CLOSURE DEVICE

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a closure device comprising a cylindrical outer casing provided with abutments on its inner surface and mounted on a landing body which comprises a retractable dispensing assembly and a basis element to be fixedly attached to the neck of a bottle by means of projections; and an one-way valve with a ball and a seat. The retractable dispensing assembly consists of an elevating element and a pouring element provided with ribs. The closure device comprises a cylindrical screw cap having projections on its outer surface; a hollow cylindrical capsule having a central outflow aperture and sealing rings on the external surface of the capsule. In the closed condition of the closure device the pouring element is closed by a lid having an annular supporting flange hinged to the end of the cap by a flexible connection. The basis element has an outflow tube which inner surface defines a polyhedron, and the lower part of the elevating element is in the form of a hollow polyhedron which is arranged such that to coaxially engage with the polyhedron of the outflow tube. The end of the lower part of the hollow polyhedron is provided with a plug connected thereto by bridges, and the upper part of the elevating element is in the form of a shaped flange having projections engaging with the abutments of the pouring element and the screw thread of the cap. At the place where the upper end of the hollow polyhedron is connected to the shaped flange of the elevating element, said upper end defines a seat of the one-way valve. The outflow tube is disposed within the hollow cylindrical capsule; and the lower part of the elevating element with the plug is movably disposed in the outflow tube. The end of the outer housing is provided with a circular hatch cover which is circumferentially pointwise connected to the end of the outer housing.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a closure device useful in the manufacture of wine and vodka, the closure device being a stopper preventing refilling of a bottle.

[0002] RU 25495 U1 (IPC⁷ B65D 41/38, 10.10.2002) discloses a closure device comprising a body attachable to the neck of a bottle, the body having a tubular pouring element and, on the inner surface of the body, at least one fixing means to fix a separately manufactured one-way valve within the body, wherein the outer surface of the valve is complementary to at least a portion of the inner surface of the pouring element; the valve can be mounted within the body during or after assembly of the closure device.

[0003] On its external side the valve has a fixing means engageable with the fixing means of the body.

[0004] The fixing means of the body is a groove, while the fixing means of the one-way valve is a projection.

[0005] The device prevents refilling of the bottle with liquid. However, the device does not provide an impermeable seal and it is inconvenient in use.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a protection against tampering with the liquid contained in a bottle, by preventing refilling of the bottle with liquid, and at the same time to provide an enhanced impermeability of the seal and convenience of use of the closure device.

[0007] The object of the invention is achieved by the present closure device comprising a cylindrical outer housing provided with abutments on the inner surface thereof and mounted on a landing body which comprises a retractable dispensing assembly and a basis element to be fixedly attached to the neck of a bottle by projections; an one-way valve with a ball and a seat; wherein the retractable dispensing assembly consists of an elevating element and a pouring element provided with ribs which form a retention means for retaining the ball of the one-way valve, when the closure device is in the open condition; a cap having a screw thread on its inner cylindrical surface and projections on its outer cylindrical surface to engage with the abutments on the outer housing; a hollow cylindrical capsule having a central outflow aperture and sealing rings on the external surface of the capsule to provide a tight fit of the capsule in the neck of the bottle; in the closed condition of the closure device the pouring element of the retractable dispensing assembly being closed by a lid having an annular supporting flange hinged to the end of the cap by a flexible connection; the basis element has an outflow tube which inner surface defines a polyhedron, and the lower part of the elevating element of the retractable dispensing assembly is in the form of a hollow polyhedron which is arranged so that to coaxially engage with the polyhedron of the outflow tube; the end of the lower part of the hollow polyhedron of the retractable dispensing assembly is provided with a plug connected to said end by bridges; the upper part of the elevating element of the retractable dispensing assembly is in the form of a shaped flange having projections engaging with the abutments of the pouring element of the retractable dispensing assembly and the screw thread of the cap; wherein, at the place where the upper end of the hollow polyhedron is connected to the shaped flange of the elevating element, said upper end defines a seat of the one-way valve; the outflow tube is disposed within the hollow cylindrical capsule; the lower part of the elevating element with the plug is movably disposed in the outflow tube; the outer housing is fixed on the basis element by means of engagement of projections on the housing with the supporting surface of the basis element, and the end of the outer housing is provided with a circular hatch cover which is circumferentially pointwise connected to the end of the outer housing.

[0008] The invention is illustrated by the drawings, wherein:

Fig.1 is an elevation sectional view of the closure device in the closed condition;

Fig.2 is an elevation sectional view of the closure device in the open condition;

Fig.3 is an elevation sectional view of a basis element 2;

Fig.4 is a top view (A) of the basis element 2 of Fig.3;

Fig.5 is a cross-section along B-B in Fig.3;

Fig.6 is a cross-section along C-C in Fig.3;

Fig.7 is an elevation sectional view of a cylindrical outer housing 1;

Fig.8 is a top view (D) of the outer housing 1 of Fig.7;

Fig.9 is a cross-section E-E in Fig.7;

Fig.10 is an elevation sectional view of a cap 22;

Fig.11 is a top view (F) of the cap 22 of Fig.10;

Fig.12 is an elevation sectional view of an elevating element 4 of the retractable dispensing assembly;

Fig.13 is a top view (G) of the elevating element 4 of Fig.12;

Fig.14 is a bottom view (H) of the elevating element 4 of Fig.12;

Fig.15 is an elevation sectional view of a capsule 17;

Fig.16 is an elevation sectional view of a pouring element 3 of the retractable dispensing assembly.

[0009] The closure device according to the present invention comprises a cylindrical outer housing 1 mounted on a landing body including a retractable dispensing assembly and a basis element 2 (Figs 1,2).

[0010] The retractable dispensing assembly consists of a pouring element 3 and an elevating element 4. The pouring element 3 is provided with ribs 5 which form a retention means for retaining a ball 6, when the closure device is in the open condition (Fig.2).

[0011] The basis element 2 comprises an outflow tube 7 which inner surface defines a polyhedron 8 (Figs 3, 4).

[0012] The lower part of the elevating element 4 is in the form of hollow polyhedron 9 (Figs 12, 14) engaging with the coaxial polyhedron 8 of the outflow tube 7 of the basis element 2 (Figs 1, 2). The end of the lower part of the hollow polyhedron 9 of the elevating element 4 of the retractable dispensing assembly has a plug 10 connected to the end of the lower part of the hollow polyhedron 9 by bridges 11 (Fig.1, 2, 12).

[0013] The upper part of the elevating element 4 is in the form of a shaped flange 12 having projections 13 which engage with the abutments 14 of the retractable dispensing assembly, thereby reliably fixing the pouring element 3 in relation to the elevating element 4 of the retractable dispensing assembly (Figs 1, 2, 12).

[0014] At the place where the upper end of the hollow polyhedron 9 is connected to the shaped flange of the elevating element, said upper end defines a seat 15 for ball 6 which forms, together with the seat 15, an one-way valve to prevent refilling of a bottle 16 (Figs 2,12).

[0015] A capsule 17 is a hollow cylindrical element having a central outflow aperture 18 (Figs 2, 15).

[0016] The capsule 17 has sealing rings 19 on the external cylindrical surface thereof to provide a tight fit of the capsule in the neck of the bottle 16. The outflow tube 7 of the basis element 2 is disposed in the inner part of the capsule 17, and the lower part of the elevating element 4 with the plug 10 is movably disposed inside the outflow tube (Figs 1,2).

[0017] The outer cylindrical side of the shaped flange 12 is provided with radial projections 20 engaging with a screw thread 21 on the internal cylindrical surface of a cap 22 (Figs 10, 12, 13, 14).

[0018] The outer cylindrical surface of the cap 22 has projections 23 engaging with abutments 24 provided on the inner surface of the outer housing 1 (Figs 7, 10).

[0019] The outer housing 1 is fixed on the basis element 2 by means of engagement of projections 25 on the inner surface of the outer housing with a supporting flange 26 of the basis element 2 (Figs 2,3,7). Owing to this arrangement, the outer housing 1 can rotate relative to the basis element 2, thus preventing the removal of the outer housing 1 from the bottle 16. The end of the outer housing 1 has a circular hatch cover which is circumferentially connected at some points to the end of the outer housing (Figs 1, 7, 8).

[0020] The basis element 2 is fixed in the neck of the bottle 16 by projections 28 and 29 (Figs 3, 5, 6).

[0021] The pouring element 3 of the retractable dispensing assembly is closed by a lid 30 provided at the end of cap 22, the lid having an annular supporting flange 31 hinged to the end of the cap 22 by a flexible connection 32 (Figs 2, 10, 11), thus allowing the repeated opening and closing of the bottle.

[0022] The closure device according to the present invention operates as follows.

[0023] Prior to pouring out the liquid, the user rotates the outer housing 1 so that the projections 25 of the cap 22 engage with the abutments 24 of the outer housing 1. This causes a rotation of the elevating element 4 of the retractable dispensing assembly, so that the projections 20 move along the screw thread 31, thus causing elevation of the elevating element 4 together with the pouring element 3. As a result of the elevation, the pouring element 3 breaks out the lid 30 of the cap 22 and the hatch cover 27 of the outer housing 1 by breaking the pointwise connections between the hatch cover 27 and the end of the outer housing 1 and provides an aperture in the end of the housing. The plug 10 releases the central outflow aperture 18 of the capsule 17. At the same time, the supporting flange 32 turns away so that the lid 30 is opened, thus releasing a passage for the retractable dispensing assembly which pops out from the end of the outer housing 1.

[0024] When the bottle 16 is tilted, the movable ball 6, owing to the gravity force, releases the opening in the hollow polyhedron 9 of the elevating element 4 of the retractable dispensing assembly, and gets into the retention means defined by the ribs 5 for retaining the ball 6.

[0025] Liquid can freely flow out of the bottle 16. When pouring of the liquid is finished, the user returns the bottle 16 to its upright position. The ball 6 closes the opening in the polyhedron 9 of the elevating element 4 of the retractable dispensing assembly, thus preventing refilling of the bottle 16.

[0026] The backward rotation of the outer housing 1 lowers the retractable dispensing assembly to its initial position. The plug 10 of the elevating element 4 of the retractable dispensing assembly tightly closes the outflow aperture 18 of the capsule 17, and reliably seals the bottle 16. Then the user closes the lid 30 manually, to prevent entering of dust inside the closure device.

Claims

1. A closure device comprising a cylindrical outer housing provided with abutments on the inner surface thereof and mounted on a landing body which comprises a retractable dispensing assembly and a basis element to be fixedly attached to the neck of a bottle by means of projections; an one-way valve with a ball and a seat; wherein the retractable dispensing assembly consists of an elevating element and a pouring element provided with ribs which form a retention means for retaining the ball of the one-way valve, when the closure device is in the open condition; a cap having a screw thread on its inner cylindrical surface and projections on its outer cylindrical surface to engage with the abutments on the outer housing; a hollow cylindrical capsule having a central outflow aperture and sealing rings on the external surface of the capsule to provide a tight fit of the capsule in the neck of the bottle; in the closed condition of the closure device the pouring element of the retractable dispensing assembly being closed by a lid having an annular supporting flange hinged to the end of the cap by a flexible connection; the basis element has an outflow tube which inner surface defines a polyhedron, and the lower part of the elevating element of the retractable dispensing assembly is in the form of a hollow polyhedron which is arranged so that to coaxially engage with the polyhedron of the outflow tube; the end of the lower part of the hollow polyhedron of the retractable dispensing assembly is provided with a plug connected to said end by bridges; the upper part of the elevating element of the retractable dispensing assembly is in the form of a shaped flange having projections engaging with the abutments of the pouring element of the retractable dispensing assembly and the screw thread of the cap; wherein, at the place where the upper end of the hollow polyhedron is connected to the shaped flange of the elevating element, said upper end defines a seat of the one-way valve; the outflow tube is disposed within the hollow cylindrical capsule; the lower part of the elevating element with the plug is movably disposed in the outflow tube; the outer housing being fixed on the basis element by means of engagement of projections on the housing with the supporting surface of the basis element, and the end of the outer housing is provided with a circular hatch cover which is circumferentially pointwise connected to the end of the outer housing.

Drawing