U.S. patent application number 11/512844 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for cap having straw and reservoir for additive.
Invention is credited to Young Kook Cho.
Application Number | 20070045217 11/512844 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37802574 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070045217 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cho; Young Kook |
March 1, 2007 |
Cap having straw and reservoir for additive
Abstract
Disclosed is a cap having a straw and a reservoir for an
additive. The cap includes: a fixture member having a straw
attached to the reservoir, a container cap placed over the fixture
member, and an opening member placed over the fixture member. The
opening member has a cutter extending downward therefrom. The
container cap has an upper cap coupler formed with a through-hole
at an upper end thereof to allow passage of the straw and the
cutter therethrough. The cutter is formed to communicate with the
reservoir and open the bottom of the reservoir with a predetermined
rotation of the opening member. The opening member further has a
straw through-hole shaped to allow the straw to extend therethrough
and remain upright during the predetermined rotation of the opening
member.
Inventors: |
Cho; Young Kook;
(Lawrenceville, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Young Kook cho
2292 Spin Drift Way
Lawrenceville
GA
30043
US
|
Family ID: |
37802574 |
Appl. No.: |
11/512844 |
Filed: |
August 30, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/236 ;
215/388; 220/253; 220/709 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/285 20130101;
B65D 47/2012 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/236 ;
220/253; 220/709; 215/388 |
International
Class: |
B65D 39/00 20060101
B65D039/00; A47G 19/22 20060101 A47G019/22; B65D 83/00 20060101
B65D083/00; B65D 51/18 20060101 B65D051/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2005 |
KR |
KR1020050079818 |
Claims
1. A cap having a straw and a reservoir for an additive, the cap
comprising: a fixture member fixing the straw to the reservoir; a
container cap disposed over the fixture member, said container cap
having an upper cap coupler formed with a through-hole at an upper
end thereof; an opening member disposed over the container cap,
said opening member having a cutter extending through the
through-hole and communicating with a bottom of the reservoir, said
opening member further having a straw through-hole exposing an
upper end of the straw on a top surface thereof; and, wherein said
cap is formed so that a predetermined rotation of the opening
member will have the cutter open the bottom of the reservoir.
2. The cap according to claim 1, wherein: the reservoir is provided
at an upper end thereof with a fixing plate extending around the
reservoir; and the straw extends through said fixing plate.
3. The cap according to claim 1, wherein: the container cap has an
interior surface having a threaded section; said upper cap coupler
extends upward from a step formed at an upper end of the container
cap; and, said opening member has an upper cap formed to fit onto
the upper cap coupler.
4. The cap according to claim 3, wherein the top surface of the
upper cap coupler is provided with a straw supporting hole, through
which the straw is supported and guided.
5. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the straw through-hole
formed on the opening member is an arched horseshoe shaped elongate
hole, which has an arch corresponding to the predetermined rotation
of the opening member necessary to open the bottom of the
reservoir.
6. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the
opening member is provided with at least one straw clamp for
removably locking onto the straw.
7. The cap according to claim 1, wherein: the upper cap coupler and
the cutter of the opening member have intermittent ribs of a
predetermined length protruding from outer surfaces thereof
respectively; the upper cap and the reservoir of the fixture member
are provided with intermittent grooves of a predetermined length on
inner surfaces thereof, respectively; and, wherein said
intermittent grooves of the upper cap and the reservoir corresponds
to the intermittent ribs of the upper cap coupler and the cutter,
respectively.
8. The cap according to claim 7, wherein the grooves have lengths
longer than those of the ribs so as to allow the opening member to
rotate in close contact with the container cap.
9. The cap according to claim 1 further comprising; a top surface
extending upwardly from the upper cap with an intermediate step
formed therebetween; a straw withdrawal cover rotatably disposed
above said opening member; a guide hole formed through a top
surface of the straw withdrawal cover, said guide hole formed so
that the straw can extend upright through the guide hole and with
rotation of the straw withdrawal cover withdrawn into the straw
withdrawal cover.
10. A cap having a straw and a reservoir for an additive, the cap
comprising: a fixture member fixing the straw to the reservoir; a
container cap integrally formed with the fixture member, said
container cap having an upper cap coupler formed with a
through-hole at an upper end thereof, said container cap has an
interior surface having a threaded section, said upper cap coupler
extends upward from a step formed at an upper end of the container
cap; an opening member formed to fit onto the upper cap coupler of
the container cap, said opening member having a cutter extending
through the through-hole and communicating with a bottom of the
reservoir, said opening member further having a straw through-hole
exposing an upper end of the straw on a top surface thereof; and,
wherein said cap is formed so that a predetermined rotation of the
opening member will have the cutter open the bottom of the
reservoir.
11. The cap according to claim 10, wherein the straw through-hole
formed on the opening member is an arched horseshoe shaped elongate
hole, which has an arch corresponding to a predetermined rotation
of the opening member.
12. The cap according to claim 10, wherein: the top surface of the
opening member is provided with at least one straw clamp for
removably locking onto the straw; the upper cap coupler and the
cutter of the opening member have intermittent ribs of a
predetermined length protruding from outer surfaces thereof,
respectively; the upper cap and the reservoir of the fixture member
are provided with intermittent grooves of a predetermined length on
inner surfaces thereof, respectively; and, wherein said
intermittent grooves of the upper cap and the reservoir corresponds
to the intermittent ribs of the upper cap coupler and the cutter,
respectively.
13. A cap for use with a bottle having a neck, said cap having a
straw and a reservoir for an additive, said cap comprising: a
fixture member fixing the straw to the reservoir; a container cap
disposed over the fixture member, said container cap formed to
connect said cap onto said bottle, said container cap having an
upper cap coupler formed with a through-hole at an upper end
thereof; an opening member disposed over the container cap, said
opening member having a cutter extending through the through-hole
and communicating with a bottom of the reservoir, said opening
member further having a straw through-hole exposing an upper end of
the straw on a top surface thereof; and, wherein said cap is formed
so that a predetermined rotation of the opening member will have
the cutter open the bottom of the reservoir.
14. The cap according to claim 13, wherein: the reservoir is
provided at an upper end thereof with a fixing plate extending
around the reservoir; and the straw extends through said fixing
plate.
15. The cap according to claim 13, wherein: the container cap has
an interior surface having a threaded section; said upper cap
coupler extends upward from a step formed at an upper end of the
container cap; and, said opening member has an upper cap formed to
fit onto the upper cap coupler.
16. The cap according to claim 13, wherein the top surface of the
upper cap coupler is provided with a straw supporting hole, through
which the straw is supported and guided.
17. The cap according to claim 13, wherein the straw through-hole
formed on the opening member is an arched horseshoe shaped elongate
hole, which has an arch corresponding to a predetermined rotation
of the opening member.
18. The cap according to claim 13, wherein the top surface of the
opening member is provided with at least one straw clamp for
removably locking onto the straw.
19. The cap according to claim 13, wherein: the upper cap coupler
and the cutter of the opening member have intermittent ribs of a
predetermined length protruding from outer surfaces thereof,
respectively; the upper cap and the reservoir of the fixture member
are provided with intermittent grooves of a predetermined length on
inner surfaces thereof, respectively; and, wherein said
intermittent grooves of the upper cap and the reservoir corresponds
to the intermittent ribs of the upper cap coupler and the cutter,
respectively.
20. The cap according to claim 13 further comprising; a top surface
extending upwardly from the upper cap with an intermediate step
formed therebetween; a straw withdrawal cover rotatably disposed
above said opening member; a guide hole formed through a top
surface of the straw withdrawal cover, said guide hole formed so
that the straw can extend upright through the guide hole and with
rotation of the straw withdrawal cover withdrawn into the straw
withdrawal cover.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates, in general, to a dual cap
having a straw and containing an additive. More particularly, to a
cap having a straw and a reservoir for containing an additive that
can be discharged.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] Generally, a technique of adding an additive is based on a
combination of a reservoir placed inside the neck of a container so
as to be able to add the additive, and an opening member having an
opening means for allowing the additive of the reservoir to be
added into the container. This technique is adapted to couple the
opening member with a container cap, or allow the reservoir to act
as the container cap, and add the additive of the reservoir into
the container through a separate pressing means or a separate
rotation descending means. However, this technique, in which the
additive is added to contents of the container, causes a user
inconvenience in that the user directly touches a mouth of the
container to his/her mouth when drinking. Also, because the
additive is added through the mouth of the bottle, the additive can
be highly concentrated at the mouth of the container when the user
drinks the dissolved contents. Hence, the user drinks a high
concentration of added contents first, and then gradually a low
concentration of added contents. The more the user drinks the
dissolved contents, the lower the satisfaction with the dissolved
contents becomes. This can cause a problem of poor consumer
satisfaction in using such a device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in
mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object
of the present invention is to provide a cap having a straw and a
reservoir for an additive, capable of coupling the straw
communicating with the inside of the container to the reservoir to
enable a user to drink the contents of a container through the
straw from the container's bottom where the additive has a low
concentration to thereby enable the user to perceive a gradually
improving taste of the contents according to the drinking of the
contents. Another object of the present invention is to provide a
cap having a straw and a reservoir for an additive, capable of
making the straw folded, thereby preventing contents of a container
from being discharged therethrough. A further object of the present
invention is to provide a cap having a straw and a reservoir for an
additive, in which an opening member is provided with an elongate,
arcuate straw through-hole, and when a cutter is turned to cut a
bottom of the reservoir so as to add the additive of the reservoir
into the contents of a container, the straw is vertically
maintained along the straw through-hole, thereby maintaining the
straw without a damage or deformation when the bottom of the
reservoir is cut.
[0004] In order to accomplish the above objects, according to an
aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cap having a
straw and a reservoir for an additive, which includes a fixture
member fixing the straw to the surface of the reservoir. A
container cap fixes the fixture member and is formed to attach to
the neck of a container. The container cap has an upper cap coupler
formed with a through-hole at an upper end thereof, and an opening
member is placed over the container cap. The opening member has a
cutter extending downward therefrom and through the through-hole of
the container cap and into the reservoir. The opening member has a
straw through-hole to allow passage of the straw therethrough.
[0005] The reservoir may be provided at an upper end thereof with a
fixing plate having a diameter greater than that of a mouth of the
container so as to be seated on the mouth of the container.
[0006] The container cap may be formed so that the upper cap
coupler extends upward from a step formed at an upper end of the
container cap, and the opening member can have an upper cap formed
to engage the upper cap coupler. The top surface of the upper cap
coupler may be provided with a straw supporting hole, through which
the straw is supported and guided. The straw through-hole of the
opening member is an arched horseshoe shaped elongate hole, which
has an arch corresponding to the predetermined rotation of the
opening member necessary to open the bottom of the reservoir. The
cap is formed so that with the predetermined rotation of the
opening member, the cutter will open the bottom of the reservoir.
Also, due to the shape of the straw through-hole, the straw will
remain upright when the opening member is rotated in the
predetermined rotation. The top surface of the opening member may
be provided with at least one straw clamp, which fixes the exposed
straw so as to maintain a folded state where the straw does not
allow external air to be introduced into the container.
[0007] The upper cap coupler and the cutter of the opening member
may have intermittent ribs of a predetermined length protruding
from outer surfaces thereof respectively. The upper cap and the
reservoir of the fixture member, which correspond to the upper cap
coupler and the cutter of the opening member, may be provided with
intermittent rib grooves of a predetermined length,
respectively.
[0008] The rib grooves may have lengths longer than those of the
ribs so as to allow the opening member to rotate in close contact
with the container cap.
[0009] The cap may further comprise a straw withdrawal cover, which
is rotatably coupled to the opening member and provided with a
guide hole guiding the straw to be withdrawn and folded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cap according to
the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled cap
according to the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front elevation view
illustrating an assembled cap according to the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front elevation view showing
the cap in a rotated position wherein the bottom of the reservoir
has been opened;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an assembled
cap according to the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cap
according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cap
according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Reference should now be made to the drawings, in which the
same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings
to designate the same or similar components.
[0019] The cap comprises a fixture member 10 having a straw 20
attached thereto. The fixture member 10 has a reservoir 11 capable
of storing additives therein and a fixing plate 12 provided at an
upper end of the reservoir 11. The fixing plate 12 has a diameter
greater than that of a mouth of a container 1 so as to be seated on
the mouth of the container 1.
[0020] A container cap 30 is placed over the fixture member 10, and
the container cap 30 is formed to engage with a threaded section 2
of a container 1. The container cap has an upper cap coupler 32
formed with a through-hole 34 at an upper end thereof. The cap also
has an opening member 40 fitting over the container cap 30. The
opening member 40 has a cutter 44 extending through the
through-hole 34 and coming into contact with a bottom of the
reservoir 11. The opening member 40 also has a straw through-hole
42 exposing an upper end of the straw 20 on a top surface
thereof.
[0021] The fixing plate 12 is extruded together with the straw 2
and is constructed to couple the straw 20 with a separate straw on
a bottom surface thereof, in such a manner that the separate straw
is fitted into or around, or adhered to the straw 20.
[0022] The container cap 30 includes a container cap threaded
section 31 for engagement with the threaded section 2 of a
container 1. The upper cap coupler 32 extends upwardly from a step
33 formed at an upper end of the container cap threaded section 31.
The upper cap coupler 32 is rotatably coupled with an upper cap 41
of the opening member 40.
[0023] The top surface of the upper cap coupler 32 is provided with
a straw supporting hole 35, into which the straw 20 is supported
and guided.
[0024] The straw through-hole 42 is an elongate horseshoe shaped
hole, which preferably has a curvature corresponding to a partial
rotation of the opening member 40.
[0025] The top surface of the opening member 40 is preferably
provided with a straw clamp 43, which fixes the exposed straw 20 so
as to maintain a folded state where the straw 20 does not allow
external air to be introduced into the container.
[0026] The upper cap coupler 32 and the cutter 44 of the opening
member 40 have intermittent ribs 36 and 46 of a predetermined
length protruding from outer surfaces thereof, respectively. The
intermittent ribs can be placed in a spiraling formation around the
respective outer surfaces.
[0027] The upper cap 41 and the reservoir 11 of the fixture member
10, which correspond to the upper cap coupler 32 and the cutter 44
of the opening member 40, are also provided with intermittent rib
grooves 47 and 14 of a predetermined length on the inner surfaces
thereof respectively. The intermittent grooves can be placed in a
spiraling formation within the respective inner surfaces.
[0028] The rib grooves 47 and 14 are constructed to have lengths
longer than those of the ribs 36 and 46 respectively, so as to
allow the opening member 40 to rotate in close contact with the
container cap 30. As described above, the rib grooves 47 and 14,
and the ribs 36 and 46 corresponding to them are illustrated to
have a smooth upward slope, but they may have a smooth downward
slope. (In the latter case, an additive is released from the
reservoir 11 after the opening member 40 is turned in a
counterclockwise direction as a skirt 37 of the container cap 30 is
separated, and thereby the container cap 30 is separated from the
container 1.)
[0029] Of course, in the latter case, in order to provide a space
corresponding to a height by which the opening member 40 can be
lowered, a separate ring should be provided between the opening
member 40 and the step 33, or a skirt separated when the opening
member is lowered should be provided to a lower surface of the
upper cap of the opening member 40.
[0030] Naturally, the ribs 36 and 46 and their corresponding rib
grooves 47 and 14 leave their slant directions intact, and a ring
or skirt is provided between the opening member 40 and the step 33.
(In this case, the cutter 44 performs cutting by turning the
opening member 40 in a clockwise direction, and the container cap
30 is separated by counterclockwise rotation.)
[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present
invention. In this embodiment, a cap comprises a fixture member 10
having a reservoir 11 and coupled to a container 1 and an opening
member 40 coupled to the fixture member 10 and having a cutter 44
performing cutting when being rotated. The fixture member 10 has a
container cap 30 integrally formed with the reservoir 11. Other
than the integral formation, the features of each component is
similar to the first embodiment, and thus, their detailed
description will be omitted. A straw 20 is placed through the
fixture member 10 and into the container 1 for discharging contents
therein. Also, the opening member 40 is coupled to the container
cap 30 in a manner so that a predetermined rotation of the opening
member 40 will cause the cutter 44 to cut a bottom of the reservoir
11. The opening member 40 has an arched horseshoe shaped elongate
straw through-hole 42 so that an upper portion of the straw 20
continues to be exposed during rotation.
[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present
invention. This embodiment has all of the features of the first
embodiment of the present invention but for the straw clamps 43 and
43-1. This embodiment is different in that the opening member 40
has a top surface 48 extending upwardly from a top surface of an
upper cap 41 with an intermediate step 49 left. This embodiment has
an additional component in that the opening member 40 is rotatably
coupled with a straw withdrawal cover 50 through a strip-like guide
ring 49-2 protruding from the outer circumferential surface of a
vertical section between the top surface 48 and the step 49,
wherein the straw withdrawal cover 50 is provided with a guide hole
51, which guides a straw 20 to be withdrawn and folded. In this
embodiment, the container 1 is filled with contents, and then the
reservoir 11 having an additive is inserted into the neck 3 of the
container 1. Then, the fixing plate 12 is placed on the mouth of
the container 1 because it has a diameter greater than that of the
neck 3 of the container 1. Of course, in this case, the fixing
plate 12 of the fixture member 10 has the straw 20 extruded
integrally or coupled separately. In this state, the container cap
30 is coupled to the container 1 such that the straw 20 is aligned
with the straw supporting hole 35 of the container cap 30. The
opening member 40 is seated on the step 33 of the container cap 30,
and the straw 20 is exposed to one end of the straw through-hole
42. Thereby, similarly as illustrated in FIG. 2, the assembling
process is completed. In order to block external air if necessary,
the top surface of the opening member 40 may be sealed to have a
contractile vinyl layer.
[0033] In all the embodiments, the vinyl layer (not shown) when
used is first stripped off prior to consumption. The straw 20 is
then set upright, and the opening member 40 is turned. Because the
cutter 44, which is formed with a cutting edge 45 at a lower end
thereof, is installed at the center of the opening member 40, when
the upper cap 41 of the opening member 40 is turned (for instance,
in a counterclockwise direction), the ribs 36 rotate along the
grooves 47, so that the opening member 40 is raised along a slant
path. At the same time, the rib 46 of the outer wall of the cutter
44 and the rib groove 14 of the inner wall of the reservoir 11 are
coupled to each other, thereby guiding ascent (rotation) of the
opening member 40 as well. This causes the cutting edge 45 to be
pressed downward when the cutter 44 rotates. Thereby, the cutting
edge 45 is made possible to gradually cut a bottom 15 of the
reservoir 11 starting from a cutting edge sheath 13. In the
meantime, the cutting edge 45 gradually opens the bottom 15 in a
downward direction by means of weight and pushing as illustrated in
FIG. 4, and thus the additive filled in the reservoir 11 falls down
to mix with the contents in the container 1. In this case, because
the rib groove 14 has a length shorter than that of the rib 46, the
rib 46 deviates from the rib groove 14 when the opening member 40
is turned a predetermined rotation, thereby causing an upper edge
16 of the reservoir to be opened. As a result, a fine through-hole
is formed between the cutter 44 and the wall of the reservoir 11.
As such, when a user sucks the straw, air is naturally introduced
via the through-hole to enable the user to continuously drink the
mixed contents.
[0034] Now, a description of the case where the user intends to
drink the contents some time later is given, followed by
description about an initial state where the straw 20 is exposed
and folded. In the initial state where the straw 20 is exposed and
folded at a location P1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the opening
member 40 is turned in a counterclockwise direction so that the
cutter 44 can discharge the additive in the reservoir 11 of the
fixture member 10. In this state after the predetermined rotation,
the straw 20 is located at a location P2. Here, the straw 20 is
clamped using another straw clamp 43-1. When the straw 20 is
clamped to the straw clamp 43-1, it is in a folded state, thereby
blocking the contents of the container 1 from being discharged. As
a consequence, the contents of the container 1 can be prevented
from being discharged through the straw 20, thereby ensuring
storability.
[0035] The present invention can add a straw withdrawal cover 50 to
the construction of FIGS. 1 through 6. With this construction, the
straw 20 is folded or erected along a guide hole 51 as in FIG. 7,
which saves trouble to separately fix or withdraw the straw. In
this case, the guide hole 51 of the straw withdrawal cover 50 is
formed into an elongate hole. When the straw withdrawal cover 50 is
turned in a clockwise direction, one end 52 of the guide hole 51
presses the straw 20, thereby causing the straw 20 to be folded and
seated in the guide hole 51. Because the straw is required not to
sink down when being folded, the other end of the guide hole 51 is
provided with a supporting tongue 54. On the other hand, when the
straw withdrawal cover 50 is turned in a counterclockwise direction
in order to erect the straw 20, the straw 20 is raised along a
tapered surface 53 of the supporting tongue 54 and then set
upright. Therefore, the user can conveniently fold or erect the
straw 20 by tuning only the straw withdrawal cover 50. To this end,
as in FIG. 7, a vertical section 49-1 of the opening member 40 is
provided with a guide ring 49-2, and an inner circumferential
surface of the straw withdrawal cover 50 is provided with a ring
grove. Thereby, the guide ring 49-2 and the ring groove are
subjected to rail coupling.
[0036] The straw 20 should be adapted to be folded. Also, the straw
20 should be formed so that when folded, the contents of the
container are not discharged therethrough. As such, even when the
straw 20 is coupled to the container 1, the container 1 can be
conveniently used without accidentally discharging the contents.
Also, the opening member 40 is provided with an arched horseshoe
shaped elongate straw through-hole 42 so that with the
predetermined amount of rotation of the opening member 40 needed
for the cutter 44 to cut the bottom of the reservoir so as to add
the additive of the reservoir 11 to the contents of the container,
the straw is vertically maintained along the path of the straw
through-hole 42 without damage or deformation as the bottom of the
reservoir is cut. Additionally, the outer circumferential surface
of the container cap is provided with the ribs, and the upper cap
of the opening member is provided with the rib grooves. When the
upper cap is turned with the ribs engaged with the rib grooves, the
bottom of the reservoir is cut, and simultaneously the air
communicates with the inside of the container. As a result,
continuous siphonage via the straw is possible.
[0037] Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention
have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the
art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *