{
  "patent_number": "US 11958662",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How a Refillable Capsule Plug Seals Cleaning Concentrates",
  "original_title": "Capsule and plug for a concentrated refill capsule",
  "summary": "A specialized plug design for refillable cleaning product capsules that ensures a secure, leak-proof seal when the capsule is attached to a bottle.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a mechanical plug used in a refillable capsule system, such as those for concentrated cleaning liquids. The plug features a tubular body with a specific rim and skirt design that creates a recess, allowing it to interface perfectly with a bottle's opening. It includes a frangible (breakable) seal that acts as a gatekeeper; when the capsule is pressed onto the bottle, the plug's abutment surface pushes against this seal to open the flow of concentrated liquid into the bottle. The design ensures that the connection is stable and aligned, preventing leaks during the mixing process.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover the chemical composition of the concentrated liquid inside the capsule.",
    "Does not cover non-frangible sealing mechanisms like screw-on caps or threaded closures.",
    "Does not cover the specific design of the refillable vessel itself, only the plug interface.",
    "Does not cover pump-action or spray-trigger mechanisms used to dispense the final product."
  ],
  "filed": "2020-05-22",
  "granted": "2024-04-16",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Conopco Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/conopco-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Matthijs Lucas Bookelmann",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/matthijs-lucas-bookelmann"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sebastiaan Wilhelmus Josephus Den Boer",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/sebastiaan-wilhelmus-josephus-den-boer"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sjoerd Bastiaan Zwartkruis",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/sjoerd-bastiaan-zwartkruis"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 2,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "mechanical"
  ],
  "abstract": "A plug for use in a cap assembly of a refill capsule is disclosed. The plug ( 300 ) generally comprises a hollow tubular body ( 302 ) with an open proximal end that is surrounded by a first rim ( 304 ) that provides a proximal abutment surface for bearing against a frangible sealing component of a cap assembly. A tubular skirt wall ( 306 ) is arranged coaxially with respect to the tubular body, and extends around the skirt wall ( 306 ) to form a plug recess ( 308 ) between the skirt wall ( 306 ) and the tubular body ( 302 ). The skirt wall ( 306 ) extends from a skirt distal end at which the skirt wall ( 306 ) is connected to the tubular body ( 302 ), to a free proximal end. The free proximal end of the skirt comprises an outwardly extending flange ( 310 ) comprising a distal facing abutment surface ( 312 ) for abutting a rim ( 406 ) of a refillable vessel ( 400 ).",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11958662/starlink-gen-3",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11958662/starlink-gen-3/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US11958662",
  "relatedPatents": []
}