SK500222017U1 - Bottle cap - Google Patents

Abstract

The beverage bottle cap has a body (1) with a thread to connect it to the bottle neck. The body (1) has a seal opening (2) which is adapted to receive and seal a movably guided suction straw or suction hose (7). At the same time, at its outer edge, the seal (2), in contact with the body (1), forms a non-return valve for sucking air into the bottle when the beverage is sucked. The gasket (2) may be in the form of a tube with an inner conical constriction (3) and may have an upper flange (5) and a lower flange (6) which form the opening of the opening in the closure body (1). The non-return valve may include a plurality of valve openings (4) that are circumferentially located at the edge of the opening in the closure body (1), wherein the valve openings (4) are covered by a resilient lip of the seal (2) from the inside of the closure. The closure may have a flap (9) for sealing the opening with the gasket (2), wherein the inner surface of the flap (9) in the closed state abuts the upper edge of the gasket (2).

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a beverage bottle cap that allows the insertion of a suction straw or suction hose of different lengths while maintaining the tightness of the closed bottle even when the beverage is sucked. The closure is intended especially for non-glass bottles, for example PET bottles of various shapes and sizes, and is suitable for multiple use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The beverage in the bottle is drunk directly from the bottle after the closure has been removed or the closure has a suction opening or has a valve to prevent the beverage from leaking out of the bottle spontaneously. The valve is released when sufficient suction pressure is created by mouth or bite into the valve. Especially for various sports and leisure activities, water bags (hydro-bags, hydrobags, camelbags, etc.) are used to fill the beverage and then drink through the suction straw or suction hose. Such water bags are usually made of a flexible flat material and reduce their external volume when sucking the beverage, avoiding the formation of a negative pressure which would make drinking more difficult. When empty, the water bag is collapsed and difficult to clean or disinfect (e.g., US6364168B1, US2005082320A1, US2004079775A1, CN204861739U, CN204624170U). The walls of the water bag are pliable and unstable, the opening in the water bag is usually insufficient for mechanical cleaning of the interior. This ultimately leads to the formation of dangerous molds and the growth of bacteria.

Use an existing plastic bottle with a suction straw or suction hose of the appropriate length as a suitable solution. If the suction straw or suction hose is sealed in the neck of the bottle, a negative pressure is created when the beverage is sucked, which makes drinking more difficult or leads to deformation of the bottle. The known solutions according to CN203889191U, CN203667217U, CN2579840Y, CN2622099Y are single-purpose, tied to a particular bottle design.

Similarly, the solutions of CN204750899U, KR20110011752U, DE4123662A1, CN105292723A, or the suction systems of JP2011152955A, US2010123019A1, CN204908394U do not lead to easy suction and also have a complicated construction.

A disadvantage of the known technical solutions of the closures is also their low universality of use. A bottle closure solution that is simple, versatile, and easy to use, is impermeable to the bottle, while allowing air to be sucked into the bottle while the beverage is being drawn, and the closure will also be suitable for conventional bottlenecks of PET bottles.

The essence of the technical solution

The aforementioned drawbacks are substantially eliminated by the beverage bottle cap having an internally threaded body to be connected to the bottle neck, the beverage body having an opening for receiving a suction straw or suction hose, the opening being provided with a seal for watertight yet sliding connection of the closure to the suction straw or a suction hose, according to the present invention, characterized in that the seal at the outer edge in contact with the closure body forms a one-way valve for sucking air into the bottle.

An important feature of the present invention is the combination of several functions into a single closure element. The seal not only seals the suction straw or suction hose inserted into the main opening, but also allows the suction straw or suction hose to be moved in and out of the bottle. As a result, the cap can be used on bottles of varying height, the bottom of the suction straw or suction hose is pushed to the bottom of the bottle. The closure is suitable for repeated use, even in conjunction with different bottles. At the same time, the seal creates a one-way valve for sucking air into the bottle, avoiding the formation of negative pressure in the bottle, making it easy to drink and not distorting the bottle.

It is known in the art to have a shut-off valve having a non-return air intake valve and which is located next to a seal opening. However, such an arrangement is unsuitable for conventional bottles with small neck diameters, i.e. for PET bottles where there is not enough space to form a separate valve beside the opening for the suction straw or suction hose. For the suction of the beverage, it is not possible to reduce the diameter of the suction straw or suction hose due to the need for space for a separate one-way valve. The present technical solution not only minimizes space requirements, but also simplifies production by providing a valve at the outer edge of the seal, since the closure can consist of only two components.

The one-way valve may be formed by a different configuration of the seal and the closure body. In order to achieve a sufficient cross-sectional area of the check valve, it is preferred that the check valve has a plurality of valve openings spaced circumferentially at the edge of the opening in the closure body. These valve holes can be directly covered by the elastic edge of the seal flange from the inside of the closure. In such a case, the lip of the seal flange bends at least at the locations of the valve openings when the air is drawn into the bottle and the air flows into the interior of the bottle. If the air or beverage flows in the opposite direction, the lip of the seal flange is pressed against the valve openings and thus sealed sufficiently. The term inner / outer in this specification describes the 10 side of the closure that corresponds to the inside or outside of the bottle with the closure fitted.

It is also possible to arrange the elastic edge of the lower flange of the seal not directly on the surface with the valve openings, but on the cylindrical or conical surface formed inside the closure body. The cylindrical or conical surface 15 forms a space communicating with the valve openings, forming a chamber connected through the valve openings to the external environment. In this embodiment, the resilient edge of the lower flange is folded circumferentially, its edges facing downwards, preventing air or liquid from penetrating upwards. Such a direction of air or fluid flow leads to an even greater pressure of the edge of the lower flange on the cylindrical or conical surface. When the air is sucked into the bottle, the edge of the lower flange deforms, bends more downwards, the pressure difference causes the seal edge to move away from the cylindrical or conical surface and air flows through the gap.

The seal is preferably in the form of a short cylindrical tube having a conical constriction inside. The constriction serves to tightly enclose the inserted suction straw 25 or suction hose, which constriction is capable of sealing different diameters of suction straws or suction hoses or at least eliminating manufacturing inaccuracies in their diameter. The inner constriction is preferably located in a zone where the seal is externally encircled by an opening in the closure body. The seal is formed of a flexible, resilient material, and the closure body provides sufficient rigidity to the seal zone to provide a tight fit to the inserted suction straw or suction hose. On the outer circumference, the seal has a shoulder for positive engagement with the opening in the closure body. In order to achieve a simple construction, the shoulder may have an upper flange which is intended to adhere to the upper surface of the closure body and a lower flange that abuts the lower surface of the closure body. The terms upper and lower distinguish between two shoulders in a position which corresponds to the position of the bottle to be erected, the notion upper thus corresponding to the outer side and the notion lower to the inner side of the closure.

The cylindrical part of the seal between the upper and lower flange is located in the opening of the closure body. The diameter of the opening in the closure body corresponds to the diameter of the seal between the upper and lower flanges. The lower flange is shaped so as to provide sufficient support for guiding the seal in the bore while at the same time its edge circumferentially sufficiently flexible to expose the valve bores. The valve openings are preferably spaced at regular intervals around the periphery of the central opening in the closure body, all of which are covered from below by the elastic edge of the bottom flange of the seal. To prevent the valve ports from being covered by the upper flange of the gasket, which would prevent proper operation of the one-way valve, the upper flange has a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the group of circular valve spacings or radial grooves formed in the valve body. and thus prevent the upper shoulder from sealing the edge of the valve opening from above. The radial grooves may extend from the edge of the valve opening to the outer periphery of the closure body, but it is also sufficient if they extend at least outside the periphery of the upper flange.

