U.S. patent application number 12/476475 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-25 for bottle cap.
This patent application is currently assigned to BIO CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT, INC.. Invention is credited to Andrew Krause.
Application Number | 20100072163 12/476475 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42036559 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100072163 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Krause; Andrew |
March 25, 2010 |
BOTTLE CAP
Abstract
A cap for sealing a container having a neck includes an annular
outer skirt having an inner surface and an outer surface, a top
portion of the outer skirt forming an annular rim. A generally
concave top wall extends inwardly from and below a plane defined by
the rim, the top wall having a top face and a bottom face. An
annular inner skirt extends downward from the top wall bottom face
and disposed radially inward from and concentric with the outer
skirt, wherein the inner skirt is configured to sealingly engage
with an inner surface of the container neck when the cap is
attached thereto.
Inventors: |
Krause; Andrew; (Oxford,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C.
1000 TOWN CENTER, TWENTY-SECOND FLOOR
SOUTHFIELD
MI
48075
US
|
Assignee: |
BIO CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT,
INC.
Farmington Hills
MI
|
Family ID: |
42036559 |
Appl. No.: |
12/476475 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61099328 |
Sep 23, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/230 ;
215/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 55/0854 20130101;
B65D 51/245 20130101; B65D 41/0414 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/230 ;
215/329 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/00 20060101
B65D051/00; B65D 41/04 20060101 B65D041/04 |
Claims
1. A cap for sealing a container having a neck, the cap comprising:
an annular outer skirt having an inner surface and an outer
surface, a top portion of the outer skirt forming an annular rim; a
generally concave top wall extending inwardly from and below a
plane defined by the rim, the top wall having a top face and a
bottom face; and an annular inner skirt extending downward from the
top wall bottom face and disposed radially inward from and
concentric with the outer skirt, wherein the inner skirt is
configured to sealingly engage with an inner surface of the
container neck when the cap is attached thereto.
2. The cap according to claim 1, further comprising a shrink sleeve
disposed around the outer skirt and the rim and partially spanning
the top wall, a space being defined between the top wall and the
shrink sleeve such that at least part of a finger fits therebetween
for facilitating removal of the shrink sleeve.
3. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the
concave top wall is at least about 80% of the diameter of the
cap.
4. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the
center of the top wall top face to the plane defined by the rim is
at least about 10% of the height of the cap.
5. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the top face of the top
wall includes indicia.
6. The cap according to claim 5, wherein the top wall extends
inwardly at a steep angle proximate to the rim such that a shadow
is formed around a periphery of the top wall, thereby creating a
shadow box effect with respect to the indicia.
7. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the outer skirt, the top
wall, and the inner skirt are integrally formed from a copolymer of
polypropylene and ethylene-propylene to reduce brittleness and
increase impact resistance of the cap.
8. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the inner skirt includes
an inwardly tapered portion for facilitating locating the inner
skirt with respect to the inner surface of the container neck.
9. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the
outer skirt includes a plurality of ribs.
10. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the
outer skirt includes a threaded portion for cooperating with a
corresponding threaded portion on an outer surface of the container
neck.
11. A cap for sealing a bottle containing a liquid energy
supplement, the cap comprising: an annular outer skirt having an
inner surface and an outer surface, a top portion of the outer
skirt forming an annular rim; a generally concave top wall
extending inwardly from and below a plane defined by the rim, the
top wall having a top face and a bottom face, wherein the diameter
of the concave top wall is at least about 80% of the diameter of
the cap; and an annular inner skirt extending downward from the top
wall bottom face and disposed radially inward from and concentric
with the outer skirt, wherein the inner skirt is configured to
sealingly engage with an inner surface of a neck of the bottle to
prevent oxidation of the liquid energy supplement when the cap is
attached thereto.
12. The cap according to claim 11, further comprising a shrink
sleeve disposed around the outer skirt and the rim and partially
spanning the top wall, a space being defined between the top wall
and the shrink sleeve such that at least part of a finger fits
therebetween for facilitating removal of the shrink sleeve.
13. The cap according to claim 11, wherein the distance from the
center of the top wall top face to the plane defined by the rim is
at least about 10% of the height of the cap.
14. The cap according to claim 11, wherein the top face of the top
wall includes indicia.
15. The cap according to claim 14, wherein the top wall extends
inwardly at a steep angle proximate to the rim such that a shadow
is formed around a periphery of the top wall, thereby creating a
shadow box effect with respect to the indicia.
16. The cap according to claim 11, wherein the outer skirt, the top
wall, and the inner skirt are integrally formed from a copolymer of
polypropylene and ethylene-propylene to reduce brittleness and
increase impact resistance of the cap.
17. The cap according to claim 11, wherein the inner skirt includes
an inwardly tapered portion for facilitating locating the inner
skirt with respect to the inner surface of the bottle neck.
18. The cap according to claim 11, wherein the outer surface of the
outer skirt includes a plurality of ribs.
19. The cap according to claim 11, wherein the inner surface of the
outer skirt includes a threaded portion for cooperating with a
corresponding threaded portion on an outer surface of the bottle
neck.
