Tethered cap

Abstract

A beverage container closure is provided. The beverage container closure may include one or more of a cap, a tethered ring, frangibly coupled to the cap, and a tether. The tethered ring includes a pair of ring notches on opposite sides of an upper surface of the tethered ring. The tether is coupled to the cap and the tethered ring, radially orthogonally oriented relative to the ring notches.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A beverage container closure for a container spout, comprising:
 a cap:   a tethered ring, frangibly coupled to the cap, comprising:
 a pair of ring notches on opposite sides of an upper surface of the tethered ring; and 
   a tether, coupled to the cap and the tethered ring, radially orthogonally oriented relative to the ring notches.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the tethered ring frangibly coupled to the cap comprises one or more bridges connecting a lower surface of the cap with the upper surface of the tethered ring, wherein the bridges are configured to fracture in response to the cap is rotated or lifted upward relative to the container spout. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a visual indication of a rotation direction to remove the cap from the container spout in response to the closure is installed to the container spout. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a pair of cap notches on opposite sides of a lower surface of the cap, wherein the cap notches are configured to allow moisture to evaporate from an interior of the cap in response to the closure is installed to the container spout. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage container closure of  claim 1 , wherein in response to the tethered ring is installed to the container spout, the tether is configured to not break and remain affixed to the cap in response to up to 90 Newtons (N) of pull force is applied to the cap. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage container closure of  claim 1 , wherein in response to the tethered ring is installed to the container spout, the tethered ring is configured to remain affixed to the container spout in response to up to 90 Newtons (N) of pull force is applied to the tether. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage container closure of  claim 6 , wherein the upper surface of the tethered ring between the pair of ring notches and opposite the tether remain below an annular bead on the exterior of the container spout in response to a pulling and/or a twisting force is applied to the tether. 
     
     
         8 . The beverage container closure of  claim 7 , wherein the annular bead comprises a lead-in on an upper surface and a flat bottom surface. 
     
     
         9 . The beverage container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a plug extending partially downward within the cap, wherein the plug is configured to provide a seal to the container spout in response to the closure is installed to the container spout. 
     
     
         10 . The beverage container closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises threads on an inner lateral surface of the cap, wherein the threads are configured to engage matching threads on an outside surface of the container spout. 
     
     
         11 . A beverage container, comprising:
 a container pouch, configured to retain a beverage when filled; and   a hollow tubular spout, affixed to the container pouch and configured to allow passage of the beverage therethrough, comprising on an exterior surface of the spout:
 an annular bead; and 
 a retention feature; 
   a cap;   a tethered ring, frangibly coupled to the cap, comprising:
 a pair of ring notches on opposite sides of an upper surface of the tethered ring; and 
   a tether, coupled to the cap and the tethered ring, radially orthogonally oriented relative to the ring notches.   
     
     
         12 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the cap comprises a pair of cap notches on opposite sides of a lower surface of the cap, wherein the cap notches are configured to allow moisture to evaporate from an interior of the cap. 
     
     
         13 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the tethered ring frangibly coupled to the cap comprises one or more bridges connecting a lower surface of the cap with the upper surface of the tethered ring, wherein the bridges are configured to fracture in response to the cap is rotated or lifted upward relative to the spout. 
     
     
         14 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the tethered ring is configured to remain affixed to the spout in response to up to 90 Newtons (N) of pull force is applied to the tether. 
     
     
         15 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the upper surface of the tethered ring between the pair of ring notches and opposite the tether remain below the annular bead in response to a pulling and/or a twisting force is applied to the tether. 
     
     
         16 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the annular bead comprises a lead-in on an upper surface and a flat bottom surface. 
     
     
         17 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the cap comprises a plug extending partially downward within the cap within the spout to provide a seal to the spout. 
     
     
         18 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the retention feature comprises threads on an inner lateral surface of the cap, wherein the threads are configured to engage matching threads on an outside surface of the spout. 
     
     
         19 . The beverage container of claim  19 , wherein the spout comprises an end stop at a bottom end of the threads, wherein the end stop is configured to prevent further turning of the cap and the tethered ring, wherein the tethered ring is disposed below the annular bead when the cap engages the end stop. 
     
     
         20 . The beverage container of  claim 11 , wherein the retention feature comprises a snap projection on an inner lateral surface of the cap, wherein the snap projection engages a spout projection to axially secure the cap to the spout. 
     
     
         21 . A method for attaching a beverage container closure to a beverage container, comprising:
 placing the closure on a top end of a tubular spout affixed to and extending upward from the beverage container, the closure including a cap joined to a tethered ring by a flexible tether;   engaging matching threads between an inside surface of the cap and an outside surface of the spout;   twisting the closure in a predetermined direction relative to the spout to lower the closure until a lower surface of the tethered ring makes contact with a lead-in on a top surface of an annular ring on the outside surface of the spout, the annular ring having a lead-in on a top surface, a flat bottom surface, and a sharp outer edge;   continuing to twist the closure on the matching threads until the lead-in forces the tethered ring outward such that the tethered ring moves completely below the annular ring, the tethered ring including a pair of ring notches disposed on opposite sides of an upper surface of the tethered ring and disposed radially orthogonally relative to the tether.