Grip cap

Abstract

A grip cap for a container has a thermoplastic shell in an inverted cup shape with a top wall and a skirt bounded by a lower rim. An elastomeric layer is integrally molded to the cap shell along the outer surface of the top wall and the skirt as well as along the underside of the lower rim. This layer defines multiple spaced apart and raised vertical ribs joined by a pad at the top wall and a gasket extending along the lower rim. The ribs and the pad provide a cushion and the gasket can seal against a shoulder of the container when tightened. Also disclosed is a two-shot method of molding such a grip cap, including integral resilient material at the outer surfaces and the underside of the cap shell rim.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A grip cap for a container, comprising: 
 a cap shell having a top wall and a skirt depending down from the top wall to a lower rim for receiving a neck of the container, the cap shell having an outer surface and an underside including the lower rim; and    a plurality of ribs raised from and integrally molded to the outer surface of the cap shell in spaced relation and extending along the skirt between the top wall and the lower rim, the ribs being resilient relative to the cap shell.    
     
     
         2 . The grip cap of  claim 1 , wherein the cap shell is made of a thermoplastic material and the ribs are made of an elastomeric material.  
     
     
         3 . The grip cap of  claim 1 , wherein the cap shell is a polypropylene material.  
     
     
         4 . The grip cap of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs are spaced equi-angularly about an axis about which the cap shell is concentric.  
     
     
         5 . The grip cap of  claim 1 , further including a pad integrally molded to an upper surface of the cap shell top wall.  
     
     
         6 . The grip cap of  claim 5 , wherein the pad and the ribs are the same material and the ribs join together at the pad.  
     
     
         7 . The grip cap of  claim 5 , wherein the pad has a diameter less than the top wall of the cap shell.  
     
     
         8 . The grip cap of  claim 5 , wherein the cap shell is molded to extend upward through the pad to present raised indicia.  
     
     
         9 . The grip cap of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs join at a gasket extending along the underside of the lower rim.  
     
     
         10 . The grip cap of  claim 9 , wherein the gasket and the ribs are the same material and wherein the ribs join together at the gasket.  
     
     
         11 . The grip cap of  claim 1 , wherein the cap shell has one or more flanges surrounded by the skirt and extending down from the top wall that directly engage the container.  
     
     
         12 . The grip cap of  claim 1 , wherein the flanges engage an inner cap removably mounted over an opening of the container.  
     
     
         13 . A grip cap for a container, comprising: 
 a cap shell having a top wall and a skirt for receiving a neck of the container, the top wall and the skirt defining an outer surface of the cap shell bounded by a lower rim facing generally away from the top wall; and    a grip layer that is resilient relative to the cap shell and integrally molded to the cap shell defines a plurality of raised ribs extending along the skirt at the outer surface of the cap shell between the top wall and a gasket extending along the lower rim.    
     
     
         14 . The grip cap of  claim 13 , wherein the grip layer includes a pad extending along the top wall at the outer surface of the cap shell.  
     
     
         15 . The grip cap of  claim 13 , wherein the cap shell is made of a thermoplastic material and the ribs are made of an elastomeric material.  
     
     
         16 . A two-shot method of making a grip cap for a container, comprising the steps of: 
 molding in a die having a first part and a second part a cap shell conforming to the interior of the die so as to have a top wall and a skirt bounded by a lower rim at an angle to an outer surface of the skirt;    supporting the cap shell on the first die part;    interchanging the second die part with a third die part;    allowing the cap shell to shrink on the first die part so that the lower rim is spaced from an adjacent surface of the first die part;    joining the first and third die parts with the cap shell therebetween; and    molding a grip layer integrally with the cap shell having a plurality of raised ribs extending along the outer surface of the skirt and a gasket extending along the lower rim.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cap shell is formed by injecting a thermoplastic resin between the first and second die parts and wherein the grip layer is formed by injecting an elastomeric resin between the cap shell and the first and third die parts.