US20110297682A1

US20110297682A1 - Container with anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap

Info

Publication number: US20110297682A1
Application number: US13/140,819
Authority: US
Inventors: Si Joong Kwon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-22
Filing date: 2008-06-20
Publication date: 2011-12-08
Also published as: CA2691526A1; BRPI0811696A2; EA201000108A1; CO6290736A2; WO2009002057A2; EP2160335A2; JP2010530834A; WO2009002057A3; ZA201000370B; CN101720298A; MX2010000062A; AU2008269836A1

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a container with an anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap, which affords convenience and an improved sensation of use, in addition to preventing the contamination of the cap. The container includes a cap having a cap body, an indication ring, and a plurality of bridges, and a container body having a threaded fastening part, a ring stopping step, and an indication ring seat. The cap body and the indication ring are integrally coupled at a predetermined portion thereof with each other via a coupling part so that they are not separated from each other. A wedge and a wedge hole are provided on the cap body and the indication ring, or are provided on the cap body and the container body, so that the cap body is locked to the indication ring or the container body when the cap is opened to be adjacent to the coupling part.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a container with an anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap, which prevents the loss of the cap, and prevents the cap from idly rotating while contents are discharged out of the container, thus affording convenience and an improved sensation of use, and which prevents the contents from flowing into the cap when the contents are taken out of the container, thus preventing the contamination of the cap.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, a container, which is used to hold liquid materials, including food and beverages, such as potable water or milk, oil, paints, and chemical products, is provided with a container body which has a spout, and a cap which opens or closes the spout of the container body. The cap is detachably coupled to the spout to open or close it through a screw-type coupling method or a pressure-type coupling method using an elastic hooking end.
As shown in FIGS. 33 and 34, a cap 130 is provided with an annular indication ring 133 under a cap body 131 in such a way that the annular indication ring is not removed from a container body 110, and enables a user to see whether a container 100 is opened or not.
The cap body 131 and the indication ring 133 are connected to each other via a plurality of radial bridges 135. When the cap is opened, the bridges 135 connecting the cap body 131 with the indication ring 133 are cut, thus leaving evidence that the container has been opened.
In such a container, after the cap body 131 is detached from the container body 110 to open the container when a user desires to take some of the contents out of the container, the cap body is coupled to the container body again. The detaching and coupling operations are repeatedly conducted. Meanwhile, when the cap body is completely removed from the indication ring, the cap may be contaminated or lost. Thus, in order to solve this problem, the indication ring and the container body may be connected to each other in such a way that part of the indication ring is not removed from the container body.
However, since the indication ring 133 is coupled to the container body 110 in such a way as to be idly rotated, the opened cap body 131 is idly rotated together with the indication ring and is moved to a lower position by gravity when the contents are discharged out of the container.
Thus, when a user puts his or her mouth to the container body in order to drink contents, the cap body contacts his or her mouth or jaw, thus giving the user an unpleasant feeling and being cumbersome. Further, when the contents are transferred to another container, the flowing contents pass by the cap, so that the cap becomes dirty and interferes with the discharge of the contents.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

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 container with an anti-idle-rotation cap, which is provided with an indication ring which makes it possible to check whether the container has been opened or not, and prevents the loss and idle rotation of the cap when the container is open, thus preventing the cap from rotating downwards due to gravity when contents are discharged out of the container, preventing the cap from contacting a user's face when the user drinks directly from the container, and preventing the cap from being covered by the contents when the contents are taken out of the container, therefore preventing the contamination of the cap.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a container with an anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap, including a cap which includes a cap body having in an inner circumference threads, an indication ring provided under the cap body in such a way that the indication ring is not removed from a container body, and a plurality of bridges connecting the cap body to the indication ring and being easily cut when the cap is twisted; and the container body which includes a threaded fastening part provided on a spout of the container body to correspond to the cap body, a ring stopping step provided under the threaded fastening part so as to prevent removal of the indication ring, a support step provided under the ring stopping step to support the indication ring, and an indication ring seat provided between the ring stopping step and the support step, wherein the cap body and the indication ring are integrally coupled at a predetermined portion thereof with each other via a coupling part so that the cap body and the indication ring are not separated from each other, and a wedge and a wedge hole are provided on the cap body and the indication ring, or are provided on the cap body and the container body, so that the cap body is locked to the indication ring or the container body when the cap is opened to be adjacent to the coupling part.

Advantageous Effects

As described above, the present invention provides a container with an anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap, which is provided with an indication ring which makes it possible to check whether the container is opened or not, and prevents the loss and idle rotation of the cap when the cap is opened, thus preventing the cap from rotating downwards due to gravity when contents are discharged out of the container, preventing the cap from contacting a user's face when the user drinks directly from the container, and preventing the cap from being covered by the contents when the contents are taken out of the container, therefore preventing the contamination of the cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the assembled state of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the state in which a cap of FIG. 2 is opened;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the construction of a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a container according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the assembled state of the container of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating the state in which a cap of FIG. 7 is opened;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view illustrating a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which part of the container is omitted;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view illustrating a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which part of the container is omitted;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the varying state of a cap of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view illustrating the assembled state of the container of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a view illustrating the state in which a cap of FIG. 13 is opened;

FIG. 15 is a view illustrating the state in which the cap of FIG. 13 is opened and is fixed at the open position;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a view illustrating the construction of a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a view illustrating the construction of a cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view illustrating the state in which the cap of FIG. 18 is locked to a container body;

FIG. 20 is a view illustrating the state in which the cap of FIG. 19 is opened;

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of the construction of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a view illustrating the varying state of a cap of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view illustrating the assembled state of the container of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a view illustrating the state in which the cap of FIG. 23 is opened and is fixed at the open position;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled state of the container of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a sectional view illustrating a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which part of the container is omitted;

FIG. 29 is a sectional view illustrating a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which part of the container is omitted;

FIG. 30 is a sectional view taken along line D-D of FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a sectional view illustrating a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which part of the container is omitted;

FIG. 32 is a sectional view taken along line E-E of FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a view illustrating a conventional container; and

FIG. 34 is a view illustrating the state in which a cap of FIG. 33 is opened.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS OF IMPORTANT PARTS

- 1: container with anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to the present invention
- a: wedge b: wedge hole c: locking protrusion
- 10: container body 11: threaded fastening part
- 13: stopping step
- 14: indication ring seat 141: locking hole
- 15: support step
- 30: cap 31: cap body 323: lever type wedge
- 33: indication ring 337: horizontal cut part
- 34: coupling part
- 341: coupler 343: cap support strip 35: bridge

