Caps for PET bottles and methods for using them

Abstract

To provide a cap for a PET bottle exclusively for freezing a drink in the PET bottle. [Solution] A cap 1 for a PET bottle is used to freeze a beverage inside a PET bottle 90. This PET bottle cap 1 comprises a cylindrical container-shaped cap body 2 that screws onto the drinking spout 91 of the PET bottle 90, and a protruding portion 3 that protrudes inward from the top surface 22 of the cap body 2 and at least above the height of the drinking spout 91. Of these, the protruding portion 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a closed protruding tip, or in a truncated cone shape with a closed protruding tip.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap for a plastic bottle, which is used when freezing a beverage in the plastic bottle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, empty PET bottles have been reused at home and elsewhere, sometimes being refilled with beverages such as barley tea or juice. Particularly in the summer, people have frozen refilled PET bottles in the freezer compartment of their refrigerators and carried them around. In such cases, the drinking spout is generally closed with the original cap (see Patent Document 1 for information on PET bottle caps). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-051984 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, commonly used caps are not specifically designed to freeze refilled beverages, which can lead to problems such as the frozen beverage forming around the opening of a PET bottle, making it difficult to pour the beverage into the remaining space.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cap for a PET bottle that is specifically designed to freeze a beverage inside the PET bottle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the cap for a PET bottle of the present invention is a cap for a PET bottle for freezing a beverage inside the PET bottle, and comprises a cylindrical container-shaped cap main body portion that is screwed onto the drinking spout of the PET bottle, and a protrusion that protrudes inward from the top surface of the cap main body portion at least above the height of the drinking spout. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] Thus, the PET bottle cap of the present invention is a PET bottle cap for freezing beverages inside the PET bottle, and includes a cylindrical cap body that screws onto the spout of the PET bottle, and a protrusion that protrudes inward from the top surface of the cap body at least above the height of the spout. With this configuration, the frozen beverage near the spout does not get in the way when freezing the beverage inside the PET bottle, making it easy to pour the beverage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cap for a plastic bottle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cap for a plastic bottle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the function of the cap for a PET bottle in Example 1, showing the state in which a beverage to be frozen is being poured. [Figure 4] 1 is an explanatory diagram of the function of the cap for a PET bottle in Example 1, illustrating the state in which a beverage is frozen. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the function of the cap for a PET bottle in Example 1, illustrating the refilling of a beverage. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a cap for a plastic bottle according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the components described in the following examples are merely examples and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to those components alone. Below, in Example 1, a cap (1) for a PET bottle without a key groove will be described, and in Example 2, a cap (1A) for a PET bottle with a key groove (4) will be described. [Example]

[0010] (Configuration of a cap for a plastic bottle) First, the configuration of the PET bottle cap 1 of this embodiment will be described using Figures 1 and 2. The PET bottle cap 1 of this embodiment is molded from synthetic resin and integrally comprises a cylindrical container-shaped cap body 2 and a protrusion 3 that protrudes inward from the bottom surface of the cap body 2. In other words, the PET bottle cap 1 of this embodiment has a double structure overall, comprising a long inner columnar portion (protrusion 3) inside a short outer cylindrical portion (cap body 2).

[0011] 1 and 2, the cap body 2 is a cylindrical container-shaped part that is screwed onto the drinking spout 91 of the PET bottle 90. More specifically, as shown in the figures, the cap body 2 has an outer surface 21 on which multiple vertical grooves for anti-slip purposes are formed, a top surface 22 on which a circular hole 20 that communicates with the protrusion 3 is formed, and an inner surface 23 on which a female screw groove is formed for screwing onto the drinking spout 91.

[0012] Here, it has been described that a hole 20 is formed in the top surface 22 and is connected to the protrusion 3, but this is not limited to this, and the top surface 22 may not have a hole 20, and the protrusion 3 may be solid and have no internal cavity.