20. A cap for sealing a container having a neck, the cap
comprising: an annular outer skirt having an inner surface and an
outer surface, a top portion of the outer skirt forming an annular
rim; a generally concave top wall extending inwardly from and below
a plane defined by the rim, the top wall having a top face and a
bottom face, wherein the distance from the center of the top wall
top face to the plane defined by the rim is at least about 10% of
the height of the cap, and wherein the top face of the top wall
includes indicia; and an annular inner skirt extending downward
from the top wall bottom face and disposed radially inward from and
concentric with the outer skirt, wherein the inner skirt is
configured to sealingly engage with an inner surface of the
container neck when the cap is attached thereto; wherein the top
wall extends inwardly at a steep angle proximate to the rim such
that a shadow is formed around a periphery of the top wall, thereby
creating a shadow box effect with respect to the indicia.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
application Ser. No. 61/099,328 filed Sep. 23, 2008, which is
incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a cap for sealing a container,
such as a bottle.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] Bottles or other containers intended to contain liquids
require a cap that is capable of establishing a seal of the
container which is effective to prevent leakage of the liquids
contained therein. In some prior bottles, an internal foam closure
or liner is disposed on an underside of the bottle cap for sealing
purposes, typically glued to the bottle cap in a secondary process.
As such, use of a foam liner introduces additional material and
labor into the construction of the bottle cap. In addition, in the
event that the foam liner becomes compromised, the sealing
capabilities of the foam liner can be adversely affected,
potentially resulting in leakage of the liquid contents. Leakage
can also occur as a result of internal pressure changes in the
container, such as can be introduced during freezing and subsequent
thawing of the liquid contents, which adversely affect the seal
between the foam liner and the container.
[0006] As a tamper-evident measure, bottles and other containers
are often packaged with a plastic shrink sleeve extending at least
partially over the container closure and downward onto the
container itself. Unfortunately, these shrink sleeves can often be
very difficult for a consumer to remove in order to open the
container and gain access to the product therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle cap according to
the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an interior of a bottle cap
according to the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the interior of a bottle cap
according to the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a bottle cap according
to the present invention taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional, partially cut away view of a
bottle cap denoting exemplary dimensions in accordance with an
aspect of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that
may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are
not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or
minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore,
specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not
to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis
for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present
invention.
[0013] According to an aspect of the present invention, a
leak-proof closure for a container is provided which also
facilitates easier removal of tamper-evident sealing means on the
exterior of the container. With reference to FIG. 1, a bottle cap
in accordance with an aspect of the present invention is
illustrated and designated generally by reference numeral 10. The
bottle cap 10 may be used for sealing a container (not shown), such
as a bottle, having a neck. The container may hold a liquid
substance which, according to one non-limiting aspect of the
present invention, may be a liquid energy supplement or an energy
drink. Such a liquid energy supplement or energy drink may contain
one or more of the following ingredients: niacin, vitamin B6 (e.g.,
as pyridoxine hydrochloride), folic acid, and vitamin B12 (e.g., as
cyanocobalamin), taurine, glucuronolactone, malic acid, N-acetyl
L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, caffeine, and citicoline.
[0014] Referring again to FIG. 1, as well as to FIGS. 2-5, bottle
cap 10 has a generally circular top wall 12 having a top face 14
and a bottom face 16. An annular outer skirt 18 having an outer
surface 20 and an inner surface 22 depends downwardly from the
outermost periphery of the top wall 12. The outer surface 20 may be
ribbed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, for easier gripping by a
consumer. The inner surface 22 includes a threaded portion 24,
which may have a standard helical configuration, arranged to
cooperate with a correspondingly shaped threaded portion on an
exterior of the container neck (not shown) in order to secure the
bottle cap 10 to the container. Of course, other means for
attaching the bottle cap 10 to the container are also fully
contemplated. According to a non-limiting aspect of the present
invention, as depicted in FIG. 5, an outer diameter of the bottle
cap 10 may be approximately 0.9 inches, an inner diameter of the
bottle cap 10 between the outer skirt inner surfaces 22 may be
approximately 0.8 inches, the height of the bottle cap 10 may be
approximately 0.6 inches, and the length of the outer skirt 18 to
the top wall bottom face 16 may be approximately 0.5 inches. Of
course, it is understood that the bottle cap 10 according to the
present invention is not limited to these absolute or relative
dimensions.
[0015] The bottle cap 10 further includes an annular inner skirt
26, or plug, as depicted in FIGS. 2-5, arranged to sealingly engage
within the inner diameter of the container neck. Inner skirt 26
also depends downwardly from the top wall 12, set radially inward
from the outer skirt 18 in concentric relationship thereto. The
inner skirt 26 also may act to guide the bottle cap 10 into
position on the container, and may include a taper, as best shown
in FIG. 5, which may further facilitate locating and inserting the
inner skirt 26 with respect to the container neck. According to a
non-limiting aspect of the present invention, as depicted in FIG.
