Abstract:
A flexible plastic belt includes a first ring which is force fit over a cap uncovering a nozzle dispenser of a flowable product container to prevent the cap from being lost or swallowed. The belt includes a second ring which connects the cap to the nozzle until a rotational twist of the cap breaks the connection. The belt is part of the cap as a single unit construction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    NONE 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program. 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    NOT APPLICABLE 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to a tamper-revealing, safety cap for the nozzle of a container through which its product contents flow. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    Disposable, flexible plastic pouches containing flowable candy or confectionery product contents are regularly sold in retail stores. Typically, the candy or confection is accessed by tearing off a top corner of the pouch, through which the product content is sipped or sucked out. Alternatively, a nozzle may be built into the top which, when a covering cap is removed, allows the candy/confection to flow into the mouth. As will be understood, tamper resistance of the cap is highly desirable. So, too, is the prevention of the cap coming loose and being swallowed. This is especially needed when the product content is being sipped or sucked by a child. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved tamper-revealing, safety cap for a container having a nozzle-type dispensing outlet. 
         [0009]    It is also an object of the invention to provide such a cap which remains secure to the container nozzle when in use. 
         [0010]    It is another object of the invention to provide this cap for the liquid and flowable candy industries where confectionery product contents are sipped or sucked out. 
         [0011]    It is a further object of the invention to provide this tamper-revealing, safety cap for use in other industries where a spreading of dispensed product content is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention can be more easily understood by considering the construction of a twin-chambered sealed pouch with each chamber being provided with its own nozzle for dispensing liquid or flowable candy. Such pouch may be provided with its own hard bottom for displaying the pouch vertically, in allowing one such twin-chambered pouch to sit and be displayed on a shelf, next to another. A twin nozzle or spout is inserted at the top, one nozzle being inserted into each chamber of the pouch, where it is heat-sealed. A hard, twin base is inserted at the bottom, one base being inserted into each chamber, which is heat-sealed, as well. This allows the pouch to stand vertically. 
         [0013]    In accordance with that construction, more particularly described in my pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/655,170, filed Dec. 24, 2009, and entitled Twin-Chambered Sealed Pouch, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, the two nozzles are spaced sufficiently close to one another to allow them to both, at the same time, fit within a user&#39;s mouth. In this manner, a user could sip or suck the product content of either chamber individually, or of both chambers simultaneously, whether the product content of the chambers be the same or different. A spacing of 1¼″ for the nozzles was described as being preferable for this. 
         [0014]    Further in accordance with that construction, a screw-on cap with a breakaway ring and a safety ring are utilized. The breakaway ring separates from the cap when the cap is removed for the very first time in breaking the seal, although leaving the breakaway ring attached to the nozzle beneath a nozzle flange. The safety ring is force fit over the cap through a safety belt in keeping the cap secured to the breakaway ring once the cap is removed. 
         [0015]    As will be seen from the description below, the screw-on cap of this invention is a single All-in-One unit in which the safety belt is part of the cap construction. In my Twin-Chambered Sealed Pouch case, on the other hand, the belt and cap are two separate parts. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0017]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  are exploded and assembled views respectively of my aforesaid twin-chambered sealed pouch construction; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  are views helpful in an understanding of the bottom part, or twin base, of that twin-chambered pouch; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d  are views helpful in an understanding of the twin nozzle, of that twin-chambered pouch; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 4   a - 4   i  are illustrations of a pair of safety cap and belt constructions according to that invention for opening and closing off the nozzles in securing the caps to the twin-chambered pouch; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 5   a - 5   f  are views helpful in an understanding of plugs employed in the filling of the chambers of the pouch with the product contents and with its final step of assembly; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are views helpful in understanding the arrangement of layered laminations in fabricating that pouch construction; and 
           [0023]      FIGS. 7   a - 7   e  are illustrations helpful in an understanding of the tamper-revealing, All-in-One safety cap of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    The component parts of the twin-chambered sealed pouch of my Ser. No. 12/655,170 Application are here repeated in the exploded view of  FIG. 1   a , arranged as in the assembled view of  FIG. 1   b:    
         [0025]    a. Reference numeral  8  identifies layered film chambers of the pouch  10 ; 
         [0026]    b. Reference numeral  12  represents the twin base of the pouch which is inserted into the chambers&#39; bottom openings  14  where it is heat-sealed to insure a leak-proof seal between the twin base and the bottom of the chambers. The twin base  12  is made of the same plastic material as the inner layer of the chambers  8  in accomplishing this, preferably of polyethylene; 
         [0027]    c. Reference numeral  16  identifies the twin nozzle of the pouch, also of the same plastic fabrication as the inner layer of the chambers where it is to seal—preferably again of polyethylene. The twin nozzle is inserted into the chambers&#39; top openings  18 , and heat-sealed to ensure a leak-proof seal between the twin nozzle and the top of the chambers. 
