KR20170037886A - Universal bottle cap - Google Patents

Abstract

Dispensing cap systems for dispensing a supplementary material into a bottle through a bottleneck opening are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment includes a closure member having downwardly suspended fingers and inwardly directed barbs for connection to beverage bottles of different sizes. The cap member has an integral inner plug portion and an outer sealing member arranged to provide liquid seal of bottle inserts of various sizes. A valve member is attached to the stopper through a storage member and is configured for movement between a storage position and a dispense position, permitting passage of the filler material from the storage member to the bottle. The closure member also has an integral O-ring portion for sealing against the reservoir on the valve member and the other side on one side to prevent fluid and / or supplement leakage. A nipple member may be positioned above the valve member to cause the bottle contents to be utilized or consumed.

Description

UNIVERSAL BOTTLE CAP

The present invention relates to a universal cap.

This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 004,352, filed May 29, 2014, and continuation-in-part applicant, U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 789,861, filed May 28, Filed March 27, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 983,813, filed January 3, 2011, now U.S. Patent No. 8,141,700 (Attorney Docket No. 10-10085) 13 / 431,130 (Attorney Docket No. 10-10085-CIP), each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The addition of supplements (powders, liquids or other forms) to beverage containers is becoming more and more popular. For example, powdered or liquid replenishments can be stored in an assembly suitable for the neck of the container to discharge the replenishment consumed by the user into the water in the container. Not only can the supplements be used, but any other beverage additives such as flavors, beverage mixes, pharmaceutical powders and / or any other additives may be used. The additives may be used in the beverage industry, the functional food industry and / or the pharmaceutical industry. The beverages can be water, juice, carbonated beverages, alcohol and / or any other drinkable liquid. Other applications may also be present, such as in cleaning and / or agrochemical applications where additives are needed separately from the main liquid in the container and are mixed into the main liquid in the container at the time of use.

International patent application WO2011 / 098865 to Fontana discloses a container stopper having a brittle membrane perforated by a plunger. Similarly, Valentine's International Patent Application WO2010 / 028172 discloses a cap comprising an apparatus for perforating a capsule while the cap is screwed into the bottle.

US Pat. Nos. 6,930,254 and 6,820,740 to Spector disclose membranes that can be perforated by a bottle top or by a plunger.

British patent application GB2471994 of Ken-Te Chen discloses an incision and a pusher into a bottle wall.

Each of these devices may be inconvenient to use and / or may increase the risk of parts of the material being punctured being released into a person ' s beverage and / or inhibiting the mixing of fluids and supplemental materials. The use of a perforation device may also increase the risk that a person or child who is mistreating the device may be injured by the perforation device. In addition, the use of perforable materials can be difficult to recycle and / or reuse the device.

What is desired is to make the makeup mix safely and conveniently with the beverage, and more preferably to fill beverage bottles of a size that is easy to fill, inexpensive, reliable, interesting to look at, easy to use, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > a < / RTI > storage reservoir having one or more of the advantages that can be applied.

It is also desirable to implement a cap that is tightly secured and sealed to beverage bottles of different sizes.

U.S. Patent No. 4,727,985 to McNeirney et al. Discloses a stopper having a rubber plunger. It also uses shrink wrap to assist in attaching to the bottle.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0284265 to Parker discloses a shot dispenser having a cap with a tear band.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0065378 to Maas discloses a cap for applying an appropriate volume of material to be mixed in a container

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0012532 to Frutin discloses a bottle cap screwed into a bottleneck.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0163442 to Lee discloses a cap having a reservoir chamber and attached to the bottle inlet.

Also, in the case of bottles having the same 1 liter or 1 quart or substantially (within 10 percent) 1 liter or 1 quart capacity, there are many sizes of water and beverage bottle entrances and necks. When adding a stopper on an existing bottle to add refill or to prevent a bottle with a snout that can drink, what is required is a universal stopper with a tightly matched, reliable seal.

The present invention provides a dispensing cap assembly for dispensing liquid from a bottle.

In one embodiment, a dispensing cap system is provided for dispensing the filler material into the bottle through the bottleneck opening. The system may include a cap system with the bottle, or may include only the cap system. The system may also have a replenishment stored therein, or may be coupled without replenishment therein to be filled back by the user.

An exemplary embodiment includes the stopper, which may include, for example, fastening the neck ring on the neck and / or gripping the threads but not threading onto the neck (although other embodiments may include threaded May be configured with fingers arranged circumferentially at the lower end for connection to beverage bottles of different sizes, although this may involve using an attachment mechanism. A seal member, preferably composed of a flexible plastic (or rubber), is provided to provide liquid seal against the opening of the bottle or neck and is positioned to match the interior of the cap, Seals the bottle not only from the inside of the inlet but also from the outside, but at least against the inside. The plug also has a storage member connected thereto and / or forming or part of a storage compartment, wherein the replenishment can be maintained until use. The sealing is preferably universal for many different types of bottles, and preferably includes two sealing members, for example a plug portion and a seal portion. Preferably, the sealing is implemented integrally with the plug member.

The cap system may also include a nipple for drinking liquid from the bottle, which may be similar in construction to a standard water bottle or sports bottle nipple. It is also preferably substantially cylindrical and hollow and preferably has an upper portion within the nipple and an opening or apertures for communicating the contents of the bottle with the storage compartment (and accordingly the supplement or additive) There may be a shuttle valve or valve member with a lower portion. The valve member may pass through the storage member or compartment located about the valve member and may be configured for movement between a storage position and a dispensing position. In the storage location, the supplements and beverages may not be mixed. In the dispensing position, the supplement material is allowed to pass from the storage member into the bottle for mixing with the contents of the bottle, and if desired, contents from the bottle may also be passed into the container . The valve is preferably normally closed in the storage position, preferably by pressing the valve member downward until the opening or openings of the valve member are registered in the storage compartment, i.e. the dispensing position do. The user may actuate the valve member by pushing down the nipple in alternative embodiments. When the valve member is in the mixing position, the bottle may be shaken so that the liquid and the additive are mixed.

Preferably, the valve member is held in its upper position by a friction fit, and is also held in its lower position by frictional engagement. The valve member may be downwardly locked when in the lower position if desired and / or to maintain the valve member in position when interference fits and / or detents are desired, Can be used. Thereafter, with the valve member down, the user can move the nipple completely up to a drinking position where the liquid flows out of the nipple while the liquid is slightly drunk. The nipple is also preferably in frictional engagement as is commonly practiced in the art and is moved downward again when the bottle is closed.

In a most preferred embodiment, there are four pieces of said stopper member, said storage member, said valve member and said nipple. In another embodiment, the stopper and the storage member can be made integral so that three pieces of the stopper / storage member, the valve member and the nipple can be provided. Preferably, the plug member includes a portion such as an integral O-ring that is sealed against the valve member and against the storage compartment to prevent leakage.

The features and advantages of the system will be readily understood by the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings,
1 is a side cross-sectional view of a bottle cap distribution system or bottle cap assembly of an embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of Figure 1 according to one preferred version having a four piece construction,
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the assembly of Figure 2,
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the assembly of Figure 2,
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the closure member of the assembly of Figure 2,
Fig. 6 is a side view of the plug member of Fig. 5,
Figure 7 is a side view of the vertically dividing closure member of Figure 5,
8 is an enlarged view of an incised portion of the closure member of Fig. 7 along the 8-8 circle of Fig. 7,
Figure 9 is a side view of the valve member of the system of Figure 2,
Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the storage member of the assembly of Figure 2 along line 10-10 of Figure 2,
11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the nipple member of the assembly of FIG. 2 along line 11-11 of FIG. 2,
12 is a schematic half-side and half-incision view of a bottle or top of a bottle representing an inlet with threads and neck and neck rings for purposes of illustration,
Figure 13 is a side cut-away view of a plug assembly mounted on a first bottle or vessel having a first set of dimensions,
Figure 14 is a side cutaway view of a stop assembly mounted on a second bottle or container having a second set of dimensions,
Figure 15 is a side cutaway view of a closure assembly mounted on a third bottle or container having a third set of dimensions,
Figs. 16, 17 and 18 show a first position with a valve member in a closed position (unmixed or in a delivery position) and a first position in which both (i) all or most of the nipples are lowered, (ii) 2 (position of drinking), and (iii) a third position where the nipple is fully lowered (in a mixed and / or non-drinkable position)
19 is a perspective view of a closure assembly according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention in which a closure assembly is mounted on a fourth bottle or top of a container, at least a portion of which is a fourth set of larger dimensions than the bottles or containers of Figs. It is also an enlarged side incision.

In the following detailed description and the several figures of the accompanying drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals.

One exemplary embodiment is to fit the beverage bottles of other neck sizes and to be filled into the bottles (or container) contents by powdering or other forms of nutritional supplement, flavor and / , A bottle cap assembly configured to dispense liquid or solid (or even gaseous) additives such as pharmaceuticals and / or any other additives. For example, the cap assembly may be configured to match other sizes, such as a relatively larger neck-sized bottle, a different bottle with a somewhat smaller neck size, and a bottle with a size between the larger and the smaller . In particular, the attachment mechanism preferably includes the most popular 1810 neck and 1881 neck and / or 26mm, 28mm and 32p-2, typically including the shortest and longest versions, 26P, 26P-1 and 26P- Standard neck finishes such as millimeters (International Society of Beverage Technologists or "ISBT"). These bottle sizes are believed to be used for one or more existing water bottles and / or other beverage bottles. The bottles may have an inlet inner diameter of 21 mm to 30 mm and an outer diameter of 26 mm to 32 mm or an outer thread diameter and / or such a range for inner and outer diameters at any position, And may have a length from 16.8 mm to 21.0 mm and / or substantially these sizes / ranges (within 10 percent) from the top to the neck ring. Typically, the OD (outer diameter) and ID (inner diameter) are often 30/25 (mm), 29/25 (mm), 29/21 (mm), and the like. Although larger or smaller doses of bottles or containers may have neck threads within this range, these ranges of sizes and neck threads may be between 1/2 liter and 1 liter and / or 1/2 It is often used with beverage bottles or containers of quarts to one quarter capacity and / or substantially this capacity (within 10 percent).

"Beverage" as used herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, water, juice, carbonated beverages, alcohols, And / or any other type of consuming liquid. Where bottles or containers may be used in any embodiment in which the additive is mixed into the liquid in the bottle or container.

To implement a universal fit, there is a universal sealing member or members (plug portion and seal portion) in one embodiment, and in another embodiment, And / or elongated fingers having various radially inwardly facing barb portions in various lengths along the fingers to grip the neck ring. These two embodiments are preferably combined.

In another embodiment, the cap assembly may be configured to conform to at least three water bottles of different sizes. These exemplary embodiments include a valve member (not shown) that the user pulls or presses to release the powdered or liquid form (or gaseous form) of the filler or additive into the bottle contents, valve member. The valve member is also opened and closed to allow the user to seal or drink from the bottle. If the contents of the bottle have been consumed, the bottle cap is not normally reused. However, it can be cleaned and reused if desired.

1 to 4 are views of an exemplary embodiment of a dispensing cap system or plug assembly 1. The stopper assembly 1 is configured to have a liquid in the mouth of the bottle, for example, to be sealed inside a beverage or other bottle for liquid. In a typical embodiment, the bottleneck may have threads to allow a conventional threaded cap to attach to the bottle with threading. The closure assembly 1 could be attached to the bottleneck after the conventional bottle cap was removed in such a case.

The stopper assembly 1 is preferably a generally shuttle valve or valve member 2, a cap member 3, a storage member 4 and a nipple. (5).

The valve member (2) has a closed or transport position in which the additive stored in the chamber (40) formed in the storage member (4) may not be mixed with the bottle contents, and that the additives and the bottle contents It can move between two basic positions of open or mixed positions.

The plug member 3 connects or attaches the plug assembly 1 to the neck of the bottle so as to seal the inlet of the bottle and to adhere relatively firmly.

The storage element 4 comprises the additive and is preferably snap-on, screwed or otherwise secured to the plug 3. In an alternative embodiment, the storage member 4 and the plug member 3 are integrally formed.