In another embodiment, the upper flange may have recesses at the periphery, which by their arrangement correspond to the position of the valve holes. In such a case, however, the seal must be inserted into the bore in a precise angular position, to which a shaped protrusion on the seal that fits into the cutout in the bore can serve. The gasket can also be made and housed in the bore so that it can be pivoted in two positions. In the first position the cut-outs on the upper flange will correspond to the position of the valve openings to ensure proper operation of the one-way valve and in the second, rotated position the upper flange will overlap the valve openings, thereby blocking the one-way valve in both directions. and so on.

The cylindrical portion of the seal at a level above the upper edge of the closure body may have a different height. This part guides the suction straw or the suction hose, encourages the suction straw or suction hose to pass through the closure substantially perpendicularly ensuring tightness of the connection. The correspondingly protruding top of the seal also creates a prerequisite for direct drinking from the bottle, whereby the air intake via the one-way valve is preferably activated. In one preferred embodiment, the closure may be provided with a suction straw having a pressure activated valve at its upper end. When the suction is active, the valve releases and releases the beverage into the mouth, closes the bottle outside the suction time and protects the beverage from spilling. With such an arrangement, the bottle can be drunk without lifting and twisting up as is commonly used when drinking through a cup.

The seal in this technical solution fulfills several functions and at the same time has its own shape, which is not determined solely by the shape of the sealed pair of parts. a transition element with a sealing function or alternatively a flexible element with a sealing and ventilation function.

The primary purpose of the closure is to facilitate easy suction of the beverage from the bottle. In a situation where a suction straw or suction hose is not inserted into the seal opening, it is preferred that the closure serves as a conventional closure. For this purpose, the closure has a removable flap which, in the closed position, fits snugly against the closure body, preferably adjacent the seal. The flap may have a conical bearing surface formed on the inner side, which is intended to be pressed against the inner circumference at the upper edge of the seal. The seal may have a small conical extension in this zone to facilitate the insertion of a suction straw or suction hose. The flap may be attached to or attached to the closure body so as not to be lost. The flap may be attached to the top surface of the closure body by means of a thin connecting strip which, by its elasticity, forms a hinge. In another embodiment, the flap will be attached to the body of the closure by means of a lanyard or a flexible band.

The body of the closure, including any shutter, is made of a sanitary-approved solid material, usually a food-grade plastic, such as polypropylene. The closure body may be molded in one piece together with the shutter, or may be formed separately and later connected to the closure body. The gasket is made of a hygienically approved resilient material, for example, a hygienically approved softened plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof.

The advantage of the present invention is the simple construction of the closure with two or three or more parts, whereby the closure allows easy suction of beverages in the bottle without creating a vacuum during suction, ensuring the tightness of the bottle. An important advantage is also the high versatility of the closure. It can be used on any bottle with the appropriate thread, it can be a PET bottle, a bicycle bottle, a tourist bottle, a metal (eg aluminum) bottle and the like. The closure according to this technical solution makes it possible to adapt to different high bottles by the suction straw or suction hose being tightly connected in the closure, but with the possibility of displacement. When sucking the beverage out of the bottle, it is not necessary to infuse air through the suction straw or suction hose into the inside of the bottle between individual sips of the beverage. The bottle can be cleaned considerably easier than the various bags, or the bottle can be used in a single use than PET bottles are commonly used. For example, a beverage purchased in a conventional disposable PET bottle can be drunk by replacing the original cap with the cap of the present invention, and inserting a suction hose into the seal opening. After drinking, vacuuming the beverage, the PET bottle is treated as appropriate waste and the suction hose cap is reused. This completely prevents the formation of bacteria and mold, which is a typical problem with water bags, especially when used occasionally and is difficult to clean and dry well.

