Water bottle cap system and method of use

Abstract

Embodiments of a water bottle cap system that is backwards compatible with existing water bottles and methods of its use are described herein. According to one exemplary embodiment, a water bottle cap system includes an at least three gallon water bottle having a pouring neck extending from a water bottle body and a water passage penetrating pouring end of the pouring neck opposite the water bottle body. The system also includes a tear-away resilient sealing cap having a sealing end matingly mounted to the pouring neck and a cylindrical section extending from the sealing end and having a pouring-neck-surrounding portion surrounding the pouring neck intermediate the water passage end and the water bottle body. The cylindrical section can also have at least a first radially inwardly projecting tooth section, a narrowed tearable section intermediate the tooth section and the sealing end, and a pull tab extending from the pouring-neck-surrounding portion and being integral with the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/448,642, filed May 30, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

This application concerns plastic caps and plastic bottles, such as bottles that are placed upside down into a receiving/dispensing tank of a dispenser, to which the caps may be attached, and more particularly, to tamper evident interlocking plastic caps and plastic bottles that hold water, particularly those that hold at least approximately 3 gallons of water.

BACKGROUND

Water companies commonly supply users (in the home or office) with three- or five-gallon bottles to be placed upside down into a dispensing tank or water dispenser These water bottles are typically produced by manufacturers such that the cap presses on to the bottle over a crowned, y-shaped or double collar at the top of the bottle. The caps are typically made of flexible plastic to allow the cap to flex enough to allow it to be pressed over the top of the bottle in a machine bottling operation.

One problem with such conventional designs is that the caps often do not provide effective sealing. For example, when the bottles are heated, as may occur during transportation or when exposed to the sun for prolonged periods of time, the flexible plastic cap can become quite flexible or expandable. In such conditions, the cap can be removed from, and reattached to, the bottle without breaking the seal of the plastic cap.

As another example, when a heavy, three- or five-gallon bottle is lifted by grasping the cap, the cap can often accidentally slip off of the water bottle, particularly if the cap is exposed to heat.

Accordingly, the cap can be intentionally removed in a similar fashion, the bottle contents can be tampered with, and the bottle cap can then be re-installed without providing much, if any, evidence of tampering. In other words, someone could remove a cap having a conventional design from a water bottle, insert a biological agent, such as anthrax, tularemia, botulism, or small pox, or a chemical agent, such as cyanide or mustard gas, and reattach the cap, without any resulting visible sign of tampering provided by the cap or any significant visible alteration of the structure of the cap.

SUMMARY

The applicant believes that he was the first to recognize the deficiencies in conventional prior art three- and five-gallon water bottle caps noted above, particularly the risk of tampering associated with such caps.

The applicant has invented a cap that can remain mounted to a water bottle container, particularly a conventionally-sized three- or five-gallon water bottle container, even after being exposed to heat, such as commonly occurs in the industry. The cap can be dismounted from the container by pulling a pull tab formed in the cap to severe the tab from the cap. Accordingly, the container of the system cannot be accessed without evidence of such access indicated in an at least partially severed pull tab.

According to one embodiment, a container cap system includes a cap that has a body with a side wall coupled to a top portion. The side wall defines an interior and an exterior of the cap and has an inner surface proximate the interior and an outer surface proximate the exterior. The system includes a pull tab formed in the side wall that is configured to sever the side wall when pulled.

At least one cap groove is formed in the inner surface of the side wall. The groove can have a generally v-shape with first and second major surfaces that are angled generally upward toward the top portion.

The system can also include a container that has a container body and a container neck configured to dispense contents of the container. The container neck can include a neck wall that defines a neck interior and a neck exterior, a mouth that is formed in the container neck wall and at least one container groove formed in the exterior of the container neck wall. The at least one container groove can be generally v-shaped with first and second major surfaces angled generally downward at an angle away from the mouth. One of the first or second major surfaces of the at least one container groove can be configured to interlock with one of the first or second major surfaces of the at least one cap groove without rotation of the cap relative to the container. The pull tab can extend from a base of the cap to a location on the cap above the at least one cap groove and where pulling the pull tab severs the side wall to unseal the contents in the container interior. In some implementations, the pull tab is configured to tear from the side wall severing the side wall through the at last one cap groove enabling the cap to decouple from the container neck.

In some implementations, the cap side wall and top portion have a generally cylindrical shape. The container neck can include a circumferential ring formed in the container neck wall that is configured to interface with a lower flare portion of the cap formed in the cap side wall opposite the top portion. The circumferential ring and the lower flare portion seal the interior of the container from external contaminants.

In some implementations, the system includes a flat foam disc disposed in the interior of the cap proximate the top portion. The foam disc provides a seal between the cap top portion and the mouth.

In certain implementations, the first and second major surfaces of the at least one cap groove are angled generally upward at an angle between approximately 5 degrees and 45 degrees toward the top portion. Similarly, the first and second major surfaces of the at least one container groove are angled generally downward at an angle between approximately 5 degrees and 45 degrees away from the mouth. The at least one cap groove can include at least six cap grooves and the at least one container groove can include at least six container grooves.

According to one embodiment, a tamper indicating cap for sealing a water container includes a cylindrical hollow body having a closed top portion and an open bottom. The tamper indicating cap also includes a first annular tooth formed in the body proximate the closed top portion and extending from the body toward an interior of the body. The first annular tooth can have an upper surface and a lower surface that converge in a direction extending away from the body such that the lower surface is substantially parallel with the top portion and the top surface is downwardly angled in a direction extending away from the body.

The tamper indicating cap can also include a second annular tooth formed in the body and positioned below the first annular tooth. The second annular tooth extends from the body toward an interior of the body and can have an upper surface and a lower surface that converge in a direction extending away from the body. The upper surface is downwardly angled away from the top portion in a direction extending away from the body and the lower surface is upwardly angled toward the top portion in a direction extending away from the body. A notch can be formed in the body proximate a location on the body where the lower surface of the second annular tooth adjoins the cylindrical hollow body.

The tamper indicating cap can include a pull tab formed in the side wall that extends from the open bottom upward toward the top portion and circumferentially across the body between the first annular tooth and the second annular tooth.

The first annular tooth and the second annular tooth of the tamper indicating cap are configured to contain a lip portion of the water container therebetween to seal the body to the container. The notch facilitates an upward directed biasing force against the lip portion of the water container. The container can be unsealed by severing the pull tab from the body.

A method of using a container cap system includes aligning a container cap with a container where the container cap has a body that includes a side wall coupled to a top portion to define an interior and an exterior. The side wall has an inner surface proximate the interior and an outer surface proximate the exterior. The container cap can also have a pull tab formed in the side wall that is configured to sever the side wall. At least one cap groove having a generally v-shape and at least one cap tooth adjacent the at least one cap groove can be formed in the inner surface of the side wall.

The method can further include pressing the container cap onto the water bottle container. The container can include a body and a container neck configured to dispense contents of the container, the container neck including a neck wall defining a neck interior and a neck exterior. The container can further include a mouth formed in the container neck wall distal from the container body where the mouth is configured to communicate with a container interior and a container exterior defined by the container body. At least one container groove having a generally v-shape and at least one container tooth adjacent the at least one container groove are formed in the exterior of the container neck wall. The at least one container groove can, if desired, interlock with the at least one cap tooth and the at least one cap groove can be configured to interlock with the at least one container tooth without rotation of the cap relative to the container. The cap is configured to demountably couple with the container neck and configured to seal the contents in the container interior.

Alternatively, the water bottle container may have a conventional configuration, including of its neck. A cap having a cap tooth can nevertheless be installed on such a conventional water bottle using conventional bottling equipment. A single cap design may thus be utilized in conjunction not only with existing bottling machinery but also with both newly made bottles, which may have a mating configuration and thus be more reliably sealed via the cap, and with older or in any event differing water bottle neck structures not having a mating groove, for example. The single cap design may thus be backwardly compatible with the large pre-existing number of three- or five-gallon water bottles already in the market place for use and, often, for re-use without modification of the structure of the bottles.

The method further includes interlocking the at least one cap groove with the at last one container tooth and the at least one container groove with the at least one cap tooth, and sealing the contents in the container exterior.

The foregoing is a brief summary of aspects of the various embodiments disclosed in this specification. There are additional aspects that will become apparent as this specification proceeds. In addition, it is to be understood that embodiments of the invention need include all such aspects or address all issues in the prior art noted above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary container cap system assembled with exemplary bottle and cap.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional side view of the exemplary cap shown in FIG. 1 with the pull tab not shown in cross section.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the exemplary container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of an alternative exemplary container cap system with assembled bottle and cap shown in FIG. 1 with the pull tab and bottle not shown in cross section.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of an exemplary cap container system assembled with a container and cap.

FIG. 6A is a partial cross sectional view of a cap container system assembled with the cap shown in FIG. 5 and a first conventional container.

FIG. 6B is a partial cross sectional view of a cap container system assembled with the cap shown in FIG. 5 and a second conventional container.

FIG. 6C is a partial cross sectional view of a cap container system assembled with the cap shown in FIG. 5 and a third conventional container.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a conventional five-gallon water bottle container.

In the following detailed description, various spacially orienting terms are used such as “upwardly” and “downwardly.” It is to be understood that such terms are used for convenience in association with the drawings and not themselves limiting or requiring of any absolute orientation in space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment of a tamper resistant or tamper evident cap container system includes a resilient cap having a pull tab that is mountable on a water bottle container, preferably a conventional three- or five-gallon water bottle container, such as water bottle container 180 shown in FIG. 7. As one example, a conventional five-gallon water bottle container can be made of plastic, can be approximately 17 inches in height and 11 inches in diameter, and can weigh approximately 40 pounds when filled with water. Although three- or five-gallon water bottle containers are preferred, it is recognized that water bottle containers of other shapes and sizes can also be used.

The cap usually should remain mountably sealed to a container opening unless the pull tab has been at least partially severed from the cap. In any event, severance or partial severance of the pull tab from the cap visually indicates whether the cap has been tampered with. The cap includes at least one tooth and groove combination to interlock with the container to seal the cap to the container. In one exemplary implementation, the container includes at least one tooth and groove combination corresponding with the at least one tooth and groove combination of the cap to facilitate interlocking of the cap and the container.

In general, the teeth of the disclosed embodiments have a generally tooth-shaped cross section, where the cap teeth extend circumferentially across an interior portion of the cap and the container teeth extend circumferentially across an exterior portion of the container. Similarly, the grooves of the disclosed embodiments extend circumferentially across the interior of the cap in the case of cap grooves and the exterior of the container in the case of container grooves. Although preferably the teeth and grooves extend seamlessly across the cap or container, it is recognized that the teeth and grooves can be partitioned or non-continuous as they extend circumferentially across the cap or container.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, according to one embodiment, a container cap system 10 includes an improved tamper evident cap 12 to be used with a container, such as container 14, which can be a three- or five-gallon water bottle. The cap 12 can be pressed onto the container 14 using standard bottling machinery. As best shown in FIG. 2, the cap 12 includes a body having a side wall 16 and a top portion 18. The side wall 16 and top portion 18 define an interior 20 and an exterior 22 of the cap 12. The side wall 16 has an inner surface 24 adjacent the interior 20 and an outer surface 26 the exterior 22.

