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(11) | EP 1 046 592 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Closure with means for controllably delivering liquids |
| (57) An improved plug for controllably delivering liquids comprising an inner cap (3),
provided with an upwardly projecting inner sealing ring element (19) and ending with
a top liquid-scraping element (4), defining on the outside thereof a funnel top ring-like
element adjoining with outlet conical slots (8) and for recovering the liquid. |
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an improved plug for delivering liquids in bottles, vials or the like, characterized in that said plug comprises an inner cap, having an upwardly projecting inner sealing ring element and ending with a top liquid scraping element.
[0002] Said liquid scraping element defines, on the outside thereof, a top funnel-like ring or annular element, joining with conical slots, therethrough the liquid is ejected, and allowing the liquid held in the gap of the two plug elements to be easily recovered.
[0003] This feature constitutes one of the advantages of the plug according to the present invention, with respect to the commercially available plugs conventionally including shutter means.
[0004] In this connection, another advantage of the subject improved plug is that it provides, under any conditions, a perfect sealing with respect to the delivered liquid, which cannot be ejected from possible gaps which, in conventional plugs, are formed between the inner cap and the outer cap of the plug.
[0005] The subject improved plug, in particular, is very simple construction-wise, can be easily made starting from a lot of easily available plastic materials, since it has a contour that is suitable for an injection molding process, and can be easily applied to the liquid vial or vessel by very simple assembling operations.
[0006] Another advantage of the subject plug is that the inner cap ends, at its top central portion, with a shutter element cooperating with the liquid delivery hole, thereby opening and closing, to a desired degree, the inventive plug, thereby allowing a controlled variable amount of liquid to be easily delivered.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The above and other characteristics, of functional and constructional nature, of the subject improved plug, will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure thereof, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, where:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectioned side view illustrating the improved plug according to the invention, in a closing position thereof;
Figure 2 is a further cross-sectioned side view illustrating the plug according to the invention in a closing position thereof;
Figure 3 is yet another cross-sectioned side view illustrating the improved plug according to the invention, in an opening position thereof; and
Figure 4 is a top cross-sectioned view illustrating that same plug.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0008] With reference to the number references of the figures of the accompanying drawings, the subject improved plug, generally indicated by the reference number 1, has been specifically designed for controllably delivering liquids and is provided with an inner cap 3, including an upwardly projecting inner sealing ring element 19.
[0009] Said sealing inner ring element 19 ends with a top liquid scraping element 4, defining on the outside thereof a funnel-like top ring or annular element 9.
[0010] This funnel-like ring element is adjoining with a series of conical slots 8, therethrough the liquid is delivered and recovered, i.e. is recovered that portion of the liquid which is not used in the specific application.
[0011] The inner cap 3 ends, at the top thereof, with a central shutter element, cooperating with the liquid delivery hole 6, to open and close the subject plug, thereby allowing a controlled amount of liquid to be delivered or metered.
[0012] The plug 1 comprises moreover an outer cap 2, which is adapted to rotate with respect to the inner cap 3, and it performs, in addition to a partial rotary movement, also an upward and downward vertical displacement movement.
[0013] Such an effect will cause a variable opening of the delivery hole 6 which engages, under given conditions and in a different degree, with the central shutter element 5 formed in the body of the inner cap 3.
[0014] The outer cap 2 is moreover provided with a downward projecting sealing ring 7 provided for engaging with an annular hollow, as the plug is clamped between an outer guide and sealing ring 12 and an inner sealing ring 19, which projects upward for a distance larger than the projecting distance of the first ring.
[0015] The outer guide and sealing ring 12 and the inner sealing ring 19, in turn, define an annular hollow 21, in which the downward projecting annular element 7 is caused to tightly engage.
[0016] The inner cap 3 is moreover provided with a bottom lug 20 entering the inside of the neck of the bottle 24.
[0017] The above mentioned axial movement performed by the outer cap 2 with respect to the inner cap 3 is obtained by a partial rotary movement of the outer cap 2, which is provided with helical contour hollows 14 engaging with projecting tooth elements 13 formed on the outer surface of the inner cap 3.
[0018] In this connection it should be pointed out that the inner cap 3 is provided with an inward projecting annular lug 20, adapted to be arranged between and enters the inside of a portion 24 of the bottle neck, contacting a top portion 25 of the inner cap 3.
[0019] Said inner cap 3, together with the downward projecting annular lug 20 provides a perfect sealing for the liquid, under any use conditions.
[0020] With reference to Figure 4, a helical contour hollow 14 is herein provided, housing therein the three projecting tooth elements 13 formed on the inner cap and spaced from one another at 120°.
[0022] At the top portion of the inner cap 3, moreover, are ridge elements 15 adapted to facilitate the draining and recovering of the liquid are moreover provided.
[0023] As shown, the small teeth 27 engage with corresponding small teeth 18 formed on the outer side surface of the inner cap 3, in order to clearly indicate a full opening and closing position thereof.
[0024] The lugs 20 and 25 formed in the inner cap 3 are so designed and sized as to clamp the top lug 24 of the bottle neck, thereby preventing the plug from being accidentally thread off or disengaged as it is opened.
[0025] From the above disclosure it should be apparent that the subject improved plug is provided with very advantageous functional and constructional characteristics, allowing both an easy delivering and an easy and quick recovering of liquids in general.
[0026] While the inventive improved plug has been hereinabove disclosed by way of an illustrative and not limitative example, it should be apparent that it is susceptible to many modifications and variations all of which will come within the scope of the invention, as defined by the accompanying claims.
1. An improved plug for controllably delivering liquids, characterized in that said plug
comprises an inner cap (3) provided with an upward projecting inner sealing ring (19)
ending with a top liquid scraping element (4), defining, on an outside thereof, a
funnel top annular element adjoining a plurality of liquid delivering and recovering
conical slots (8).
2. An improved plug according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said plug
comprises an inner cap (3), ending, at a top thereof, with a central shutter element
(5), cooperating with a liquid delivery hole (6), thereby opening and closing said
plug, to allow a delivery of a controlled variable amount of liquid.
3. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said plug comprises an outer cap (2), adapted to rotate with respect to said
inner cap (3), thereby providing, in addition to a partial rotary movement, also a
vertical translation movement, and that said outer cap is provided with a downward
projecting sealing ring (7) adapted to be engaged, as the plug (1) is closed, between
an outer guide and sealing ring (12) and a further inner sealing ring (19) which projects
for a projecting distance greater than that of said outer sealing ring (12).
4. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said plug comprises moreover an outer guide and sealing ring (12) and an inner
sealing ring (19) defining therebetween an annular hollow (21) therein a downward
projecting annular element (7) is engaged.
5. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said downward projecting annular or ring element (20) enters the neck (24) of
a bottle so that the top portion of said bottle is clamped between the lugs (20) projecting
downward with respect to the inner cap (3) and the outer top portion of said cap (25).
6. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that between the annular lug (20) projecting downward from the body of the inner cap
(3) and the top portion (25) of said inner cap is formed a hollow in which can be
tightly engaged a top end portion of the bottle neck (24).
7. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said outer cap (2) is provided, at the inner surface thereof, with helical contour
hollows (14) therein are engaged projecting tooth element (13) formed on an outer
surface of said inner cap (3) and being spaced from one another at 120°,
8. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said plug comprises moreover a plurality of small teeth (27) formed at the inner
wall of said outer cap (2).
9. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said inner cap (3) is provided, at a top thereof, with ridges (15) for facilitating
the draining and recovering of said liquid.
10. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said lugs (20 and 25) formed in the inner portion (3) of said plug (1) are so
arranged and designed as to forcibly clamp the top lug of the neck (24) of the bottle,
to prevent the plug (1) from being accidentally disengaged as said plug is opened.
11. An improved plug according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
that said plug comprises specifically designed, contoured, sized and arranged elements,
and as broadly disclosed and illustrated in the preceding disclosure and in the figures
of the drawings enclosed in the present Industrial Invention Patent Application.