Bottle cap forbidden to be opened due to expiration

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of bottle caps, and discloses a bottle cap forbidden to be opened due to expiration, which comprises a sealing-off easy-to-tear tape for displaying non-sealing-off when the cap is closed, and a pull piece fixedly connected with one end of the sealing-off easy-to-tear tape, the other end of the pull piece is a free end, a blocking hole is formed in the position close to the end point, the blocking hole transversely enters the guide fixing block, and the guide fixing block is provided with a configuration channel. The expiration self-locking device further comprises a telescopic elastic rod piece and a normal-temperature sublimation solid which are installed in the configuration channel. The normal-temperature sublimation solid is located in the blocking hole, as time goes on, the volume of the normal-temperature sublimation solid is gradually reduced, the telescopic elastic rod piece gradually moves upwards till the normal-temperature sublimation solid enters the blocking hole, at the moment, the sealing-off easy-to-tear tape is restrained by the pulling piece and cannot be torn off, and the bottle cap is in a locked state. According to the bottle cap, the existing defects are overcome, the expiration reminding function which is not achieved by an original bottle cap is added, and a plurality of components are mutually borrowed and fused together, so that the cost is not greatly increased.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese patent application filed on December 30, 2022, with application number 2022117236764, and invention name "Expired self-locking device for bottle caps and a bottle cap that is prohibited from opening after expiration". Technical Field

[0002] The present invention belongs to the technical field of bottle caps, and specifically relates to an expired self-locking device for bottle caps and an expired bottle cap that is forbidden to be opened, especially for container bottle caps whose contents are liquids such as beverages, milk, and medicines. Background Art

[0003] The Chinese invention patent with authorization announcement number CN101044066B discloses a tampering warning device for a bottle cap and a tampering warning bottle cap. The body of the bottle cap and the lid are hinged. It can be seen that when the lid is closed, the lower edge of the lid is only close to or attached to the upper surface of the body, and the two do not form a seal. This structure inevitably prevents fine dust, bacteria, etc. from entering the periphery of the nozzle. When drinking, the nozzle directly enters the mouth, and dust and bacteria will be directly brought into the human body, causing health hazards.

[0004] Similarly, the Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN204998976U discloses a flip-open bottle cap with an anti-theft ring, which also has this defect.

[0005] On the other hand, although the above-mentioned bottle cap has a large opening angle after being opened, the lid is still in a position higher than the bottle cap. When there is less liquid during drinking, the upward inclination angle of the bottle increases, and the lid will approach the bridge of the nose, causing visual and physical discomfort. At the same time, the liquid attached to the lid will occasionally drip onto the face.

[0006] Furthermore, beverages, milk, liquid medicines, etc. have a certain shelf life and are usually stored in containers with bottle caps. When they are opened for drinking, the containers will have a first-time unsealing warning device to prompt the initial unsealing, but as of now there is no reminder warning as to whether the contents are expired or are about to expire. Summary of the invention

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an expired self-locking device for bottle caps and an expired bottle cap that cannot be opened. The bottle cap forms an integral seal when closed and can lower the height of the cap after opening. It also has the functions of self-locking and unlocking the bottle cap when the expiration date is approaching.

[0008] The invention objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: an expired self-locking device for a bottle cap having a body and a lid, comprising a tear-off strip that indicates that the bottle cap is not opened when the lid is closed, a guide fixing block vertically arranged outside the body, and a pull tab fixedly connected to one end of the tear-off strip; the other end of the pull tab is a free end, and a locking hole is provided near the end point, the locking hole enters the interior of the guide fixing block laterally, and the guide fixing block has a configuration channel in the vertical direction inside; the expired self-locking device also comprises a telescopic elastic rod and a room temperature sublimation solid installed in the configuration channel; Under normal conditions, the elastic force of the telescopic elastic rod presses the room-temperature sublimation solid against the top wall of the configuration channel; the room-temperature sublimation solid is located in the locking hole, and as time goes by, the volume of the room-temperature sublimation solid gradually sublimates and shrinks, thereby the front end of the telescopic elastic rod gradually moves upward until it enters the locking hole, at which time the tear strip is restrained by the pull tab and cannot be torn off, and the bottle cap is locked.

