Abstract:
A flip-top type closure resealably seals a fluid container. The closure includes a body portion, which is attachable to the fluid container, and a cap portion. The cap portion is connected to the body portion by two hinges and is rotatable about the two hinges so that a spout of the body portion may be inserted into the mouth without interference by the cap portion. The closure may include a tamper-evident band to visually indicate tampering with the contents of the fluid container. The closure may also include a pull-tab seal secured to the spout to prevent spillage and/or leakage of the contents of the fluid container.

Description:
This Application is a continuation of U.S. application Serial No. 09/093,290 filed Jun. 8, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,320. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a closure for a fluid container and, more particularly, to a resealable closure for a fluid container that permits a person to drink from the container without removing the closure from the container and without interference from the closure. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Several types of closures for resealably closing a fluid container are known in the art. A removable cap may be provided on the fluid container, the removal of which requires the cap to be detached by, for example, an unscrewing action, from the container. This type of cap may be easily misplaced or lost. Further, this type of cap generally requires the use of two hands for removal, thereby limiting its usefulness. For example, persons engaged in exercise, operating a vehicle or riding a bicycle should not use this type of closure. As the screw-type cap generally requires several turns to remove the cap from the container, the act of opening and closing the container may become an inconvenience and a distraction to those desiring to repeatedly open and close the container in a short period of time. 
     Another type of closure includes a movable cylindrical member having a central orifice, which is resealably sealed by a stationary stem. This type of closure need not be removed from the container in order to gain access to the fluid. When this type of closure is in a closed position, the cylindrical member is pushed downwardly so that the stem substantially plugs the orifice, preventing the flow of fluid from the fluid container therethrough. When this type of closure is in an open position, the cylindrical member is pulled upwardly so that the stem is positioned away from the orifice, thereby allowing fluid to flow from the fluid container therethrough. This type of closure permits the cylindrical portion to enter the mouth of a person to minimize or eliminate spilling the fluid. This type of closure, however, generally requires the use of two hands to open or close the closure, which may be disadvantageous to, for example, a person exercising, operating a vehicle or riding a bicycle as discussed in the above. 
     Another type of closure is one that includes a flip-type lid or cap, which is rotated about a hinge to expose an aperture, through which the fluid may flow when the closure is in an open position. This type of closure does not include a spout that may be inserted into the mouth. Thus, to eliminate spillage, the fluid must be ejected through the aperture under pressure by, for example, squeezing the fluid container, to direct a stream of the fluid into the mouth. This squeezing action may cause fatigue or other undesirable stresses on the container. Additionally, the effectiveness of the squeezing action may be reduced as the level of fluid in the container decreases. Further, the hinge of the flip-type lid permits only limited rotation of the lid. Thus, a person attempting to drink the fluid will experience interference with the lid if the closure is brought too close to the face, thereby hindering the drinking process. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,160,327 to Porcelli describes a dispensing spout having a diaphragm for sealing the same and a captive cap for reusably closing the spout. The diaphragm is integrally molded with the dispensing spout, and a single flexible hinge connects the cap to the spout. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,330 to Johnson describes a cartridge-type sauce extruder. The extruder includes an extrusion orifice at one end and is open at the other end to receive a movable bottom plug. The orifice is sealed with a disc that is pre-scored or pre-cut to form a multi-segmented nozzle. At the time of filling, the orifice is closed with a piece of impervious film-like material to form a seal to protect the orifice from contact with any contaminants. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,935 to Kamin describes a method and apparatus for storing and dispensing fluid foodstuff. The container includes a spiral wound tube having a circular retaining disc mounted at one end. The disc has an aperture, through which is mounted a pressure-responsive dispensing nozzle. A sheet of metallic material is attached to the dispensing nozzle to provide a temporary seal. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,054 to Nycz describes a watertight molded plastic dispensing closure for attachment to the finish of a container. A body portion is connected to the finish, and a cover portion is hingedly attached to the body portion and is foldable with respect thereto. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,268 to Han describes a pull-tab inner seal for sealing a container. The inner seal includes three layers, namely, a sealing material layer for bonding the inner seal to a container, a layer substantially impermeable to air and moisture, and a reinforcing layer. The reinforcing layer includes at least two plies of monoaxially oriented film combined in lamination with the strong direction of at least one ply crossing the weak direction of another ply. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, in order to overcome these and other problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a releasable closure for a fluid container that permits a person to drink from the container without removing the closure from the container. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a resealable closure for a fluid container that may be opened and closed with only one hand. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a resealable closure having a flip-type lid or cap for a fluid container that may be at least partially inserted into the mouth to minimize or eliminate spillage without-interference by the flip-type cap. 
