Closure for bottles and the like comprising a reservoir with a breakable bottom

• US 5,029,718 A
• Filed: 08/09/1989
• Issued: 07/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Capsulit S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Capsulit S.p.A.
• Inventors: Rizzardi, Napoleone
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stucker, Nova
• Application Number:
  US07/391,444
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 206/222, 215/253, 215/254
• US Class Current: 215/254
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/285 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/0863 Plastic snap-on cap-like collars having frangible parts collar for maintaining rigid discs in sealing engagement with mouth of containers B65D51/145

Abstract

A closure for monodose bottles having a reservoir with a breakable bottom fittable into bottle openings. A cylindrical element having a lower end with a cutting edge is inserted in the reservoir. A sealing cap is fittable around a bottle neck, the sealing cap includes a top wall, and cylindrical wall connected by a breaking line which is easily manually broken, and provides a means by which the entire cap is removed to expose the cylindrical element.

Claims

1. A bottle closure arrangement, comprising:

a bottle having an upper annular edge surrounding an upper bottle opening;

a reservoir having an annular edge seated on the bottle opening annular edge and defining a reservoir space extending into said bottle opening, said reservoir having a weakened portion defining a breakable bottom;

a cylindrical element inserted into said reservoir space, said cylindrical element having a lower end with a cutting surface in contact with said breakable bottom, said cutting surface for acting on said weakened portion for breaking said breakable bottom to provide communication between said reservoir and said bottle, said cylindrical element having an opposite engagement surface for pressing said cylindrical element downwardly;

a sealing cap positioned over said reservoir, said sealing cap including a sealing cap cylindrical wall and a sealing cap top portion, said sealing cap top portion being connected to said sealing cap cylindrical wall by a solid section width and by regions of reduced material, substantially less than said solid section, extending from said solid section in each direction about a portion of a periphery of said top portion except for a non-connected region substantially opposite said solid surface, said sealing cap including means fixing for maintaining said sealing cap in a position relative to said bottle, said reservoir and said cylindrical element to prevent an inner surface of said top portion from forcing said cylindrical element into said breakable bottom and a cut-out portion formed in said sealing cap cylindrical wall defining an opening at said non-connected area, said opening providing communication with said lower portion of said top surface from outside said sealing cap whereby said lower surface may be forced upwardly breaking said regionns of reduced material as said top surface pivots about said solid section, allowing access to said cylindrical element for forcing said cylindrical element downwardly to break said breakable bottom.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said sealing cap cylindrical wall includes a pre-fracturing section extending substantially vertically along the length of said cylindrical wall, said top surface solid section being positioned adjacent said pre-fracturing section.

3. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said cap fixing means includes a tubular projection projecting downwardly from said top surface, said projection resting on said annular edge of said reservoir element.

4. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said sealing cap includes a lower cylindrical section and an upper cylindrical section, said upper cylindrical section being of a reduced diameter in comparison with said lower cylindrical section, said lower cylindrical section being connected to said upper cylindrical section by an annular wall, said annular wall resting on said annular edge of said reservoir and forming a part of said fixing means.

5. A closure according to claim 3, wherein said cylindrical wall includes said cut-out portion.

6. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said sealing cap includes an annular lip forming a part of said fixing means which can be lockingly engaged over a bottle neck, said lip having a bottom portion being inclined thereby providing a means for applying said sealing cap to bottles.

7. A closure according to claim 6, wherein said annular lip is made of solid material.

8. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said sealing cap cylindrical wall includes a lower edge which projects below said bottle opening.

9. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical wall includes a lower edge which extends to a bottle shoulder.

10. A bottle closure arrangement, comprising:

a bottle having an upper annular edge surrounding an upper bottle opening;

a reservoir having an annular edge seated on the bottle opening annular edge and defining a reservoir space extending into said bottle opening, said reservoir having a weakened portion defining a breakable bottom;

a cylindrical element inserted into said reservoir space, said cylindrical element having a lower end with a cutting surface in contact with said breakable bottom, said cutting surface for acting on said weakened portion for breaking said breakable bottom to provide communication between said reservoir and said bottle, said cylindrical element having an opposite engagement surface for pressing said cylindrical element downwardly;

a sealing cap positioned over said reservoir, said sealing cap including a sealing cap cylindrical wall and a sealing cap top surface, said sealing cap top surface being connected to said sealing cap cylindrical wall by a solid section having a material with and by the bridge sections having a material with substantially less than said solid section, said bridge sections being provided at spaced locations beginning at a location spaced from said solid section extending about a periphery of said top surface except for a non-connected region substantially opposite said solid surface, said sealing cap including fixing means for maintaining said sealing cap in a position relative to said bottle, said reservoir and said cylindrical element to prevent an inner surface of said top surface from forcing said cylindrical element into said breakable bottom and a cut-out portion formed in said sealing cap cylindrical wall defining an opening at said nonconnected area, said opening providing communication with said lower surface of said top surface from outside said sealing cap whereby said lower surface may be forced upwardly breaking said connecting bridges as said top surface pivots about said solid section, allowing access to said cylindrical element for forcing said cylindrical element downwardly to break said breakable bottom said sealing cap cylindrical wall including a pre-fracturing section extending substantially vertically along the length of said cylindrical wall, said top surface solid section being positioned adjacent said pre-fracturing section.