U.S. patent application number 10/861521 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-08 for dual-purpose sealing cap for water buckets.
Invention is credited to Ding, Mann-Lih.
Application Number | 20050269281 10/861521 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35446548 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050269281 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ding, Mann-Lih |
December 8, 2005 |
Dual-purpose sealing cap for water buckets
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.
Inventors: |
Ding, Mann-Lih; (Keelung
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
35446548 |
Appl. No.: |
10/861521 |
Filed: |
June 7, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/254 ;
215/256; 215/303 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 47/10 20130101;
B65D 41/48 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/254 ;
215/256; 215/303 |
International
Class: |
B65D 041/48 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
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.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 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
[0002] 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.
[0003] 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.
[0004] 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.
[0005] 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.
[0006] 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
[0007] 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.
[0008] 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.
[0009] 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.
[0010] 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.
[0011] 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
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional screwing
cap.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a conventional packing
cap.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a conventional pulling
cap.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a conventional water bucket
coupled on a water drinking machine.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another water bucket cap for
use on a water drinking machine.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the present
invention mounting on a water drinking machine when in use.
[0020] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the invention showing the
pulling strip is being torn off.
[0021] 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
[0022] 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.
[0023] 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.
[0024] 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 2a. After use is
finished, the sealing cap 1 may be coupled on the outlet 20a as the
ordinary bucket cap. When the water in the bucket is consumed, and
the water bucket 2a 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.
[0025] 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.
* * * * *