Push-button-type Cap For Container

Abstract

A novel push-button-type cap comprising: an engaging cap member with elastic means for detachably engaging the receiving means formed on the circumference of the mouth portion of a container; an inner cap member having a botton-closed top-open spaced walls forming a gap for receiving therein said engaging cap member and having apertures for passing said elastic engaging means therethrough for enabling the latter means to engage and disengaging said receiving means of the container mouth; a top-closed push-button member having a circumferential wall slidably inserted between the inner cap member and the elastic engaging means of the engaging cap member to progressively engage the engaging means as this push-button member is depressed to release the locking state between the engaging means and the receiving means of the container mouth; a packing means interposed between said mouth and said inner cap for blocking the mouth; with or without spring means facilitating the returning to the normal position of the push-button member; and with or without an outer cap member housing the aforesaid member and having an opening to expose the top of the push-button member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to a cap for sealing and covering the open dispensing mouth of a container such as bottle.

B. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional caps for containers may be divided into the following two types, i.e., the screw type and the twist type. In each of these known types, the cap had to be opened or removed from the mouth of the container by intensively turning the cap either leftwise or rightwise after nipping the cap between fingers of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, therefore, is intended to drastically improve the conventional manner of opening or removing caps from containers of the type described and to provide a cap of a perfectly new type such that the cap can be released automatically from its state of locking-engagement with the circumference of the mouth of the container by a mere depression of the button exposed at top of the cap, and moreover which can be brought into locking-engagement with the circumference of the mouth of the container by a mere depression of the cap as a whole onto the mouth of the container.

Thus, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a new push-button type cap.

More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a cap of the type to be pressed against the mouth portion of a container such as a bottle to seal and cover the opening of said mouth, which cap being arranged so that the fixing of this cap to the mouth portion of the container and the removal of the cap therefrom can both be accomplished quite easily by the mere depression of the top region of this cap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap of the type described, which cap being arranged so that, when it is intended to remove the cap from the mouth portion of a container to which it has been fixed, the cap is depressed at its top, whereupon the cap as a whole disengages the mouth portion of the cap and lifts itself therefrom as a reactive movement, thus unfailingly attaining the purpose of removing the cap from the mouth of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view, in exploded fashion, of the respective component members, partly broken away, of a first example of the cap embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the cap of FIG. 1 in the state that its component members are assembled together and that this cap as a whole is applied to the mouth portion of a container, sealing the opening of this mouth.

FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the cap of FIG. 2A showing the relations of the component members as this cap is operated to be removed from the mouth portion of the container.

FIGS. 3 and 5 are explanatory perspective views, in exploded fashion, of the caps representing a second example and a third example of the present invention, respectively, to show the respective component members, partly broken away.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are sectional views of the cap of said second example in its state similar to that shown in FIG. 2A and that shown in FIG. 2B, respectively.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are sectional views of the cap of said third example in its state similar to FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively.

Similar members are indicated by similar reference numerals and letters throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Example

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a first example of the cap according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, A represents generally the mouth portion of a bottle. A ring-like groove 1 is formed at a predetermined position circumferentially of this mouth portion A. A plurality of positioning projecting ribs 2 are provided, in spaced relation with each other, on the circumference of the stepped portion adjacent to said ring-like groove 1. B represents generally an engaging cap member having an outer wall and a relatively broad upper end bank. From a plural number of predetermined spaced sites of the inner side of this upper end bank depends downwardly engaging legs 4 each having a projection 3 which extends proximally at the lowermost end of the leg 4 and which is adapted to engage in the ring-like groove 1 of this mouth portion A of the bottle. Each of said legs 4 has a rib 5 formed on the inner side thereof, said rib 5 having a triangular configuration with the apex positioned at the upper inner portion of the leg 4 and broadening, in tapering fashion, as it extends downwardly from said apex. At the lower end portion of the outer wall of the engaging cap member B is formed a recess adapted to receive the upper end of an inner cap member which will be described later. In this first example, the engaging leg 4 is provided, on the inner side thereof, with a tapered rib 5. However, depending on the condition required, the engaging leg 4 may be bent to have a tapered edge, instead of the provision of said rib 5. C represents generally a packing which is generally of a disk-like shape and is interposed between the mouth portion A of the bottle and the inner cap member D which will be described later.

