Patent Publication Number: US-9896247-B2

Title: Self-closing flip-spout cap

Description:
FIELD 
     This application relates to caps for containers, such as chemical bottles, and, more particularly, to self-closing caps. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a laboratory environment, chemicals, such as organic solvents (e.g., acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and the like), are often stored in bottles, such as plastic bottles and glass bottles. Chemical bottles are relatively smaller and easier to handle as compared to larger chemical storage containers, such as can and drums, thereby providing laboratory personnel with ready access to chemicals. 
     For materials handling purposes, a chemical bottle is formed from a composition that is resistant to the chemical (or combination of chemicals) that will be contained within the bottle. Additionally, a chemical bottle typically includes a cap to contain chemical vapors within the bottle. Therefore, a properly capped chemical bottle may fully contain the chemicals stored therein. 
     In some laboratory environments, a particular chemical may be regularly used such that it becomes cumbersome for laboratory personnel to repeatedly open and close the same chemical bottle. Not surprisingly, such regularly used chemical bottles are often left open after use, such as with the cap completely removed from the chemical bottle (as in the case of a screw-on cap) or with the cap in the open configuration (as in the case of flip-top and flip-spout caps). Leaving chemical bottles open presents the risk of chemical vapors escaping from the chemical bottle into the ambient laboratory air. 
     Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts directed to caps for containers, such as chemical bottles. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, the disclosed cap may include a cap body and a spout hingedly connected to the cap body and moveable relative to the cap body between at least a first position and a second position, wherein the spout in magnetically biased to the first position. 
     In another embodiment, the disclosed cap may include a cap body including a lid portion and a barrel portion extending from the lid portion, the lid portion defining a fluid port, a spout including a spout body defining a fluid channel, the spout body being hingedly connected to the lid portion and moveable relative to the lid portion between at least a first position, wherein the fluid channel is fluidly decoupled from the fluid port, and a second position, wherein the fluid channel is fluidly coupled with the fluid port, and an attracting pair of magnets magnetically biasing the spout body to the first position. 
     Other embodiments of the disclosed self-closing cap will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the disclosed self-closing cap, shown mounted on a container; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the self-closing cap of  FIG. 1 , shown without the container; 
         FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the self-closing cap of  FIG. 1 , but shown in an open configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Disclosed is a self-closing cap that may be used to seal a container, such as a chemical bottle. The disclosed self-closing cap may employ magnets that magnetically bias the self-closing cap to a closed configuration. The self-closing cap may be opened by applying a force (e.g., manually) that is sufficient to overcome the biasing force of the magnets. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the disclosed self-closing cap, generally designated  10 , may include a cap body  12 , a spout  14 , an attracting pair  16  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b  and a repelling pair  18  of magnets  18   a ,  18   b . The spout  14  may be hingedly connected to the cap body  12  and moveable relative to the cap body  12  between at least a first (closed) position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and a second (open) position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The attracting pair  16  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b  and the repelling pair  18  of magnets  18   a ,  18   b  may magnetically bias the spout  14  to the first (closed) position. 
     The cap body  12  of the self-closing cap  10  may include a lid portion  20  and a barrel portion  22 . The lid portion  20  of the cap body  12  may provide a sealing function, while the barrel portion  22  of the cap body  12  may provide a coupling function, as is described in greater detail herein. 
     The lid portion  20  of the cap body  12  may include an interior side  24  axially opposed (relative to a vertical axis V of the cap body  12 ) from an exterior side  26 . The lid portion  20  may define a fluid port  28  extending between the interior side  24  and the exterior side  26 , such as along the vertical axis V of the cap body  12 . Additionally, the lid portion  20  may define a recess  30  on the exterior side  26 , and the recess  30  may be sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the spout  14  when the spout  14  is in the first (closed) position. 
     The barrel portion  22  of the cap body  12  may extend from the lid portion  20 , such as from the interior side  24  of the lid portion  20  along the vertical axis V of the cap body  12 . The barrel portion  22  may include one or more coupling features  32  to facilitate coupling the self-closing cap  10  with a container  100  to form a container assembly  200  that includes the container  100  and the self-closing cap  10 . 
