Patent Publication Number: US-6220484-B1

Title: Dispensing spout-to-bottle security strap

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a security strap for a bottle spout for dispensing a beverage. 
     Beverages such as liquor are typically poured from a bottle into a glass in which a drink is being mixed. A spout is often attached to the mouth of the bottle to dispense the liquor at a relatively constant flow rate so that a bartender can free-pour the liquor without the need for a measuring device, such as a jigger. A need exists for a simple, inexpensive way of securing the spout to the bottle to prevent unauthorized removal of the spout to dispense drinks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a single-piece, disposable security strap that is inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to use effectively to prevent unauthorized use. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a security strap for a beverage dispensing device having a bottle and a spout disposed at the mouth of the bottle includes a strap ring having an opening configured to surround a portion of the spout. First and second connecting portions extend from the strap ring. A first affixing member is connected to the end of the first connecting portion. A second affixing member is connected to the end of the second connecting portion. The first and second affixing members include an adhesive for securing the affixing members to the exterior of the bottle. 
     In some embodiments, at least one of the first and second affixing members includes a self-adhering surface. The first and second connecting portions are generally straight strips extending generally radially outwardly from the strap ring. The opening of the strap ring is sufficiently large to allow a distal portion of the spout to pass therethrough and is sufficiently small to surround and engage a proximal shoulder of the spout. The strap ring is generally circular. In a specific embodiment, the security strap includes a third connecting portion extending from the strap ring and a third affixing member connected to the end of the third connecting portion. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second affixing members are configured to be connected together to form an affixing loop around the exterior of the bottle. 
     Another aspect of the invention is directed to a security strap for a beverage dispensing device having a bottle and a spout disposed at the mouth of the bottle. The security strap includes a strap band having an opening configured to capture a portion of the spout and a plurality of connecting portions extending from the strap band. Each connecting portion includes an affixing member at an end thereof. The affixing members are configured to be connected together to form a fastening band around the exterior of the bottle. The security strap may have a generally uniform thickness. 
     Another aspect of the invention is a method of securing a spout disposed at a mouth of a bottle to the bottle using a security strap which includes a strap ring having an opening configured to capture a portion of the spout, and a plurality of connecting portions extending from the strap ring, each connecting portion having an affixing member at an end thereof. The method includes placing the strap ring around the spout to capture a portion of the spout with the opening, and adhering the affixing members to the exterior of the bottle to secure the strap ring around the spout against the mouth of the bottle to prevent displacement of the spout for dispensing. 
     In some embodiments, each affixing member is adhered to the exterior of the bottle. A self-adhesive surface is provided on at least one of the affixing members. The affixing members are connected together to form an affixing loop surrounding the bottle. An adhesive is applied between at least one of the affixing members and the exterior of the bottle. The security strap is provided with at least one self-adhering surface releasably adhered to a strap. The security strap is peeled from the strip for use. In a specific embodiment, the opening of the strap ring is larger than a distal portion of the spout and smaller than a proximal shoulder of the spout. The strap ring is placed around the proximal shoulder of the spout by passing the distal portion therethrough. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a dispensing apparatus having a spout inserted into the neck of a bottle; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the dispensing apparatus of FIG. 1 with a spout-to-bottle security strap securing the spout to the bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the security strap of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a row of security straps of FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of a security strap according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a typical dispensing apparatus  10  having a spout  12  inserted into the mouth at the neck  13  of a bottle  14 . The spout  12  has a spout seal  16 , which typically is a plastic, tubular liner making a liquid-tight junction between the spout  12  and the inner surface of the bottle neck  13 . The spout seal  16  has outwardly extending flanges which sealingly engage the inner surface of the bottle neck  13 . The spout  12  includes a flow passage extending from inside the bottle neck  13  to a spout opening  18 . A valve mechanism  20  is disposed along the flow passage to allow control of the flow of beverage from the bottle therethrough. In a specific embodiment, the valve in the valve mechanism  20  is closed when the spout  12  is pushed against the mouth of the bottle neck  13 , and is opened by pulling the spout  12  outward in the direction indicated by arrow  22 . 