[0009] Preferably, the room temperature sublimation solid is a body of revolution, which is beneficial to uniform volume reduction during the sublimation of the whole body, so that the time limit can be better controlled, and the body of revolution is easier to rotate relative to each other, which is conducive to easy pulling out of the pull tab.

[0010] Preferably, the room temperature sublimation solid is camphor balls, which are non-toxic, stable in sublimation at room temperature, inexpensive, and also have the effects of moisture and insect resistance.

[0011] Preferably, the middle of the telescopic elastic rod is a detachable section, and a receiving hole for providing the detachable section with access is provided in the guide fixed block adjacent to the configuration channel. A pull rope is connected to the detachable section, and the other end of the pull rope is a free end, which is exposed and enlarged. The detachable section can be moved to the receiving hole by pulling the pull rope, and the corresponding telescopic elastic rod is shortened so that the end exits the locking hole. This method of resetting is simple and reliable.

[0012] Preferably, a recess for accommodating the free end is provided at an appropriate position of the guide fixing block, and the free end is arranged to enter and be fixed in a compressive manner. The recess provides accommodation for the draw cord, so that when it is not needed, it does not affect the up and down movement of the cover.

[0013] Preferably, a weak link is provided at the connection between the drawstring and the detachable section. This design allows the drawstring to be detached after completing its mission, so as not to affect the up and down movement of the lid.

[0014] Preferably, the length of the receiving hole is slightly greater than the length of the detachable section, and when the room temperature sublimation solid has not yet sublimated and shrunk to a certain size, the receiving hole and the detachable section are misaligned. This design makes the device less prone to misoperation.

[0015] Preferably, the end of the telescopic elastic rod and the top wall of the configuration channel are respectively provided with a concave arc surface. The design of the concave arc surface increases the contact area so that the room temperature sublimation solid is not easily broken by the pressure.

[0016] The present invention also provides a bottle cap having a body and a cover, comprising the above-mentioned expiration self-locking device, wherein the body and the cover are connected via a movable hinge structure.

[0017] Preferably, the body comprises a disc-shaped top and an outer edge with a connecting device, a hole is provided on the disc-shaped top, the hole extends upward to form a nozzle, and the nozzle is tightly closed by arranging a sealing structure on the inner top wall of the cover. The closing of the nozzle is synchronized with the closing of the cover, and there is no unnecessary operation.

[0018] Preferably, the hinge structure includes a sliding seat tightly slidably sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide fixed block, and a rotating shaft rotatably connected to each end of the sliding seat; the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the connecting structure arranged on the outside of the cover. This hinge method is conventional, but because it is connected to the sliding seat, it becomes a hinge that can slide up and down, thereby further designing the required functions.

[0019] Preferably, the lower edge of the cap and the corresponding part of the body corresponding to the edge are provided with mutually nested connection and closure structures. The nested connection method is common in the field of bottle caps, but it is usually not suitable for flipping. The technical solution of the present invention combines the two, and both convenience and sealing are retained.

[0020] Preferably, one end of the rotating shaft is spherical, and guide grooves matching the size of the sphere are set on both sides of the corresponding guide fixing block. The sphere can provide a rolling effect when rotating and moving, thereby increasing flexibility when moving.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment, the spherical material is rubber, and the spherical body is in close contact with the guide groove. The spherical body is small in size, and the use of rubber material or the outer surface of the rubber layer can increase friction and bring about a damping effect, and the cost is not much increased.

