Abstract:
A cap may be used in combination with a container including a dispenser. The cap may include three walls, such as an outer wall, an intermediate wall, and an inner wall. The cap may be adapted for contacting and/or frictionally engaging the dispenser. An opening such as an aperture may be provided for receiving the dispenser, and the inner wall may form a cavity of a similar size and shape as the dispenser for ensuring an effective fit.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/784,095, filed Mar. 14, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates generally to the cap arts and more particularly to a cap assembly for covering a container. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Caps have been used for sealing and covering containers with many applications. In the field of containers for dispensing a substance, a cap may function to at least partially seal the substance within the container, may serve to protect a portion of the container, or may simply be decorative in nature. Certain containers may include a dispenser such as a pump for dispensing the substance within the container. In the case of a container with a dispenser, the cap may serve to protect the dispenser and prevent unintended activation of the dispenser through inadvertent contact. Removal of such a cap may have the unintended consequence of activating or disturbing the dispenser, should said removal not be smooth. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, a need is identified for a cap for covering a container with a dispenser that is capable of providing smooth removal. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An object of the disclosure is to provide a cap for a bottle with a dispenser, wherein the cap includes a contact surface for contacting at least a portion of the dispenser. The contact surface may provide sufficient static forces such as friction between the dispenser and the cap such that a constant or controllable force is required for removing the cap from the bottle. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, a cap is disclosed for use in combination with a container including a dispenser. The cap may include a first cap section with a base, said base including an aperture. The cap may further include a second cap section at least partially inside the first cap section and supported by the base, said second cap section including an inner surface defining a cavity for receiving the dispenser, and said chamber having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the dispenser. The inner surface may be adapted to contact the dispenser. Additionally, the diameter of the cavity may be substantially the same as a diameter of the aperture. 
         [0007]    In one aspect, the second cap section may be retained wholly within the first cap section. Furthermore, the base may further include a shelf for at least partially supporting the second cap section. The second cap section may be adapted to frictionally engage the dispenser. The cap may further include a closed top. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, the cap may further include a third cap section for surrounding the first cap section. The cap may include means for attaching the first cap section to the third cap section. The first cap section, the second cap section, and the third cap section may be separable, and each may comprise a different diameter. The first cap section, the second cap section, and the third cap section may nest concentrically. 
         [0009]    In a further aspect, the second cap section may comprise PE. The first cap section may be made of a different material from the second cap section. 
         [0010]    According to another embodiment of the invention, a cap is disclosed for use in combination with a container including a dispenser. The cap may include a first wall including a base, said base plate including an aperture and an inner shelf. It may further include a second wall section inside the first wall section, said second wall section supported by the shelf. The cap may also include a third wall section surrounding the first wall section and attached to the base. 
         [0011]    In one aspect, the second wall is removably attached to the first wall and the third wall. Furthermore, the cap may be adapted to fully enclose the dispenser. 
         [0012]    The second wall may include an inner surface defining a cavity with a diameter substantially equal to the aperture. The diameter of the cavity and the aperture may be adapted to be substantially equal to a diameter of the dispenser. 
         [0013]    In another aspect, the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall nest concentrically with one another. Each of the first wall and the third wall may include a first cross-sectional shape, and the second wall may include a second cross-sectional shape different from the first cross-sectional shape. In one example, the first cross-sectional shape may be a rectangle and the second cross-sectional shape may be a circle. 
         [0014]    A further aspect of the invention relates to a cap for use in combination with a container including a dispenser. The cap includes a first wall section including an open top and a base, said base plate including an aperture and an inner shelf. In addition, the cap includes a second wall section within the first wall section, said second wall section including an inner surface defining a cavity with a diameter substantially equal to the aperture, said inner surface adapted to contact the dispenser, wherein the second wall section includes an open top and is at least partially supported by the inner shelf. Furthermore, a third wall section may be included for surrounding the first wall section, said third wall section including a closed top and wherein the third wall section is attached to the base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of a cap forming one aspect of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the cap of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2   a  is a cross section of an intermediate section of the cap of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the cap of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3   a  is a cross sectional view of the cap of  FIG. 3  as viewed through line R-R; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3   b  is a cross sectional view of the cap of  FIG. 3  as viewed through line  45 - 45 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a detailed view of the contact between an outer section and an intermediate section of the cap as shown in  FIG. 3   a;    
           [0022]      FIG. 5   a  is an elevational view of a bottle for use with the cap of the present invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 5   b  is an elevational view of the cap of  FIG. 1  positioned on the bottle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    The description provided below and in regard to the figures applies to all embodiments unless noted otherwise, and features common to each embodiment are similarly shown and numbered. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a removable cap  10  for a container is shown. The cap  10  may include a central axis, an outer surface  12  and an inner surface  14 . The cap  10  may further include a lower surface  16  for contacting or opposing an upper surface of the container. 
         [0026]    In the disclosed embodiment, the cap  10  further includes an aperture  18  for allowing access to a cavity  19  within the cap  10 . The cavity  19  may be adapted to receive at least a portion of the container being covered. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the cap  10  of  FIG. 1 . In this embodiment, the cap  10  may include an outer section  20  including the outer surface  12 , an intermediate section  24  that may fit inside the outer section  20 , and an inner section  28  that may fit inside the intermediate section  24 . Any or all of the outer section  20 , intermediate section  24 , and inner section  28  may be concentric with the central axis of the cap  10 . 
