The invention relates to a drinking device, to a pack of at least two drinking devices, to a method of manufacturing a drinking device and to a method of using a drinking device.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

In particular, the invention is related to a drinking device comprising a beverage bottle and a drink- through spout cap, said bottle having a body and a neck provided with an opening and a threaded region, said bottle being at least partially filled with a beverage.

Generally, the known drink-through spout caps can be attached to a container such as baby learning cup which needs to be fulfilled with the beverage before use.

However, the manipulation of a first beverage bottle containing the beverage which is emptied in the container can be difficult depending on where the user is, especially for example in the transport like in the bus, because the risk of pouring the beverage out of the container. Moreover, this manipulation can lead to a contamination of the beverage.

Besides, the known drink-through spout caps, as the baby learning cups, are usually reused leading again to a risk of contamination of the beverage especially in countries where the sanitary conditions are modest.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An objective of the present invention is to avoid these drawbacks.

To this end, it is provided a drinking device comprising a beverage bottle already filled with a beverage and a drink-through spout cap, a pack of at least two such drinking devices, a method of manufacturing such a drinking device and a method of using such a drinking device.

To this end, according to the invention, drinking device comprising a beverage bottle and a drink-through spout cap, said bottle having a body and a neck provided with an opening and a threaded region, said bottle being at least partially filled with a beverage, wherein the drink- through spout cap has a spout having at least one aperture formed therein and has a sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being provided with a threaded region adapted to engage the threaded region of the neck of the beverage bottle, the drinking device optionally further comprises a cover for covering the drink-through spout cap to protect the spout, and wherein the drinking device is provided with a sealing means preventing the bottle from being emptied of its beverage.

In various embodiments of the drink-through spout cap according to the invention, one and/or the other of the following features may be incorporated in this cover alone or in mutual combination:

the sealing means comprises at least one membrane sealing means;

the sealing means comprises a gasket provided on the cover;

the drink-through spout cap has a top wall which is provided with the spout and from which the sidewall extend, and the spout has a front wall, an upper wall and a lower wall, the upper and lower walls being connected together and extending both from the top wall of the drink-through spout cap toward the front wall, the front wall being provided with the at least one aperture;

the sealing means comprises a cap membrane seal provided on the drink-through spout cap;

the sealing means comprises a front wall cap membrane seal provided on the front wall of the spout;

the sealing means comprises a sidewall cap membrane seal provided on the free end of the sidewall;

the sealing means comprises an internal cap membrane seal jammed in the interior of the sidewall;

an internal lip extends from the top wall and has a lip height which is smaller than half of the length of the sidewall; the lip height is comprised between 0.1 mm and 5 mm; the sealing means can in that case comprise a lip membrane seal provided on the lip;

the sealing means comprises a bottle membrane seal provided on the opening of the bottle's neck;

the threaded region of the inner surface of the sidewall is a three-start threaded ring;

the sidewall of the drink-through spout cap is cylindrical and has an internal diameter comprised between 25 mm and 40 mm;

the top wall is substantially flat and wherein the front wall is provided with the at least one aperture;

the spout is eccentrically positioned toward the sidewall ;

the outer surface of the sidewall is provided with a finger grip;

a cover adapted to be push-fitted over the drink- through spout cap to protect the spout in cooperating with the sidewall; the cover can be mounted on the drink-through spout cap and is surrounded by a shrink-warp; the material of the drink-through spout cap comprises a polypropylene or a polyethylene and the material of the cover comprises a polypropylene or a polyethylene ;

the material of the bottle comprises a PET; the bottle has a capacity comprised between 15 cl and 75 cl;

the drink-through spout cap is threaded onto the bottle .

It is mentioned that in a particular embodiment of the invention, the drink-through cap does not comprise an internal lip (44) extending from the top wall and having a lip height which is smaller than half of the sidewall length .

The invention concerns also a pack of at least two drinking devices. Actually, the pack can contain two, four, six, eight, nine, ten, twelve, fifteen or sixteen drinking devices .

The invention concerns also a method of manufacturing such a drinking device, comprising the following steps:

a) providing a beverage bottle having a neck provided with an opening and a threaded region, said bottle being at least partially filled with a beverage,

b) providing a drink-through spout cap having a spout having at least one aperture formed therein and having a sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being provided with a threaded region adapted to engage the threaded region of the neck of the beverage bottle,

c) providing optionally a cover for covering the drink- through spout cap to protect the spout, d) providing a sealing means preventing the bottle from being emptied of its beverage,

d) connecting the drink-through spout cap on the neck, and e) optionally connecting the cover onto the drink-through spout cap.

This method of manufacturing such a drinking device can also comprise the step of covering the drink- through spout cap with a cover and a step of covering the cover with a shrink-wrap.

The invention concerns also a method of using such a drinking device, comprising the step of unsealing the drinking device by tearing off the sealing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will readily appear from the following description of embodiments, provided as non-limitative examples, in reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings :

Figure 1A is a perspective view of a drinking device according to the invention.

Figure IB is a perspective view of the drinking device of Figure 1A, without the cover and the cap.

Figure 1C is a perspective view of the drinking device, in which the cover being removed from the cap.

Figure 2A is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap of the drinking device according to the invention .

Figure 2B is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap according to another embodiment.

Figure 2C is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap according to another embodiment.

Figure 2D is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap according to another embodiment. Figure 2E is a view in section of the drink- through spout cap according to another embodiment.

Figure 3 is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap, mounted onto a bottle and covered with a cover according to another embodiment.

Figure 4 is a top view of the drink-through spout cap according to the invention.

Figure 5A is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap according to the invention, mounted onto a bottle and covered with a cover.

Figure 5B is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap according to another embodiment, mounted onto a bottle and covered with a cover.

Figure6 is an enlarged view of detail V of figure 2D.

Figure 7 is perspective view of a bottle of the drinking device sealed with a bottle membrane seal.

Figure 8 is a view in section of the drink-through spout cap according to the invention.

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of detail IX of figure

8.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a pack of drinking devices according to the invention.

On the different Figures, the same reference signs designate identical or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Figure 1A illustrates a drinking device 15 comprising a drink-through spout cap 10 attached to the neck 16 of a beverage bottle 14, preferably tightly. The drink-through spout cap 10 (visible on Figure 1C) is covered by a cover 18. The beverage bottle 12 has a cylindrical body 14 extending along a longitudinal axis X-X and has a cylindrical neck 16. More precisely, the illustrated example shows a bottle having a shape of a cylinder of revolution, but the shape may be of any kind since it is a drinking bottle. Besides, the section can be circular or square, etc. As best seen of Figure IB, the neck 16 is provided with an opening 17 and has a diameter D16 which is smaller than the diameter D14 of the body 14 of the bottle. Actually, the diameter D16 of the neck of the bottles concerned with the present invention is less than half of the diameter D14 of the body 14 of the bottle 12.

The bottle 12 is more specifically a bottle of water or infant beverage and is preferably made of PET ( PolyEthylene Terephthalate ) , more specifically by blow molding or injection stretch blow molding a PET preform. The bottle 12 has preferably a capacity of 75 cl maximum and more preferably of 33 cl to be taken in baby's hands. This kind of water bottles are very light (from preform weight comprised between 10 g and 15 g e.g. for bottles of 33 cl or from preform weight comprised between 9 g and 15 g for bottles of 50 cl) since the thickness of the body 14 of the bottle 12 (except possibly the bottom of it) is much thinner than the thickness of the neck 16.

Both the drink-through spout cap 10 and the cover 18 can be made of polyethylene for instance. However, it is preferable that they are made of polypropylene, such that they can be boiled at 100° C to be sterilized if needed.

As depicted on Figure 1A, a shrink-wrap 22 can cover the cover 18 to protect it from dust and any other kind of dirt. This shrink-wrap 22 is also a tamper evidence and prevents also the cover 18 to be unintentionally removed from the drink-through spout cap 10. Two rows of precuts 24 can be provided on the shrink-wrap 22 to facilitate the opening of the last by tearing off the tongue 26 formed between the rows of precuts 24.

As best illustrated on Figures 2A to 2E, the drink- through spout cap 10 comprises a top wall 32 which can be substantially flat and a cylindrical sidewall 34 extending therefrom and having a sidewall length L34. The top wall 32 is provided with a spout 36 or sipper which extends therefrom opposite from the sidewall 34. More precisely, the sidewall 34 extends in one direction, whereas the spout 36 extends in the opposite direction with regards to the top wall 32.

The spout 36 which is preferably eccentrically positioned toward the sidewall 34 has at least one aperture 38 formed therein, to allow the beverage contained in the bottle 14 onto which the drink-through spout cap 10 is attached to flow through. Actually, the spout 36 comprises a front wall 37, an upper wall 39 and a lower wall 41. The upper 39 and lower 41 walls are connected together and extend both from the top wall 32 of the drink-through spout cap 10 toward the front wall 37. The upper wall 39 is preferably substantially flat but could also be curved, whereas the lower wall 41 is preferably curved. Actually, the upper wall 39 is adapted to be in contact with the upper lip of a baby's mouth, whereas the lower wall 41 is adapted to be in contact with the lower lip of a baby's mouth. Besides, the upper wall 39 is preferably inclined of an angle with reference to the longitudinal axis X-X. The value of the angle is comprised between 10° and 40°, preferably of about 12°.

The eccentricity e36 of the spout 36 can be assessed with regards to the distance between the upper wall 39 at the front wall 37 and the center 0 of the drink- through spout cap 10. More precisely, the eccentricity e36 can be comprised between 0 mm and 6 mm, preferably of about 5 mm .

Besides, as best illustrated on Figure 4, the spout 36 has preferably three apertures 38 rather than one. The apertures 38 are provided on the front wall 37 of the spout 36 and are preferably aligned and spaced one from the other with a gap G38 of about 2.95 mm. The three apertures 38 can preferably be circular and have a diameter D38 of about 1.2 mm or more preferably of about 1.4 mm, so that the beverage contained in the bottle and especially water flows at a correct rate for a baby, neither too fast nor too low. Actually, in order to obtain a good flow, the global section of the apertures which can be comprised between one and five apertures should be comprised between 3.5 mm ² and 6 mm ² .

Coming back to Figures 2A to 2E, the sidewall 34 has an inner surface 34A and an outer surface 34B, the inner surface 34A being provided with a threaded region 40 adapted to engage the threaded region 42 of the beverage bottle 14 as best illustrated on Figures 5A and 5B.

Besides, as depicted on Figures 2D, 2E and in detail on Figure6, the drink-through spout cap 10 and more precisely the threaded region 40 can be provided with an internal cylindrical lip 44 extending from the top wall 32 and has a lip height H44 which is smaller than a half of the sidewall length L34, more precisely the lip height H44 is preferably smaller than one third of the sidewall length L34. Actually, the lip height H44 is preferably comprised between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, more preferably of about 3.5 mm, whereas the sidewall length L34 is preferably comprised between 5 mm and 17 mm, more preferably of about 9.8 mm.

The sidewall 34 of the drink-through spout cap 10 has an internal diameter D34 comprised between 25 mm and 40 mm, more preferably of about 29.6 mm and an external diameter D'34 comprised between 27 mm and 43 mm, more preferably of about 31.6 mm. Besides, the threaded region 40 of the inner surface of the sidewall 34 is preferably with a three-start threaded ring 46 extending radially inwards and has an internal diameter D46 comprised between 27 mm and 35 mm, more preferably of about 28.1 mm.

In order to prevent dust and/or other contamination of getting inside the drink-through spout cap 10 and/or inside the bottle 14, before use, one or several sealing means can be provided on the drink-through spout cap 10 and/or on the bottle 14 and/or the cover 18. This sealing means prevents also the drinking device from being emptied of its beverage before use, the drink-through spout cap 10 being threaded on the bottle 12. The sealing means can comprise membrane sealing means and/or a gasket.

More precisely, a front wall cap membrane seal 33A can be provided on the top of front wall 37 of the spout. This front wall cap membrane seal 33A can be thermo- mechanically or thermo-chemically sealed on the front wall 37 (by stuck or by melt) and/or it can be mechanically hold on the spout especially when it is provided with corresponding protrusions located inside the apertures 38 as illustrated on Figures 2A-2E.

As best illustrated on Figure 2A, a sidewall cap membrane seal 33 Ά can be provided on the free end of the sidewall 34 in complement or in replacement of the front wall cap membrane seal 33A. Like for the front wall cap membrane seal 33A, this sidewall cap membrane seal 33 Ά can be thermo-mechanically sealed on the sidewall 34 as illustrated on Figure 2A.

This membrane seal can also be mechanically held inside the sidewall 34. As best illustrated on Figures 2B and 2C, an internal cap membrane seal 33B can be jammed in the interior of the sidewall 34 at different depth. More precisely, in the embodiment illustrated on Figure 2B, the internal cap membrane seal 33B is jammed in the interior of the sidewall 34, near its free end; whereas in the embodiment illustrated on Figure 2C, the internal cap membrane seal 33B is jammed in the interior of the sidewall 34 in contact with the inward face 32A of the top wall 32.

When the drink-through spout cap 10 is provided with the lip 44, the sealing means can comprise a membrane sealing means, more specifically a lip membrane seal 33C as illustrated on Figures 2D and 2E. More precisely, this lip membrane seal 33C can be fixed on the free end of the lip 44 as illustrated on Figure 2D or can be jammed inside, in the interior of the lip 44, at different depth. In that last case, the lip membrane seal 33C can for instance be jammed in the interior of the lip 44 in being near the free end of the last (not illustrated) or can be jammed in the bottom of the lip 44 as illustrated on Figure 2E where it arrives against the inward face 32A of the top wall 32. The lip membrane seal 33C preferably bears in that case, also against a part of the spout 36, more precisely against a part of the lower wall 41.

As best illustrated on Figure 3, the sealing means can further comprise a gasket 33 provided on the cover 18. This gasket 33 is preferably provided in replacement to the front wall cap membrane seal 33A, but can be provided in complement or in replacement of any of the other sealing means (cap membrane seal 33B, 33C and/or sidewall cap membrane seal 33 Ά) .

However, on the contrary of the above-mentioned sealing means which are to be removed prior drinking, the gasket 33 is not to be removed prior drinking and is besides preferably permanently and irremovably attached to the cover 18.

Besides, the gasket 33 can be elastically compressible in order to be able to tightly bear against the front wall 37 and thus tightly seal the apertures 38 provided on the drink-through spout cap 10.

One should understand that each of the above mentioned cover membrane seal and cap membrane seals can be hold by sticking and/or jamming according to its position.

The above mentioned cap membrane seals can also have a function of sealing the drinking device 15 when the drink-through spout cap 10 is connected to the neck 16 of a bottle 12.

The neck 16 of the bottle 12 is formed by a cylindrical annular wall 48 extending around the longitudinal axis X-X at the bottom edge or rim 16A. The threaded region 42 of the bottle 12 begins preferably at a certain distance below the bottom edge 16A. Like for the drink-through spout cap 10, the threaded region 42 of the bottle 12 has a corresponding three-start threaded ring 50 preferably separated by angles of 120° which makes the drink-through spout cap 10 easier to screw on and off the bottle 12. The three-start threaded ring 50 comprises three threads extend radially outwards and asymmetrical in profile, with an inclined longitudinally upper face to allow the cap to be fitted in a known manner along the longitudinal axis X-X.

The three-start threaded ring 46 of the drink- through spout cap 10 is of course complementary to the three-start threaded ring 50 of the bottle 12 to allow the two to be screwed together. According to the value of the diameters of this complementary threaded regions an elastic deformation occurs; therefore, the complementary threaded regions form more or less a front wall barrier member between the drink-through spout cap 10 and the bottle 12, thereby limiting or even preventing the ingress of external contaminants into the space between the outer face of the neck 16 and the inner face of the drink-through spout cap 10.

Actually, the drink-through spout cap 10 can be screwed down until the inward face 32A of the top wall 32 meets the rim 16A of the neck 16, the inward face 32A forming a sealing bead for contact all around the perimeter of the rim 16A of the neck 16 of the bottle 16. This contact which is plane and transversal to the longitudinal axis X-X leads to the creation of a radial elastic deformation of the sidewall 34 of the drink-through spout cap 10 so that the pressure applied by said bead to the rim 16A is significant and there is no gap between them. This also allows the sidewall 34 of the drink-through spout cap 10 to absorb certain variations in the outside diameter of the neck 16. Thus, said bead forms a second barrier member between the drink-through spout cap 10 and the bottle 12, thereby gradually limiting or even preventing the ingress of external contaminants into the space between the outer face of the neck 16 and the inner face of the drink-through spout cap 10.

Besides, in complement or in replacement to the cap membrane seals mentioned above, the opening 17 of the bottle 12 can also be provided with a bottle membrane seal 31 closing tightly the neck 16 as illustrated on Figure7. The bottle membrane seal 31 can be made of plastic and/or metallic material and can be attached to the neck 16 thermo-mechanically or thermo-chemically . Besides, the neck 16 has an annular a tamper- evident collar 52 located beneath the three-start threaded ring 50. This collar 52 has a shape of an annular protuberance projecting radially outwards from the neck outermost surface.

The drink-through spout cap 10 can be provided with a tamper-evident band 35 as depicted on Figures 5A and 5B . This tamper-evident band 35 is engaged around the bottle 12 against the collar 52 in an analogous manner as the tamper-evident band provided for usual caps. This tamper-evident band 35 allows the user to know whether the drink-through spout cap 10 was previously removed from the neck of the bottle 12.

A second collar 54 defining the bottom edge 16B of the neck 16 is located at a distance from this first collar 52. This second collar 54 is usually of a larger outside diameter and of a smaller height and is especially used for carrying the bottles.

When the drink-through spout cap 10 is provided with the lip 44 it extends downwards from the top wall 32 of the drink-through spout cap 10 and has a circumferential profile adapted to make contact with the interior of the annular wall 56 of the neck 16 of the bottle 12 and thus form a first sealing means. The shape of the lip 44 is adapted to make contact with the rim 16A of the bottle 12.

The top wall 32 of the drink-through spout cap 10 is preferably circular and the sidewall 34 is preferably cylindrical .

Besides, the outer surface 34B of the sidewall 34 is preferably provided with a finger grip 58. This finger grip 58 can be provided with a plurality of thin longitudinal serrations 60 as illustrated on Figure 1C. This finger grip 58 allows the drink-through spout cap 10 to be better gripped especially when mounted onto the neck 16 of the bottle 12.

This finger grip 58 allows also the cover 18 to be better retained on it, since the cover 18 cooperated with said finger grip 58. More precisely, with reference to Figures8 and 9, the internal diameter D18 of the cover 18 has a value comprised between 31 mm and 32 mm, preferably of about 31.8 mm so that it can be pushed on the external diameter D'34 of the drink-through spout cap 10. An internal and circular rim 61 is provided on the free end of the cover 18 and has a diameter D61 comprised between 31 mm and 31.5 mm, preferably of about 31.4 mm, such that the cover 18 can be elastically rose in strength onto the outer surface 34B of the drink-through spout cap 10.

Besides, a circular rim 62 provided on the free end of the outer surface 34B of the drink-through spout cap 10 can cooperate with the rim 61 and thus prevents the cover 18 from being too much pushed on the drink-through spout cap 10 and thus prevents the apertures 38 to be damaged. Thus, cover 18 can be push-fitted over the drink- through spout cap 10 to protect the spout 36 in cooperating with the sidewall 34.

The cover 18 can further be provided with at least one internal longitudinal serration 64 provided inside the cover 18 as best illustrated on Figure 1C. When a plurality of serrations is provided, they are preferably distributed equidistantly . These serrations 64 can cooperate with the serrations 60 provided on the drink-through spout cap 10. The number of serrations is preferably comprised between one and a number equal to the number of serrations 60 provided on the drink-through spout cap 10, preferably between one and five. These serrations 64 allow the cover 18 to be attached onto a bottle 12 simultaneous with the drink- through spout cap 10. Besides, when the cover 18 is covering the drink-through spout cap 10 and the circular rim 62 cooperates with the rim 61, the force needed to open the cover 18 is comprised between 0.5 N.m and 1.6 N.m. In that case, an adult can open the cover, but a baby is not capable to remove the cover 18 from the drink-through spout cap 10.

Such drinking devices 15 can be sold individually or grouped in a pack 28 as illustrated on Figure 10. In that case, the drinking devices 15 can be wrapped together with a usual film.

We will now describe a method of manufacturing such drinking devices 15. The first step of the method comprises the step of providing a beverage bottle 12 having a neck 16. The bottle 12 can be prefilled with a beverage or can be filled with the last during the method of manufacturing the drinking device 15. The filling is preferably made under aseptic conditions.

The method of manufacturing the drinking device 15 further comprises a step of providing a drink-through spout cap 10 with one or more sealing means 31, 33, 33A, 33 Ά, 33B and/or 33C and fixing it/them to the drinking device 15 in order to seal it/them tightly on the cover 18 and/or on the drink-through spout cap 10 and/or on the bottle 12, thus preventing the bottle 14 from being emptied of its beverage. Each of these sealing means remains preferably on the spout until the drinking device 15 is used.

Besides, during the use of the drinking device 15, the gasket 33 is preferably not removed from the cover 18.

Besides, during the use of the drinking device 15, the cap membrane seal 33A can even be removed and replaced on the front wall 37 to seal the apertures 38 after drinking especially when the bottle 12 is not totally emptied .

The next step of the method is connecting the drink-through spout cap 10 on the neck 16 of the bottle 12 in threading the threaded region 40 of the sidewall 34 of the drink-through spout cap 10 onto the threaded region 42 of the bottle 12. After having connected the drink-through spout cap 10 onto the bottle 12, the drinking device 15 is ready to be used.

When the drink-through spout cap 10 is provided with a tamper-evident band 35, the method of manufacturing the drinking device also comprises the step of connecting the drink-through spout cap 10 on the neck of the bottle such that the tamper-evident band 35 engaged around the bottle 12 against the collar 52.

The method of manufacturing the drinking device 15 can also comprise the step of covering the drink-through spout cap 10 with a cover 18 for protecting the drink- through spout cap 10 from dust and/or contamination. This cover 18 is of course necessarily provided when the method includes the step of providing a gasket 33.

A shrink-wrap 22 can also be provided, the last step of the method being in that case the step of covering the cover 18 with the shrink-wrap 22.

Besides, the method of using a drinking device 15 according to the invention comprises the step of unsealing the drinking device by tearing off each membrane sealing means 31, 33A, 33 Ά, 33B and/or 33C. Apart for the front wall membrane seal 33A which is provided on the front wall 37 of the spout 36 and which can be removed just before drinking (and can be replaced into the apertures 38 after drinking) and the gasket 33 which is preferably irremovable, each of the other membrane sealing means 31, 33 Ά, 33B and/or 33C needs to be removed in unthreading the threaded region 40 of the sidewall 34 of the drink- through spout cap 10 of the threaded region 42 of the bottle 12, unsealing the bottle 12 by tearing off the membrane sealing means 31, 33 Ά, 33B and/or 33C and then threading the threaded region 40 of the sidewall 34 of the drink-through spout cap 10 onto the threaded region 42 of the bottle 12.

After the drink-through spout cap 10 is mounted onto a bottle it can be used especially by a baby which can put the spout 36 in his/her mouth for drinking the beverage contained in the bottle 12. The cover 18 can be push-fitted over the drink-through spout cap 10 to protect the spout 36. For a further use, the user has just to remove the cover 18 from the drink-through spout cap 10 by pulling it possibly while turning it and the drinking device 15 is ready for use. After drinking, the cover 18 can be replaced on the drink-through spout cap 10.

Besides, after drinking, when the bottle is not completely empty, in order to close the apertures 38 provided on the spout 36, before covering the drink-through spout cap 10 with the cover 18, the front wall membrane seal 33A can be replaced on the front wall 37 of the spout 36. Of course, this step is not necessary when a gasket 33 is provided on the cover 18 since it also tightly seals the aperture 38 like the front wall membrane seal 33A does.

Of course, when the drink-through spout cap 10 or more precisely the cover 18 is covered with a the shrink- wrap 22 above mentioned it is preliminary necessary to removed it before the first use of the drinking device 15 in tearing off the tongue 26.