     In one particular realization, the container  100  may be a bottle, such as a glass or plastic bottle, and may include a container body  102  defining an internal volume  104  and a neck  106  defining an opening  108  into the internal volume  104 . The neck  106  of the container  100  may include external threads  110 . Therefore, the coupling feature  32  of the barrel portion  22  of the cap body  12  of the self-closing cap  10  may be (or may include) internal threads  34  configured to threadedly engage the external threads  110  on the neck  106  of the container  100 . 
     A liquid  112  may be contained within the internal volume  104  of the container  100 . Therefore, the container  100  may be sealed by threading the self-closing cap  10  onto the neck  106  of the container  100  (a threaded engagement), thereby containing within the container  100  any vapors associated with the liquid  112 . 
     Compositionally, the cap body  12  of the self-closing cap  10  may be formed from various materials, including combinations of materials. The composition of the liquid  112  contained within the container  100  may be a factor in the selection of an appropriate composition for the cap body  12 . As one general, non-limiting example, the cap body  12  may be formed from (or may include) a polymeric material. As one specific, non-limiting example, the cap body  12  may be formed from (or may include) low-density polyethylene (LDPE). 
     The spout  14  of the self-closing cap  10  may include a spout body  15  that is elongated along a spout axis S, and includes a proximal end portion  40  and a distal end portion  42  axially opposed from the proximal end portion  40  (relative to spout axis S). The spout body  15  may define a fluid channel  44  extending along the spout axis S from the proximal end portion  40  to the distal end portion  42 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the proximal end portion  40  of the spout body  15  of the spout  14  of the self-closing cap  10  may be hingedly connected to the cap body  12  along a hinge axis H, thereby facilitating hinged movement of the spout  14  relative to the cap body  12  between at least the first (closed) position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and the second (open) position ( FIG. 3 ). For example, protrusions  46 ,  48  may outwardly protrude from the proximal end portion  40  of the spout body  15  along the hinge axis H, and the protrusions  46 ,  48  may be received in corresponding recesses  50 ,  52  formed in the lid portion  20  of the cap body  12 , thereby facilitating a hinged connection between the spout  14  and the cap body  12 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 1 , when the spout  14  is in the first (closed) position relative to the cap body  12 , the fluid channel  44  of the spout body  15  may be isolated from the fluid port  28  of the cap body  12 . Additionally, the fluid port  28  may be sealed by the proximal end portion  40  of the spout body  15 . However, as best shown in  FIG. 3 , when the spout  14  is in the second (open) position relative to the cap body  12 , the fluid channel  44  of the spout body  15  is fluidly coupled with the fluid port  28  of the cap body  12 , thereby facilitating fluid communication with the internal volume  104  of the container  100  (when the self-closing cap  10  is mounted on the container  100 ). As such, liquid  112  in the container  100  may be expelled from the container  100  through the self-closing cap  10  when the spout  14  is in the second (open) position ( FIG. 3 ). 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the spout  14  of the self-closing cap  10  may further include an extension member  56  extending from the spout body  15 . The extension member  56  may be integral with the spout body  15  (e.g., the spout body  15  and the extension member  56  may be a single monolithic body). As shown in the drawings, the extension member  56  may be generally normal to the spout body  15  (e.g., the angle θ between the extension member  56  and the spout axis S may be about 90 degrees), though it is contemplated that the extension member  56  may extend at various angles θ relative to the spout body  15 . 
     Functionally, the extension member  56  may provide structure that facilitates manually engaging (e.g., with a finger) and moving the spout  14  relative to the cap body  12  between at least the first (closed) position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and the second (open) position ( FIG. 3 ). For example, when a force F ( FIG. 3 ) of sufficient magnitude is applied to the forward side  58  of the extension member  56 , the force F may cause the spout body  15  to rotate about the hinge axis H ( FIG. 2 ), thereby moving the spout  14  relative to the cap body  12  from the first (closed) position ( FIG. 1 ) to the second (open) position ( FIG. 3 ). 
     Compositionally, the spout  14  of the self-closing cap  10  may be formed from the same or similar materials as the cap body  12 . The composition of the liquid  112  contained within the container  100  may be a factor in the selection of an appropriate composition for the spout  14 . As one general, non-limiting example, the spout  14  may be formed from (or may include) a polymeric material. As one specific, non-limiting example, the spout  14  may be formed from (or may include) low-density polyethylene (LDPE). 
