GB2549764A

GB2549764A - Improvements to a bottle cap

Info

Publication number: GB2549764A
Application number: GB1607397.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Axten Darrel; John Axten Bradley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-04-28
Filing date: 2016-04-28
Publication date: 2017-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-28
Also published as: GB2549764B; GB201607397D0

Abstract

A bottle cap comprising light emitting sources 2 orientated to shine onto an attached bottle, a power source 4 and a switch for turning on the emitters. Preferably, the emitters are located in a lower side wall and are controllable to emit a plurality of colours. Preferably, a wireless controller controls the colour or intensity of emitters. Preferably, the switch responds to pressure on the outer surface of the cap. Preferably, a spout 11 extends through the cap and a tilt switch activates an upward or downward facing emitter depending on the orientation of the cap. Preferably, the cap includes a bottle and the emitters are placed directly in line with the wall of the bottle. Preferably, the bottle is twisted or incorporates concavities to refract the light.

Description

-1 ·

Improvements to a 8fttfk,£aB

The invention relates to bottle caps and battles incorporating such caps.

Class bottles are used in pubs and nightclubs around the world. Unfortunately the dark conditions often found in these establishments lead to these bottles being knocked over or smashed, This can lead to serious injuries not only for the bottle user but also surrounding patrons. Improving the visibility of glass bottles used in these low light conditions could have a noticeable effect on the number of injuries caused by accidentally smashed or knocked over bottles, it is well known in the art to shine LED lights into bottles illuminating them and their contents. Most achieve this using a platform with LED lights embedded. Bottles are placed on these platforms which, when switched on, illpmintte the bottle, This illumination however Is limited to static displays due to the platforms lack of functional mobility. The platform is not. attached to the bottle and is often powered via a mains plug and as a result is unable to be moved with the bottle. The result of these limitations is that the bottles are illuminated only when on display. A bottle has been proposed with an LED lighting element in the glass at the bottom of the bottle. Considerable difficulties arise in the manufacturing process and in the disposable of such prior art systems.

SummmxofLtheJi^

In a first broad independent aspect, the invention provides a bottle cap comprising one or more light emitting sources oriented so that, in use, light shines onto an attached bottle; means for powering said light emitting source; and a switch for switching ON the or each light emitting source.

This Is particularly advantageous because it represents a mobile lighting system, enabling the bottle to be carried around in a iit state. All; the features required to light, the bottle may advantageously be self-contained within the cap which; in use, may be attached to the neck of the bottle. This solution is particularly compact and avoids the complexities associated with the addition of a light in the base of a bottle, it therefore lends itself to more straight forward usage and switching ON. Advantageously, it may also have minimal impact on the environment since it allows the glass component of a bottle to be recycled whilst still allowing the bottle to have the sought after improved lighting characteristics. In most embodiments, the cap does not require any external power supply such as from a wall socket and as such is able to be transported with the bottle in a lit state.

In a subsidiary aspect, the cap incorporates a side wall and said light emitting sources are located in a lower most portion of said side wall This is advantageous because it allows light to shine directly onto the shoulder of the bottle. The contours and thickness of the glass in this region help promote internal refraction and decrease light lost outside of the bo'.tle. in a further subsidiary aspect, the light emitting sources are controllable to emit a plurality of predetermined colours. This is particularly advantageous because it enables the user to tailor the light to maximise visual acuity; different ambient light, conditions have a varied effect on colours of light, For example in bright ambient light conditions a yellow Sight will be less obvious to the eye than a red light By contrast in dark ambient light conditions the yellow light would be far more visible to the eye than the red light

In a further subsidiary aspect, the cap further comprises a wireless signal receiver and a control for controlling the operation of said light emitting sources. This is particularly advantageous because it enables tie light emitting aspects of the cap to be controlled from a remote location. The user does not have to look closely at the cap to control it When in use the bottle is potentially very bright, looking at. the cap, and by proxy the bottle, for a long time close up could be damaging to the eyes. In addition, it prevents the need for complex button controls to exist on the cap outer surface. These could be accidently altered whilst the bottle is in use and could be uncomfortable on the hand of the user whilst the cap is being removed or otherwise is in use.

