BOTTLE CAP WITH A FLIP LID

Abstract

A bottle cap with a flip top is provided that allows easier access to contents of a bottle than conventional twist-off caps. The bottle cap can be made from plastic materials including PET, HDPE, LDPE, or polypropylene. The cap includes a hole through its top surface, and a flip top that conforms to the shape of the hole and can be attached to the cap body by a flexible hinge. The perimeters of the flip top and the opening are provided with a plurality of ridges that interlock to form a mechanical seal when the flip top is pressed down. The area-to-perimeter ratio of the cap opening can be less than about 3/16 inches, to provide a seal that resists internal pressure from carbonated beverages. The cap can be affixed to a bottle using screw threads, an interlocking clamp, or adhesives. Tamper-resistant seals can also be provided on the cap.

Claims

1. A bottle cap, comprising: a cap body configured to be affixed to the top of a bottle; and a flip top coupled to an upper surface of the cap body with a flexible hinge; wherein the cap body is provided with an opening through a portion of the upper surface of the cap body; wherein the flip top comprises a protruding seal on a bottom surface thereof that is configured to fit within the opening; and wherein each of the perimeter of the protruding seal and the perimeter of the opening are provided with a plurality of ridges, such that the flip top forms a mechanical seal with the top of the bottle cap when it is pressed down over the opening.

2. The bottle cap of claim 1, further comprising a tab provided on the perimeter of the flip top away from the flexible hinge to facilitate lifting of the flip top.

3. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the bottle cap is configured to be affixed to the top of a bottle using at least one of screw threads, a mechanical clamping arrangement, or an adhesive.

4. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the bottle cap is formed of a plastic material that includes at least one of polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, or polyethylene terephthalate.

5. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein an area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening is less than about 3/16 inches.

6. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein an area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening is less than about ¼ inches.

7. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein an area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening is less than about 5/16 inches.

8. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the opening is provided with a teardrop shape.

9. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the opening is provided with a substantially round shape.

10. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the opening is provided with a shape that is at least one of oval or ovoid.

11. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the flip top is substantially flush with a top surface of the bottle cap when it is in a closed position.

12. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the flip top is attached to a portion of the perimeter of the opening by at least one attachment point, wherein the at least one attachment point is configured to be separated when the flip top is raised for the first time.

13. The bottle cap of claim 1, further comprising a sealing film that is adhered to both the protruding seal on a bottom surface of the flip top and to a perimeter of the opening, wherein the sealing film is configured to be torn when the flip top is raised for the first time.

14. The bottle cap of claim 1, wherein the opening comprises a tapered wall that extends below the upper surface of the cap body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Further objects, features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures showing illustrative examples, results, and/or features of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, in which:

[0018] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a bottle cap with a flip top in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 1B is a frontal view of the bottle cap shown in FIG. 1A, with the flip top raised;

[0020] FIG. 1C is a side view of the bottle cap shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a side view of a bottle cap with a flip top that is provided with screw threads for attachment to a bottle;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a side view of a bottle cap with a flip top that is provided with an attachment surface configured to be adhered to the neck of a bottle;

[0023] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a bottle cap with a flip top that is provided with an interlocking clamp arrangement for attachment to a bottle;

[0024] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a bottle cap with a flip top that is provided with a tapered opening; and

[0025] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the bottle cap shown in FIG. 5A.

[0026] The various embodiments of the disclosure are described herein with reference to the figures, where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Further features and advantages of the disclosure as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. To the extent that the present disclosure does reference the figures, it is done so in connection with the illustrative embodiments and is not limited by the particular embodiments illustrated in the figures. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure can provide a bottle cap with a flip lid that is able to reliably seal the contents of a bottle, including pressurized contents such as carbonated beverages and the like, while providing more convenient access to the contents of the bottle than conventional screw-on caps. A bottle cap 100 in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosure is illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, which show a perspective view, a front view, and a side view, respectively, of the bottle cap 100 with the flip top 130 opened.

