MULTI-FLOW CAP

Abstract

 A multi-flow cap. The invention relates to a cap (1) formed by a cylindrical body. The lower part of the cap comprises a horizontal wall (2) including a diametrical slit (3) connecting to holes of different sizes (4a, 4b) located at the ends of the horizontal wall (2), and means for securing to the container. The upper part of the cap comprises a pouring zone formed by a circular section (5) with an outwardly projecting rim (6). The lid is suitable for use by the visually impaired.

Description

Technical Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention discloses a multi-flow cap where the pouring area is a circular section with an outwardly projected rim. The cap is suitable for use by blind people. The cap is suitable for pouring oils and slurries.

Background of the invention

[0002] The document considered as the closest to the present invention describes a multi-flow cap comprising of a horizontal partition provided with a diametrical slit connecting two holes with different surface sizes. The cap described in PCT/ ES2013000254 shows two U-shaped paths of grooves with different radii. The device disclosed by PCT/ES2013000254 allows that two liquid flow rates to be obtained. However, when used, it is necessary to tilt the container by the grooved paths. If the container is not inclined by the grooved paths, the liquid will drip and stain the container external surface.

[0003] The above situation occurs when the user does not notice where the grooved paths are positioned, when the container is used in low visibility conditions or when used by blind people.

[0004] Another problem of the cap described in PCT / ES2013000254 is that the outline of the pouring area is not a circle due to the presence of the U-shaped grooved paths. The irregular outline does not allow the use of standardized circular caps.

[0005] On the other hand, it is common to use sauces or vinaigrettes, these consisting of slurries having a liquid phase (oils, vinegars, wines ...) and a solid phase (species, aromatic herbs ...) that is soaked in the liquid phase. When the above slurries are poured through the caps described in the prior art along with the liquid phase, species will drop and there are some situations where it is not desired the species to drop, for example when an oil and cayenne seeds slurry is poured.

Object of the invention

[0006] The problem solved by the present invention is to provide a suitable cap for use by the blind people. The solution found by the inventors is a cap where the pouring area is a circle with an outwardly projected rim. The cap allows the liquid contained in the container to be poured without a dropping occurs, without staining the exterior of the container, regardless of the orientation of the bottle during the pouring.

[0007] In a preferred mode, another problem solved by the invention is to improve the flow of fluid when poured through the hole with lesser surface. The solution found by the inventors is that the lesser hole has a surface between 4-12 mm². If the surface of the hole is less than 4 mm² the pouring flow will be intermittent while if the surface of the hole with a smaller surface is greater than 12 mm² it will not be possible to control the amount of discharged liquid.

[0008] When the lesser hole has an area between 4-12 mm², the cap is suitable for pouring slurries and/or vinaigrettes. If one does not desires the species to drop, the liquid is poured through the hole of smaller area as the surface of the hole is smaller than the size of the species (cayenne, peppercorns). If one desires the species to drop, then the liquid is poured through the larger hole so that the species are allowed to drop.

[0009] In a more preferred embodiment, another problem solved by the present invention is to indicate where the holes with larger and lesser surface are located. The solution found by the inventors consists of including differently sized tactile identification means.

Description of figures

[0010] 

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of the cap

Figure 2 shows a cross section of the cap

Figure 3 shows a zenithal view of the cap.

Description of the invention

[0011] The cap (1) described herein consists of a cylindrical body, which at its bottom side has a horizontal partition (2). The horizontal partition (2) presents a diametrical slit (3) that connects two holes (4a, 4b) with different surface holes sizes. As shown in Figure 3 the holes (4a, 4 b) are located at the ends of the horizontal partition (2). Thus, the accumulation of poured product on the horizontal partition (2) is avoided.

[0012] The upper end of the cap has a circular section (5) and an outwardly projected rim (6) that prevents a dripping of the liquid.

[0013] The cap has at its lesser end means for fixing the cap to the container, for example by threading or pressure.

[0014] With the purpose that the blind people may locate the pouring holes, the cap comprises tactile identification means of different sizes aligned with the holes. These means, in a preferred mode, are located in a peripheral skirt (8) in order to facilitate the location thereof by the blind people. In the event that the holes (4a and 4b) were not located at the ends of the horizontal partition (2), some liquid would accumulate on the partition (2) when using the cap.

[0015] The tactile identification means may be grooves, roughened surfaces, splines, dots with different height or varying numbers of raised dots. Likewise, the tactile identification means may be written in Braille.

[0016] In a preferred mode as described in the figures, the fixation of the cap to a container is performed by a thread terminating in a peripheral skirt (8) which acts as a stop. The peripheral skirt (8) comprises slits (7a) and splines (7b) as the means for tactile identification. The slits (7) are aligned with the larger surface hole (4) and the splines (7b) are aligned with the lesser surface hole (4b) as shown in figure 3, where the slits (7a) are larger than splines (7 b) in size.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the lesser surface hole (4b) is a circle with a 1.2 mm radius leading to a 4.5 mm² surface. The orifice allows for a constant flow of oil to be obtained, with a density of 0.9 g/ml and a surface tension of 0.033 N/m.

[0018] The cap described with a 1.25 mm radius is used to pour slurry of oil and cayenne seeds, garlic cloves or peppercorns. When the slurry is poured through the hole with the lesser surface only oil fell through, whereas when the slurry was poured through the hole with the larger surface oil and species fell through. In anyone of both situations, there was no accumulation of oil or species on the horizontal partition.

Claims

1. A cap (1) formed by a cylindrical body comprising:

- in the bottom side thereof:

- a horizontal partition (2) with a diametrical slit (3) connecting two holes (4a, 4b) with different surface sizes, with said holes located at the ends of the horizontal partition (2),

- means for fixation to the container,

- in the top side:

- a pouring area,

characterized in that the pouring area is a circular section (5) with an outwardly projected rim (6).

2. A cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the lesser surface hole (4b) has an area between 4-12 square millimeters.

3. A cap according to claims 1-2, characterized in that the outer surface of the cap has different sized tactile identifying means aligned with the holes (4a, 4b).

4. A cap according to claim 3 characterized in that the tactile identification means are located in a peripheral skirt (8) where the tactile identification means are:

- slits (7a) aligned to the larger surface hole, and

- splines (7b) aligned to the lesser surface hole.

5. A cap according to claim 4, characterized in that the fixation means consist of a thread (9) and the peripheral skirt (8) which acts as a stop.

Drawing