         [0028]    d. In accordance with that invention, each nozzle has a ring flange  20  which attaches to one ring of a safety belt  22 . Screw threads  24  attach a removable cover cap  26 ; 
         [0029]    e. The safety belt  22  employs a pair of front rings  28  which are force fit onto the nozzle&#39;s ring flange  20  located just beneath the screw threads  24 . Its other rear two rings  30  are used and force fitted to the caps  26 ; 
         [0030]    f. The caps have “break away” rings  32  built into them, with the caps  26  being screwed onto the threads  24  and force fit onto the same flanges  20  as shared by the safety belt  22 . These “break away” rings  32  separate from the caps when the caps are removed for the very first time by the end user, and the seals are broken (leaving the breakaway ring  32  attached to the twin nozzle under the flange  20 )—as more clearly shown and described with respect to the views of  FIG. 4   a - 4   i;    
         [0031]    g. Reference numeral  38  identifies a pair of flexible bottom plugs which are pushed to snap into openings  40  of the twin base  12  to seal off each chamber after it is filled with its particular product content. Such container and chamber will be seen to be filled through the openings  40 , up and into the bottom of the chamber  8 . The plugs  38  are constructed to comply with child safety regulations, and once pushed in, are unable to be opened or removed without the use of tool implementations. 
         [0032]    (As will be apparent from the assembled view of  FIG. 1   b , the shape of the twin base  12  and the shape of the twin nozzle  16  are what dictate the overall shape of the pouch  10 .) 
         [0033]    The various views of  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  are helpful in understanding the twin base  12  and its assembly with the bottom of the pouch. Specifically,  FIG. 2   a  is a perspective top view of the twin base  12 , with  FIG. 2   b  being a perspective bottom view. Reference numeral  42  illustrates a multi-grooved surface on the twin base  12  to ensure that the seal to the bottom of the chamber  8  is leak resistant ( FIG. 2   c ). Reference numerals  44  are bottom openings in the twin base  12  which receive the pushed-in plugs  38  inserted after the product content is introduced to fill the two chambers, either with the same or different flowable candy or confectionery. Reference numeral  46  in  FIG. 2   a  illustrates top ring flanges in the twin base  12  to snap the plugs in position in holding them securely in place. Reference numeral  46  is also shown in  FIG. 2   c , where reference numeral  48  identifies a support for the standing of the twin-chambered pouch vertically. 
         [0034]    In like manner,  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  are perspective top and bottom views of the twin nozzle  16 , with  FIG. 3   c  being a sectional view of one nozzle. The nozzle opening for sipping or sucking the product content is shown at  50  and the nozzle flange  20  of  FIG. 1   a  is replicated at  52  in holding both the safety belt  22  and the breakaway ring  32  of  FIG. 1   b . The screw threads  24  of  FIG. 1   a  are replicated in  FIG. 3   a  at  54 —with a second multi-grooved surface  56  to ensure a leak resistant seal to the top of the chamber  8 . The view of  FIG. 3   d  shows the twin nozzle  16  sealed into the top openings  18  of the two chambers in forming the twin-chambered pouch. Reference numeral  58  identifies each nozzle being sealed into one chamber, with the nozzles  58  preferably being spaced 1¼″ from one another. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  and  4   c  are helpful in an understanding of the twin safety belt construction, while  FIGS. 4   d - 4   i  are helpful in an understanding of the nozzle caps and their interconnections with the safety belt. More particularly,  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  respectively illustrate top and bottom views of the safety belt  22  of  FIG. 1   a . The front rings  28  of the belt  22  snap over the nozzle flanges  20  and are held there by a force fit ( FIG. 4   c ). The rear rings  30  of the belt  22  snap over the caps  26  to force fit to the breakaway rings  32  by rotation in the direction of the arrow ( FIG. 4   h ).  FIG. 4   i  shows a cap  26  removed from a nozzle  16  to allow a sipping or sucking to occur, while the cap  16  is still attached to the safety belt. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4   d  is a sectional view of the cap  26  showing its internal structure, its outer structure being shown by the perspective view of the cap in  FIG. 4   e . Reference numeral  60  in  FIG. 4   e  indicates a cap flange which holds the rear rings  30  of the safety belt.  FIG. 4   f , on the other hand, is a bottom view of the cap, showing the bottom structure of the cap flange  60  for the breakaway function when the cap is first unscrewed and removed. 