     The spout  12  typically includes a breather tube  24  extending into the interior of the bottle  14 . The remote end of the breather tube  24  has a check valve assembly  26  which prevents the beverage from escaping through the breather tube  24  when the bottle  14  is inverted but the spout valve in the valve mechanism  20  is not yet open. When the spout valve is open, the breather tube  24  and check valve  26  permit air to enter the bottle  14  to replace the volume of the beverage which flows from the bottle  14  out of the spout opening  18 . The spout  12  includes a proximal shoulder  28  which is larger in cross-section than the distal head  29  having the spout opening  18  at the distal end thereof. 
     FIG. 2 shows a security strap  30  securing the spout  12  to the bottle neck  13 . The security strap  30  includes a strap band  32  surrounding a portion of the spout  12 . As best seen in FIG. 3, the strap band is an annular ring  32  having a strap opening  34  which is typically circular but may have other shapes. The strap opening  34  is large enough to allow the distal head  29  of the spout  12  to pass therethrough, but is sufficiently small to capture the proximal shoulder  28  of the spout  12 , as shown in FIG. 2. A pair of connecting portions  36  extend from the strap ring  32  to a pair of affixing members  38 , respectively. The connecting portions  36  are straight strips that are narrow in width, and extend from the strap ring  32  radially outwardly in generally opposite directions. The connecting portions  36  preferably are substantially smaller in width than the strap ring  32 , the width of which is its outer diameter in the embodiment shown. The affixing members  38  are generally rectangular in shape, and desirably include self-adhering surfaces  40  for adhering to the outside of the bottle neck  13 . The self-adhering surfaces  40  may contain, for example, a self-sticking adhesive. Alternatively, an adhesive may be applied to the affixing members  38  to secure them to the bottle neck  13 . 
     The security strap  30  may be made of a variety of materials, including plastics and the like. The single-piece strap  30  is preferably thin and can be mass-produced easily and inexpensively by molding, die-cutting, or the like. The thickness of the strap  30  desirably is generally uniform, and is typically less than about 0.06 inch, and preferably about 0.002-0.012 inch. In a preferred embodiment, the straps  30  are manufactured in a row and provided on a strip  44  as shown in FIG.  4 . The strip  44  has a suitable surface such that the self-adhering surfaces  40  of the strap  30  are releasably adhered to the strip  44 . The straps  30  can be peeled off individually as needed. 
     In use, a security strap  30  is peeled off from the strip  44  of FIG.  4  and placed over the spout  12  to capture the proximal shoulder  28  with the strap ring  32 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The affixing members  38  are pulled as far down the bottle neck  13  as possible, and are then fastened to the exterior of the bottle neck  13  to form a fastening band or affixing loop surrounding the neck  13 . In this position, the spout  12  is securely strapped to the bottle neck  13  to prevent dispensing beverage from the bottle  14 . To dispense the beverage, the strap  30  is removed, typically by breaking the connecting portions  36  or separating the seal between the affixing members  38  and the exterior of the bottle neck  13 . The strap  30  is removed and discarded, and the spout  12  is freed to allow beverage dispensing. 
     The above-described arrangements of apparatus and methods are merely illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention and many other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. For instance, the connecting portions  36  of the strap  30  may extend from the strap ring  32  in directions that are not opposite. The connecting portions  36  need not be straight. The strap  30  may include more than two connecting portions  36  and affixing members  38 . FIG. 5 shows a strap  30 ′ having three connecting portions  36 ′ and three affixing members  38 ′. The affixing members  38  may have other shapes. The spout may be replaced by a cap or another closure member. In an alternate embodiment, the affixing members  38  do not extend around the bottle neck  13  to surround the neck  13 . In another alternative embodiment, only one of the affixing members  38  contains an adhesive which allows it to adhere to the bottle neck  13  and to the other affixing member so that both affixing members  38  are secured to the bottle neck  13 . The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their fill scope of equivalents.