spout, to be brought to a retaining position away from the outlet of the outlet tube. In embodiments, the tethering member may act as a hinge or spring that allows the cap to transfer to the retaining position once released from the outlet tube, or even urges the cap towards said retaining position.

The retaining position is defined by a retaining member. The retaining member is e.g. formed on the spout, and allows the cap to be coupled with the spout at the retaining position.

For example, the retaining member may have a shape that substantially 5 matches the inner circumference of the cap part, so that the cap part can be clicked on the retaining member.

For example, the retaining member may define a protrusion, under which the cap can be clamped or secured.

For example, the retaining member may define a protrusion, on which the cap can be clamped.

Even though EU Directive 2019/904 refers to single use containers only, it should be noted that the spout-cap unit as disclosed herein is also advantageous on containers which are intended for multiple use, especially if the cap can be reliably placed back in the closed position again. In other words, the present invention is not limited to only spouts-cap units forming a part of single-use containers.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cap part and the spout part are made from the same material. This advantageously allows the spout part and the cap part to be made in one injection mould, in just a single process step. This advantageously also allows the spout part and the cap part to be recycled in an effective manner, as the material of the cap needs not be separated from the material of the spout, but can be processed in the same stream as the two are made from the same material.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the spout-cap unit is injection moulded. Injection moulding is the present day standard for manufacturing spouts and caps, and the spout-cap unit as presented herein can quite easily be injection moulded. However, it is not excluded that in the future other manufacturing techniques may be competitive with injection moulding in terms of speed and cost price. It is expected that also such techniques are capable to produce a spout-cap unit as presented herein. Preferably, the spout-cap unit is moulded in a single injection step.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the spout-cap unit is made as a single part. This is mainly advantageous when the spout-cap unit is sealed to a pouch after the pouch is filled with a consumable product. In such an embodiment, the cap fully circumvents the outlet of the outlet tube, in both the radial and the axial direction, when the unit is manufactured In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cap part is composed out of two elements:

- a body element that is manufactured together with the spout part, the body element enclosing the outlet tube of the spout part in a circumferential direction, the body element connected to the tethering member, and the body element being hollow and having open ends, and

- a plug element manufactured separately from the spout part and the body element, the plug element for closing an open end of the body element, so that when the plug element is received in the body element, the cap part closes the outlet tube of the spout part.

Quite often, the pouch to which the spout is sealed is filled with a consumable good after the spout is sealed to the pouch.

When that is the case, the pouch is filled trough the outlet tube of the spout — as described in the above.

When in accordance with the presently disclosure the cap and the spout of the spout-cap unit are made at the same time, the outlet of the outlet tube must remain open to allow the pouch to be filled.

To solve this the cap part, when manufactured, can have an open end that is covered by a plug element after the pouch is filled.

For example, the plug element can be clamp-fitted in the body element of the cap in an unreleasable manner, so that the cap part successfully closes the outlet of the outlet tube once the pouch is filled and the plug element is inserted in the body element.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure the cap part and the spout part are free from screw thread.

Instead the space between the inner surface of the cap and the outer surface of the outlet tube may be substantially vacant.

To prevent the cap and the spout from accidental disengagement, the tethering members are provided.

Preferably, before the cap is opened, also tamper evident elements may physically connect the cap to the outlet tube.

In embodiments where the container (pouch) is for multiple-use, preferably the cap can be placed back on the spout, the cap then closing the spout reliably again.

In such an embodiment the tethering members may be resilient to a higher or a lower degree, the resiliency of the tethering members urging the cap on the spout once the cap is removed from the retaining position and placed on the outlet tube again.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the spout-cap unit further comprises a grip element, used by a user to remove the cap part from its closed position, the grip element being attached to the cap part.

For example, the grip element may comprise a logo, have a fancy colour, have a particular design, or may attract consumers in any other way.

When the cap is manufactured along with the spout, it would be desirable that the spout-cap unit can be handled in the same way as the presently used spouts, e.g. for production purposes.

This would make market adaption of the spout-cap unit most easy, as no factories need to be adapted to allow the use of the disclosed spout-cap unit.

Therefore, to allow handling, the cap part of the spout- cap unit may be of a simple and small design, on which a more elaborate design, the grip element, can be attached later, e.g. using a clamp fit.

However, it is also possible to form the grip element integrally with the cap part.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer dimensions of the cap part and the tethering member do not exceed a width of 24 mm and/or do not exceed a height of 19 mm.

Presently used spouts are typically transported on rails, having an inner dimension of 24 mm width x 19 mm height.

