Abstract:
A cap for a bottle having a safety seal over its mouth, the cap provided with one or more integral seal-cutting fins to facilitate removal of the safety seal. The cap further includes mouth alignment ribs and may include one or more depressor fins. The cap may have an inner stage and an outer stage. When inverted, the cap may be positioned on the lip of the mouth of a heat induction sealed bottle. Upon application of downward force and rotation of the cap, the seal-cutting fins score or cut the safety seal to facilitate removal of the seal. The depressor fin(s) prevents the entire circumference of the seal from being scored or cut, and therefore reduces the risk that the seal will fall into the bottle during removal of the seal.

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure relates generally to caps for bottles and, more specifically, to caps having integral structure to impart score lines to safety seals to facilitate removal of the safety seal provided over the mouth of a bottle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A variety of bottled products, such as windshield washer fluid, are sold with spill-proof and tamper-resistant heat induction safety seals that cover the mouth of the bottle. Heat induction safety seals include, for example, foil seals, wax seals, cellophane seals, and seals made from a combination of these materials. These safety seals are difficult to remove from the mouth of the bottle without the aid of a sharp object such as a utility knife, particularly for individuals having limited dexterity. While it is common practice to attempt to push through the safety seal on a bottle mouth with one&#39;s thumb, the safety seal can be hard to break through, and once broken, the user&#39;s thumb undesirably comes into contact with the bottled contents. 
     Although tools are available to cut through safety seals, and some safety seals include peel-initiating or tear-initiating tabs, there is a need for a more convenient and reliable manner of facilitating removal of safety seals. Such peel-initiating or tear-initiating tabs can still be difficult to use and increase the manufacturing cost of the safety seals due, for example, to the additional cutting operations necessary to impart the tab to the seal and the measures needed to avoid application of adhesive to the undersurface of the tab. 
     SUMMARY 
     A cap for the mouth of a safety-sealed bottle, such as an injection molded child-proof safety cap, is provided with one or more seal-cutting fins on a top surface of the cap. A bottle, as used herein, includes not only bottles but also jugs and jars. A cap, as used herein, includes not only caps but also lids, covers, and tops such as bottle tops. The cap is preferably additionally provided with a plurality of mouth alignment ribs preferably arranged along the perimeter of the top surface of the cap. Alternately, a mouth alignment ring may be arranged along the entire circumference of the perimeter of the top surface of the cap. In use, once removed from the threaded mouth of the bottle, the cap is inverted. Using the mouth alignment ribs or the mouth alignment ring as a guide, the user then positions and centers the inverted cap on the lip of the mouth of the bottle. The user then applies downward force to the cap and rotates the cap relative to the bottle. Upon removal of the inverted cap from the lip of the mouth of the bottle, the safety seal, which has either been punctured or scored by the seal-cutting fins upon the rotation of the cap relative to the bottle, can then be easily removed by the user. 
     The seal-cutting fins taper from a dwell closest to the top of the cap to at least one, and preferably two, peak(s). The height of the peaks (i.e., the maximum height of the seal-cutting fins) off the top of the cap is less than the height of the mouth alignment ribs or the mouth alignment ring. In this manner, the seal-cutting fins have a lower profile than the mouth alignment ribs or the mouth alignment ring so that the seal-cutting fins do not poke the palm of a user&#39;s hand when the user presses down and turns the cap when upright to remove the cap from a bottle. 
