Bottle closures for repeatedly opening and closure for bottles having a circumferential rim bead are known from US 2.903.148, US 3.973.688 and DE 3009568 Al. Common for these bottle closures are that they comprise a resilient inner sealing element slidably arranged in the hollow of a rigid retaining cap. The hollow of the retaining cap is conical. When the cap is pressed onto the bottleneck the inner sealing element is pressed into engagement with the bead rim at top of the bottleneck to temporary seal the bottle.

Large amounts of beverages, both carbonated and uncarbonated, are sold in bottles having a screw cap. To open a bottle having a screw cap you need two hands, one holding the bottle and the other gripping and turning the cap. It might be difficult for physically disabled persons to open such bottles. For drivers it is dangerous to use both hands to open a bottle. None of the above mentioned bottle closures are applicable on bottles having a screw cap.

There is therefor a need for an improved closure for a bottle having a threaded bottleneck that is easy to open and close without needing to use both hands.

According to a first aspect the present invention provides a bottle closure for easy and repeatedly opening and closure of bottles having a threaded bottleneck, wherein the bottle closure comprises a base member to fasten at the bottleneck and a cap member, where the base member comprises a cylindrical wall and a top plate, where the top plate is provided with a central bore being surrounded by a flange with a collar, where the cap member comprises an inner member slidably arranged inside a retaining cap, the inner member comprising an engaging member having a hook for engagement

with the collar where the engaging member is resting against the inner wall of the retaining cap, and where a narrowing in the inner diameter of the retaining cap causes the hook to be pressed into engagement with the collar when the engagement member is moved from a lower position to an upper position.

According to a first preferred embodiment the narrowing in the inner diameter of the retaining cap is a conical part of the retaining cap.

According to a second preferred embodiment the narrowing in the inner diameter of the retaining cap is an annular rib in the inside wall of the retainer cap.

The inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the base member is preferably provided with threads corresponding to the threads at the bottleneck.

Preferably the engaging member is divided into a plurality of lips extending from the top plate to the hook.

According to a second aspect the present invention provides a combined bottle holder and bottle opener for the present bottle closure, wherein the combined bottle holder and bottle opener comprises a supporting member, a holding member designed to hold a bottle connected to the supporting member via a sliding member that may be moved up and down along the supporting member, and a retaining member connected to the supporting member to retain the cap member when the holding member and sliding member are moved downwards along the supporting member.

Preferably a base member support for supporting the base member when a bottle is placed in the combined bottle holder and bottle opener.

It is preferred that the retaining member comprises a cap support to receive the cap member, and a retaining rib preventing the cap member to move downwards when the bottle placed in the combined bottle holder and bottle opener is moved downwards.

It is also preferred that a spring or elastic member is provided to press the holding member and sliding member upwards.

As used in the present description and claims the expressions"up"and"down"are used relative to a bottle standing at its bottom at a support such as a table.

The invention will in the following be described with reference to a preferred embodiment and the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a section view of a bottle closure according to the present invention in a first position, figure 2 is a section view of the bottle closure in a second position, figure 3 is a section view of the bottle closure in open position, and figure 4 is a side view of a combined bottle holder and opener for the present bottle closure.

The present bottle closure comprises a base member 1 and a cap member 2. The base member 1 is designed with threads 3 at the inside of the lower part to be screwed onto a threaded bottleneck.

The base member 1 corresponds to a traditional screw cap for bottle having a cylindrical wall 17 and a top plate 18. The inner surface of the cylindrical wall is provided with threads 3 corresponding to the threads at the bottleneck. A central bore 5 preferably having approximately the same diameter as the inner diameter of the bottleneck is provided in the top plate 18. A flange 6 having an outward directed collar 7 surrounds the bore 5.

The base member 1 is to be screwed onto the bottleneck to replace the original screw cap or as the original cap. An annular gasket 4 is preferably placed in the base member to seal the connection between the bottleneck and the base member to avoid leakage of liquid or gas.

The cap member 2 comprises two main parts, an inner member 10,12 placed inside a retainer cap 11. The inner member 10,12 comprises an engaging member 12 and a sealing member 13.

The retaining cap 11 has a top wall and a cylindrical wall. The lower part of the cylindrical wall is preferably conical. Additionally an annular rib 14 is provided in the inner wall of the retaining cap in area of transition from a cylindrical to a conical inner wall.

The inner member is arranged mainly axially displaceable within the retainer cap 11 between an upper position where it is stopped by the top wall of the retaining cap, and a lower position where it is stopped by the annular rib 14.

The engagement member 12 is preferably made in one piece of the same material and comprises a top plate 9 and retainer 8. The retainer 8 is provided with a hook 13 corresponding to collar 7. The retainer 8 is preferably divided into a plurality of lips extending from the top plate 9. The lower end or the end having a hook 13, of the retainer rests against the inner wall of the retaining cap 11.

Fig. 1 and 2 illustrates the closing of the bottle closure. In figure 1 the cap member 2 is put on the top of the base member 1. In figure 1 the inner member 10,12 is in its lower position allowing the flange 6 and collar 7 to be put against the sealing member 10.

By pressing the cap member 2 onto the base member 1 the inner member 10,12 is moved from its lower position and pressed against the top of the retaining cap. The retainer 8 resting against the conical part of the inner wall of the retaining cap is then moved against the flange 6 thus moving the hook 13 into engagement with the flange 7, see figure 2. In this position the bottle closure is closed. The bottle closure is sealed as the flange 6 is constantly pressed against the sealing member 10.

As illustrated in figure 2 the retainer may rest against the rib 14 when the closure is in its closed position. Even if a part of the inner wall of the retainer cap in the illustrated and preferred embodiment is conical, the rib 14 may replace the conical part of the inner wall of the retainer cap.

Performing the opposite operation, i. e. by pulling up the cap member 2 can reopen the bottle closure. The inner member 10,12 is then moved from its upper position to its lower position. The retainer 8 and hook 9 is then allowed to move out of engagement with the flange 7 and the cap member 2 may be removed form the base member.

Preferably the base member 1 and the cap member 2 is connected with a hinge member 15 to prevent the cap member to fall of and be lost.

A bore 16 may be provided in the top of the cap member 2 to allow the user to slide the inner member from its top position if the inner member unintentionally is in its upper position.

The combined bottle holder and bottle opener 20 illustrated in figure 4 is designed to be used in combination with the present bottle closure as described above. The combined bottle holder and bottle opener 20 comprises a supporting member 21. The supporting member may be fastened to any suitable surface. A sliding member 22 is designed to slide at the supporting member 21.

A holding member 23 for a flask is fastened to the sliding member. The holding member 23 is designed to partly enclose the body of the bottle. A base member support 25 is connected to the holding member 23. The base member support 25 is provided to support the base member 3 of the present bottle closure. Most flasks made of PET have a collar under the bottleneck. An enlargement 24 may therefore be provided under the base member support 25 to receive said collar.

A not shown spring or elastic member is pressing the sliding member, the holding member and base member support up and against a cap support 26. The cap support 26

is fastened to the supporting member 21. A retaining rib 27 is designed to engage with the lower end of the retaining cap 11.

A bottle with a closed bottle closure according to the present invention may be inserted into the combined bottle holder and bottle opener. To take out and open the bottle the user grips the flask and presses it downwards. When the bottle is pressed downwards the bottle holder, base member support and sliding member slides downward along the supporting member. The cap support 26 and the retaining rib 27 retains the cap member so that the cap member is pulled up from the base member and the bottle closure is open.

When the bottle is pulled out of the holder the retainer cap is lifted up and away from the base member by the hinge member. The bottle is now open for the user to drink before it is closed by the user as described above and put into the combined bottle holder and bottle opener.