In order to increase the versatility of the closure, it can be provided with threaded extensions having an external thread corresponding to the thread on the closure body and having an internal thread that corresponds to a different thread of the bottle. Thus, the entire assembly may, in a preferred embodiment, comprise a single cap with a flap, a suction hose and one or more threaded extensions for larger neck bottles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technical solution is explained in more detail with the help of Figures 1 to 9. The scale used and the size ratio of the individual elements may not correspond to the description in the examples and these measures and size ratios cannot be explained as narrowing the scope of protection. The figures show a cap without a bottle, the bottle in operative condition being connected to the cap by means of a thread on the cap body.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the closure with the flap fitted, without the suction hose inserted.

Figure 2 shows the cap with the valve removed and the suction hose inserted. On the left-hand side of the cut is a one-way valve in the closed position, on the right-hand side of the cut is a one-way valve in the air intake position. The dotted line with an arrow indicates air intake.

Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the closure when the flap is mounted.

Figure 4 is a view of the closure with the flap fitted.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the seal with the flap removed.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a seal having projections and a flexible membrane on the lower flange.

Figure 7 shows the seal without the closure body from above and Figure 8 from below.

Figure 9 shows the closure body with the seal removed.

Examples of technical solution

Example 1

In this example of Figures 3, 4, 5 and 9, the closure is made of polypropylene and the body 1 has a standard female thread 28/410. The closure body 1 has a cylindrical symmetrical shape, the lower part corresponding to the classic closure 28/410. In the center of the closure body 1 is a circular opening in which the seal 2 is fitted. The seal 2 performs a number of functions, guides and seals the suction straw or suction hose 7, forms a one-way air suction valve and tightly closes the bottle.

The gasket 2 is made of flexible plastic. which is approved for food use. The seal 2 is in the form of a tube having a inside of the constriction 3. The constriction 3 is formed at the bottom of the seal 2, approximately in the plane of the top surface of the closure body 1. On the outer periphery of the seal 2, a double flashing is formed in its lower part, consisting of an upper flange 5 and a lower flange 6. The gap between the upper flange 5 and the lower flange 6 corresponds to the wall thickness of the body 1 around the central opening. smaller to create a resilient thrust ensuring a stable position of the seal in the bore. The gasket 2 gradually tapers from the top flange 5 upwards. The lower flange 6 has a resilient edge, which is achieved by reducing its cross-section towards the periphery.

Valve openings 4 are spaced around the central hole in the closure body 1. In this example there are 6 valve openings together. The valve openings 4 are at the edge of the central opening so that they are all covered from below by the bottom flange 6 of the seal. 4 creates a non-return valve. Even the slight vacuum generated at the beginning of the bottle suction causes the fine edges of the lower flange 6 to deflect, fold down and expose the valve openings 4. After the beverage suction 5 is complete, the edges return back and seal the valve openings 4 to prevent leakage.

Radial grooves 8 are formed on the upper surface of the closure body 1, which extend from the periphery of the body 1 to the valve openings 4. Due to these six grooves 8, the upper flange 5 does not reach the valve openings 4 and allows air access 10 thereto.

In this exemplary embodiment, the closure also has a flap 9, which has the shape of a conical cup and is connected to the closure body 1 by means of a hinge. The shutter 9 seals the closure without an inserted suction straw or suction hose 7 so that the inner conical surface of the shutter 9 remains pressed against the upper edge of the seal 2, while the cone surface 15 of the shutter partially extends into the interior of the seal 2.

A suction hose 7 is passed through the interior of the seal 2 so as to reach the bottom of the bottle on which the cap is fitted. The gasket 2 by its constriction 3 seals the connection of the suction hose 7 and the closure. When the beverage is sucked in, ambient air is sucked through the one-way valve, the bottle is not deformed by vacuum, nor does it make it difficult to suck the beverage.

