US-12623820-B2 - Container cap and method of piercing a seal covering an opening of a container

US12623820B2US 12623820 B2US12623820 B2US 12623820B2US-12623820-B2

Abstract

A container cap ( 100 ) configured to couple to an access opening of a container, and the access opening having a seal configured to cover the access opening. The container cap includes a cap body ( 102 ) including a cylindrical-shaped side wall ( 104 ) having a bottom edge ( 108 ) that defines an opening to an interior of the cap body, and a top wall portion integrated with the cylindrical-shaped side wall and at least partially enclosing the interior of the cap body. The container cap further includes a seal opening assembly integrated with the cap body. The seal opening assembly includes a slot ( 114 ) defined in the top wall portion of the cap body, and a seal piercing member ( 116 ) formed on a first side of the slot. The seal piercing member is configured to pierce the seal covering the access opening.

Inventors

Joy Elizabeth Borgardt
James J. Hughes
Ted Klikuszowian
Todd Marshall
Marc Plew
Kelsey M. Coffey
Scott L. Fisher
Jason A. ROWE

Assignees

ABBVIE INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20180416

Claims (15)

1 . A container cap configured to couple to an access opening of a container, the access opening having a seal configured to cover the access opening, the container cap comprising: a cap body comprising: a cylindrical-shaped side wall having a circular bottom edge that defines an opening to an interior of said cap body; and a top wall portion, integrated with said cylindrical-shaped side wall and at least partially enclosing the interior of said cap body; and a seal opening assembly integrated with said cap body, wherein said seal opening assembly comprises: a seal piercing member formed on said top wall portion, said seal piercing member comprising an outer surface and a first sidewall positioned radially inwardly of said outer surface, said outer surface and said first sidewall being oriented to converge toward one another to define a piercing tip, said piercing tip being configured to pierce the seal covering the access opening; and a second sidewall positioned radially inwardly on said top wall portion from said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a slot therebetween, the slot being sized to receive at least a portion of the container therein when the piercing tip pierces the seal.
2 . The container cap in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said slot is oriented to extend arcuately across said top wall portion.
3 . The container cap in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said slot is oriented convexly relative to a longitudinal axis of said cap body.
4 . The container cap in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said slot is oriented such that said seal piercing member is defined on a peripheral edge of said cap body.
5 . The container cap in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said seal piercing member is contoured to be flush with an exterior profile of said top wall portion.
6 . The container cap in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said top wall portion comprises a rounded top edge, and wherein an outer surface of said seal piercing member is contoured to be flush with an exterior profile of said rounded top edge.
7 . The container cap in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an instructional guide feature integrally formed on said cap body.
8 . The container cap in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said top wall portion comprises an overmolded grip surface feature.
9 . A container comprising: a container body comprising a neck portion and an interior, wherein said neck portion defines an opening in said container body that provides access to said interior, and wherein said opening is configured to be covered by a seal; and a container cap selectively removable from said container body, said container cap comprising: a cap body comprising: a cylindrical-shaped side wall having a circular bottom edge that defines an opening to an interior of said cap body; and a top wall portion integrated with said cylindrical-shaped side wall and at least partially enclosing the interior of said cap body; and a seal opening assembly integrated with said cap body; and a seal piercing member formed on said top wall portion, said seal piercing member comprising an outer surface and a first sidewall positioned radially inwardly of said outer surface, the outer surface and first sidewall being oriented to converge toward one another to define a piercing tip, said piercing tip configured to pierce the seal covering the access opening; and a second sidewall spaced radially inwardly on said top wall portion from the first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a slot therebetween, the slot being sized to receive at least a portion of the container therein when the piercing tip pierces the seal.
10 . The container in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said slot is oriented to define a curved side wall in said top wall portion, said curved side wall having a greater radial size than said neck portion.
11 . The container in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said seal piercing member and said curved side wall are spaced from each other by a distance greater than a thickness of a top edge of said neck portion.
12 . The container in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said slot is oriented to extend arcuately across said top wall portion.
13 . The container in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said slot is oriented such that said seal piercing member is defined on a peripheral edge of said cap body.
14 . The container in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said seal piercing member is contoured to be flush with an exterior profile of said top wall portion.
15 . The container in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said top wall portion comprises a rounded top edge, and wherein an outer surface of said seal piercing member is contoured to be flush with an exterior profile of said rounded top edge.

Description

BACKGROUND The field of the present disclosure relates generally to a container cap for a membrane-sealed container and, more specifically, to a container cap with an integrated seal piercing member that is configured to pierce the membrane for easy opening and access to the contents of the container. At least some known containers have an opening sealed with a membrane to, among other things, facilitate preserving the contents of the container, facilitate detection of tampering with the container, and inhibit accidental spillage of the contents of the container. The containers may be covered with a squeeze-lock container cap that requires simultaneously squeezing and rotating the cap to remove it from the container. However, patients having limited dexterity may find it difficult to remove the cap from the container and then break the membrane to access its contents. For example, breaking the membrane by hand to gain access to the contents of the container can be a difficult and time-consuming task for patients having limited dexterity. In some cases, breaking the membrane can also be a dangerous task if a consumer uses a sharp object, such as a knife, to puncture the membrane. In some known containers, the container cap may include a seal breaker designed to enable a consumer to use the container cap as a tool to break the membrane. However, these known container caps may not be easily usable by the consumer for opening the container. For example, one known container cap includes a seal breaker formed on the side of the container cap, which makes it difficult and awkward to orient the cap properly for breaking the membrane. In other known containers, the seal breaker may be conspicuously designed such that the seal breaker detracts from the aesthetic appearance of the container and/or may actually harm the user of the seal breaker while attempting to remove the cap or use the seal breaker. Accordingly, a container cap is needed that is easily grippable, that reduces a risk of injury when using a sharp object to pierce the membrane, that includes an integrated seal piercing member that is configured to easily pierce the seal member of the container, and that is integrated into the cap design such that it does not detract from the appearance of the container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION In one aspect, a container cap configured to couple to an access opening of a container, and the access opening having a seal configured to cover the access opening. The container cap includes a cap body including a cylindrical-shaped side wall having a bottom edge that defines an opening to an interior of the cap body, and a top wall portion integrated with the cylindrical-shaped side wall and at least partially enclosing the interior of the cap body. The container cap further includes a seal opening assembly integrated with the cap body. The seal opening assembly includes a slot defined in the top wall portion of the cap body, and a seal piercing member formed on a first side of the slot. The seal piercing member is configured to pierce the seal covering the access opening. In another aspect, a container is provided. The container includes a container body including a neck portion and an interior. The neck portion defines an opening in the container body that provides access to the interior, and the opening is configured to be covered by a seal. The container further includes a container cap selectively removable from the container body. The container cap includes a cap body including a cylindrical-shaped side wall having a bottom edge that defines an opening to an interior of the cap body, and a top wall portion integrated with the cylindrical-shaped side wall and at least partially enclosing the interior of the cap body. The container cap further includes a seal opening assembly integrated with the cap body. The seal opening assembly includes a slot defined in the top wall portion of the cap body, and a seal piercing member formed on a first side of the slot. The seal piercing member is configured to pierce the seal covering the access opening. In yet another aspect, a method of piercing a seal covering an opening in a neck portion of a container is provided. The method includes orienting a container cap upside down relative to the container, wherein the container cap includes a cap body and a seal opening assembly integrated therewith. The seal opening assembly includes a slot defined in a top wall portion of the cap body, and a seal piercing member formed on a first side of the slot. The method further includes aligning the slot in the cap body with the neck portion of the container, and forcing the container cap towards the container such that the neck portion is inserted within the slot, and such that the seal piercing member pierces the seal covering the opening. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example container cap. FIG. 2 is a top view of the container cap shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cr