D represents generally an inner cap member having a tubular outer wall with a diameter such that this wall can be snugly received in the recess formed at the lower end of the outer wall of the engaging cap member B. This inner cap member D also has, thereinside, an inner tubular member 7 adapted to engage the mouth portion A of the bottle. Said inner tubular member 7 is coupled integrally to the tubular outer wall 6 at their lowermost ends by a coupling member 8. The inner tubular member 7 is spaced from the tubular outer wall 6 at a distance sufficient for receiving both the engaging legs 4 and a push-button which will be described later. Said inner tubular member 7 has, at predetermined sites, a plural number of apertures 9 corresponding to the projections 3 of the engaging legs 4 each for receiving said projection 3. Said inner tubular member 7 has its top portion which is of a dish shape. A hollow cylindrical member 10 extends upright from the central portion said dish-shaped top portion. The inner tubular member 7 has, at the lower end portion of the inner wall thereof, a plural number of positioning ribs 11 adapted to engage the positioning ribs 2 of the mouth portion A of the bottle.

E represents generally a push-button having a lower tubular portion of a larger diameter and an upper tubular portion of a smaller diameter which are formed on the outer circumference of this button. This lower tubular portion of the push-button E has an inner diameter sufficient for being mounted on the inner tubular member 7 of the inner cap member D and also for vertical sliding movement around said inner tubular member 7. Furthermore, a hollow tubular column 12 depends downwardly from the central portion of the inner side of the top of the push-button E, said column having an inner diameter sufficient for receiving the hollow cylindrical member 10 of the inner cap member D. A spring 13 is mounted around said hollow tubular column 12.

In this first example, there is prepared separately an outer cap member F, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, for accommodating thereinside both the inner cap member D and the engaging cap member B. This outer cap member F has an opening 16 formed in its top for allowing only the head of the upper tubular portion of the push-button E to be exposed through said opening 16.

The first example of the cap according to the present invention is fabricated in the following manner. As will be understood from FIGS. 2A and 2B, firstly the lower end of the engaging cap member B is inserted into the space between the inner tubular member 7 and the tubular outer wall 6 of the inner cap member D until the engaging cap member B is posted in place in said inner cap member D. At the same time with this, the projections 3 of the legs 4 of the engaging cap member B are inserted through the corresponding apertures 9 of the inner tubular member 7 of the inner cap member D from the outside of these apertures to protrude inwardly from these apertures, respectively. Next, the push-button E is mounted onto the inner tubular member 7 from thereabove. Along with this, the hollow cylindrical member 10 is inserted in the hollow tubular column 12 of the push-button E, and also a spring is provided therearound. Then, the outer cap member F is mounted on the push-button E from thereabove, thereby accommodating and anchoring, inside this outer cap member F, both the engaging cap member B and the inner cap member D to thereby provide an integral assembly of these component members in such a way that the head of the push-button E is exposed through the opening 16 of the outer cap member F. Furthermore, the packing C is mounted onto the lower end of the top of the inner tubular member 7 of the inner cap member D. In this way, the cap as a whole is fabricated.

In use, the push-button E which is exposed through the opening 16 of the outer cap member F is depressed downwardly as will be appreciated by referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B. Whereupon, this push-button E will progressively move downwardly along the outer circumferential wall of the inner tubular member 7 of the inner cap member D while pressing on the spring 13. During this sliding downward movement of said push-button E, the lower tubular portion constituting a part of the outer circumferential wall of the push-button E will progressively engage the tapered ribs 5 of the engaging legs 4 of the engaging cap member B. Accordingly, these engaging legs 4 will be urged outwardly progressively by the push-button E to widen the distance between each substantially opposing legs 4. Thus, eventually the projections 3 which are provided at the lowermost ends of the engaging legs 4 will be caused to be withdrawn completely from the ring-like groove 1 of the mouth portion A of the bottle. Whereby, the locked state established till then between the cap and the mouth portion of the bottle is released. Thus, the cap can now be readily removed from the mouth portion of the bottle. It will be appreciated that with the release of the depressing force applied to the push-button E therefrom, the push-button E will resume its initial position by the restoring force of the spring 13.