Example 2

The embodiment in this example of Figures 1 to 9 differs from the previous example in the arrangement of the lower flange 5. The lower flange 5 has protrusions which are intermittently distributed around the circumference. Their purpose is to define the position of the seal 2 in the closure body 1, these projections not overlapping the valve openings 4. Under the projections, the lower flange 6 has a flexible circumferential membrane which in the closure body 1 abuts the inner surface of the sleeve. As shown in Figure 2 on the left, the diaphragm in the closed position is folded down at the edge, preventing the fluid from flowing out. As air is sucked in, the edge of the diaphragm 30 is folded down, creating a gap for air flow into the bottle.

Thus, the lower flange 6 in this example does not abut directly on the surface with the valve openings 4, but the protrusions on the lower flange 6 keep the diaphragm at a distance, thereby forming an air chamber bounded by the short sleeve, seal and wall of the valve body 1 with the valve openings 4.

Industrial usability

The industrial applicability of the technical solution is obvious. According to this technical solution, a beverage bottle cap adapted to receive a suction straw or suction hose can be manufactured and reused industrially and reused. The closure is particularly useful in connection with a PET bottle.

Claims (19)

A beverage bottle cap having a body (1) with a thread to be connected to a bottle neck, the cap body (1) having an opening for receiving a suction straw or suction hose (7), the opening being provided with a seal (2) for watertight and sliding connection of the closure to the suction straw or suction hose (7), characterized in that the seal (2) at its outer edge in contact with the closure body (1) forms a one-way valve for sucking air into the bottle. A beverage bottle cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the seal (2) is in the form of a tube with an inner conical constriction (3) which is preferably located at the level of the upper surface of the cap body (1). A beverage bottle cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the seal (2) has an upper flange (5) and a lower flange (6) which form a hem of the opening in the cap body (1). Beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the non-return valve comprises a plurality of valve openings (4) which are circumferentially located at the edge of the opening in the cap body (1). A beverage bottle cap according to claim 4, characterized in that the valve openings (4) are covered from the inside of the cap by a flexible edge of the seal (2). A beverage bottle cap according to claim 5, characterized in that a flexible edge of the lower flange (6) abuts the valve openings (4). Beverage bottle cap according to claim 4, characterized in that the valve openings (4) on the underside of the mouth open into the sleeve, the elastic edge of the seal (2) abutting circumferentially on the inner wall of the sleeve, the flexible edge being folded down, preferably a resilient lip of the seal (2) formed by the diaphragm of the lower flange (6). 10'U Beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the upper flange (5) has a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the group of spaced valve openings (4). A beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in 5, characterized in that the upper flange (5) has cut-outs which by their arrangement correspond to the position of the valve holes (4). A beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the seal (2) has a shaped element adjacent to the opposing element in the body (1) to achieve the respective rotational position. 10 A beverage bottle cap according to claim 10, characterized in that the seal (2) is rotatably mounted in an opening in the body (1) to achieve two relative positions between the slots and the valve openings (4), wherein the slots are above the first position. in the second position the cut-outs are outside the valve holes (4), which are then covered by the upper flange (5). 15 A beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 4 to 11, characterized in that the cap body (1) has grooves on the upper surface which extend through the locations of the valve openings (4) and exit outside the upper flange (5), preferably extending to the periphery. the body of the closure (1). A beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 1 to 12, 20, characterized in that the seal (2) has a tube for guiding the suction straw or suction hose (7) at the top. A beverage bottle cap according to claim 13, characterized in that the seal tube (2) tapers conically on the outside upwards. A beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 1 to 14, 25, characterized in that it has a flap (9) for closing the opening with the seal (2), wherein the inner surface of the flap (9) in the closed state abuts the upper edge of the seal (2). A beverage bottle cap according to claim 15, characterized in that the flap (9) is connected to the cap body (1) by a hinge or a pin or a hinge or a cord or a connecting band. A beverage bottle cap according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the flap (9) and the closure body (1) are integral, preferably a single injection molding. A beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 1 and 1, characterized in that the body (1) is made of polypropylene. A beverage bottle cap according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the seal (2) is of hygienically approved softened plastic or rubber or a combination thereof.