The nipple 5 is for drinking little by little. The nipple can move between an upwardly directed drinking position where the liquid can exit the bottle with respect to the storage member and the valve member and a downward non-drinking position where the liquid may not exit the bottle. When the nipple is completely below the valve member, the liquid may not escape even if the nipple is not completely below the storage member.

Closure member: Referring to FIGS. 5-8, the closure member 3 has a plurality of finger portions 30 projecting downwardly from a web portion 31. The distal ends of the finger portions 30 terminate in the inwardly projecting lower barb or tab portions 30A which are designed to slide into the neck ring top of the bottle To be inclined or have cam surfaces on the floor and preferably to grip the bottom of the neck ring which is normal or substantially normal to the axis of the bottle or container neck when pushed by the bottle top And may have a relatively horizontal upper surface relative to the vertically oriented finger portions. In addition, there are inwardly projecting intermediate barb or tab portions 30B, which can also be inclined or have upper surfaces that are horizontal or relatively horizontal to the cap surface on their bottom. These intermediate barbs 30B are shaped to slip over threaded threads, to grip these threads (preferably without screwing), and to be able to slide over the neck ring, Wherein the neck ring is shallower in depth than the bottle neck, the depth of the neck ring being shallower with respect to the bottle inlet than the bottle neck of the larger longer finish with respect to the bottle inlet.

The intermediate barbs 30B may all have the same relative height on the fingers 30, but they are preferably present in a zigzag fashion. That is, a portion of the intermediate barbs 30B is offset in height from a portion of other barbs. Preferably, all other bobs are offset in height by an offset of the same amount or substantially the same amount, preferably as shown in Fig.

The web portion 31 or the upper portion of the stopper member has a boss portion 32 projecting upwardly from the hollow portion, that is, protruding from the finger portions 30 to protrude above the web portion 31 I have. The boss portion 32 has a plurality of spaced dispensing openings 32A formed in the adjacent web surface between the vertical ribs 32B, Thereby causing the liquid from the bottle and the supplement or additive material to pass through.

The stopper member 3 may be formed of a material such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, polysterene, polycarbonate (PC), styrene, low density polyethylene (LDPE) , Plastic materials such as linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Delrin (R) (acetal homopolymer), or nylon , The finger portions 30 are thin and at least partially flexible to some extent because they are fixed at one end only.

In this embodiment, the stopper member 3 preferably comprises a bottle flange or collar and threads, as described above, or a beverage bottle by binding the collar or the threads, And a connection structure for connection rather than threading of the plug assembly 1. The connection structure includes the finger portions 30 and the barb portions 30A, 30B. This type of connection structure should not match the threads of the bottleneck, which may vary according to other beverage vendors and / or bottle types.

The number of finger portions 30 may be varied in other embodiments. For example, smaller and relatively harder finger portions 30 may be used. In other embodiments, the connection structure slides over all or a portion of the thread as the plug assembly 1 is pushed over the bottle neck, rotates on the threads of the bottle, And finger portions 30 having barbs or teeth that lock the threads on the bottleneck by locking. When the barbs are slid over the threads of the bottleneck, small or slight rotation of the closure assembly 1 can contribute to fixing the closure assembly 1, and in combination of the closure assembly 1 and the bottle Any role can be defined. Although the bobs may be bound to the threads, in other embodiments it is preferred that the bobs are bound to the neck ring or at least bind the neck ring.

10, the replenishment or additive storage member 4 is connected to the web portion 31 of the plug member 3 by, for example, threading and / or a snap fit, Lt; / RTI > As will be described in greater detail below, the storage member 4 defines the storage volume or the outer periphery of the chamber for the amount of supplement or additive in granular, powder or liquid form (or even in gaseous form). The storage member 4 has in this embodiment an outer sidewall portion 42 having a generally cylindrical inner sidewall 41 and a lower portion 42A defining a large opening 44 in the bottom of the storage member It is usually a member such as a cup. The storage member may be filled through the large opening 44 during the assembly process, after which the cap member may be attached thereto. The valve member may be inserted to close the ports 41A of the storage member until the valve member is operated as will be described below.

The storage member 4 may be made of one translucent or transparent plastic material of the aforementioned materials, or it may be opaque. Since the storage member 4 is provided for attachment to the plug member 3 by threading, snap fit, adhesive or other connection method in the lower portion 42A, the web portion 31, for example, The web portion 31 of the member may have a peripheral ridge 35 that extends above the web portion and has a protrusion 35A that extends inwardly on the lower portion 42A of the side wall 42, Interference fit or threaded fit by the protruding surface 42B of the shape that is shaped as described above. This matching also provides sealing.

The closure member 3 also preferably contributes to ensuring the sealing of the valve member as well as between the top of the plug member and the inner side wall 41, thereby functioning as an O-ring or sealing member Shaped top portion 34 that is shaped like an O-ring. A separate O-ring can be used. More specifically, the upper part of the O-ring shape is sealed to the product container, for example, at the side wall 20 with respect to the valve member and at the inner wall 41 where, for example, the lower parts meet. The O-ring may be a separate piece, but is preferably integrated with the plug member. This sealing prevents premature leakage of the material from the storage member and contributes to preventing moisture from the outside from degrading the makeup or additive material (47).

9, the closure assembly 1 has a generally cylindrical wall portion 20 of a hollow shape and an upper web portion 21 extending at one end thereof across the end of the wall portion. And a shuttle valve or valve member 2. The bottom flange 22 is formed at the distal end of the wall portion and has an outer diameter that is larger than the diameter of the opening in the storage member 4. [ A reduced diameter tip 23 for the wall portion 20 extends over the surface of the web portion 21. The web portion 21 around the base of the tip 23 and / or the side wall 23C of the tip 23 has one or more ports 21A, 23A formed therein . The port (s) 21A and / or 23A allow the beverage or liquid to pass from the bottle so that when the nipple 5 is in the open or drinking position, the user can drink little by little from the nipple Liquid can be dispensed from the bottle).

The valve member has a base section 25 and an inclined section 26 above the base section. The base section 25 initially blocks the distribution openings 32A so that the ports 41A of the storage member communicate with the interior of the plug member through the openings 32A, And keeps them from being in communication with the contents. Upward restriction of the movement of the valve member may be provided by interference between the bottom flange 22 and the inner protrusion 31A of the web portion of the stopper member (see Fig. 7). Advantageously, the valve member is initially in this upward position for transport.

The inclined section (26) of the valve member has columns (26A) and ports (26B). Depending on use, the valve member may be moved downwardly on the nipple, for example, until the nipple reaches its downward limit that the nipple ports 26B are registered in the openings / ports 41A, 32A Thereby enabling the mixing of the replenishment or additive in the reservoir chamber 40 by communicating the inside of the plug member so that the liquid in the bottle and the reservoir Enabling mixing of the chambers. Shaking the combined structure of the bottle and the plug mixes the liquid into the additive.

Nipple: Referring mainly to FIG. 11, the nipple or nipple member 5 has a body 50 that is sized to be matched with respect to the valve member 2, preferably a generally cylindrical body. The valve member 2 has a range of sliding motion within the storage member 4 in which the body 50 is preferably frictionally engaged. The nipple 5 has an upper protrusion from a similar side wall 41 from its lowest position in contact with a horizontal flange 41B projecting inwardly of the inner side wall 41 which serves as a downwardly facing bottom edge 50A The extent of the sliding movement on the storage member up to its highest position which can be an amount that is set using the outer projection from the body 50 of the nipple or the inner projection from the body and the valve member, .

For the nipple to be closed as in FIG. 3 (and / or FIGS. 16 and 18), its central port 51 in its upper surface 52 is in contact with the side wall 23C of the valve member Is sealed from the communication with the ports or openings 21A and / or 23A of the valve member 20 by the inner rim 52A of the upper surface 52. [ Some sealing may also occur and / or may instead be caused by the bottom surface 52B of the upper surface 52 covering the ports 21A. Preferably the ports 23A are omitted. The upward motion of the nipple has a practical limit due to the user stopping the upward motion when the nipple has moved sufficiently high above the valve member that the seal on the ports 21A and / or 23A has been opened. In the open position as in Figure 17, the nipple 5 does not cover the ports 21A and / or 23A, which allows the liquid to subsequently pass through the bottle so that the user can drink the beverage, The liquid material can be divided outside the bottle. The bottom of the nipple contributes to sealing with the wall member 20 of the valve member and has an inner projection 50B for providing friction with the valve member.

Universal attachment: As described above, the plug member 3 seals the bottle inlet and connects the plug assembly 1 to the neck of the bottle so that it is relatively firmly attached over a wide variety of conventional bottleneck sizes Respectively.

12 is a partial cross-sectional and partial schematic view of a neck finish 62 of a bottle or container 60 for illustrative purposes. Such a neck thread has an inlet 61 at the top or bottle opening, external threads 63 and a neck ring or flange 64. The dimensions of the neck can vary considerably depending on the type and manufacturer of the bottle. In general, the neck thread will have an inner diameter at the mouth (ID _M ), an outer diameter at the threads (OD _T ), an outer diameter at the neck ring (D _NR ) (L _NR ) from the top of the neck ring to the neck ring.

Figs. 13-15 are cut-away and partial cross-sectional views of the plug assembly 1 when installed on a bottle 60, which only shows the plug member 3 and bottle neck region for simplicity. In Figure 13, the neck 62 of the bottle or container is shown having a first size, i. E., A first set of dimensions. In Figure 14, the neck 62 of the bottle or container is shown having a second size, i.e., a second set of dimensions. In Figure 15, the neck 62 of the bottle or container is shown having a third size, i.e., a third set of dimensions. In each of these figures, preferably, at least initially, the reservoir chamber 40 is in the state of being filled with supplements or additives while being cut to the user, and the bottle is in a filled state.

There are two mechanisms of the cap member 3 that allow the acceptance of bottle necks of various sizes, bottle neck sealing, bottle neck gripping or attachment structure.

Sealing structure: The sealing structure is formed on the underside of the region 37 of the web portion 34 and is sized, for example, to conform and seal within the neck of the bottle, do. Preferably there are two sealing members. One of the sealing members is a plug portion 37A which also extends downwardly in a relatively long length with respect to an outer sealing portion 37B extending downward. Preferably, the plug portion 37A extends to an angle? (Theta) that is relatively shallow relative to the vertical line, e.g., about equal to or less than about, and most preferably about equal to. The other one of the sealing members is also an outer sealing portion extending downward at an angle alpha (alpha) which is relatively shallow, e.g., about 10 degrees, and most preferably about half, relative to the vertical line. The sealing members are conical in shape (with no top of the cone) with their upper ends thereon without a frustum.

The structure, angle and flexibility of the sealing assembly allow the plug portion and / or the sealing portion to be matched to the bottles having different diameters and different depths. The closure member does not need to be seated correctly at the top of the bottle opening, because the bottom of the sealing member thus functions to seal the bottle.

The preferred exemplary length of the plug portion 37A is preferably 5 mm to 10 mm, for example, most preferably 7 mm. An exemplary preferred length of the outer sealing portion 37B is about 1/3 or about 2 mm to 5 mm of the length of the sealing portion 37A but can be longer and can be equal to or greater than It may be long. The conical plug portion 37A is resilient to the bottle bore to seal a sufficient width and a range of neck sizes and also provides some adjustment to differences in distance between the bottleneck flange and the top of the neck .

The plug portion 37A preferably has an outer protrusion 37C at its bottom edge for sealing against the inner surface of the bottle or container neck. The plug portion 37A is sufficiently extended to provide some resilience to contribute to maintaining the seal. There may be a recessed region 37D formed between the plug portion 37A and the sealing portion 37B to receive the inlet 61 of the bottle. More specifically, the recess 37D provides space for the bottle top 21 received within various neck height heights. Neck finish size of many bottles 29/25 or 30/25 or so it composed of 25㎜ ID _M of about 25㎜ as in (the first number is the OD _T, the second number is the ID _M), the plug (37A) is generally many neck finish size, especially the ID _M (see FIG. 12) to the 25㎜ 28㎜, or about 25㎜ to 28㎜, or more preferably to 25㎜ 26㎜, or about 25㎜ The outer sealing portion 37B may be omitted in some embodiments because it will provide a major seal for these sizes of about 25 mm or about 25 mm or about 25 mm. However, in some cases, the larger the bottle inlet ID _M , the more the sealing can be provided by the outer sealing portion 37B. The dimensions are selected to correspond to at least two or at least three diameter bottleneck deadlines, for example, according to the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT). The sealing member in this manner will be press fit into the neck and will perform the sealing.

The outer sealing portion 37B can also seal the bottleneck with the inner diameter so that the outer sealing portion is matched, for example, within the inlet of the bottle for sizes of 30 mm and / or 32 mm. The outer sealing portion 37B also has an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the bottle when the inner diameter of the bottle is greater than the diameter of the circle with respect to the axis of the plug member of the plug portion and of the attachment point of the sealing portion 37B with respect to the web portion of the plug member And can function like the plug member 37A when it is thicker than the diameter of the circle with respect to the axis of the plug member.

Connection or Attachment Structure: The neck or attachment structure includes the fingers 30 and the barbs 30A, 30B as described above. The lengths of the closure member 3 and the finger portions 30 are adjusted in size so that the free ends and other portions of the finger portions 30 can be made such that the closure member 3 is pressed against the neck of the bottle It can be stretched outwardly. Also, due to the elasticity of the finger portions 30 and their free ends and their variability (and therefore being relatively thin), the lower barb portions 30A and the middle barb portions 30B And are bound under threads extending from the neck ring and / or the bottleneck.

Although any number of finger portions may be present, there may preferably be at least six to sixteen, preferably ten to fourteen, most preferably twelve, to provide sufficient flexibility. 12-15, the vertical length of the finger portions when measured from the recess 37D to the upper surface of the lower barb portions 30A is denoted by L _MAX , Which represents the maximum height of the neck ring, L _NR , the distance from the top 61 of the bottle forming the inlet to the neck ring 64 or the bottom surface 64A of the neck flange. The diameter of the neck ring measured from the outermost portion of the neck ring 64 is denoted by D _NR . In ISBT Standard 1810, the distance L _NR is 21 mm, the distance to the bottom thread is 14.1 mm, the diameter D _NR of the neck ring is 33 mm, and the diameter OD _T of the threads is 27.4 mm. For standard 1881, the distance L _NR is 17 mm, the distance to the bottom thread is 11.2 mm, the diameter D _NR of the neck ring is 33 mm, and the diameter OD _T of the threads is 27.4 mm. The inlet inner diameter ID _T is 21.7 mm in both standards.

In standard 26P-1, the distance L _NR is 17 mm, the distance to the bottom thread is 10.6 mm, the diameter D _NR of the neck ring is 31.9 mm, and the diameter OD _T of the threads is 27.2 mm. The inlet is the inner diameter ID is _T 21.8㎜. In standard 26P-2, the distance L _NR is 17 mm, the distance to the bottom thread is 10.6 mm, the diameter D _NR of the neck ring is 33 mm, and the diameter OD _T of the threads is 26.6 mm. The inlet is the inner diameter ID is _T 21.8㎜. Each of these standards has some changes. Accordingly, the appropriate diameters of the finger portions may range from about 25 mm to about 35 mm, more preferably from about 27 mm to about 31 mm, and most preferably about 28 mm. The appropriate diameters of the inner sealing member at the protrusions 21C may be between 24 mm and 26 mm, most preferably about 25 mm, and at their lowest points, the appropriate diameters for the outer sealing portion may range from 24.5 mm to 26.5 mm , And most preferably about 25.5 mm. However, all dimensions herein are for illustrative purposes, and the closure assembly 1 may have other dimensions matched and sealed on different ranges of bottleneck finishes.

For example, the ranges of the inner and outer diameters of the bottles sealed by the stopper member may range from as small as about 1 mm, 1.5 mm or 2 mm to as large as 5 mm or 10 mm, Lt; / RTI > The depth ranges of the neck flange may vary from as small as about 2 mm or as small as 3 mm to as large as 5 mm or as large as 10 mm or larger or smaller than these quantities.

The lower barb portions 30A and the middle barb portions 30B are made to extend inwardly in the same or substantially the same amount so that they can grip the underside of the neck flange regardless of length L _NR . For example, in Figures 13-15, there are three different lengths of neckline L _N1 , L _N2 and L _N3 for the flange. Due to these different lengths, the neck flange in Fig. 13 has an elongated length and is thus gripped by the lower barb portion 30A. In Fig. 14 the neck flange has a short length, and thus is gripped by the upper ones of the intermediate barb portions 30B. In Fig. The neck flange has an intermediate length and is thus gripped by the lower ones of the intermediate barb portions 30B.

13 to 15, in these examples the diameters D _F of the neck flanges, the diameters of the threads, the outer diameter D _O of the top of the bottle and the inner diameters D _I of the bottles are, for example, Which is larger in Fig. 13 so as to bind both the plug portion 37A and the sealing portion 37B and smaller in Fig. 14 so as to bind only the plug portion 37A, and which has a smaller internal deflection of the plug portion than that of Fig. There will be different diameters for these exemplary neck sizes, as would be the middle in Figure 15 to bind the neck 37A.

As can also be seen in Fig. 13, the barb portions bind the threads. The upper intermediate barb portion 34B is shown binding the bottom surface 63A of the thread 63. [ Often, as shown by the various ISBT standards, the lowest thread has a relatively flat lower surface that can be gripped well by the intermediate barb portions. Thus, the barb portions can bind threads, bind the neck flange, and / or bind all together according to the neck finish. The binding and gripping are different from the threading even when a slight rotation of the plug assembly 1 contributes to more tightly binding the bottleneck.