To allow easy market adaption of the presently disclosed spout-cap unit, transportation in the same rail should advantageously be possible.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a tamper-evident connection further connects the spout part and the cap part to each other when the cap part has been unopened.

Preferably, said tamper evident connection is visible when the cap part is unopened.

For example, this can be achieved by injection moulding one or more relatively thin — and thus: weak — bridge lines from the outer surface of the cap part to the outer surface of the spout part, e.g. the outlet tube.

In an alternative example, this can be achieved by injection moulding a thin film layer of material in between the inner surface of the cap part and the outer surface of the spout part, e.g. the outlet tube.

Such a film layer may not be visible when the cap is unopened, but will typically be visible after the cap is opened — and has potentially been “tampered with”. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, two tethering members are provided, each of the tethering members preferably having a substantially equal length.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tethering member allows the cap part to be twisted over an angle of up to 120° with respect to the spout part.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the spout part comprises a ramp at the surface that faces the bottom opening the cap part, and the edge of the cap part that faces the ramp of the spout part comprises a notch, a shape of the notch matching the shape of the ramp. This will help to twist open the spout-cap unit more easily. Preferably, said notch has a substantially straight edge at one end thereof. This makes it advantageously very intuitive for a user which direction to turn the cap into with respect to the outlet tube to open the cap In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the retaining position of the cap part is located to the side and/or below of the closed position of the cap part. Preferably and advantageously, the outlet of the outlet tube is freed up as much as possible, to make it as pleasant as possible to allow a consumer to consume the contents of the pouch.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a pouch comprising a spout- cap unit as described in the above. Advantages of such a pouch are the same as advantages of the spout-cap unit according to the first aspect of the present invention. Besides a pouch, the spout-cap unit may in principle by connected to any container containing a liquid, gaseous, granular or other substance.

A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing the spout-cap unit as described in the above via injection moulding. The method includes the step of filling a mould with a molten material, wherein the cap part material is filled at least partially through the mould openings which define the tethering member. Advantageously, compared to filling the cap part material e.g. through the mould openings which define a tamper evident element (which element may be absent such that this alternative is impossible), the cap part can be filled much faster and more reliably in this way. Further advantageously, when the cap part is filled through the mould openings which define the tethering member, the mould can be filled in a single moulding step, omitting the need for a more expensive 2K moulding process.

A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to a pouch comprising a spout-cap unit. However, as an alternative to the second aspect, in which second aspect the retaining member is a part of the spout, according to the fourth aspect the retaining member may be attached to the spout, while the tethering member still allows the cap to be coupled with the retaining member when the cap is released with respect to its closed position. As such, according to the fourth aspect a pouch or other container and a spout-cap unit are provided in combination, the spout-cap unit and the pouch or other container sealed to each other. The spout-cap unit, comprises: a spout part including a sealboat and an outlet tube; and a cap part for closing an outlet of the outlet tube in a closed position of the cap part.

The pouch or other container comprises a retaining member.

The spout part and the cap part of are tethered together via at least one tethering member to form the spout-cap unit. The tethering member is connected to the spout part at one end of the tethering member and to the cap part at the opposite end of the tethering member.

The cap part is releasable from the outlet tube of the spout part and can be brought in a released state.

In said released state the cap part and the spout part remain tethered together via the tethering member, the tethering member allowing the cap part to be moved to a retaining position that is positioned away from the outlet of the outlet tube, In said retaining position the cap part can be coupled with the retaining member attached to the pouch or other container for retaining the cap part at the retaining position.

Advantages of such a spout-pouch combination are similar to the advantages described in relation to the first aspect. As will be obvious to one skilled in the art, coupling methods and other embodiments described in relation to the first aspect only, can also be advantageously applied for the spout-pouch combination according to the fourth aspect of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES These and other aspects of the present invention will now be elucidated further with reference to the attached figures, wherein the same reference numerals denote like or the same elements of the spout-cap unit. In these figures:

Figure 1 schematically shows a frontal view of a first embodiment of the spout- cap unit according to the present invention; Figure 2 schematically shows a side view of a second embodiment of the spout- cap unit according to the present invention, with the cap in both the closed as well as the retained position; Figure 3 schematically shows a partially open-worked view of a third embodiment of the spout-cap unit according to the present invention; Figure 4 schematically shows a frontal view of a fourth embodiment of the spout-cap unit according to the present invention; Figure 5 schematically shows a side view of the spout-cap unit according to Figure 4, with the cap in the closed position as well as the retained position; Figure 6 schematically shows a side view of a fifth embodiment of the spout- cap unit according to the present invention, with the cap in the closed position as well as the retained position; and Figure 7 schematically shows a sixth embodiment of the spout-cap unit according to the present invention, on a transport rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES With reference to Figure 1A initially, shown is a spout-cap unit 1 comprising a spout 11 and a cap 21. The spout 11 comprises a sealboat 111, against which a pouch can be sealed to form a pouch with an outlet. The spout 11 further comprises an outlet tube 112. Outlet tube 112 and sealboat 111 are formed integrally with each other. When the pouch is sealed to the sealboat 111 and the pouch is filled with a consumable, the consumable can be removed from the pouch through the outlet tube

