WO2005032963A1

WO2005032963A1 - Bottle cap and container having a bottle cap

Info

Publication number: WO2005032963A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/002111
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yong In Jung; Choon Woo Lim
Original assignee: Yong In Jung; Choon Woo Lim
Priority date: 2003-10-09
Filing date: 2003-10-13
Publication date: 2005-04-14
Also published as: KR20030082527A; AU2003269529A1

Abstract

Disclosed are a bottle cap enabling easy opening/closing of a bottle, and a container having the bottle cap. The bottle cap comprises a discharger mounted on a mouth of a container, an inner cap for covering and sealing an outlet portion of the discharger, catchers mounted in the inner cap to fix the outlet portion inserted into the inner cap, and an outer cap for controlling the engagement of the catchers with the groove while sliding along an outer surface of the inner cap. Both the inner and outer caps move toward the discharger to cover and seal the outlet portion, and the inner and outer caps are separated from the discharger when the outer cap is withdrawn to release the catchers. The bottle can be easily opened and closed through only a simple operation for pushing or pulsing the caps. Further, there is convenience in that the bottle cap and container can be repeatedly reused until liquid contained in the container is completely consumed.

Description

BOTTLE CAP AND CONTAINERHAVTNG ABOTTLE CAP

Technical Field The present invention relates to a bottle cap and a container, and more particularly, to a bottle cap which can be infinitely and repeatedly used and enables simple and quick opening and closing of a bottle, and a container having the bottle cap.

Background Art Generally, bottle caps are used for sealing bottles to protect products contained therein. A variety of bottle caps are used depending on features of products. For example, there are bottle caps such as metal caps for carbonated beverage bottles or beer bottles, which cannot seal the bottles again once they are opened. Further, there are bottle caps such as screw-type caps for mineral water bottles, which can be repeatedly used to open and close the bottles. Recently, since beverages are sold in large volumes in the market, bottle caps which are repeatedly usable get widely used. In addition, since techniques for fabricating synthetic resin products are gradually developed, bottle caps and bottles made of synthetic resin have been applied in various industrial fields. Conventional bottle caps for plastic bottles such as PET bottles are manufactured in the shape of a cylinder with a closed end. Female threads are formed on an inner surface of the bottle cap and male threads are formed at the mouth of the bottle corresponding to the female threads of the bottle cap. The bottle cap is coupled to the bottle through thread engagement to seal the mouth of the bottle. Such bottle caps are mainly used for mineral water bottles, beverage bottles and the like made of synthetic resin. To separate the above bottle cap from a bottle, a user should use both of his/her hands. Namely, the user should hold a bottle body with one hand and simultaneously grasp and turn the bottle cap with the other hand. Also, to seal the bottle with the bottle cap, the user should grasp and turn the bottle cap in an opposite direction. Generally, the bottle cap is more strongly turned to enhance the sealing effects, thereby achieving a securer sealing state. However, as the bottle cap is more strongly turned, it is difficult to open the bottle by taming the bottle cap. Therefore, there are many cases where women, or old or feeble persons have difficulty in opening bottles which are strongly sealed. Further, since the bottle cap should be turned, it may be troublesome to open the bottle and the wrist of a user may be overloaded. To solve the problem related to opening and closing the bottle, Korean Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 1994-0000974 discloses a "synthetic resin bottle cap with a ring member," which can open the mouth of a bottle at once. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional bottle cap. Referring to FIG. 1 , the bottle cap 1 enables opening of the bottle cap without an opener. A pulling ring 5 is connected to one side of the bottle cap, and a line of weakness 7 is formed to extend from the pulling ring 5 and surround a portion of a flat top surface of the bottle cap 1. As the pulling ring 5 is pulled up, the side and the flat top of the bottle cap within the line of weakness 7 are partially separated from the remainder thereof, along the line of weakness 7. Thus, a user can open a bottle by pulling the ring 5. However, such a bottle cap is used to seal a bottle only one time. Once the bottle cap has been opened, it cannot be reused to seal the bottle. Therefore, such a bottle cap cannot be used for a bottle such as a mineral water bottle requiring frequent opening of a bottle cap, or a bottle that should be used several times since it contains a large amount of beverage that cannot be completely consumed only one time.