Mode for the Invention

Hereinafter, a container with an anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the assembled state of the container of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the state in which a cap of FIG. 2 is opened, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a container 1 with an anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cap 30 and a container body 10. The cap includes a cap body 31 which has threads in an inner circumference thereof, an indication ring 33 which is provided under the cap body 31 in such a way that the indication ring is not removed from the container body 10, and a plurality of bridges 35 which connect the cap body 31 to the indication ring 33, and are easily cut when the cap is twisted. The container body includes a threaded fastening part 11 which is provided on a spout of the container body to correspond to the cap body 31, a ring stopping step 13 which is provided under the threaded fastening part 11 to prevent the removal of the indication ring 33, a support step 15 which is provided under the ring stopping step 13 to support the indication ring 33, and an indication ring seat 14 which is provided between the ring stopping step and the support step. Here, the cap body 31 and the indication ring 33 are integrally coupled at a predetermined portion thereof with each other via a coupling part 34 so that the cap body and the indication ring are not separated from each other. A wedge a and a wedge hole b are provided on the cap body 31 and the indication ring 33, or are provided on the cap body 31 and the container body 10, so that the cap body 31 is locked to the indication ring 33 or the container body 10 when the cap is opened to thus be adjacent to the coupling part 34.
The wedge a comprises a vertical protrusion 321 provided at a predetermined position on the outer circumference of the cap 30. Preferably, the wedge hole b comprises wedge holes which are continuously formed in the outer circumference of the support step 15 or the outer circumference of the indication ring 33 to correspond to the vertical protrusion 321.
As shown in FIG. 5, the vertical protrusion 321 may comprise an anti-slip uneven part throughout the outer circumference of the cap body 31.
Preferably, the wedge hole b is formed such that its inlet is narrow, thus preventing the wedge a from being removed from the wedge hole as long as external force is not applied to the cap.
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the wedge hole b comprise a wedge hole 322 which is formed in the cap 30 to have a hook-shaped section, and the wedge comprises a hooking rim 152 which is provided on the support step 15 to correspond to the hook-shaped sectional wedge hole 322.
Further, the wedge hole b may comprise a fitting groove 153 which is provided in the support step 15 so that one end of the cap body 31 can be fitted into the fitting groove (see FIG. 9).
The fitting groove 153 defines a gap in the support step 15 so that part of the cap body 31 is fitted into the gap.
As shown in FIG. 10, in the container body 10 having the wedge hole, a spout 10 a of the container body may be made from a different material.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, preferably, the coupling part 34 is formed such that the coupling length thereof varies when the cap body 31 is opened.
As shown in FIGS. 11 to 17, the coupling part 34 includes a horizontal cut part 337 which is formed in a predetermined portion of the indication ring 33 connected to the cap body 31 in such a way as to be offset from a bridge forming layer, thus providing a cap support strip 343 which increases a cap supporting length when the cap is opened.
The cap body 31, the cap support strip 343, and the indication ring 33 are arranged in a zigzag fashion by the horizontal cut part 337, so that the coupling length is increased when the cap is opened.
A second bridge 336 may be provided on the horizontal cut part 337.
Further, a lever type wedge 323 protrudes from the cap body 31 in such a way as to be inclined relative to a vertical direction, and supports the cap support strip 343. The indication ring 33 includes a guide groove 333 which is concavely formed in the horizontal cut part 337 so that the lever type wedge 323 is fitted into the guide groove.
The lever type wedge 323 is formed to be supported by the container body 31 when the cap is opened.
Further, the outer portion of the lever type wedge 323 is curved to correspond to the outer circumference of the spout of the container body 10 (see FIGS. 16 and 17). This construction is more important in the case where the lever type wedge 323 is wide.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, the coupling part 34 may comprise a foldable coupler 341 which is foldable at the central portion thereof and protrudes outwards. Reference numeral ‘342’ denotes a folding line.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 21 to 25, the indication ring 33 is provided with a locking protrusion c, which is locked to the container body 10 so as to prevent the rotation of the cap when no external force is applied thereto.
Preferably, the locking protrusion c comprises flexible locking protrusions 331 which are radially formed on the inner circumference of the indication ring 33, and locking holes 141 are formed in the outer circumference of the indication ring seat 14 of the container body to correspond to the flexible locking protrusions 331.
The locking holes 141 comprise a plurality of locking holes which are continuously formed at the same pitch as the flexible locking protrusions 331. Alternatively, the locking holes may comprise one or two locking holes.
Even if there is no locking hole 141, the locking protrusions 331 are caught by the indication ring seat 14 when the cap is opened, so that the idle rotation of the indication ring 33 is prevented.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, the locking protrusion c comprises a serrated locking protrusion 335 which is provided on the lower surface of the indication ring 33, and a toothed locking part 155 is provided on the upper surface of the support step 15 of the container body to correspond to the serrated locking protrusion 335.
The locking protrusion c prevents the rotation of the indication ring 33 relative to the cap body 31 when the cap is rotated to be opened, and generates torsion force to cut the bridges 35 when the cap is opened first. Further, the locking protrusion functions to prevent the idle rotation of the cap as long as external force is not applied to the cap.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 28, the extent to which the indication ring 33 is fitted into the indication ring seat 14 is controlled, so that the idle rotation of the indication ring is prevented, as long as no external force is applied to the indication ring.
That is, the wedge a and the wedge hole b are formed on the cap body 31 and the indication ring 33, and the indication ring and the container body have no locking structure and are smooth. Thereby, the indication ring and the container body are coupled to each other through press fitting, so that the idle rotation of the cap is prevented.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, variable wings 338 serving as the locking protrusion c are radially formed on the inner circumference of the indication ring 33. Each of the variable wings 338 is folded when the cap is fitted over the container body, so that the variable wing does not interfere with the assembly of the cap with the container body, and each of the variable wings is unfolded towards the container body 10 when the cap is opened, thus preventing the idle rotation of the indication ring 33.
Each variable wing 338 extends from a lower position to an upper position on the inner circumference of the indication ring. Thus, when the indication ring is fitted over the container body, the variable wing smoothly passes over the ring stopping step 13. Meanwhile, when upward pressure is applied to the indication ring so as to open the cap, each variable wing comes into contact with the indication ring seat 14 of the container body, so that the idle rotation of the indication ring is prevented.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 31 and 32, locking pieces 339 serving as the locking protrusion c are radially formed on the inner circumference of the indication ring 33. The locking pieces 339 do not interfere with the assembly of the cap with the container body due to elasticity, when the cap is fitted over the container body, and are inclined to prevent the idle rotation of the indication ring 33.
The operation of the container 1 with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to the present invention, which is constructed as described above, will be described below.
According to the present invention, in the container having the indication ring 33 which makes it possible to check whether the container has been opened, when the cap is twisted and opened, the bridges 35 are cut, thus providing evidence that the container has been opened. Simultaneously, the coupling of the cap 30 with the indication ring 33 is maintained via the coupling part 34. The wedge a and the wedge hole b are formed on the cap body 31 and the indication ring 33, or are formed on the cap body 31 and the container body 10 in such a way that the wedge is detachably locked to the wedge hole. Thus, when the cap is opened and bent backwards while being lightly pushed, the cap body 31 is locked to the indication ring 33 or the container body 10.
Further, when the horizontal cut part 337 is formed to be offset from the layer having the bridges 35, and the cap is opened, the cap body 31, the cap support strip 343, and the indication ring 33 are arranged in a zigzag fashion, so that spare length is ensured when the cap body 31 is detached from the container body 10.
Meanwhile, when the lever type wedge 323 supports the cap support strip 343 (see FIGS. 11 to 16), the lever type wedge 323 is easily fitted between the ring stopping step 13 of the container body 10 and the thread through the guide groove 333 formed in the horizontal cut part of the indication ring 33 (see FIG. 15).
As such, the coupling of the cap body 31 with the indication ring 33 is always maintained, so that the loss of the cap is prevented. Further, when the cap body 31 detached from the container body 10 is bent backwards, the cap body is locked to the indication ring 33 or the container body 10.
Meanwhile, in the case of the foldable coupler 341, when the cap body 31 is opened, the foldable coupler is unfolded and has the function of the coupling part.
According to the present invention, the container, which has the indication ring for checking whether the container has been opened, prevents the loss and idle rotation of the cap when the cap is opened, thus preventing the cap from rotating downwards due to gravity when contents are discharged out of the container, and preventing the cap from contacting a user's face even if the cap is not held in the hand when the user drinks directly from the container, and preventing contents from flowing into the cap when the contents are taken out of the container body, therefore preventing the contamination of the cap.
Although the preferred 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.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Claims

1. A container with an anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap, comprising:

a cap (30), comprising a cap body (31) having in an inner circumference threads, an indication ring (33) provided under the cap body (31) in such a way that the indication ring is not removed from a container body (10), and a plurality of bridges (35) connecting the cap body (31) to the indication ring (33) and being easily cut when the cap is twisted; and

the container body (10), comprising a threaded fastening part (11) provided on a spout of the container body to correspond to the cap body (31), a ring stopping step (13) provided under the threaded fastening part (11) so as to prevent removal of the indication ring (33), a support step (15) provided under the ring stopping step (13) to support the indication ring (33), and an indication ring seat (14) provided between the ring stopping step and the support step, wherein

the cap body (31) and the indication ring (33) are integrally coupled at a predetermined portion thereof with each other via a coupling part (34) so that the cap body and the indication ring are not separated from each other, and

a wedge (a) and a wedge hole (b) are provided on the cap body (31) and the indication ring (33), or are provided on the cap body and the container body (10), so that the cap body (31) is locked to the indication ring (33) or the container body (10) when the cap is opened to be adjacent to the coupling part (34).

2. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 1, wherein the wedge (a) comprises a vertical protrusion (321) provided at a predetermined position on an outer circumference of the cap (30), and the wedge hole (b) comprises wedge holes which are continuously formed in an outer circumference of the support step (15) or an outer circumference of the indication ring (33) to correspond to the vertical protrusion (321).

3. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 1, wherein

the wedge hole (b) comprises a wedge hole (322) formed in the cap (30) to have a hook-shaped section, and

the wedge comprises a hooking rim (152) provided on the support step (15) to correspond to the hook-shaped sectional wedge hole (322).

4. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 1, wherein the wedge hole (b) comprises a fitting groove (153) provided in the support step (15) so that an end of the cap body (31) is fitted into the fitting groove.

5. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 1, wherein the coupling part (34) is formed such that a coupling length thereof varies when the cap body (31) is opened.

6. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 5, wherein the coupling part (34) comprises a horizontal cut part (337) which is formed in a predetermined portion of the indication ring (33) connected to the cap body (31) in such a way as to be offset from a bridge forming layer, thus providing a cap support strip (343) which increases a cap supporting length when the cap is opened, therefore variably increasing a coupling length when the cap body (31) is opened.

7. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 6, wherein

a lever type wedge (323) protrudes from the cap body (31) in such a way as to be inclined relative to a vertical direction, and supports the cap support strip (343), and

the indication ring (33) comprises a guide groove (333) which is concavely formed in the horizontal cut part (337) so that the lever type wedge (323) is fitted into the guide groove.

8. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 7, wherein an outer portion of the lever type wedge (323) is curved to correspond to an outer circumference of the spout of the container body (10).

9. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 6, wherein the coupling part (34) comprises a foldable coupler (341) which is foldable at a central portion thereof and protrudes out.

10. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 6, wherein the indication ring (33) is provided with a locking protrusion (c) which is locked to the container body (10) so as to prevent rotation of the cap when external force is not applied thereto.

11. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 10, wherein

the locking protrusion (c) comprises flexible locking protrusions (331) which are radially formed on an inner circumference of the indication ring (33), and locking holes (141) are formed in an outer circumference of the indication ring seat (14) of the container body to correspond to the flexible locking protrusions (331).

12. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 10, wherein the locking protrusion (c) comprises on a lower surface of the indication ring (33) a serrated locking protrusion (335), and a toothed locking part (155) is provided on an upper surface of the support step (15) of the container body to correspond to the serrated locking protrusion (335).

13. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 6, wherein an extent to which the indication ring (33) is fitted into the indication ring seat (14) is controlled so that idle rotation of the indication ring is prevented as long as external force is not applied to the indication ring.

14. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 6, wherein

variable wings (338) serving as the locking protrusion (c) are radially formed on the inner circumference of the indication ring (33), and

each of the variable wings (338) is folded when the cap is fitted over the container body, so that the variable wing does not interfere with assembly of the cap with the container body, and each of the variable wings is unfolded towards the container body (10) when the cap is opened, thus preventing idle rotation of the indication ring (33).

15. The container with the anti-loss and anti-idle-rotation cap according to claim 6, wherein

locking pieces (339) serving as the locking protrusion (c) are radially formed on the inner circumference of the indication ring (33), and

the locking pieces (339) do not interfere with assembly of the cap with the container body due to elasticity, when the cap is fitted over the container body, and are inclined to prevent the idle rotation of the indication ring (33).