US20160332784A1

US20160332784A1 - Cap Assembly

Info

Publication number: US20160332784A1
Application number: US14/709,592
Authority: US
Inventors: Yen-Ho Lu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-05-12
Filing date: 2015-05-12
Publication date: 2016-11-17

Abstract

A cap assembly includes a cap pivotally connected to a lid between a closing position and an opening position. The lid includes a collar for engagement with an open end of a container, a disc formed on the collar, a chamber in the collar and the disc, and a mouthpiece extending from the disc and including an outlet in communication with the chamber. The cap includes a buckle for engagement with the lid to keep the cap in the closing position. The cap covers the mouthpiece and there is a space between the cap and the disc of the lid when the cap is in the closing position. The cap is automatically pivoted into the opening position once the buckle is pivoted and disengaged from the lid. The cap is away from the disc of the lid to release the mouthpiece when the lid is in the opening position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to bottles and, more particularly, to a cap assembly for a bottle.
2. Related Prior Art
A container includes an opening via which liquid is filled therein. There are various containers such as bottles and cups. A bottle is often used with a lid to keep liquid therein. There are various ways to keep a lid on a bottle. For example, the lid includes a thread and the bottle includes a corresponding thread. The threads can be engaged to cause the lid to close the bottle to keep liquid in the bottle. The threads are disengaged to detach the lid from the bottle to allow a user to drink from the bottle. The user has to rotate the lid relative to the bottle to engage or disengage the threads. It is however inconvenient to rotate the lid relative to the bottle, particularly when the user only has one hand available.
As disclosed in CN 201986922, a lid is formed with a thread for engagement with a thread formed on a bottle. However, the lid further includes a mouthpiece and an auxiliary cap for covering the mouthpiece.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a cap assembly for a bottle or cup.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the cap assembly includes a cap pivotally connected to a lid between a closing position and an opening position. The lid includes a collar for engagement with an open end of a container, a disc formed on the collar, a chamber in the collar and the disc, and a mouthpiece extending from the disc and including an outlet in communication with the chamber. The cap includes a buckle for engagement with the lid to keep the cap in the closing position. The cap closes the mouthpiece and there is a space between the cap and the disc of the lid. The cap can be pivoted into the opening position once the buckle is pivoted and disengaged from the lid. The cap is away from the disc of the lid to release the mouthpiece when the lid is in the opening position.
Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cap assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the cap assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cap assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cap assembly in another position than shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cap assembly of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cap assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, there is a cap assembly 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The cap assembly 10 can be used for a bottle or cup.
The cap assembly 10 includes a lid 20, a cap 40 and a spring 30. The cap 40 is pivotally connected to the lid 20 between an opening position as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and a closing position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The spring 30 is used to pivot the cap 40 into the opening position from the closing position.
The lid 20 includes a collar 21 and a disc 23 formed on the collar 21. The collar 21 and the disc 23 together define a chamber 24 for receiving an open upper end of a bottle or cup. The collar 21 includes a thread 22 formed on an internal side. The thread 22 can be engaged with a thread formed on the bottle or cup near the open upper end.
A mouthpiece 25 is formed on the disc 23 of the lid 20, and so are two lugs 29. The mouthpiece 25 is a tubular portion of a proper height. The mouthpiece 25 is located near an end of a diameter of the disc 23 and the lugs 29 are located near another end of the diameter of the disc 23. The lugs 29 are separated by a gap (not numbered). An aperture 27 is made in the disc 23 of the lid 20, and so are two grooves 31. The aperture 27 is in communication with the chamber 24 of the lid 20. The aperture 27 is located between the mouthpiece 25 and the lugs 29 in a direction. The aperture 27 is located between the grooves 31 in another direction.
An outlet 26 is made in the mouthpiece 25. The outlet 26 is in communication with the chamber 24 of the lid 20. A protrusion 28 is formed on the mouthpiece 25. The protrusion 28 is preferably in the form of a barb. However, the protrusion 28 can be in the form of a cuboid in another embodiment.
The cap 40 includes a buckle 49 extending from a side of a lever 41, near a first end of the lever 41. A ring 45 extends from the side of the lever 41, near the buckle 49. Two lugs 42, a boss 43 and a plug 44 extend from the side of the lever 41, near a second end of the lever 41. A sealing lining 50 is inserted in the ring 45. The buckle 49 is made with a recess 47. The recess 47 is not shielded by the ring 45. The recess 47 is shaped in compliance with the protrusion 28. Two opposite slits 48 are made in the buckle 49 to enhance flexibility of the buckle 49 in the vicinity of the recess 47.
The cap 40 further includes two parallel ribs 46 formed on the side of the lever 41 to reinforce the cap 40. The ribs 46 are made of a height smaller than that of the buckle 49. Each rib 46 includes an end connected to the buckle 49 and another end connected to a corresponding lug 42. Each lug 42 is an annular element.
The spring 30 includes two helical portions 34, two parallel legs 32, two parallel legs 36 and a transverse portion 38. Each helical portion 34 is formed between a corresponding leg 32 and a corresponding leg 36. The transverse portion 38 is formed between the legs 36.
A pivot 12 is inserted in the lugs 12, the lugs 42 and the helical portions 34 of the spring 30. Each leg 32 is inserted in a corresponding groove 31, i.e., the legs 32 are in contact with the lid 20. The legs 36 and the transverse portion 38 are in contact with the lid 20. The boss 43 is located between the legs 36 to limit transverse movement of the spring 30. As the cap 40 is pivoted into the closing position, the spring 30 is loaded, i.e., the diameters of the helical portions 34 are reduced. The spring 30 is now ready to pivot the cap 40 to the opening position.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in the closing position, the cap 40 is located above the disc 23 of the lid 20. The ring 45 wraps the mouthpiece 25. The sealing lining 50 covers the outlet 26, to avoid leakage and contamination. The protrusion 28 is inserted in the recess 47 of the buckle 49 to keep the cap 40 in the closing position. Hence, there is a space 52 between the cap 40 and the disc 23 of the lid 20 to allow the cap assembly 10 to be hung on a hook for example.
As the ring 45 covers the outlet 26 of the mouthpiece 25, the plug 44 is inserted in the aperture 27 of the lid 20. The plug 44 is a conical frustum so that the plug 44 blocks the aperture 27 harder as the plug 44 is inserted further in the aperture 27.
The buckle 49 is wider than the mouthpiece 25, and can easily be pivoted from the mouthpiece 25 to move the protrusion 28 out of the recess 47. The loaded spring 30 pivots the cap 40 from the disc 23 of the lid 20, i.e., the opening position where the outlet 26 of the mouthpiece 25 is released from the ring 45.
Referring to FIG. 6, there is a cap assembly 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except that the cap 40 includes only one rib 46. The rib 46 extends along a middle line of the lever 41.
The cap 40 includes a plug 54 instead of the ring 45. As the cap 40 is in the closing position, the plug 54 is inserted in the outlet 26 of the mouthpiece 25.
The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A cap assembly comprising:

a lid comprising a collar for engagement with an open end of a container for beverage, a disc formed on the collar, a chamber in the collar and the disc, and a mouthpiece extending from the disc and comprising an outlet in communication with the chamber;

a cap pivotally connected to the lid between a closing position and an opening position, wherein the cap is connected to the lid at an end and formed with a buckle at another end, the buckle can be engaged with the lid to keep the cap in the closing position;

wherein the cap covers the mouthpiece and there is a space between the cap and the disc of the lid when the cap is in the closing position;

wherein the cap can be pivoted into the opening position once the buckle is pivoted and disengaged from the lid; and

wherein the cap is away from the disc of the lid to uncover the mouthpiece as the lid is in the opening position.

2. The cap assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a spring arranged between the cap and the lid to automatically pivot the cap relative to the lid into the opening position once the buckle is disengaged from the lid.

3. The cap assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the buckle is engaged with the mouthpiece as the cap is in the closing position.

4. The cap assembly according to claim 3, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a protrusion formed thereon, and the buckle comprises a recess for receiving the protrusion to keep the cap in the closing position relative to the lid.

5. The cap assembly according to claim 3, wherein the buckle is made with a width larger than that of the mouthpiece.

6. The cap assembly according to claim 3, wherein the buckle comprises at least one slit.

7. The cap assembly according to claim 3, wherein the cap comprises a lever and at least one rib formed on a side of the lever, wherein the buckle and the lever are made one.

8. The cap assembly according to claim 7, wherein the cap further comprises a ring for wrapping the mouthpiece.

9. The cap assembly according to claim 3, wherein the disc of the lid comprises an aperture in communication with the chamber, and the cap comprises a plug for insertion in the aperture.