DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The present invention relates to the container closures. The present invention can be generally classified into technical field of closures for containers; which are combined with other devices that do not have a role of closing; and where the closures present means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure - without removing the closure - where the activation is done by turning or rotating part of the closure.

Technical problems

The first technical problem that solves the present invention is to improve the existing closure with additional container described in technical field in the way that opening gain a space for the flow of fluid from main container without any visible partition parts in the closure body.

Second technical problem that solves the present invention is the possibility of forming an arbitrary exterior design without compromising the functionality of the container closure and its use with any type of bottles, especially PET bottles.

State of the art

State of the art for the present invention is rich. Usage of the present invention is primarily directed to containers containing a substance to drink, i.e. water, and where the closure contains another substance (powder or liquid) that comes into contact with the first substance from the main container once closure mechanism is activated. The present invention belongs to set of technical solutions where other substances stored in closure, going out of from the bottom of the closure, and where the mixing of said substances is made in the main bottle container.

The first family of technical solutions discloses the closures on which turning of the closure or part of the closure relatively to the main container penetrates the bottom of the closure container, and where broken bottom parts remain bounded to the bottom of the closure. The substance stored in a closure is coming then into contact with substance stored in main container. Such technical solution is disclosed in the international patent application PCT/KR2007/005158, published as O2008/048077A1 filed by the applicant Jeong-Oog. Figure 4. of the said patent application shows the part that penetrates and the part being penetrated of the closure container bottom seen from the users perspective. That appears aesthetically unpleasant to average user accustomed to see only the fluid stored in main container or the bottom of container.

Another family of technical solutions forms a subset of first family technical solutions, i.e. where closure penetration parts and the part being penetrated are not visible by the user. The similar solution is presented in international patent application PCT/US2003/025987, published as WO2004/103853A1 applicant GIBLER, Gregory A. This technical solution forms the closest state of the art for the present invention.

The difference between the invention PCT/US2003/025987 and present invention is in the number of closure components that is higher in the present invention - but where the proposed structure allows that the closure appearance remains the same before and after activation of the closure, i.e. discharge of the substance. Such construction gives closure designers much more freedom in designing the outer parts of closure. Closures with containers that are currently on the market are not dimensionally small (see, for example www.cede itago.com) and are used with non-standard containers which is not the case with the present invention. Summary of the invention

The present invention relates to closure with the container that consists of: the top part (1), the central part (2), the working part (3), the bottom part (4), gasket or sealing foil (5); and which is filled with substance (6) . The top part (1) is connected by thread to the central part (2) . The central part (2) of the closure is coupled with the bottom part (4) in the way that the central part

(2) can rotate independently from the bottom (4) in both or in the preferred direction. The working part (3) is situated within the central part (2) . The rotation of the central part (2) relatively to the bottom part (4) leads to moving of the working part (3) relatively to the central part (2) and the bottom part (4) . The bottom part (4) is formed in a way that can be easily perforated by the working part (3) . The advantage of the present invention is the possibility that that the top (1) , central (2) and the bottom part

(4) faces directed to the user can be arbitrary shaped.

Brief Description of Figures

The present invention is described by Figures 1-19.

Figure 1 shows the closure formed by the subject invention, "loaded" and ready for screwing to another container, e.g. a standard PET bottle. Figure 2 shows the basic invention parts of the closure with the container. Figure 3 shows the construction of top part, Figure 4 of the central part, while Figures 5 and 6 shows cross-sections A-A and B-B of the central part of the closure.

Figure 7 shows the working part of the closure, while Figure 8 shows C-C cross-section of the same part. Figure 9 shows the bottom part of the closure, and the corresponding D-D cross-section is shown on Figure 10. Figure 11 shows E-E cross-section of the bottom part shown on Figure 9, and figure 12 F-F cross-section of the central part shown on Figure 4. Figure 13 shows details of slot construction of the surface part G from Figure 11, while Figure 14 shows a wing construction detail of surface H from Figure 12.

Figures 15 and 16 show a gliding directions of the central part above the bottom part - out of the slot (Figure 15) and above the slot (Figure 16) .

Figures 17A, 17B and 17C show a way of forming the closure from the main parts. Figures, 18A-18F shows the activation procedure in accordance with the said invention. Figure 19 shows one of possible design layouts achieved by the present invention.

A detailed description of the invention

The Figure 1 shows the details of the closure with the container according to the present invention in longitudinal cross-section. The closure is formed of five basic parts:

- the top part (1) ,

- the central part (2) ,

- the working part (3) ,

- the bottom part (4) , and

- sealing mean (5), e.g. in form of sealing gasket or foil, where the closure is "filled" with substance (6) that can be in liquid or powder form. The above-mentioned substance (6) is mixed with the substance stored in the main container (not shown) after the activation of the closure. The position in the closure and the constructional features of the previously mentioned parts (1) - (5) is given on the Figure 2. The parts (1), (2), (3) and (4) are depicted with the corresponding thread positions which technical function will be discussed in more detail later.

Figure 3 discloses the top part (1) which consists of surface (1.1) that fits exactly to the central part (2) , precisely to the surface W

(2.1); thread (1.2) - which is compatible to the thread (2.2) of the central part (2); and the arbitrary designed part (1.3). The only technical task that the top (1) should fulfill is to be able to thread tightly to the central part (2) and to form a unit. Closure top (1) must have inner cylindrical symmetry while the outer part can be shaped arbitrary.

The Figure 4 discloses the central part of closure (2) . The surface denoted as (2.1) has the role of seating position for (1.1) and to stop the top part (1) once being screwed on the central part (2) . For the thread (2.2), except to be compatible with the thread (1.2), no other conditions are imposed. The thread (1.2) and respectively thread (2.2) can be designed with an arbitrary pitch. Position (2.3) represents a place where the closure sealing mean (5) in form of sealing gasket or foil is placed at the stage of assembling and filling. Position (2.4) refers to an external body of the central part (2) of the closure that has to possess an internal cylindrical symmetry, while the outside design is arbitrary. On Figure 4 central part (2), i.e. the body (2.4) is formed in cylindrical shape to facilitate the understanding of the invention.

Position (2.5) refers to the longitudinal grooves made in the body

(2.4) . Minimum number of grooves (2.5) for normal operation of invention is 1, but in practice this number is arbitrary. A sufficient number of grooves (2.5) for normal operation of the invention mechanism are 2 or 3, and it is desirable to be arranged equidistant - but this is not a requirement. Longitudinal grooves

(2.5) formed in part (2.4) extend continuously way down to the cylindrical cavity (2.6) and merge (Figure 5 and 6, cross-sections A-A and B-B) . The technical role of the grooves (2.5) are to serve as guides for the sliders (3.1) of the closure working part (3), which moves within the space (2.9) and in the final phase the sliders (3.1) are being locked in the space (2.6).

Position (2.7) is formed axially symmetrical and serves only to lock central part (2) via the counterpart (4.1) to the bottom part (4); while the surface (2.8) fits to the surface (4.2). Whit the snap connection once produced, it is possible to independently rotate central part (2) of the closure - relatively to the bottom part (4) - about the longitudinal axis of the closure while the parts (2) and (4) are tightly locked together. This technical function is important for the normal operation of the closure mechanism.

The working part (3) is shown on the Figure 7 and its cross-section C-C is shown on the Figure 8. The role of the working part (3) is to move within the central part (2) and bottom part (4) once central and bottom part being locked, i.e. to propagate within the space (4.5). Another role of the working part (3) is to penetrate across the part (4.9) which causes that a substance (6) from the space

(3.4) of working part (3) would be brought into contact with the contents of the main container. One or more sliders (3.1) are formed on the part (3.2), as depicted via Figure 8. Number, size and distribution of the sliders (3.1) mach with the corresponding number, size and distribution of the grooves (2.5) formed in the central part (2) and with the inner diameter of (2.4). Said grooves

(2.5) and part (2.4) do not prevent longitudinal movement of the working part (3) because the part (3.2) is fixed via sliders (3.1) inside the groves (2.5) with sufficient space. The space (3.4) contains a substance (6) and is confined via cylinder (3.3) with slightly smaller diameter than (3.2). Bottom part of the working part (3) is equipped with the thread (3.5) that is compatible with the thread (4.4) formed in the inner part of the bottom part (4).

The role of the conical part (3.6) is to push the substance (6) towards the central space (3.4) of the working part (3) when part (3) is moving within the bottom part (4). The sharp tip (3.7) by which conical part (3.6) finishes has a role to penetrate the part (4.9) on the bottom part (4).

The closure bottom part (4) is depicted on the Figure 9, and the corresponding cross-section D-D on Figure 10. The role of (4.1) and (4.2) is already discussed regarding the snap connection of the central part (2) and the bottom part (4) . The bottom part (4) has the body (4.3) with the inner thread (4.4) where the said thread is compatible with the thread (3.5) situated on the outer surface of the working part (3) . Outer side of the body (4.3) may be formed or designed arbitrary. Volume (4.5) is situated inside the body (4.3) and form the space for the propagation of the working part (3) . Position (4.6) has compatible thread with the main container neck thread, where the neck is screwed into the space (4.7) . The wall (4.8) divides space (4.5) from the bottle main container neck wall, and at the bottom has attached or glued circular part (4.9) that can be penetrated via small force or pressure applied. Such part is already known in the art.

Circular motion of the central part (2) relative to the bottom part (4) around the common longitudinal axis engages the working part (3) . The working part (3) can travel up or down along the longitudinal axis relatively to the central part (2). It is necessary to construct the gliding surfaces of the bottom part (4) and the central part (2), i.e. the surfaces (4.2) and (2.8) in order to prevent movement of the working part (3) in undesired direction.

Figure 11 shows cross-section E-E from Figure 9. The sliding surface (4.2) is equipped with triangular shaped slots (4.2') engraved into the surface (4.2) in the way shown on Figure 13, detail G.

Figure 12 shows cross-section F-F from Figure 4. The sliding surface (2.8) is equipped with the elastic wings (2.8') that extend from one side of the surface (2.8) in the way shown on Figure 14, detail H.

Wings (2.8') have one free end which is raised above the surface (2.8). The other end of the wings (2.8') is firmly attached to the surface (2.8). When the free end of wings (2.8') is pressed to the surface (2.8) wings entirely immerge into the surface (2.8). The wings (2.8') are designed to be smaller than the surface of the slot (4.2') so that the wings (2.8') could elevate from the surface (2.8) and enter the slots (4.2')· It is desirable that the wings (2.8') number and positions corresponds with slots (4.2').

The Figure 15 represents the case when the surface (2.8) is sliding over the surface (4.2) and when the wings (2.8') do not correspond with the slots (4.2'). The relative motions of the surfaces are possible in both directions as indicated by the arrows.

The Figure 16 represents the case when the surface (2.8) is sliding over the surface (4.2) and when the wings (2.8') correspond with the slots (4.2'). The relative motions of the surfaces are possible in only one direction as indicated by the arrows. Otherwise, the wings (2.8') enter the slots (4.2) via free ends and stuck. That will block the motion in the direction that is not allowed.

Such a construction of the surfaces (4.2) and (2.8) with slots (4.2') and wings (2.8') allows the relative motions of the working part (3) only to the position (4.9) of the bottom part (4).

The assembly and filling of the closure is relatively simple. All parts were made by casting from a suitable plastic material - but it is not a prerequisite for the functioning of the invention.

The working part (3) is screwed to the bottom part (4) as shown on the Figure 17Ά to the depth as shown on the Figure 17B. The central part (2) is pressed to from the above to part (4) in order to perform previously described connection with the care that all sliders (3.1) should enter the corresponding grooves (2.5), Figure 17B. The position of the working part (3) inside the central part (2) is formed in the way that the sliders (3.1) are located almost at the top of the grooves (2.5).

The next phase is filing of the space (3.4) with the substance (6) in form of liquid or powder and sealing with the sealing mean (5) in form of gasket or sealing foil. The top part is finally screwed to the closure as shown on the Figure 17C. Optionally, it is possible to connect the top part (1) with the central part (2) using the heat or by wrapping with the foil in order to produce "weak bound" between the parts that user brakes during the activation of the container. Therefore the structure shown of Figure 1 is finally achieved and can be screwed to any container .

The activation of the closure with the container is shown on the Figures 18A-18F. Figure 18A shows the closure and the inner elements before being activated. When user wants to activate the closure, the top part (1) or central part (2) is grabbed with the hand, and the user should begin to rotate mention parts clockwise, looking from the above. Such action results that the working part (3) is being propagated across the bottom part (4) fixed to the bottle or other container, Figure 18B; until it reaches the critical position depicted on Figure 18C, when the working part (3) comes in the contact with the part (4.9) of the bottom part (4). All the way propagating down, the working part (3) pushes the substance (6) via conical part (3.6) towards the central part of the working part (3). Further clockwise rotation of the parts (1) or (2) leads to penetration of the part (4.9) as shown in the Figure 18D and puts the substance (6) into contact with the main container. More rotations of the mentioned parts finally lead the sliders (3.1) out of the grooves (2.5) into space (2.6). In that position the working part (3) can rotate independently from the central part (2) and it is not possible to further propagate the working part (3) into the bottom part (4) which is felt by the user as resistance loose. The working part (3) finally locks one or more parts (4.9) in the position shown on the Figure 18E.

The whole system can be shaken now in order to speed up mixing of a substance (6) previously stored in the closure and a substance stored in the main container to which the present invention is attached. If the week bound between the top (1) and the central (2) part was produced - now it is time to be removed. Finally, the top part (1) can be removed from the central part (2) via counterclockwise rotation relatively to the central part (2) ; the sealing mean (5) can be detached - which allows the consumption or other use of a mixture. The top part (1) may again be screw up to central part (2) an arbitrary number of times.

Industrial applicability

The industrial applicability of the present invention is obvious. This closure with the container is very suitable for forming a closure of arbitrary shape since the activation does not change its external shape, as shown in the Figure 19. Also, any look into the basic container once closure being activated differs from the known state of art, i.e. liquid or bottle bottom could be seen without obstacles .