[0022] Preferably, the connection and closure structure is composed of a full circle of continuous grooves at the lower edge of the lid and a full circle of continuous protrusions at the corresponding position of the body, the two are connected by snap-fitting, and the cross-section of the joint is arc-shaped.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment, the configuration channel passes through the outer edge downward, and a plug is arranged on the outer edge, and the plug is threadedly connected to the outer edge. The design of the plug makes installation simple, so that the components can be designed separately, which reduces the difficulty of manufacturing and is beneficial to cost control.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment, the pull tab passes through the connection and closure structure, and a hollow boss is arranged at the corresponding connection and closure structure of the body. The position design of the hollow boss provides a guide channel for the pull tab without destroying the closure structure.

[0025] In summary, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: The structure of the bottle cap of the present invention is not much different from that of the known bottle cap. The known bottle cap generally has a locking mechanism at the proximal end of the Y axis, while the bottle cap of the present invention is directly pressed down and locked, thus eliminating the locking mechanism. Correspondingly, in order to realize the opening and closing of the lid by translation up and down, the hinge structure at the distal end of the Y axis needs to be designed to be more complicated than that of the known bottle cap. Of course, the change of this design can bring the following benefits: First, the guide fixed block in the hinge structure is used as the base, and a hinge structure that can slide up and down is designed on the outer peripheral surface, so that the lid can be pressed down and closed in parallel, thereby completing the card-joint seal and eliminating the locking mechanism; Second, the lid can slide downward after opening, which is a great improvement over the prior art where the lid is fixed at a high position, which makes drinking uncomfortable. Thirdly, an expired self-locking device is designed by utilizing the internal space of the guide fixing block. The device is provided with a locking hole in a pull tab fixedly connected to one end of the unsealing tear strip, and the locking hole enters the guide fixing block laterally. A telescopic elastic rod and a room-temperature sublimation solid are arranged inside the guide fixing block. The elastic force of the telescopic elastic rod presses the room-temperature sublimation solid, and the room-temperature sublimation solid is located in the locking hole. As time goes by, the volume of the room-temperature sublimation solid gradually decreases, and the front end of the telescopic elastic rod gradually moves upward until it enters the locking hole. At this time, the unsealing tear strip is restrained by the pull tab and cannot be torn off, thereby prohibiting the bottle cap from being opened. Of course, an unlocking device is also designed for the self-locking device, and the unlocking method is also very simple. The middle of the telescopic elastic rod is made removable, and then a pull rope is connected and led to the outside. The unlocking operation is completed by pulling the pull rope.

[0026] In summary, the bottle cap of the present invention improves the existing defects and also adds an expiration reminder function that the original bottle cap does not have, and multiple functional components interact and merge together, so the cost is not increased much. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It shows a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention, with the lid in a closed position; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention is shown from the rear and right, with the lid in the closed position; Figure 3 It shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the cover hidden by the present invention and the guide fixing block partially cut away; Figure 4It shows a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention, with the lid in the open position; Figure 5 An exploded view of the various parts of the present invention is shown; Figure 6 It indicated Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0028] Markings in the figure: Main body 1, outer edge 11, cover 2, hinge structure 3, guide fixing block 31, sliding seat 32, rotating shaft 33, guide groove 34, nozzle 4, sealing structure 5, connecting and closing structure 6, easy-to-tear tape 7, tear-off end 71, expired self-locking device 8, pull tab 81, locking hole 82, configuration channel 83, telescopic elastic rod 84, room temperature sublimation solid 85, detachable section 86, accommodating hole 87, pull rope 88, plug 9, hollow boss 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings: Example 1 like Figure 1-2 As shown, the bottle cap of the present invention generally includes a body 1 with a hole on the upper surface and a cover 2 located above the body 1, and the body and the cover are connected to each other through a movable hinge structure 3. After connection, the cover 2 closes the hole of the body 1 and seals the area above and around the hole of the body 1, so that the effect of preventing liquid from flowing out and maintaining hygiene at the entrance can be achieved when not drinking. The traditional hinge structure 3 is a fixed structure, and the cover is opened and closed by rotating at the hinge. In this opening and closing structure, the lower edge of the cover 2 is not parallel to the upper surface of the body 1, but is closed and opened by rotating around the hinge axis. Therefore, the two stages of the end of the closing action and the beginning of the opening action both have a transition from tilted to parallel, making it impossible to set an ideal seal based on this structure.

[0030] like Figure 3-4 As shown, the body 1 of the bottle cap generally comprises a disc-shaped top and an outer edge 11 with a connection device, such as an internal thread, which is suitable for engaging with the external thread of the standard neck of the container. There is a hole for the injection port on the disc-shaped top, and the hole extends upward to form a nozzle 4, which is tightly closed by a sealing structure 5 in the bottle cap cover 2.

[0031] like Figure 4-6As shown, the hinge structure 3 of the present invention is a structure that can slide up and down (slide in the Z-axis direction), including a guide fixing block 31 vertically upward from the outer edge 11, a sliding seat 32 tightly slidably sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide fixing block 31, and a rotating shaft 33 rotatably connected at both ends of the sliding seat 32; the rotating shaft 33 is fixedly connected to the connecting structure arranged on the outside of the lid 2, thereby, the closing and opening of the lid 2 are realized by relying on the sliding of the sliding seat 32, that is, the improved operation mode is to flip the lid 2 inward and then press it downward to close, and to pull the lid 2 upward and flip it outward to open. Compared with the traditional structure, it can bring two benefits. First, as long as the lower edge of the lid and the corresponding part of the body 1 corresponding to the edge are provided with mutually embedded connecting and closing structures 6, the sealing structure can be completed, and the sealing structure is simple and effective. Second, the original lid 2 is at a fixed height after opening, and now it can slide down to a lower place, which reduces the discomfort of the lid close to the face when drinking.

[0032] In order to provide a damping effect on the movement between the sliding seat 32 and the guide fixing block 31 and the rotation of the cover 2, one end of the rotating shaft 33 is designed to be spherical, and guide grooves 34 matching the size of the sphere are set on both sides of the corresponding guide fixing block 31. The sphere is made of rubber, and the sphere enters the guide groove 34 in close contact. In this way, the cover 2 has a damping effect whether it moves up and down or rotates, and the cover will not slide or flip at will, that is, the cover can be more conveniently stopped at the required position.

[0033] The connection and closure structure 6 is composed of a continuous groove at the lower edge of the cover and a continuous protrusion at the corresponding position of the body 1. The connection between the two can be a plug-in or a snap-in structure. The cross-section of the joint can be an arc or a triangle. The arc is shown in the figure. In order to remind the user of the initial unsealing when the lid 2 is opened for the first time, an easy-to-tear strip 7 is provided at the appropriate corresponding position between the outer peripheral surface of the lower edge of the lid and the body 1. The easy-to-tear strip 7 can be connected in a dotted or scored manner and has a tear-off end 71.

[0034] The bottle cap of the present invention also includes an expired self-locking device 8, which is preset with a time limit, and when the liquid in the bottle is close to the shelf life, that is, when the set time limit is reached, the device automatically locks to restrict the lid 2 from opening. Since the set time limit utilizes the phenomenon of physical sublimation, the actual time limit is affected by external environmental changes and has a certain error. Therefore, the preset time limit needs to be set earlier than the shelf life. In this way, it is necessary to set a corresponding reset unlocking function for the self-locking device so that the beverage that is still within the shelf life can continue to be opened after verification.

