WO2004018316A1

WO2004018316A1 - A self-closing cap device for bottles

Info

Publication number: WO2004018316A1
Application number: PCT/NO2003/000273
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan Frode Maurice
Original assignee: Jan Frode Maurice
Priority date: 2002-08-20
Filing date: 2003-08-12
Publication date: 2004-03-04
Also published as: NO20023948D0; AU2003256176A1

Abstract

Self closing cap for arrangement to a container, comprising a valve hosing (3) and a dispensing nozzle (1) movable arranged in said valve hosing (3), between which two parts a spring means acts to seal the dispensing nozzle (1) from the containers interior. A compression of the spring means will provide communication to said container and allows liquid to flow from the container through the dispensing nozzle. The cap is provided with at least one guiding/ or locking notch (15, 16) and. corresponding locking knob(s) (14) arranged intermediate the dispensing nozzle and the valve housing (3), and are manufactured as integrated parts of these (1, 3) by injection moulding of a plastic material. Furthermore, the spring means (4) is an integrated part of the valve housing (3) or the dispensing nozzle (1) and the cap comprises to parts (:1, 3) made of an injection moulded plastic material.

Description

A self-closing cap device for bottles

Technical field

The present invention relates to a self-closing cap for containers containing liquid as defined in the preamble of claims 1, 2 , 3 and 4.

Background art

The caps which are currently used on sports bottles may be opened and closed by means of the teeth of the user or by hand. This is inconvenient, unpleasant an unhygienic as the hands may come in contact with the mouthpiece of the cap.

Furthermore, most caps for use on bottles do not include a separate opening to let air back into the container as the liquid is dispensed. The air is let in the same way as the liquid is dispensed, and this results in an irregular flow of liquid out of the container. During drinking from a bottle with the known caps, the liquid must be sucked out of the container, or the bottle must be squeezed to force the liquid out of the container due to the vacuum generated in the container. Hence, the liquid flow is reduced.

Patent NO 180078 discloses a self closing drinking cap. This cap has the disadvantage that no separate opening is provided to let air into the container when liquid is dispensed. The drinking cap further comprises several separate parts which seem complex to assemble, and this will not be cost effective considering mass production. The cap is further constructed in a way that makes it difficult to produce the separate parts in a plastic material. The known cap does not include means to prevent the cap from being opened unintentionally. The invention comprises slots arranged on the outer surface, which provide two sliding surfaces between the two parts of the cap. This increases the risk of the two parts getting jammed. Brief description of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a self- closing cap device which may be opened easily by exerting a force on the mouthpiece.

A second object is to provide a cap which is self-venting to let air into the container through a separate duct .

A third object of the invention is to develop a self closing cap comprising few separate parts, which may be opened without applying excessive force, and may be locked, and lets air into the container through a separate duct with an opening located at a distance from the opening of the dispensing duct .

A further object of the invention is to provide a self- closing cap which comprises means to prevent the cap from moving unintentionally from a closed to an open position or vice versa.

A further object of the invention is that the spring means of the cap should be an integrated part of either the valve housing or the dispensing nozzle.

A further object of the invention is that the component parts of the drinking cap should be produced from recycled plastic material to be disposable. This is preferable if the cap is used on reusable bottles made of PET.

The component parts of the cap should be designed to be manufactured in a suitable plastic material.

The objects of the present invention are achieved by a self-closing drinking cap according to the independent claims 1 , 2 , 3 and 4. Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The accompanying enclosed drawings illustrate advantageous embodiments of the present invention, where;

Figure 1 shows an perspective view of a cap according to the invention seen from below,

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a dispensing nozzle of the cap in Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a valve housing with a detailed view of an interlocking slot and means to prevent twisting.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a valve housing comprising an integrated spring according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a valve gate comprising an integrated spring according to a second embodiment of the invention,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-section of the assembled cap in figure 1,

Figure 7 shows a first embodiment of a hygienic cover prior to breaking the seal of the cover,

Figure 8 shows a first embodiment of a hygienic cover after breaking the seal of the cover,

Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of a hygienic cover prior to breaking the seal of the cover, Figure 10 shows a second embodiment of a hygienic cover after breaking the seal of the cover.

