Universal closure apparatus with delivery system

Abstract

A universal bottle cap capable of threadably engaging two or more bottles of a different thread arrangement having a substance retained therein. The universal bottle cap threadedly engages a bottle containing a beverage therein. Such universal bottle cap includes a cylindrical member closed at a first end thereof and open at a second end thereof. There is a threaded portion disposed on an inner surface of the cylindrical member for engaging a threaded end of such bottle. A capsule like device is disposed inside the cylindrical member adjacent the closed end for retaining a substance to be dispensed into a beverage in such bottle. A device for piercing the capsule engages each of the threaded portion of the bottle cap and the capsule for piercing the capsule as the universal bottle cap is threaded onto such bottle thereby releasing contents of the capsule into such beverage for mixing therewith.

Claims

1. A bottle cap capable of threadably engaging a bottle having a thread arrangement to receive said bottle cap, said bottle cap comprising: a cylindrical member closed at a first end thereof and open at a second end thereof, said cylindrical member having each of a first predetermined length and a predetermined inside diameter; a threaded portion disposed on an inner surface of said cylindrical member, beginning adjacent said open end and extending inwardly a second predetermined length toward said closed end, to engage the thread arrangement of the bottle; a reservoir disposed inside said cylindrical member adjacent said closed end thereof to retain a substance therein to be dispensed into said bottle; and a reservoir opening element (i) engageable with said bottle cap, (ii) operable to abut an uppermost portion of the bottle, and (iii) operable to pierce said reservoir as said bottle cap is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle thereby releasing the substance of said reservoir into the bottle; a retaining ring disposed within said cylindrical member to engage a portion of said reservoir opening element so that said reservoir opening element is secured within said cylindrical member, wherein, the uppermost portion of the bottle maintains said reservoir opening element in a fixed position relative to the bottle when said bottle cap is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle.

2. The bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein said second predetermined length of said threaded portion is at least of a length sufficient to permit said reservoir opening element to move upwards to pierce said reservoir.

3. The bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir is a capsule.

4. The bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir opening element includes a pyramid shaped upper portion.

5. The bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein, an entirety of the reservoir opening element is housed within the cylindrical member.

6. The bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein, the reservoir opening element includes a plurality of edges (i) extending toward the reservoir, and (ii) operable to extend into the reservoir when the bottle cap is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle.

7. The bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein, the fixed position is an abutted position.

8. The bottle cap according to claim 1, wherein, the reservoir opening element includes a plurality of tabs (i) extending toward the cylindrical member, and (ii) operable to slidably engage the cylindrical member.

9. A bottle cap capable of threadably engaging a bottle having a thread arrangement, said bottle cap comprising: a cylindrical member closed at a first end thereof and open at a second end thereof, said cylindrical member having each of a first length and an inside diameter; a threaded portion disposed on an inner surface of said cylindrical member, beginning adjacent said open end and extending inwardly a second length toward said closed end; a reservoir disposed inside said cylindrical member adjacent said closed end thereof for retaining a substance therein; a reservoir opening element (i) operable to slide along a portion of the inner surface of said cylindrical member, (ii) operable to abut an uppermost portion of a bottle, and (iii) operable to pierce said reservoir thereby releasing the substance of said reservoir when said bottle cap is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle; and a retaining ring disposed within said cylindrical member to engage a portion of said reservoir opening element so that said reservoir opening element is secured within said cylindrical member, wherein, the uppermost portion of the bottle maintains said reservoir opening element in a fixed position relative to the bottle when said bottle cap is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle.

10. The bottle cap according to claim 9, wherein said second length of said threaded portion is at least of a length sufficient to permit said reservoir opening element to move upwards to pierce said reservoir.

11. The bottle cap according to claim 9, wherein said reservoir is a capsule.

12. The bottle cap according to claim 9, wherein said reservoir opening element includes a plurality of edges (i) extending toward said reservoir, and (ii) operable to extend into said reservoir when said bottle cap is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle.

13. The bottle cap according to claim 9, wherein, the fixed position is an abutted position.

14. The bottle cap according to claim 9, wherein, the reservoir opening element includes a plurality of tabs (i) extending toward the cylindrical member, and (ii) operable to slidably engage the cylindrical member.