         [0028]    The cap  10  may further include means for attaching the intermediate section  24  and the outer section  20 . For example, the outer section  20  may include a first fitment piece, such as receiver  22 , for aligning with a second fitment piece, such as protrusion  26 , associated with the intermediate section  24 . The alignment of the receiver  22  with the protrusion  26 , as shown in detail in  FIG. 4 , may prevent relative movement between the outer section  20  and the intermediate section  24 . The outer section  20  and/or the intermediate section  24  may each comprise a first material such as PET, COC, PCTA. As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  3   a , and  3   b , the outer section  20  and the intermediate section  24  may include a cross-sectional shape in the form of a rectangle or square. 
         [0029]    The inner section  28  includes the inner surface  14 , which is adapted to contact a portion of the container which is received within the cavity  19  of the cap  10 . In the case of a container with a dispenser, as described in further detail below, the inner surface  14  may be adapted to contact at least a portion of the dispenser. 
         [0030]    The inner section  28  may be shaped in so as to correspond to the shape of the aperture  18  in the cap  10 . Similarly, the size of a dimension of the inner section  28 , such as the inner diameter, may be substantially equal in size to the size of the aperture  18 . For instance, as illustrated, the inner section  28  is circular in cross-section, so as to match the circular aperture  18 . 
         [0031]    The aperture  18  and inner section  28  may be shaped so as to correspond to a portion of the container which will be received within the cavity  19 . In the case of a bottle with a dispenser, the inner section  28  may be dimensioned substantially equal to a dimension of the dispenser to be received. In the case of a dispenser with a circular cross-sectional area, the inner section  28  may also be circular in cross section and may include a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the dispenser. The inner section  28  may be any size and shape that corresponds to a size and shape of a dispenser. The term “diameter” is not limited to a line associated with a circle, but rather may include line passing through the center of any shape, including an oval, any polygon such as a triangle or rectangle, or any other shape. Accordingly, any size or shape aperture  18  may be used, as may any similarly sized or shaped inner section  28  so as to correspond to a given size and/or shape of the portion of the container received within the cavity  19 . 
         [0032]    The inner section  28  may comprise a second material such as PE. In one embodiment, the inner section  28  comprises a different material than the outer section  20  and/or the intermediate section  24 . 
         [0033]    With further reference to  FIG. 2   a , intermediate section  24  may further include a flange  27  corresponding to the lower surface  16 . This flange  27  may extend inward to form the aperture  18 . The flange  27  may additionally form a shelf  29  for retaining the inner section  28  within the intermediate section  24 . In this manner, the inner section  28  may be retained relative to the intermediate section  24  upon assembly. In one aspect, upon assembly of the cap  10 , the inner section  28  may remain unfixed in position with respect to the intermediate section  24  and/or the outer section  20 . This may allow the inner section  28  to float relative to the intermediate section  24  and/or the outer section  20  of the assembled cap  10 , which may allow for some misalignment of components, while maintaining fitment of the cap  10  on a container. In a further aspect, as illustrated in  FIG. 3   a , the inner section  28  may extend axially from the shelf  29  to the outer section  20 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3 ,  3   a , and  3   b  illustrate a fully assembled cap  10 , including the outer section  20 , the intermediate section  24 , and the inner section  28 .  FIG. 3  is an overhead view of the cap  10 , and shows that the cap  10  may include a closed upper surface  11 .  FIG. 3   a  illustrates a cross section of the cap  10  through line R-R of  FIG. 3 . As can be seen, the outer section  20 , the intermediate section  24 , and the inner section  28  may include cross-sectional dimensions of different sizes. In addition, the sections  20 ,  24 ,  28  may nest concentrically.  FIG. 3   b  illustrates a cross section through the line  45 - 45  of  FIG. 3 . As can be seen in the illustrated embodiment, the outer section  20  and the intermediate section  24  may include walls of a first shape, such as square, while the inner section  28  may include a wall of a second shape, such as round. At least the shape of the inner section  28  may correspond to the shape of a portion of the container to be inserted into cavity  19 . 
         [0035]    In regard to  FIG. 5   a , a container  30  is illustrated for use with the cap  10 . The container  30  may include a dispenser  32 , such as a pump. The dispenser  32  may further include an outer surface  34  for contacting the inner surface  14  of the cap  10 .  FIG. 5   b  illustrates the cap  10  placed on the bottle  30 . As can be seen, the outer surface  34  of the dispenser  32  may be in direct contact with the inner surface  14  of the cap  10 . This direct contact creates a static force such as friction between the dispenser  32  and the cap  10 . The friction may ensure that a constant or controllable force is required to remove the cap  10  from the bottle  30 . The sizing of the aperture  18  and the inner section  28  may be specifically designed to correspond to the shape of the dispenser  32  such that during removal of the cap  10  (and recapping the cap  10  on the container  30 ), movement of the cap  10  is restricted to a single direction. For instance, in the illustrated embodiment, a round dispenser  32  that fits snugly within the inner section  28  may limit relative movement between the container  30  and the cap  10  other than in a Y direction, as illustrated in  FIG. 5   b.    
         [0036]    While the disclosure presents certain embodiments to illustrate the inventive concepts, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the present invention, as defined herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, equivalents thereof, and that which is in the purview of the ordinarily skilled artisan upon examination of the disclosure.