Patent ID: 8689988
Filing Date: 2014-04-08
Classification: A61J,B65D

Abstract:
1. An indexing cap assembly for use with a container construction to track container entry via the cap assembly, the container construction comprising an upwardly extending container rim and a cap retention means for retaining the cap assembly, the indexing cap assembly comprising: a cover construction, the cover construction comprising an upper cover portion, a cover skirt, a series of assembly ring hooks, a series of cover gears, a cover hub, and a series of plate flange hooks, the upper cover portion comprising an indicator window, the cover skirt extending axially downward from the upper cover portion at a first cover radius and terminating at a skirt terminus, the indicator window radially extending toward the cover skirt, the assembly ring hooks extending radially inward from a cover skirt portion adjacent the skirt terminus, the gears extending radially inward from a cover skirt portion adjacent the upper cover portion, the cover hub comprising a hub slot and extending axially downward from the upper cover portion at a second cover radius, the plate flange hooks extending axially downward from the upper cover portion at a third cover radius intermediate the first and second cover radii; an annular indexing wheel, the indexing wheel comprising a planar upper wheel portion, an inner wheel skirt, an outer wheel skirt, a series of wheel gears, and opposed wheel spring fingers, the inner and outer wheel skirts extending axially downward from the wheel portion at respective first and second wheel radii, the wheel gears extending downwardly from the wheel portion adjacent the outer skirt, the wheel spring fingers extending radially outwardly from the outer wheel skirt and comprising wheel finger termini, the wheel spring fingers being biasable intermediate a wheel finger biased position and a wheel finger relaxed position, the wheel finger termini being at the second wheel radius when in the biased wheel finger position and meshable with the cover gears when in the relaxed wheel finger position; a compression coil spring member, the compression coil spring member having a substantially uniform spring radius; an annular swing plate, the swing plate comprising a planar swing plate portion, a swing plate skirt, an inner skirt flange, a series of angled slots, and a plate spring finger, the plate skirt extending axially downward from the plate portion at a first plate radius, the angled slots being formed in a radially outer surface of the plate skirt, the plate finger having a plate finger terminus, the plate finger extending upwardly from the plate portion at a second plate radius, the plate spring finger being biasable intermediate a plate finger biased position and a plate finger relaxed position, the plate finger terminus being coplanar with the plate portion when in the biased plate finger position and meshable with the wheel gears when in the relaxed plate finger position; a push plate, the push plate comprising a push plate axis, an annular push plate portion, a planar push plate portion, a push plate skirt, a push plate hub, a series of push plate posts, and a push plate rib, the push plate skirt extending upwardly from the planar push plate portion at a first push plate radius, the push plate skirt comprising a push plate terminus, the annular push plate portion extending radially outward from the push plate skirt, the push plate hub extending upwardly from the planar push plate portion at a second push plate radius, the push plate posts extending radially inward from the push plate skirt adjacent the push plate terminus for meshing with the angled slots, the push plate rib extending radially inward from the push plate hub for meshing with the hub slot; an annular assembly ring, the assembly ring comprising an inner ring diameter, an outer ring diameter, a series of ring posts, a series of ring flanges, and a series of ring spokes, the ring posts extending radially inward from the inner diameter for meshing with container mouth hooks of a container, the ring flanges extending radially inward from the inner ring diameter for stopping the annular push plate portion, the ring spokes extending radially outward from the outer ring diameter for meshing with the assembly ring hooks; the annular indexing wheel being rotatively received intermediate the cover gears and the plate flange hooks, the wheel fingers meshing with the cover gears when in the relaxed wheel finger position, the wheel finger termini and cover gears for cooperably step-advancing the annular indexing wheel relative to the cover construction an angular rotational degree equal to 360 degrees divided by a number of cover gears; the plate flange hooks receiving and hook-supporting the inner skirt flange thereby supporting and rotatively mounting said indexing wheel to said cover construction, the plate finger meshing with the wheel gears when in the relaxed plate finger position, the plate finger terminus and wheel gears for cooperably drive-advancing the indexing wheel relative to the cover construction the angular rotational degree; the spring member being supported by the planar push plate portion in radial outer adjacency to the push plate hub, the inner diameter of the push plate hub receiving the outer diameter of the cover hub such that the push plate rib is received in the hub slot, the push plate posts are received in the angled slots, and the spring member is compressed intermediate the planar push plate and upper cover portions, the push plate thereby being spring-biased and movable up and down intermediate an upper wheel-advancing position and a lower gear-resetting position, the push plate posts and angled slots for converting axially-directed force into wheel-advancing force; the assembly ring hooks receiving and hook-supporting the ring spokes of the assembly ring thereby finally assembling the cap assembly, the ring flanges for providing stop structure to the annular push plate portion thereby defining the lower gear-resetting position when the spring member forces the push plate construction in an axial direction away from the upper cover portion, the plate finger terminus resetting at the wheel gear interface when the push plate construction is in the lower gear-resetting position, the ring posts for removably attaching the cap assembly to the container via the cap retention means, the upwardly extending container rim for forcing the planar push plate portion toward the wheel-advancing position when the cap assembly is attached to the container, the spring member for forcing the planar push plate portion toward the gear-resetting position when the cap assembly is detached from the container.