112. The outlet tube 112 comprises an outlet opening 114, through which the consumable leaves the spout 11. As will be familiar to one working in the field of spouts and pouches, the pouch can also be filled through the outlet tube 112, which then for the purpose of filling the pouch also serves as an inlet tube. The spout 11 also comprises a retaining member 113, the function of which will become more clear with reference to Figure 2 described in the below. The cap 21 closes off the outlet 114. The cap 21 fully surrounds the outlet 114 in the circumferential direction, and also has a closed upper surface. The cap 21 is assembled from a body element 211, manufactured integrally with the spout 11, and a plug element 214, manufactured separately from the spout 11 and clamped into the body element 211. In one possible filling method, after the spout 11 and body element 211 are manufactured in a single manufacturing step, the spout 11 body element 211 combination is sealed to a pouch. The pouch is filled with a consumable through the outlet tube 112 (which for that purpose functions as an inlet tube). The body element 211 circumvents the outlet opening 114 in the radial direction, but leaves open the outlet opening 114 in an axial direction so that the pouch can be filled. After filling, to reliable close the outlet opening 114, plug element 214 is pressed into body element 211, preferably in an unreleasable manner, to form the cap 21. In the position as shown here, the cap 21 is in its closed position, where it closes the outlet 114 of the spout

11.

Further shown in Figure 1 is grip element 41, substantially wing-shaped, which allows the user to more easily grab the cap 21 and twist it to open it. The grip element 41 can be formed integrally with the cap 21, or the grip element 41 can be separately manufactured, to be attached to the cap 21 e.g. after the pouch is filled.

Preferably, as the spout 11 and the body element 211 are made at the same time, e.g. in the same injection mould in a single injection moulding step, they are made from the same material. This makes it easy and cost-efficient to manufacture the spout 11 body element 211 combination. Preferably also the plug element 214 is made of said material, and preferably also the grip element 41 is made of the same material. Although in principle different materials could be chosen for the plug element 214 and the grip element 41, when making these of the same material as well, recycling of the spout-cap unit 1 as a whole is made much more easy.

As an alternative to using a plug unit 214 to be inserted into body element 211 to close off the outlet tube 114 (after filling the pouch), the cap unit 21 can also be made as one part, preferably in one injection moulding step together with the spout

11. This would mostly be applied when the spout-cap unit 1 is sealed to a pouch after the pouch is filled with a consumable, and when the outlet tube 114 does not need to act as an inlet tube as well.

The body element 211 and the outlet tube 112 are connected to each other via tamper evident members 51, which is better shown in the exploded view of Figure 1B. Thus, the tamper evident members 51 connect cap 21 and spout 11. The tamper evident member 51 connects at one end to the outer surface of the outlet tube 112, and at the other end to the outer surface of the body element 211. When the tamper evident members 51 are connected to both cap 21 and spout 11, the user can rely on the fact that the outlet has not been opened after production of the spout-cap unit 1, hence that the contents of the pouch have not been tampered with.

Turning now to Figure 2, well visible compared to Figure 1 is tethering member

31. The tethering member 31, like the tamper evident member 51, connects the cap 21 to the spout 11. However, unlike the tamper evident member 51, tethering member 31 remains connected to the spout 11 and the cap 21 when the cap 21 is opened, i.e.

removed from the outlet tube 112 of the spout 11. The tethering member 31 may e.g. be shaped as a wire connection, having one end 31A connected to the spout 11 and an opposite end 31B connected to the cap 21. Even though it will typically be possible to break the tethering member 31 when an excessive amount of force is applied to it, or when it is e.g. cut with a knife, a blade or another sharp item, in normal use the tethering member 31 connects the cap 21 and the spout 11 at all times, in both the closed position C as well as in the retained position R. As shown, in the closed cap position C, wherein the cap 21 closes off the outlet 114 of the outlet tube 112, the tethering member 31 connects spout 11 and cap 21 so that they form a spout-cap unit