In case it is intended to fix the removed cap onto the mouth portion A of the bottle, it is only necessary to coercively insert this mouth portion A into the cavity of the cap. Since the engaging legs 4 are resilient, these legs 4 are automatically rendered wide apart relative to each other, respectively. Thus, the mouth portion A of the bottle is easily received in the cavity of the cap. Therefore, the mouth portion A of the bottle is brought into the predetermined position in the inner tubular member 7 of the inner cap member D. Along therewith, the engaging legs 4 restore their initial positions so that the projections 3 which are provided at the lowermost ends thereof are again inserted into the ring-like groove 1 formed around the mouth portion A of the bottle, thus completing the locking.

Description will next be made on the second example of the present invention. This second example provides a mechanism operative so that, upon the depression of the push-button at the time of removing the cap off the mouth portion of the bottle, the locked state is released and at the same time the cap as a whole reactionarily lifts itself, and thus there is obtained an unfailing removing action of the cap.

Second Example

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, this instant example also comprises, as in the first example, the combination of: a mouth portion A of a bottle having a ring-like groove 1 formed around the neck of this bottle; an engaging cap member B adapted to engage said mouth portion A of the bottle; a packing C; an inner cap member D; a push-button E and an outer cap member F. Among these component members, it is only the packing C that has a configuration different from the members of the first example. Other members are exactly same as those of the first example.

The packing C in the first example has been described as being of a disk-like shape. In this second example, however, the packing C has an elongated tube 14 extending upright from the central portion thereof. A flange 15 is provided around the cental portion of said elongated tube 14 to prevent this elongated tube 14 from casually detaching from the inner cap member D. As will be appreciated from FIGS. 4A and 4B, these respective component members are mounted together as a combination. One thing which requires attention in this second example is the relationship between the packing C, the inner cap member D and the push-button E. More specifically, the elongated tube 14 of the packing C passes through the top of the inner cap member D to be inserted into a hollow cylindrical member 10 of this inner cap member D, and extends beyond the open top of the hollow cylindrical member 10.

In case it is intended to use this second example, the push-button E is pressed downwardly as shown in FIG. 4B. Whereupon, as explained in the preceding example, the pushbutton E will progressively move downwardly along the outer circumference of the inner tubular member 7 of the inner cap member D while depressing the spring 13. During this downward movement of the push-button E, the lower tubular portion of the push-button E engages the tapered edge-carrying ribs 5 of the engaging legs 4 of the engaging cap member B. As a result, these engaging legs 4 are caused to extend their positions apart as they are pushed progressively outwardly by the push-button E. Accordingly, the projections 3 which are provided at the lowermost ends of the engaging legs 4 are caused to escape from the ring-like groove 1 of the mouth portion A of the bottle, thereby releasing the lock between the cap and said mouth portion A.

In the preceding first example, as the push-button E is depressed continuously further, the top of this push-button E will directly push downwardly the hollow cylindrical member 10 of the inner cap member D. Therefore, let us suppose that the user depresses the push-button E by one finger of his hand and tries at the same time to lift up the outer circumference of the outer cap member F by the remaining fingers of his hand. However, it is impossible for him to uplift this outer cap member F because of the fact that this uplifting force is offset by the force of depressing the push-button E. Thus, the projections 3 and the ring-like groove 1 which have thus once released of their locked state from each other will inconveniently be brought into the locked state again as the depression on the push-button E is removed.

In the second example, however, the depression applied onto the push-button E will not cause the top of this push-button E to directly contact the inner cap member D, but instead the top of the push-button E will depress only the elongated tube 14 of the packing C. If, therefore, the user depresses the push-button E by one of his fingers and at the same time uplifts the outer cap member F by the remaining fingers of his hand, the inner cap member D which is assembled integrally with the outer cap member F, together with the engaging cap member B, will readily be lifted up from the mouth portion A of the bottle. Even when the depression applied to the push-button E is removed therefrom, the cap will never be locked again to the mouth portion A of the bottle. Thus, the removal of the cap is unfailingly accomplished.

Third Example

The third example shown in FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B is of the mechanism which will exhibit the same function and effect as those by the Example 2. The only difference from the Second Example is that, instead of the use of the spring 13, there is provided a spring 18 inside an elongated tube 17 of the packing C. Upon depression of the push-button E, the packing C is directly pushed downwardly via the spring 18.

As stated above, the push-button type cap of the present invention which is described in connection with the foregoing three examples is operative so that, by a mere depression of the push-button, the engaging legs having a projection at its lowermost end for engaging the ring-like groove of the mouth portion of the bottle will be caused to open the legs apart from each other to release their locking, enabling the cap as a whole to be removed. On the other hand, the removed cap can be automatically fixed to the mouth of the bottle by merely inserting the mouth portion of the bottle into the cavity of the cap. Thus, the cap of the present invention is simple and unfailing in operation. Moreover, the projections of the engaging legs are adapted to engage the ring-like groove of the mouth portion of the bottle, and therefore, this engagement-anchoring of the cap can be accomplished without a failure so that there is no fear for the cap to come off spontaneously. Moreover, because of the provision of ribs for effecting relative positioning between the bottle mouth and the cap, there is the further convenience that the positioning of the cap to, for example, a container of other type or of a different shape may be effected also.

In the first and second example, the spring means 13 is housed in the top-closed push-button member so that one end of this spring means contact the top of the push-button member and the other end is supported by the top wall of the inner tubular member 7 of the inner cap member D as will be noted from FIGS. 2A and 4A. In the third example, however, the other end of the spring means 18 is supported by the inner lower end edge of the elongated tube 17.

Description has been made on example wherein a spring means is provided. It should be noted, however, that the spring means is not an essential member of the present invention and that the use of this spring means is intended for causing a smooth returning of the depressed push-button member to its initial non-depressed position.

Claims

We claim:

1. A push-button-type cap for a container such as a bottle, comprising in combination:

an engaging cap member having an outer wall with a recess formed at its lower end and having an elastic engaging means positioned proximal to said outer wall and normally engaged with a receiving means formed around a mouth portion of said container,

an inner cap member having an inner member and an outer wall spaced from said inner member and connected to said inner member at their lower ends by a coupling member to provide an open-top hollow gap in which is received said engaging means of the engaging cap member, the upper portion of said outer wall of the inner cap member being fit in said recess of the engaging cap member, said inner member being fit to and covering said mouth portion of the container and provided with apertures for the passage therethrough of said engaging means,

a top-closed hollow push-button member with a circumferential wall slidably inserted between said inner member of said inner cap member and said engaging means of said engaging cap member for progressively engaging said elastic engaging means as this button member is depressed progressively to outwardly urge said engaging means to release said engaging means from engagement with said receiving means through said apertures, and

a container-mouth blocking means interposed between said mouth portion of the container and said inner cap member for blocking the dispensing open mouth of said container.

2. A push-button-type cap according to claim 1, further comprising:

a spring means provided beneath said push-button member with one end contacting the top of this push-button member, and

an outer cap member housing enclosing said inner cap member, said engaging cap member and said push-button member, and having an open top through which is exposed the top of said push-button member.

3. A push-button-type cap according to claim 2, in which said blocking means is a disk-shaped packing member.

4. A push-button-type cap according to claim 2, in which said blocking means is a disk-shaped packing member having an elongated tubular member extending upright from the central portion of this packing member and protruding through the opening of said inner member beyond the edge of said opening of the inner member and being adapted to contact the top of said push-button member when the latter is depressed.

5. A push-button-type cap according to claim 2, in which said blocking means is a disk-shaped packing member having an elongated tubular member extending upright from the central portion of said packing member and extending through said opening of said inner member and being adapted to contact the top of said push-button member when the latter is depressed.

6. A push-button type cap according to claim 3, in which said elastic engaging means comprises a plural number of spaced legs depending from predetermined sites of the upper edge of said outer wall of the engaging cap member, a projection extending proximally at the lower end of each of said legs, and a downwardly progressively bulging tapered rib carried on the inner side of each of said legs, and said inner member has a cylindrical member extending upright from the central portion of the top of this inner member to contact the top of the push-button member as the latter is depressed, and said inner member further has a plural number of apertures at sites corresponding to the positions of said projections, and said push-button member has a hollow column depending downwardly from the closed top of this push-button member and has a size sufficient for slidably receiving said hollow member of said inner member, and said spring means is provided around said hollow column and engages at one end of the top of the push-button member and at the end the top of said inner cap member.

7. A push-button-type cap according to claim 6, in which said inner member of the inner cap member has a plurality of spaced positioning ribs formed at the end portion on the inner side of this inner member, and said mouth portion of the container has a plural number of spaced positioning ribs circumferentially thereof at positions corresponding to the positions of said ribs of the inner member.

8. A push-button-type cap according to claim 4, in which said elastic engaging means comprises a plural number of spaced legs depending from predetermined sites of the upper edge of said outer wall of the engaging cap member, a projection extending proximally at the lower end of each of said legs, and a downwardly progressively bulging tapered rib carried on the inner side of each of said legs, and said inner member has a hollow cylindrical member extending upright from the central portion of the top of this inner member to receive said elongated tubular member of the packing member, and said inner member further has a plural number of apertures at sites corresponding to the positions of said projections, and said push-button member has a hollow column depending downwardly from the closed top of this push-button member and has a size sufficient for slidably receiving said hollow cylindrical member of said inner member, and said spring means is provided around said hollow column and engages at one end the top of the push-button member and at the other end the top of said inner cap member.

9. A push-button-type cap according to claim 8, in which said inner member of the inner cap member has a plurality of spaced positioning ribs formed at the end portion on the inner side of this inner member, and said mouth portion of the container has a plural number of spaced positioning ribs circumferentially thereof at positions corresponding to the positions of said ribs of the inner member.

10. A push-button-type cap according to claim 5, in which said elastic engaging means comprises a plural number of spaced legs depending from predetermined sites of the upper edge of said outer wall of the engaging cap member, a projection extending proximally at the lower end of each of said legs, and a downwardly progressively bulging tapered rib carried on the inner side of each of said legs, and said inner member has a hollow cylindrical member extending upright from the central portion of the top of this inner member to receive said elongated tubular member of said packing member, and said inner member further has a plural number of apertures at sites corresponding to the positions of said projections, and said push-button member has a hollow column depending downwardly from the closed top of this push-button member and has a size sufficient for slidably receiving said hollow cylindrical member of said inner member, and said spring means is housed in said elongated tubular member of the packing member and engages at one end the top of the push-button member and at the other end the inner bottom of the packing member.

11. A push-button-type cap according to claim 10, in which said inner member of the inner cap member has a plurality of spaced positioning ribs formed at the end portion of the inner side of this inner member, and said mouth portion of the container has a plural number of spaced positioning ribs circumferentially thereof at positions corresponding to the positions of said ribs of the inner member.

12. A combination of the push-button-type cap according to claim 7 and a container having said mouth portion according to claim 7.

13. A combination of the push-button-type cap according to claiim 9 and a container having said mouth portion according to claim 9.

14. A combination of the push-button-type cap according to claim 11 and a container having said mouth portion according to claim 11.