drip prevention device

Abstract

This invention provides a highly effective drip-proof device that can be easily attached to wine bottles and other similar bottles, while also offering decorative appeal. [Solution] The drip-proof device 10 has a hole 12 in the approximate center of an absorbent paper sheet 11 for inserting the mouth 21 of a bottle body 20. The hole is composed of a continuous cut portion 13 formed in the actual part of the paper sheet along a part of a simple closed curve of a predetermined shape, and a continuous bent portion 14 formed along the remaining part of the simple closed curve. Since it can be made by reusing paper sheets, especially used calligraphy paper, the manufacturing cost is extremely low. Furthermore, even if it is disposable, unlike plastic or synthetic resin sponges, it has a low environmental impact and is very beneficial from the perspective of environmental protection in recent years.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid leakage preventer attached to a bottle body for preventing liquid leakage from the bottle mouth when discharging the content from the bottle body containing a fluid content. The present invention particularly relates to a highly effective liquid leakage preventer that can be easily attached to the bottle body and has decorativeness.

Background Art

[0002] When pouring out the content from a bottle body containing a fluid content such as a beverage or a liquid seasoning, at the end of pouring, the content adhering to the vicinity of the bottle mouth spreads along the outer surface of the bottle body, soiling the outer surface of the bottle body, and further soiling the hand of the person holding the bottle body or the objects around the bottle body. So-called "liquid leakage" often occurs.

[0003] When the amount of the fluid content contained in the bottle body poured out at one time is relatively small, by attaching a vent plug, a nozzle cover plug, etc. that reduce the opening diameter of the bottle mouth of the bottle body to the bottle mouth, the problem of liquid leakage is resolved to some extent. On the other hand, when the amount of the fluid content contained in the bottle body poured out at one time is rather large, specifically, for example, in the case of alcoholic beverages such as wine, distilled liquor, sake, and other beverages, using an instrument that reduces the opening diameter of the bottle mouth of the bottle body is not preferable because it prolongs the time required to obtain the desired pouring amount, and the vent plug etc. as described above are not adopted.

[0004] Furthermore, several liquid leakage preventers have been proposed in the past to prevent such a liquid leakage problem without restricting the extraction amount from the bottle mouth of the bottle body.

[0005] Patent documents 1, 2, and 3 disclose drip-proof devices that attach to the neck of a bottle. These technologies all aim to reduce the contact area between the bottle neck and the contents when the fluid contents are poured out of the bottle by providing a thin-walled tapered edge or flange at the opening of the bottle neck. However, such drip-proof devices that attach to the neck of a bottle come into direct contact with the contents that are poured out and used or consumed, which can cause problems such as unsanitary conditions and deterioration of taste. They also have the inconvenience of needing to be attached and detached each time the bottle is sealed. Furthermore, when removal from the bottle neck is necessary, there is a possibility that the contents remaining at the fitting area between the bottle neck and the drip-proof device may eventually drip from the bottle neck.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Documents 4, 5, 6, and 7 disclose drip-proof devices that are attached to the upper part of a bottle, near the so-called bottle neck.

[0007] Patent Document 4 describes a technique for wrapping and twisting highly hygroscopic Japanese paper around the top of a bottle. However, this technique requires an operator to wrap and twist a tape-like piece of Japanese paper around the bottle, and it is conceivable that the effect will vary depending on the amount of force used for wrapping and twisting. If too much force is used, the Japanese paper may tear and need to be reattached, or if too little force is used, a gap may form between the wrapped paper and the outer surface of the bottle, potentially preventing the paper from effectively absorbing any dripping contents.

[0008] Patent Document 5 describes a technique for fitting a sponge annular ring to the top of a bottle. However, if the annular ring is formed from sponge, it must be somewhat thick and bulky to exhibit the required liquid absorption capacity, so it is unlikely to look very good when fitted to the top of a bottle. Furthermore, while polyurethane foam and cellulose sponge are foamed resins with liquid-absorbing properties, polyurethane foam does not have very high liquid (water) retention capacity, and it cannot be ruled out that the liquid initially held in the annular ring may leak out of the ring again over time. In addition, using disposable synthetic resin products is undesirable from the perspective of recent environmental concerns. On the other hand, cellulose sponge has high water retention capacity, but when dry it lacks elasticity, which may make it difficult to fit to the top of a bottle. Thus, considering the material aspects of the sponge, there are practical problems.

[0009] Patent Document 5 discloses a drip-proof device in which a material (paper piece) with good liquid absorption properties is formed into a cylindrical shape, a rubber thread is placed around the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body at the axial center of the formed cylindrical body, the cylindrical body is passed over the bottle body, and the rubber thread is used to secure it to the outer surface of the bottle body by its elasticity, and if necessary the cylindrical paper piece is folded in half with the center where the rubber thread is placed as the center and made into two layers.

[0010] Patent Document 7 discloses a drip-proof decorative artificial flower that consists of petals made of absorbent material resembling a flower, a calyx that supports it, and an attachment ring connected to the bottom of the calyx, and can be attached to the neck of a wine bottle to create various effects. According to the document, "The petals are made of a highly absorbent material such as paper towel or cloth." "The structure of the petals, calyx, and attachment ring is such that multiple calyxes are evenly placed between the attachment ring at the base and the petals, acting as a stopper to prevent the petals, which have absorbed wine, from opening too wide due to the weight of the liquid." "The attachment ring that attaches to the neck of the wine bottle has a circumference of 10.5 centimeters to accommodate all bottles, solving problems such as being too small to attach or too large to allow dripping." The document does not mention the materials of the "calyx" and "attachment ring" parts, but considering their functionality, at least the "calyx" and "attachment ring" parts need to be made of a different material from the "petals" and a more rigid material. Therefore, while its decorative, flower-like appearance is commendable, the need to create a complex shape using several different materials means that it may be somewhat expensive as a disposable product. Furthermore, the mounting ring has a circumference of 10.5 cm, which is said to solve problems such as being too small to attach or too large causing leakage. However, judging from the description and drawings, the mounting ring has a shape with a uniform diameter along its entire length. When attached to a wine bottle, it easily passes through the mouth of the wine bottle (standard outer diameter of various wine bottles is 29 mm (circumference approximately 9.11 cm)), but contact with the outer circumference of the wine bottle is only made at the neck, where the diameter gradually widens from the mouth of the wine bottle, with the lower end of the mounting ring making roughly line contact with the circumferential surface (that is, above the lower end of the mounting ring, contact is not made because the outer diameter of the wine bottle is smaller than the circumference of the mounting ring, and therefore no surface contact is made). Therefore, even if highly absorbent material is used in the petal portion, the mounting ring, which is the part that contacts the wine bottle, only makes line contact with the wine bottle, so there is a possibility that the dripping wine may not be effectively contained by this mounting ring. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-124608 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-64661 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-53491 [Patent Document 4] Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3161259 [Patent Document 5] Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3165849 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-102142 [Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-17516 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a drip-preventing device that solves the problems of the prior art. The object of this invention is also to provide a highly effective drip-preventing device that can be easily attached to a bottle and also has decorative properties. The object of this invention is also to provide a drip-preventing device that is highly effective, economically inexpensive, and environmentally friendly after use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] According to one embodiment of the drip-preventing device of the present invention, an absorbent paper sheet has a hole in its approximate center for inserting the mouth of a bottle, and the hole is characterized by being composed of a continuous cut portion formed in the actual part of the paper sheet along a part of a simple closed curve of a predetermined shape, and a continuous bent portion formed along the remaining part of the simple closed curve.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the liquid leakage preventer of the present invention, the liquid leakage preventer formed by laminating a plurality of paper sheets provided with the hole portions is shown.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the liquid leakage preventer of the present invention, the liquid leakage preventer in which the liquid-absorbent paper sheet is Japanese paper is shown.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the liquid leakage preventer of the present invention, the liquid leakage preventer in which the liquid-absorbent paper sheet is used waste paper is shown.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the liquid leakage preventer of the present invention, the liquid leakage preventer in which the simple closed curve of the predetermined shape of the hole portion is a heart shape is shown.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the liquid leakage preventer of the present invention, the liquid leakage preventer in which the outer peripheral shape of the liquid leakage preventer is similar to the heart shape of the hole portion is shown.

[0019] The liquid leakage preventer in which the length of the cut portion is in the range of 20 to 200 mm and includes a curved portion having a curvature radius of 8 mm or more is shown.

[0020] The present invention that solves the above problems is also a cutting die for producing the liquid leakage preventer, and is a cutting die including at least a cutting blade corresponding to the entire length of the cut portion along a part of the simple closed curve of the predetermined shape, or corresponding to about half of its length.

[0021] The cutting die further including a convex member for forming a fold corresponding to the entire length of the continuous bent portion along the remaining portion of the simple closed curve of the predetermined shape, or corresponding to about half of it, is shown.

Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the liquid leakage preventer of the present invention, the following excellent effects are achieved. Reliable drip prevention and easy installation: Because the opening is formed by cuts and folds along a simple closed curve of a predetermined shape, simply inserting it through the bottle neck causes the cut-out portion to rise like a flap and adhere tightly to the outer circumference of the bottle. As a result, it can be easily installed by anyone without requiring any special force or complicated operation, and the paper leaf reliably absorbs any dripping contents, preventing liquid from dripping. High decorative appeal and visual impact: The holes and outer edges can be shaped into any desired form, such as a heart, and by using materials like washi paper or recycled hanshi paper, it exhibits extremely high decorative appeal despite being made from inexpensive materials. In particular, when attached to wine bottles, it can enhance the visual appeal on dining tables and in stores. Environmental impact reduction and cost-effectiveness: Because it can be constructed using recycled paper sheets, especially used calligraphy paper, the manufacturing cost is extremely low. Furthermore, even when used as a disposable item, it has less of an environmental impact than plastic or synthetic resin sponges, making it very beneficial from the perspective of environmental protection in recent years. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0023] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the shape of one embodiment of the drip-preventing device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the drip-preventing device according to the present invention, which uses multiple sheets of paper. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the usage state of one embodiment of the drip prevention device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the usage state of another embodiment of the drip-preventing device according to the present invention (an example using used Japanese paper). [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing how the drip-proof device according to the present invention is attached to a bottle. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a cutout mold for manufacturing a drip-preventing device according to the present invention. [Figure 7]Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a press machine that uses the cutout die shown in Figure 6. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The drip-preventing device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of the drip-preventing device 10 according to the present invention. The drip-proof device 10 is made of a sheet of absorbent paper material, which is a paper leaf 11. A hole 12 is provided approximately in the center of the paper leaf 11 for inserting the mouth 21 of the bottle body 20.

[0026] This hole 12 is formed along a simple closed curve of a predetermined shape (heart shape in this embodiment). Specifically, it consists of a continuous cut portion 13 formed to penetrate the paper sheet 11 along a part of the simple closed curve, and a continuous folded portion 14 formed along the remaining part. As a result, the inner region surrounded by the cut portion 13 and the folded portion 14 functions as a flap portion 15 that rises up with the folded portion 14 as a pivot point.

[0027] The bottle body 20 to which this invention applies is not limited to the wine bottles illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. It can be applied to any bottle body that may leak, such as bottles for various beverages like sake, shochu, and distilled spirits, or bottles for liquid condiments like soy sauce, sauces, and oils.

[0028] In the drip-proof device 10 of this invention, the hole portion 12, that is, the portion consisting of a continuous cut portion 13 which is part of a simple closed curve and a continuous bent portion 14 formed along the remaining portion, is designed to be larger than the diameter of the general bottle mouth (opening) of the target bottle 20 among the various bottles described above, and to stop in the middle of the neck portion of the bottle, while taking into consideration the deformability of the paper sheet constituting the drip-proof device (i.e., the paper sheet can be deformed to push open the cut portion when attached to the bottle). Specifically, by appropriately adjusting the length and shape of the cut portion 13, various embodiments can be taken such that the hole portion 12 catches (locks) just on the neck portion of a particular bottle.

[0029] While not particularly limited, for example, the length of the notched portion 13 can be within the range of 20 to 250 mm, especially within the range of 50 to 200 mm. Furthermore, by including a curved section with a radius of curvature of 8 mm or more, especially 10 to 100 mm, and even 15 mm to 80 mm, the shape can be attached to the bottle smoothly.

[0030] As for the material of the paper sheet 11, it is preferable to use Japanese paper (washi) or used calligraphy paper (hanshi) that has been used for calligraphy, etc. As shown in Figure 4, using used calligraphy paper with characters written on it will add an accent to the appearance and increase its value in terms of decorativeness. In particular, if used calligraphy paper or Japanese paper that has been used for calligraphy practice by a professional calligrapher, rather than by an ordinary person, its decorative and valuable value will be especially enhanced.

[0031] Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention, which is constructed by stacking multiple sheets of paper 11, each having a hole 12. By stacking multiple sheets, the amount of liquid absorbed (liquid retention) can be improved. The number of sheets is not particularly limited as it depends on the material of the paper sheets used, but for example, stacking 2 to 8 sheets, and especially 2 to 4 sheets, is a preferred example. If the number of sheets is even, even if the raw material for creating the drip-proof device 10 is just one sheet of paper, by folding it several times and stacking it, and then cutting it out using a cut-out die as described later, a drip-proof device 10 with multiple stacked sheets can be easily created from a single sheet of raw material.