     The above and other beneficial objects of the present invention are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a closure for a fluid container that has a flip-type cap connected to a body by two hinges. The two hinges permit the cap to be rotated away from the body approximately 180-degrees between an opened position and a closed position. The closure further includes a spout portion that may be inserted into the mouth. The closure may include a tamper-evident band for visually indicating tampering with the closure, the fluid container or the contents thereof. The closure may further include a removable seal to further visually indicate tampering with the closure, the fluid container or the contents thereof and to prevent contamination and leakage of the contents from the fluid container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of such closure in a closed position; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the first embodiment of the closure in the closed position; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the first embodiment of the closure in the closed position; 
     FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the first embodiment of the closure in an open position; 
     FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a hinge of the first embodiment of the closure; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the hinge of the first embodiment of the closure; 
     FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a second embodiment of the closure in an open position; and 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a pull-tab liner of the second embodiment of the closure illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Those skilled in the art will gain an understanding of the invention from a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with a viewing of the accompanying drawings of FIGS. 1-8, inclusive. The individual reference numerals designate the same or similar elements throughout the several drawings. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is seen a front perspective view of a closure  10  having a body  14  and a cap or lid  12 . As illustrated in FIG. 1, closure  10  is in a closed position. Body  14  and cap  12  are joined by hinge  30 , thereby forming a one-piece, or integral, closure  10 . Body  14  may include striations  48  to facilitate installation of closure  10  onto, for example, a bottle or other container, shown in phantom in FIG. 2, and removal therefrom. FIGS. 2 and 3 are respectively front and side elevational views of the closure  10 , also in the closed position. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, there is seen a side sectional view of the closure  10  in an open position. Body  14  is comprised of a shank portion  24  and a spout portion  16 . Body  14  includes a central orifice  50  extending from shank portion  24  to an aperture  18  in spout portion  16 . Aperture  18  permits expulsion or discharge of a fluid, such as water or other beverages, from the bottle or other container, onto which closure  10  is attached. It will be appreciated that aperture  18  is completely open and that a flow of a fluid therethrough is not impeded by any sealing mechanisms or structures such as that known in the prior art. Orifice  50  includes internal threads  22  for mating with external threads of, for example, the bottle or other container. Spout portion  16  is in the form of a conical frustum. Located at the top of spout portion  16  is an external annular lip  20  extending generally perpendicular to the central axis of spout  16 . Lip  20  is adapted by size and configuration to mate with cylindrical receiving collar  28  of cap  12 . Collar  28  of cap  12  is in the form of an annulus having a triangulated upper surface. When closure  10  is in the closed position, the top portion of spout portion  16  is inserted into collar  28 , annular lip  20  being in abutment with the inside wall of collar  28 . This friction fit between annular lip  20  and collar  28  provides a fluid-tight seal, thereby preventing spillage or leakage of the fluid through aperture  18 . 
