A BOTTLE EXTENSION

TECHNICAL FIELD

[001] This invention relates to an extension for an existing bottle, in particular to an extension that changes the total volume of the combined receptacle and provides more flexibility to the user.

BACKGROUND

[002] Traditional milk bottles tend to have a narrow neck which makes cleaning difficult and modern bottles can have wider openings. One example of such a milk bottle can be seen in PCT/SG2014/000133.

[003] However, these bottles can come in various sizes that would accommodate different amounts that different babies or a baby drinks at different stages of development. This would mean having to purchase a new bottle each time the baby outgrows or requires an increased intake of fluids. The alternative of feeding a second time using the same bottle may not be feasible when faced with a hungry baby.

[004] Hence, there is a need for bottle extension that would allow an existing bottle to be used by expanding the volume contained within while maintaining the flexibility to easily return the bottle to its original volume. BRIEF SUMMARY

[005] The above and other problems are solved and an improvement in the art is made by a bottle extension in accordance with this invention. A first advantage of the bottle extension in accordance with this invention is that the volume of the container can be varied without compromising watertight integrity. The bottle extension can be quickly and easily attached and detached where required. A second advantage of the bottle extension in accordance with this invention is that the sealing of the joints is easily snapped on and twisted off. This ensures that the container can be sealed with a single motion, while opening requires more effort.

[006] The present invention provides a bottle extension for connecting a container and a lid consisting of a cylindrical member with two ends that are open where a first end has a skirt and a second end has an upstanding rim, and the cylindrical member has an axially polygonal shape with three to six sides, where located on the rim on each side of the polygonal shape is an inter-engageable projection that is in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the polygonal shape, and where located on the skirt on each side of the polygonal shape is an inter-engageable recess, and where the lid and the container has a corresponding inter-engageable recess and a corresponding inter-engageable projection respectively and the inter engagement and the release of the inter-engagement of the projection and recess are performed by the inter-engaging surfaces of the projection and recess being moved relative to one another by a predetermined distance in a direction. In further embodiments, there is a plurality of inter-engageable projections and a plurality of inter-engageable recesses for engaging the container or the lid. In yet further embodiments, there is a cam on the rim and a corresponding cam recess on the skirt, wherein the cam urges the lid or the container or the bottle extension to rotate relative to each other to achieve a maximum area of inter-engagement between the projection and the recess. In alternative embodiments of the invention, there is a plurality of cams on the rim and a plurality of cam recesses on the skirt. In some embodiments of the invention, the general shape of the polygonal shape is square. In other embodiments of the invention, the bottle extension rotates relative to the container or the lid by an angle of 5° during the release of the inter engagement of the projection and recess. In yet other embodiments, the cylindrical member is resiliently elastic. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the inter-engageable projections are located offset from the center of each side of the polygonal shape. Some embodiments of the invention maintains watertight integrity when the lid and the container are engaged. In other embodiments of the invention the exterior of the skirt has a relief textured area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[007] The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which show a bottle extension constructed in accordance with the invention. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the disclosure and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the embodiments disclosed herein. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

[008] Figure 1 is the bottle extension in use with the lid and bottle;

[009] Figures 2 is a side view of the bottle extension; [0010] Figure 3 is a perspective top view of the bottle extension;

[0011] Figure 4 is a perspective bottom view of the bottle extension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The various configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are used to illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

[0013] Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the bottle extension 2, in use when installed on top of a cup-like container 1 , with a snap-fit closure lid 3 on top of the bottle extension 2. The closure lid 3 can fit securely on top of the container 1 and provide a watertight bottle. By matching the respective closures on the container 1 and the closure lid 3, the bottle extension 2 provides an increased capacity for the bottle system.

[0014] Figure 2 shows a side view of a bottle extension 2, which is a cylindrical hollow piece with four wedge-shaped cam members 12 and four latching members 13 that are moulded into the upper rim of the bottle extension 2, although only a wedge-shaped cam member 12 and a latching member 13 can be fully seen in this figure. Side profile views of other wedge-shaped cam members 12 and latching members 13 can be seen on the left and right edges of the upper rim of the side view. This can be seen more clearly in figure 3, which shows a top perspective view of a bottle extension 2 showing the upper rim and the upper opening of the bottle extension 2 together with two out of four of the wedge-shaped cam members 12 and latching members 13 on the upper rim of the upper opening. For the purposes of this illustration, the opening is shown to be a rounded square shape with four cam and four latching members, although a person skilled in the art would appreciate that any shape of opening can be used, along with any number of corresponding cam members and latching members.

[0015] The closure lid 3 has corresponding recesses (not shown) into which corresponding cam members 12 and latching members 13 may fit into. This is achieved by pressing the lid onto the upper rim until resistance is felt or an audible click is heard. The closure lid 3 can have a pair of relief textured areas, at or near two opposed corners of the polygonal shape. These are naturally seen as the areas at which to grasp the skirt between thumb and fingers when wishing to remove the closure lid 3 from the bottle extension 2 and the radial pressure from outside assists the distortion of the lid or cap member and accordingly its easy disengagement from the bottle extension. [0016] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a bottle extension 2 showing the bottom rim and the corresponding bottom opening. Moulded on the inside of the bottom opening of the bottle extension 2 are corresponding recesses 15 and 14 respectively into which corresponding cam members 12 and latching members from the container 1 may fit. These corresponding recesses are similar to those found in the closure lid 3. As can be seen, each recess 14 has a short land in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the closure ring.

[0017] To disengage the bottle extension 2 from the container 1, the bottom opening of the bottle extension 2 and the container 1 twists relative to one another and the inter-engaging portions of latching member 13 and recess 14 are moved relative to one another. The relative movement has both circumferential components and radial components, the latter being due to the flexing of the ring by the application of pressure to two opposite corners. An indentation in each corner of the bottom rim of the bottle extension can be present to guide the user, similar to the closure lid and an example can be seen on the closure lid 3. Peripheral

[0018] As soon as the respective horizontal inter-engaging portions of latching member 13 and the corresponding recess 14 have moved sufficiently far, the bottom of the bottle extension 2 detaches from the container 1.

[0019] The dimensions of the components are designed so that the angular rotation of the bottom rim of the bottle extension 2 relative to the container 1 is about 5°. [0020] Combining the bottle extension 2 with the container 1 can be done by pushing the bottom of the bottle extension 2 axially towards the container 1. The generally rectangular shape means that the user automatically aligns the two and, because of the chamfered entry points to the recesses in the bottom rim of the bottle extension 2, final positioning of the bottom rim of the bottle extension 2 on the container portion 1 is achieved by interaction between the recesses 14 and 15 of the bottom rim of the bottle extension 2 and the corresponding latch members and cam members on the container respectively. A similar operation can be done for the closure lid on the bottle extension, similar to the closure lid on the container. [0021] The bottom rim of the bottle extension can be twisted relative to the container 1 in order to separate the bottle extension from the container, so that all parts can be washed and sterilised for re-use.

[0022] To further explain the mechanics of how the closure operates, the bottom rim of the bottle extension has a wall that flexes perpendicular to its plane caused by cam member of the container being driven into the face of the wall when the closure is undone and the offset (from the center of the bottom of the rim and the container) of the force that results from the elastic wall trying to revert to its original shape is what creates the restoring or closing torque. There is an additional cam wedging action which occurs when the two parts are close to final alignment. This flexing of the wall in the bottom rim of the bottle extension allows a more gentle and controllable restoring torque over the travel than a conventional final wedging bump- indent action although a little wedging bump-indent action is needed because the wall flex torque tends to zero as the two parts come into alignment. The degree to which the relative strength of these forces interact will depend on the particular contouring of the cam members, latching members and recesses, which can be achieved by design and moulding of the top of the container section and the bottom rim of the bottle extension. [0023] By adding the bottle extension 2, the total volume of the container has now been expanded. For example, this can increase a 5oz container with a bottle extension of 6oz to a total of 11oz, more than doubling the effective volume. This is done without compromising the watertight integrity of the entire system. The height of the bottle extension can be varied according to specifications required by manufacturers, consumers, or designers.

[0024] With the bottle extension 2 and the closure lid 3 secured on it, a bowl or receptacle can be created by turning over the bottle extension 2 and closure lid 3, such that the closure lid 3 is on the bottom.

[0025] The closure lid, bottle extension, and container may be made of any convenient shape or material. If the material of the container is relatively rigid, then the material of the lid or cap may need to be correspondingly more elastic. The preferred materials from which the closure lid, bottle extension and the portion of the container on to which it fits are made are resilient plastics materials, for example polypropylene, ABS copolymer, RΈT, PPSU, or polycarbonate. The preferred manufacturing method for the various components is by injection- moulding since this allows precise configuration of the interlocking portions. Like the container, the bottle extension can be made of a transparent material, this would enable graduations or markings to be made that would indicate the amount of fluids contained within.

[0026] Thus, the present invention has been fully described with reference to the drawing figures. Although the invention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, to those of skill in the art, certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions would be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention.