| Flip-top closure cap -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Flip-top closure capRelated Patent Categories: Bottles And Jars, Closures, Combined Or ConvertibleFlip-top closure cap description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070251909, Flip-top closure cap. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of caps and closures for containers. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a flip-top cap that aid in preventing unwanted opening of the cap, while ensuring that the cap can be more easily opened when desired. [0002] A very wide range of injection molded container caps and closures have been proposed and are currently in use. Many of these are multi-piece closures that close and seal an internal volume by snapping, threading, or otherwise mechanically engaging a separate base element. Other closures are available that incorporate a thinned section of material, commonly referred to as a "living hinge", that allows the cap to be opened, while maintaining the upper or opening portion of the cap attached to a lower portion. The lower portion on these caps is generally secured to a mouth of the container, such as by snapping engagement, threading, and so forth. [0003] Improvements in single-piece flip-type caps have been made such that certain designs can be opened and closed quite easily by one hand. In one known design, for example, a user depresses an area of an outer skirt on the base portion of the cap to open the upper portion. The base portion flexes by deformation of the outer skirt, allowing a catch on the upper portion of the cap to escape, thereby freeing the upper portion to open by flexure of a living hinge. A cap generally of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,543 commonly assigned with the present invention. Such caps provide great utility in allowing users to simply, quickly and easily open the cap, by squeezing the outer skirt. Such caps can also be closed very easily by reengagement of the snap closure opposite the living hinge. [0004] However, caps of this type have proven to have certain drawbacks related to their relative ease of opening. That is, because of the geometry of the outer skirt, the caps may be inadvertently opened by dropping the container and thereby contacting the region that is depressed by the user for opening. Conversely, if the geometry is altered, the cap can prove difficult to open, requiring significant deformation of the outer skirt before the latch mechanism is freed. Further, thicknesses of component portions of the cap may affect the ability or ease of use. It has been found, for example, that the thickness of a rib or extension that serves as a fulcrum for the trigger mechanism on the outer skirt of the type described above may make deformation of the outer skirt difficult. Finally, in such caps incorporating living hinges, movement of the upper or opening portion of the cap with respect to the base, including twisting, front-to-back and side-to-side movement, can occur about the living hinge, permitting the cap to snap open in an undesirable manner. [0005] There is a need, therefore, for improved cap designs that avoid such drawbacks. The art would benefit from a design generally similar to those of previous designs such as that described above, but that effectively permit the cap to be opened when desired, while precluding or reducing the chances of accidental opening. BRIEF DESCRIPTION [0006] The present invention provides an improved cap designed to respond to these needs. The cap may be used in any range of settings, but is particularly well-suited for use with containers designed for dispensing liquids and particulate materials. In a current design, for example, the cap itself can form a container by receipt of an insert or plug that closes a bottom portion of the cap (such as for holding and dispensing pharmaceuticals). In such arrangements, the cap itself may partially form the container. The cap includes an inner skirt that is designed to be affixed to a container. An outer skirt surrounds the inner skirt and includes a region that forms a deformable lever. The outer and inner skirt are part of a base of the cap. An upper or opening portion of the cap is secured to the base by a living hinge. The upper portion includes a latch or detent that is engaged with the base when the cap is closed. The geometry, placement and thickness of molded sections of the cap facilitate escape of the detent from the latching portion of the lever when the cap is desired to be opened. [0007] The cap is further improved by the provision of one or more ribs or abutment elements that prevent twisting of the upper portion of the cap about the living hinge, as well as and lateral movement of the upper portion on the base. Once closed, then, the upper portion is prevented from moving and thereby opening. The cap may also include integral bumpers that protect the living hinge from damage in the event the cap or container is dropped. DRAWINGS [0008] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: [0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary flip-top cap in accordance with aspects of the present invention; [0010] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cap of FIG. 1 illustrating placement of a lever portion and a living hinge, along with bumper elements that prevent damage to the living hinge in the event the cap is dropped; [0011] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cap of FIGS. 1 and 2 shown with the cap opened; [0012] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cap shown in FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4 and illustrating improved geometries of the lever and associated elements; [0013] FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a portion of the cap shown in FIG. 4, illustrating improved placements and configurations of the components that allow for deformation of the outer skirt for opening the cap; [0014] FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the cap shown in section of FIG. 4, illustrating a placement of a bumper adjacent to the living hinge to protect the hinge structure, as well as an exemplary rib that aids in preventing twisting or lateral movement of the upper portion of the cap when closed; and [0015] FIG. 7 is a more diagrammatical view of an exemplary cap in accordance with aspects of the invention that incorporates a plurality of latches rather than a single latch structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0016] Turning now to the drawings, and referring first to FIG. 1, a cap 10 is illustrated for a container. The cap may be designed to fit on a mouth of the container to permit dispensing of contents from the container, particularly liquid or particulate contents that can flow out of the container through the cap when open. In a present embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the cap receives a plug or insert I that closes the bottom of the cap, and creates an interior volume that may be accessed by opening the cap. Such arrangements are particularly suitable, for example, for storing pharmaceuticals and other items. Also, it should be noted that in such arrangements, the cap itself may be said to partially form the container. [0017] The cap 10 generally includes an upper flip-top portion 12 that closes an opening in the cap when placed in the closed position illustrated in FIG. 1. As described more fully below, the upper flip-top portion 12 can be snapped into place on a lower portion 14. The lower portion forms an outer skirt 16 around its periphery. The outer skirt 16, in turn, presents a front side in which a depressible lever location 18 is provided. The front side 18 is diametrically opposed to a rear side 20 of the outer skirt. As more fully described below, by depressing or exerting a force at the lever location 18 and at a location on the rear side opposite that location, the upper portion of the cap is permitted to open, thereby permitting access to the contents of the container. [0018] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cap illustrated in FIG. 1. As more generally shown in FIG. 2, the cap presents a rear side 20 opposite the front side, with a living hinge structure 22 is disposed on the rear side 20 opposite the depressible lever location 18 (see FIG. 1). As illustrated in the subsequent figures and as described more fully below, the living hinge 22 is formed of a thinned segment of flexible material such that the cap can be opened and closed repeatedly during its life, with the upper portion of the cap remaining securely attached to the lower portion by means of the hinge. Also shown in FIG. 2 are a pair of bumpers or posts 24 disposed on either side of the living hinge 22. As described more fully below, the posts 24 serve to protect the hinge from damage in the event the cap or container is dropped. [0019] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cap of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the upper portion of the cap opened with respect to lower portion. As shown in FIG. 3, the cap is made up of a base or lower portion 14 and a flip-top upper portion 12. As noted above, the lower portion or base 14 is secured to the flip-top upper portion 12 by the intermediary of a flexible living hinge 22. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the cap 10 may be made by a number of manufacturing processes, although a presently preferred process includes injection molding. The various features described herein may be particularly designed to permit a two-piece mold that allows for extraction of the unitary cap structure (including the lower base portion 14 and the flip-top upper portion 12). [0020] As is also visible in FIG. 3, the upper flip-top portion 12 of the cap includes ribs 26 designed to abut structures of the base portion when the cap is closed. Similarly, the base portion 14 includes ribs 28 at several locations that contact the inner surface of the upper portion 12 when the cap is closed. As described in greater detail below, the ribs 26 and 28 act to prevent or limit twisting movement of the upper portion of the cap on the lower portion (e.g., about the living hinge 22) as well as translational movement in side-to-side and front-and-back directions. Such ribs have been found quite helpful in preventing unintentional opening of the cap due to such movement. It should be noted that at least some of the ribs may limit such side-to-side and front-to-back movement without necessarily contacting the opposite portion of the cap until some slight movement has occurred. This is the case for certain of the ribs adjacent to the lever location 18 in a present embodiment. Continue reading about Flip-top closure cap... Full patent description for Flip-top closure cap Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Flip-top closure cap patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Flip-top closure cap or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Payload carrying and dispensing apparatus Next Patent Application: Tamper-evident closure with directional molded retention tabs Industry Class: Bottles and jars ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Flip-top closure cap patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.14237 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Canon USA , Celera Genomics , Cephalon, Inc. , Cingular Wireless , Clorox , Colgate-Palmolive , Corning , Cymer , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