Disclosure of Invention The present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a bottle cap by which a bottle can be simply opened and closed and any person can easily close the bottle regardless of the strength of force and open the bottle without applying excessive force. Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle cap that can be reused to repeatedly seal and open a bottle. A further object of the present invention is to provide a container having a bottle cap that enables simple opening and closing of a bottle, can be effectively engaged with and disengaged from the bottle without applying excessive force and can also be repeatedly used. According to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the objects, a bottle cap of the present invention comprises a discharger which is formed at a mouth of a container and enables the discharge of the contents through an outlet portion thereof, an inner cap for sealing the outlet portion of the discharger, catchers which partially protrude from an inner surface of the inner cap to fix the outlet portion inserted into the inner cap, and an outer cap for controlling the engagement of the catchers with the outlet portion while sliding along an outer surface of the inner cap. The discharger is fixed to the mouth of the container and becomes a passage through which the content in the container passes when the content is discharged to the outside of the container or stored in the container. Further, a cap assembly including the inner and outer caps is engaged with or separated from the discharger. Specifically, the discharger comprises a discharger body secured to the container, and the outlet portion formed at an end of the discharger body to discharge the content therethrough. A hole is formed at the discharge body and the outlet portion to communicate the interior of the container to the outside. The outer cap receives the inner cap and moves forward or rearward along the outer surface of the inner cap. The catchers are interposed between the inner and outer caps. The inner cap, the outer cap and the catchers form a single cap assembly. The catchers partially protrude from the inner surface of the inner cap and are engaged with the outlet portion when the outlet portion inserted into the inner cap. That is, when the cap assembly is pushed toward the discharger so that the outlet portion can be inserted into the inner cap through an opening thereof, the outlet portion rides on and passes by inclined surfaces of the catchers protruding the inner surface of the inner cap. Then, the catchers are engaged with the groove formed at the outlet portion to secure the cap assembly on the discharger. At this time, since the outer cap supports outer surfaces of the catchers, the engagement of the catchers with the outlet portion is firmly maintained. To separate the cap assembly from the discharger, a user is required to merely grasp and pull the outer cap. Since the outer cap cannot support the outer surfaces of the catchers while being withdrawn, the catchers move outward and thus the engagement of the catchers with the outlet portion is loosened. Accordingly, the inner can outer caps are simultaneously separated from the discharger. In the bottle cap of the present invention, it is not necessary to use an additional tool upon opening the bottle cap. Even after the bottle cap has been opened, the bottle cap can be reused. Further, since the bottle cap can be opened and closed by simply pushing and pulling the bottle cap, it is convenient to use the bottle cap and it is possible to easily separate the bottle cap with small force enough to withdraw the outer cap. The container described herein can be used for storage of an article such as liquid or powder, and there is no limitation on the shape of the container. The bottle cap of the present invention can be used for a plastic bottle, a glass bottle or a metal can regardless of the material of the container. The bottle cap may also be made of a variety of materials. According to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the objects, a container of the present invention comprises a main body of the container, a discharger which is formed at a mouth of the main body of the container and has a groove formed at a periphery of an outlet portion thereof, an inner cap for sealing the outlet portion; catchers which partially protrude from an inner surface of the inner cap to be engaged with the groove of the outlet portion inserted into the inner cap, and an outer cap for controlling the engagement of the catchers with the groove while sliding along an outer surface of the inner cap. The bottle cap is formed integrally with the main body of the container. A cap assembly consisting of the inner cap, the outer cap and the catchers is simply mounted on the discharger so that the container can be conveniently opened and closed. Both the inner and outer caps move toward the discharger to cover and seal the outlet portion. When the outer cap is withdrawn, the catchers are released and thus the engagement of the catchers with the groove is loosened. Accordingly, the inner and outer caps are separated from the discharger. Brief Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional bottle cap. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a bottle cap and a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the bottle cap and the container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the inner cap of the bottle cap according to the present invention. FIG. 5a is a perspective view of the catcher of the bottle cap according to the present invention. FIG. 5b is a perspective view of another catcher applicable to the inner cap of the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the outer cap of the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the outer cap of the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 8 to 10 are sectional views illustrating the process of closing/opening the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bottle cap according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a sectional side view of the bottle cap according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a side view showing a container according to a third embodiment of the present invention. <Explanation of reference numerals for designating main components in the drawings> 10, 20: Container 100: Bottle cap 1 10: Discharger 115: Discharger body 120: Outlet portion 122: Groove 124: O-ring 130: Inner cap 132: Flange portion 140: Catchers 150: Outer cap 152: Catcher-supporting portions 154: Catching pieces 156: Catching steps 160: Spring

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. First embodiment FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a bottle cap and a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the bottle cap and the container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bottle cap 100 according to the first embodiment comprises a discharger 110, an inner cap 130, catchers 140, an outer cap 150 and a spring 160. The discharger 110 comprises a discharger body 115 and an outlet portion 120 and is formed integrally with the mouth of the container 10. A hole is formed at the centers of the discharger body 1 15 and the outlet portion 120 to communicate the interior of the container 10 with the outside. The outlet portion 120 is formed to protrude upward from the center of the discharger body 115 and a groove 122 is formed along the periphery of the outlet portion 120. Further, an O-ring 124 is provided between the groove 122 and an opening of the outlet portion 120 to seal an outer surface of the outlet portion 120 and an inner surface of the inner cap 130 when the outlet portion 120 is inserted into the inner cap 130. The O-ring 124 may be made of rubber or soft synthetic resin, preferably, transparent materials to allow a user to psychologically feel at ease upon drinking a beverage. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the inner cap of the bottle cap according to the present invention, and FIG. 5a is a perspective view of the catcher of the bottle cap according to the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5a, the inner cap 130 is formed to take the shape of a cylinder corresponding to the outlet portion 120, and covers and seals the outlet portion 120. The outlet portion 120 can be inserted into the inner cap 130. Primarily, a packing 139 provided within the inner cap 130 seals the opening of the outlet portion 120, and secondarily, the O-ring 124 seals a space between the outlet portion 120 and the inner cap 130, thereby achieving double sealing so that the bottle cap 100 can provide superior sealing effects. A flange portion 132 is formed at an upper end of the inner cap 130 to correspond to an inner diameter of the outer cap 150. The bottom of the flange portion 132 supports one end of the spring 160, and a label plate 134, on which a trademark or other information of a product is printed, can be attached to the top of the flange portion 132. According to other embodiments of the present invention, trademarks or information may be directly printed on the top face of the flange portion 132. Also, when an outer cap is formed in the shape of a cylinder having a closed end to receive an inner cap, trademarks or information may be printed on the outer cap. The inner cap 130 has three holes formed on the side wall thereof, corresponding to the groove 122 of the outlet portion 120, and the catchers 140 are disposed close to the holes. One end 142 of each catcher 140 is fixed to the inner cap 130, and the other hooked end 144 protrudes from the inner surface of the inner cap 130 through the hole. The protruding portion of the catcher 140 provides an inclined surface in the inner cap 130. Further, the catcher 140 includes a supporting portion 146 formed at the hooked junction portion thereof. The supporting portion 146 could be supported by the hole to prevent the catcher 140 from getting into the inner space of the inner cap 130 too much. Specifically, the end 142 and the hooked end 144 of the catcher 140 are formed integrally with each other while defining an acute angle therebetween. The hooked end

144 provides the inclined surface directed toward an opening of the inner cap 130.

Therefore, when the outlet portion 120 is inserted into the inner cap 130, it easily enters the inner cap 130, because it rides and passes over the inclined surfaces of the catchers.

Also, once the catchers 120 are engaged with the groove 122, the Outlet portion 120 cannot be easily separated from the inner cap 130. Although the catchers 140 are formed integrally with the inner cap 130 as shown in the figures, the inner cap and the catchers might be separately formed and then assembled together according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5b is a perspective view of another catcher applicable to the inner cap of the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5b, one end 142a of a catcher 140a is integrally connected to the inner cap 130 and the other end 144a protrudes from the inner surface of the inner cap 130 while providing an inclined surface. Contrary to the catcher 140 of FIG. 5a, the catcher 140a of FIG. 5b has relatively rigid nature since any empty space is not provided between the both ends 142a and 144a. Likewise, the outlet portion 120 to be inserted into the inner cap 130 easily enters the inner cap while riding on the inclined surfaces of the catchers 140a but cannot be easily separated therefrom after the catchers 140a are engaged with the groove 122. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the outer cap of the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the outer cap of the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 2 to 7, the outer cap 150 takes the shape of a cylinder with opened upper and lower ends, which can accommodate the inner cap 130. Catcher- supporting portions 152 for supporting outer surfaces of the catchers 140 fixed to the inner cap 130 are formed on an inner surface of the outer cap 150 to have a height enough to allow the catcher-supporting portions to be in close contact with and support the outer surfaces of the catchers 140. The catcher-supporting portions 152 are formed at an angular interval of about 120 degrees. Upper ends of the catcher-supporting portions 152 can support the spring 160, and the length of the catcher-supporting portions 152 is determined to release the supporting for the catchers 140 when the outer cap 150 is withdrawn from the discharger 110. Catching steps 156 are formed between adjacent catcher-supporting portions 152 spaced apart from them by the same distance, and have the same height as them. Catching pieces 154 are formed integrally with lower ends of the catching steps 156. One or two or more catching pieces 154 are formed integrally with each catching step 156 while being inclined at a predetermine angle downward and toward the center of the outer cap. The catching steps 156 support the other end of the spring 160 in cooperation with the catcher-supporting portions 152. This corresponds with the supporting of the one end of the spring 160 by the flange portion 132 of the inner cap 130. Therefore, repulsive force is produced between the inner and outer caps 130 and 150. The catching pieces 154 are formed at the lower ends of the catching steps 156 to correspond to protrusions 138 disposed at a lower end of the inner cap 130. Therefore, when a cap assembly is made by inserting the inner cap 130 into the outer cap 150 through an upper opening of the outer cap, the protrusions 138 are engaged with the catching pieces 154 while the lower end of the inner cap 130 passes by distal ends of the catching pieces 154. Accordingly, even though the repulsive force acts between the inner and outer caps by the spring 160, the cap assembly formed by the inner and outer caps 130 and 150 are maintained by means of the catching pieces 154. Further, since the sides of the catching pieces 154 are in contact with catcher receiving parts 136, the catching pieces 154 can move up and down, neither to the left nor right. So, the inner cap 130 can slide up and down without rotating. Although each catching step 156 is formed equidistantly with three catching pieces 154 in this embodiment, the catching pieces may be integrally joined with one another to form a single piece, or the interval between adjacent catching pieces may be changed variously. FIGS. 8 to 10 are sectional views illustrating the process of closing/opening the bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8, the cap assembly consisting of the inner cap 130, the catchers 140 and the outer cap 150 has been engaged with the discharger 1 10 of the container. To engage the cap assembly with the discharger 1 10, the cap assembly is merely caused to cover the discharger 110 and be pushed over the discharger without temporarily withdrawing the outer cap 150. The inner cap 130 moves toward the discharger 1 10, the outlet portion 120 rides on and passes by the inclined surfaces of the catchers 140, and the catchers 140 and the groove 122 are then fixedly engaged with each other. The O-ring 124 and the packing 139 perform the sealing between the inner cap 130 and the outlet portion 120. Further, the spring 160 is provided between the flange portion 132 and the catching steps 156 of the outer cap 150. The spring 160 is a compression spring and produces the repulsive force between the inner and outer caps 130 and 150. Referring to FIG. 9, the outer cap 150 is pulled up to separate the cap assembly from the discharger 1 10. While the outer cap 150 is withdrawn, the inner cap 130 remains in a stationary state and the catcher-supporting portions 152 also slide upward on the inner cap according to the relative movement of the outer cap 150. Since external supporting force exerted on the catchers 140 is removed due to the movement of the catcher-supporting portions 152, the catchers 140 are slightly moved outward. Thus, the engagement of the catchers 140 with the groove 122 is loosened. Referring to FIG. 10, as the outer cap 150 is further withdrawn, the inner cap 130 is separated from the outlet portion 120 and then moved together with the outer cap 150. Accordingly, the cap assembly is separated from the discharger 110 and the bottle cap 100 is finally opened. The inner cap 130 is restored to the original position by means of restoring force of the spring 160, and the catching pieces 154 and the protrusions 138 then inhibit the relative movement of the inner and outer caps to maintain them in the engaged state. To seal the discharger 110 with the cap assembly again, it is necessary only to push the cap assembly toward and over the discharger 1 10. Second embodiment FIG. 1 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bottle cap according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is a sectional side view of the bottle cap according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The bottle cap according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a structure capable of selectively being mounted and demounted on and from the mouth of a conventional bottle. Thus, the structure and function of the bottle cap of the second embodiment are substantially the same as the bottle cap 100 of the first embodiment except an engagement structure of a discharger body 115a. Therefore, the second embodiment can be described with reference to the description and figures of the first embodiment and a repeated description thereof will be omitted. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the bottle cap of the second embodiment comprises a discharger 110a, the inner cap 130, the catchers 140, the outer cap 150 and the spring 160. The outer cap 150 is slidably mounted on the outer surface of the inner cap 130 to construct the cap assembly, and the catchers 140 provided on the inner cap 130 are engaged with the groove of the outlet portion 120 so that the cap assembly can be fixed to the discharger 1 10a. The discharger 1 10a comprises the discharger body 115a and the outlet portion 120. Female threads 117 are formed on an inner surface of the discharger body 1 15a. The female threads 117 correspond to male threads 22 formed at the mouth of a bottle 20. The discharger 110a is engaged with the bottle 20 by turning the discharger 1 10a onto the mouth of the bottle 20. Since packing is provided within the discharger body 1 15a to correspond to the mouth of the bottle 20, the contents of the bottle can be prevented from leaking out when the discharger body 115a is engaged with the bottle 20. Generally, since the size of the mouth of a PET bottle has been standardized, a detachable bottle cap can be used for other bottles and only the bottle cap itself can be sold as an independent product. Third embodiment FIG. 13 is a side view showing a container according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The container of the third embodiment is characterized in that the cap assembly consisting of the inner cap, the outer cap and the catchers in any one of the previous embodiments is mounted directly thereon. The structures and functions of other components of the container according to the third embodiment are substantially the same as the bottle cap and the container according to the first embodiment except the position of a cap assembly and the structure of an insertion cap 210. Therefore, the third embodiment can be described with reference to the description and figures of the first embodiment and a repeated description thereof will be omitted. Referring to FIG. 13, the container of the third embodiment comprises the insertion cap 210, an inner cap 230, catchers, an outer cap 250 and a spring 260. The inner cap 230 is formed integrally with a container 30. The inner cap 230 is formed with three holes corresponding to a groove of an insertion portion 220, and the catchers are formed integrally with the inner cap 230 in the vicinity of the holes. One end of each catcher is integrally connected and fixed to the inner cap 230 and the other end protrudes from an inner surface of the inner cap 230 while providing an inclined surface. Thus, the insertion portion 220 to be inserted into the inner cap 230 easily enters the inner cap while riding on the inclined surfaces of the catchers but cannot be easily separated therefrom after the catchers 240 are engaged with the groove. The insertion cap 210 includes the insertion portion 220 that will be inserted into an outlet portion of the inner cap 230. A grip portion 212 for allowing a user to easily grasp the insertion cap 210 is formed on the top of the insertion cap 210. As described above, the groove is formed along the periphery of the insertion portion 220. Further, an O-ring is provided between an opening of the inner cap 230 and the groove of the insertion portion 220 to seal the container 30. To seal the container 30, the insertion portion 220 of the insertion cap 210 is inserted into the outlet portion of the inner cap 230. At this time, insertion portion 220 moves toward the inner cap 230, the insertion portion 220 rides on and passes by the inclined surfaces of the catchers, and the catchers and the groove are then fixedly engaged with each other. The outer cap 250 is pulled down to separate the insertion cap 210 from the outlet portion. While the outer cap 250 is moved downward, the inner cap 230 remains in a stationary state and the catcher-supporting portions also slide downward on the inner cap according to the relative movement of the outer cap 250. The engagement of the catchers with the groove 122 is loosened due to the movement of the catcher-supporting portions. At this time, a user can pull and separate the insertion cap 210. To seal the inner cap again, it is necessary only to push the insertion cap 210 into the inner cap 230.

Industrial Applicability According to the present invention, a bottle can be easily opened and closed, and anyone can easily close a bottle cap regardless of the strength of force and can open the bottle cap without applying excessive force. Further, the bottle cap can be reused and allow repeated opening/closing of the bottle. Moreover, a container including the bottle cap can be simply opened and closed, the bottle cap can be engaged with and disengaged from the container without applying excessive force, and the container can be repeatedly reused. Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the exemplified embodiments and the drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be apparent that those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can make various changes and modifications thereto. Therefore, the present invention should be construed only based on the appended claims and equivalents thereof will fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bottle cap, comprising: a discharger which is formed at a mouth of a container and has a groove formed at a periphery of an outlet portion thereof; an inner cap for covering and sealing the outlet portion; catchers which are mounted in the inner cap and partially protrude from an inner surface of the inner cap to be engaged with the groove, thereby fixing the outlet portion inserted into the im er cap; and an outer cap for controlling the engagement of the catchers with the groove by selectively supporting outer surfaces of the catchers while sliding along an outer surface of the inner cap, wherein both the inner and outer caps move toward the discharger to cover and seal the outlet portion, and the inner and outer caps are separated from the discharger when the outer cap is withdrawn to release the catchers.

2. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wall of the inner cap is provided with holes at positions corresponding to the groove of the outlet portion, and the catchers partially protrude from the inner surface of the inner cap through the holes.

3. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catchers are formed integrally with the inner cap.

4. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove is formed along the periphery of the outlet portion, and an O-ring is provided between the groove and an opening of the outlet portion to perform sealing therebetween.

5. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 4, wherein the O-ring is made of transparent rubber.

6. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein catcher-supporting portions for supporting the catchers are formed to protrude from an inner surface of the outer cap.

7. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a spring interposed between the inner and outer caps to apply repulsive force thereto, wherein a flange portion for supporting one end of the spring is formed at an upper end of the inner cap, and catching steps for supporting the other end of the spring by upper ends thereof are formed to protrude from the inner surface of the outer cap and to face the flange portion between adjacent catcher supporting portions.

8. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 7, wherein the catching steps are formed, at lower ends thereof, with catching pieces for engagement with protrusions formed at a lower end of the inner cap.

9. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein portions of the catchers that partially protrude from the inner surface of the inner cap define inclined surfaces directed toward an opening of the inner cap.

10. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein one end of each of the catchers is fixed to the outer surface of the inner cap, and the other end thereof includes catching pieces for defining the inclined surfaces directed toward the opening of the inner cap.

1 1. The bottle cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the discharger comprises a discharger body fixed to the mouth of the container, and the outlet portion connected to the discharger body, and the discharge body is formed with female threads corresponding to male threads formed at the mouth of the container so that the discharger body can be mounted on the container through thread engagement.

