Patent Application
20050184024
This invention relates in general to bottle-cap construction but more particularly pertains to a bottle-cap having an internal compartment for concealment and/or storage of an item therein. For example, the user may be desirous of concealing or storing medications, vitamins, a key, money, liquid, or any other item of user choice within the cap housing. Also, the bottle cap may be constructed so as to be substantially universal in shape and size and thus usable with any standard type bottleneck currently available in today's market place.
In today's society it has become most popular to carry a refreshment of some type such as bottled water, juice, energy drinks and the like. This is especially important when engaging in strenuous physical activities such as jogging, walking, bicycling, etc., so as to reduce possible dehydration. As a result, many individuals have some type of a container having refreshment therein and which is consumed intermittently throughout most of their day, respectively. Therefore, it is contended that it would be most convenient and appealing to provide a novel internal compartment within the bottle-cap that can be used for either storage purposes or concealment of an item and has not yet heretofore been taught.
After a through investigation of the known prior art, it is contended that “pill bottle-caps” and the like have been proposed wherein storage of pills are possible. Examples of such pill bottle-caps are taught within U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,338,425, 6,302,295, and 6,283,331. However, none of these address, suggest, or imply that such a pill bottle-cap could be possibly used in combination with a pre-existing bottleneck and/or pre-existing bottle-cap typically associated with beverage containers, such as taught within the present application.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a unique bottle-cap that includes an internal compartment for either storage or concealment of an item when positioned therein.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bottle-cap that is of simple construction, is cost effective to manufacture and which may be produced from any suitable materials of engineering choice. Also as an example, the bottle-cap(s) may be manufactured by a plastic mold injection or the like if so desired.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle-cap that is universal in shape and size and is thus compatible with most standard types of bottlenecks such as typically associated with today's beverage containers. However as an additional option, if the bottle-cap does not fit a particular sized bottle, the invention may be sold with an adaptor member so as to allow the user to easily modify the cap size according to their needs.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle-cap that may be made from a transparent material so as to allow the user to visually see the contents therein if so desired. Or the bottle-cap may be made from non-transparent material so as to conceal the contents therein in a camouflaged manner, respectively. In either case the material of choice is to be determined by engineering preferences and/or end user needs.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle-cap that may be used specifically for storage of daily medications and includes a method for controlled delivery of the daily medications. For example, the bottle-caps of the present invention may be sold as a medicinal kit wherein seven caps are sold in combination, and each cap being differently color-coded and/or marked with indicia so as to be designated for use on a specific day of the week. Whereby, the user can pre-fill each of the caps with their required daily medications so as to have a full weeks supply on hand in a controlled regulated manner. Thus, the user simply attaches the bottle-cap that is designated for that day onto the beverage container of their choice and as the medications are needed they can easily be removed and taken with the beverage throughout the day as required.
Also another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle-cap having an internal storage compartment that may be used for novelty purposes. For example, the bottle-cap may be designed for use with children. With this in mind, the bottle-cap may be ornamental in design so as to be of a shape that a child would identify with, such as it may be in the form of a cartoon character, or the like. In this embodiment the contents may be vitamins or medications and due to the cartoon character, this would encourage children to take their vitamins and/or medications resulting in fun for the child. Or perhaps the bottle-cap would be sold with an attached beverage bottle and the contents could be a toy or some type of prize. As a result such bottle-caps could be collectible and children would like to collect multiples of the bottle-cap for fun.
Yet another use for the present bottle-cap may be to include some type of liquor within the compartment and the bottle-cap could be sold separately or with an attached beverage container containing water, juice, carbonated liquid etc. Of course this embodiment is strictly designed for adult use and restrictions would apply.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle-cap having an internal storage compartment that is not only suitable for storage purposes but also protects the contents therein from outside elements. Thus, the beverage container may be stored in an ice chest or the like without worry that the contents within the cap will be subjected to moisture, etc.
Other objects and advantages will be seen when taken into consideration with the following specification and drawings.
Referring now in detail to drawings wherein like characters refer to like elements throughout the various views. The present invention is substantially a novel bottle-cap that allows a user to store an object of choice therein. The general overall construction for the present bottle-cap substantially consists of a housing having an upper section (10) and a lower section (12), respectively. The lower section (12) having attachment means (later described) for attaching the lower section onto an externally threaded bottleneck (14) of a beverage container (16). It is to be noted the beverage container (16) is pre-existing and can be of any standard type and/or size of user choice, thus it is depicted in ghost lines accordingly. Upper section (10) and lower section (12) being attachable together by suitable attachment means (later described) and the upper section (10) and the lower section (12) in combination provide a protective outer covering for an internal hollow concealed storage compartment (18) that is located within the housing. These are the major components and the following specification further defines possible variations thereof and their associated embodiments.
Referring now to
The base portion further having an upwardly facing hollow neck member (12-B) that substantially forms the noted internal hollow concealed storage compartment (18) therein. As can be seen the internal hollow concealed storage compartment (18) is depicted in ghost lines accordingly as it is internal. As can be further seen in
Referring now in detail to a second embodiment for the present invention as depicted in
As further depicted in
Referring now to
It is to be noted the above described third embodiment provides unusual results not achieved within the first two embodiments. Within this arrangement, the bottle-cap can be used in the manner relative to “the method of use” as previously addressed within the objects. Whereby, a user may use the present bottle-cap for regulated delivery of medication, such as on a weekly basis. In use with embodiment, the product would be sold as a medicinal kit having various bottle-caps constructed in the manner as taught herein and each of the caps would either be color-coded and/or marked with indicia pertaining to various days of week. Whereby, the user can pre-fill each of the caps and use them on a daily basis in a regulated manner. This is also advantageous, as only one lower section (38-B) would need to be provided, as the different upper sections (38-A) would be interchangeable with the lower section (38-B) and this is most cost effective.
With further reference to the embodiment of
Referring now to
The first accessory adapter (48) substantially consists of a base member (52) having internal threads (54) that are depicted through a cutout therein and which are of a shape and size to be threadably engaged onto a pre-existing bottleneck (14) of a beverage container (16). The base member (52) includes an upraised externally threaded protrusion (56) that is of a shape and size to be threadably engaged within the first downwardly facing internally threaded receptacle (21) of base portion (12-A). Whereby, as can be seen this first accessory adapter (48) can be used for varying the size of the lower section (12-A) when engaged therein. However, the actual size of the first downwardly facing internally threaded receptacle (58) is determined or defined by the internal circumference within the base member (52). As a result, the accessory adapter (48) can be easily used for either reducing or enlarging the size of internally threaded receptacle (21). Thus, only one variable sized adapter (48) is depicted herein but other sized adapter are to be inherent and within the scope of the invention.
Referring now in detail to
It is to be further understood each of the embodiments as taught herein may be modified to fit onto either a bottleneck (14) of a beverage container (16) or onto the actual pre-existing bottle-cap (46) of
It can now be seen we have herein taught a new and novel type of bottle-cap that includes a concealed internal storage compartment for containment of an item of user choice. The unique bottle-cap can be either removably attached onto either a pre-existing bottle-cap or onto the pre-existing bottleneck of a beverage container, or the like.
It can further be seen we have herein provided a novel bottle-cap that may be used for controlled medicinal use, and which may be sold as a medicinal kit having multiples of the bottle-cap therewith.
Still further the present bottle-cap may be used for novelty purposes and may be formed into a cartoon character or the like that may be appealing for use by children. Also, the bottle-cap may include a surprise and/or candy therein within the internal compartment and this would prove to be enticing.
Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made there from within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatuses.