15. A cap element capable of threadably engaging a thread arrangement of a bottle, the cap element comprising: an upper wall and a peripheral skirt depending from the upper wall; a reservoir situated between the upper wall and an end of the skirt; a reservoir opening element (i) situated entirely between the upper wall and the end of the skirt, (ii) operable to abut an uppermost portion of a bottle, and (iii) operable to pierce the reservoir when the cap is threaded onto the bottle; and a retaining ring (i) situated between the upper wall and the end of the skirt, and (ii) operable to engage a portion of the reservoir opening element so that the reservoir opening element is secured within the cap element, wherein, the reservoir opening element is operable to abut the uppermost portion of the bottle when the cap element is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle, and the reservoir opening element is operable to maintain an abutted position with the uppermost portion of the bottle when the cap element is threaded further onto the thread arrangement of the bottle.

16. The cap element according to claim 15, the cap element further comprising: one of a helical track or a vertical track to permit the reservoir opening element to be moved upward and toward the lower wall.

17. The cap element according to claim 15, the cap element further comprising: a substance housed within the reservoir that is releasable by the reservoir opening element.

18. The cap element according to claim 15, wherein the reservoir opening element has at least one aperture therethrough.

19. The cap element according to claim 15, wherein, the reservoir opening element includes a plurality of sloped edges operable to (i) engage the reservoir, and (ii) at least partially extend into the reservoir.

20. The bottle cap according to claim 19, wherein, the reservoir opening element includes at least three apertures spaced about a center portion of the reservoir opening element, and the at least three apertures are operable to allow the substance to pass through the reservoir opening element after (i) the bottle cap is threaded onto the thread arrangement of the bottle, and (ii) the reservoir opening element pierces the reservoir.

21. The cap element according to claim 15, wherein, the reservoir opening element includes a plurality of tabs (i) extending toward the skirt, and (ii) operable to slidably engage the skirt.

22. The cap element according to claim 21, wherein, the skirt includes at least one tab abutment surface operable to abut at least one of the plurality of tabs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and/or other aspects and utilities of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, which illustrates a bottle cap formed according to a presently preferred embodiment of the present general inventive concept prior to being screwed onto the bottle;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, of the bottle cap, illustrated in FIG. 1, which is ready to be attached to the bottle top, but prior to piercing the capsule containing the substance to be dispensed;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, of the bottle cap, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which has been attached to the bottle top and piercing of the capsule containing the substance to be dispensed has occurred;

(5) FIG. 4 is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, of an alternative embodiment for the bottle cap which is ready to be attached to the bottle top, but prior to piercing the capsule containing the substance to be dispensed;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, of the bottle cap, illustrated in FIG. 4, which has been attached to the bottle top and piercing of the capsule containing the substance to be dispensed has occurred; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a top view of the present general inventive concept for piercing the capsule.

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the present general inventive concept illustrating a multi-thread cap design.

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the present general inventive concept illustrating a multi-thread cap design.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present general inventive concept it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.

(11) Reference is now made, more particularly, to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings. Illustrated therein is a presently preferred embodiment of a universal bottle cap, generally designated 10. The universal bottle cap 10 is preferably formed from plastic and has a predetermined substance retained therein. Such universal bottle cap 10 is selectively engageable with a plurality of different sized and/or shaped bottles such as bottle 12 (see FIG. 5) containing a preselected beverage therein and having a threaded end 14 (see FIG. 5) for receiving the universal bottle cap 10.

(12) The universal bottle cap 10 is a cylindrical member 16 closed at a first end 18 thereof and opened at a second end 20 thereof. The cylindrical member 16 has each of a first predetermined length and a predetermined inside diameter.

(13) A threaded portion 22 is disposed on an inner surface 24 of the cylindrical member 16, beginning adjacent such open end 20 and extending inwardly for a second predetermined length toward the closed end 18, for engaging such threaded end 14 of the bottle 12.

(14) The threaded portion 22 is designed such that the universal bottle cap 10 can mate with two or more bottles each having a different thread design. For instance, a first bottle may have a single lead thread design, a second bottle may have a double lead thread design, and a third bottle may have a triple lead thread design, each mateable with the universal bottle cap 10.

(15) In one embodiment, the threaded portion 22 consists of a first portion and a second portion.

(16) The first portion of the universal bottle cap 10 has a thread pitch of 0.135, a thread start point 0.060 upwards from a bottom edge of the universal bottle cap 10, and a thread duration of 1.1 revolutions.

(17) The second portion of the threaded portion 22 of the universal bottle cap 10 has a thread pitch of 0.125, a thread start point 0.185 upwards from a bottom edge of the universal bottle cap 10, and a thread duration of 1.3 revolutions.

(18) In combination, each of the first and second portions of the threaded portion 22 have a width of 0.050, a thread height of 0.045, a major diameter inside of the universal bottle cap 10 of 1.090, a minor diameter of a thread from peak to peak of 1.000, and a total of 8 separate thread segments.

(19) Further, there is a first means, generally designated 30, disposed inside such cylindrical member 16 adjacent such closed end 18 thereof for retaining the predetermined substance therein which is to be dispensed into such preselected beverage contained within the bottle 12. Such first means 30 is preferably a capsule 26.

(20) A second means, generally designated 40, is engageable with each of such threaded portion 22 of the universal bottle cap 10 and such first means 30 retaining such preselected substance for piercing such first means 30 as the universal bottle cap 10 is threaded onto such threaded portion of such bottle 12 thereby releasing the contents of such first means 30 into such beverage for mixing therewith. In the presently preferred embodiment of the present general inventive concept such second means 40 includes a pyramid shaped upper portion 28.

(21) Such second predetermined length of the threaded portion 22 is at least sufficient to force such second means 40 up far enough to pierce the first means 30.

(22) In the preferred embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the predetermined substance is selected from the group consisting of preselected flavors, liquid vitamins and liquid medications. Such preselected flavors are selected from the group consisting of cherry, strawberry, butterscotch, vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, lemon, lime and orange. The liquid vitamins are multi-vitamins and baby vitamins. The liquid medications include aspirin, cough medicine and antibiotics. Additionally, the preselected beverages include water, juices and soda.

(23) Reference is now made more particularly to FIGS. 3-6. Illustrates therein is an alternative embodiment of a bottle cap, generally designated 10, having a predetermined substance retained therein. As described above, in the first embodiment, the universal bottle cap 10 is engageable with a bottle 12 containing a preselected beverage therein and having a threaded end 14 for receiving the universal bottle cap 10.

(24) In this embodiment of the present general inventive concept, each of the cylindrical member 16, the threaded portion 22 and the a first means 30 disposed inside such cylindrical member 16 are the same as in the embodiment provided supra.

(25) However, in this embodiment, there is a second means, generally designated 50, which engages with each of an upper surface 32 of such bottle 12 and such first means 30 for retaining the preselected substance for piercing the outer surface of first means 30 as such universal bottle cap 10 is threaded onto such threaded portion 14 of such bottle 12 thereby releasing the 20 contents of such first means 30 into such beverage for mixing therewith.

(26) In this embodiment of the present general inventive concept there is a retaining ring 34 that engages with a bottom surface 36 of such second means 30 and an upper surface 32 of such bottle 12 for retaining such second means 50 in position in such universal bottle cap 10 to pierce a capsule 26 containing a predetermined substance selected from the group consisting of preselected flavors, liquid vitamins and liquid medications. The presently preferred preselected flavors, liquid vitamins and liquid medications are the same as the ones discussed above with respect to the first embodiment.

(27) Likewise in this second embodiment, the preselected beverages include water, juices and soda. Also the second predetermined length of such threaded portion 22 is at least sufficient to force such second means 50 up far enough to pierce such first means 30.

(28) The present general inventive concept also provides an opening in an upper side of the cap, such as a spout, such that upon engagement to a bottle and release of contents within the cap, the spout may be selectively opened by pulling the spout away from the bottle and/or selectively closed by pushing the spout toward the bottle, such that when the spout is open, the contents may exit the bottle, e.g., for consumption by a user and the like, without removing the cap yet and when the spout is closed, the contents are securely stored within the bottle, e.g., for mixing, storage, and the like.

(29) The present general inventive concept also provides a vertical track 200 to permit the second means 40 to be moved upward and toward the first means 30 with tabs 202 extending from the second means 40 and into the vertical track 200. The vertical track 200 includes bumps 204 to engage the tabs 202.

(30) While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the present general inventive concept or the scope of the appended claims.