Patent Application
20230024962
This disclosure relates generally to drinking containers, pourable solid (sugar, granules, powders) containers, chemical containers, detergent containers, multi-serve containers, and more particularly to bottle caps, and bottles.
Plastic or composite bottle caps, pressed removably into plastic bottles. The bottles may contain beverages during shipping. Where desired, a cap may be designed so that a user may reattach (e.g., screw back on) the cap to the container opening in between sips of the beverage or while in use of the container if it were to be for non-beverage content (e.g., oil containers, chemical containers, detergent containers, multi-serve containers). Once the cap is removed from the mouth of the container, a user must take care to secure the cap and traditionally holds the cap in their hand or sets it on a surface with hopes it will not get dropped so it does not become soiled or lost.
According to a particularly embodiment, a system and associated method include a container having a top opening and a sidewall surface, and a lid configured to removably seal the top opening, where the lid is configured to removably attach via a friction fit to an opening or other formed holder in the sidewall surface. The holder may include one or more detents to facilitate the friction fit.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus includes a container having a top opening and a sidewall surface and a lid configured to removably seal the top opening, where the lid is configured to attach to the sidewall surface.
According to another particular embodiment, a lid includes a fastening mechanism configured to removably attach to a sidewall of a container, wherein the lid additionally includes a surface to seal the beverage container when not attached to the sidewall.
According to another particular embodiment, a method of manufacture includes manufacturing a container having a top opening and a sidewall surface and a lid configured to removably seal the top opening, where the lid is configured to attach to the sidewall surface.
An embodiment of the system may include a container lid that seals contents inside of a container until the lid is removed and attached to a sidewall of a container. In the case of a beverage container, a user may be provided with a location on a bottle to secure a cap other than the mouth of the container. After initially removing the lid from the mouth of the container, the user may attach the lid to the side of the container while sipping from the bottle to drink, or while using the container for other purposes based on the contents and their purpose. For example, the lid of a cooking oil container would be secured to the container while the user is pouring its contents for cooking. According to an embodiment of the system, the lid may attach to the sidewall of the container more easily than being reattached (e.g., screwed back on to the mouth of the container).
A user may no longer need to hold a drink in one hand and a cap in the other hand. The container lid is less likely to be set on a contaminated surface where it may be dropped or knocked to a floor. In addition to sanitary considerations, the attachment of the lid to a sidewall of the container may lead to greater safety, such as when a user is operating a vehicle or holding the hand of a child. Affixing the cap to the bottle (either removably or temporarily) may allow for increased safety as the user multitasks in other activities made now safer because the user has a free hand (e.g., holding the cap). Attaching the cap may provide satisfaction and even a type of play for a user. Fewer misplaced or discarded container lids will decrease pollution (e.g., lids washing up on beaches, or left in parks and along roadsides) and associated harmful environmental effects. Keeping the cap with the container may also ensure that chemicals, detergents, condiments and oils are properly resealed to prevent their contents from excessive spillage or exposure to the environment.
Embodiments of the system may facilitate branding and message advertising. For instance, the system may include a first advertising component on a sidewall (e.g., a label or onset) of the beverage container. A second advertising component may be included on a surface of the container lid. As such, an advertising slogan or design may be completed visually when the lid is attached to the sidewall. In this manner, different messages from different structures may be combined to create a combined design, text or other.
An embodiment includes an opening (e.g., aperture, indentation) configured accommodate and temporarily secure a container top. The securement may include a friction fit. According to an embodiment, the opening may include detents configured to hold the container top in place. The friction fit that is achieved with the top and bottom walls (and in some embodiments any combination of the sidewalls and the top, bottom, and back walls) creating a measure of interference. As explained herein, the detents may include an angled surface to apply force to the container top that is directed towards a back section of the opening.
Another or the same embodiment may include an opening with a lip portion. The lip portion may be thicker than other edges of the opening. The thickness may provide additional surface area to facilitate the friction fit. A thickness, such as may comprise a fold, may increase the strength of the form similar to how more bends in corrugated boxes and steel sheets increases strength. In some implementations, the lip and/or opening may include a drain portion.
According to a particular embodiment, all edges of an opening may be rounded. The rounded edges may be easier to manufacture (e.g., easier removal from a mold). The rounded edges may additionally be less likely to fracture. For example, the rounded edges may be less prone to cracking or other deformation. The rounded edges may share weight so that a corner does not have to bear all of the weight of an impact or other force.
In an implementation, a raised portion, or detent, may be compressible. For instance, a detent may be at least partially hollow. While a protruding lip or detent may be deformable, it may additionally be resilient to substantially pop back into its original form. The thickness of detent material may be comparable or the same as the side of a container. However, other embodiments of detents may feature thinner wall thickness than a thickness of a container.
A detent may be formed at the time of molding the container and may include a projecting or receding contour configured to friction fit a cap. The edgings of a detent may be rounded. The rounded edges may avoid fraction points and clamping, as well as promote strength against pressure. According to an embodiment, as little as five percent of the mass of a cap may be inserted into the cutout portion formed in a container.
Another embodiment may include detents on multiple sides of the opening, to include all sides or any combination of sides. For example, detents may be included on opposing sides of another embodiment. Another embodiment of a bottle may include detents on contiguous sidewalls of an opening. Other embodiments may include bottles that have multiple windows, or openings.
Embodiments of the system are not limited to drinking bottles and screw-on caps. For instance, an embodiment of the system may include a press and seal metal or ceramic cap, in addition to a plastic lid that screws onto a thermos type beverage container. Lids may be constructed from bioengineered materials to biodegrade or otherwise benefit the environment. The container lids of certain embodiments may not be designed for resealing the beverage container. As such, a container lid may be attached to a beverage container sidewall after opening primarily for ease of disposal. A lid container of other embodiments of the system may be attached using a formed compartment in the side of the container that is made to receive the cap right side up or upside down. Other embodiments of a compartment may be oriented at other angles relative to a base of the container. Embodiments may contemplate using at least one of: a friction fit, tape, a strap, a snap, a projection, a hook and loop fastener, a rubber hand, an adhesive, a string, a staple, a screw, a nail, and a hook.
As with all other embodiments shown herein, the edges of the opening 1302 may be rounded. The rounded edges may be easier to manufacture (e.g., easier removal from a mold). The rounded edges may additionally be less likely to fracture. For example, the rounded edges may be less prone to cracking or other deformation. The rounded edges may share weight so that a corner does not have to bear all of the weight of an impact or other force.
The sidewall surface may be positioned under a plane defined by a top surface of the top opening at 2704.
A label may be placed on the sidewall surface at 2706. As such, the label may comprise part of the sidewall surfaced.
An onset may be placed on the sidewall surface at 2708. As such, the onset may comprise part of the sidewall surfaced.
A cutout portion may be placed on the sidewall surface at 2710. As such, the cutout may comprise part of the sidewall surfaced.
A lid may be formed at 2712. The lid may include a projection or other fastening mechanism configured to attach to the sidewall surface.
In operation, an embodiment of a form used in the manufacture of an embodiment of system may enable a cap to be inserted upside-down or right-side up. In either orientation, the cap may seat into place with the bottle. An embodiment of a system may have points of interaction and friction for an easy latch feature. Forms may allow for easy tooling and strength in order to pass stress and cracking tests and to ensure the shape and structural integrity is maintained under pressure. An insertion point for a cap that includes multiple detents on the top of the form may allow the cap to be temporarily locked into place. Two side detents and a rear detent may be used when the cap is upside down. The inside cap walls may lock in behind the detents. The two side detents and the front detent may be utilized for a friction fit when right side up, and detents in the bottom of the form provide pressure on the cap to hold it in place.
A drain may allow moisture or submerged water from a cooler to drain out naturally. The drain may have other locations on shapes and other embodiments.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
For example, according to a particular embodiment, the system may include a thin and long profile that may pop up a flap or flange after a finger depresses it or pushes it up. This action may not open the bottle. The bottle may remain sealed if the flap is up and on top of the bottle. The system may allow an option for a smooth and snug entrance under a label in a section bubble label designed to receive it. Another embodiment of the system may allow an option for the lid to friction fit into a formed female end in, for instance, a thermoformed plastic bottle.
In a particular embodiment, a system may allow an option for the lid to slide under an adhered onsert (e.g., a sticker) affixed on the bottle. The onsert may be used as a promotional decal on the bottle. A label of the bottle of an embodiment of the system may have a cut-out opening of any size. The bottle may or may not be embossed for ease of insertion. The bottle, itself, may also have engineered locations to encourage the insertion of a flap. Designed entrances into a label may be created via a window, or cut out. An entrance of an embodiment may also be created by sliding a flap or flange under an outside edge of a label. An indentation may be formed in a beverage container under the label so that the insertion is made easier for the cap to slide within. A window may include a cut-out of any shape that allows for a flap, flange, or other surface of a container lid to slide snugly into a label via friction fit into a desired location. A form may be created in a bottle, itself, that is able to house a flap or other projection of the container lid via friction fit.
In the following, reference is made to embodiments presented in this disclosure. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to specific described embodiments. Instead, any combination of the following features and elements, whether related to different embodiments or not, is contemplated to implement and practice contemplated embodiments. Furthermore, although embodiments disclosed herein may achieve advantages over other possible solutions or over the prior art, whether or not a particular advantage is achieved by a given embodiment is not limiting of the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the following aspects, features, embodiments and advantages are merely illustrative and are not considered elements or limitations of the appended claims except where explicitly recited in a claim(s). Likewise, reference to “the invention” shall not be construed as a generalization of any inventive subject matter disclosed herein and shall not be considered to be an element or limitation of the appended claims except where explicitly recited in a claim(s).
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems and methods according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