In a further subsidiary aspect said controller is configured to select one of a plurality of predetermined colours dependent upon a signal received by said receiver.

In a further subsidiary aspect said controller is configured to select one of a plurality of pre-determined light intensity levels dependent upon a signal received by said receiver.

This is particularly advantageous because it enables the user to adjust, the light intensity based on personal preference and ambient light conditions. For example the same light intensity could seem barely visible in light ambient conditions, or near blinding in dark ambient light conditions. In addition, the ability to control the feature remotely via a wireless receiver prevents the need to stare directly at the lights whilst altering them, protecting the eyes. in a further subsidiary aspect, said switch is actuatable by applying pressure to the outer surface of the cap.

In a further subsidiary aspect, said switch includes a tilt switch which activates and/or deactivates when tilting the cap. This is advantageous as the tilting of a bottle represents when it is in functional use and therefore a tilt switch provides a means of controlling light function selectively in respect to active use.

Optionally, said cap incorporates a dispensing spout extending through the uppermost portion of the cap. This is advantageous because it allows the cap to remain attached to the neck of the bottle whist it is in functional use. This enables the bottle to remain lit throughout the pouring or drinking process.

Optionally, the cap comprises two sets of light emitting sources, one being primarily directed upwards and the second being primarily directed downwards; and a switch is configured to selectively light up one of said sets dependent upon the orientation of said cap. This is advantageous because it allows the user to better see the vessel they are pouring into, helping to prevent spillage, in a second broad aspect, the invention provides a bottle comprising a bottle cap in accordance with any of the preceding aspects. In a further subsidiary aspect, the light emitting sources are placed directly in line with the wall of the bottle. This Is advantageous because it encourages internal refraction of the light within the walls of the bottle and reduces light lost to the surroundings; improving the lighting of the bottle;

In a further subsidiary aspect, the upper portions of said bottle are substantially twisted around the longitudinal axis in comparison to lower portions of said bottle to create furrows and ridges. This is advantageous because the furrows and ridges act as focal points or diffraction edges for the light, creating lighter and darker regions of the bottle which are more obvious to the eye.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the bottle incorporates one or more concavities as part of the shoulder of the bottle which are adjacent to corresponding light emitting sources. This is advantageous because it promotes light distribution within the bottle making it more visible to the eye,

Brief Description of the Figures

Figure 1 is a diagram of a plurality of bottle caps all shown in perspective view.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a circuit, board with components in block form.

Figure 1 is a diagram of a bottle cap with a spout in perspective view.

Figure 4 shows cross sectional diagrams of two further embodiments of bottle cap.

Figure 5 shows three further embodiments of a glass bottle in perspective view*

Figure 6 shows in perspective view a glass bottle with the cap attached to it Detailed DescriMon of the PlEures.

To provide clarity, the components of the system which are common have retained identical numerical references throughout all figure descriptions.

Figure 1 shows a bottle cap 1. Side wall 7 houses circuit board 3, power source 4 and ligm emitting sources 2 (or an array of light emitting sources). In an embodiment the light emitting sources are located within the boundaries of the cap so that they are external to the bottle., in use, in an embodiment, the power source 4 is a battery and in a further embodiment power source 4 is a rechargeable battery. This may be rechargeable by connection to the mains or other source of power. Alternatively, this can be achieved using kinetic or piezoelectric energy systems.

In a preferred embodiment light emitting sources 2 are light emitting diodes (LEDs) and in I further preferred embodiment the LEDs are able to change colour, including; but not limited to: red, green, blue, purple, gold, silver, and yellow. This is possibly achieved by the Inclusion of a microcontroller. Alternatively, light emitting:sources 2 could be lasers or any other suitable form of light bulb.

