WO2001010732A1

WO2001010732A1 - A cap device

Info

Publication number: WO2001010732A1
Application number: PCT/KR1999/000442
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seung Hee Lee
Original assignee: Seung Hee Lee
Priority date: 1999-08-11
Filing date: 1999-08-11
Publication date: 2001-02-15

Abstract

A cap device is provided to perform a voice guide function relative to the bottled article. The cap device comprises a cap having a packing member, a circuit board including a speech-generating integrated circuit, a power switch, and a micro-speaker. The packing member hermetically seals the bottle and is received around an inner periphery of the cap to define a compartment between the back of the packing member and the bottom surface of the cap. Within this compartment, the circuit board is mounted onto the bottom surface of the cap along with the power switch and the micro-speaker. Preferably, the speech-generating integrated circuit stores a predetermined audio message data in its memory device. The switch supplies the circuit board with a battery power in response to loose state of the cap. Once the cap is opened, the speaker outputs the audio message produced by the speech-generating integrated circuit. With this invention, a desired audio message such as a warning against overdrinking, handling notices, a dose of medicine, how to use, a copy of an advertisement or a verification of authenticity can be stored in a bottle cap.

Description

A CAP DEVICE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cap device, and more particularly to a bottle cap provided with voice output means for telling warning messages, safety guidance, advertisements, and so forth to the user of a bottle.

Background Art

Generally, bottles containing liquid or medicine are hermetically sealed up by caps which can be opened in a rotation or lifting manner. In these days, most liquor bottles, chemical bottles and phials are pasted with warning phrase or notice of danger on part of the label. For example, a warning message against overdrinking is printed on the label of a liquor bottle.

Further, labels of other bottles as well as containers are carried by some important information for user such as how to use, dosage and storage method. However, the warning message and important information printed on the label are apt to be ignored by the user in practical use of the bottle.

This may result in a fatal problem for the user induced by misuse and misappropriation of contents. As for the blind, child, and illiterate, the dangers of misuse will be doubled. Thus, there is a need in bottles of a medicine and dangerous article for an effective means that can draw users' attention when the bottle cap is opened.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is intended to solve the aforementioned problem, and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cap device which can perform a voice guide function when the bottle cap is opened by user.

It is another object of the present invention to protect the blind, child, and illiterate against the dangers of misuse of medicine and other cautious 5 article contained in a bottle.

It is a further object of the present invention to enhance advertisement effect of a bottled article at the use of the article.

According to the present invention, the cap device comprises a cap having a packing member for hermetically sealing the bottle, in which the i o packing member being received around an inner periphery of the cap to define a compartment between the back of the packing member and the bottom surface of the cap; a circuit board being mounted on the bottom surface of the cap, in which the circuit board includes a speech-generating integrated circuit storing a predetermined audio message data; a switch provided in the circuit 15 board for supplying the circuit board with a battery power in response to loose state of the cap; and a speaker mounted on the circuit board for outputting an audio message produced by the speech-generating integrated circuit.

Preferably, the packing member has a projection with its end facing the switch, thereby conveying tight/loose state of the cap to the switch. 20 Further, a hole is formed at the top portion of the cap to face the speaker, and the hole is preferably filled with a ventilative material such as sponge and woven fabrics.

With this invention, a desired audio message such as a warning against overdrinking, handling notices, a dose of medicine, how to use, a copy of an 25 advertisement or a verification of authenticity can be stored in a bottle cap, thereby performing a voice guide function when the bottle cap is opened by the user. Brief Description of Drawings

This invention may be understood and its objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a cap device coupled with a bottle in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a voice output means embodied in the bottle cap device shown in Fig. 1.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to Fig. 1 , there is shown a cap device incorporated with a bottle in accordance with the present invention. The cap device includes a cylindrical cap 1 which can hermetically seal the top portion of a bottle 2 by a packing member 10 mounted inside the cap 1. The packing member 10 is in the form of a disk, made of a resilient material, and is sized to fit with a groove lb formed around an inner wall of the cap 1. Further, the packing member 10 defines a compartment formed between back surface of the packing member 10 and top inner surface of the cap 1. Within this compartment, and preferably close to the top inner surface of the cap 1, a thin substrate or circuit board 3 is fittingly mounted to accommodate electronic parts capable of performing a voice output function according to the invention.

The circuit board 3 includes a speech-generating integrated circuit package 40, a micro-speaker 50, a battery (not shown), and a power switch 20. The battery is a commercially available small-sized flat button batteries and mounted on the circuit board. The power switch 20 is made of a pair of contact pieces 20a, 20b, extending out of the circuit board 3, with their contacts being abutted from each other. At the top portion of the cap 1 facing the speaker 50, a hole la having almost the same diameter as that of the speaker 50 is formed. The hole la is preferably filled with a ventilative material such as sponge and woven fabrics. On the side portion of the back surface of the packing member 10, a projection 10a is mounted to abut against one of the contact piece 20a so as to force the contact piece 20a into separation from the other contact piece 20b at the tighten up position of the cap 1.

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of the voice output device embodied in the circuit board 3 of the bottle cap 1 shown in Fig. 1. The battery power line is connected with a power supply circuit 30 via the power switch 20. The power supply circuit 30 converts the potential of the battery into a voltage required by the speech-generating integrated circuit 40. The speech-generating integrated circuit 40 includes a speech memory 41 , a timer 42, a speech output times setting part 43, a microprocessor 44, and an amplifier 45.

The speech memory 41 stores a predetermined audio data digitally sampled from a desired message by the well-known technique in the art. The microprocessor 44 is a digital signal processor that converts the digital audio data received from the speech memory 41 into the analog audio signal. The analog audio output signal of the processor 44 is supplied with the amplifier

45 to drive the speaker 50.

The timer 42 is coupled to the microprocessor 44 to set duration of audio signal output time. Also, the speech output times setting part 43 is coupled to the microprocessor 44 to set output number of times of the audio data stored in the memory 41.

The operation of the above-mentioned cap device will be described as follows. First, the cap 1 is provided with the circuit board 3 at the bottom surface of the cap 1 such that the speaker 50 is aligned with the hole la of the cap 1. Subsequently, the packing member 10 is inserted into the groove lb formed at an inner wall of the cap 1 with the projection 10a facing upward toward a contact piece 20a. In the assembly, the upper end of the projection 10a will be placed adjacent to the contact piece 20a.

Once the cap 1 is coupled with the bottle 2 to go into tight position, the mouth of the bottle 2 forces the packing member 10 to be tightened so that the end of the projection 10a will force the contact piece 20a to move upward in the direction of arrow P, resulting in separation of the two contacts of the contact pieces 20a and 20b as shown in Fig. 1.

On the other hand, when the cap 1 is loosen to be opened, the packing member 10 of the cap 1 is also loosened to move slightly downward in the direction of arrow Q, because of the resilience of the packing member 10. At the moment, the end of the projection 10a relieves the contact piece 20a to move downward, resulting in contact of the two contact pieces 20a and 20b.

The contact of the two contact pieces 20a and 20b allows the battery to supply the power supply circuit 30 with its battery power. The supplied battery voltage is converted into a potential suitable to be applied to the speech-generating integrated circuit 40. When the voltage is applied to the microprocessor 44 of the speech- generating integrated circuit 40, the microprocessor 44 initiates the speech- generating operation. Fetching the digital audio data in the speech memory 41 , reading out the timer set value of the timer 42, and counting the speech output times set value of the setting part 43, it converts the digital audio data stored in the memory 41 into the corresponding audio signal and supplies the amplifier 45 with the converted audio output signal as much time as set by the timer 42 and as much times as set by the speech output times setting part 43. The amplified audio output signal is supplied with the speaker 50. Thus, the audio message can be delivered to the user who holds the cap 1 through the built-in speaker 50.

While the cap 1 is separated from the bottle 2 and keeps its separation state, the audio message is outputted only for the time set by the timer 42. In this case, the timer set time corresponds to the duration of the message. If necessary, the message can be repeatedly outputted as much times as set by the speech output times setting part 43.

Industrial Applicability As apparent from the foregoing description, a desired audio message, for example a warning message against overdrinking can be stored in the speech memory 41 of the above-mentioned cap device for use in liquor bottles. Also, handling notice or dosage can be stored in the speech memory 41 of the cap device for use in chemical bottles or vials. Further, a copy of an advertisement can be audibly stored in the cap device of this invention. Furthermore, a verification of authenticity message can be stored in the cap device for announcing a genuine bottled article.

When the cap device of the invention is applied to a bottle, an audio message desired by the selling party can be directly conveyed to the user once the cap of this invention is opened.

While this invention has been described in reference to the illustrated embodiment, various modifications thereto will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the audio message may be prevented from outputting by the built-in speaker 50 of the cap 1 by provision of a second switch at an appropriate position in the circuit board 3. The second switch may be configured to cut off the power applied to the speech-generating integrated circuit 40 so as to interrupt the speech-generating operation during the assembly process, before the cap 1 is completely coupled to the bottle. In this regard, it will be understood that devices incorporating such modifications may fall within the scope of this invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

C L A I M SWhat is claimed is:

1. A cap device for use in a bottle or container, the cap device comprising:

5 a cap having a packing member for hermetically sealing the bottle, in which the packing member being received around an inner periphery of the cap to define a compartment between the back of the packing member and the bottom surface of the cap; a circuit board being mounted on the bottom surface of the cap, in o which the circuit board includes a speech-generating integrated circuit storing a predetermined audio message data; switch means provided in the circuit board for supplying the circuit board with a battery power in response to loose state of the cap; and a speaker mounted on the circuit board for outputting an audio message 5 produced by the speech-generating integrated circuit.

2. The cap device of Claim 1, wherein the packing member has a projection with its end facing the switch, thereby conveying tight/loose state of the cap to the switch.

3. The cap device of Claim 1, whererin the battery is a small flat o button batteries being mounted on the circuit board.

4. The cap device of Claim 1, wherein a hole is formed at the top portion of the cap to face the speaker, and wherein the hole is preferably filled with a ventilative material such as sponge and woven fabrics.

5. The cap device of Claim 1, wherein the speech-generating integrated circuit including: a speech memory for storing the predetermined audio data digitally sampled from a desired message; 5 a timer for setting duration of audio signal output time; a speech output times setting part for setting output number of times of the audio data stored in the memory; a microprocessor for converting the digital audio data retrieved from the memory into an analog audio signal in cooperation with the timer and the l o speech output times setting part; and an amplifier for amplifying the audio output signal received from the microprocessor.

6. The cap device of Claim 1, the predetermined audio message includes a warning against overdrinking, a handling notice, a dose of

15 medicine, how to use, a copy of advertisement or verification of authenticity.