Container cap assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10974878-B2
Application number	US-201716333697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2017
Priority date	Sep 20, 2016
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A cap assembly is used in a container. A food product to be dispensed from the container is in an inner volume of the container, and the inner volume of the container is closed by a lid. An identifier is arranged on the cap assembly and/or on a surface of the container. The cap assembly includes two parts relatively moveable with respect to each other in a relative movement. The relative movement and/or a solidary movement of these two parts allows displacement of the identifier according to a certain path and allows opening and/or closing a communication between the cap assembly and the inner volume of the container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cap assembly used in a container, the container comprising a food product in an inner volume of the container, the container configured to dispense the food product from the inner volume of the container, the inner volume of the container is closed by a lid:
wherein identification means are arranged on at least one of the cap assembly or a surface of the container,
wherein the cap assembly comprises two parts configured to move in a solidary movement when the two parts move in one direction and to move independently to each other in a relative movement when the two parts move in a reverse direction, such that the relative movement and/or the solidary movement of the two parts allow displacement of the identification means according to a certain path and allow opening and/or closing a communication between the cap assembly and the inner volume of the container.

2. The cap assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly is configured such that the relative movement and/or the solidary movement of the two parts further allows opening of the lid.

3. The cap assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the cap assembly is configured such that the opening of the lid is done by peeling, piercing and/or tearing of the lid.

4. The cap assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the two parts are rotatable with respect to each other.

5. The cap assembly according to claim 1 , wherein one of the two parts comprises a piercing element having a sharp profile, the sharp profile designed to be pressed towards the lid by the relative movement of the two parts, in order to pierce and open the lid.

6. The cap assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the two parts comprise one or a plurality of matching ramps and ramp followers, the one or plurality of matching ramps and ramp followers designed to dictate a path followed by the two parts during the relative movement with respect to each other.

7. The cap assembly according to claim 6 , further comprising a piercing element, wherein the cap assembly is configured such that the relative movement of the two parts on the path dictated and followed by the two parts presses the piercing element onto the lid and/or guides the piercing element to tear open the lid.

8. The cap assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising an outlet through which the food product in the container is dispensed, the outlet having a certain orientation facilitating the dispensing of the food product, the relative movement of the two parts being designed such that, when the communication between the cap assembly and the inner volume of the container is opened, the outlet is oriented for facilitating the dispensing of the food product.

9. A cap assembly according to claim 1 , used in a container, the container comprising a food product in an inner volume of the container, the container configured to dispense the food product from the inner volume of the container, the inner volume of the container is closed by a lid:
wherein identification means are arranged on at least one of the cap assembly or a surface of the container,
wherein the cap assembly comprises two parts relatively moveable with respect to each other in a relative movement, such that the relative movement of the two parts and/or a solidary movement of the two parts allow displacement of the identification means according to a certain path and allow opening and/or closing a communication between the cap assembly and the inner volume of the container,
wherein the cap assembly further comprises an additional identification member provided by one or a plurality of obstacles in the relative movement of the two parts, wherein the additional identification member is configured such that torque is required to move the two parts to overcome the one or plurality of obstacles.

10. The cap assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the element of the cap assembly is designed such that movement of the cap assembly in a first direction allows engagement of the element of the cap assembly with the external retention element and movement of the cap assembly in a second direction which is reverse to the first direction maintains disengagement of the element of the cap assembly from the external retention element.

11. The cap assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the cap assembly is configured such that engagement of the cap assembly to the container is performed constantly by the external retention element.

12. The cap assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the cap assembly is configured such that engagement of the cap assembly to the container is performed by an active blocking at selected times.

13. The cap assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the cap assembly is configured such that engagement of the cap assembly to the container is performed passively by a mechanical element.

14. A cap assembly used in a container, the container comprising a food product in an inner volume of the container, the container configured to dispense the food product from the inner volume of the container, the inner volume of the container is closed by a lid:
wherein identification means are arranged on at least one of the cap assembly or a surface of the container,
wherein the cap assembly comprises two parts relatively moveable with respect to each other in a relative movement, such that the relative movement of the two parts and/or a solidary movement of the two parts allow displacement of the identification means according to a certain path and allow opening and/or closing a communication between the cap assembly and the inner volume of the container,
the cap assembly further comprising an element designed to engage with an external retention element to thereby allow the relative movement of the two parts of the cap assembly with respect to each other.

15. A container system comprising:
a container comprising a food product inside an inner volume of the container;
a lid closing the inner volume of the container;
a cap assembly configured for the food product to be dispensed from the container through the cap assembly; and
identification means arranged on at least one of the cap assembly or a surface of the container,
wherein the cap assembly comprises two parts configured to move in a solidary movement when the two parts move in one direction and to move independently to each other in a relative movement while the two parts move in a reverse direction, such that the relative movement and/or the solidary movement of the two parts allow displacement of the identification means according to a certain path and allow opening and/or closing a communication between the cap assembly and the inner volume of the container.

16. The container system according to claim 15 , wherein the container is designed being at least partially collapsible, allowing dispensing of the product through the cap assembly when the container is pressed.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Noth Andre
• Kollep Alexandre
• Neurohr Damien
• Jaquier Etienne Claude

Classifications

• B65D85/78 Primary

  for ice-cream · CPC title

• B65D2203/06

  Arrangements on packages concerning bar-codes · CPC title

• A23G9/22

  Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups · CPC title

• B65D85/72

  for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials · CPC title

• B65D1/0292

  Foldable bottles · CPC title