The cap 16 includes a plurality of cap grooves, with exemplary grooves indicated at 32, each having a generally v-shape and a corresponding plurality of teeth 33, with exemplary teeth indicated at 33, each having a generally v-shape and positioned adjacent to at least one groove 32. A lower surface of the cap grooves 32 can extend in an inward direction, i.e., a direction moving away from a sidewall of the cap toward the interior of the cap, at a predetermined angle 34 relative to horizontal, as shown in FIG. 2, toward the top portion 18 of the cap 12. As used herein, horizontal refers to a plane generally parallel to an upper surface of the container where the upper surface is generally parallel to the ground when the container is uprightly resting on the ground. In some specific implementations, the angle 34 can be approximately five degrees. In other implementations, the angle 34 can be less than or more than five degrees. In an exemplary embodiment, six cap grooves 30 are formed in the side wall 16. Of course, the cap 16 can have more or less than six cap grooves.

One type of three- or five-gallon water gallon container 14 can include a container body 42 and a container neck 44 having a neck wall 46 defining neck interior 48 and a neck exterior 50. A plurality of container grooves, exemplary grooves being indicated at 58, each having a generally v-shape in cross-section and a plurality of corresponding teeth, exemplary teeth being indicated at 59, each having a generally v-shape in cross-section and positioned adjacent to at least one groove 58, are formed in the neck wall 46 adjacent the neck exterior 50. An upper surface of the container grooves 58 can be formed to extend in an outward direction, i.e., a direction moving away from a sidewall of the container toward the exterior of the container, at a predetermined angle 60 relative to horizontal, as shown in FIG. 3, away from the mouth 52 when extending in an outward direction. Preferably, the angle 60 is approximately equal to the angle 34. In some specific implementations, the angle 60 can be approximately five degrees. In other implementations, the angle 60 can be less than or more than five degrees. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, there are six container grooves 58. Of course, the container 14 can have more or less than six container grooves.

The water bottle container grooves and teeth interlock with the cap teeth and grooves as the cap is inserted onto the container without rotation of the cap relative to the container, e.g., by press-fit of the cap 16 onto the container 14. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, teeth 59 in the container 14 are nestably inserted into corresponding grooves 32 in the cap 12 and teeth 33 in the cap are nestably inserted into corresponding grooves 58 in the container. When interlocked, the container grooves 58 and cap grooves 32 form a seal, which can help prevent leakage of the contents from the container 14 as well as prevent undesired tampering with the contents of the container 14.

The interlocking configuration of the teeth and grooves also can provide resistance to heat expansion and, in any event, tampering (even in the event of heat expansion) of the cap 16 or portions of it. The container grooves 58 being angled downwardly with respect to horizontal and the cap grooves 32 being angled upwardly with respect to horizontal, interact with the cap teeth 33 and the container teeth 59, respectively, to resist movement of the cap 12 upwardly, i.e., vertically, with respect to the container. The respective cap and container teeth are preferably made from a plastic, such as polyethylene, that is sufficiently rigid such that the teeth do not disengage the respective container and cap grooves as the cap is pulled upwardly away from the container even if the cap and container are in a heated environment. In this way, the cap 12 cannot be removed from the container 14 by pulling on the cap relative to the container 14.

The angles of the upper and lower surfaces of the teeth and grooves of the embodiments of the cap container system described herein can be predetermined based on the desired level of resistance to upward directed pulling on the cap relative to the container. In other words, for example, in certain high-heat or high-security applications or environments, it may be desirable to have greater resistance to unevidenced tampering of the system by pulling the cap off of the container. In these applications, the predetermined angles of the teeth and grooves can be increased to increase the resistance. In other applications where little resistance is sufficient, the predetermined angles of the teeth and grooves can be less than for high-resistance applications.

The cap is removable and tampering can be shown by use of a pull tab. The cap 12 has a pull tab 28 formed at least partially adjacent the side wall 16 to facilitate selective removal of a portion of the cap 12. The pull tab 28 includes scored edges 30 and a handle portion 29 configured to allow for easy tearing of the pull tab away from the side wall 16 by grasping and pulling the handle portion outwardly and upwardly away from a lower edge of the sidewall such that the pull tab tears along the scored edges.

Once installed on the container 14, the water bottle cap 12 cannot be removed without pulling the tab 28 and severing the side wall 16. Accordingly, any tearing of the pull tab 28 away from the side wall 16 of the cap 12 will reveal tampering of the container cap system 10, i.e., removal or attempted removal of the cap from the container.

In some embodiments, the top portion 18 of the cap 12 includes rounded edges 36 at the interface with the side wall 16. The cap side wall 16 includes a lower flare portion 38 opposite the top portion 18. The lower flare portion 38 can promote proper alignment of the cap 12 and the container 14 as well as provide for a sealing surface. In some embodiments, a foam disc 40 is disposed in the interior 20 of the cap 16 near the top 18. The foam disc 40 is configured to seal between the cap 16 and the container 14.

The container 14 includes a circumferential ring 62 formed in the neck 44 proximate the container body 42. The circumferential ring 62 is configured to interface with the lower flare portion 38 of the cap 12 in order to seal the interior 54 of the container from external contamination and leakage to the exterior 56. The container includes a mouth 52 formed in the container neck 44 distal from the container body 42 and configured to communicate with a container interior 54 and a container exterior 56 formed by the container body 42. The top of the mouth 52 of the bottle 14 also has a slight rounded top 64, to facilitate lining up the cap in the bottling process.

As a result, the cap 12 can, if desired, be used in conjunction with standard bottling equipment, preventing the need to invest in new machinery and allowing the bottler to use, and if desired, re-use conventional prior art three- or five-gallon water bottles. The bottler can therefore commence using the cap 12 with water containers having mating, tamper resistant structure as described herein but without having to abandon or alter the bottler's existing machinery and system of use of the machinery with conventional prior art caps.

With regard to the present bottle container of FIG. 3, however, the mouth 52 of the container 14 includes a rounded outer edge 64 configured to facilitate alignment of the cap 12 with the container neck 44. The container neck 44 is configured to dispense contents within the container 14. In an exemplary embodiment, the container neck 44 is a right circular cylinder. Generally, the cap 12 is a straight cylinder having diameter just wide enough to allow a relatively tight fit on the bottle 14.

The container neck 44 can also have a generally straight cylindrical shape. As shown in FIG. 3, the neck 44 of the container 14 is vertically straight below the rounded top 64 of its mouth 52. The grooves 58 and teeth 59 are also formed in the neck wall 46 of the neck above a circumferential ring 62 formed in the neck. The circumferential ring 62 interfaces with the lower flare of the cap 38 to provide a barrier against contaminants intermixing with the contents of the container.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternative embodiment of a cap container system 100 is shown with a cap 102 mounted to a container 104. The cap 102 includes a first lower cap tooth 106a, a second lower cap tooth 106b, a lower container lip gripping tooth 108, and an upper container lip gripping tooth 110 formed in a side wall 138 of the cap.

The first lower cap tooth 106a is positioned on the cap between a circumferential ring receiving groove 112 and a second container tooth receiving groove 114. The second lower cap tooth 106b is positioned on the cap between the second container tooth receiving groove 114 and a first container tooth receiving groove 116. Each lower cap tooth 106a, 106b can have an upper surface and a lower surface that converge as the tooth extends away from the side wall 138. Both the upper surface and the lower surfaces of the teeth 106a, 106b are upwardly angled toward a top portion 120 of the cap 102 in the inward direction. In one specific implementation, the upper surfaces of the teeth 106a, 106b are upwardly angled approximately five degrees from horizontal in FIG. 5. In other implementations, the angle of the upper surfaces can be more or less than five degrees depending on the desired level of resistance to upward directed pulling on the cap relative to the container.

