Sealing cap for containers

• US 6,116,445 A
• Filed: 09/09/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Fancl
• Original Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Fancl
• Inventors: Ikemori, Kenji, Ohta, Takeharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELOSHWAY, NIKI MARINA
• Application Number:
  US09/150,346
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 220/254, 220/256, 220/258, 220/257, 220/259, 220/265, 220/266, 220/267, 220/270, 220/276, 220/277, 220/278, 220/260, 220/281, 215/301, 215/235, 215/250, 215/253, 215/254, 215/256, 215/257, 215/295, 215/296, 215/320
• US Class Current: 215/301
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0015 of the 41-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0056 of the 47-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0087 of the 47-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0804 integrally formed with the base element provided with the spout or discharge passage
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/225 and further comprising a device first inhibiting displacement of the outer closure B65D51/223 takes precedence

Abstract

A sealing cap for the mouth of a container facilitates both the sealing of new bottles containing unused contents, and the re-sealing of those bottles already in use so as to preserve their contents. The sealing cap includes an inner cap and an outer cap. The inner cap includes a shielding plate which is fixed on the mouth of a container, and an annular strip which is provided at the lower end of the outer circumferential wall of the inner cap. The outer cap, which is fixed on the inner cap, includes a top lid, and a main cap with a guide tube having a lower-end sharp edge located opposite the shielding plate. By removing the annular strip from the inner cap and pressing down the outer cap, the lower end of the outer cap engages the outer circumference of the mouth of the container, and at the same time, the lower-end sharp edge of the guide tube pierces the shielding plate. The user then opens the top lid of the outer cap to access the contents of the container. Advantages of the sealing cap include the integrity of the seal during preservation of the contents prior to use, the ability to securely re-seal the container once opened, and the ease of operating the outer cap.

Claims

1. A sealing cap for containers, the sealing cap comprising

an inner cap to be placed and fixed on an opening in said container forming a mouth, said inner cap comprising (i) a shielding plate to seal the mouth of said container, and (ii) a step formed at the lower end of an outer wall of said inner cap to form a larger-diameter annular strip, said annular strip being cut at a position and one end thereof protruding radially outward of outer wall, and said annular strip being adapted to be positioned on top of the periphery of an annular protrusion provided at an outer circumference of said container mouth;

an outer cap positioned on said inner cap, said outer cap comprising (i) a main cap for sealing container mouth from above said inner cap, and (ii) a top lid for sealing a small hole opened in said main cap, a bottom end of an outer circumferential wall of said main cap resting on the upper surface of annular strip of said inner cap, a guide tube surrounding said small hole of said main cap extending downward within the outer circumferential wall of said main cap, having a lower-end sharp edge, said lower-end sharp edge being located to face the shielding plate of said inner cap, wherein when said annular strip of said inner cap is removed from said inner cap and the outer cap is pressed down, said lower-end sharp edge of said tube guide pierces the shielding plate of said inner cap while the outer circumferential wall of said outer cap slides down until its bottom end reaches a position just below said annular protrusion so as to be fixed in position below said protrusion.

2. The sealing cap for containers according to claim 1, wherein a lower end part of said outer cap guide tube is helically formed in such a way that the helical line of said lower end part goes downward from a highest helical position to a lowest helical position that is located almost just below highest helical position so that these two helical positions are arranged nearly vertically.

3. The sealing cap for containers, according to claim 1, wherein the lower-end sharp edge of said tube guide is cut obliquely to form said sharp edge.

4. The sealing cap of claim 1, wherein the shielding plate of said inner cap is thinner at its peripheral edge than the remainder of the shielding plate.

5. The sealing cap of claim 1, wherein the pierced sheilding plate hangs down from the lower end of an inner circumferential wall of the inner cap.

6. A sealing cap for a bottle, the sealing cap comprising

an inner cap to be placed and fixed on an opening in said bottle forming a mouth, said inner cap comprising (i) a shielding plate to seal the mouth of said bottle, and (ii) a step formed at the lower end of an outer wall of said inner cap to form a larger diameter annular strip, said annular strip being cut at a position and one end thereof protruding radially outward of said outer wall, and said annular strip being adapted to be positioned on top of the periphery of an annular protrusion provided at an outer circumference of said bottle mouth;

an outer cap position on said inner cap, said outer cap comprising (i) a main cap for sealing said bottle mouth from above said inner cap, and (ii) a top lid for sealing a small hole opened in said main cap, a bottom end of an outer circumferential wall of said main cap resting on the upper surface of annular strip of said inner cap, a guide tube surrounding said small hole of said main cap extending downward within the outer circumferential wall of said main cap, having a lower-end sharp edge, said lower-end sharp edge being located to face the shielding plate of said inner cap, wherein when said annular strip of said inner cap is removed from said inner cap and the outer cap is pressed down, said lower-end sharp edge of said guide tube pierces the shielding plate of said inner cap while the outer circumferential wall of said outer cap slides down until its bottom end reaches a position just below said annular protrusion so as to be fixed in position below said protrusion.