5, an outer diameter of the inner skirt 26 may be approximately 0.6
inches, an inner diameter of the inner skirt 26 may be
approximately 0.5 inches, a thickness of the inner skirt 26 may be
approximately 0.03 inches, and a depth of the inner skirt 26 may be
approximately 0.09 inches, wherein a length of the taper may be
approximately 0.04 inches. Therefore, the inner skirt 26 may have a
length of about 20% of the length of the outer skirt 18. Again, it
is understood that the bottle cap 10 according to the present
invention is not limited to these absolute or relative
dimensions.
[0016] When the bottle cap 10 is fitted onto the container, the
inner skirt 26 contacts an inner surface of the container neck
which abuts the top wall bottom face 16, such that the container
neck is tightly received between the outer and inner skirts 18, 26,
thereby sealing the container and impeding the loss of fluid
therefrom. A tight interference fit may be created by properly
sizing the inner skirt 26 and the container neck inner diameter in
order to prevent the liquid contents of the container from leaking,
even under conditions such as freezing/thawing which induce
internal pressure changes in the container.
[0017] In further accordance with an aspect of the present
invention, the bottle cap 10 may be injection molded and have a
one-piece construction formed from a plastic material. According to
one aspect of the present invention, the bottle cap 10 may be
constructed from polypropylene, or from a co-polymer of
polypropylene and ethylene propylene. The addition of ethylene
propylene to the base polypropylene material may reduce brittleness
and increase impact resistance of the bottle cap 10. Of course, it
is understood that other materials are also contemplated for the
construction of bottle cap 10.
[0018] Ingredients specific to liquid energy supplements or energy
drinks (these terms used interchangeably herein), such as vitamin
B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid, may oxidize and subsequently
undergo an unappealing color change. When prior art foam liners are
used for sealing purposes, soaking of the liquid into edges of the
foam liner may result in oxidation, with the residue appearing as a
dark substance which is typically unappealing to a consumer. Use of
the bottle cap 10 with inner skirt 26 according to the present
invention eliminates this problem encountered with liquid energy
supplements or energy drinks. In addition, the plastic material
used for construction of the bottle cap 10 offers a much higher
level of impermeability to oxygen than does open cell foam used in
prior art foam liners, such that the shelf life of the liquid
energy supplement or energy drink can be extended.
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4-5, according to one aspect
of the present invention, top wall top face 14 may be generally
concave and outer skirt 18 may include an annular rim 28 extending
upwardly from the top face 14 around the perimeter of the top wall
12. In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present
invention, a distance from a plane defined by the rim 28 to the top
face 14 may vary from approximately 0.095 inches near the rim 28 to
approximately 0.105 inches at or near the center of the top wall
12. As such, the distance from the center of the top face 14 of the
top wall 12 to the plane defined by the rim 28 maybe about 10%,
15%, or 20% of the overall height of the bottle cap 10. However, it
is understood that the bottle cap 10 is not limited to these
absolute or relative dimensions. It is also understood that the
term "concave" as used herein is not restricted to describing a
surface with a constant radius of curvature, but rather is used to
denote the general appearance of the surface.
[0020] In one embodiment, the concavity of the top wall 12 spans
about 80%, 85%, or 90% of the diameter of the bottle cap 10,
although other proportions are also contemplated. The concavity of
top face 14 allows the shrink sleeve to span partially across the
concavity, and is of sufficient diameter to offer an avenue for a
finger or fingernail of a consumer to gain easier access to an edge
of the shrink sleeve on the bottle cap 10. The size of the concave
top face 14 also provides an ergonomic surface which cooperates
with the natural curve of a consumer's finger to aid in removing
the shrink sleeve packaging.
[0021] With continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 4-5, the rim 28 may
serve several purposes. As described above, one purpose may be to
exaggerate the height difference between the shrink sleeve and the
concavity of top face 14, allowing a consumer easy access to the
edge of the shrink sleeve to facilitate its removal. A second
purpose of the rim 28 may be to reinforce the bottle cap 10 to
resist breakage should the container be dropped or the cap 10
otherwise impact a hard surface. A minimal amount of plastic
material is required for construction of the rim 28, which produces
a light yet strong bottle cap 10. In one embodiment, the rim 28 may
have a thickness of about 10% or 15% of the diameter of the bottle
cap 10, although other proportions are also contemplated.
Maintaining a lightweight bottle cap 10 is cost effective and
promotes fast cycle times during the injection molding process.
Still further, the combination of the rim 28 and the steepness of
its angled connection with the concave top face 14 create a unique
"shadow box" effect to highlight any indicia provided on the top
face 14, such as a logo 30 as depicted in FIG. 1. A consumer's eye
may be drawn to the recessed logo 30 and the contrast between the
logo 30 and the background, and thus this configuration may create
a unique, three-dimensional brand identity. Of course, it is
understood that the specific logo 30 depicted herein is purely
exemplary, and that other logos or indicia are fully contemplated
according to the present invention.
[0022] While aspects of the invention have been illustrated and
described, it is not intended that these aspects illustrate and
describe all possible forms of the invention. It is understood that
the features of various implementing aspects may be combined to
form further aspects of the invention. The words used in the
specification are words of description rather than limitation, and
it is understood that various changes may be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *