Eco-cap with loss prevention function and ability to be completely separated from the container

Abstract

The present invention relates to an eco-cap that prevents separation from a container while being used to open and close the container's opening, but can be completely separated as needed to facilitate recycling. It is characterized by comprising: a cylindrical body having a thread formed on its inner surface and an open bottom end that can be attached to or detached from the container's opening; an upper ring that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the body using a circular first breaking portion that breaks when rotated and a connecting portion for preventing separation, and a second breaking portion that breaks when pulled formed on one side; and a lower ring that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the upper ring using a circular third breaking portion that breaks when rotated, and a fourth breaking portion that breaks when pulled formed on one side.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an eco-cap used to open and close the opening of a container, and more particularly to an eco-cap that is prevented from being separated from the container while being used to open and close the opening of the container, but can be completely separated as needed to facilitate recycling. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a cap attached to the inlet of a plastic container used to store beverages such as mineral water, juice, and carbonated drinks breaks partially at the bottom when it is first separated from the container.

[0003] That is, the cap used for the plastic container is manufactured in such a way that a portion of the bottom can be easily broken off, and as a result, when the plastic container is opened by the user, a ring-shaped portion of the cap remains on the inlet side.

[0004] Because this part is made of a different material than the plastic container, it must be removed during the recycling process. After it is crushed together with the plastic container, it can be removed by taking advantage of the difference in density. However, in terms of recycling efficiency, it is better to remove it at home and dispose of it in the first place.

[0005] However, some of the caps remaining on plastic containers cannot be easily removed without using tools, so a considerable amount of plastic containers are discarded together with some of the caps, and even if they are removed, they are too small to be recycled.

[0006] Furthermore, the cap, which is completely separated from the plastic container, may be lost due to carelessness by the user or may fall to the floor and become contaminated, which causes inconvenience such as having to hold the cap in one's hand while drinking the beverage.

[0007] Therefore, a solution to this problem was needed, and as a result of research and development, an invention entitled "Environmentally friendly bottle cap with improved usability" was proposed and published in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2258555.

[0008] In other words, the above prior invention proposes an invention relating to a bottle cap that has the effect of preventing loss and contamination by allowing the upper and lower rings that make up the lower part to remain connected to the inlet of the container even when the main body is separated from the inlet of the container, and furthermore, allowing a portion of the lower ring to be further broken by external force, allowing the entire part to be easily separated and discharged.

[0009] However, as a result of implementing the above-mentioned prior invention, it was discovered that the distance between the opening of the container and the separated main body was maintained too close, which could cause the main body to touch the user's face while drinking. It was also discovered that the upper ring could get caught on the opening and get in the way when reattaching the separated main body to the opening of the container.

[0010] In other words, the bottle cap proposed in the above prior invention was proposed with the aim of being environmentally friendly and improving usability, but from the perspective of usability, it can be said that it needs to be improved in various areas.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for an invention for an improved bottle cap that maintains the entire or most of the configuration proposed in the above-mentioned prior inventions, but solves all of the problems that need to be addressed, thereby making it easier to use. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] The present invention has been proposed with the objective of solving various problems that have been found in the above-mentioned prior inventions, In summary, if the distance between the opening of the container and the main body when separated from it is kept too close, there may be a problem where the main body touches the user's face while drinking the beverage. The object of the present invention is to provide a solution to the problem that the upper ring gets caught on the inlet when the main body, which has been completely separated from the container, is reattached to the inlet of the container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides: We present an eco-cap with a loss prevention function and a function to completely separate from a container, which includes: a cylindrical body having a thread formed on its inner surface and an open bottom end that can be attached to or detached from the inlet of a container; an upper ring that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the body using a circular first breaking portion that breaks when rotated and a connecting portion for preventing separation, and a second breaking portion that breaks when pulled formed on one side; and a lower ring that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the upper ring using a circular third breaking portion that breaks when rotated, and a fourth breaking portion that breaks when pulled formed on one side.

[0014] In this case, the upper ring and the lower ring are configured such that parts of the body are connected to each other in a direction opposite to the connecting portion based on the vertical cross section of the entire body including the main body.

[0015] The second and fourth breaking portions are configured to be located in opposite directions with respect to a vertical cross section of the entire body including the main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The eco-cap according to the present invention has a function of preventing loss and completely separating from the container, Unlike the prior art, this invention prevents the loss of the cap used to open and close the entrance to the container, but by making it possible to completely separate the cap from the container as needed, it has the effect of helping with recycling for the purpose of protecting the environment.