[0035] Since the first step of opening the lid 2 is to remove the tear strip 7, the expired self-locking device 8 sets a limit on pulling the tear strip 7 to achieve the purpose of self-locking. Specifically, it includes a pull tab 81 fixedly connected at one end near the tearing end 71; the other end of the pull tab 81 is a free end, and a locking hole 82 is provided near the end. The pull tab 81 passes through the connection and closure structure 6, and the locking hole 82 enters the interior of the guide fixing block 31. The guide fixing block 31 has a configuration channel 83 in the internal vertical direction (Z-axis direction); The expired self-locking device 8 also includes a telescopic elastic rod 84 and a room-temperature sublimation solid 85 installed in the configuration channel 83; the elastic force of the telescopic elastic rod 84 presses the room-temperature sublimation solid 85 against the top wall of the configuration channel 83; the room-temperature sublimation solid 85 is located in the locking hole 82, and as time goes by, the volume of the room-temperature sublimation solid 85 gradually decreases, and the front end of the telescopic elastic rod 84 gradually moves up until it enters the locking hole 82. At this time, it will be impossible to remove the easy-to-tear strip 7. The room-temperature sublimation solid 85 should be a body of revolution, preferably a sphere or an ellipsoid. The ellipsoid is easier to adjust in length, so as to facilitate setting the appropriate range of the sublimation time. The room-temperature sublimation solid 85 can be a camphor ball with no odor or very light odor, or other non-toxic solids with stable sublimation characteristics at room temperature.

[0036] In order to achieve reset and unlocking, the middle of the telescopic elastic rod 84 is a detachable section 86, and a receiving hole 87 for providing the detachable section 86 to enter is provided in the guide fixed block 31 adjacent to the configuration channel 83. A pull rope 88 is connected to the detachable section 86, and the other end of the pull rope 88 is a free end. The free end is enlarged to facilitate hand grasping. The free end is exposed after being led out. A depression for accommodating the free end can also be provided at an appropriate position of the guide fixed block 31, and the free end is provided to be fixed after entering in a pressure manner. A weak link is provided at the connection between the pull rope 88 and the detachable section 86, so that after the detachable section 86 is dragged into the receiving hole 87, the pull rope 88 is further pulled to disconnect the pull rope 88 at the weak link. The advantage of this is that the pull rope 88 will not interfere with the up and down movement of the sliding seat 32.

[0037] The length of the accommodating hole 87 is slightly larger than the length of the detachable section 86, but when the room temperature sublimating solid 85 has not yet sublimated and shrunk to a certain size, the accommodating hole 87 and the detachable section 86 are misaligned, that is, the detachable section 86 is lower than the accommodating hole 87. The advantage of this is that even if the pull rope 88 is accidentally involved, it is not easy to bring the detachable section 86 into the accommodating hole 87.

[0038] Action process demonstration: Assume that the bottle cap is connected to the container within the set period, the locking hole 82 of the pull tab 81 is sleeved on the outer ring of the room temperature sublimation solid 85, and the end of the telescopic elastic rod 84 is located directly below the locking hole 82, see Figure 3At this time, if you want to open the lid 2, you only need to pull the tear-off end 71 to remove the easy-to-tear strip 7. When pulling, because the room-temperature sublimation solid 85 is a sphere or an ellipsoid, and the telescopic elastic rod 84 has the elasticity of retraction, the pull tab 81 is easy to pull out when it is pulled against the surface of the sphere. Therefore, within the set time limit, it can be opened and drunk normally. Assuming that the set time limit is exceeded, at this time, the room-temperature sublimation solid 85 has shrunk to a certain proportion, and the end of the telescopic elastic rod 84 has passed through the locking hole 82 upward. Obviously, when you open the lid 2 again, you will find that the easy-to-tear strip 7 cannot be pulled, thus forcing the drinker to check the production date and shelf life. If it is found that it is still within the shelf life, the drinker can reset and unlock, specifically by pulling the pull rope 88 to drag the detachable section 86 into the receiving hole 87. At this time, the telescopic elastic rod 84 shortens and descends, and the end withdraws from the locking hole 82, and then the easy-to-tear strip 7 can be torn off normally, and the drink can be opened and drunk normally.

[0039] When drinking, Figure 4 As shown, the opened cover 2 is slid to the lowest point of the guide fixing block 31, so that the cover 2 can be far away from the bridge of the nose. When closing, the cover 2 is pulled up, turned over to be parallel to the upper surface of the body 1, and then pressed down.

[0040] In order to facilitate the arrangement of the expired self-locking device 8, in this embodiment, a channel 83 is configured to penetrate downward through the outer edge 11, so that the room temperature sublimation solid 85 and the telescopic elastic rod 84 can be placed from the bottom, and then a plug 9 is arranged on the outer edge 11, and the plug 9 is preferably connected to the outer edge 11 by threads.