         [0037]    In completing this description,  FIGS. 4   g  and  4   h  illustrate the cap  26  being screwed to the nozzle  58 , and then attached, while at the same time being force fitted over the same flange  20  as the front rings  28  of the safety belt  22 .  FIG. 4   i  shows the cap unscrewed with the breakaway ring separated from the rest of the cap although remaining on the nozzle  16  under its flange  20 . In this manner, the cap(s) remain secured on the nozzle until twisted off for first usage by the purchaser as a new product, breaking away the seal, and then, thereafter, closing the cap when the product content is completely sipped or sucked out—or when closing off the nozzle after a partial withdrawal. A tamper-revealing is thus provided, as well as a safety-preventing of any cap detachment from the twin-chambered pouch since the cap  26  is fixed to the nozzle  16 . 
         [0038]    As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the chambers of the pouch of my Ser. No. 12/655,170 Application are filled with their respective “product contents” through their twin base openings  40 . The final assembly step is then to snap the bottom plugs  38  into the openings  40 . As will be appreciated, such plugs are also to be designed with child safety in mind. Thus,  FIGS. 5   a ,  5   b  and  5   c  respectively illustrate a perspective top view of the plug  38 , a perspective bottom view, and a sectional view. As  FIG. 5   a  illustrates, the plug  38  includes a head  70  that is smaller than its tail  72 , with both being slightly larger than the opening  40  of the base  12  into which it is inserted ( FIG. 5   d ). The head  70  is forced through the top flange  46  in the twin base opening of  FIG. 2   a —which being smaller than the head  70 , flexes to allow the head&#39;s passing, and then snaps back to secure the positioning of the head and the plug fully recessed within the base.  FIG. 5   e , in this respect, illustrates a sectional view of the plug—and, again, its insertion into the opening  40  of the twin base. The illustration of  FIG. 5   f  then shows the plugs  38  snapped all the way into the twin base  12  with the tail  72  showing. The shading of  FIGS. 5   d - 5   f  indicates the chambers as being filled with product content. 
         [0039]    A perspective view of the twin-chambered sealed pouch of that construction shown in  FIG. 6   a  has a left outer edge seal  75  and a right outer edge seal  77 . The pouch  10  has a center seal  79  in forming the double chamber whose bottom openings  14  receive the twin base  12  and whose top openings  18  receive the twin nozzle  16 . Each chamber  8  is multi-layered as shown in  FIG. 6   b , consisting of front and back panels  80 ,  82  respectively. The front panel  80  consists of transparent polyethylene layers  83  and  85  separated by a nylon film or aluminum foil layer  84 . The back panel  82  includes a pair of transparent polyethylene layers  86  and  88  separated by a nylon film or aluminum foil layer  87 . The edges of the panels are heat sealed in forming the two chambers, to receive the flowable candy or confectionery product contents therebetween. 
         [0040]    In essence, and more generally, the front panel  80  includes an outer layer, a center layer and an inner layer. The back panel  82  similarly is composed of outer, center and inner layers. Laminated together, the inner and outer layers of the front and back panels  80  and  82  are of the same material composition. The center layers of the panels can be of the same material composition as each other, or different in serving as a moisture barrier. With the center layer of nylon film, for example, a user will be able to see the product content inside the chamber either through the chamber&#39;s front side or through its back side. With the center layer of aluminum foil or paper, on the other hand, the moisture barrier protection and strength they each provide to the chamber carries the disadvantage of preventing the consumer from seeing exactly what product is inside the chamber. With a nylon center layer in the front panel, and with an aluminum center layer in the back panel, the center layers not only add strength to the chamber, provide it with moisture barrier protection, and extend its shelf life, but they better serve to reflect to a prospective purchaser the color of the product content of the chamber. 
         [0041]    With this arrangement of the twin-chambered pouch, sealing each chamber and separating one chamber from the other, both the inner layer of the front panel and the inner layer of the back panel are fabricated of polyethylene so that they are able to seal to one another. While the outer layer of the front panel and the outer layer of the back panel can be fabricated of different plastic compositions, in this preferred arrangement, they are both composed of the same polyethylene composition. Between the front panel and the back panel, the product content of each chamber is added via the twin base  12  through its openings  40  to be then sealed. 
         [0042]    With the hard twin base bottom, a retail store seller can better display the pouches vertically on a shelf in catching a customer&#39;s eyes and improving its chances of purchase over and beyond any printed advertising that may be accompanying the product itself. With the ability to sip or suck either product content separately or together through the 1¼″ spaced twin nozzle, the pouch becomes more desirable to the consumer. This is even more so with the flexible plastic panels of the chambers, and with the chambers themselves becoming more and more collapsible upon continual squeezing by a user to dispense the product contents within. Thus, and in these manners, the twin-chambered sealed pouch offers benefits both to the retail store seller and to the purchasing customer. 
         [0043]    Whereas the preceding description describes the nozzle cap and its belt-and-ring interconnections for use in a twin-chambered pouch where product content is sipped or sucked, it will be understood that its tamper-revealing and safety cap securement would apply equally as well for a single, one-chambered pouch; or to one where the product content is to be spread from the nozzle, rather than being sipped or sucked out. 
         [0044]    As will be appreciated from the  FIG. 1   a  exploded view of my twin-chambered pouch, the belts  22  and the caps  26  are two separate parts. The various views of  FIGS. 7   a - 7   e , on the other hand, are helpful in understanding the All-in-One alternative construction of the present invention where the belt and cap are together as a single unit. 
         [0045]    Thus, in the sectional view of the fully assembled cap of  FIG. 7   a  and in the simplified view of  FIG. 7   e , the screw threads of the nozzle  90  are shown at  91 , and upper and lower flanges  92  and  93  on the nozzle capture the breakaway front ring  94  of the safety belt  95  in an indent area  104  ( FIG. 7   d ). Reference numeral  96  illustrates the cap in each of the  FIG. 7  views, with the rear belt safety ring previously identified as  30  in the views of  FIG. 4  being shown as  97  in  FIG. 7   b . Reference numeral  98  identifies an inner seal ring for the cap  96 , reference numeral  99  identifies its inner screw threads for securing to the nozzle threads  91 , and reference numerals  100  and  101  identify flanges on the cap  96  forming an indent area  102  on the cap for holding the belt safety ring  97 . 
         [0046]    In this manner, the sectional view of  FIG. 7   a  is helpful in understanding the manner by which the breakaway front ring  94  works with the nozzle flanges  92 ,  93 —however, some degree of clarity can be obtained from the assembled view of  FIG. 7   b  showing the cap  96  assembled to the nozzle  90  with the safety ring  97  being open. By unscrewing the cap  96  from the nozzle  90 , an initial grooved join in the nature of a notch-and-tab interconnection  105  between the cap flange  101  and the front ring  94  of the belt  95  is broken—but with the breakaway ring  94  still attached to the nozzle  90  in indent area  104 . The cap  96  then separates from the nozzle  90  and the breakaway ring  94 . With the safety ring  97  forced down over the flange  100  at the top of the cap  96  into the indent area  102 , however, the safety ring  97  and the cap  96  remain connected, connected to the nozzle by the breakaway ring  94  between the flanges  92 ,  93  ( FIG. 7   c ). 
         [0047]      FIG. 7   d  shows the cap assembled, but not attached to the nozzle to better see the area where the breakaway ring  94  secures with the nozzle. Twisting the cap to remove it, then, severs the connection between the cap and the breakaway ring  94  in providing tamper-revealing of the cap. The safety ring  97  captured with the cap by means of the belt  95 , on the other hand, prevents the cap from coming loose and being either lost or swallowed. An “All-in-One Cap” then results. 
         [0048]    For purposes of clarity, the view of  FIG. 7   b  illustrates the cap assembled to the nozzle, although in usage, the belt safety ring  97  previously identified in  FIG. 4   b  by the reference numeral  30  would be forced fit over the cap  96  to be captured in the indent area  102  between the flanges  100  and  101  ( FIG. 7   e ). Before unscrewing the cap  96  in this respect, and after unscrewing it, the breakaway ring  94  remains fixed with the nozzle  90  in the indent area  104 , while at the same time, the cap  96  remains attached with the belt  95  by means of the safety ring  97 . The securing of the flexible belt and its rings with the cap  96  and nozzle  90  to prevent their separation, and the understanding of the replaceability of the cap to close off the dispensing end of the nozzle to retain any residual product content of the pouch container for a later use, will become clear from the following: 
         [0049]    a) the flanges  100 ,  101  of the cap  96  are vertically spaced to encircle the cap  96  in forming the indent area  102 ; 
         [0050]    b) the flanges  92 ,  93  of the nozzle  90  are vertically spaced to encircle the nozzle  90  in forming the indent area  104 ; 
         [0051]    c) the flange  100  is of a smaller outside diameter than the outside diameter of the flange  101 ; 
         [0052]    d) the flange  92  is of a smaller outside diameter than the outside diameter of the flange  93 ; 
         [0053]    e) the breakaway ring  94  is of an inside diameter slightly less than the outside diameter of the flange  92  but able to be force fit over the flange  92  to the indent area  104 ; 
         [0054]    f) the safety ring  97  is of an inside diameter slightly less than the outside diameter of the flange  100  but able to be force fit over the flange  100  to the indent area  102 ; 
         [0055]    g) the cap  96  is internally threaded at  99 ; and 
         [0056]    h) the nozzle  90  is externally threaded at  91 . 
         [0000]    Rotating the cap  96  in a first direction then opens the dispensing end of the nozzle  90 , while rotating the cap  96  in the opposite direction closes the dispensing end of the nozzle. With both rotations, however, the cap  96  is held secure to the nozzle  90  by the safety belt and its rings,  97 . 
         [0057]    While there has been described what is considered to be a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.