[0017] Furthermore, by making it possible to further break a portion of the upper ring compared to the prior art, the effect is achieved that the main body does not come into contact with the user's face while drinking a beverage, and furthermore, the upper ring does not cause any interference when reattaching the main body, which has been separated from the opening of the container, to the opening of the container. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1a] 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention. [Figure 1b] 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention. [Figure 2a] 4 is a flowchart showing a process of attaching an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a complete detachment function from a container to an inlet of the container and then detaching the eco-cap according to the present invention. [Figure 2b] 4 is a flowchart showing a process of attaching an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a complete detachment function from a container to an inlet of the container and then detaching the eco-cap according to the present invention. [Figure 2c] 4 is a flowchart showing a process of attaching an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a complete detachment function from a container to an inlet of the container and then detaching the eco-cap according to the present invention. [Figure 2d] 4 is a flowchart showing a process of attaching an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a complete detachment function from a container to an inlet of the container and then detaching the eco-cap according to the present invention. [Figure 2e]4 is a flowchart showing a process of attaching an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a complete detachment function from a container to an inlet of the container and then detaching the eco-cap according to the present invention. [Figure 2f] 4 is a flowchart showing a process of attaching an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a complete detachment function from a container to an inlet of the container and then detaching the eco-cap according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are exemplary views showing another embodiment of a connecting portion constituting an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention; [Figure 4a] 10A to 10C are exemplary diagrams showing various embodiments of a second breaking portion and a fourth breaking portion constituting an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention. [Figure 4b] 10A to 10C are exemplary diagrams showing various embodiments of a second breaking portion and a fourth breaking portion constituting an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention. [Figure 4c] 10A to 10C are exemplary diagrams showing various embodiments of a second breaking portion and a fourth breaking portion constituting an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention. [Figure 4d] 10A to 10C are exemplary diagrams showing various embodiments of a second breaking portion and a fourth breaking portion constituting an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a bottom view showing an eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] (Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention) The eco-cap according to the present invention has a function of preventing loss and completely separating from the container, The device is characterized by comprising: a cylindrical main body having a thread formed on its inner surface and an open bottom end that can be attached to or detached from the inlet of a container; an upper ring that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the main body using a circular first rupture portion that ruptures when rotated and a connecting portion for preventing separation, and a second rupture portion that ruptures when pulled formed on one side; and a lower ring that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the upper ring using a circular third rupture portion that ruptures when rotated, and a fourth rupture portion that ruptures when pulled formed on one side.

[0020] (Mode for Carrying Out the Invention) The present invention relates to an eco-cap used for opening and closing the entrance of a container, The device is characterized by comprising: a cylindrical main body 100 having a thread formed on its inner circumferential surface and an open bottom end that can be attached to or detached from the inlet of a container B; an upper ring 110 that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the main body 100 using a circular first rupture portion 111 that ruptures when rotated and a connecting portion 112 for preventing separation, and a second rupture portion 113 that ruptures when pulled formed on one side; and a lower ring 120 that can be partially separated from the bottom end of the upper ring 110 using a circular third rupture portion 121 that ruptures when rotated, and a fourth rupture portion 122 that ruptures when pulled formed on one side.

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] First, the main body 100 is a cylindrical structure with an open bottom and threads or multiple curved protrusions formed on the inner circumferential surface, and is made entirely of plastic material and is used to open and close the inlet formed on the top of the container B.

[0023] That is, the main body 100 can be made of high density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a type of plastic, and can be attached to or detached from the inlet of a container B by forming a shape corresponding to the shape of the inlet of the container B, which has a screw thread formed on its outer surface.

[0024] In this case, the container B used in the present invention is mostly a plastic bottle made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a type of plastic, but since there are no restrictions on the material of container B, the present invention can also be used without any problems with other plastic containers, paper containers, etc.

[0025] In addition, a circular prevention jaw must be protruded downward by a certain length from the inner ceiling surface of the main body 100, and the end of the inlet of container B is sandwiched in the space between the prevention jaw and the inner wall surface, completely preventing the beverage from spilling out due to changes in the posture of container B.

[0026] In addition, a number of short protrusions formed in a horizontal or vertical shape are provided along the outer circumferential surface of the main body 100, which is formed as a curved surface, thereby improving the frictional force with the fingers when the user rotates it to open or close the entrance of the container B.

[0027] Therefore, the user can firmly attach the main body 100 to the entrance of container B by holding it and rotating it clockwise, just as in the case of using a normal plastic container lid, or can separate the main body 100 from the entrance of container B by rotating it counterclockwise.

[0028] However, even if the main body 100 is separated from the inlet of the container B, it does not immediately come off from the container like a normal plastic container lid, but rather the main body 100 remains connected to the container B due to the configuration of the upper ring 110 and the lower ring 120, thereby preventing problems such as loss or contamination due to dropping to the floor.

[0029] That is, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b, the upper ring 110 is a ring-shaped structure located on the lower side of the main body 100, and is used to prevent the eco-cap including the main body 100 from detaching from the container B, and also to expand the flow range for the main body 100 separated from the inlet of the container B.

[0030] More specifically, the upper ring 110 is entirely connected to the lower end of the main body 100 using a circular first breaking portion 111 and a connecting portion 112 for preventing separation, and as shown in Figures 2a and 2b, it is connected in a manner that surrounds the entrance of the container B, thereby restricting the rotation of the main body 100.

[0031] However, if an external force strong enough to rotate the main body 100 independently is applied, the first breaking portion 111 may break as shown in FIG. 2c, resulting in a large portion of the main body 100 being separated from the lower end.

[0032] Therefore, the first breaking portion 111 must be configured to include a number of connection points that connect the lower end of the main body 100 and the upper end of the upper ring 110 at regular intervals so that it can easily break when a user grasps and turns the main body 100 while it is connected to the entrance of the container B, and the breaking strength standard thereof may be the same or approximately the same as that of a typical plastic container lid.

[0033] However, unlike ordinary plastic container lids, even if the first breaking portion 111 breaks, the main body 100 does not separate from the container B, but the connection between the main body 100 and the upper ring 110 is maintained as is by the unbroken connecting portion 112.

[0034] That is, the present invention has an advantage that the main body 100 is not lost or dropped to the floor, causing contamination, and the user can close the opening of the container B again after drinking the beverage.

[0035] At this time, as shown in Figures 1a and 3, the connecting portion 112 may be formed in a straight or diamond shape overall in order to simplify the mold manufacturing or manufacturing process, and in the case of a diamond shape, a V-shaped incision 123 may be formed on one side, so that the main body 100 can be easily folded in the opposite direction from the entrance of the container B.

[0036] Furthermore, the outer periphery of the connecting part 112 is heat-sealed with hot melt to a thickness of 0.45 to 1 mm to improve the breaking strength, so that breakage due to external force or fatigue acting when the main body 100 rotates does not occur or does not easily occur.

[0037] In addition, a second break portion 113 is formed on one side of the upper ring 110, so that under certain conditions, an additional break can occur, and parts of the body can be transformed into a shape separated from each other.

[0038] That is, as shown in Figures 2d and 2e, the second breaking portion 113 may be broken in its entirety by a tensile force, which is an external force acting when a user pulls the main body 100 separated from the inlet of the container B, thereby converting the shape of the upper ring 110 into a curved shape.

[0039] In this case, the second breaking portion 113 may also be configured with a shape having a number of connection points like the first breaking portion 111, but since simultaneous breakage due to external force must not occur, it is preferable that the shape of the connection points is formed more firmly compared to the first breaking portion 111.

[0040] Therefore, the main body 100 can be positioned farther from the entrance of the container B than when the upper ring 110 maintains a circular shape, resulting in the effect that the main body 100 does not come into contact with the user's face while drinking the beverage.

[0041] Furthermore, since the upper ring 110 with one side broken can be easily attached to the inlet of the container B, the process of reattaching the main body 100 to the inlet of the container B becomes easier than before.

[0042] That is, if the upper ring 110 is intact, a problem may occur in which the upper ring 110 gets stuck when the body, which has been completely separated from the inlet of the container, is reattached to the inlet. However, if one side of the upper ring 110 is broken, such a problem does not occur.

[0043] Also, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b, the lower ring 120 is a ring-shaped structure located below the upper ring 110, and is used in conjunction with the upper ring 110 to prevent the eco-cap including the main body 100 from escaping from the container B.

[0044] More specifically, the lower ring 120 is entirely connected to the lower end of the upper ring 110 using a circular third breaking portion 121 and a portion of the body where direct connection occurs, and as shown in FIG. 2c, when the main body 100 connected to the inlet of the container B rotates, the entire third breaking portion 121 breaks, and most of the lower ring 120 can be separated from its lower end.

[0045] Therefore, the third breaking portion 121 must also be configured to include a number of connection points connecting the lower end of the upper ring 110 and the upper end of the lower ring 120 at regular intervals so that breaking can easily occur when a user grasps and turns the main body 100 while it is connected to the entrance of the container B.

[0046] That is, the first breaking portion 111 and the third breaking portion 121 are configured to include multiple connection points at which breaking occurs due to an external force, and therefore can be broken simultaneously when the main body 100 connected to the entrance of the container B rotates independently.

[0047] At this time, as a result of their relative positions, it is possible that the first breaking portion 111, which is located above and to which a relatively greater external force acts, may break, but the third breaking portion 121 may not break.

[0048] Therefore, the present invention makes it possible for the first breaking portion 111 and the third breaking portion 121 to break at the same time by creating a difference in the number of connection points they have, or makes it possible for the third breaking portion 121 to always be broken when the first breaking portion 111 breaks.

[0049] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first breaking portion 111 connects the main body 100 and the upper end of the upper ring 110, and may have 10 to 12 connection points that break when subjected to an external force, and the third breaking portion 121 connects the lower end of the upper ring 110 and the upper end of the lower ring 120, and may have 6 to 8 connection points that break when subjected to an external force.

[0050] As described above, the first breaking portion 111 is configured with a form having more connection points than the third breaking portion 121, and therefore requires more force to break, and the situation where the first breaking portion 111 breaks but the third breaking portion 121 does not break as described above does not occur, but rather the breaks occur simultaneously, or when the first breaking portion 111 breaks, the third breaking portion 121 is always broken as well.

[0051] However, since the lower ring 120 is configured in such a manner that a portion of the body is directly connected to a portion of the lower end of the upper ring 110, even if the third breaking portion 121 is broken, the state in which a portion of the lower ring 120 is connected to the upper ring 110 remains the same.

[0052] Therefore, there is no risk of the main body 100 being lost or dropped to the floor, causing contamination, and the user can close the opening of the container B again after drinking the beverage.

[0053] In this case, the upper ring 110 and the lower ring 120 are configured in such a way that parts of the body are connected to each other in the direction opposite to the connecting part 112 based on the overall vertical cross section of the present invention including the main body 100, so that the pressure when the user rotates the main body can be applied uniformly to the entire first breaking part 111 and the third breaking part 121.

[0054] In addition, the lower ring 120 is formed so that the thickness of the body is 70 to 80% of the thickness of the main body 100, so that there is play with the container B. Therefore, when the user uses the main body 100 to close the opening of the container B again, the lower ring 120 is pulled upward, making it easy to reseal the container.

[0055] In addition, the upper ring 110 may be formed to have the same thickness as the lower ring 120, and by forming it to have the same thickness as the main body 100, the main body 100 and the lower ring 120 can be firmly connected.

[0056] Also, as shown in Figures 2a to 2f, a fourth break portion 122 is formed on one side of the lower ring 120, which allows additional breaks to occur under certain conditions, allowing parts of the body to be transformed into a shape separated from each other.

[0057] That is, as shown in Figures 2e and 2f, the fourth breaking portion 122 can be broken in its entirety by the tension, which is an external force acting when a user pulls the main body 100 separated from the entrance of container B, thereby allowing the lower ring 120 to be completely separated from the entrance of container B.

[0058] At this time, it is preferable that the fourth breaking portion 122, like the second breaking portion 113, has a connection point formed more firmly than the first breaking portion 111 and the third breaking portion 121.

[0059] In addition, the present invention may be configured in a form that prevents the second breaking portion 113 and the fourth breaking portion 122 from breaking simultaneously.

[0060] First, as shown in FIG. 4a, the second breakage portion 113 and the fourth breakage portion 122 may be configured to be positioned in opposite directions with respect to the entire vertical cross section including the main body 100.

[0061] In addition, the second breaking portion 113 and the fourth breaking portion 122 may be formed vertically based on the form in which the main body 100 is located vertically above the upper ring 110 and the lower ring 120, but they may also be configured such that one is formed vertically and the other is formed in an inclined direction.

[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4b, the second break portion 113 may be formed in an inclined direction based on the upper end surface of the body, and the fourth break portion 122 may be formed in a vertical direction.

[0063] In this case, the second break portion 113 may be configured to have an inclination of 125°.

[0064] In addition, as another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4c, the second break portion 113 may be formed in a vertical direction based on the upper end surface of the body, and the fourth break portion 122 may be formed in an inclined direction.

[0065] In this case, the fourth break portion 122 may be configured to have an inclination of 125°.

[0066] In this way, when the second breaking portion 113 and the fourth breaking portion 122 are formed in different directions, simultaneous breaking is prevented when the user pulls or twists and pulls the main body 100, and sequential breaking is possible depending on the direction in which the main body 100 is pulled.

[0067] That is, when a user twists and pulls the main body 100 or the upper ring 110 that is separated from the entrance of the container B, the second breaking portion 113 breaks, but the fourth breaking portion 122 can maintain its shape. Thereafter, when the user pulls the main body 100 or the lower ring 120, the fourth breaking portion 122 may break.

[0068] Conversely, when the main body 100 or the upper ring 110 is pulled while separated from the entrance of the container B, the second breaking portion 113 breaks, but the fourth breaking portion 122 can maintain its shape. Thereafter, when the user twists and pulls the main body 100 or the lower ring 120 in a different direction, the fourth breaking portion 122 may break.

[0069] In this case, as shown in Figures 4a to 4c, the second breaking portion 113 and the fourth breaking portion 122 may both be formed linearly, but as shown in Figure 4d, the second breaking portion 113 is formed linearly while the fourth breaking portion 122 is formed in a curved shape such as an "S" shape, so that the sequential breaking phenomenon as described above can be more clearly realized.

[0070] Meanwhile, the lower ring 120 has a number of locking portions 124 protruding along the inner circumferential surface thereof, so that the lower ring 120 can be locked at the entrance of the container B.

[0071] That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower ring 120 has a plurality of engagement portions 124 projecting along its inner circumferential surface, which are spaced apart from each other and have an area that decreases toward the end, so that the engagement portion can be engaged with the threads formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inlet side of the container B.

[0072] Therefore, the lower ring 120 can be positioned at the inlet side of the container B even when the fourth breaking portion 122 is broken, but the user can pull the main body 100 more strongly so that the entire body including the main body 100, the upper ring 110 and the lower ring 120 is completely separated from the container B.

[0073] As a result, the present invention has the effect that the entire eco-cap including the main body 100, the upper ring 110 and the lower ring 120 can be completely removed from the inlet of the container B at the same time without leaving any residue.

[0074] The embodiments introduced above are provided as examples to enable the technical idea of ​​the present invention to be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and may be embodied in other forms.

[0075] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the explanation are omitted from the drawings, and the width, length, thickness, etc. of components in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience.

[0076] Moreover, like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the specification. [Industrial Applicability]

[0077] The present invention makes it possible to prevent the loss of a cap used to open and close the entrance of a container, and by making it possible to completely separate the cap from the container as needed, it has the effect of being useful for recycling for the purpose of environmental protection, and therefore has sufficient industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A cap used to open and close the inlet of a container (B), a cylindrical body (100) having a screw thread formed on its inner circumferential surface and an open bottom end that can be connected to or disconnected from the inlet of a container (B); an upper ring (110) that can be partially separated from the lower end of the main body (100) using a circular first breaking portion (111) that breaks when rotated and a connecting portion (112) for preventing separation, and that has a second breaking portion (113) that breaks when pulled formed on one side; The eco-cap has a function to prevent loss and a function to completely separate from a container, and is characterized by comprising a lower ring (120) configured in a form that can be partially separated from the lower end of the upper ring (110) using a circular third breaking portion (121) that breaks when rotated, and a fourth breaking portion (122) that breaks when pulled, formed on one side.

2. The first breaking portion (111) and the third breaking portion (121) are The structure includes a large number of connection points at which breakage occurs due to an external force, The eco-cap having the function of preventing loss and completely separating from a container as described in claim 1, characterized in that the first breaking portion (111) is configured to have a greater number of connection points than the third breaking portion (121).

3. The upper ring (110) and the lower ring (120) 10. The eco-cap according to claim 1, which has a loss prevention function and a function of being completely detachable from a container, characterized in that a part of the body is connected to the other in the opposite direction to the connecting part (112) based on the entire vertical cross section including the main body (100).

4. The second breaking portion (113) and the fourth breaking portion (122) are The eco-cap having a loss prevention function and a function of completely separating from a container according to claim 1, characterized in that it is configured to be positioned in opposite directions with respect to the entire vertical cross section including the main body (100).

5. The second breaking portion (113) and the fourth breaking portion (122) are Based on the configuration in which the main body (100) is positioned vertically above the upper ring (110) and the lower ring (120), One of them is formed vertically, The eco-cap having a function of preventing loss and a function of completely separating from a container according to claim 1, wherein the other one is formed in an inclined direction.

6. The second break portion (113) is formed linearly, The eco-cap having a function of preventing loss and a function of being completely separated from a container according to claim 5, wherein the fourth breaking portion (122) is formed in a curved shape.

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