     In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the cap is provided with one or more depressor fins on the top surface of the cap. The purpose of the depressor fin(s) is to prevent the user from puncturing or scoring the entire circumference of the safety seal because doing so can cause the safety seal to fall into the bottle. The depressor fin(s) taper to an apex that is rounded in order to impart a groove in, but avoid puncturing, the safety seal. The height of the apex of the depressor fin(s) is greater than the height of the peak(s) of the seal-cutting fin(s). As with the seal-cutting fins, the height of the apex (i.e., the maximum height of the depressor fin(s)) off the top of the cap is less than the height of the mouth alignment ribs or the mouth alignment ring to avoid feeling sharp to the palm of a user&#39;s hand when the user presses down and turns the cap when upright to remove the cap from a bottle. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the cap has a seal-cutting fin with a single peak and a single depressor fin. The depressor fin tapers to an apex that is rounded in order to impart a groove to, but avoid puncturing, the safety seal. The height of the apex of the depressor fin is greater than the height of the peak of the seal-cutting fin. The peak of the single seal-cutting fin is located approximately 180° from the apex of the depressor fin. When a user applies force and rotates the inverted cap after it has been positioned over the bottle, the depressor fin imparts or forms a groove in but does not puncture or score, the safety seal while the seal-cutting fin punctures and scores the safety seal for the first 180° of rotation. The depressor fin is located the same distance from an outer perimeter of the cap as the seal-cutting fin. For any rotation between 180° and 360°, the peak of the seal-cutting fin travels in the groove or depressed path in the safety seal imparted by the depressor fin and does not puncture or score the safety seal. As a result, only half of the circumference of the safety seal is punctured or scored, making it possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal without creating the risk that the safety seal will fall into the bottle. 
     In another preferred embodiment provided with a depressor fin, the cap has a seal-cutting fin that tapers in opposite annular directions from a dwell closest to the top of the cap to two peaks. This enables a user to rotate the cap in either direction to puncture or score the safety seal. The depressor fin tapers to an apex that is rounded in order to impart a groove in, but avoid puncturing, the safety seal. The height of the apex of the depressor fin is greater than the height of the peak of the seal-cutting fin. The apex of the depressor fin and the peaks of the seal-cutting fins are all located approximately the same radial distance from one another. When a user applies force and rotates the inverted cap after it has been positioned over the bottle, the depressor fin forms or imparts a groove in, but does not puncture or score, the safety seal while the seal-cutting fin punctures and scores the safety seal for the first 120° of rotation. The depressor fin is located the same distance from an outer perimeter of the cap as the seal-cutting fin. For any rotation between 120° and 360°, the leading peak of the seal-cutting fin travels in the depressed path or groove in the safety seal imparted by the depressor fin and does not puncture or score the safety seal. As a result, only one third of the circumference of the safety seal is punctured or scored, making it possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal without creating the risk that the safety seal will fall into the bottle. 
     In another preferred embodiment provided with a depressor fin, the cap has two short seal-cutting fins that each taper in opposite annular directions from the main planar surface of the top of the cap to a first peak, dip to a serration dwell, and then slant in a continuously sloping manner to at least a second peak. This enables a user to rotate the cap in either direction to puncture or score the safety seal. The depressor fin tapers to an apex that is rounded in order to impart a groove in, but avoid puncturing, the safety seal. The height of the apex of the depressor fin is greater than the height of the peak of the seal-cutting fin. The apex of the depressor fin is elongated such that the distance between at least a portion of the apex of the depressor fin and each of the outermost peaks of the two seal-cutting fins is 180°. When a user applies force and rotates the inverted cap after it has been positioned over the bottle, the depressor fin forms or imparts a groove in, but does not puncture or score, the safety seal while the seal-cutting fin punctures and scores the safety seal for the first 180° of rotation. The depressor fin is located the same distance from an outer perimeter of the cap as the seal-cutting fin. For any rotation between 180° and 360°, the leading peaks of the seal-cutting fin travel in the depressed path in the safety seal created by the depressor fin and do not puncture or score the safety seal. As a result, only half of the circumference of the safety seal is punctured or scored, making it possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal without creating the risk that the safety seal will fall into the bottle. 
     In another preferred embodiment provided with a depressor fin, the cap has a short seal-cutting fin that tapers in opposite annular directions from a dwell closest to the top of the cap to two peaks. This enables a user to rotate the cap in either direction to puncture or score the safety seal. The depressor fin tapers to an apex that is rounded in order to impart a groove in, but avoid puncturing, the safety seal. The height of the apex of the depressor fin is greater than the height of the peak of the seal-cutting fin. The apex of the depressor fin is elongated such that the distance between at least a portion of the apex of the depressor fin and each peak is 180°. When a user applies force and rotates the inverted cap after it has been positioned over the bottle, the depressor fin imparts or forms a groove in, but does not puncture or score, the safety seal while the seal-cutting fin punctures and scores the safety seal for the first 180° of rotation. The depressor fin is located the same distance from an outer perimeter of the cap as the seal-cutting fin. For any rotation between 180° and 360°, the leading peak of the seal-cutting fin travels in the depressed path in the safety seal created by the depressor fin and does not puncture or score the safety seal. As a result, only half of the circumference of the safety seal is punctured or scored, making it possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal without creating the risk that the safety seal will fall into the bottle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a safety-sealed bottle having a cap of the present disclosure secured thereon; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of a cap of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the bottle of  FIG. 1  and the cap of  FIG. 2 , illustrated in partial cross-section; 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the safety-sealed bottle of  FIG. 1  wherein the cap of the present disclosure is inverted and is about to be positioned over the mouth of the bottle. 
         FIG. 5  is a front plan view of the safety-sealed bottle of  FIG. 1  with the inverted cap of the present disclosure positioned over the mouth, the lip of the mouth positioned radially inwardly of mouth-alignment ribs of the cap, and illustrating rotation of the cap relative to the bottle; 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view illustrating, upon removal of the inverted cap, that the safety seal is ruptured. 
         FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of a cap of the present disclosure having a seal-cutting fin with a single peak and a depressor fin, wherein the radial distance between the peak and the apex of the depressor fin is approximately 180°. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of a cap of the present disclosure having a seal-cutting fin with two peaks and a depressor fin, wherein the radial distance between the two peaks and the apex of the depressor fin is approximately 120°. 
         FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of a cap of the present disclosure having two seal-cutting fins with two peaks each and a depressor fin, where in the radial distance between the two outermost peaks of the two seal-cutting fins and the apex of the depressor fin is approximately 180°. 
         FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of a cap of the present disclosure having a seal-cutting fin with two peaks and a depressor fin, wherein the radial distance between the two peaks and the apex of the depressor fin is approximately 180°. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in the drawings, a bottle  10  is provided with a closure in the form of a cap  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the cap  12  may be a child-resistant safety cap having an inner stage  14  with a female-threaded portion  16  to selectively engage a male threaded portion  18  depending downwardly from the mouth  20  of a bottle  10  on which the cap  12  is to be secured, and an outer stage  22  that is rotatable relative to the inner stage  14  and the bottle  10  except when a downward force is applied to a top  24  of the outer stage  22  sufficient to push downwardly-depending tab members  25  provided in the outer stage  22  into engagement with complementary tab-receiving slots  26  provided on the inner stage  14 . When so engaged, counter-clockwise rotation of the outer stage  22  of the cap  12  achieves counter-clockwise rotation of the inner stage  14  relative to the male threaded portion  18  of the bottle  10 , permitting removal of the cap  12  from the bottle  10 . Caps having such inner and outer stage features to increase resistance to unauthorized opening by children are known in the art. 
     The cap  12  of the present disclosure includes a plurality of mouth alignment ribs  28 , or alternately a single mouth alignment ring  28   a , arranged along the perimeter of the top  24  of the cap  12 . The mouth alignment ribs  28  or the mouth alignment ring  28   a  project upwardly from the top  24  of the cap  12  when the inner stage  14  of the cap  12  is secured to the male threaded portion  18  of the mouth  18  of a bottle  10 . The top  24  of the cap  12  further includes at least one, and preferably two, arcuate seal-cutting fins  30 . In a preferred embodiment, each arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  tapers from a dwell  31  that is closest to a main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12  to one or more peaks  34 . Each of the arcuate seal-cutting fins  30  is preferably concentrically aligned with the outer perimeter of the cap  12 . The top  24  of the cap  12  may further include at least one arcuate depressor fin  38 . The arcuate depressor fin  38  is preferably concentrically aligned with the outer perimeter of the cap  12  and is located the same distance from the outer perimeter of the cap  12  as the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . Further embodiments containing at least one arcuate depressor fin  38  are discussed in greater detail below. 