     Spout portion  16  is of an appropriate size and configuration to permit at least partial insertion into the mouth of a person. As illustrated in FIG. 4, when closure  10  is in the open position, spout portion  16  extends above the height of the height of cap  12  so that cap  12  does not interfere with the insertion of spout portion  16  into the mouth. Thus, the cap  12  does not impede drinking of the fluid contained in the fluid container. Further, the dual hinge, more fully described hereinafter, connecting cap  12  to body  14  permits cap  12  to be rotated away from any obstruction to further facilitate drinking from the fluid container. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, it can be seen that body  14  and cap  12  are connected by hinge  30 . Hinge  30  includes a pair of flexible web members  34  that extend outwardly from the center of hinge  30 , downwardly from the top of shank portion  24  and upwardly from the bottom of cap  12 . Accordingly, web members  34  have a generally triangular shape. Hinge  30  permits cap  12  to be pivoted both toward and away from body  14  about an axis generally centrally located on hinge  30  between body  14  and cap  12 . This axis is generally tangential to body  14  and cap  12 . Thus, cap  12  forms a resealable closure. Hinge  30  is of a type generally referred to in the art as a snap hinge. Cap  12  also includes a detent  52  extending from the bottom of cap  12  toward the top of cap  12 , thereby forming a flexible portion  32  in the top of cap  12 . Flexible portion  32  defines a second hinge, of a type generally referred to in the art as a living hinge. Accordingly closure  10  defines a dual-hinge closure. The combination of hinge  30  and flexible portion  32  permits cap  12  to be rotated from a closed position where cap  12  covers spout portion  16  to an open position where spout portion  16  is exposed. Cap  12  rotates to such an extent to facilitate drinking from spout portion  16  without interference from cap  12 . That is, when cap  12  is in its open position, cap  12  is preferably rotated about the axis of hinge  30  and is further rotated due to the flexibility of flexible portion  32  so that cap  12  can be rotated a total of at least 180-degrees from its closed position. It will be appreciated that the flexibility of hinge  30  and flexible portion  32  permit cap  12  to be further rotated even when cap  12  is in its fully opened position. Thus, if a person drinking a fluid from the container experiences interference by cap  12 , cap  12  will be forced into a further extended position to prevent interference with access to spout portion  16 . 
     Cap  12  further includes a tab  26  extending radially outwardly to facilitate opening closure  10 . Body  14  may include a recess, not shown, that corresponds to tab  26  to further facilitate opening closure  10 . Tab  26  permits the position of cap  12  to be changed from the closed position to the open position with one hand. More particularly, tab  26  permits opening of closure  10  with the simple action of the thumb while holding the container, not shown, with the other four fingers. Similarly, cap  12  may be rotated from the open position to the closed position with one hand, and, in particular, by the action of the thumb while the container, not shown, is held in the hand by the other four fingers. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, there is seen a side sectional view of a second embodiment of closure  10 ′ in an open position. Like parts are noted by an accompanying prime. Closure  10 ′ includes a tamper-evident band  44  connected to body  14 ′ by a series of frangible portions  46 . If closure  10 ′ is at least partially removed from the container, to which it is attached, frangible portions  46  will fracture, causing tamper-evident band  44  to separate from body  14 ′. Thus, tamper evident band  44  provides a visual indication of tampering with closure  10 ′, the container or the fluid or other material contained therein. Closure  10 ′ further includes a pull-tab liner  40 , which seals the aperture  18 ′. Pull-tab liner  40  may be attached to the spout portion  16 ′ by, for example, induction heat-sealing. A pull-tab  42  is provided on the pull-tab liner  40  to facilitate the removal of pull-tab liner  40  from spout portion  16 ′ by a simple lifting and pulling action. Pull-tab liner  40  provides further visual indication of tampering with closure  10 ′, the container or the fluid or other material container therein. Pull-tab liner  40  further eliminates contamination of the contents of the fluid container and leakage or spillage thereof. 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, there is seen a top plan view of pull-tab line  40  illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
     It will be appreciated that closure  10 ,  10 ′ may be formed of any suitable resin material. Preferably, closure  10 ,  10 ′ is formed of a resilient material, such as polypropylene. It will be further appreciated that closure  10 ,  10 ′ may be formed by such processes as injection molding. 
     Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a single preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.