WO2001089952A1

WO2001089952A1 - Holder-grasping device

Info

Publication number: WO2001089952A1
Application number: PCT/NL2001/000319
Authority: WO
Inventors: Louis Ries Monnickendam; Theodorus Wilhelmus Helsloot
Original assignee: Louis Ries Monnickendam; Theodorus Wilhelmus Helsloot
Priority date: 2000-05-19
Filing date: 2001-04-24
Publication date: 2001-11-29
Also published as: AU2001250678A1; NL1015239C2

Abstract

Device for grasping a capped holder (7). It comprises an annular circumferential rim (2) which grasps the cap (8) in a clamping manner. This annular circumferential rim is provided with graspable means for connection to the surroundings. This can be a lip (5), which is designed such that it extends parallel with the rim of the neck of a bottle. It is also possible to apply to the circumferential rim a cover, from which an elevation extends. The circumferential rim can either be closed or not closed. The annular circumferential rim is inwardly provided with ribs to engage grooves on the related cap. Engagement means are provided to engage below the lower end of the cap.

Description

Holder-grasping device

The present invention relates to a device for grasping a capped holder, comprising an annular circumferential rim, shaped to grasp the cap of said holder on the outside, and grasping means for said annular circumferential rim. Such a device is known from US 4373632A. This specification discloses a closed annular circumferential rim which is clamped onto a cap. In practise it has been shown that there is either insufficient engagement between the rim and the cap or the engagement is so tight that it is not possible to easily position the rim on the cap.

The invention aims to overcome this problem by providing a rim which can be easily positioned on the cap at any stage of its used but on the other hand provides sufficient grip to be able to unscrew the cap under the most unfavourable conditions. According to the invention this object is realised in that said circumferential rim is provided on the inside with a ribbed pattern, said ribs extending substantially parallel to the centre line of the opening in the annular rim.

It has been found that most of the caps used on bottles are provided with a ribbed pattern wherein the grooves extend parallel to the access of the related bottle. By having a number of ribs entering at least partially said grooves slipping of the annular rim relative to the cap is prevented at unscrewing of the cap. On the other hand it is easily possible to position the rim on the cap. The number of rims can be equal to the number of grooves on the cap but it is also possible to have a substantial lower number of ribs on the rim. Theoretically two or three ribs on the annular rim would be sufficient.

To further improve engagement between the cap and the annular rim, the annular rim is provided at its extremity which is first to engage the cap, i.e. the free extremity thereof, with engagement means. These engagement means are devised to engage below the largest diameter part of the cap. In most cases it will engage below the lower side of the cap. Such engagement means can for example comprise a circumferential bead ? having a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the annular rim and engaging below the lower extremity of the cap. It is however also possible to provide other engagement means. For example if ribs and grooves are used on the annular rim it is possible to close one or more of said grooves near their free extremity such that the rim has a substantially closed circumferential edge near the part thereof firstly to engage the cap. Other embodiments will immediately be clear for the person skilled in the art. According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the gasping means connected to the annular rim can comprise an eye.

It is possible to introduce a finger or the like through the eye, thereby enabling a bottle or other holder to be easily transported or opened. With the use of such an eye, it will be desirable to provide the circumferential rim on the topside with a bridge to which such an eye is fitted. It will be understood, however, that the eye can likewise be fitted at any position on the circumferential rim. In place of any eye, another sort of elevation can also be used. Such an elevation may have a symbolic value, that is to say, may depict, for example, a known cartoon figure. A bridge of this type can also be fitted in a somewhat sunken arrangement relative to the circumferential rim. This produces a receiving fixture in which grasping means can be fitted, for example by snap-locking. Such a bridge can be injection moulded integrally with the annular part or can be a separate part.

The elevation can also be realised for fastening of the bottle, so that the bottle, for example, can be hung. This is possible with the above-described eyes, but it is also possible to make a special provision for this purpose. For instance, an inverted dovetailed profile can be fitted, whereby the bottles or other objects carried with the aid of the device according to the invention can be hung from a rail or the like.

In all cases, if the surface of either the circumferential rim or the grasping means so permits, then (advertising) information can be applied thereto.

This information can be designed especially for blind and visually impaired people.

The above-described grasping means can also comprise a lip. Preferably, such a lip extends parallel with the opening bounded within the circumferential rim. When the device according to the invention is used in combination with a bottle, a lip of this type thereby comes to lie against or beside the neck of such a bottle and such a bottle can be clamped, for example, to a trouser belt. Further enhanced grasping can be obtained if such a lip is provided close to its free end with a boss. A boss is preferably fitted such that it grasps onto or somewhat beyond a collar on a bottle. Especially in the case of plastic bottles, such collars, for production engineering reasons, are widely used. Such a lip can be given a resilient or non-resilient construction.

The grasping means can further comprise any further conceivable design. As non- restrictive examples a protruding screw-threaded part or an opening provided with an internal screw thread can be cited. A further example is a protruding part provided with a surface designed to be combined with other building blocks of specific structural plays.

The circumferential rim can be provided on the inside with a structure which enhances engagement with the cap of a holder. The circumferential rim can be an annular closed whole, but can also be split. In the latter case, this should be of resilient construction and might possibly be adaptable to differently sized caps.

The external circumference of the device can have any desired shape. It can have a round, polygonal or any other (decorative) shape. Apart from use as a fastening, the device according to the present invention can also serve as an aid for the opening of caps, particularly screw caps. This applies especially to those embodiments in which the grasping means extend as an eye or the like from the annular circumferential rim. In such a case, an eye cannot be provided with an opening but must be closed. The device according to the invention is preferably made from plastics, and more especially, by injection moulding.

If the device according to the invention is provided with the above-described cover, this can also serve as a closure. In that case, this should be provided with sealing means, such as an O-ring. Such an O-ring can snap below the cap and provide further engagement of the annular rim.

According to a further variant of the invention, an assembly is provided, consisting of a number of grasping devices which, according to the invention, are interconnected. If, for example, eyes or other grasping means are fitted thereto, it is possible to grasp and transport a number of capped holders, such as bottles, simultaneously.

These grasping means can comprise the above-described eyes but can also be designed as a hand grip part, that is to say enabling different fingers to be placed one next to the other.

The invention also relates to a cap for a bottle comprising a cap body having screw thread provided therein.

According to a further aspect of the invention it is aimed to provide a screw cap with means for easy conveyance and handling.

According to the invention this is realised in that a lip is connected to said cap body extending substantially parallel with the axis of said screw thread and being provided with a projection substantially radial relative to the axis of said screw thread, at the side of the lip adjacent to said axis and having a free face arranged to engage the neck ring of a bottle.

According to the invention the lip which is preferably integrally moulded with the cap body has an projection engaging below the neck ring of a bottle and providing additional support for such a lip.

Preferably the cap is provided with a tamper evident ring. The free end of the lip i.e. the extremity projecting away from the cap can have any shape (short or long) but is preferably extended to approach the neck-body transition portion of a bottle. According to a further aspect the invention relates to a cap-bottle assembly comprising a cap as described above and a bottle having a screw threaded neck being provided with a neck ring.

The invention will be illustrated in greater detail below with reference to the illustrative embodiments represented in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective a first illustrative embodiment of the grasping device according to the invention at the moment it is placed on a bottle;

Fig. 2 shows the device according to Fig. 1 after this has been fitted to a bottle;

Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically a further embodiment of the grasping device according to the invention;

Figs 4-6 show diagrammatically further embodiments of the grasping device according to the invention;

Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically a grasping device according to the invention, which also provides a seal; Fig. 8 shows an assembly comprising further grasping devices according to the invention;

Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment of the grasping device according to the invention, and

Fig. 10 shows a cap according to a further embodiment of the invention in combination with a bottle.

In Fig. 1, a first embodiment of the grasping device according to the invention is represented by 1. This is preferably made from plastics by injection moulding but it will be understood that any other material and any other suitable production method can be used. The grasping device 1 according to Fig. 1 comprises a closed circumferential rim 2, which extends in a ring shape around an opening 3. On the inside, the circumferential rim 2 is provided with (in the drawing) vertically extending ribs 4. The pattern of the ribs can be different from what is shown in fig. 1. Only part of the circumferential rim can be provided with such ribs 4.

The circumferential rim 2 is connected to grasping means, such as a lip 5 provided with a protrusion 6.

In Fig. 1, the placement of the grasping device 1 on a bottle 7 is shown in diagrammatic representation. Fitted to this bottle 7 is a ribbed cap 8 and this bottle is additionally provided with a collar 9. If the lip 5 is relatively long, it can conform to the contour of bottle body 7. It should be understood that the invention is not confined to the combination of a grasping device and a bottle but can be applied to any holder.

In Fig. 2, the engagement between the grasping device 1 according to the invention and the bottle 7 has been effected. It is apparent from this that the ribs 4 have entered into co-operative engagement with the annular external surface of the cap 8. In addition, provision is made for further fastening of a grasping device 1 relative to a bottle 7, whilst the boss 6 back-grips the collar 9. In plastics (PET) bottles, a collar 9 is usual for product engineering reasons and is also fitted to facilitate the handling of such plastic bottles. As a result of this double grasping, firm clamping of the device 1 on the bottle 7 is assured. The space between the lip 5 and the bottle 7 can be used to fasten the device 1 to, for example, a belt.

Other fastening options are also possible, as will be apparent from the other figures. In Fig. 3, a variant of the grasping device according to the invention is represented, which is denoted in its entirety by 11. In the illustrative embodiment which is represented here, the circumferential rim 12 is of split construction and a slit-shaped free space 18 is present. The circumferential rim 12 consists of a resilient material which, when applied to a cap (not represented in greater detail) of a holder, will spring somewhat outwards as it latches upon such a cap. As a result of a suitable structure having been fitted to the inside of the circumferential rim, engagement with such a cap is able to take place. Likewise, the resilient nature of the circumferential rim 12 enables this to snap in place behind specific elevations or into specific bosses on the cap. In the illustrative embodiment represented in Fig. 3, a lip 15 is present, provided with a boss 16, the function of which is comparable to that of the lip 5 and boss 6 represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4, a further variant of the cap according to the invention is represented. This is denoted in its entirety by 21. A circumferential rim 22 is present, which in this example is closed, but the opening which is bounded within it is not continuous but is provided with a cover 28. This cover has a substantial surface area and this could be used for the application of (advertising) information 29. In this embodiment, too, a lip 25 is present, provided with a boss 26. The height of circumferential rim 22 and the position of cover 28 are such that a positioning on a cap there is no substantial space between the top of the cap and the lower side of cover 28. In the embodiment represented in Fig. 5, there is no such lip present. The embodiment shown in Fig. 5 is denoted in its entirety by 31. The circumferential rim 32 is provided with a cover 38. Extending out from there is an elevation 37, the appearance of which conforms to a cartoon figure. It will be understood that such an elevation can have any desired shape, as long as it acts as grasping means, and can possibly be of three-dimensional construction.

Such a variant is represented, for example, in Fig. 6. The grasping device according to the invention is there denoted in its entirety by 41, an eye 47 being fitted to the cover 48 of the circumferential rim 42. This eye can be dimensioned such that a finger, for example, can be placed in the opening thereof for the simple transportation of the bottle or other holder grasped with the grasping device according to the invention.

In Fig. 7, a further variant of the invention is shown. This is represented in cross section, from which it can be seen that the circumferential rim 52 is provided with a cover 58 to which an eye-shaped elevation 57 is fitted. The circumferential rim is provided on the bottom side with an O-ring 55, which seals with respect to the neck of the bottle, which bottle is only partially represented. With such a device it is possible, after the removal of the original cap or other closure, to provide a temporary closure, thereby making it possible, moreover, to transport the bottle in question.

In Fig. 8, an assembly 60 is shown, consisting of a number of grasping devices 61, which can be produced, for example, as shown above. A number of eyes 68 are present, which connect the various circumferential rims 62. Such a connection might be achieved by way of the cover (not present), fitted to a circumferential rim. With an assembly 60 of this type, it is possible to grasp a variety of bottles 67 simultaneously. 69 Shows a circumferential edge protruding inwardly from the internal diameter of each annular rim.

A somewhat inwardly projecting part of the circumferential rim 62, which snaps in place beneath the caps in question, is denoted by 70. Slipping off can thereby be prevented. Such a part can also be used in respect of the annular part shown in the other figures.

In Fig. 9, a further grasping device according to the invention is represented, which is denoted in its entirety by 71. This comprises an annular part 72, provided with an elevation 73. A bridge 74 is present, which either is or is not integral with the other part of the grasping device. The elevation 73 is provided with a circumferential groove 75.

In the receiving fixture 76 which is thus bounded, the bottom part 77 of a figure 78 can be placed. The bottom part 77 is provided with a circumferential rib 78, which snaps in place in the circumferential groove 75. In fig. 10 a further embodiment of a cap according to the invention is shown. The cap is generally referred to by 81 and comprises a cap body 82 and a cap cover 83. Cap body 82 is internally provided with a screw thread 84. This screw thread 84 corresponds with external screw thread 85 on the neck 86 of a bottle 87. Bottle 87 is provided with a transition area 88 between the neck 86 and the bottle body. The neck is provided with a neck ring 89.

Through bridges which can easily be ruptured a tamper proof ring 90 is connected to the cap body 82. However, it has to be understood that all other kinds of tamper evident means can be provided. Lip 91 is integrally moulded with cap body 82 and shaped to be spaced from a ring 90. It is provided with a protrusion 93 extending in radial direction relative to the axis 92 of the screw thread 84. Its top surface 94 is arranged to engage below neck ring 89. Lip 91 is extended to engage or approach the transition area 88 of the bottle. The structure shown in fig. 10 does obviate the use of an ring to be clamped around the cap because lip 91 is moulded together with the cap body 82. A very stable support can be realised by engagement of top surface 94 on neck 89 during transport.

It should be understood that the invention has been described above with reference to a number of preferred embodiments. It can be concluded from the number of variants that many modifications are possible whilst remaining within the scope of the present invention. It is clear from the above that either a cap or the neck of a bottle can be grasped with the present invention.

Claims

I. Device (1, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71) for grasping a capped holder (7, 67), comprising an annular circumferential rim (2, 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72), shaped to grasp the cap of said holder on the outside, and grasping means (5, 15, 25, 35, 47, 57, 68, 78) for said annular circumferential rim, characterised in that said circumferential rim is provided on the inside with a ribbed pattern (4), said ribs extending substantially parallel to the centre line of the opening in the annular rim.

2. Device according to Claim 1, wherein said annular circumferential rim is provided at its extremity, firstly engaging said cap, with inwardly directed engagement means (35, 69).

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein these grasping means comprise an eye (47).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein these grasping means comprise a lip (5, 15, 25, 35) extending substantially parallel with the centre line of said opening in the annular rim and fitted to said circumferential rim.

5. Device according to Claim 4, wherein said lip is resilient.

6. Device according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein said lip is provided close to its free end with a boss (6, 16, 26) directed towards the centre line of this opening in the annular rim.

7. Device according to Claim 6, wherein said boss is designed to back-grip the collar (9) of a bottle.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said circumferential rim comprises a split resilient ring (12).

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, made from a plastic material.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said circumferential rim is provided with a bridge (28, 38, 48, 58, 74).

II. Device according to Claim 10, wherein fitted to this bridge (48, 58) there are grasping means (47, 57) which protrude therefrom.

12. Device according to Claim 10, wherein said bridge (74) bounds with the annular part (72, 73) a receiving fixture (76) for the reception of grasping means (78).

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims 10-12, wherein said circumferential rim is provided with means (52) which grasp this holder in a seal- forming manner.

14. Assembly (60), comprising at least two devices (61) according to one of the preceding claims, which devices are interconnected.

15. Cap (81) for a bottle (87) comprising a cap body (82) having screw thread (84) provided therein, characterised in that, a lip (91) is connected to said cap body extending substantially parallel with the axis (92) of said screw thread and being provided with a projection (93) substantially radial relative to the axis of said screw thread, at the side of the lip adjacent to said axis and having a free face (94) arranged to engage the neck ring (89) of a bottle.

16. Cap according to claim 15, having an tamper evident ring (90).

17. Cap according to one of the claims 15 or 16, wherein said cap and lip are integrally realised by injection moulding.

18. Cap according to one of the claims 15-17, wherein said lip has an extension for approaching the neck-body transition portion (88) of a bottle.

19. Cap-bottle assembly comprising a cap according to one of the claims 15-18 and a bottle having a screw threaded neck (86) being provided with a neck ring (89).