     The attracting pair  16  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b  and the repelling pair  18  of magnets  18   a ,  18   b  may magnetically bias the spout  14  to the first (closed) position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . While two pairs  16 ,  18  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b  are shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this is only one particular implementation. In one alternative implementation, the disclosed self-closing cap  10  may include only the attracting pair  16  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b . In another alternative implementation, the disclosed self-closing cap  10  may include only the repelling pair  18  of magnets  18   a ,  18   b . In yet another implementation, the disclosed self-closing cap  10  may include magnets in addition to the two pairs  16 ,  18  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b  shown in the drawings. 
     The attracting pair  16  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b  of the self-closing cap  10  may be positioned and oriented to present to each other opposite polarities, thereby employing magnetic attraction to magnetically bias the spout  14  to the first (closed) position ( FIG. 1 ). As shown in  FIG. 1 , magnet  16   a  may be connected to the lid portion  20  of the cap body  12  and may be oriented relative to magnet  16   b  to present a first polarity (e.g., north), while magnet  16   b  may be connected to the spout body  15  of the spout  14  and may be oriented relative to magnet  16   a  to present a second, opposite polarity (e.g., south). For example, the cap body  12  and the spout  14  may be formed from a polymeric material, and magnet  16   a  may be embedded in the polymeric material of the lid portion  20  of the cap body  12 , while magnet  16   b  may be embedded in the polymeric material of the spout body  15  of the spout  14 , though other techniques (e.g., adhesives, mechanical fasteners, press-fitting, etc.) for connecting the magnets  16   a ,  16   b  are also contemplated. Therefore, magnetic attraction between magnet  16   a  and magnet  16   b  may urge the spout  14  toward the cap body  12  and to the first (closed) position ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The repelling pair  18  of magnets  18   a ,  18   b  of the self-closing cap  10  may be positioned and oriented to present to each other the same polarities, thereby employing magnetic repulsion to magnetically bias the spout  14  to the first (closed) position ( FIG. 1 ). As shown in  FIG. 1 , magnet  18   a  may be connected to the lid portion  20  of the cap body  12  and may be oriented relative to magnet  18   b  to present a polarity (e.g., north), while magnet  18   b  may be connected to the extension member  56  of the spout  14  and may be oriented relative to magnet  18   a  to present the same polarity (e.g., north) as magnet  18   a . For example, the cap body  12  and the spout  14  may be formed from a polymeric material, and magnet  18   a  may be embedded in the polymeric material of the lid portion  20  of the cap body  12 , while magnet  18   b  may be embedded in the polymeric material of the extension member  56  of the spout  14 , though other techniques (e.g., adhesives, mechanical fasteners, press-fitting, etc.) for connecting the magnets  18   a ,  18   b  are also contemplated. Therefore, magnetic repulsion between magnet  18   a  and magnet  18   b  may urge the extension member  56  of the spout  14  away from the cap body  12  and, thus, the spout  14  to the first (closed) position ( FIG. 1 ). 
     Various magnetic materials, particularly permanent magnetic materials, may be used as (or in) the magnets  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b . For example, the magnets  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b  may be (or may include) ferrite magnets or the like. However, when size is a consideration, the magnets  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b  may be (or may include) rare-earth magnets, such as neodymium magnets. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the spout  14  may be moved relative to the cap body  12  from the first (closed) position ( FIG. 1 ) to the second (open) position ( FIG. 3 ) by manually applying (e.g., with a user&#39;s finger) a force F to the spout  14 , such as to the extension member  56  of the spout  14 . The force F may have a magnitude sufficient to overcome both the attracting force of the attracting pair  16  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b  and the repelling force of the repelling pair  18  of magnets  18   a ,  18   b . However, when the force F ceases to be applied, the attracting force of the attracting pair  16  of magnets  16   a ,  16   b  and the repelling force of the repelling pair  18  of magnets  18   a ,  18   b  may urge the spout  14  back to the first (closed) position ( FIG. 1 ). 
     Accordingly, the disclosed self-closing cap  10  employs magnetism, such as magnetic attraction, magnetic repulsion or both, to be “self-closing” (biased to a closed configuration). 
     Although various embodiments of the disclosed self-closing cap have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The present application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.