[0041] In order to increase the contact area with the room temperature sublimation solid 85 and prevent it from being broken by pressure, the end of the telescopic elastic rod 84 and the top wall of the configuration channel 83 are respectively provided with concave arc surfaces, and the elastic force source of the telescopic elastic rod 84 can be a compression spring installed at the bottom.

[0042] The pull tab 81 passes through the connecting closed structure 6 and needs to be set as an independent channel to maintain the effective isolation of the internal space of the connecting closed structure 6 and prevent dust from entering. To this end, an integral hollow boss 10 is set at the corresponding position of the main body 1, so that the pull tab 81 enters the hollow boss 10 from one end of the outer periphery of the connecting closed structure 6 and passes through the hollow boss to go out from the other end of the outer periphery of the connecting closed structure 6.

[0043] The specific embodiments described herein are merely examples of the spirit of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications or additions to the specific embodiments described or replace them in similar ways, but they will not deviate from the spirit of the present invention or exceed the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2), characterized in that: The body (1) and the cover (2) are connected via a movable hinge structure (3); the expired self-locking device (8) comprises an easy-to-tear strip (7) for indicating that the cover (2) is not opened when the cover (2) is closed, and also comprises a guide fixing block (31) vertically arranged on the outside of the body (1), and a pull tab (81) fixedly connected to one end of the easy-to-tear strip (7); the other end of the pull tab (81) is a free end, and has a locking hole (82) near the end point, the locking hole (82) laterally enters the interior of the guide fixing block (31), and the guide fixing block (31) has a configuration channel (83) in the vertical direction inside; the expired self-locking device (8) also comprises a telescopic elastic rod (84) and a room temperature sublimation solid (85) installed in the configuration channel (83); Under normal conditions, the elastic force of the telescopic elastic rod (84) presses the room-temperature sublimation solid (85) against the top wall of the configuration channel (83); the room-temperature sublimation solid (85) is located in the locking hole (82). As time goes by, the volume of the room-temperature sublimation solid (85) gradually sublimates and shrinks, thereby causing the front end of the telescopic elastic rod (84) to gradually move upward until it enters the locking hole (82). At this time, the unsealing tear strip (7) is restrained by the pull tab (81) and cannot be torn off, and the bottle cap is locked.

2. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The body (1) comprises a disc-shaped top and an outer edge (11) with a connecting device. The disc-shaped top has a hole, which extends upward to form a nozzle (4). The nozzle (4) is tightly closed by arranging a sealing structure (5) on the inner top wall of the cover (2).

3. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge structure (3) comprises a sliding seat (32) which is tightly slidably sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide fixed block (31), and a rotating shaft (33) which is rotatably connected to each of the two ends of the sliding seat (32); the rotating shaft (33) is fixedly connected to a connecting structure arranged outside the cover (2).

4. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting and closing structure (6) which is mutually nested is provided at the lower edge of the cover (2) and at a corresponding position of the body (1) corresponding to the edge.

5. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that: One end of the rotating shaft (33) is spherical, and guide grooves (34) matching the size of the sphere are set on both sides of the corresponding guide fixing block (31).

6. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The material of the sphere is rubber, and the sphere enters the guide groove (34) to be in close and slidable contact.

7. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connection and closure structure (6) is composed of a full circle of continuous grooves at the lower edge of the cover (2) and a full circle of continuous protrusions at the corresponding position of the body (1), the two are connected by snap-fitting, and the cross-section of the joint is arc-shaped.

8. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The configuration channel (83) passes through the outer edge (11) downwards, and a plug (9) is provided on the outer edge (11), and the plug (9) is threadedly connected to the outer edge (11).

9. The bottle cap having a body (1) and a cover (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pull tab (81) passes through the connection and closure structure (6), and a hollow boss (10) is provided at a location of the connection and closure structure (6) corresponding to the body (1).

Images