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EP-3966126-B1 - TETHERED CAP AND SPOUT

EP3966126B1EP 3966126 B1EP3966126 B1EP 3966126B1EP-3966126-B1

Inventors

  • MINNETTE, JEFFREY C.
  • DAVIDSON, RYAN P.
  • MAURI PINOL, Pau
  • JULIAN, RANDALL K.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200610

Claims (11)

  1. A device (100) comprising: a cap (105) including a base (110), a sidewall (120) and a camming mechanism (195) on an internal side of the base (110) and the sidewall (120); a spout (150) comprising a mouth (151), the spout (150) configured to engage the cap (130); a cutting mechanism (190) configured to be in engagement with at least the camming mechanism (195); a retaining element (130) secured with respect to the spout (150); and a tether mechanism (170) connected to the retaining element (130) and the sidewall (120) of the cap (105), the tether mechanism (170) comprising a tab (174) connected to at least the sidewall (120) and a pair of flexible members (176, 178) connected to the tab (174) and to the retaining element (130), wherein the cap (105) is adapted to, upon a rotation of the cap (105), engage the camming mechanism (195) with the cutting mechanism (190) to push through a seal on a container where the device (100) is implemented, and causes the tether mechanism (170) including the flexible members (176, 178) to rise, and wherein the tab (174) is adapted to, in an opened position where the cap (105) is flipped up and distanced from the mouth (151) of the spout (150), engage with a neck (152) of the spout (150) so as to keep the cap (105) in a stay-back position away from the mouth (151) of the spout (150).
  2. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the pair of flexible members (176, 178) converge and are connected at a same point to the retaining element (130).
  3. The device (100) of claim 2, wherein the tab (174) is radially extending from a junction including the pair of flexible members (176, 178) and the sidewall (120).
  4. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the pair of flexible members (176, 178) are in a serpentine-type configuration.
  5. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein each flexible member (176, 178) is connected to a different portion of the retaining element (130), the pair of flexible members (176, 178) configured to rise and provide distance between a mouth (151) of the spout (150) and the cap (105) when the cap (105) is opened.
  6. The device (100) of claim 5, wherein the pair of flexible members (176, 178) are in a circumferential arc configuration.
  7. The device (100) of claim 6, wherein the tab (174) is a downward tab from the sidewall (120).
  8. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein each flexible member (176, 178) is connected to a different portion of the sidewall (120) and a different portion of the retaining element (130), the pair of flexible members (176, 178) configured to rise and provide distance between a mouth (151) of the spout (150) and the cap (105) when the cap (105) is opened.
  9. The device (100) of claim 8, wherein the pair of flexible members (176, 178) are in a L-shaped configuration.
  10. The device (100) of claim 9, wherein the tab (174) is a downward tab from the sidewall (120).
  11. A container comprising a seal and the device (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (105) of the device (100) is adapted to, upon a rotation of the cap (105), engage the camming mechanism (195) with the cutting mechanism (190) to push through the seal of the container.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to packaging and in particular, tethered caps and spouts for containers. BACKGROUND Containers, such as bottles, use caps to seal and contain a material in the container. Removal of the cap allows access to the material. However, the cap may be mislaid or lost, and re-closing of the container is then not possible. US 2019/071224 A1 discloses a device comprising: a cap including a base, a sidewall and a camming mechanism on an internal side of the base and the sidewall; a spout comprising a mouth, the spout configured to engage the cap; a cutting mechanism configured to be in engagement with at least the camming mechanism; a retaining element secured with respect to the spout; the cap comprising a cover at the top that can be flipped-open. US 2011/114593 A1 discloses a container closure of a type which includes a body and a tamper evident bottom portion connected to the body via a plurality of breakable bridge portions. EP 3 947 180 A1 falls under Art. 54(3) EPC and discloses a tethered cap and spout combination wherein at least rotation of the cap engages a camming mechanism with a puncturing mechanism to push through a seal and engage the tether to hold the cap. US 2015/251827 A1 discloses a closure that has an integral tether section of the closure skirt attached to a tamper band at frangible sections. EP 3 880 574 A1 falls under Art. 54(3) EPC and discloses a closure consisting of a screw cap with a tamperproof strip. SUMMARY The invention is set out in the appended set of claims. Disclosed herein are devices comprising tethered cap and spout combinations. The devices prevent loss of the cap after opening. The devices provide mechanisms for puncturing or opening a seal that may be present at a throat or neck of the container which provides both an anti-tampering and freshness function. In an implementation, the devices may provide anti-tampering mechanisms. The devices provide mechanisms to hold an opened and tethered cap away from the container opening during use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and are incorporated into and thus constitute a part of this specification. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a tethered cap and spout combination in a closed position in accordance with implementations.FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 1 in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional bottom view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 1 in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 1 in accordance with certain implementations.FIGS. 5A and 5B are other views of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 1 in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 6 is a view of the locking mechanism of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 1 in accordance with certain implementations.FIGS. 7A-7D are a view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 1 cycling through closed-open-closed in accordance with implementations.FIG. 8 is a view of another tethered cap and spout combination in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 8 in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional bottom view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 8 in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 11 is a view of another tethered cap and spout combination in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 12 is another view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 11 in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 11 in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional bottom view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG.11 in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 13 in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 16 is an image of an opened tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 13 in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 17 is a view of another tethered cap and spout combination in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 17 in a closed position in accordance with certain implementations.FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the tethered cap and spout combination of FIG. 17 in a clo