Container cap securing and venting
AssigneeCelebrate Everywhere, LLC
InventorsJohn R. Bergida, Marvin M. Bergida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In consumer-market containers for beverages or other contents under pressure, the cap provides a gas-tight seal by way of two mechanisms that work interdependently. The first is a pressure grip configured to grip at least one of a) the inside wall of the container and, b) the outside wall of the container. The second is twist threads, or some other second attachment structure, that urges the inside of the cap (or, typically, a cap liner disposed thereon) against the rim of the container. Release of pressurized gases when the container is first opened can be by way of release vents in the cap, or via the bottom of the cap through the twist thread area. In the latter case, particular configurations of the pressure grip are relied on to establish the gas escape path.
Claims46
A manufactured product comprising
- a container having a substantially cylindrical sidewall defining a rimmed circular opening and having twist threads on the sidewall,
- a cap including a top end covering a rim of the opening, a sidewall, twist threads on the sidewall that are engaged with the twist threads of the container, and a pressure grip affixed to the cap so that the pressure grip rotates along with rotation of the sidewall as the twist threads of the sidewall are rotatably engaged with or disengaged from the twist threads of the container, at least a portion of the pressure grip being in binding contact with the sidewall of the container, and
- pressurized contents within the container that exert a gas-induced internal force on an underside of the cap's top end,
- wherein the cap is in an initial position that seals the contents in the container,
- wherein the pressure grip includes a radially outwardly facing surface facing a radially inwardly facing surface of the cap,
- wherein the pressure grip, the twist threads of the container and the twist threads of the cap are configured in such a way that they each contribute to a holding force applied to said cap which opposes said gas-induced internal force and holds said cap onto said container as to prevent at least a) dislodgement of said cap and b) substantial escape of contents from said container, and
- wherein at least 10% of the holding force at least at one stage from when the container is completely sealed to when the container is completely opened is provided by the pressure grip.
A manufactured product comprising
- a container having a substantially cylindrical sidewall defining a rimmed circular opening and having twist threads on the sidewall,
- a cap including a top end covering the rim of the opening, a sidewall, twist threads on the sidewall that are engaged with the twist threads of the container, and a circular member affixed to the cap so that the circular member rotates along with rotation of the sidewall as the twist threads of the sidewall are rotatably engaged with or disengaged from the twist threads of the container, and
- contents under gas pressure within the container,
- wherein the cap is in an initial position that seals the contents in the container,
- wherein the circular member includes a portion spaced apart from the sidewall of the cap and a radially outwardly facing surface facing a radially inwardly facing surface of the cap,
- wherein at least a portion of the circular member bindingly contacts an inner surface of the container sidewall to contribute to a holding force applied to said cap which opposes said gas pressure and holds said cap onto said container,
- wherein at least 10% of the holding force at least at one stage from when the container is completely sealed to when the container is completely opened is provided by the circular member, and
- wherein the circular member is formed in such a way that gas can enter a space that is formed between the inner surface of the cap and the rim of the container upon the cap being untwisted to a position at which the gas is no longer sealed within the container by the cap.
A twist cap configured to seal a substance within a container when the twist cap has been twisted to a sealing position onto the container, the container being of a type that has a substantially cylindrical sidewall defining a rimmed circular opening and twist threads on the sidewall, the twist cap including a top end that covers the rim of the opening when the twist cap is twisted onto the container, a sidewall, twist threads on the sidewall that are engageable with the twist threads of the container when the twist cap is twisted onto the container, and a pressure grip affixed to the cap so that the pressure grip rotates along with rotation of the sidewall as the twist threads of the sidewall are rotatably engaged with or disengaged from the twist threads of the container, the pressure grip being configured in such a way that at least a portion of the pressure grip is in binding contact with the sidewall of the container when the twist cap has been twisted onto the container,
- wherein the pressure grip includes a radially outwardly facing surface facing a radially inwardly facing surface of the cap,
- wherein the pressure grip and the twist threads of the twist cap are configured in such a way that when a gas-induced force from within the container is applied against an underside of the cap's top end, the pressure grip and the twist threads each contribute to a holding force applied to said cap which opposes said gas-induced force and holds said cap onto said container, and
- wherein at least 10% of the holding force at least at one stage from when the container is completely sealed to when the container is completely opened is provided by the pressure grip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.