[0028] The bottle cap 100 includes a cap body 110 that is configured to surround and couple to the neck opening area of a bottle. The bottle cap 100 also includes a flip lid 130 that can be attached to the cap body 110 by a flexible hinge 135. The hinge 135 can be formed of the same material as the bottle cap 100 and flip lid 130. In such embodiments, the entire cap 100 can be formed of a single material, e.g., by an injection molding process or the like. In an embodiment, the hinge can be formed of a different material from the bottle cap and/or flip lid.

[0029] The bottle cap 100 includes an upper surface 120 of the cap body that contains an opening 160 therethrough, which facilitates access to the contents of the bottle when the flip top 130 is raised or opened. The flip top 130 is shaped and configured to completely cover the opening 160 when it is closed, forming a seal on the bottle cap 100 to prevent escape of the bottle contents. The opening 160 extends over only a portion of the upper surface 120 of the bottle cap 100. In some embodiments, the flip top 130 can be configured such that its upper surface is flush with the upper surface 120 of the bottle cap 100 when the flip top 130 is in a closed position.

[0030] A tab 140 can be provided on a portion of the flip top 130 and located on a side of the flip top 130 across from the flexible hinge 135. In some embodiments, a recess 150 can be provided in the upper surface 120 of the bottle cap 100, adjacent to the opening 160. Such recess 150 can be located under or proximal to the tab 140 when the flip top 130 is in the closed or sealed position. The recess 150 can facilitate access to the tab 140, e.g., to make it easier to lift the flip top 130 by the tab 140 to access the bottle contents. In further embodiments, the tab 140 can protrude slightly from the edge of the upper surface 120 to also facilitate lifting of the flip top 130 by the tab 140.

[0031] The lower surface of the flip top 130 includes a seal 175 that is shaped to fit precisely within the opening 160 when the flip top 130 is closed. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the seal 175 can be formed as a continuous wall protruding from the bottom of the flip top 130. This exemplary configuration can provide desirable sealing properties of the flip top 130 without requiring a lot of material to form the bottle cap 100. In further embodiments (not illustrated), the seal 175 can be provided as a solid protrusion extending from the bottom of the flip top 130, such that the center of the flip top 130 is thicker than its perimeter outside the seal 175. Such embodiment may provide more structural stability for sealing the opening 160 but would require additional material e.g., plastic) to form the flip top 130.

[0032] The outer perimeter of the seal 175 can be provided with one or more continuous ridges 170. Corresponding continuous ridges 180 can be provided along the inner wall of the opening 160. The ridges 170 can be clearly seen in the side view of FIG. 1C. The ridges 170, 180 can be configured to interlock and provide a strong mechanical seal when the flip top 130 is pressed down onto the upper surface 120 of the bottle cap 100. The outer edges of the ridges 170, 180 may be slightly rounded or beveled, as shown in FIG. 1C, to facilitate their interlocking and separation when the flip top 130 is opened and closed.

[0033] The number of ridges 170, 180 may be varied in different embodiments of the disclosure. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, there are two ridges 170 provided on the seal 175 and two ridges 180 provided around the opening 160. In further embodiments, either of the seal 175 or the opening 160 may be provided with a single ridge 170, 180. However, providing at least two ridges 170, 180 on each of the seal 175 and the opening 160 can provide a stronger seal of the opening 160 when the flip top 130 is pressed down in the closed position. In some embodiments, either of the seal 175 and/or the opening 160 may be provided with three or more such ridges 170, 180 to provide a stronger seal that is even more resistant to accidental opening of the flip top 130 due to internal pressure of the bottle contents. The number of ridges 170, 180 provided on a particular bottle cap 100 may be selected based on several factors including, e.g., the desired pressure to be contained, the ease of opening the flip top 130 (more ridges 170, 180 may require a larger force to lift the flip top 130 from the closed position), the material(s) used to form the bottle cap 100 (stiffer plastics may require fewer ridges 170, 180 to obtain a strong closure of the flip top 130), the cost to provide more ridges, etc. The seal 175 can be provided as a continuous wall configured to fit the opening 160, or as a solid protrusion that may provide additional mechanical stability and a stronger seal of the opening 160 when the flip top 130 is closed.

[0034] The bottle cap 100 can be formed from plastics used to make conventional bottle caps such as, e.g., PET (polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE (high-density polyethylene), LDPE (low-density polyethylene), or PP (polypropylene). Such materials are commonly used to form plastic bottles and caps. Other types of plastics and/or other materials can be used to form the bottle cap 100 or portions thereof in further embodiments.

[0035] The bottle cap 100 can be provided in a variety of sizes, depending on the size of the bottle opening and neck that the bottle cap 100 will be used with. For example, the most common size of a bottle cap used for many beverages is about 1-⅛ inches in diameter with the cap body 110 being about ½ inches high. This size cap is commonly used for a variety of beverage bottle sizes, including 12-oz, 16-oz, half-liter, liter, quart, 2-liter, and 3-liter bottles. In further embodiments, different sizes can be used to fit different sizes of bottle openings.

[0036] In some embodiments, the opening 160 (and corresponding seal 175) can be provided in a teardrop shape, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. Such shape facilitates easy poring of the bottle contents or drinking directly from the bottle when the flip top 130 is raised. In further embodiments, the opening 160 and seal 175 can be provided in a substantially round shape. Such round shape may provide similar access to the bottle contents, but it will have a slightly larger area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening 160, and thus may be slightly inferior in resisting internal pressure of the bottle contents as compared to the elongated teardrop shape, for a given configuration of the ridges 170, 180 and bottle cap material chosen. In further embodiments, the opening 160 and corresponding seal 175 can be provided in a more narrow oval or ovoid shape, which may increase the ability of the flip top 130 to remain closed at higher internal bottle pressures, but may also reduce the pour rate of liquids through the narrower opening 160.

[0037] The flip top 130 and the opening 160 can be sized to cover only a portion of the upper surface 120 of the bottle cap 100. For a conventional beverage cap, the length of the opening 160 and flip top 130 can be about ½ inches to about ¾ inches long. This relatively small size of the opening 160 and flip top 130 may be important for bottle caps 100 used to contain pressurized contents in a bottle, such as carbonated beverages. For example, the upward force on a closed flip top 130 is roughly proportional to the area of the opening 160 for a given internal bottle pressure, whereas the closure or retaining force of the flip top 130 is roughly proportional to the total length of the ridges 170, 180 (e.g., to the perimeter length of the opening 160) for a given number and geometry of the ridges 170, 180. The particular bottle cap embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C has been shown to be effective for providing a reliable seal against pressurized contents typical of carbonated beverages.

[0038] For example, the area-to-perimeter ratio of a round opening 160 is equal to R/2, where R is the radius of the circular opening. (The area of a circular opening is πR.sup.2 and its perimeter is 2πR, yielding a ratio of R/2.) Because this ratio is roughly proportional to the ratio of pressure forces on the flip top 130 to retaining or locking forces on the flip top 130, smaller values of this ratio are preferable to provide secure sealing of pressurized contents by the bottle cap 100. Accordingly, the exemplary bottle cap 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, sized for most common beverage bottles, has an opening 160 with an area-to-perimeter ration that is less than about 3/16 inches. Accordingly, the area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening 160 is preferably less than about this value of 3/16 inches for bottle caps 100 made from conventional plastic materials.

[0039] A larger ratio would result in larger pressure forces on the flip top 130 relative to the closure forces provided by the ridges 170, 180 around the perimeter of the seal 175 and the opening 160, respectively. Additionally, a non-circular opening, such as the exemplary teardrop-shaped opening 160 shown in FIG. 1A will have a smaller area-to-perimeter ratio than a circular opening having the same area. Accordingly, such non-circular openings 160 can provide a smaller area-to-perimeter ratio for an opening having a particular area as compared to a circular opening having the same area.

[0040] In further embodiments, the bottle cap 100 can be larger to accommodate larger bottle openings, but the area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening 160 should preferably remain less than a value of about 3/16 inches to ensure that the flip top 130 can reliably resist internal pressure to prevent accidental opening. In such embodiments, the flip top 130 would cover a smaller relative portion of the cap top 120 than the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A. In further embodiments, larger bottle caps 100 can be provided with somewhat larger openings 160, e.g., openings 160 having an area-to-perimeter ratio of about ¼ inches or even up to about 5/16 inches. The reliability of the flip top closure can be increased for such larger openings 160, e.g., by providing a seal 175 that is solid or has thick walls and/or providing additional ridges 170, 180 around the perimeter of the seal 175 and the opening 160, respectively.

[0041] Bottle caps in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the disclosure can be provided with various configurations for securing them to bottles. In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2, a bottle cap 200 can be provided with internal screw threads 210. Such threads 210 can be provided on the internal surface of the cap body 110. This configuration allows the bottle cap 200 to be easily screwed onto a conforming threaded bottle top, and is commonly used in plastic beverage containers.

[0042] In some embodiments, the bottle cap 200 can include a breakable seal around the bottom perimeter of the bottle cap (not illustrated) that is seated below a ridge on the bottle neck when the bottle cap 200 is fully screwed down onto a threaded bottle top. This type of seal is commonly used in plastic soda and water bottles, and provides a security seal that indicates the bottle cap 200 has never been removed if the seal is unbroken. This exemplary configuration allows the cap 200 to be twisted on and off like a conventional screw-on cap, but also provides easier access to the bottle contents by simply opening the flip top 130.

[0043] In a further embodiment, the bottle cap 200 can be provided with a non-breakable ridge seal around the bottom perimeter of the bottle cap (not illustrated) that can also be seated below a ridge on the bottle neck when the bottle cap 200 is fully screwed down onto a threaded bottle top. In this embodiment, the non-breakable seal affixes the bottle cap 200 permanently to the bottle such that it cannot be unscrewed once it is installed. In this embodiment, the cap 200 cannot be twisted off, and access to the bottle contents is achieved only by opening the flip top 130.

[0044] In a further embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 3, a bottle cap 300 can be provided similar to that shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. In this embodiment, the bottle cap 300 can be provided with a locking clamp 310 around the lower perimeter. This clamp 310 can be configured to slide over and interlock with a corresponding circumferential ridge 320 provided on the neck of a bottle 330. For example, the clamp 310 and the ridge 320 can be provided with angled and flat profiles such that the clamp 310 slides over the ridge 320 when the bottle cap 300 is pressed onto the top of the bottle 330. The upper edge of the clamp 310 can be configured to lock onto the lower side of the ridge 320 when the bottle cap 300 is fully pressed onto the top of the bottle 330, as shown in FIG. 3. This embodiment facilitates easy placement of the bottle cap 300 onto a bottle 330, where the bottle cap 300 cannot be easily removed from the bottle 330 after such placement, and access to the bottle contents is provided only through the opening 160 that can be exposed by lifting the flip top 130.

[0045] In still another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4, a bottle cap 400 can be provided similar to that shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. In this embodiment, the bottle cap 400 can be provided with an attachment surface 410 around the lower inside perimeter of the bottle cap body 110. This attachment surface 410 can be sized and shaped to be permanently affixed to the upper neck of a bottle. For example, the bottle cap 400 can be affixed to a bottle top using any one of various known techniques including, but not limited to, adhesives, cements, plastic welding, thermal bonding, and the like. The attachment surface 410 can be configured to conform to a portion of a particular bottle neck shape to provide improved adherence of the bottle cap 400 to a bottle. This embodiment facilitates permanent attachment of the bottle cap 400 onto a bottle, such that access to the bottle contents is provided only through the opening 160 that can be exposed by lifting the flip top 130.