1. Also in the retaining position R, the cap 21 and the spout 11 remain connected via tethering member 31. While connecting cap 21 and spout 11, the tethering member 31 allows the cap 21 to be moved away from its closed position C, towards a retaining position R below the closed position C and to the side of the closed position C as shown, exposing the outlet 114 of the outlet tube 112 so that a user can e.g. drink the consumable of the pouch. At the retaining position R, the cap 21 is coupled with retaining member 113 of the spout 11. In the presently shown embodiment, the cap 21 is clicked on the retaining member 113. Preferably, the tethering member 31 is shaped in such a way that a compressive or tensile force is enacted on the cap 21 when the cap 21 is in the retained position R, so that the cap 21 remains in the retained position R more securely.

Turning now to Figure 3, an embodiment of the spout-cap unit 1 somewhat similar to the embodiment of Figure 2 is shown. In Figure 3, the part where the outlet tube 112 and the body element 211 of cap 21 are arranged over one another is worked open, to explain how the unit 1 can be made via an injection moulding process. As visible from Figure 3, and as preferred, outlet tube 112 and cap 21 are substantially spaced apart from each other. There is no screw thread at which the cap 21 and the outlet tube 112 physically connect, and there are very few points of contact between the cap 21 and the outlet tube 112. While this lack of contact between cap 21 and outlet tube 112 makes it relatively easy to remove the cap 21 from the outlet 114, it raises difficulties in terms of manufacturing the unit 1, especially in a single injection moulding step. Preferably, when filling the mould, the cap material is injected through the mould openings in which the tethering members 31, 32 are (later) formed. This allows the body element 211 of the cap 21 to be formed relatively fast and efficient, as well as reliably.

The only point where the body element 211 and the outlet tube 112 are connected is the tamper evident seal 52, here located at the inner side of the cap 21, in between cap 21 and outlet tube 112. This tamper evident seal 52 is too small to allow all material of the cap 21 to be reliable injected for the formation of body element 211 of cap 21 when a single injection moulding step is desired.

Further shown in Figure 3 is a notch 216, protruding with respect to a lower edge 215 of the cap 21. The notch 216 is received in a ramp 116 arranged in the surface 115 of the spout 11 that faces the lower edge 215 of the cap 21.

Turning now to Figures 4 and 5, which are described in conjunction, a further embodiment of a retaining member 113 is shown. Here the retaining member 113 is circular, having an outer circumference that substantially matches the inner diameter of the bottom opening 214 of the cap 21. In Figure 4, the retaining member 113 is shown in a frontal view, with cap 21 in the closed position C and the tethering members 31, 32 connecting cap 21 and spout 11. In Figure 5, the cap is shown in both the closed position C as well as the retained position R, with the tethering members 31, 32 connecting the cap 21 and the spout 11 in each of the closed position C and the retained position R. In embodiments, not necessarily associated with the present figure, it is possible that the cap 21, once opened, can be placed back on the outlet tube 112, with the cap 21 again reliably closing the outlet 114.

As shown in Figure 4, there may be two tethering members 31, 32. When two tethering members are present, the movement of the cap 21 with respect to the spout 11 is limited. In the present example, the cap 21 can only be moved in a direction in and out of the paper once the cap 21 is released from the outlet 114. However, in principle one tethering member 31, 32 will suffice to perform the tethering function of connecting the cap 21 and spout 11 in both the closed C and the retained R position. When there are two tethering members 31, 32, they preferably have same lengths, as shown here.

As shown in Figure 5, there may be two retaining members 113, one on the right (where the cap 21 is placed) and one on the left. In such an embodiment, a user can choose where the cap 21 is placed in the retained position R. In principle, one retaining member 113 will however be sufficient.

Turning now to Figure 6, a yet further embodiment of the spout-cap unit 1 is shown. Here, the retaining members 113 are formed as projection members on the outlet tube 112. The cap 21 comprises a flange 218 near the lower edge thereof. When moving the cap 21 to the retaining position R, the flange 218 can be hooked under the protrusion 113, to retain the cap 21 in the retained position R. Preferably, some tension force is applied on the cap 21 in such an embodiment by the tethering member 31, so that the cap 21 is reliable secured in the retaining position R.

Figure 7 shows a yet further embodiment of the spout-cap unit 1. In this embodiment, dimensions of the tethering members 31, 32 and the cap 21 are minimized to ensure that the spout-cap unit 1 fits in the same transport rail as used nowadays from transporting ‘ordinary’ spouts. As such, the width w of the spout-cap unit 1 is maximized at 24 mm, whereas the height of the cap part 21 of the spout-cap unit 1 is maximized at 19 mm.

