Travel bottle with twisting locking lid

Abstract

A bottle includes a secure sealing mechanism. A twisting locking lid secured onto a bottle maintains the contents of the bottle. This is achieved by securing a dispensing mechanism in a closed, locked position and sealing an outlet so that any liquids being forced into a dispensing channel are held within the channel.

Claims

1. A cap of a dispensing bottle, said cap comprising a main body, a valve body pivotably mounted on the main body, and a twisting ring body rotatably mounted on the main body, said twisting ring body mounting said valve body in a fixed position on said main body in a locked position of said twisting ring body and said twisting ring body allowing said valve body to be pivoted on said main body in an unlocked position of said twisting ring body.

2. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 1, wherein said twisting ring body includes a radially inwardly projected ledge prevents pivoting of said valve body on said main body when said twisting ring body is in said locked position.

3. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 1, wherein said valve includes a locked icon and an unlocked icon.

4. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 1, wherein said twisting ring y is rotatable 45 between the locked position and the unlocked position.

5. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 1, wherein grooves in said main body cooperate with projections in said twisting ring body to guide rotation of the twisting ring body and to limit rotation of said twisting ring body.

6. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 1, wherein said main body includes a passageway for liquid from the dispensing bottle, said passageway being blocked by said valve body in said locked position of said twisting ring body.

7. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 6, wherein said valve body includes a plate blocking said passageway of said main body in said locked position of said twisting ring body.

8. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 7, wherein said valve body includes an outlet in communication with said passageway of said main body when said twisting body is in said unlocked position and said valve body has been pivoted on said main body.

9. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 8, wherein said twisting ring body includes a gap in an outer sidewall alignable with said outlet of said valve body in said unlocked position.

10. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 9, wherein said outlet of said valve body is pivoted through said gap in said twisting ring body when said twisting ring body is in the unlocked position.

11. A cap of a dispensing bottle, said cap comprising a main body, a valve body pivotably mounted on the main body, and a twisting ring body rotatably mounted on the main body, said twisting ring body mounting said valve body in a fixed position on said main body in a locked position of said twisting ring body and said twisting ring body allowing said valve body to be pivoted on said main body in an unlocked position of said twisting ring body, said twisting ring body including a radially inwardly projected ledge, said radially inwardly projecting ledge extending only partially around a circumference of said main body.

12. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 11, wherein said main body includes a passageway for liquid from the dispensing bottle, said passageway being blocked by said valve body in said locked position of said twisting ring body.

13. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 11, wherein said valve body including a plate blocking said passageway of said main body in said locked position of said twisting ring body.

14. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 11, wherein said radially inwardly projected ledge prevents pivoting of said valve body on said main body when said twisting ring body is in said locked position.

15. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 11, wherein said valve includes a locked icon and an unlocked icon.

16. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 11, wherein said twisting ring y is rotatable 45 between the locked position and the unlocked position.

17. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 11, wherein grooves in said main body cooperate with projections in said twisting ring body to guide rotation of the twisting ring body and to limit rotation of said twisting ring body.

18. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 11, wherein said valve body includes an outlet in communication with said passageway of said main body when said twisting ring body is in said unlocked position and said valve body has been pivoted on said main body.

19. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 18, wherein said twisting ring body includes a gap in an outer sidewall alignable with said outlet of said valve body in said unlocked position.

20. The cap of a dispensing bottle according to claim 19, wherein said outlet of said valve body is pivoted through said gap in said twisting ring body when said twisting ring body is in the unlocked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The following drawings illustrate examples of various components of the invention disclosed herein, and are for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments that are substantially similar can use other components that have a different appearance.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates the twisting locking lid of the present invention mounted on a bottle in a locked position.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates the twisting locking lid of the present invention mounted on a bottle in an unlocked position.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the twisting locking lid in an unlocked position and a pivotal dispensing plate pivoted into a dispensing position.

(5) FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the twisting locking lid.

(6) FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 as shown in FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 as shown in FIG. 2.

(8) FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 as shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) In describing a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

(10) As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, a travel bottle 10 includes a twisting locking lid 12 shown in various positions amongst the three figures. FIG. 1 represents a closed, locked position of the locking lid. FIG. 2 represents an unlocked position of the locking lid. FIG. 3 represents an unlocked position of the locking lid with a dispensing plate pivoted into a dispensing position.

(11) As shown in FIG. 4, the locking lid 12 includes three components. The locking lid includes a dispensing plate or valve body 14 pivotally mounted in an upper portion or twisting ring body 16 of the twisting lid 12. A lower portion or main body 18 of the twisting lid 12 includes a passageway 20 through which fluid may flow from the bottle 10.

(12) The dispensing plate 14 is pivotally mounted in the upper portion 16 by opposed projections 22 located on opposite sides of the dispensing plate. Similarly shaped recesses 26 are located on the interior wall of the main body. An outlet passageway 24 is shown which aligns with passageway 20 of lower portion 18.

(13) The twisting ring body 16 is rotatably mounted about a recessed portion 28 of main body 18. While valve body 14 is pivotally mounted with respect to main body 18, twisting ring body 16 is rotatable through an angle of approximately 45 to block outlet passageway 24 in a locked position and to open outlet passageway 24 in an open position. When in the open position, the valve body 14 is required to be pivoted upwardly to allow passage of liquids through the passageway 20 and into the outlet passageway 24.

(14) The twisting ring body includes four projections 30 which snap into grooves 32 so as to guide rotation of the twisting ring body 16 about the circumference of the main body 18. To further assist in the mounting of the twisting ring body 16 on the main body 18, radially inwardly projecting ledges 34 extend over the valve body 14 to hold it in place on the main body 18.

(15) It is only when the twisting ring body 16 is rotated to position U-shaped opening 36 in front of outlet passageway 24 is the rectangular portion 38 allowed to be pivoted upwardly in the direction of the open portion of the U-shaped opening to allow extension of the rectangular portion 38 above the upper edge of ledges 34 for dispensing a product of the bottle 10. This is best shown in FIG. 3.

(16) Due to the pivoting of the valve body, a projection 40 of the valve body is allowed to pivot away from passageway 28 as shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 7. This allows for passage of liquids in the bottle 10 to move through passageway 20 and into passageway 24. This is not possible without the pivoting of the valve body 14.

(17) As shown in FIG. 1, when the twisting locking lid is in the fully locked position, a marker 42 on ledge 34 aligns with a lock icon 44 on the valve body 14. However, when the twisting ring body 16 is rotated by 45 as shown in FIG. 2, the marker 42 is aligned with an unlocked icon 46 to visually demonstrate that the twisting lock lid is in an open position. At this point, as shown in FIG. 3, the valve body may be depressed at finger recess 48 labeled with the term PRESS so as to remove the projection 40 and to align passageway 20 with outlet passageway 24 and thereby remove contents from bottle 10 upon inversion of bottle 10 and squeezing of bottle 10.

(18) The foregoing description should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.