[0046] In yet a further embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a bottle cap 500 can be provided similar to that shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. In this embodiment, the bottle cap 500 can be provided with an opening 560 that is tapered below the top surface 120 of the bottle cap 500 as defined by walls 570. Such tapered opening 560 can provide better flow of the bottle contents when poured from the bottle with the flip lid 130 raised. The exemplary bottle cap 500 can be configured to be affixed to a bottle as described in any of the other embodiments herein. For example, the bottle cap 500 with tapered opening 560 can be provided with internal threads 210 as shown in FIG. 2 for screw-on attachment; it can be provided with a locking clamp 310 as shown in FIG. 3 that is configured to interlock with a corresponding circumferential ridge 320 provided on the neck of a bottle 330; or it can be provided with an attachment surface 410 similar to that shown in FIG. 4, which can be sized and shaped to be adhered to the upper neck of a bottle using any of the techniques described herein.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 5B, the bottle cap 500 can be produced to fit on larger bottle openings than the exemplary bottle cap 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. For example, the bottle cap 500 can be between about 1.5 inches and 3 inches in diameter. Such larger caps can be configured to attach to the containers in any of the various ways described herein. These larger caps can have a similar opening, flip top, and various other features as described in the other embodiments herein. The size of the opening 560 (and of the corresponding flip top 130) is relatively small compared to the size of the upper surface 120 of bottle cap 500, such that the area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening 560 may remain below about 5/16 inches in certain embodiments, or below about ¼ inches in further embodiments. Such upper limits on the area-to-perimeter ratio of the opening 560 can provide secure sealing of the opening 560 by the flip top 130, as described herein, and can provide such effective sealing of the bottle contents even when the contents may be pressurized as is generally the case with carbonated beverages.

[0048] In further embodiments of the disclosure, a tamper-resistant seal or mechanism can be provided with any of the various embodiments described herein. For example, the tab 140 and/or certain points along the perimeter of the flip top 130 can be detachably affixed to adjacent locations on the cap surface 120 and/or notch area 150 surrounding the opening 160 when the flip top 130 is in the closed or sealed position. Such attachment points can be formed using localized thermal fusion, plastic welding, adhesives, or the like. The attachment points can be formed such that they will break easily when the flip top 130 is lifted for the first time, thereby providing visible and tactile feedback confirming that the flip top 130 had not been opened previously.

[0049] In another embodiment, any of the bottle caps 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 can be provided with a sealing film that can be broken upon first opening of such cap and provide visual evidence that the original bottle has remained sealed prior to such first opening. Such tamper-resistant sealing films are common in the bottling industry, and can be made using thin films of foil, plastic, or the like that can be punctured or torn without requiring excessive force.

[0050] For example, in one embodiment a sealing film can be provided over the top opening of a bottle, adhered to the upper rim, prior to installing a flip-top bottle cap. Upon opening the flip top 130 for the first time, the sealing film will be visible below the opening 160, 560, and can be easily punctured using a fingertip or other instrument. In a further embodiment, such a sealing film can be adhered to the lower portion of the opening 160, 560, rather than being adhered to the bottle top itself, and can be punctured in a similar manner.

[0051] In yet another embodiment, a sealing film can be provided that extends across the opening 160, 560, and is adhered to the lower edges of both the opening 160, 560 and the seal 175. In this embodiment, the sealing film can be broken when the flip top 130 is lifted up for the first time, tearing the sealing film away from the bottom edges of the opening 160, 560. In this manner, a user can receive visible and tactile feedback that the contents of the bottle were safely sealed prior to first usage of the flip-top cap. In still another embodiment, such sealing film can be provided only between the lower edges of both the opening 160, 560 and the seal 175, such that the sealing film has the shape of an open ring that does not span the entire width of the opening 160, 560. Such sealing film will also tear and provide tactile feedback upon the first lifting of the flip top 130.

[0052] In still further embodiments, attachment points between the flip top 130 and the cap surface 120 surrounding the opening 160, 560 can be provided together with any of the sealing film configurations described herein. Any other tamper-resistant packaging components and techniques known in the art may also be used with any of the bottle cap embodiments described herein.

[0053] In yet another embodiment, a bottle cap can be provided having a cap body that is not round in shape but is shaped to conform to a non-circular opening of a bottle or container. Such bottle caps can be configured to be secured to the bottle or container with a clamping arrangement, such as that shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, a non-circular cap can be configured to be adhered to the opening of a bottle or container, similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. These non-circular caps can include a similar opening, flip top, and various other features as described in the other embodiments herein.

[0054] The foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Other variations to the exemplary embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practising the claimed invention from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended paragraphs. The mere fact that certain features are described in different paragraphs and/or illustrated in different figures does not indicate that any combination of these features cannot be used advantageously. Various modifications and alterations to the described exemplary embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous techniques which, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the invention and are thus within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.