Lift lever crown cap system and method

Abstract

A crown cap is couplable to a container. The crown cap has a central region and a downwardly extending side wall. At least one score line is in a geometric configuration on the central region of the crown cap. The at least one score line forms a tongue. The tongue is adapted to be bent or hinged downwardly. In this manner a passageway is provided for a liquid. A lever is coupled to the crown cap. A post extends through the lift lever and the central region of the crown cap. A tamper-evident secure band is designed into the side wall of the crown cap. A non-corrosive material is used to form the crown cap, lever and attachment post.

1 . A lift lever crown cap system comprising:
 a crown cap couplable to a container, the crown cap having a central region and a downwardly extending side wall;   at least one score line in a geometric configuration on the central region of the crown cap, the at least one score line forming a tongue adapted to be bent downwardly to thereby provide a passageway for a liquid; and   a lever coupled to the crown cap, a post extending through the lever and the central region of the crown cap.   
     
     
         2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the container is a bottle, the bottle in the form of a generally cylindrical body with an open top, the open top being formed with a circular lip above an axially spaced outwardly extending projection, the lip being in a horizontal plane at an elevation above a plane containing the outwardly extending projection, the bottle being fabricated of a non-corrosive material selected from the class of non-corrosive materials including glass, plastic, coated aluminum and paper. 
     
     
         3 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the downwardly extending side wall is in a frusto-conical configuration, the side wall having an inwardly scrolled lower edge forming a continuous, inwardly extending annular ledge. 
     
     
         4 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the central region radially terminates in a downwardly extending first projection, the crown cap having an upwardly extending inverted second projection between the first projection and the side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the crown cap is positioned over the top of the bottle and wherein the side wall of the crown cap is crimped whereby the ledge of the crown cap is beneath and in contact with the outwardly extending projection of the bottle to form a tamper-evident secure lock for increasing the body strength of the bottle. 
     
     
         6 . The system as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the crown cap is adapted to be inverted to provide an annular trough, a hot melt adhesive in the trough, the hot melt adhesive being selected from the class of adhesives including liquid flow-in and extrusion sealants, plastic and rubber, natural and synthetic, and blends thereof, the hot melt adhesive adapted to form a seal between the cap and the bottle. 
     
     
         7 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the lift lever has a large portion with a large portion end and a small portion with a small portion end, the ends located radially interiorly of the side wall, the lift lever adapted to be pivoted about the post 180 degrees whereby the large portion of the lift lever extends radially beyond the cap and the small portion of the lift lever is above the tongue, the large portion being thus adapted to be lifted to lower the small portion for fracturing the at least one score line and opening the cap for pouring purposes. 
     
     
         8 . A lift lever crown cap system for forming a pour through top opening in a crown cap crimped onto a bottle, the system comprising, in combination:
 a bottle for containing a liquid, the bottle being formed in a generally cylindrical body with an open top, the open top being formed with a circular lip above an axially spaced, outwardly extending projection, the lip being in a horizontal plane at an elevation above a plane containing the outwardly extending projection, the bottle being fabricated of an essentially non-corrosive material selected from the class of essentially non-corrosive materials including glass, plastic, coated aluminum, steel and paper;   a crown cap sealingly coupled to the bottle, the crown cap having a circular central region and a downwardly extending side wall in a frusto-conical configuration, the side wall having an inwardly scrolled lower edge forming a continuous, inwardly extending annular ledge, the central region of the crown cap radially terminating in a downwardly extending V-shaped projection, the crown cap having an upwardly extending, inverted U-shaped projection between the V-shaped projection and the side wall, the crown cap being fabricated of a non-corrosive coated material chosen from the class of non-corrosive materials including aluminum and steel;   the crown cap being positioned over the top of the bottle with the inverted U-shaped projection located above the lip of the bottle and the V-shaped projection located radially inward of the top of the bottle, the side wall of the crown cap being crimped whereby the ledge of the crown cap is beneath and in continuous contact with the outwardly extending projection of the bottle to form a tamper-secure lock for increasing the body strength of the bottle and providing evidence of tampering;   the crown cap adapted to be inverted prior to being crimped and coupled to the bottle, the space between the V-shaped projection and the side wall forming an annular trough with an adhesive in the trough, a hot melt adhesive in the trough, the hot melt adhesive being selected from the class of adhesives including liquid flow-in and extrusion sealants, plastic and rubber, natural and synthetic, and blends thereof, the adhesive adapted to form a seal between the bottle and the cap;   a die cut score line in a curved configuration on the circular region of the crown cap, the score line forming a tongue adapted to be bent to extend into the bottle to thereby provide a passageway for liquid from the bottle to be poured from the bottle, the passageway having an area greater than percent of the area of the central region of the crown cap; and   a lift lever coupled to a generally central region of the crown cap, a post extending through the lift lever and the central region of the crown cap, the crown cap and lift lever and post being fabricated of a non-corrosive coated material chosen from the class of non-corrosive coated materials including aluminum and steel, the post dividing the lift lever into a large portion located above the tongue and a small portion laterally spaced from the tongue, the lift lever having a large portion end and a small portion end, the ends located above the V-shaped projection, the lift lever adapted to be pivoted about the post 180 degrees whereby the large portion of the lift lever extends radially beyond the cap and the small portion of the lift lever is above the tongue, the large portion being thus adapted to be lifted to lower the small portion for fracturing the at least one score line and opening the cap for pouring purposes.   
     
     
         9 . A lift lever crown cap fabrication method comprising:
 providing a crown cap couplable to a container, the crown cap having a central region and a downwardly extending side wall;   providing at least one score line in a curved configuration on the central region of the crown cap, the at least one score line forming a tongue adapted to be bent downwardly to thereby provide a passageway for a liquid;   providing a lift lever coupled to the crown cap, a post extending through the lift lever and the central region of the crown cap;   providing a container formed with a generally cylindrical body with an open top, the open top being formed with a circular lip above an axially spaced outwardly extending projection;   crimping the side wall of the crown cap to the container below the outwardly extending projection; and   sealing the central region of the crown cap to the top of the container.   
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the sealing is by a sealing material chosen from the class of sealing materials including hot melt sealing materials and flowing liner thermosetting material.