As shown in the embodiment of Fig. 19, the sealing portion 37B of Figs. 13 to 15 has been made longer and now becomes the sealing portion 37F. This now looks more like a plug portion 37A. As shown in FIG. 19, there is a bottleneck finish 62 having relatively large inner and outer diameters. In this case, the bottle top 61 is external to the sealing portion 37F, which in this embodiment functions like the plug portion 37A of Figs. 13-15 to seal the bottle inlet from the inside. The recess 37E provides space for accommodating larger bottles. The web portion 34 is curved upward outwardly (away from the central axis of the closure assembly 1) in the region 37, which is also curved away from the bottle inlet or top 61, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > 64 < / RTI > With such a construction, bottles can be accommodated, for example, at the larger end of the size range.

The barb portions 30A and / or 30B of the finger portions 30 allow the user to push the stopper assembly 1 downwardly onto the neck of the bottle, as previously described and as is apparent from the above description and drawings. Along with cams or inclined lower surfaces of the barb portions that facilitate installation by transmitting the downward pressing force in response to pressing by a bending force that tends to cause the finger portions to spread outwardly, ) And / or above the bottle threads (63). The plug portion 37A contacts the inside of the wall and / or the sealing portion 37B (or 37F) contacts the top of the neck during the downward pressing of the plug assembly 1, The plug portion 37A and / or the sealing portion 37B (or 37F) is bent against the interior of the bottle and / or the top of the neck so as to seal the opening or mouth of the bottle, but is deflected. The barb portions pass over the threads and / or the top of the flange and allow the plug assembly 1 to contact the horizontal upper surfaces of the lower barb portions and / or the middle barb portions and the underside of the flange and / And locks them in place.

Transport, Mixing and Drinking Positions: FIGS. 16-18 illustrate a stopper assembly 1 for various transports, drinking and mixing (and not drinking) at various locations. Fig. 16 shows the plug assembly 1 in an unmixed (transport) position with the nipple 5 and the valve member 2 mostly lowered. Figure 18 shows a plug assembly 1 in a mixed position with the nipple 5 and the valve member 2 being completely lowered (the valve member openings are in the mixing position with the openings communicating with the interior of the storage compartment, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > and / or < / RTI > This is also the same position (the position where it does not drink) as when the nipple is closed. 17 shows the plug assembly 1 in the drinking position wherein the nipple 5 is raised so that its upper end falls away from the top of the valve member 2 (the valve member 2 can be lowered, The nipple opening communicates with the contents of the bottle so that the end consumer can drink.

In the transport position, the contents of the stopper assembly 1 are held in the reservoir chamber 40 and fluid is prevented from entering the reservoir chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, the nipple 5 is in a relatively low (un-elevated) position to cover the openings 21A, 23A in the top of the valve member. The valve member is such that the openings or ports 26B of the valve member can communicate with the openings 41A of the storage member 4 and the openings or ports 32A of the plug member 3 It is at a sufficient level of position. Note that in this transport (or store or non-use) position the valve member is at or near the uppermost limit.

In other less preferred embodiments, the fluid communication between the one or more valve member openings and the one or more plug member openings may be blocked by selective mechanisms.

In some embodiments, the closure assembly may be transported to a locked position that prevents the valve member 2 from accidentally lowering against the closure member from the storage or transport position to the mixing position. The stopper assembly may be released from the locked position by rotation of one or more of the nipple (5) and the valve member (2). This locking system may be similar to a locking system of a liquid soap container or hand lotion contents wherein the valve member may not be depressed downward except for rotating or biting it in 1/4 turn, for example. Which frees the valve member for downward movement.

From the position of FIG. 16 to the position of FIG. 17, but may preferably proceed first from the transport or storage position of FIG. 16 to the mixing position of FIG. 18, the closure assembly 1 is a mixing (or non-mixing) valve that permits the movement of supplemental and / or additive fluid between the storage member 4 and the hollow interior of the valve member 2 ) Position. The hollow interior communicates with the bottle and the nipple and forms a passage 28 that communicates the storage member chamber 40 with the contents of the bottle. This position is maintained until the ports or openings 26B of the valve member are aligned and communicated with the ports or openings 32A of the plug member and the openings 41A of the storage member And downwardly against the nipple 5 and / or the tip 23 of the valve member to move downward relative to the stopper assembly. This allows the contents of the bottle to pass upward through the passage 28 of the valve member into the storage container and the contents 47 of the storage container can be passed through the passage 28 into the bottle . Mixing can take place accordingly. That is, with the nipple 5 in the lowered / closed position to prevent fluid from passing through the nipple opening 51, the stopper assembly 1 can be bound to a fluid-filled bottle that is mixed with the makeup or additive . In Fig. 18, the relative positions of the nipple and the valve member make it impossible to drink, and thus also in the non-drinkable position.

In other embodiments, the mixing position is reached when the fluid communication is permitted between the reservoir chamber 40 and the passageway 28 via one or more of the above-described release and / or non-cover operations .

As shown in Figure 17, the nipple 5 can be raised with respect to the valve member and the plug assembly whenever mixing is complete, or whenever drinking or liquid distribution is desired, Enabling fluid to be drawn from the bottle connected to the member.

When the storage compartment 40 comprises a supplement or additive, the fluid that can be consumed or used is preferably mixed with the supplement or additive at this time. The nipple 5 can be prevented from being disconnected from the plug assembly by the coupling between the interference line and the flange on the valve member or by other means. As is conventional in the industry, the nipple is held at the above-mentioned drinking position (or dispensing position) during use and, when in these positions, There is a sufficient frictional engagement.

Raising the nipple over the valve member as shown in Figure 17 may be accomplished by passing through the passageway 28 through the ports 21A and / or 23A and through the opening 51 to the fluid Open access to. Note that the valve member can move to or from a position where it blocks the fluid communication with the reservoir chamber 40. However, if the liquid and the additive are mixed in the bottle, preferably until the additive is completely dissolved or fully mixed into the liquid, the valve member need not be held in the mixing position. The valve member can be properly operated without needing to be locked downward at the mixing position or locked upward to the outside of the mixing position.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, pressing the nipple backwardly against the valve member blocks access to the ports 21A and / or 23A to block flow through the opening 51, 18, or a location that does not drink or distribute is reimplemented.