     The distance between the inner diameter of the mouth alignment ribs  28  or the mouth alignment ring  28   a  and the outer diameters of the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  and arcuate depressor fin(s)  38  is between 0.150-0.200 inch. A preferred embodiment has a distance of 0.170 inch. A distance in this range provides sufficient space for the lip  26  of the mouth  20  of the bottle  10  to be accommodated between the mouth alignment ribs  28  and the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  and arcuate depressor fin(s)  38 . A distance in this range also ensures that when the inverted cap  12  is properly positioned on the mouth  20  of the bottle  10 , the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  are close enough to the perimeter of the mouth  20  of the bottle  10  so as to be located where the safety seal  21  is best torn by the seal-cutting fin(s)  30  to facilitate pouring and tear-out of the remaining seal. If the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  are located too far from the mouth alignment ribs  28  or mouth alignment ring  28   a  (i.e., to close to the center of the cap), the cuts made into the safety seal  21  by the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  will not necessarily facilitate a user in removing the safety seal  21 . For instance, an arcuate incision made by the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s) could cut with such a small radius as to be too small to initiate a proper tear to remove the remainder of the seal, and if the remainder of the seal is not removed, the incision may be too small to accommodate a smooth pour of fluid from the container. The arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  and arcuate depressor fin(s)  38  preferably have a width between 0.045-0.050 inch. The depressor fin  38  may have a 1° to 2° draft angle where it connects to the top  24  of the cap  12 . 
     The seal-cutting fin(s)  30  have a height at the peaks  34  (i.e., the maximum height of the seal-cutting fins  30 ) off the top  24  of the cap  12  that is less than a height of the mouth alignment ribs  28  or mouth alignment ring  28   a  off the top  24  of the cap  12 . Likewise, any depressor fin  38  has a height at the apex  40  (i.e., the maximum height of the depressor fin  38 ) that is less than a height of the mouth alignment ribs  28  or mouth alignment ring  28   a  off the top  24  of the cap  12 . In this manner, the seal-cutting fins  30  and any depressor fin  38  have a lower profile than the mouth alignment ribs  28  or mouth alignment ring  28   a , so as not to feel sharp to, for example, the palm of a user&#39;s hand when pressing to turn the cap  12  when upright to remove the cap  12  from a bottle  10 . The preferred range discussed earlier for the distance between the inner diameter of the mouth alignment ribs  28  or the mouth alignment ring  28   a  and the outer diameters of the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  and arcuate depressor fin(s)  38  is relevant for this purpose as well because it ensures that the mouth alignment ribs  28  or mouth alignment ring  28   a  are close enough to the arcuate seal-cutting fin(s)  30  and arcuate depressor fin(s)  38  to protect the user&#39;s hand. Preferably, each of the mouth alignment ribs  28  or the mouth alignment ring  28   a  has a maximum height of 0.085 inch off the top  24  of the cap  12 , and the seal-cutting fins  30  have a maximum height (at their peaks  34 ) of 0.080 inch. 
     Upon removal of the cap  12  from the mouth  20  of a bottle  10 , the cap  12  is inverted as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The inverted cap  12  is then positioned centrally on a lip  36  of the mouth  20 , such that the mouth alignment ring  28   a  or mouth alignment ribs  28  are positioned out-board of the lip  36  of the mouth  20 . Each of the mouth alignment ribs  28  may have sloped sides and rounded corners to avoid sharp edges. While some purposes of the mouth alignment ribs  28  may be served by a mouth alignment ring  28   a  extending from the top of the cap, there are several benefits to providing a series of interrupted ribs. For instance, there is a savings of plastic material realized by providing a plurality of smaller mouth alignment ribs  28 . Additionally, such a mouth alignment ring  28   a  is more prone than an interrupted series of mouth alignment ribs  28  to collect water or ice on the top of the cap  12 , which may be undesirable. Preferably, at least three mouth alignment ribs  28  are provided with their centers offset 20°-135° from one another. More preferably, the mouth alignment ribs  28  define castellations on the top of the cap  12  having sloped sides and rounded corners, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In a particularly preferred embodiment, eight mouth alignment ribs  28  are provided with their centers at 22.5° intervals around the perimeter of the cap  12 . While the mouth alignment ribs  28  may be elongated, they may each alternately be in the form of a raised nub, hemispherical bump, cone, or other suitable structural shape that will facilitate positioning of the inverted cap  12  centrally on the lip  36  of the mouth  20 . 