The lower container lip gripping tooth 108 is intermediate the first container tooth receiving groove 116 and a container lip receiving groove 118. The tooth 108 includes converging upper and lower surfaces extending inwardly, with the upper surface angled downwardly away from top portion 120 and the lower surface angled upwardly toward the top portion. In one specific implementation, the upper surface of the tooth 108 is downwardly angled at approximately 5 degrees. In other implementations, the angle of the upper surface of the tooth 108 can be more or less than 5 degrees.

The upper container lip gripping tooth 110 is intermediate the container lip receiving groove 118 and the top portion 120 of the cap 102. The tooth 110 also has converging upper and lower surfaces. In one specific implementation, the upper surface extends generally transverse to the top portion 120, and the lower surface extending inwardly in a direction approximately parallel with the top portion of the cap. In other implementations, the upper surface can be angled downwardly and the lower surface can be angled upwardly relative to horizontal.

The container 104 includes an upper thickened container lip 122, a radially outwardly projecting first container tooth 124 below the upper thickened container lip 122, a radially outwardly projecting second container tooth 126 below the first container tooth 124, and a radially outwardly extending circumferential ring 128 below the second container tooth 126.

The container lip 122 is positioned on an uppermost portion of a neck 130 of the container 104 and adjacent a lower container lip gripping tooth receiving groove 132. The lip 122 can have a generally rounded circumferential uppermost edge to facilitate mounting of the cap 102 to the container 104 as shown in FIG. 5.

The first container tooth 124 is positioned on the neck 130 between the groove 132 and a second lower cap tooth receiving groove 134. The tooth 124 has converging upper and lower surfaces extending in the outward direction with the upper and lower surfaces angled downwardly away from the lip 122. In one specific implementation, the upper surface is angled downwardly 60 degrees and the lower surface is angled downwardly approximately 5 degrees with respect to horizontal. In other implementations, the upper surface can be angled at more or less than 60 degrees and the lower surface can be angled at more or less than 5 degrees.

The second container tooth 126 has converging upper and lower surfaces extending in the outward direction with the upper and lower surfaces angled downwardly away from the lip 122. In one specific implementation, the upper surface is angled downwardly at approximately 45 degrees and the lower surface is angled downwardly approximately five degrees with respect to horizontal. In other implementations, the upper surface of the second container tooth 126 can be angled at more or less than 45 degrees and the lower surface can be angled at more or less than 5 degrees.

The cap 102 can be mounted to the container 104 in a manner similar to that described above in relation to the cap container system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. As shown in FIG. 5, when the cap 102 is mounted to the container 104, the first lower cap tooth 106a, the second lower cap tooth 106b, and the lower container lip gripping tooth 108 of the cap interlocks with the first lower cap tooth receiving groove 136, second lower cap tooth receiving groove 134 and the lower container lip gripping tooth receiving groove 132 of the container, respectively. Further, the container lip 122, the first container tooth 124, the second container tooth 126 and the circumferential ring 128 interlock with the container lip receiving groove 118, the first container tooth receiving groove 116, the second container tooth receiving groove 114 and the circumferential ring receiving groove 112 of the container 104, respectively. Additionally, the upper container lip gripping tooth 110 interacts with the container lip 122 to provide additional retention of the cap 102 on the container 104.

The cap 102 includes a pull tab 172 that has a severable thin-walled perforation extending from a base of the cap upward toward the top portion of the cap and circumferentially across the cap at a notch 140 formed between the lower container lip gripping tooth 108 and the second lower cap tooth 106b.

Once mounted to the container 104, the cap 102 cannot be removed without tearing the pull tab 172 formed in the cap away from the cap, which evidences tampering of the cap and container. This is because the first lower cap tooth 106a and the second lower cap tooth 106b are upwardly angled toward the top portion 120 of the cap such that when the cap 102 is mounted to the container 104, with the pull tab 172 intact, the interaction of the teeth 106a, 106b with the grooves 136, 134, respectively, prevents movement of the cap outwardly away from the container, i.e., dismounting of the cap from the container.

