US 11,912,469 B2
Caps and containers containing the same
Donna Roth, Duxbury, MA (US); and Troy Kyle, Pembroke, MA (US)
Assigned to Cool Gear International, LLC, Plymouth, MA (US)
Appl. No. 14/768,950
Filed by Cool Gear International, LLC, Plymouth, MA (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 18, 2014, PCT No. PCT/US2014/016812
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 19, 2015,
PCT Pub. No. WO2014/137582, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 12, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/766,389, filed on Feb. 19, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2016/0001933 A1, Jan. 7, 2016
Int. Cl. B65D 43/20 (2006.01); B65D 81/38 (2006.01); B65D 47/28 (2006.01); B65D 1/40 (2006.01); B65D 43/22 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 43/20 (2013.01) [B65D 1/40 (2013.01); B65D 43/22 (2013.01); B65D 47/286 (2013.01); B65D 81/3841 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cap comprising:
a straight, horizontal plane defining an opening; and
a slidable closure adapted and configured to seal the opening, the slidable closure comprising:
a projection extending above an external surface of the horizontal plane; and a flexible seal coupled to the projection and located on an internal surface of the horizontal plane opposite the projection, the flexible seal configured to slide between an open position and a closed position of the opening, the flexible seal comprising:
a connection portion coupled to the projection;
a sealing portion having a profile that substantially corresponds to a shape of the opening, the sealing portion comprising:
a peripheral ring defining an uppermost portion of the sealing portion; and
two or more support ribs disposed along a bottom surface of said sealing portion, wherein said two or more support ribs each join at one end and extend to differing locations of a periphery of said sealing portion at respective second ends; and
a flexible hinge directly connected to the sealing portion and the connection portion, said flexible hinge arranged in an arcuate manner between a bottom surface of the connection portion and said bottom surface of the sealing portion without being fixed to a remainder of the cap, the flexible hinge having an arcuate structure that biases the peripheral ring of the sealing portion against the internal surface and around the opening such that the sealing portion is prevented from entering the opening when the slidable closure is in the closed position, the sealing portion being displaced horizontally along the horizontal plane from the opening when the slidable closure is in the open position, said two or more support ribs engaging said flexible hinge at said one end and engaging said bottom surface of said sealing portion; wherein
the flexible seal prevents passage of a beverage therethrough when in the closed position and allows passage of the beverage when in the open position.