US 12,358,680 B2
Simplified cap for squeeze bottle
Joelle Mertzel, Porter Ranch, CA (US)
Assigned to Kitchen Concepts Unlimited LLC, Northridge (CA)
Filed by Kitchen Concepts Unlimited, Northridge, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/219,690.
Prior Publication US 2025/0011032 A1, Jan. 9, 2025
Int. Cl. B65D 47/04 (2006.01); B65D 1/32 (2006.01); B65D 41/04 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 1/326 (2013.01) [B65D 41/0428 (2013.01); B65D 2547/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
18. A method for assembling a cap apparatus for a squeeze bottle comprising the steps of:
providing a rounded lid component having an open bottom, a threaded inner portion for engaging a threaded outer portion of a squeeze bottle, the threaded inner portion of the lid having a first diameter, an integral lower flange located above the threaded inner portion, an integral a sidewall having multiple grooves extending away from the lower flange above the threaded inner portion, an integral beveled surface located above the sidewall, an integral upper flange, an integral curved nozzle seat located above the grooves and the upper flange, and a curved nozzle slot;
providing a nozzle component having a spherical base with a central opening and an extended conical stem with a central opening, a centerline of the central openings of the spherical base and the conical stem defining a longitudinal axis of the nozzle component;
providing a gasket component having a lower circular flange, a circular platform integral with the lower flange, the platform having a sidewall with multiple ribs, each rib for being received by a corresponding groove in the lid, the circular platform including a top wall surrounding a partial spherical-shaped seat for the spherical base of the nozzle component and extending around the platform to a recess, the recess for seating the conical stem of the nozzle component, the nozzle seat having an opening for selectively aligning with the central openings of the spherical base and the conical stem;
locating the spherical base of the nozzle component in the nozzle seat of the lid component and the partial spherical scat of the gasket component;
locating the conical stem within the curved nozzle slot of the lid component and selectively in the recess of the gasket component;
locating the opening in the nozzle seat of the gasket component for selectively aligning with the central openings of the spherical base and the conical stem of the nozzle component to enable flowable content in the bottle to exit the bottle when the longitudinal axis of the nozzle component is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the bottle wherein the conical stem of the nozzle component is able to rotate about ninety degrees between an open position where the longitudinal axes of the nozzle component and of the bottle are parallel and a closed position where the central opening of the conical stem of the nozzle is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottle.