Bottle screw caps and methods for making and using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358694-B2
Application number	US-202017754875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2020
Priority date	Oct 17, 2019
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A screw cap ( 14, 502 ) configured to be removably attachable to a bottle ( 12 ) includes a base ( 40 ) and an annular skirt ( 42, 508 ) extending downwardly therefrom. One or more threads ( 32 ) extend radially inwardly from an interior surface of the skirt ( 42, 508 ). A retention feature ( 509 ) extends radially inwardly from the interior surface of the skirt ( 42, 508 ). The retention feature ( 509 ) is configured to produce at least one of an audible response or a tactile response when the cap ( 14, 502 ) is rotated with respect to a bottle ( 12 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A screw cap configured to be removably attachable to a bottle, the screw cap comprising:
a planar base,
a seal member disposed on an interior surface of the base; and
an annular skirt extending downwardly from an outer periphery of the base, the skirt having a first end proximate the base and an opposing second free end, the skirt having a first portion proximate the first end and a second portion proximate the second free end, the first portion and the second portion in combination extending an entire height of an interior surface of the skirt, an entire interior surface of the second portion being spaced radially outwardly from an entire interior surface of the first portion such that the interior surface of the second portion extends in a different plane from the interior surface of the first portion, one or more threads extending radially inwardly from the interior surface of the first portion of the skirt, a retention feature including a projection extending radially inwardly from the skirt, the projection being fixed with respect to the skirt, the retention feature being configured to produce at least one of an audible response or a tactile response when the cap is rotated with respect to a bottle, the skirt including a passageway extending therethrough, the passageway extending along two or more axes, at least two of the two or more axes extending perpendicular to each other, the skirt further including a tamper evident feature therein or thereon, the tamper evident feature including a body configured to be separable from the skirt, the body being positioned at a distance away from the second free end of the skirt toward the first end of the skirt, the tamper evident feature including at least two extensions extending from and connecting opposing lateral sides of the body to a remainder of the skirt, the body being rectangular, each of the at least two extensions having a longitudinal axis extending parallel to a bottom surface of the skirt,
wherein a gap exists between top and bottom sides of the body and the skirt.

2. The screw cap of claim 1 , wherein the projection extends radially inwardly from the skirt further than the one or more threads.

3. The screw cap of claim 1 , wherein the seal member comprises a thermoplastic elastomer seal member disposed on the interior surface of the base around the entire periphery of the base, the thermoplastic elastomer seal member being configured to engage and form a seal with an end portion of a neck of the bottle.

4. The screw cap of claim 1 , further comprising at least one flexible lip seal member depending downwardly from the interior surface of the base and being disposed concentric and internal with respect to the annular skirt.

5. The screw cap of claim 4 , wherein the at least one flexible lip seal member comprises a first flexible lip seal member and a second flexible lip seal member each configured to engage and form a seal with one of an inner surface or an outer surface of the neck of the bottle.

6. The screw cap of claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer seal member is disposed between the first flexible lip seal member and the second flexible lip seal member.

7. The screw cap of claim 1 , wherein the tamper evident feature includes at least two extensions connecting the body to a remainder of the skirt.

8. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein the at least two extensions include four spaced-apart extensions.

9. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the extensions is configured to break when at least a portion of the body of the tamper evident feature is sufficiently moved past or over a portion of the bottle.

10. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein the projection and the skirt are devoid of a hinge.

11. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein when viewed in a cross-sectional elevation view, a bottom surface of the projection extends perpendicularly to an interior surface of the skirt.

12. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein the retention feature produces the at least one of an audible response or the tactile response when the retention feature passes over a retention feature extending from the bottle.

13. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein the projection is located between the second free end of the skirt and the one or more threads.

14. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein the seal member is a compression seal member formed of an elastomer, the compression seal member being configured to elastically and resiliently deform and expand when the screw cap is attached to the bottle.

15. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein the projection is located where the first portion and the second portion meet.

16. The screw cap of claim 7 , wherein the first portion and the second portion in combination extending an entire height of an exterior surface of the skirt, and wherein an exterior surface of the second portion being spaced radially outwardly from an exterior surface of the first portion such that the exterior surface of the second portion extends in a different plane from the exterior surface of the first portion.

Assignees

• Csp Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Giraud Jean-Pierre
• Myers Kasey
• Abrams William

Classifications

• B65D2251/205

  Inserted · CPC title

• B65D2251/01

  making a sound upon actuation · CPC title

• B65D53/02

  Collars or rings · CPC title

• B65D41/0471

  with means for positioning the cap on the container, or for limiting the movement of the cap, or for preventing accidental loosening of the cap · CPC title

• B65D41/0442 Primary

  Collars or rings (B65D41/0457 takes precedence) · CPC title