Bottle and cap closure apparatus with torque feature

Abstract

A closure apparatus for a bottle neck and cap increases the torque necessary to remove the cap from the bottle neck. Projections are provided on one of the bottle neck exterior and cap interior, and indentations are provided on the other of the bottle neck exterior and cap interior. When the cap is secured on the bottle neck, the projections engage in the indentations. The engagement of the projections in the indentations requires an increased torque to remove the cap from the bottle neck.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] (1) Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention pertains to a closure apparatus for a bottle neck and cap that increases the torque necessary to remove the cap from the bottle neck. More specifically, projections are provided on one of the bottle neck and cap interior, and indentations are provided on the other of the bottle neck and cap interior. When the cap is secured on the bottle neck, the projections engage in the indentations. The engagement of the projections in the indentations requires an increased torque to remove the cap from the bottle neck. [0003] (2) Description of the Related Art [0004] A typical bottle and cap closure apparatus comprises a bottle neck having one or more exterior screw threads that engage with interior screw threads of the cap. The cap is positioned on top of the bottle neck and turned in the clockwise direction relative to the bottle to screw the interior threads of the bottle cap onto the exterior threads ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] A first embodiment of the bottle and cap closure apparatus of the invention improves the conventional construction of a bottle and cap closure. The apparatus is employed on a bottle neck having an exterior screw thread that spirals around the bottle neck, and a bottle cap having an interior screw thread that spirals around the interior of the cap. The bottle neck screw thread and the cap screw thread are mated and screwed together in attaching the cap to the bottle neck in the conventional manner. However, the bottle and cap closure apparatus of the invention differs from the constructions of prior art bottle and cap closure apparatus by providing a number of projections that extend axially outwardly from a flank surface of the bottle neck screw thread. The same number of indentations extend axially into a flank surface of the cap screw thread.

[0012] In each of the embodiments of the bottle and cap closure apparatus described above, the engagement of projections on one of the bottle neck and cap into indentations of the other of the bottle neck and cap securely holds the cap to the bottle neck and prevents the unintended backing off of the bottle cap.

Problems solved by technology

This friction engagement between the screw threads of the bottle neck and the cap also often affects the quality of the liquid seal between the cap and bottle.

If the cap is loose on the bottle neck due to the cap not being screwed down entirely on the bottle neck liquid contained in the bottle could potentially leak through the connection.

A disadvantage often encountered in the constructions of bottle and cap closures of the type described above is the tendency of the cap to become loose from the bottle neck.

This counterclockwise rotation of the cap is called “backing off”, and can cause leakage of a liquid contained in the bottle.

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