Patent ID: 11186413

Abstract:
A liquid bottle or container, such as for liquid detergent, and corresponding cap and cup is disclosed for operation in a horizontal position with the cap and cup side wall substantially parallel to the ground, the cap and cup shape providing a built-in drip collector cavity positioned around a portion of the circumference or perimeter of the cap and cup rim on the open end of the cap. The cap and cup may be used to cover a nozzle or other valve dispenser during storage. The drip collector cavity has a volume sufficient to collect liquid residue remaining after normal use of the cap as a measuring and dispensing cup, and any post-use drops from the dispenser nozzle. Thus, the cap and cup of the present disclosure is dripless or nearly drip less. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the cap rim perimeter around which no built-in drip collector cavity is positioned is shaped as a pouring spout. In another embodiment, the area of the liquid container body which receives the cap is shaped to have an indent to accept the pouring spout, thus acting as an orientation key. In yet another embodiment, the drip collector cavity includes one or more radial partitions providing additional rigidity and support to the rim. In another alternative embodiment, the cap and cup shape provides a built-in drip collector cavity at the closed end of the cap. The side wall along the lowest elevation has a negative slope such that when the cap and cup is in the generally horizontal storage position covering the nozzle dispenser, the lowest point of elevation of the rim of the cap and cup is a higher elevation than the lowest point of elevation of the closed end of the cap and cup, thus resulting in collection of liquid residue at and/or near the closed end of the cap and cup.