U.S. patent application number 11/164034 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-24 for measuring bottle cap.
Invention is credited to Nathaniel H. Bronner.
Application Number | 20070113920 11/164034 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38052308 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070113920 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bronner; Nathaniel H. |
May 24, 2007 |
MEASURING BOTTLE CAP
Abstract
Disclosed is a measuring bottle cap that attaches to the neck of
a bottle. The measuring bottle cap has a seal for sealing the top
of the bottle to prevent fluid within the bottle from leaving the
bottle, a cylinder that fits over the neck and is fixed to the
seal, an annular ring having an inside edge that is fixed to the
cylinder and an outside edge that is displaced away from the
cylinder, and sides that extend upward from the outside edge of the
annular ring. The sides, annular ring, cylinder, and seal form a
cup for holding a liquid. The inside edge of the annular ring may
be fixed to the top or the bottom of the cylinder. The sides of the
measuring bottle cap may be marked with gradations to indicate the
amount of fluid held by the cup. The cup may be sealed with a
lid.
Inventors: |
Bronner; Nathaniel H.;
(Atlanta, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD D. FUERLE
1711 W. RIVER RD.
GRAND ISLAND
NY
14072
US
|
Family ID: |
38052308 |
Appl. No.: |
11/164034 |
Filed: |
November 8, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/112 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 41/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/112 |
International
Class: |
B65B 1/04 20060101
B65B001/04 |
Claims
1. A measuring bottle cap that attaches to the neck of a bottle
comprising (A) a seal for sealing the top of said bottle to prevent
fluid within said bottle from leaving said bottle; (B) a cylinder
that fits over said neck and is fixed to said seal; (C) an annular
ring having an inside edge that is fixed to said cylinder and an
outside edge that is displaced away from said cylinder; and (D)
sides that extend upward from said outside edge of said annular
ring, where said sides, annular ring, cylinder, and seal form a cup
for holding a liquid.
2. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said inside
edge is fixed to the top of said cylinder.
3. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said inside
edge is fixed to the bottom of said cylinder.
4. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 including a lid that
removeably attaches to the top of said sides to seal said cup.
5. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 4 made of a single
piece of molded plastic.
6. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 4 wherein said lid
snaps on to the top of said sides and is attached to said sides by
a resilient hinge.
7. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 4 wherein the rim of
said lid is provided with an annular indentation and an annular
projection that engages an annular projection and an annular
indentation, respectively, on the top of said sides.
8. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 6 that is made of
polyethylene or polypropylene.
9. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said sides
have at least one horizontal mark thereon that indicates the
quantity of liquid within said cup.
10. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said
cylinder has female threads that engage male threads on said
neck.
11. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said
cylinder snaps on to said neck.
12. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said sides
are wider than said neck of said bottle.
13. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said sides
are transparent or translucent.
14. A measuring bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said cup
holds about 0.25 to about 8 ounces.
15. A bottle filled with a consumable liquid sealed with a
measuring bottle cap according to claim 1.
16. A method of using a measured amount of a liquid from a bottle
according to claim 14 comprising (A) removing said measuring bottle
cap from said bottle; (B) without inverting said measuring bottle
cap, pouring liquid from said bottle into said cup; (C) pouring
said liquid from said cup; and (D) without inverting said measuring
bottle cap, replacing said measuring bottle cap on to said
bottle.
17. A measuring bottle cap that screws on to the male-threaded neck
of a bottle comprising (A) a female-threaded cylinder that fits
over said neck; (B) a seal fixed to the top of said cylinder for
sealing said neck to prevent fluid within said bottle from leaving
said bottle; (C) an annular ring having an inside edge that is
fixed to the top of said cylinder and an outside edge that that is
displaced away from said cylinder; (D) sides that extend upward
from said outside edge of said annular ring, where said sides,
annular ring, cylinder, and seal form a cup for holding a liquid;
(E) a lid that removeably seals said cup; and (F) at least one
horizontal mark on said sides that indicates the amount of liquid
held within said cup.
18. A method of using a measured amount of a liquid from a bottle
according to claim 14 comprising (A) removing said measuring bottle
cap from said bottle; (B) without inverting said measuring bottle
cap, pouring liquid from said bottle into said cup; (C) pouring
said liquid from said cup; and (D) without inverting said measuring
bottle cap, replacing said measuring bottle cap on to said
bottle.
19. A measuring bottle cap that screws on to the male-threaded neck
of a bottle comprising (A) a female-threaded cylinder that fits
over said neck; (B) a seal fixed to the top of said cylinder for
sealing said neck to prevent fluid within said bottle from leaving
said bottle; (C) an annular ring having an inside edge that is
fixed to the bottom of said cylinder and an outside edge that that
is displaced away from said cylinder; (D) sides that extend upward
from said outside edge of said annular ring, where said sides,
annular ring, cylinder, and seal form a cup for holding a liquid;
(E) a lid that removeably seals said cup; and (F) at least one
horizontal mark on said sides that indicates the amount of liquid
held within said cup.
20. A method of consuming a measured amount of a liquid from a
bottle according to claim 17 comprising (A) unscrewing said
measuring bottle cap from said bottle; (B) without inverting said
cap, placing it in a horizontal position; (C) pouring liquid from
said bottle into said cup to the level of said at least one
horizontal mark; (D) pouring said liquid from said cup; and (E)
without inverting said cap, screwing said cap back on to said
bottle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a bottle cap that can be filled
from the top of the cap to measure out a known amount of liquid. In
particular, it relates to a graduated bottle cap that screws onto
the top of a bottle and has a hinged snap-on lid.
[0002] When a measured amount of a liquid must be poured from a
container, a separate container of known capacity or marked with
gradations, such as a measuring spoon or a cup, may be used. But
since such measuring containers may not always be handy, liquids
may be sold in containers that have threaded caps that can be
inverted and used to measure the amount of liquid desired. However,
after pouring the liquid from the cap, some liquid usually remains
inside the cap. When the cap is inverted a second time and is
replaced on the container, that liquid may move between the threads
and down the sides of the container. Depending on the liquid, this
may create a sticky container or, if the liquid is flammable or
toxic, a danger. Thus, it would be desirable to have a container
with a measuring cap on it that prevents residual liquid in the cap
from leaking to the outside of the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] I have invented a measuring bottle cap that removably seals
a bottle that holds a liquid. The top of the cap is a graduated
cup, so that the cap can be removed from the bottle and a measured
amount of liquid can be poured from the bottle into the cup without
inverting the cap. The bottle can then be re-sealed with the cap,
again without inverting the cap, so any liquid remaining in the cap
will not run down the sides of the bottle. The cup may be provided
with a lid to prevent any remaining liquid from leaving the cup and
to prevent contaminants from entering the cup.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is an isometric bottom view of a certain presently
preferred embodiment of a measuring bottle cap according to this
invention.
[0005] FIG. 2 is side view in section of the measuring bottle cap
shown in FIG. 1 with a bottle onto which it may be screwed.
[0006] FIG. 3 is an enlargement of a portion of the cap and lip
shown in FIG. 2.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a side view of an alternative certain presently
preferred embodiment of a measuring bottle cap according to this
invention
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, measuring bottle cap 1 may be attached
to neck 2 of bottle 3. Cap 1 has a seal 4 that is fixed to the top
of cylinder 5. Cylinder 5 has female threads 6 that engage male
threads 7 on neck 2 of bottle 3. To the bottom of cylinder 5 is
fixed annular ring 8 which in turn is fixed to sides 9 of cap 1.
Seal 4, cylinder 5, annular ring 8, and sides 9 form a cup 10 that
can hold a liquid. Snap-on lid 11 is attached to sides 9 by means
of flexible hinge 12. As shown in FIG. 3, rim 13 of lid 11 has
annular indentation 14 and annular projection 15 that engage
annular projection 16 and annular indentation 17, respectively, at
the top of sides 9.
[0009] Bottle 3 may be any type of necked bottle, of any shape and
size. It may be, in cross-section, round, square, rectangular,
oval, or other shape. Preferably, it is a round bottle. It may hold
any amount of liquid, but typically will hold about 2 to about 128
oz. If neck 2 is threaded, its cross-section will be round, but
neck 2 may have another shape (square, oval, etc.) if bottle 3 is
not sealed with a threaded cap, but is sealed by a snap-on cap or
other type of seal. Bottle 3 may be made of a variety of materials,
including metals and ceramics, but it is preferably made of glass
or plastic as those materials are inexpensive and unreactive with
liquids likely to be placed inside the bottle. Bottle 3 may be used
to hold any liquid, but it is most suited for holding liquids that
are meant to be used in measured amounts, such as medicine, liquid
vitamins and supplements, dietary drinks, detergent, cooking oil,
etc.
[0010] Neck 2 is sealed by seal 4, which prevents liquid within
bottle 3 from coming out of bottle 3. Seal 4 may seal bottle 3 by
means of threads on outside of neck 2 and the inside of sealing
portion 4, by means of which it may be screwed against neck 2, as
shown in the drawings, or by other means, such as a snap-on lid
similar to snap-on lid 11.
[0011] Sides 9 of cap 1 may be round, rectangular, square, oval,
elliptical, polygonal, or other shape in cross-section. The top of
sides 9 may have a rounded triangular shape that easily
accommodates the mouth and nose of a person drinking from cup 10.
Sides 9 are preferably wider than neck 2 so that a person's mouth
can easily fit over the upper edge of sides 9 for drinking from cup
10, but sides 9 may also be as narrow as neck 2 or narrower than
neck 2, so that the entire top of cup 10 can be inserted into a
person's mouth to drink. Sides 9 are preferably transparent or
translucent so that a person can easily see the contents of cup 10.
Also, sides 9 preferably have one or more horizontal marks or
gradations 18 thereon or therein, that indicate the amount of
liquid within cup 10. Cup 10 preferably holds about 0.25 to about 8
oz, but may hold more or less than that amount if desired.
[0012] While lid 11 is optional, it is preferably provided to
prevent contaminants from entering cup 10 and to prevent any liquid
remaining within cup 10 from leaving. Similarly, hinge 12 is
preferably provided to prevent the misplacement and loss of lid 11.
While a snap-on lid, as shown in the drawings, that seals cup 10 by
means of annular indentations and projections, as shown in FIG. 3,
is preferred, other means of sealing cup 10 may also be used, such
as the male and female threads used on cylinder 6 and neck 2,
respectively.
[0013] Cap 1 is preferably made of plastic or glass for ease of
construction, lower cost, and unreactivity with liquids likely to
be used in bottle 3, but it could also be constructed of ceramic,
metal, or other materials or mixtures of materials. Plastic is the
preferred material as the entire cap 3, including lid 11 and hinge
12, can be made of a single piece of plastic by, for example,
injection molding; polyethylene or polypropylene is the preferred
plastic.
[0014] Referring now to FIG. 4, cap 19 is similar to cap 1, except
that annular ring 20 is attached to the top of cylinder 21. The cap
shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 is preferred as that cap is more compact
and takes up less space.
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