Configuration of the plug assembly: For assembly, the valve member 2 can be pushed in from the bottom into the inside and extend through the top of the plug member 3. Before or after this step, the storage member 4 may be turned upside down and filled with supplements, flavors or other additives as described above. The valve member and the plug member may be assembled together (if not preassembled). The valve member and the plug member are then inserted into the inner wall of the valve member storage member and connected to the storage member, and the plug member is bound to the storage member by, for example, a snap fit. As described above, in the shipping state, the valve member 2 has windows that are misaligned perpendicular to the ports in the inner wall of the upper portion of the plug member. These ports in the cap member will align with the openings or passages to the reservoir chamber of the storage member. Thereafter, a nipple 5 is inserted into the upper portion of the valve member into the storage member 4. [

Although multiple uses are possible, a single use is preferred for the plug assembly 1. Transport to a chamber that is filled or subsequently filled by the user is possible.

Three pieces or less: In another embodiment, any of the foregoing plug assemblies can be made of three pieces. The structure may be polypropylene or other materials as disclosed herein, or other similar plastics or materials. Its operation is evident from the operation of the previous embodiments. In this embodiment, the hinged valve cover at the threaded exterior of the closure member, at the top of the product container and the storage member, consists of one piece. The closure member still has the sealing portion and the attachment structure. The remaining piece is the valve member, which also serves as a drinking spout for removing the nipple.

Alternatively, the plug member and the storage member may be one piece, and the valve member and the nipple may be composed of one piece, so that two pieces can be provided. The closure member can also be simply configured with the attachment and sealing structures at and below its web portion (the fingers, barbs, seal portion and plug portion) to provide universal attachment, Including the bottle nipple, the storage compartment can be removed, thus eliminating the need for a valve member. The top of the stopper member can be seen and defined as an inner wall (such as the inner wall 41 of the storage member) for a nipple, such as the nipple 5 moving inside. The stopper member may also have a portion of the stopper member that appears to be at an upper portion that includes at least the ports of the valve member for causing the nipple to move down and move the nipple to close or upwardly open.

Also, a universal bottle cap of only one piece, which is simply formed by the plug member, may be implemented, wherein the web portion is impermeable to a solid, i.e., liquid, wherein the web portion And has a flap that can be closed again when closed, impermeable. Of course, any of the four pieces can be separated and / or additional pieces added, and a cap assembly having a larger number of pieces can be made.

Other variations: Although the foregoing are descriptions and illustrations of specific embodiments of the subject matter, various changes and modifications thereto may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. have. For example, a less preferred connection system may be threads instead of fingers with fingers or threads with bobs (held on the neck ring), but in this case the closure assembly may be used for certain bottles The size may need to be adjusted. These embodiments may not have the more general attachment capabilities of the fingers with the bobs. More fingers, such as ten, twelve or fourteen, are preferred because these fingers will have a smaller width compared to using fewer, e.g., six, fingers. The finger and barb dimensions and material, the number of fingers and barbs, and the spacing between the fingers all affect the elasticity of the fingers. The resilience is such that the downward force required to fully apply the fingers to the bottleneck to create a good seal between the closure and the bottle is less than the strain and fracture point of the bottle. At least ten, or at least twelve, or at least fourteen fingers contribute to reducing the application of downward force on the bottle, and yet have excellent flexibility for the fingers to achieve the strength of attachment to the bottle Lifting the nipple for drinking will not cause the cap member to escape from the bottle, as it contributes to provide elasticity. The force required to apply the plug member to the bottle may cause the user to apply too much force to the bottle and be less than such force that the user may cause the bottle to break or otherwise break do.

While the finger attachment mechanism is preferred, in a less preferred embodiment, the attachment portion may include a threaded member threaded onto the bottle. The threaded member may have threaded parts configured to bind threads of one or more types of bottles.

Grooves or recesses may be formed directly above and / or directly above said middle barbs (30B) to at least partially accommodate portions of said neck ring and / or threads, May be provided on the inner wall of the fingers, thereby providing a tighter attachment to the bottleneck.

Although multiple ports and openings are disclosed herein for fluid flow, it is contemplated that variations and / or more ports or openings may be used where only one port or opening may be used instead of multiple ports or openings, Variations may also be employed.

Embodiments in which the plug assembly is inserted into a bottle, such as a stopper, may be provided by, for example, the plug portion 37A, the sealing portion 37B, (Or 37F) < / RTI > and / or all of them. In other embodiments, the closure assembly may have one of the disclosed attachment mechanisms that have fingers but are deficient in the valve system and / or lack supplemental storage, mixing, and / or delivery systems, As shown in Fig. Exemplary ranges of bottle sizes are from 5 mm to 25 mm (neck height range) and from 16 mm to 32 mm (diameter range of bottleneck openings). A typical diameter range is from 21 mm to 32 mm.

Instead of using powdered supplements or additives, liquid supplements or additives or even gases may be used. For example, the storage compartment may be filled with a compressed gas and / or material that, when mixed with the bottled contents, causes these contents to become carbonated beverages.

In another embodiment or variant, the plug member can be sized and formed with a cylindrical outer having threads or fingers to attach to a threaded neck thread of a certain size. As in other embodiments, the valve system, the nipple, and the product container may be included, or may be replaced by a simple nipple / valve or product container, and the valve system may be a simple threaded attachment mechanism or other attachment mechanism ≪ / RTI >

The structure, angle and flexibility of the sealing assembly may allow the plug portion and / or the sealing portion to be matched to the bottles having different diameters and different depths. The seal member thus does not need to be seated exactly on the top of the bottle opening, since the bottom of the sealing member serves to seal the bottle.

The valve member may have one or more limit members extending outwardly from its base or other portions and may be configured to positively move the downward movement of the valve member (2) relative to the plug member and the plug assembly For example, adjacent to the upper ring portion formed on the stopper member 3. [0033]

At least a portion of the fingers portions 30 of the cap are positioned between two sets of barb portions, the lower barb 30A and the middle barb 30B, because some bottles have different neck-flange to neck-top- Respectively. In the disclosed embodiment, each of the finger portions 30 is formed with the lower barb and the middle barb. In other embodiments, fewer than all of the finger portions 30 may be fabricated with all of the bobs, one or both. Moreover, in other embodiments, a portion of the finger portions 30 may have only a lower barb, and others only have an intermediate barb.

The intermediate barbs 30B may be rounded to allow the neck ring to slide thereby more easily when the barrel member is pressed against the bottle (but need not be, for example, And may have a shape similar to that of the lower barb 30A).

Since the plug member is made of plastic in the preferred embodiment, it can be clean, opaque or translucent, and can have any of a variety of colors. Clean or translucent may be advantageous for at least the storage member to allow the user to see that mixing occurs, in which case the valve member remains in the blended position during drinking, Thereby allowing swishing around the liquid in the storage chamber to be seen.

Although the present invention has been described using specific terms, devices and / or methods, such description is for illustrative purposes only of the preferred embodiment (s). Modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment (s) by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims. Simple modifications include altering the outer shape of the storage container into cartoon characters, animals or other shapes, or making the container clean, opaque, translucent, or combinations thereof and / It may be possible to use materials other than plastic and rubber as possible. It should also be understood that aspects of the preferred embodiment (s) may generally be wholly or partially interchangeable.

Claims (20)

A dispensing cap assembly for dispensing liquid from a bottle,
A cap member comprising a top and a connecting structure, the connecting structure having a binding mechanism for binding at least one of a neck ring and a neck thread of the bottle;
A sealing member disposed within the closure and extending downwardly therefrom and having a sealing surface disposed for sealing contact with the bottle neck,
Wherein the connection structure includes a set of finger portions suspended from the top downwardly and a free bottom end, the finger portions having finger barb portions extending inwardly, Said barb portions being sufficiently flexible for the distal end to be widened outwardly to allow said barb portions to pass through the upper portion of said neck ring while being installed on said bar, And the neck thread of the threaded member and at least one of the neck thread. The closure assembly of claim 1, wherein six to twelve finger portions are included. 2. The closure assembly of claim 1 wherein finger barb portions are present at intermediate depths at the bottom end of the finger portions along the finger portions. 2. The closure assembly of claim 1, wherein there are finger barb portions at at least two different intermediate depths at the bottom end of the finger portions along the finger portions. The closure assembly of claim 1, further comprising a storage compartment for containing a material that is mixed with the contents of the bottle. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the closure assembly further comprises a valve member, the valve member having a first position at which the valve member blocks any communication of the contents of the bottle with the storage compartment, Wherein the valve member is movable between a second position for opening the communication of the contents of the bottle with the storage compartment. 2. The cap assembly of claim 1, further comprising a nipple that is movable between an open position for dispensing liquid contents of the bottle and a non-drinkable position for interrupting the flow of liquid contents of the bottle. . 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the barb portions are spread outwardly as they pass through threads and neck flanges of the bottle and are threaded without threading to attach the bar assembly to the bottle. And to grip at least one bottom surface of the flange and the threads of the bottle. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the barb portions grip on at least one of the neck flanges and threads of the bottle, the depth from the top of the bottle to the neck flange and the threads being variable at least 2 mm Wherein the stopper assembly comprises: A dispensing plug assembly for dispensing liquid from a bottle,
And a closure member including a top and a connecting structure, the connecting structure having a binding mechanism for binding at least one of a neck ring and a neck thread of the bottle;
A closure member disposed within the closure and extending therefrom and having a closure surface disposed for sealing contact with the bottleneck,
Wherein the closure member includes a plug portion extending downwardly and a seal portion extending downwardly from a web portion of the closure member, Wherein the plug portion is capable of accommodating at least two different diameters of the bottleneck. ≪ RTI ID = 0.0 > 11. < / RTI > 11. The closure assembly of claim 10, wherein the plug portion has a generally conical shape without a frustum. 11. The closure assembly of claim 10, wherein the sealing portion increases in diameter with the sealing portion extending outwardly for sealing against the inner or outer wall of the bottle. 11. The closure assembly of claim 10, wherein six to twelve finger portions are included. 11. The closure assembly of claim 10 wherein finger bar portions are present at intermediate depths at the bottom end of the finger portions along the finger portions. 11. The closure assembly of claim 10, wherein finger barb portions are present at at least two different intermediate depths at the bottom end of the finger portions along the finger portions. 11. The closure assembly of claim 10, further comprising a storage compartment for containing a material that is mixed with the contents of the bottle. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the closure assembly further comprises a valve member, wherein the valve member has a first position in which the valve member blocks any communication of the contents of the bottle with the storage compartment, And a second position for opening communication between the storage compartment and the contents of the bottle. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the barb portions are widened outwardly as they pass through the threads of the bottle and the neck flange and are threaded without threading to attach the bar assembly to the bottle, Wherein the at least one bottom surface is configured to grip at least one bottom surface. 19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the barb portions grip on at least one of the neck flanges and threads of the bottle, the depth from the top of the bottle to the neck flange and the threads being variable at least 2 mm Wherein the stopper assembly comprises: A dispensing plug assembly for dispensing liquid from a bottle,
And a closure member including a top and a connecting structure, the connecting structure having a binding mechanism for binding at least one of a neck ring and a neck thread of the bottle;
A closure member disposed within the closure and extending therefrom and having a closure surface disposed for sealing contact with the bottleneck,
Wherein the connecting structure includes a set of finger portions suspended from the top downward and a free bottom end, the finger portions having finger bar portions extending inwardly, the finger portions being configured such that the bar is installed on the neck, The barb portions having at least one of a neck ring of the bottle and at least one of the neck threads so that the barb is secured over the bottle, In addition,
Wherein the sealing member includes a plug portion extending downwardly and a sealing portion extending downwardly from the web portion of the plug member, the plug portion having a diameter that extends downwardly for sealing against the inner wall of the bottle, And the plug portion can receive at least two different diameters of the bottleneck,
The plug portion and the sealing portion seal the various standard ISBT bottles of inner and outer diameters with which the plug member is varied and the connection structure allows the bar parts to be changed from the bottle inlet to the neck thread and neck ring Of at least one of a neck ring and a neck thread of the various standard ISBT bottles having depths.

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