US20050269281A1

US20050269281A1 - Dual-purpose sealing cap for water buckets

Info

Publication number: US20050269281A1
Application number: US10/861,521
Authority: US
Inventors: Mann-Lih Ding
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-06-07
Filing date: 2004-06-07
Publication date: 2005-12-08

Abstract

A dual-purpose sealing cap for water buckets includes a cap body, a pulling strip and a pulling tab. The cap body is coupled on an outlet of a water bucket and has a seal lid formed on the top surface and an annular cap formed on a lower side. The annular cap has a lower rim connecting to the pulling strip through a plurality of break-off links. The pulling tab is located on a distal end of the pulling strip. The sealing cap serves dual functions, and may be coupled with water bucket tightly without loosening off and provide improved hygiene.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dual-purpose sealing cap for water buckets and particularly to a dual-purpose sealing cap for drinking water buckets of drinking machines to provide a tightly sealing without breaking off and improved hygiene and allows the water bucket to be turned easily upside down and mounted onto the water drinking machine when in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With people's living standard become higher, water fountains and waterdrinking machines have become increasingly popular. The water drinking machine that couples with a water bucket is especially widely used because of its convenience and hygienic benefit.
The conventional bucket caps for water buckets are constructed in many forms. FIG. 1 illustrates one of them that has internal screw threads to couple with the external screw threads formed on the water outlet of the water bucket. It is simple to fabricate and easy to use. However it has disadvantages, such as the water tends to spill out if the cap is loose, and dusts and dirt are prone to contaminate the drinking water through the leaking location. Moreover, the cap is often thrown away when the water bucket is opened for use. As a result, the outlet is not sealed when the bucket is recycled. The bucket often gathers dirt inside and makes cleaning difficult.
FIG. 2 shows another conventional cap that is widely used at present. The cap covers the bucket inlet by forced packing. While it can prevent breaking off during transportation, it is difficult to open when in use. And the water bucket could be toppled if opening of the cap is not being done properly. The problems of dirt contamination and bucket cleaning mentioned above also remain unresolved. FIG. 3 depicts yet another conventional bucket cap that is sealed on the water outlet and has a pulling tap on the bottom end. The cap may be opened and removed by pulling the pulling tab along a preset shearing line around the cap. However, such a structure is difficult to mount the water bucket onto the drinking machine when the cap is removed, and water spill often happens during mounting.
FIG. 4 illustrates still another bucket cap that has a seal surface on a seal plug and a duct to couple with the bucket outlet. When the water bucket is mounted upside down onto the water tank of the water drinking machine, a protrusive water intake duct on the water tank rams and pushes away the seal plug to allow the water in the bucket to flow through the water intake duct. While it overcomes the spilling problem mentioned above, the seal plug floats in the water after having been rammed and pushed away. It gives users the concern of water quality.
To remedy the foregoing problem, another bucket cap is introduced as shown in FIG. 5. It has an indented duct on the cap and a seal surface on the bottom of the duct. The seal surface is connected to an inner side of the duct through a connection rib. When in use, the seal surface is pushed open by a water tube, but is connected to the duct through the connection rib without breaking loose and floating in the water. However, such a structure requires additional machining and more complicated mold fabrication. It has a higher cost. And the cap and the bucket outlet have to be sealed through a bulged rib.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the present invention aims to provide a dual-purpose sealing cap for water buckets that can seal the water outlet tightly without breaking off and offer improved hygiene and allows the water bucket to be turned easily upside down and mounted onto the water drinking machine when in use.
The dual-purpose sealing cap according to the invention includes a cap body, a pulling strip and a pulling tab. The cap body is to seal the outlet of a water bucket and has a seal lid on the top surface and an annular cap on a lower section that has a lower rim connecting to the pulling strip through a plurality of second break-off links. The pulling tab is located on a distal end of the pulling strip.
In another aspect, the seal lid has an annular groove formed. The bottom of the annular groove has at least one first break-off link and a connection link to connect the seal lid and the cap body. The annular cap has an annular bulged rib formed on the peripheral inner wall. Each second break-off link is bordered by apertures on two sides.
Compared with the conventional techniques, the invention retains their advantages, and can seal the bucket outlet tightly without breaking off, provide improved hygiene and is convenient to use. It allows the water bucket to be mounted upside down on the water drinking machine and the annular cap may serve as an ordinary cap when in use.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional screwing cap.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a conventional packing cap.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a conventional pulling cap.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a conventional water bucket coupled on a water drinking machine.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another water bucket cap for use on a water drinking machine.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the present invention mounting on a water drinking machine when in use.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the invention showing the pulling strip is being torn off.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the invention with the sealing cap being used as an ordinary bucket cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the dual-purpose sealing cap 1 for water buckets according to the invention includes a cap body 10, a pulling strip 11 and a pulling tab 12. The cap body 10 is formed in a cap and has a lower side extended to form an annular cap 103. It has an annular bulged rib 104 formed on an inner peripheral wall to couple tightly with an outlet 20 of a water bucket 2 to prevent the sealing cap 1 from loosening off. The cap body 10 has a seal lid 100 formed on the top surface that has an annular groove 101 formed on the periphery thereof. The seal lid 100 has a break-off structure that includes at least one first break-off link 102 and a connection link 107 on the bottom of the annular groove 101 to connect the seal lid 100 to the cap body 10. The annular cap 103 has a lower rim 105 connecting with a plurality of second break-off links 106 which are evenly spaced from one another and interposed by apertures 108. The annular cap 103 is connected to the pulling strip 11 through the second break-off links 106. The pulling tab 12 is located on one distal end of the pulling strip 11 to open the sealing cap 1.
Refer to FIG. 8 for the invention used on a water drinking machine 3. The water bucket 2 is mounted upside down onto a water intake duct 31 of a water tank 30 of the water drinking machine 3. The water intake duct 31 rams and shears the first break-off links 102 to flip the seal lid 100 open, and allow water 21 in the bucket to flow through the water intake duct 31. The connection link 107 still connects the seal lid 100 to the cap body 10, thus the seal lid 100 does not float in the water.
Refer to FIGS. 9 and 10 for the invention used as an ordinary bucket cap. Pull the pulling tab 12 to tear off the second break-off links 106 of the cap body 10 one by one until the entire pulling strip 11 is removed. Remove the remained sealing cap 1, water may be poured out from the water bucket 2 a. After use is finished, the sealing cap 1 may be coupled on the outlet 20 a as the ordinary bucket cap. When the water in the bucket is consumed, and the water bucket 2 a is to be recycled, the sealing cap 1 may be coupled thereon continuously. Thus the interior of the bucket may be maintained in a clean condition.
In summary, the dual-purpose sealing cap of the invention may be tightly coupled with the outlet of a water bucket without loosening off, and also provide improved hygiene.

Claims

1. A dual-purpose sealing cap for water buckets comprising a cap body, a pulling strip and a pulling tab;

wherein the cap body is coupled on an outlet of a water bucket and has a seal lid on a top surface and an annular cap on a lower side thereof, the annular cap having a lower rim connecting to the pulling strip through a plurality of second break-off links, the pulling tab being located on a distal end of the pulling strip;

wherein the sealing cap thus formed serves dual functions and is coupled on the outlet tightly without loosening off.

2. The dual-purpose sealing cap of claim 1, wherein the seal lid has an annular groove formed on the periphery.

3. The dual-purpose sealing cap of claim 2, wherein the annular groove has a connection link and a first break-off link formed on the bottom thereof to connect to the seal lid to the cap body.

4. The dual-purpose sealing cap of claim 3, wherein the number of the first break-off link is at least one.

5. The dual-purpose sealing cap of claim 1, wherein the annular cap has an annular bulged rib formed on an inner peripheral wall thereof.

6. The dual-purpose sealing cap of claim 1, wherein each second break-off link is bordered by apertures on two sides.