12. A container, comprising: a main body of the container; a discharger which is formed at a mouth of the main body of the container and has a groove formed at a periphery of an outlet portion thereof; an inner cap for covering and sealing the outlet portion; catchers which are mounted in the inner cap and partially protrude from an inner surface of the inner cap to be engaged with the groove, thereby fixing the outlet portion inserted into the inner cap; and an outer cap for controlling the engagement of the catchers with the groove by selectively supporting outer surfaces of the catchers while sliding along an outer surface of the inner cap, wherein both the inner and outer caps move toward the discharger to cover and seal the outlet portion, and the inner and outer caps are separated from the discharger when the outer cap is withdrawn to release the catchers.

13. The container as claimed in claim 12, wherein a wall of the inner cap is provided with holes at positions corresponding to the groove of the outlet portion, and the catchers partially protrude from the inner surface of the inner cap through the holes.

14. The container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the catchers are formed integrally with the inner cap.

15. The container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the groove is formed along the periphery of the outlet portion, and an O-ring is provided between the groove and an opening of the outlet portion to perform sealing therebetween.

16. The container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the groove is formed along the periphery of the outlet portion, and an O-ring is formed on the inner surface of the inner cap to perform sealing between the groove and an opening of the outlet portion.

17. The container as claimed in claim 12, wherein catcher-supporting portions for supporting the catchers are formed to protrude from an inner surface of the outer cap.

18. The container as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a spring interposed between the inner and outer caps to apply repulsive force thereto, wherein a flange portion for supporting one end of the spring is formed at an upper end of the inner cap, and catching steps for supporting the other end of the spring by upper ends thereof are formed to protrude from the inner surface of the outer cap and to face the flange portion between adjacent catcher supporting portions.

19. The container as claimed in claim 18, wherein the catching steps are formed, at lower ends thereof, with catching pieces for engagement with protrusions formed at a lower end of the inner cap.

20. The container as claimed in claim 12, wherein portions of the catchers that partially protrude from the inner surface of the inner cap define inclined surfaces directed toward an opening of the inner cap.

21. A container, comprising: a main body of the container; an inner cap which is formed at a mouth of the main body of the container and defines an outlet portion; an insertion cap which includes an insertion portion inserted into the outlet portion to seal the outlet portion and is formed with a groove at a periphery of the insertion portion; catchers which are mounted in the inner cap and partially protrude from an inner surface of the inner cap to be engaged with the groove, thereby fixing the insertion portion inserted into the inner cap; and an outer cap for controlling the engagement of the catchers with the groove by selectively supporting outer surfaces of the catchers while sliding along an outer surface of the inner cap, wherein the insertion cap is inserted into the outlet portion to seal the outlet portion, and the insertion cap is separated from the outlet portion when the outer cap is withdrawn downward to release the catchers.

22. The container as claimed in claim 21 , wherein a wall of the inner cap is provided with holes at positions corresponding to the groove of the insertion portion, and the catchers partially protrude from the inner surface of the inner cap through the holes.

23. The container as claimed in claim 21, wherein the catchers are formed integrally with the inner cap.

24. The container as claimed in claim 21, wherein catcher-supporting portions for supporting the catchers are formed to protrude from an inner surface of the outer cap.

25. The container as claimed in claim 24, further comprising a spring interposed between the inner and outer caps to apply repulsive force thereto, wherein a flange portion for supporting one end of the spring is formed at a lower end of the inner cap, and catching steps for supporting the other end of the spring by lower ends thereof are formed to protrude from the inner surface of the outer cap and to face the flange portion between adjacent catcher supporting portions.

26. The container as claimed in claim 25, wherein the catching steps are formed, at upper ends thereof, with catching pieces for engagement with protrusions formed at an upper end of the inner cap.

27. The container as claimed in claim 21, wherein portions of the catchers that partially protrude from the inner surface of the inner cap define inclined surfaces directed toward an opening of the inner cap.