Patent Publication Number: US-11639251-B2

Title: Compact cap and cap and container assembly with an opening block, after opening

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a compact cap and a cap and container assembly with an opening block, after opening. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Caps can generally be provided for closing containers of liquids, which are arranged on the mouthpiece of the container and normally have a tamper-proof ring, to which a protective cover is attached. These caps are snap-arranged on the mouth of the container and create the required seal due to the presence of a complementary projection and recess formed respectively on the mouthpiece of the container and inside a protective cover or cap. 
     Typically, the cap cover can be rotated upon opening and closing around a hinge arrangement formed between the tamper-proof ring and the cover that prevents the cover from being dispersed in the environment, once removed. 
     These caps have an extremely small encumbrance and are generally used in containers of milk, water, soft drinks, etc., which at the most have internal pressures of one bar. They are not suitable however for carbonated water at a pressure of two-three bars or other pressurized liquids. 
     These known caps, when removed upon opening by forcing the snap-engagement and by breaking their frangible bridges, tend to return to the closed or semi-closed position, so hindering the user who would like to drink directly from the mouthpiece. When broken, the frangible bridges naturally reveal the first opening and therefore also exert an anti-tampering action on the internal contents of the container. 
     The above-mentioned closed hinge arrangement between the cap or protective cover and the mouthpiece of the container limits the access space to the mouth of the container to a minimum, should anyone need or wish to drink. A small hinge arrangement is generally provided, in fact, between the cover and the tamper-proof ring, simply with an extension of material or a continuity of material between the cover and the ring. 
     Furthermore, this hinge arrangement creates a return elasticity between the cover and the ring, which greatly hinders access by a user who wishes to drink. The cover can even come into contact with the user&#39;s mouth or chin or face in general, when forced from its natural conformation. All of this creates a significant obstacle to the use of a container provided with this type of cap. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,491 B1 relates to a cap according to the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general objective of the present invention is to provide a compact cap and a cap and container assembly with an opening block of the protective cover or cap, once opened, which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a cap for a container capable of solving the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, economical and particularly functional way. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a cap for a container, which enables its opening and provides for easy access to the mouthpiece of the container, and with which the cover is kept stably open. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a cap for a container which can be produced by molding plastic material. 
     The above objectives are achieved by a cap for a container as described hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structural and functional characteristics of the present invention and its advantages with respect to the known art will become even more evident from the following description, referring to the attached schematic drawings, which show an embodiment example of the invention. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view from above of a compact cap and a cap and container assembly according to the present invention in a closed position; 
         FIG.  2    is a raised side view from behind of the cap shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a raised front view of the cap of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a plan view from above of the cap of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of  FIG.  5   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view from above of the mouthpiece alone of a container for a cap and container assembly according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view from above of a cap and container assembly of  FIG.  1    according to the present invention in an open position according to a first direction; 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view from above of a cap and container assembly of  FIG.  1    according to the present invention in an open position according to a second direction; 
         FIG.  10    is a plan view from above of the cap and container assembly of the present invention when open, the cap is rotated and opened; 
         FIG.  11    is a raised sectional view along the line XI-XI of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  12    is an enlarged sectional view of a detail taken along the line XII-XII of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  13    is an enlarged sectional view of a further detail taken along the line XIII-XIII of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  14    is a raised side view of a further embodiment of a cap according to the invention; 
         FIG.  15    is a view of the cap of  FIG.  14    once opened with evidence of first opening; 
         FIG.  16    is a perspective view from above of the cap of  FIG.  1    not yet open. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The figures, which are exemplary and non-limiting, show an embodiment of a compact cap and a cap and container assembly with an opening block produced according to the present invention. 
     Indications such as “vertical” and “horizontal”, “upper” and “lower” (in the absence of other indications) should be read with reference to the assembly (or operating) conditions and as referring to the normal terminology used in current language, wherein “vertical” indicates a direction substantially parallel to that of the force of gravity vector “g” and a horizontal direction indicates a direction perpendicular to the same. 
     This type of cap, indicated as a whole with  11 , essentially comprises a base ring  12  for preventing its separation from a mouthpiece  13  of a container, and a cap or protective cover  14  for opening and closing the mouthpiece  13  of the container. 
     This type of cap  11  can be produced in a single piece by plastic molding. 
     The cap  14 , essentially having the form of an inverted cup, provides a flat upper closing wall  15  and a shaped side wall  16 , of the cylindrical type. The side wall  16  defines, near the upper wall  15 , an annular area  17  protruding inwardly for engaging with an upper end edge  18  of the mouth  13  of the container, which protrudes outwardly. 
     It can also be noted that a collar or annular element  31  extends from the flat upper wall  15  inside the cover  14  towards the inside of the cap, said collar or annular element having a smaller diameter than the cover, coaxial to the same and configured to engage in an internal wall  32  of the mouthpiece  13  of the container. This arrangement favors and forms an effective seal for the liquid contained in the container. 