Whereas in the shown figures multiple embodiments of the spout-cap unit 1 have been shown, one skilled in the art of spouts, cap, and single-use containers will be able to define many more alternative embodiments, all falling within the inventive concept of the present invention, which inventive concepts is defined by the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 spout-cap unit 11 spout part 111 sealboat 112 outlet tube 113 retaining member 114 outlet of outlet tube 115 surface facing bottom opening cap part 116 ramp 21 cap part 211 body element 212 top opening 213 bottom opening 214 plug element 215 edge at bottom opening 216 notch in edge bottom opening 217 edge of notch 218 flange 31 tethering member 32 tethering member 41 grip element 51 tamper-evident connection 52 tamper-evident connection 61 pouch

C closed position cap h height cap part and tethering member R retained position cap S released state cap w width cap part and tethering member Y twist angle between cap part and spout part

Claims (17)

CONCLUSIONS A spout-cap unit (1), comprising: a spout member (11) including a sealboat (111), an outlet tube (112), and a retainer (113); and a cap member (21) for closing an outlet (114) of the outlet tube (112) in a closed position (C) of the cap member (21); wherein the spout part (11) and the cap part (21) are connected to each other via at least one connecting member (31, 32) to form the spout-cap unit (1), the connecting member (31, 32) being connected to the Spout member (11) at one end (31A, 32A) of the connector (31, 32) and with the cap member (21) at the opposite end (31B, 32B) of the connector (31, 32), the cap member {21 ) is detachable from the outlet tube (114) of the spout member (11) for providing the cap member (21} in a detached state (S), wherein in said detached state (S) the cap member (21) and the spout member (11) remain interconnected by the connector (31, 32), the connector (31, 32) allowing the cap member (21) to be moved to a holding position (R) that is positioned away from the outlet (114 ) of the outlet tube (112), where in said holding position (R) it thundered e1 (21) can be engaged with the holding member (113) of the spout part (11) for holding the cap part (21) at the holding position (R). The spout-cap unit according to claim 1, wherein the cap part (21) and the spout part (11} are made of the same material. The spout-cap unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spout-cap unit (1) is made by injection moulding, preferably in a single injection molding step. The spout-cap unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spout-cap unit (1) is made as a single piece. The spout-cap unit according to any one of claims 1 - 3, wherein the cap part (21) is composed of at least two elements: - a body element (211) manufactured together with the spout part (11), the body element being (211) encloses the outlet tube (112) of the spout member (11) in a circumferential direction, the body member (211) being connected to the connector (31, 32), and the body member (211) being hollow and having open ends (212, 213), and - a sealing element (214) made separately from the spout part (11) and the body element (211), the sealing element (214) being adapted to close an open end (212) of the body element (211) such that when the closure element (214) is received in the body element (211), the cap part (21) closes the outlet tube (112) of the spout part (11). The spout-cap assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap part (21) and the spout part (11) are threadless. The spout-cap unit according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a grip element (41) connected to the cap part (21), the grip element (41) being used by a user to remove the cap part (21) from the its closed position (C). The spout-cap unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer dimensions of the cap part (21) and the connecting member (31, 32) have a width (w) of at most 24 mm and/or a height (h) of at most 19 mm. The spout-cap unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a sealing connection (51, 52) further connects the spout part (11) and the cap part (21) when the cap part (21) is not yet opened. The spout-cap unit according to claim 9, wherein the sealing connection (51) is connected to an outer surface of the cap member (21). The spout-cap unit according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the sealing connection (52) is connected to an inner surface of the cap member (21). The spout-cap unit according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising two connecting members (31, 32), each of the connecting members (31, 32) preferably having substantially the same length. The spout-cap assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting member (31, 32) allows the cap member (21) to be rotated through an angle (y) of at most 120° relative to the spout member ( 11). The spout-cap unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spout part (11) comprises a ramp (116) on the surface (115) facing the lower opening (213) of the cap part (21), and wherein the edge (215) of the cap part (21) facing the slope (118) of the spout part (11) comprises a notch (116), a shape of the notch (218) corresponding to the shape of the ramp (216), the notch (216) preferably having a substantially straight edge (217) at one end thereof. The spout-cap unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding position (R) of the cap part (21) is located to the side of and/or below the closed position (C) of the cap part (21). A bag (81) comprising a spout-cap unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. A method of manufacturing the spout-cap unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 - 15 by injection molding, wherein while the mold is filled with a molten material, the material of the cap part is filled at least partially by the mold openings forming the connector.