The lower container lip gripping tooth 108 also provides resistance to dismounting of the cap 102 from the container 104 by interacting with the lower container lip gripping tooth receiving groove 132 of the container.

Once the pull tab 172 is severed from the cap 102, the cap can be removed from the container 104. Further, once removed, the cap 102 can be removably re-mounted to the container 104 by pressing the cap onto the bottle such that the lip portion 122 of the container is effectively clamped by the container lip gripping tooth 108 and the upper container lip gripping tooth 110.

In addition to container 104, which is specifically configured to mate with cap 102, as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, the cap 102 can also accommodate sealing of conventional container types, in other words, the cap can be backwards compatible to fit existing containers such that old bottles and machinery may continue to be used. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the cap 102 can be removably mounted to a conventional container 160 by pressing the cap onto the container such that a lip portion 170 of the container is positioned in the container lip receiving groove 118 between the lower container lip gripping tooth 108 and the upper container lip gripping tooth 110 to effectively clamp or contain the lip 170 in place.

Alternatively, FIGS. 6B and 6C show the cap 102 being mounted to conventional containers 162 and 164, respectively. As with the cap 102 and container 160 combination of FIG. 6A, a lip portion 166, 168 of the containers 162, 164, respectively is positioned in the container lip receiving groove 118 of the cap when the cap is mounted to the containers to removably secure the cap to the containers.

As can be appreciated from the foregoing, when mounted to the modified bottle 104, the cap 102 is prevented from being removed from the modified bottle without evidencing tampering, i.e., without tearing the pull tab 172 away from the cap, and when mounted to an existing or conventional bottle, the cap can seal and re-seal the existing bottle without requiring modification of the existing bottles or bottle-making machinery.

The cap container system of the present disclosure can provide the following several advantages: (a) to provide a cap for mounting to a modified three- or five-gallon plastic water bottle, such when the cap is attached to the mouth of a bottle, it locks onto the top of the bottle such that the seal cannot be broken without severing the cap by pulling the plastic tab of the bottle to remove the cap; (b) to provide a cap and bottle of the type disclosed herein that can be used with existing bottling machinery; and (c) to provide a backwards compatible cap container system that can be used on existing conventional water bottles of various sizes and configurations.

While embodiment and applications of the cap container system have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The disclosure, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A water bottle cap system comprising in combination:

A. an at least three gallon water bottle having a pouring neck extending from a water bottle body and a water passage penetrating pouring end of the pouring neck opposite the water bottle body;

B. a tear-away resilient sealing cap having a sealing end matingly mounted to the pouring neck, a cylindrical section extending from the sealing end and having a pouring-neck-surrounding portion surrounding the pouring neck intermediate the water passage end and the water bottle body, the cylindrical section having at least a first radially inwardly projecting tooth section, a narrowed tearable section intermediate the tooth section and the sealing end, and a pull tab extending from the pouring-neck-surrounding portion and being integral with the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section.

2. The water bottle cap system of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical section of the sealing cap has at least a second radially inwardly projecting tooth section integral with the pull tab.

3. The water bottle cap system of claim 1 wherein the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section comprises a circular member having a generally v-shaped cross section.

4. The water bottle cap system of claim 2 wherein the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section and the second radially inwardly projecting tooth section each comprise a circular member surrounding the pouring neck and having a generally v-shaped cross section.

5. The water bottle cap system of claim 3 wherein the v-shaped cross-section is angled toward the sealing end of the sealing cap.

6. The water bottle cap system of claim 4 wherein each v-shaped cross-section is angled toward the sealing end of the sealing cap.

7. The water bottle cap system of claim 1 wherein (a) the pouring neck of the water bottle includes at least a first radially inwardly extending tooth groove and (b) the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section on the sealing cap matingly penetrates the first radially inwardly extending tooth groove.

8. The water bottle cap system of claim 4 wherein (a) the pouring neck of the water bottle includes at least a first and a second radially inwardly extending tooth groove, (b) the first radially inwardly extending tooth section matingly penetrates the first radially inwardly extending groove, and (c) the second radially inwardly extending tooth section matingly penetrates the second radially inwardly extending groove.

9. The water bottle cap system of claim 7 wherein the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section has a generally v-shaped cross-section angled toward the sealing end of the sealing cap.

10. The water bottle cap system of claim 8 wherein the first and the second radially inwardly projecting tooth sections each have a generally v-shaped cross-section angled toward the sealing end of the sealing cap.

11. The water bottle cap system of claim 1 wherein the pouring neck includes a radially outwardly extending thickened neck ring and the sealing cap includes a resilient, radially outwardly extending and mating neck ring gripping surface sealingly engaging the periphery of the thickened neck ring intermediate the sealing end of the sealing cap and the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section.

12. The water bottle cap system of claim 9 wherein the pouring neck includes a radially outwardly extending thickened neck ring and the sealing cap includes a resilient, radially outwardly extending and mating neck ring gripping surface sealingly engaging the periphery of the thickened neck ring intermediate the sealing end of the sealing cap and the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section.

13. The water bottle cap system of claim 10 wherein the pouring neck includes a radially outwardly extending thickened neck ring and the sealing cap includes a resilient, radially outwardly extending and mating neck ring gripping surface sealingly engaging the periphery of the thickened neck ring intermediate the sealing end of the sealing cap and the first radially inwardly projecting tooth section.

14. The water bottle cap system of claim 1 wherein the narrowed tearable section comprises a first scored segment extending transverse to the axis of the sealing cap and a second scored segment extending from the first scored segment toward the water bottle body.

15. The water bottle cap system of claim 11 wherein the narrowed tearable section comprises a first scored segment extending transverse to the axis of the sealing cap and a second scored segment extending from the first scored segment toward the water bottle body.

16. The water bottle cap system of claim 12 wherein the narrowed tearable section comprises a first scored segment extending transverse to the axis of the sealing cap and a second scored segment extending from the first scored segment toward the water bottle body.

17. The water bottle cap system of claim 13 wherein the narrowed tearable section comprises a first scored segment extending transverse to the axis of the sealing cap and a second scored segment extending from the first scored segment toward the water bottle body.

18. A method of using an at least three gallon water bottle cap system comprising in combination:

aligning a resilient bottle cap with an at least three gallon water bottle, the resilient bottle cap having a sealing cap end extending from a generally cylindrical section, a tear-away pull tab integral with the generally cylindrical section, and at least one cap tooth extending radially inwardly from the interior periphery of the generally cylindrical section, the water bottle having a generally cylindrical neck with at least one cap tooth groove penetrating the outer periphery of the cylindrical neck;

mounting the resilient bottle cap onto cylindrical neck and interlocking the at least one radially inwardly extending cap tooth and the at least one cap tooth groove in the cylindrical neck of the water bottle; and

distributing the water bottle.

19. A method of using an at least three gallon water bottle cap system comprising in combination:

providing a plurality of at least three gallon water bottles including at least a first water bottle type having a generally cylindrical neck without a cap tooth groove penetrating the outer periphery of the cylindrical neck and at least a second water bottle type having a generally cylindrical neck with a cap tooth groove penetrating the outer periphery of the cylindrical neck mounting an associated resilient bottle cap to each among the plurality of water bottles, each resilient bottle cap having a sealing cap end extending from a generally cylindrical section, a tear-away pull tab integral with the generally cylindrical section, and at least one cap tooth extending radially inwardly from the interior periphery of the generally cylindrical section;

for each water bottle of the second water bottle type, interlocking the at least one radially inwardly extending cap tooth in the associated resilient bottle cap with the at least one cap tooth groove in the cylindrical neck of said water bottle; and

distributing the plurality of water bottles.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the cap tooth in an associated resilient bottle cap is angled toward to sealing cap end of the associated resilient bottle cap.