Drink-through spout cap for a beverage bottle, set of a cover and such a drink-through spout cap, a drinking device, and methods of manufacturing and preparing a drinking device

Abstract

A drink-through spout cap for a beverage bottle having a body and a neck, a set of a cover and such a drink-through spout cap, a drinking device including a beverage bottle and a set, and methods of manufacturing or preparing a drinking device. The drink-through spout cap ( 10 ) has a top wall ( 32 ) and a sidewall ( 34 ) extending therefrom, the top wall ( 32 ) being provided with a spout ( 36 ) having an aperture ( 38 ) formed therein. The sidewall ( 34 ) has an inner surface ( 34 A) and an outer surface ( 34 B), the inner surface ( 34 A) being provided with a threaded region ( 40 ) adapted to engage the threaded region ( 42 ) of the bottle ( 12 ). A lip ( 44 ) extends from the top wall ( 32 ) and has a lip height which is smaller than half of the sidewall length.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A drink-through spout cap for a beverage bottle having a body and a neck provided with an opening, wherein the drink-through spout cap has a substantially flat top wall and a sidewall extending therefrom and having a sidewall length, the top wall being provided with a spout which extends therefrom opposite from the sidewall and which has at least one aperture formed therein, the sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being provided with a threaded region adapted to engage a threaded region of the neck of a beverage bottle, wherein an internal lip extends from the top wall and has a lip height which is smaller than half of the sidewall length. 
     
     
         31 . A drink-through spout cap according to the  claim 30 , wherein the threaded region of the inner surface of the sidewall is a three-start threaded ring. 
     
     
         32 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , wherein the sidewall of the drink-through spout cap is cylindrical and has an internal diameter comprised between 25 mm and 40 mm. 
     
     
         33 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , wherein the lip height is comprised between 0.1 mm and 5 mm. 
     
     
         34 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , wherein the spout comprises a front wall, an upper wall and a lower wall, the upper and lower walls being connected together and extending both from the top wall of the drink-through spout cap, wherein the upper wall is substantially flat and the lower wall is curved and wherein the front wall is provided with the at least one aperture. 
     
     
         35 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , wherein the spout is provided with three apertures. 
     
     
         36 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , wherein the spout is eccentrically positioned toward the sidewall. 
     
     
         37 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , wherein the material of the drink-through spout cap comprises a polypropylene or a polyethylene. 
     
     
         38 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , wherein the outer surface of the sidewall is provided with a finger grip. 
     
     
         39 . A drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , further comprising a cap membrane seal. 
     
     
         40 . A set of a cover and a drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , the cover being adapted to be push-fitted over the drink-through spout cap to protect the spout in cooperating with the sidewall. 
     
     
         41 . A set according to  claim 40 , wherein the cover is mounted on the drink-through spout cap and is surrounded by a shrink-warp. 
     
     
         42 . A set of a cover and a drink-through spout cap according to  claim 40 , wherein the material of the cover comprises a polypropylene or a polyethylene. 
     
     
         43 . A pack of at least two beverage bottles comprising at least one drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30 , or a set according to  claim 39 . 
     
     
         44 . A pack according to  claim 43 , wherein the at least two beverage bottles are sealed with a usual cap. 
     
     
         45 . A drinking device comprising a beverage bottle and a drink-through spout cap according to  claim 30  or a set according to  claim 39 , said bottle having a body and a neck provided with an opening and a threaded region, said bottle being at least partially filled with a beverage. 
     
     
         46 . A drinking device according to  claim 45 , wherein the material of the bottle comprises a PET. 
     
     
         47 . A drinking device according to  claim 45 , wherein the bottle has a capacity comprised between 15 cl and 75 cl. 
     
     
         48 . A drinking device according to  claim 45 , wherein the drink-through spout cap is connected to the bottle, the cover covering the drink-through spout cap. 
     
     
         49 . A drinking device according to  claim 48 , wherein a shrink-wrap surrounds the cover. 
     
     
         50 . A drinking device according to  claim 45 , wherein the opening provided on the bottle's neck is closed by a bottle membrane seal. 
     
     
         51 . A method of manufacturing a drinking device, comprising the following steps:
 a) providing a bottle having a neck and filled at least partially with a beverage,   b) providing a drink-through spout cap for a beverage bottle having a body and a neck provided with an opening, wherein the drink-through spout cap has a substantially flat top wall and a sidewall extending therefrom and having a sidewall length, the top wall being provided with a spout which extends therefrom opposite from the sidewall and which has at least one aperture formed therein, the sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being provided with a threaded region adapted to engage a threaded region of the neck of a beverage bottle, wherein an internal lip extends from the top wall and has a lip height which is smaller than half of the sidewall length,   c) connecting the drink-through spout cap on the neck.   
     
     
         52 . A method of manufacturing a drinking device according to  claim 51 , further comprising the step of providing the drink-through spout cap with a cap seal membrane. 
     
     
         53 . A method of manufacturing a drinking device according to  claim 51 , further comprising the step of covering the drink-through spout cap with a cover. 
     
     
         54 . A method of manufacturing a drinking device according to  claim 53 , further comprising the step of covering the cover with a shrink-wrap. 
     
     
         55 . A method of manufacturing a drinking device according to  claim 51 , further comprising the step of unsealing the neck of the bottle. 
     
     
         56 . A method of preparing a drinking device, comprising the following steps:
 providing a bottle covered by a usual cap filled at least partly with a beverage,   unsealing the bottle by removing the usual cap provided on it,   providing a drink-through spout cap drink-through spout cap for a beverage bottle having a body and a neck provided with an opening, wherein the drink-through spout cap has a substantially flat top wall and a sidewall extending therefrom and having a sidewall length, the top wall being provided with a spout which extends therefrom opposite from the sidewall and which has at least one aperture formed therein, the sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being provided with a threaded region adapted to engage a threaded region of the neck of a beverage bottle, wherein an internal lip extends from the top wall and has a lip height which is smaller than half of the sidewall length, and   threading the threaded region of the sidewall of the drink-through spout cap onto the threaded region of the bottle.   
     
     
         57 . A method of preparing a drinking device according to  claim 56 , further comprising the step of providing a cover onto the drink-through spout cap. 
     
     
         58 . A method of preparing a drinking device according to  claim 56 , further comprising the step of unsealing the bottle by tearing off the bottle membrane seal.