US2670869A - Bottle cap - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1954 J. R. MARTIN BOTTLE CAP Filed Jan. l0, 1950 NV F/Gz M/CJ Patented Mar. 2, `1954 `UNITED AvSI"AI`?I:`.'S PATENT OFFICE Jean R. L. Martin, New York,zN. Y.xassigno.r `to Coty, Inc., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Applicationdanuary 10, 1950, Serial No. 137,721

(Cl. 21S-43,)

4 Claims. l

This application relates to bottle caps or seal ing devices. The application is a continuation in part of my Aprior application, vSerial No. :83,535 filed March 26, 1949, now Patent No. 2,526,622.

In my `prior application, I described a sealing member in the form of a plug or stopper which served the consumer throughout the life of a bottle of perfume or other fluid. That is, after removal of the cap, the user .removed `and lthen reapplied the plug during each use of the perfume. The plug effectively prevented 4the leaking of fluid from the container by means of the speciiic construction thereof.

According to the present invention, a device has been provided wherein a plug resembling the plug of my prior application is incorporated in the cap of the bottle so that its removal or application does not require a separate opera-tion. Thus, the removal of the cap automatically removes the stopper, yand application of the cap automatically applies the stopper to the bottle. Because of the unique construction of the stopper, and by virtue of the genera-1 association of the two elements, many and unexpected advantages accrue. For example, a common diculty and complaint among producers of perfume was the fact that a screw threaded cap often loosened in transit causing fluid leakage. Elaborato eX- ternal means have often been used to maintain the cap against such accidental displacement. .5

However, such vmeans are eliminated in accordance with the instant invention because the plug or stopper itself functions as an anchoring .device for the cap until a positive force, as by theuser of the article, is applied so as to unscrew the cap. Such unscrewing is effected against thenormal anchoring action of the plug as will be hereinafter made clear.

It is further evident that the incorporation of the plug and cap, by the means which will be hereinafter described and by virtue of the specic materials from which the elements Aare fabricated, simplifies the operations required of the consumer in that one is not even made aware of the fact that a plug is applied simultaneously and automatically 'with the normal application of the cap.

The invention serves still a further purpose in that the plug or stopper is of resilient material relative to the cap and serves to equalize irregularities in the bottle neck which would otherwise result in a loss of fluid due to inadequate fit of the cap. If the bottle neck is irregular, the cap will not seat properly, and the uid may leak through the threads of the cap. The plug, as will be hereinafter described, automatically comlil pensates or corrects most `of such irregularities so' that the cap may seat itself in effective sealing position'.

vThel invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded, cross-sectional View of a cap plug, the two elements which comprise the instant invention, the same being shown as applied to abottle neck. f

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional Aview illustrating the assembled article in use.

'The Vbottle cap I0 is fabricated of a rigid material, whether it be ofthe plastic type' such as Bakelita'n or metal. It is formed with internal threads Ii for the usual purpose of engaging corresponding threads I2 of the bottle neck I3. Depending downwardly from the ceiling of the hollow cap l@ is a' projection it which may be formed with a lip I5.

.'i'he plug or stopper i6 is fabricated of a resiiient plastic material. For example, it has been found that polyethylene or -polythene is a very satisfactory `n'laterial for `this purpose. This material can be fabricated so as vto be resilient and is largely inert and non-absorbent so as not to 'be affected by any liquid in the ybottle B.

Plug I is substantially hollow, and an interior cone-shaped spring member rI l is formed therein. The apex of the cone terminates just short of the leading end E8 vof the plug. The leading end i8 may be vbevelled inwardly so as to facilitate insertion thereof in the neck of the bottle, but `any event, the diameter' of the leading end wil'il be approximately the same as the inner diameterof the bottle neck I3 where such leading eno. normally seats. Obviously, a more effective sealing contact will be provided by the upper portion i9 of the barrel of the plug l5. The cone spring member II exerts an outward thrust because the Vtapering internal wall of the neck i3 attempts to compress 'the barrel of the plug. Cone Il', being circular, is eife'c'tive in all directions in producing the required sealing 'function as was described in my previous application. Thus, it effectively urges the barrel of the plug radially outward in all directions so as to provide a very satisfactory seal.

Plug I6 is formed with a shoulder 20 and a central recess 2I for receiving projection I4 when the plug and cap are assembled. Assembly may be eiected by any convenient operation which will be evident, but a satisfactory method is to rst insert the plug into the neck of bottle B and then apply the cap IIJ thereover simultaneously screwing it upon the thread I2. It will be observed in Fig. 1 that cap I0 is formed with male threads 22 which may in actual practice comprise two semi-circular half threads slightly spaced from each other. When the plug i6 is inserted into the neck of the bottle, the cap I is applied thereover so that the lip l5 enters recess 2| and forms an annular engaging depression in the shoulder 20 as illustrated in Fig. 2. As the cap i0 is rotated so as to engage threads Il and l2, the threads 22 simultaneously are forced into the shoulder 20 so as to effect a further engagement or anchoring action. As a result, the very act of applying the cap to the bottle neck serves to permanently secure the plug thereto. The pitch of threads 22 are preferably, but not necessarily, the same as that of the threads i l and i2.

It will be evident from the foregoing that when the user of the perfume or other iluid applies the cap after having extracted a desired amount of perfume, she automatically seals the bottle with the plug I6. Equally, or probably more important, than this advantage is the fact that the plug provides an anchoring effect for the cap, not only during transit but throughout the use of the perfume. This anchoring effect is evident when one commences unscrewing the cap I0. It will be found that during the initial unscrewing, the cap appears to be held to the bottle neck, whereas near the termination of such unscrewing, a distinct loosening eiect is felt. This is due to the relative release of anchoring action of the plug I6 as it is withdrawn from the neck of the bottle. The bottle illustrated has a tapering internal neck wall, but the stopper does not require this specific construction. For example, many necks have a top inner bead or lip which will produce a slight construction of the plug and a consequent pronounced anchoring eiect.

Inasmuch as the necks of some bottles, due to various manufacturing processes, are irregular, the ordinary cap sometimes forms a loose t therewith that subsequently causes leakage of the uid contained in the bottle. However, by virtue of the instant device, this defect is corrected because the plug, being resilient, automatically assumes a proper seat relative to cap i6 so as to substantially equalize any irregularities. In other words, the plug I6 may tilt slightly pursuant to such irregularities so that the cap l0 will nevertheless provide a secure nt upon the bottle neck I3.

Whereas I have described the assembly of the plug I6 and cap I0 as being effected in situ on the bottle neck, it will be evident that these two elements may be assembled in advance and then applied to the bottle neck.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle sealing device comprising a substantially hollow cap of rigid material, a central projection depending downwardly within said cap, and an internal plug having a central recess engaged by said projection, said plug being of resilient material relative to said cap and being substantially hollow, a top shoulder on said plug and formed around said recess, said projection extending into and centrally of said shoulder and engaging said shoulder, the remaining' internal portion of the plug being free 5 of said projection, and internal threads formed in said cap for engaging outer portions of said shoulder, said cap being formed with bottle neck engaging threads, said shoulder engaging threads being of the same pitch as said bottle neck engaging threads.

2. A bottle sealing device according to claim l and including a spring member within and integral with said plug and urging the inner walls thereof outwardly so as to exert an outward thrust against the inner wall of said plug in response to a compressive action against the outer wall of said plug when said plug is inserted into the mouth of a bottle neck.

3. A bottle sealing device according to claim 2 and wherein said spring member comprises a cone having its rim integrally joined with the inner wall of said plug and its apex extending toward one end of the plug, both said plug and said cone spring member being of resilient plastic material.

4. A bottle sealing device comprising a substantially hollow cap of rigid material, a central projection depending downwardly within said cap, and an internal plug having a central recess engaged by said projection, said plug being of resilient material relative to said cap and being substantially hollow, a top shoulder on said plug and formed around said recess, said projection extending into and centrally of said shoulder and engaging said shoulder, the remaining internal portion of the plug being free of said projection, and internal threads formed in said cap for engaging the outer portion of said shoulder.

JEAN R. L. MARTIN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 11,861 Lowrey Oct. 2, 1900 58,281 Olry Sept. 25, 1866 608,407 Koch Aug. 2, 1898 644,055 Butz Feb. 27, 1900 887,619 Flatau May 12, 1908 889,636 Roberts June 2, 1908 1,022,141 Hurst et al. Apr. 2, 1912 1,024,370 Smith Apr. 23, 1912 l 1,413,703 Biehn Apr. 25, 1922 1,876,152 Sheaffer Sept. 6, 1932 2,345,737 Fabrice Apr. 4, 1944 2,526,622 Martin Oct. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 868 Great Britain of 1887 520,429 Great Britain Apr. 24, 1940 426,553 France May 5, 1911 80,635 Sweden June 12, 1934

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