Fluted crown cap

Abstract

A crown cap for applying to a beverage bottle has a circular top member; a skirt depending downwardly from a periphery of the skirt; and a flange extending from a periphery of the skirt. The flange includes plural, substantially radially oriented repeating potions, which include circumferentially spaced apart, upwardly extending flutes and land portions disposed between each flute. Each land portion has a circumferential dimension, which is measured at a perimeter of the flange, that is greater than a distance between the flat portions. The flutes are in the shape of an inverted V. The configuration prevents gearing engagement of oppositely oriented crowns and likely would enhance gripping and comfort by a user.

1 . A crown cap for applying to a beverage bottle, comprising: 
 a circular top member;    a skirt depending downwardly from a periphery of the skirt; and    a flange extending from the periphery of the skirt, the flange including plural, substantially radially oriented, circumferentially spaced apart, upwardly extending flutes formed therein and land portions disposed between each flute each land portion having a circumferential dimension measured at a perimeter of the flange that is greater than a distance between the flat portions measured at the perimeter of the flange, thereby preventing gearing engagement of oppositely oriented crowns caps.    
   
   
       2 . The crown cap of  claim 1  wherein each flute includes a pair of upwardly-extending, opposing flute sidewalls that meet at an uppermost portion thereof, a lower portion of each flute sidewall extending downwardly to couple with the land.  
   
   
       3 . The crown cap of  claim 1  wherein each land is substantially flat.  
   
   
       4 . The crown cap clam  1  wherein each lands is substantially flat with gradually upturning edges.  
   
   
       5 . The crown cap of  claim 1  wherein the crown has 27 flutes, whereby gripping by and feel on a user's hand is enhanced.  
   
   
       6 . The crown cap of  claim 1  wherein the crown has 27 flutes and, in a radial cross section, the flutes are substantially inverted-V shaped, whereby gripping by a user's hand is enhanced.  
   
   
       7 . The crown cap of  claim 6  wherein the land is substantially flat.  
   
   
       8 . The crown cap of  claim 6  wherein the peripheral, circumferential dimension A of the land is greater than ((πD/2N)−{square root}(G+R)), where D is the outside diameter of the base of the crown cap, N is the number of flutes, G is the starting plat thickness, and R is the tooling radius.  
   
   
       9 . The crown cap of  claim 8  wherein the land is substantially flat.  
   
   
       10 . The crown cap of  claim 8  wherein opposing sidewalls of each flute are oriented to form an angle, in a radially-oriented, transverse cross section, of approximately 36 degrees.  
   
   
       11 . The crown cap of  claim 6  wherein the peripheral, circumferential dimension A of the land is greater than ((πD/2N)−{square root}(G+R)), where D is the outside diameter of the base of the crown cap, N is the number of flutes, G is the starting plat thickness, and R is the tooling radius.  
   
   
       12 . The crown cap of  claim 11  wherein the land is substantially flat.  
   
   
       13 . The crown cap of  claim 11  wherein opposing sidewalls of each flute are oriented to form an angle, in a radially-oriented, transverse cross section, of between 21 and 51 degrees.  
   
   
       14 . The crown cap of  claim 11  wherein opposing sidewalls of each flute are oriented to form an angle, in a radially-oriented, transverse cross section, of between 26 and 46 degrees.  
   
   
       15 . The crown cap of  claim 11  wherein opposing sidewalls of each flute are oriented to form an angle, in a radially-oriented, transverse cross section, of between 31 to 41 degrees.  
   
   
       16 . The crown cap of  claim 11  wherein opposing sidewalls of each flute are oriented to form an angle; in a radially-oriented, transverse cross section, of approximately 36 degrees.  
   
   
       17 . A crown for applying to a beverage bottle, comprising: 
 a circular top member;    a skirt depending downwardly from a periphery of the skirt; and    a flange extending from a periphery of the skirt having an outer diameter of approximately 1.263 inches, the flange including twenty-seven, substantially radially oriented repeating portions formed therein, the repeating portions including: 
 circumferentially spaced apart, upwardly extending, substantially V-shaped flutes, opposing sidewalls of each flute forming an angle therebetween, in side view, of approximately 36 degrees; and  
 substantially flat lands disposed between each flute, each land having a circumferential dimension measured at a perimeter thereof that is greater than a distance between the flat portions, thereby preventing gearing engagement of oppositely oriented crowns;  
 whereby gripping by a user's hand is enhanced.  
   
   
   
       18 . The crown cap of  claim 17  wherein the peripheral, circumferential dimension A of the land is greater than ((πD/2N)−{square root}(G+R)), where D is the outside diameter of the base of the crown cap, N is the number of flutes, G is the starting plat thickness, and R is the tooling radius.