In a further embodiment, light emitting sources 2 are located in the lower most portion of side wall 7, These LEDs may be embedded into a flange in the lower most portion of the side wall, in a further embodiment, light emitting sources 1 are secured into pre-formed apertures at the base of side wall 7 so that, in use, light shines in a substantially downward direction.

Side wall 7 encloses a cavity 6 and stopper 5, In use; the neck of a bottle 18 enters the cavity S and is securely sealed by stopper 5. This securely fastens the cap 1 to the bottle 12 and prevents unwanted liquid from escaping from the bottle 12. Stopper S can be made of cork* plastic or any material suitable for the task. The cap of figure l a is substantially square whilst figure 1b is substantially cylindrical. The cap 1 may be selected from the following shapes; oval, pentagonal, hexagonal, spherical or even dodecahedral.

In one embodiment the side wail 7 is hollow, with circuit board 3, power source 4 and light emitting sources 2 securely attached within, in an alternative embodiment, the side walls 7 can be solid, with circuit board 3, power source 4 and light emitting sources 2 set within.

The cap 1 can be made of plastic, glass, resin, wood, metal or any other suitable material, and can be rigid or flexible. The cap 1 can be made to be substantially opaque or transparent, in a further embodiment, circuit board 3 includes ® switch 17 which can be activated by applied pressure on the outer surface of the cap 1, This could take the form of a pressure sensor, depression button or any other form of known switch.

Figure 2 shows a circuit board 3 with component features mounted onto it. In a further embodiment, wireless receiver 9 is mounted onto the circuit board 3 enabling remote control of the light emitting sources 2, via the control of controller 10 and switch 17. In a further embodiment, the wireless receiver is controlled by a phone or other software application (so called app). They can be synced via a Bluetooth connection or any other wireless system and enable direct control of light activation, colour and intensity. The app can include the ability to unlock certain features, such as colours or flashing sequences, after certain achievements have been made. These can include one or more of the following: the number of bottles bought, the amount of money spent, the level of VIf|©r even completion of an ϊη-app game,

In a further subsidiary aspect, the invention incorporates a system comprising: a user interface suitable for inputting instructions for controlling the operation of a bottle cap of the kind described herein; the user interface providing a menu of options selected from preceding aspects such as colours, flashing sequences, or additional options such as a timer for inputting the length of time of operation; the user interface being optionally able to record preferences and to optionally provide further modes of operation dependent upon the availability of further features or the level of interaction of a user with the system. in a further embodiment, the cap 1 includes a tilt switch 8. The tilt switch 8 senses the orientation of the cap 1 with regard to gravity and can either activate or deactivate the light emitting sources 2 accordingly. The tilt switch 8 could be in addition to switch 17 or in replacement of it. Either, both or neither switches can be mounted onto circuit board 3 as shown in Figure 2, or secured within the cap in a different way. Battery 4 can also be mounted onto the circuit board 3 or secured elsewhere.

Figure 3 shows cap 1 substantially with features of figure 1, with the addition of a spout 11 extending upwards through stopper S and cap 1. This enables liquid to be poured from the bottle 12 whilst the cap is still secured onto the neck of the bottle 18 and whilst it is still lit.

Figure 4 shows a vertical cross sectional view of two embodiments of cap 1. The embodiment of figure 4a has light emitting sources 2 in the lower most portion of side wall 7, in addition to circuit board 3 and power source 4, In this embodiment, cavity 6 does not contain stopper 5 but retains the ability to secure the neck of a bottle 18 by other means. These include but are not limited to, corresponding threaded regions on the inside of the cap 1 and outside of the bottle neck 18.