     With the inverted cap  12  properly positioned on the mouth  20  of the bottle  10  such that the lip  36  is confined within the mouth alignment ring  28   a  or mouth alignment ribs  28 , the arcuate seal-cutting fins  30  are positioned on the safety seal  21 . By applying a downward force to the inverted cap  12  in the direction of the bottle  10  and twisting the inverted cap  12  (as illustrated in  FIG. 5 ), the arcuate seal-cutting fins  30  score the safety seal  21 , thereby weakening or puncturing the safety seal  21  (as illustrated in  FIG. 6 ) and facilitating its ready removal from the mouth  20  of the bottle  10 . 
     A preferred embodiment of the cap  12  having an arcuate depressor fin  38  is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In this embodiment, the cap  12  comprises a single arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  that tapers from the main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12  to a single peak  34 . The cap  12  further comprises a single arcuate depressor fin  38  that tapers in the opposite direction of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  from the main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12  to a single apex  40 . The arcuate depressor fin  38  is preferably concentrically aligned with the outer perimeter of the cap  12  and is located the same distance from the outer perimeter of the cap  12  as the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . The apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  is rounded and has a height greater than the height of the peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . The apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  is preferably located approximately 180° from the peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . 
     With the inverted cap  12  properly positioned on the mouth  20  of the bottle  10  such that the lip  36  is confined within the mouth alignment ring  28   a  or mouth alignment ribs  28 , the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  and the depressor fin  38  are positioned on the safety seal  21 . When a downward force is applied to the inverted cap  12  and the inverted cap  12  is rotated, the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  scores or punctures the safety seal  21  and the arcuate depressor fin  38  depresses the safety seal  21  without puncturing the safety seal  21  for the first 180° of rotation. For the second 180° of rotation, the peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  travels in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38  and does not score or puncture the safety seal  21 . During any rotation of the inverted cap  12  beyond 360°, the peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  travels either in a portion of the safety seal  21  that has already been scored or punctured or else in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38 . Consequently, a maximum of half of the circumference of the safety seal  21  is punctured or scored regardless of how many degrees a user rotates the inverted cap  12 . This makes it possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal  21  on the bottle  10  so that the contents of the container may be removed or used, without creating the risk that the safety seal  21  will fall into the bottle  10 . 
     Another preferred embodiment of the cap  12  having an arcuate depressor fin  38  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . In this embodiment, the cap  12  comprises an arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  that tapers in opposite annular directions from a central dwell  31  closest to a main planar surface  32  to two peaks  34 . The cap  12  further comprises a single arcuate depressor fin  38  that tapers from the main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12  to a single apex  40 . The arcuate depressor fin  38  is preferably concentrically aligned with the outer perimeter of the cap  12  and is located the same distance from the outer perimeter of the cap  12  as the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . The apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  is rounded and has a height greater than the height of the peaks  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . The apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  and the peaks  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  are located at the same radial distance, or 120°, from one another. 
     When a downward force is applied to the inverted cap  12  of this embodiment after it has been properly positioned on the mouth  20  of the bottle  10  and the inverted cap  12  is rotated, the leading peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  in the direction of rotation scores or punctures the safety seal  21  and the arcuate depressor fin  38  depresses the safety seal  21  without puncturing the safety seal  21  for the first 120° of rotation. For the next 240° of rotation, the leading peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  travels in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38  and does not score or puncture the safety seal  21 . During any rotation of the inverted cap  12  beyond 360°, the leading peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  travels either in a portion of the safety seal  21  that has already been scored or punctured or else in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38 . Consequently, a maximum of one third of the circumference of the safety seal  21  is punctured or scored regardless of how many degrees a user rotates the inverted cap  12 . This makes it possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal  21  on the bottle  10  so that the contents of the container may be removed or used, without creating the risk that the safety seal  21  will fall into the bottle  10 . 
     Another preferred embodiment of the cap  12  having an arcuate depressor fin  38  is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . In this embodiment, the cap  12  comprises two arcuate seal-cutting fins  30  that each taper in opposite annular directions from the main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12  to at least a first peak  34 , dip to a serration dwell  42 , and then slant in a continuously sloping manner to at least a second peak  34 ′. The serration dwell  42  may be at or above the main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12 . The cap  12  further comprises a single arcuate depressor fin  38  that tapers from main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12  to a single apex  40 . The arcuate depressor fin  38  is preferably concentrically aligned with the outer perimeter of the cap  12  and is located the same distance from the outer perimeter of the cap  12  as the arcuate seal-cutting fins  30 . The apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  has a height greater than the height of the peaks  34  and  34 ′ of the arcuate seal-cutting fins  30 . The two arcuate seal-cutting fins  30  are short enough in length and the apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  is elongated enough to allow the outermost peaks  34 ′ of the seal-cutting fins  30  to be approximately 180° from some portion of the apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38 . 
     When a downward force is applied to the inverted cap  12  of this embodiment after it has been properly positioned on the mouth  20  of the bottle  10  and the inverted cap is rotated, the leading two peaks  34  and  34 ′ of the leading arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  in the direction of rotation score or puncture the safety seal  21  and the arcuate depressor fin  38  depresses the safety seal  21  without puncturing the safety seal  21  for the first 180° degrees of rotation. For the second 180° of rotation, the leading peaks  34  and  34 ′ of the leading arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  travel in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38  and do not score or puncture the safety seal  21 . During any rotation of the inverted cap  12  beyond 360°, the leading peaks  34  and  34 ′ of the leading arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  travel either in a portion of the safety seal  21  that has already been scored or punctured or else in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38 . Consequently, a maximum of half of the circumference of the safety seal  21  is punctured or scored regardless of how many degrees a user rotates the inverted cap  12 . This makes is possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal  21  on the bottle  10  so that the contents of the container may be removed or used, without creating the risk that the safety seal  21  will fall into the bottle  10 . 
     Another preferred embodiment of the cap  12  having an arcuate depressor fin  38  is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . In this embodiment, the cap  12  comprises an arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  that tapers in opposite annular directions from a central dwell  31  closest to a main planar surface  32  to two peaks  34 . The cap  12  further comprises a single arcuate depressor fin  38  that tapers from main planar surface  32  of the top  24  of the cap  12  to a single apex  40 . The arcuate depressor fin  38  is preferably concentrically aligned with the outer perimeter of the cap  12  and is located the same distance from the outer perimeter of the cap  12  as the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . The apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  has a height greater than the height of the peaks  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30 . The arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  is short enough in length and the apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38  is elongated enough to allow both peaks  34  of the seal-cutting fin  30  to be approximately 180° from some portion of the apex  40  of the arcuate depressor fin  38 . 
     When a downward force is applied to the inverted cap  12  of this embodiment after it has been properly positioned on the mouth  20  of the bottle  10  and the inverted cap is rotated, the leading peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  in the direction of rotation scores or punctures the safety seal  21  and the arcuate depressor fin  38  depresses the safety seal  21  without puncturing the safety seal  21  for the first 180° degrees of rotation. For the second 180° of rotation, the leading peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fins  30  travels in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38  and does not score or puncture the safety seal  21 . During any rotation of the inverted cap  12  beyond 360°, the leading peak  34  of the arcuate seal-cutting fin  30  travels either in a portion of the safety seal  21  that has already been scored or punctured or else in the depressed path in the safety seal  21  created by the arcuate depressor fin  38 . Consequently, a maximum of half of the circumference of the safety seal  21  is punctured or scored regardless of how many degrees a user rotates the inverted cap  12 . This makes is possible for a user to easily remove the safety seal  21  on the bottle  10  so that the contents of the container may be removed or used, without creating the risk that the safety seal  21  will fall into the bottle  10 . 
     While the present disclosure has been described with respect to certain embodiments, it will be understood that variations may be made thereto that are still within the scope of the appended claims.