Tethered cap and spout
AssigneeNypro Inc.
InventorsJeffrey C. Minnette, Ryan P. Davidson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are tethered cap and spout combinations. The tethered cap and spout combinations prevent loss of the cap after opening. The tethered cap and spout combinations may provide mechanisms for puncturing or opening a seal that may be present at a throat or neck of the container which provides both an anti-tampering and freshness function. In an implementation, the tethered cap and spout combinations may provide anti-tampering mechanisms. The tethered cap and spout combinations may provide mechanisms to hold an opened and tethered cap away from the container opening during use.
Claims14
A tethered cap and spout combination comprising:
- a cap including a base, a sidewall, and a camming mechanism on an internal side of the base and the sidewall;
- the spout;
- a puncturing mechanism configured to engage the camming mechanism;
- a retaining element attached to the spout and positioned above the spout and below the cap;
- a tether having a first end connected to the retaining element and a second end connected to the sidewall of the cap, the tether comprising:
- a first hinge at the first end of the tether;
- a second hinge at the second end of the tether;
- and
- a retaining element lock mechanism positioned between the first hinge and the second hinge;
- and
- a rupture mechanism comprising:
- a spout portion connected to an upper surface of the spout;
- and
- retaining element portions connected to an outer surface of the retaining element and tearably connected to the spout portion,
- wherein rotating the cap relative to the spout severs the tearable connection between the spout portion and the retaining element portions,
- wherein the retaining element portions and the spout portion are configured to cooperatively maintain a position of the retaining element and the cap relative to the spout prior to rotating the cap and severing the tearable connection,
- wherein rotating the cap relative to the spout engages the camming mechanism with the puncturing mechanism to push the puncturing mechanism through a seal, and
- wherein the retaining element lock mechanism is configured to lock with a cap member formed on one of the retaining element portions of the rupture mechanism to hold the cap away from the spout after disengaging the cap from the retaining element by flipping open the cap.
A system comprising:
- a container;
- and
- a tethered cap and spout combination secured to the container,
- the tethered cap and spout combination comprising:
- a cap including a base and a sidewall;
- the spout;
- a retaining element secured to the spout and including a plurality of retaining element portions;
- a tether having a first end connected to the retaining element and a second end connected to the sidewall of the cap, the tether comprising:
- a first hinge at the first end of the tether;
- a second hinge at the second end of the tether;
- and
- a slot positioned between the first hinge and the second hinge;
- a first plurality of rupture elements connecting the sidewall of the cap to the retaining element;
- and
- a second plurality of rupture elements connecting the plurality of retaining element portions of the retaining element to the spout,
- wherein rotating the cap severs the second plurality of rupture elements,
- wherein the second plurality of rupture elements are configured to cooperatively maintain a defined position of the retaining element prior to cap rupture,
- wherein rotating the cap engages the tether to hold the cap, and
- wherein the slot is configured to engage a cap member formed on one of the retaining element portions of the plurality of retaining element portions to hold the cap away from an opening of the spout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.