     A series of frangible bridges  19  connects a lower edge  20  of the cover  14  with an upper edge  21  of the base ring  12 . Said base ring  12 , having a substantially cylindrical shape, includes an internal rib  22  projecting inwardly for engagement beneath a perimetric rib  25  projecting outwardly from a side surface  23  of the mouthpiece  13  of the container. 
     The cap  11 , in a slot or annular notch  24  that separates the cover  14  and the base ring  12 , partly occupied by the frangible bridges  19 , provides for a hinge arrangement  26 , which causes the parts to be integral with each other. 
     This hinge arrangement  26  comprises a pair of flat spaced foldable strips or bridges  27  which connect the cover  14  and the base ring  12  and a pair of columns  28  interposed between the two strips  27 . According to the present invention, an extension  29  enlarged outwardly is positioned right in the center, which is an integral part of an annular collar  30  formed at the lower end of the shaped side wall  16  of the cover  14 . 
     Each column  28  provides, in the upper part, an appendage  33  protruding outwardly in a radial direction of the cap that is positioned and engaged, with the cover in an open position, with the lower edge of the cover  14 . 
     These appendages  33  of the columns  28  are pushed into this engagement position when the extension  29 , entering into engagement with the mouthpiece  13  when the cover  14  is rotated from a closed position to an open position, causes their stable positioning over the lower edge  20  of the cover  14  and consequently a stable positioning of the cover in an open position. 
     Thanks to the presence of this extension  29 , the cover  14  can therefore remain stably rotated in an open position ( FIGS.  9  and  11 - 13   ) specifically due to the engagement of the appendages  33  above the lower edge  20  of the cover  14 . 
     The particular shaping of the extension  29  is such as to create a cam effect which, when the cover  14  is rotated for opening, increases its engagement with a portion of the mouthpiece  13 , collaborating in this stable open positioning of the cover. 
     It can thus be understood how a cap according to the present invention solves the problems associated with the cited known art. 
     It can also be understood that the presence of the extension  29  favors the stable positioning of the snap-blocking appendages of the cover in an open position. 
       FIGS.  8  and  9    show how the hinge arrangement  26  allows the cover  14  to be rotated by 180° or even more with respect to the closed position ( FIGS.  1  to  3   ). This rotation is enabled once the cover  14  has been completely disengaged from the snap-engagement with the base ring  12  integral with the mouthpiece  13  of the bottle. 
     In this way, a stable opening position is created so that the cover  14  does not disturb a user who wishes to have access to the contents of the container, for example by bringing the mouthpiece  13  of the container or bottle to his mouth. 
     In the closed position, however, a sealed and safe position is created between the parts, which serves to reveal, as in all caps of this type, that the contents of the container are those filled by the original packager of the same. 
     It has thus been seen and understood how a compact cap and a cap and container assembly with an opening block, once opened, according to the present invention, while allowing its ample opening, also allows easy access to the mouthpiece of the container on which it is positioned. 
     Furthermore, the cap has an extremely small encumbrance which makes it suitable for specific applications where spaces are limited. 
     In addition, the constraint between the base or tamper-proof ring and the cover creates a cap in which, once the cover has been removed from the mouthpiece of the container, the cover is not separated from the attachment ring to the container. 
     It should also be considered that this type of cap is extremely simple and convenient to produce as it can be made by molding plastic in a single piece. 
     It should also be noted that a cap thus produced, for example in containers of fresh milk or non-carbonated drinks, reduces its weight, i.e., that of the container or mouthpiece. The product therefore uses smaller quantities of plastic and has a lighter weight, without any dispersion in the environment as the cap remains attached to the container or bottle. 
       FIGS.  14  to  16    show a second embodiment of a cap according to the invention in which identical elements are indicated with the same reference numbers. 
     Also in this second example, a cap  11  essentially comprises a base ring  12 , for preventing its separation from a mouthpiece  13  of a container, and a cap or protective cover  14  for opening and closing the mouthpiece  13  of the container. The cap  11  can be produced in a single piece by the molding of plastic material. 
     Furthermore, as already seen, a series of frangible bridges  19  is provided which connects the lower edge  20  of the cover  14  with the upper edge  21  of the base ring  12 . 
     In addition to all the features indicated above, it should be noted that in the cap, the protective cover  14  and the base ring  12  are further connected to each other by a security rod  34 . 
     Said security rod  34  is stably connected and pivoted at a lower end  35  to the base ring  12 . Further frangible bridges  36  connect this security rod  34  to both the base ring  12  and to the protective cap or cover  14 , and they break when opened for the first time, guaranteeing the integrity and originality of the cap. 
     This is a further new and original arrangement in the cap that irreversibly reveals whether it has been subjected to a first opening. In this case, the security rod  34  remains as shown in  FIG.  15   , once the protective cap or cover  14  has been raised and rotated with respect to the base ring  12 . 
     The objective mentioned in the preamble of the description has thus been achieved. 
     The protection scope of the present invention is defined by the enclosed claims.