[0032] Figures 3, 4, and 5 schematically illustrate the usage of the drip-proof device 10. When using it, as shown in Figure 5, the hole 12 of the drip-proof device 10 is placed over the bottle neck 21 from above. At this time, the bottle neck 21 passes through while pushing open the notch 13, and the flap 15 is automatically folded upward with the bent portion 14 as a pivot point. As a result, the opening edge of the hole 12 and the raised flap 15 elastically adhere to the outer surface of the neck of the bottle 20, and are stably locked in place. Liquid dripping from the bottle neck is quickly absorbed by this tightly adhering paper sheet 11, preventing dripping to the bottom.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, using used Japanese paper with writing on it can create an accent in appearance and make it a visually appealing decorative item.

[0034] Figures 1 to 5 illustrate an example in which the outer shape 16 and the hole 12 are heart-shaped, but the present invention is not limited to this. The outer shape 16 can be any shape that has enough surface area for the paper sheet 11 to sufficiently absorb the dripping liquid, such as a petal shape, rhombus shape, circle, polygon, star shape, or a shape that imitates an animal or plant.

[0035] Similarly, the shape of the hole 12 is not limited to a heart shape. It can be any simple closed curve that includes a curved portion with a predetermined radius of curvature, and can take various shapes depending on the object to be attached and the design, such as a circle, ellipse, teardrop shape, or the outline of a particular character.

[0036] Figures 6 and 7 show examples of manufacturing jigs for producing the drip-proof device 10 of the present invention. The cut-out die 30 shown in Figure 6 includes a cutter blade 31 positioned to match the shape of the simple closed curve that constitutes the hole 12 of the drip-proof device 10 described above, and a convex member (without a blade) 32 for forming a crease. In this embodiment, the cutter blade 31 is exemplified as having a blade length that extends along the entire length of the notch 13 of the hole 12.

[0037] However, the blade length of the cutter blade in the cut-out type according to the present invention is not limited to the entire length of the notch 13 as shown in Figure 6. For example, if the hole 12 or the outer shape 16 is symmetrical (e.g., heart-shaped or circular), the same shape can be cut out by using a cut-out type with a cutting blade that is approximately half the length of the notch 13, by placing the paper sheet 11 used to make the drip-proof device of the present invention in a folded state in half beforehand onto the cut-out type.

[0038] Then, by setting the die 30 between the upper and lower pressing plates 41 and 42 of the press machine 40 as shown in Figure 7, and placing one or more sheets of paper 11 on top of it, aligned with the paper alignment guide lines 33 of the die 30, and further placing a backing plate made of plastic or the like (not shown) on top of it if necessary to prevent damage to the die blade, and then operating the press machine 40 to cut the paper sheets, it is possible to easily and productively manufacture the drip prevention device 10 of the present invention.

[0039] In addition to the configuration using the press machine 40 shown in Figure 7, other configurations of the cutout die according to the present invention may also include a hand punch machine having a similar cutting blade. Furthermore, the method for creating the drip-proof device of this invention is not limited to the method using the cut-out mold of this invention as described above. It can also be manufactured using advanced equipment such as automatic cutting machines or laser cutters, or by manual cutting using scissors or cutters, and can be produced in various forms. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10. Drip-proof device 11 Paper Leaves 12 Hole 13 Cut section 14 Bend section 15 Flap section 16 External shape 20 bottle body 21 Bottle neck 30 cutout shapes 31 Cutter blades 32 Convex member for forming folds 40 Press Machines

Claims

1. A drip-proof device having a hole in the approximate center of an absorbent paper sheet for inserting the neck of a bottle, the hole being composed of a continuous cut portion formed in the actual part of the paper sheet along a portion of a simple closed curve of a predetermined shape, and a continuous bent portion formed along the remaining part of the simple closed curve.

2. The drip-proof device according to claim 1, comprising stacking multiple sheets of paper having the aforementioned holes.

3. The drip-preventing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent paper leaf is Japanese paper.

4. The drip-preventing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent paper sheet is used calligraphy paper.

5. The drip-proof device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the simple closed curve of the predetermined shape of the hole is heart-shaped.

6. The drip-proof device according to claim 4, wherein the outer shape of the drip-proof device is similar in shape to the heart shape of the hole.

7. The drip-proof device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of the cut portion is within the range of 20 to 200 mm and includes a curved portion with a radius of curvature of 8 mm or more.

8. A cutout die for manufacturing a drip-proof device according to claim 1, comprising at least a cutting blade corresponding to the total length of the cut portion, or about half the length thereof, along a part of the simple closed curve of the predetermined shape.

9. The cutout mold according to claim 8, further comprising a convex member for forming a crease that corresponds to the entire length of a continuous bent portion along the remaining portion of the predetermined simple closed curve, or approximately half of that length.

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