Infusion cap

• US 20070267442A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theodore Sweeney & Company
• Original Assignee: Theodore Sweeney & Company
• Inventors: Smith, Drew J., Sweeney, Theodore J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/145.500
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2864 the element being a plug or like element closing a passage between the auxiliary container and the main container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

An infusion cap for a bottle having a threaded neck is screwed onto the threaded neck and by removing a locking tab a portion of the cap may be pressed toward the bottle to discharge an infusion substance into the bottle. In a modified embodiment instead of pushing against the cap, a portion of the cap is rotated on the bottle threads to discharge an infusion substance in the cap into the bottle.

Claims

1. An infusion cap for use on bottles having a cylindrical neck, comprising, in combination:

a barrel having concentric inner and outer sleeve portions to be locked on the bottle neck, and a plunger portion concentric with the sleeve portions;

a reservoir disposed in the barrel in concentric relation therewith for containing a substance to be infused into a bottle upon which the cap is mounted;

said reservoir shiftable inwardly in the barrel and having upper and lower ends;

said lower end of the reservoir having an aperture closed by said plunger portion received in a sealed press fit in said aperture and blocking the escape of an infusing substance in the reservoir until the reservoir is shifted inwardly;

the outer end of said reservoir being closed and disposed beyond the end of the bottle neck to be shifted inwardly for dispensing the contents of the reservoir into the bottle; and

a locking tab for preventing inadvertent inward shifting of the reservoir.

10. The invention described in claim 1 wherein spaces are provided around the plunger and between it and the reservoir to permit free passage of the infusion substance in the reservoir and the substance in the bottle back and forth after the reservoir and plunger are unsealed.

2. An infusion cap for use on bottles having an externally threaded neck, comprising, in combination:

a barrel having concentric inner and outer sleeve portions and a plunger portion, the outer sleeve portion being internally threaded for engagement with the threaded neck of a bottle, and the inner sleeve portion receivable within the neck of the bottle opposite the outer sleeve portion;

said sleeve portions joined together to overlie the outer end of the bottle neck and for a seal therewith;

a reservoir disposed in the barrel in concentric relation therewith for containing a substance to be infused into a bottle upon which the cap is mounted;

said reservoir shiftable inwardly in the barrel and having upper and lower ends;

said lower end of the reservoir having an aperture closed by said plunger portion received in a sealed press fit in said aperture and blocking the escape of an infusing substance in the reservoir until the reservoir is shifted inwardly;

the outer end of said reservoir being closed and disposed beyond the end of the bottle neck to be shifted inwardly for dispensing the contents of the reservoir into the bottle; and

a locking tab for preventing inadvertent inward shifting of the reservoir.

3. The invention defined by claim 2 wherein the outer end of the said reservoir extends outwardly beyond said barrel to be moved inwardly for dispensing the contents of the reservoir into a bottle on which the cap is mounted.

4. The invention defined by claim 2 wherein said locking tab is disposed between the reservoir and the barrel and is removable therefrom to permit inward movement of the reservoir.

5. The invention defined by claim 2 wherein said plunger is mounted on the inner sleeve portion at the inward end thereof.

6. The invention defined by claim 2 wherein said reservoir is shiftable axially over the plunger without the need to rotate the reservoir.

7. An infusion cap for use on bottles having an externally threaded neck, comprising, in combination:

a barrel having concentric inner and outer sleeve portions and a plunger portion, the outer sleeve portion being internally threaded for engagement with the threaded neck of a bottle, and the inner sleeve portion receivable within the neck of the bottle opposite the outer sleeve portion;

said sleeve portions joined together to overlie the outer end of the bottle neck and for a seal therewith;

a reservoir disposed in the barrel in concentric relation therewith for containing a substance to be infused into a bottle upon which the cap is mounted;

said reservoir shiftable inwardly in the barrel and having upper and lower ends;

said lower end of the reservoir having an aperture closed by said plunger portion received in a sealed press fit in said aperture and blocking the escape of an infusing substance in the reservoir until the reservoir is shifted inwardly;

the outer end of said reservoir being closed and disposed beyond the end of the bottle neck to be shifted inwardly for dispensing the contents of the reservoir into the bottle; and

a locking tab for preventing inadvertent inward shifting of the reservoir.

8. An infusion cap for use on bottles having an externally threaded neck, comprising, in combination:

a barrel having concentric inner and outer sleeve portions with the outer sleeve portion being internally threaded for engagement with the threaded neck of a bottle, and the lower end of the inner sleeve portion receivable within the neck of the bottle radially opposite the outer sleeve portion;

said barrel being rotatable on the bottle to cause the threaded engagement to move the inner and outer sleeves axially of a bottle on which the cap is mounted;

a plunger sealingly closing the lower end of the inner sleeve and forming therewith a reservoir for containing infusion material to be dispensed into a bottle on which the cap is mounted upon rotation of the cap; and

said plunger supported on the neck of the bottle against inward movement of the reservoir, whereby when the barrel is rotated on the bottle, the seal between the plunger and the reservoir is broken and infusion material in the reservoir is dispensed into the bottle.

9. The invention defined by claim 8 wherein said bottle has a shoulder for engaging the lower end of the inner sleeve to prevent inward movement of the reservoir.