Detailed description of the invention

As shown in Figure 1, a cap comprises a dispensing nozzle 1 with a mouthpiece 2, which mouthpiece may be shaped as desired, arranged to a valve housing 3 comprising an outer substantially cylindrical wall 7 provided with internal threads and an inner substantially cylindrical guide member 6 for the dispensing nozzle 1, and a spring means 4 which acts between the valve housing and the dispensing nozzle. Further, a ventilation tube 5 is provided, comprising two corresponding tube members 5a and 5b arranged to the dispensing nozzle 1 and the valve housing 3, respectively, which together form the ventilation tube 5 when the valve is in open position. The ventilation duct may have a conical configuration to increase air speed. The cap is arranged on a container.

Figure 2 shows the dispensing nozzle 1 defining a liquid duct 10. The dispensing nozzle comprises a closed inner end which forms a sealing section 8 provided with stop means

20, to prevent the two parts from separating and to prevent the dispensing nozzle 1 from getting jammed in the valve housing 3. A gasket can optionally be arranged at the sealing section 8 for improved sealing between the sealing sec- tion 8 and the valve housing 3. The dispensing nozzle is provided with lateral openings 9 immediately above the sealing section 8 for liquid flow, which openings will be located above the wall of the valve housing 6 when the valve is in closed position and no external forces are ap- plied. Said openings will be located below the wall of the valve housing when the spring means are compressed by an external force, and will allow liquid to be dispensed from the dispensing nozzle through the liquid duct 10 and the mouth piece 2. Further, in open position, ventilation will be provided to the container through slots 11, a check valve arrangement 12 comprising a check flap 12a and a sealing face 12b, the integrated axial air duct 13 and the air tube 5 which connect said container to the ambience.

The check valve arrangement 12 is constructed for free air flow into the container through the valve. At the same time the check valve arrangement does not allow liquid to flow out of the container in the opposite direction. The check valve arrangement comprises a check flap 12a and a sealing face 12b. Said ventilation duct 5 is extended past the valve face by a half-tube 5a which forms an extended air duct 5 with a corresponding half-tube 5b on the valve housing when the cap is in open position. When the cap is in closed position, the air duct will be blocked by a crescent-shaped obstruction 21 arranged on the tube half 5b of the valve housing. Locking knobs 14 which may be arranged in alternative positions, e.g. on the dispensing nozzle 1] slides in vertical sliding notches 15 shown in Figure 3, and will prevent unintentional twisting of the parts with respect to each other. Further, the said locking knobs 14 will act as locking mechanisms in open and/or closed position by engaging horizontal locking notches 16 arranged in a preferred position, e.g. on the valve housing as shown in Figure 5. The horizontal locking notches 16 may include twist retainers 17 which prevent unintentional sliding of the locking knobs 14 into the locking notches. Further, the locking notches 16 may be curved to force the valve to a temporary open position as the parts are twisted in relation to each other to provide an equalization of pressure between the ambience and the container. This design of the locking notches is preferable if the container is filled with a carbonated liquid.

Figure 4 shows the valve housing with the spring means 4, which according to the invention may be a part of the valve housing 3 as shown in Figure 4. The spring means may alter- natively be a part of the dispensing nozzle 1, as shown in Figure 5. Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section of the cap with the valve housing and the dispensing nozzle assembled. A hygienic cover 18 is sealed to the valve housing by means of a seal 23 which abuts sealing teeth 24 to indicate if said hygienic cover 18 has been removed or if the cap has been opened. Said hygienic cover 18 may be attached to the valve housing 3 or the dispensing spout 1 in a manner that makes it easy to remove and replace to cover the mouth piece 2.

According to a first embodiment of the hygienic cover 18 including the seal shown in figure 7 and 8 the hygienic cover is separated from the cap after the seal 23 has been broken to facilitate removal and replacement of the cover 18.

According to another embodiment of the hygienic cover 18 including the seal shown in figure 9 and 10 the hygienic cover is pivotally arranged to the cap to facilitate removal and replacement of the cover 18.

The valve housing is further arranged to the container-^and sealed by a seal 22 known in the art, which indicates ■-' whether the cap has been previously removed from the container. The part of the valve housing which is arranged on the container can further have a conical configuration in the region of engagement 19 between the cap and the container to avoid leakage.

A self closing cap according to the invention may be used as a mouthpiece on containers containing all types of liquids, preferably fluid liquids, where a self-closing and self-venting function is required, and fast and even dispensing of the liquid is desired.

Claims

C l a i s

1. A self-closing cap for arrangement on a container, comprising a valve housing (3) and a dispensing nozzle (1) movably arranged in said valve housing (3) , between which two parts a spring means acts to seal the dispensing nozzle (l) from the interior of the container, where a compression of the spring means will provide communication with said container and allow liquid to flow from the container through the dispensing nozzle, characterized in that at least one guiding and/or locking notch (15, 16) and corresponding locking knob(s) (14) are arranged between the dispensing nozzle and the valve housing (3) , and are formed as integrated parts thereof (1, 3) by injection moulding of a plastic material.

2. A self-closing cap for arrangement on a container, comprising a valve housing (3) and a dispensing nozzle (1) movably arranged in said valve housing (3) , between which two parts a spring means acts to seal the dispensing nozzle (1) from the interior of the container, where a compression of the spring means will provide communication with said container and allow liquid to flow from the container through the dispensing nozzle, characterized in that the spring means is formed by a cover which extends from the valve housing (3) to the upper edge of the dispensing nozzle (1) and is manu- factured as an integrated part of the dispensing nozzle (1) or the valve housing (3) by injection moulding of a plastic material .

3. A self-closing cap for arrangement on a container, comprising a valve housing (3) and a dispensing nozzle (1) movably arranged in said valve housing (3) , between which two parts a spring means acts to seal the dispensing nozzle (1) from the interior of the container, where a compression of the spring means will provide communication with said container and allow liquid to flow from the container through the dispensing nozzle, characterized in that an air duct (13) with an entrance located at a distance from the exit of the dispensing nozzle (1) connects the container to the ambience, and that the air duct (13) is manufactured as an integrated part of the dispensing nozzle (1) or the valve housing (3) by injection moulding of a plastic material.

4. A self-closing cap for arrangement on a container, comprising a valve housing (3) and a dispensing nozzle (1) movably arranged in said valve housing (3) , between which two parts a spring means acts to seal the dispensing nozzle (1) from the interior of the container, where a compression of the spring means will provide communication with said container and allows liquid to flow from the container through the dispensing nozzle, characterized in that the air inlet to the container is separated from the ambience by a check valve device (12) which lets air from the ambience into the container without allowing liquid to flow in the opposite di- rection and that the check valve device (12) is manufactured as an integrated part of the dispensing nozzle (1) and/ or the valve housing (3) by injection moulding of a plastic material .

5. A self-closing cap according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that a half-tube (5b) arranged on the valve housing (3) and a corresponding half-tube (5a) arranged on the dispensing nozzle form a venting tube (5) which leads the air entering through the air duct (13) suf- ficiently far from the inlet of the dispensing nozzle (1) to avoid entrainment of air in the liquid flow.

6. A self-closing cap according to claim 5, characterized in that a crescent-shaped obstruction (21) is provided on the half-tube (5b) of the valve housing and is arranged to seal the air tube when the cap is in the closed and locked position.

7. A self-closing cap according to anyone of the preceding claims, charac teri zed in that sealing teeth (24) are provided which seal a hygienic cover (18) to the cap, which cover (18) also interlocks the dispensing nozzle (1) and the valve housing (3) , the joining of the sealing teeth (24) and the cover is arranged to be broken to indicate opening of the cap.

8. A self-closing cap according to any one of the claims 1 and 5-7, characterized in that a twist preventer (17) is provided to prevent unintentional relative displacement of the dispensing nozzle (1) and the valve housing (3) to closed or open position.

9. A self-closing cap according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all parts are manufac- tured of similar plastic material to facilitate recycling.

10. A self-closing cap according to any one of the preceding claims, characteri z ed in that all parts are made of thermoplastic material .