Abstract:
The invention is an ergonomic bottle cap having a U-shaped support extending along opposite sides and across the top. The U-shaped support having a top fin across the top wall of the cap and two opposing side tabs extending from the top fin along the annular side wall of the cap. The side tabs integrally molded with the top fin and the cap.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to caps for plastic bottles namely water bottles and the like. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Bottled water has become a part of everyday live all over the world. The bottling of water is an answer to the need for safe potable water for people and animals. Bottled water production spans the market from basic bottled water for drinking to designer bottled water with flavors, vitamins and carbonation. The vast majority of bottled water is packaged in light weight clear plastic bottles with a screw on cap. To reduce the cost of producing, shipping and marketing bottled water, manufacturers have made the water bottles thinner and lighter. The cap on a plastic water bottle is generally a screw on cap usually having a tamper resistant ring disposed on the cap that engages the bottle to indicate that the bottle is unopened when a user opens the bottle. 
         [0003]    As manufacturers develop bottles and caps with less plastic, and therefore less weight and less cost to make and ship, the cap has become smaller. As a result, the cap has become difficult for some people to open. People with hand problems or are young or old may have a hard time gripping the smaller cap to apply enough torque to break loose the tamper resistant ring and remove the cap. 
         [0004]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a cap that can maintain the integrity to keep the bottle closed thus protecting the bottled water from contamination while providing gripping tools to allow a person with soft or weak hands to open the water bottle. The present invention provides a structural rib or fin on the outside of the cap to reinforce the structure of the cap while providing a gripping surface adapted to help the user apply more torque with less effort in attempting to remove the cap. The structural rib supports the body of the bottle cap by being integrally molded on the cap. The structural rib may extend along the sides of the cap in a U-shape. The structural rib may extend across the top of the cap where reinforcement of the thin material n the cap is subject to forces during manufacture and shipping. 
         [0005]    The above description sets forth, rather broadly, the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the invention comprises an ergonomic bottle cap  10  comprising a fin  12 , a first tab  14 , a second tab  16  and a top wall  18 . The ergonomic bottle cap  10  further comprises an annular sidewall  20  having a bottom  22  and a top  24 . A tamper resistant ring  30  may be removably attached to sidewall bottom  22 . The annular sidewall  20  integrally molded to the top wall  18  form a cap body  23  supported by fin  12  and tabs  14 ,  16 . First tab  14  is integrally molded to fin  12  and annular sidewall  20 . First tab  14  may have first bottom end  26  disposed adjacent sidewall bottom  22 . Second tab  16  may have second bottom end  28  disposed adjacent sidewall bottom  22 . First bottom end  26  is spaced from second bottom end  28 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , fin  12 , first tab  14  and second tab  16  form an U-shaped appendage  42  over the top and along sides of ergonomic bottle cap  10 . First tab bottom end  26  is disposed adjacent annular sidewall bottom  22 . Second tab bottom  28  is disposed adjacent annular sidewall bottom  22 . First tab bottom end  26  is spaced from second tab bottom end  28 . First tab bottom end  26  and second tab bottom  28  may be disposed on opposing sides of annular sidewall  24 . Tamper resistant ring  30  is removably attached to annular sidewall bottom  22 . First tab top  32  may be integrally molded to fin  12  at rounded corner  58 . Likewise, second tab top  34  may be formed integrally with fin  12  at rounded corner  60 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , ergonomic cap  10  with fin  12  on top wall  18  may extend to annular ring bottom  22 . Fin  12  may comprise fin top  36  disposed spaced from top surface  18 . Fin top  36  is raised above top surface  18 . Second tab bottom  28  may extend along annular tab outer surface  38 . Outer surface  38  may have raised ridges  40  to aid gipping the Ergonomic bottle cap  10 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , top wall  18  may further comprise outside surface  54 . Fin  12  may be integrally molded to extend from outside surface  54 . Cap logo image  34  may be disposed on outside surface  54 . Cap logo image  34  may further be aligned with fin  12 . In use, fin  12  may be used to index cap  10  so cap logo image  34  is oriented in a predetermined position. Annular sidewall  24  may have a diameter  36 . Top  18  integrally molded to annular sidewall  24  may be circular with a diameter  38 . Fin  12  may be disposed generally along diameter  38 . Ridges  40  may extend from sidewall  24  to edge of top  18  be integral molding. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , top wall  18  may further comprise inside wall  52 . Inside wall  52  is integrally connected to annular sidewall  20  at inside surface  50 . Opening  46  is defined by annular sidewall bottom  22  making ergonomic bottle cap  10  a concave device having opening  46  on opposite end of annular sidewall  20 . Threaded means  48  may be molded into inside surface  50  of annular sidewall  24 . Threaded means  48  may be threads as are well known in the art to removably threadably engage the ergonomic cap  10 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a second embodiment of the present invention as an ergonomic bottle cap  110  may comprise a fin  112 , and a top wall  118 . The ergonomic bottle cap  110  further comprises an annular sidewall  120  on top wall  118 . Annular sidewall  120  may surroundingly attach to top wall  118 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the second embodiment of the present invention as an ergonomic bottle cap  110  may comprise a top wall  118  and annular sidewall  120  integrally molded wherein top wall  118  is surroundingly attached to annular sidewall  120 . Ergonomic bottle cap  110  may further comprise a fin  112 , a first tab  114 , a second tab  116  integrally molded together wherein the fin  112 , first tab  114  and second tab  116  form a U-shaped appendage  142  on ergonomic bottle cap  110 . The annular sidewall  120  may further comprise a bottom  122  and a top  124 . First tab  114  is integrally molded to fin  112  and annular sidewall  120 . First tab  114  may have first bottom end  126  disposed adjacent sidewall bottom  122  and a first top end  132  on top wall  118 . Second tab  116  may have second bottom end  128  disposed adjacent sidewall bottom  122 . First bottom end  126  is spaced from second bottom end  128 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the U-shaped appendage  142  surrounds the annular sidewall  120  having first tab  114  spaced from second tab  116 . the fin  112  integrally molded to the top wall  118 . The first bottom end  126  and second bottom mend  128  may be disposed between the top wall  118  and sidewall bottom  122 . 
         [0023]    Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given. Further, the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing exemplary embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that other forms, details, and embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is defined in the following claims.