Figure 4b shows a cross sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 3 with the additional feature of, light emitting sources 2 being located in both the upper and lower most regions of the side wail 7. This enables light to be shone in both an upward and downward direction, in a preferred embodiment, light emitting sources 2 in the upper regions of the side wall 7 are secured into apertures at the top of side wall 7 so that, in use, light shines in a substantially upward direction. This arrangement of light emitting sources 2 can be achieved with the cap embodiment shown in Figure 1,

In a further embodiment, the cap embodiment of Figure 4b includes the feature of a t It switch 8, whereby the tilt switch activates the light emitting sources 2 in the lower portions of the side wall 7 and simultaneously deactivates the light emitting sources 2 in the upper portions, when in an upright position. The converse is achieved when the cap is inverted. Alternatively, the tilt switch 8 could only control the action of the light emitting sources 2 in the upper regions of the side wail 7, resulting in the light emitting sources 2 in the lower regions of the side wall being independent of cap orientation and controlled by a separate switch 17.

Figure 5 shows three potential embodiments of the bottle 12 to which the cap 1 of any embodiment, attaches, in a preferred embodiment, the bottle 12 has upper portions 15 which are substantially twisted around the longitudinal axis in comparison to lower portions 16. The result is the production of ridges and furrows 13, The upper portions 15 of bottle 12 can be twisted in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction in comparison to the lower portion 16. In addition, the bottle 12 can have no twisting.

The bottle 12 Is Shown in Figure 5 as either broadly cylindrical or rectangular in shape. The material of bottle 12 can he glass; crystal, metal or plastic. The bottle 12 can be anywhere from translucent to largely opaque and can be of any coloured shade.

The upper portions of the bottle 15 meet the neck 18 forming a shoulder 14 In a further embodiment, the Ihoulddr 14 incorporates one or more concavities which, when a cap 1 is attached, are adjacent to light emitting sources 2, in a further embodiment, when attached, the light emitting sources 2 of cap 1 align with the wall of the bottle 12.

Figure 6 shows the cap 1 embodiment of Figure 1a attached to bottle 12 embodiment of figure 5c Switch 17 is shown in the embodiment which can be activated by applied pressure on the outer surface of the cap 1, In a preferred embodiment, cap 1 sits flush against the neck 14 of bottle 12 reducing the loss of light through reflection.

Claims

Ckimi

1. A bottle cap comprising one or more light emitting sources oriented so that, in use, light shines onto an attached bottle; means for powering said light emitting source; and a switch for switchingON the or each light emitting source.

2. A bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein said cap incorporates a side wall and said light emitting sources are located in a lower most portion of said side wall.

3. A bottle cap according to either claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising light emitting sources which are controllable to emit a plurality of pre-determined colours;

4. A bottle cap according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a wireless signal receiver and a controller for controlling the operation of said light emitting sources.

5. A bottle cap according to claim 3 and claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to select one of a plurality of pre-determined colours dependent upon a signal received by said receiver,

6. A bottle cap according to claim 4 or claim 4 and claim 5, wherein said controller is configured to select One of a plurality of pre-determined light intensity levels dependent upon a signal received by said receiver.

7.. A bottle cap according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said switch is actuatabie by applying pressure on the outer surface of the cap.

8. A bottle cap according any of the preceding claims, wherein said switch includes a tilt switch which activates and/or deactivates when tilting the cap.

9. A bottle cap according to claim 8; wherein said cap incorporates a dispensing spout extending through the uppermost portion of the cap.

10. A bottle cap according to either claim 8 or claim 9. further comprising two sets of light emitting sources., one being primarily directed upwards and the second being primarily directed downwards; and a switch is configured to selectively light up one of said sets dependent upon the orientation of said cap.

11. A bottle cap substantially as hereinbefore described and/or illustrated with reference to any appropriate combination of the accompanying text and/or figures.

12. A bottle comprising a bottle cap according to any of claims 1 to 10.

13. A bottle according to claim 12, wherein said light emitting sources are placed directly in |ne with the wail of the bottle.

14. A bottle according to either claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the upper portions of said bottle are substantially twisted around the longitudinal axis in comparison to lower portions of said bottle to create furrows and ridges.

15. A bottle according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein said bottle incorporates one or more concavities as part of the shoulder of the bottle which are adjacent to corresponding light emitting sources,

16. A bottle substantially as hereinbefore described and/or illustrated with reference to any appropriate combination of the accompanying text and/or figures.