GB2361470A

GB2361470A - Threaded bottle closure having handle

Info

Publication number: GB2361470A
Application number: GB0004390A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Breeze
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-24
Filing date: 2000-02-24
Publication date: 2001-10-24
Also published as: GB0004390D0

Abstract

A bottle closure comprises a screw-threaded cap 11 having a handle 14 mounted on one or more mounting points which are integral with or attached to the cap. The handle 14 may be pivotally mounted on the mounting point(s), which may comprise lugs 15,16 that extend from the sides of the cap, or a member 23 which extends substantially vertically from the top of the cap. The vertical member 23 may include a bar 25,26 extending horizontally from the member, upon which the handle 14 is mounted. The handle 14 may include a gripping region 17 large enough to accommodate the four fingers of a carrier<SP>'</SP>s hand, and may be moulded or shaped (not shown) to allow comfortable gripping. The cap may be made from plastics material, and the handle, which may be ornately formed, may be of plastics, wood or bone. The closure may be used with 1, 1.5 and/or 2 litre plastic bottles, e.g. water or lemonade bottles, and the handle may assist in the unscrewing of the cap from a bottle (not shown).

Description

2361470 BOTTLE CAP HANDLE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bottle closures which incorporate a handle. The invention is particularly relevant, but in not way limited, to closures for 1, 1.5 and 2 litre plastic bottles as used for water, lemonade and the like. Background to the Invention 10 A problem with present-day plastic screw-top bottles containing liquid is that their size and weight makes them difficult to carry with one hand. This problem is particularly apparent when one has to carry one or more bottles of potable water over any significant distance. This frequently happens when one is on holiday in a 15 country which has a hot climate and where the local water is unsafe or unwise to drink. Typically a family on holiday will take one or two large bottles of mineral water out with them when they are on a trip or going to the beach. When they are not in a car or other vehicle then this water has to be carried along with any other items they are taking with them such as beach towels, beach mats, umbrellas and 20 any other food and/or drink. Drinking water is usually sold in 1, 1.5 or 2 litre bottles, so-called PET bottles, closed with a simple screw cap. The bottles are made of fairly rigid, smooth plastics material and have no handles. To carry them they either have to be gripped around 25 the neck, held underneath in the hand or cradled with an arm. When one has to walk any distance, particularly when carrying other heavy items, carrying such bottles quickly becomes extremely uncomfortable. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to produce bottles with an integral 30 handle. Examples are described in WO 94/19247 (Nilsson and Johnsson), DE29906839 and WO 9532127 (Cenova Innovation and Produktion AB). However, none of these solutions are particularly appropriate to the problem outlined above. They require either expensive tooling or do not result in a bottle that is very much easier to carry over significant distances than the existing mineral water bottles. 35

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least mitigate, some or all of the problems outlined above.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:- Figure 1 illustrates a typical plastic bottle with a screw threaded aperture; Figure 2 illustrates two examples of bottle cap handles according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of Invention 15

Plastic screw-top bottles have a thread around the bottle neck, as shown in Figure 1. This thread usually has a standard pitch and diameter; this means that a screwtop that fits one bottle can also be used to seal all other similarly-threaded bottles. Using a screw-top which incorporates a handle attachment (henceforth referred to as a "screw-top handle") to engage with a plastic bottle thread, it is then possible to carry the bottle easily using the handle. The invention covered by this patent is the incorporation of a handle attached to the screw-top, The handle of the screw-top handle may be articulated, or attached rigidly to the screw-top. This handle may (or may not) assist with opening the screw-top.

The screw-top handle is removable from the bottle, and hence can be used for all similarly threaded bottles. Since the screw-top handle effectively seals the bottle air-tight, it will help keep the bottle contents fresh.

Examples of screw-top handles are shown in Figure 2. Turning first to Figure 2A, this illustrates what is akin to a conventional bottle cap 11 with an internal threaded region 12. The thread is designed to be complementary to the standard thread on a PET drinks bottle. A handle 14 is pivotally attached to the bottle cap 11 by:way of substantially circular lugs 15, 16 which extend at right angles from the body of the 2 cap 11. Advantageously, the handle may be made from the same plastics material as the bottle cap. The region of the handle to be gripped in the hand is usually moulded or formed in such a shape as to be a comfortable grip (not shown). Whilst Figure 2A illustrates a handle which is approximately the same width as the bottle cap this need not be the case. It is preferable that the gripping region of the handle 17 is broad enough to accommodate all four fingers of the hand of the person carrying the bottle. For this reason the arms of the handle 18, 19 would generally splay outwards away from the bottle cap in order to accommodate a broad gripping region 17.

Plastics materials are not always comfortable to grip as handles and, for this reason, walking sticks and the like often have wooden or bone handles for comfort.

Likewise, the handle or at least the gripping region 17 of the present invention can be made from these materials and can be quite ornately formed. It is thus possible to personalise these bottle cap handles in a wide variety of forms. Because they can be transferred from one bottle to the next once the first bottle has been emptied they can be re-used time and time again. It is therefore only necessary to purchase one or two bottle cap handles according to the present invention and these will last for a significant period of time.

Providing the construction of the bottle cap handle is sufficiently strong, and it is the object of the present invention to make it strong, then the handle can be used as an aid to opening the bottle which will be of great advantage to elderly people or people suffering from arthritis or similar debilitating conditions.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2B uses a different arrangement in order to pivotally mount a handle onto a bottle cap. In this case a single protuberance 23 extends perpendicularly from the top of the bottle cap and along the general longitudinal axis of the threaded interior of the bottle cap. Moulded into or passing through this protrusion is an extended bar 25, 26 around which a handle 24 is pivotally mounted. Once again, arms on the handle 28, 29 extend away from the bottle cap and end in a handle grip 27.

3 IL It will be appreciated that the arrangements shown in Figures 2A and 2B are just two ways that the invention can be put into practice. This invention is intended to encompass any similar arrangements which consist of:

i) a screw cap bottle closure ii) one or more mounting points attached to or integral with the screw cap for mounting a handle on iii) a handle which fits easily and comfortably in the hand and which is preferably pivotally mounted with respect to the bottle cap.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the handle is so sized, shaped and arranged that it can be used as a [ever to assist with opening and closing the bottle.

Bottle cap handles according to the present invention can be formed from any suitable material as selected by the materials specialist. Because of the method and form of construction it is not necessary that the handle 14 should be made or need be made from the same material as the bottle cap portion itself.

It is envisaged that a series of designs will be produced which ultimately will become collectors' items because of their shape and configuration. For example, a whole number of different designs can be incorporated into the handle gripping region 17, 27 in order to lend distinctiveness to the designs.

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Claims

1. A bottle closure comprising:- (i) a screw cap bottle closure; (ii) one or more mounting points attached to or integral with the bottle closure, said mounting points being adapted to mount a handle on; (iii) a handle mounted on said mounting points.

2. A bottle closure as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the handle is pivotally mounted on the mounting point(s).

3. A bottle closure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the mounting points comprise lugs which extend substantially at right angles from the body of the screw cap bottle closure.

4. A bottle closure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the mounting point comprises a protuberance extending substantially perpendicularly from the top of the screw cap bottle closure along the general longitudinal axis of the screw cap bottle closure.

5. A boftle closure as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the protrusion incorporates a bar, extending on either side of the protrusion, the handle being mounted on said bar.

6. A bottle closure as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the handle incorporates a gripping region broad enough to accommodate all four fingers of the hand of the person carrying the bottle.

7. A bottle closure as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the handle is constructed from wood.

8. A bottle closure as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7 inclusive wherein the handle is constructed from bone.

9. A bottle closure substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any combination of the accompanying drawings.

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