[0013] 1 and 2, the protrusion 3 is a portion that protrudes inward from the top surface 22 of the cap body 2 to at least the height of the drinking spout 91 of the PET bottle 90. More specifically, the protrusion 3 is composed of a cylindrical side surface 31 and a bottom surface 32 that closes the tip, forming a cylindrical inner space 30.

[0014] That is, the height from (the inner surface of) the top surface 22 of the cap body 2 to the bottom surface 32 of the protrusion 3 is made higher than that of the cap body 2, and further, as will be described later, is made to exceed the height of the drinking spout 91 of the PET bottle 90 when installed (screwed) in place. Therefore, when installed (screwed) in place on the drinking spout 91, it extends to the obliquely slanted shoulder of the PET bottle 90.

[0015] In this embodiment, the shape of the protrusion 3 is described as being cylindrical or columnar with a closed protruding tip, but the shape is not limited to this and may be a truncated cone with a closed protruding tip. Even in this case, the interior may be hollow or solid.

[0016] (How to use a plastic bottle cap) Next, a method of using the cap 1 for a plastic bottle of this embodiment will be described with reference to the operation diagrams of Figures 3 to 5. This method of use is achieved by carrying out the following steps 1) to 5) in this order.

[0017] 1) A step of filling a beverage into a PET bottle 90 to a depth that covers the drinking spout 91 when the bottle is laid on its side: As shown in Figure 3, the PET bottle 90 is held upright and filled with beverage from the drinking spout 91. At this time, the beverage is filled visually up to about half the height of the main container portion 92 of the PET bottle 90. This ensures that the beverage will be deep enough to cover the drinking spout 91 when the bottle is laid down to freeze.

[0018] 2) A step of fastening the cap 1 for the PET bottle to the drinking spout 91: Although not shown, after the beverage is filled, the cap 1 for a PET bottle of the present invention is screwed onto the drinking spout 91 and tightened.

[0019] 3) The process of freezing 90ml plastic bottles on their sides: As shown in Figure 4, after tightening the cap 1 for the plastic bottle, the entire plastic bottle 90 is placed on its side in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator to freeze the beverage inside. In this state, the beverage is filled to a depth that covers the drinking spout 91 of the plastic bottle 90.

[0020] 4) Removing the cap 1 for the plastic bottle from the drinking spout 91: Although not shown, the plastic bottle 90 is removed from the freezer, and the plastic bottle cap 1 screwed onto the drinking spout 91 is removed by gripping it with the hand and turning it. If the cap is frozen and stuck, it is preferable to melt it by pouring hot water or water into the inner space 30 through the hole 20. This will create a space in the position where the plastic bottle cap 1 was.

[0021] 5) A step of pouring a beverage into the PET bottle 90 through the space created by the PET bottle cap 1: As shown in Figure 5, a large space is created by the plastic bottle cap 1, and the beverage is filled into the remaining space through this space (wide gap). In this way, the frozen beverage and the unfrozen beverage come into contact with each other over a large area inside the main container portion 92 of the plastic bottle 90.

[0022] (effect) Next, the effects achieved by the cap 1 for a plastic bottle of this embodiment will be listed and explained.

[0023] (1) As described above, the PET bottle cap 1 of this embodiment is a PET bottle cap 1 for freezing a beverage in a PET bottle 90, and includes a cylindrical container-shaped cap body 2 that screws onto the drinking spout 91 of the PET bottle 90, and a protrusion 3 that protrudes inward from the top surface 22 of the cap body 2 and exceeds the height of at least the drinking spout 91 (when attached). With this configuration, the frozen beverage near the drinking spout 91 does not obstruct freezing the beverage in the PET bottle 90, making it a dedicated PET bottle cap 1 that makes it easy to pour the beverage. In other words, a space where no frozen beverage is present is created at the position corresponding to the protrusion 3 of the PET bottle cap 1, and the beverage can be poured through this space.

[0024] (2) Preferably, the protruding portion 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a closed protruding tip, or in a truncated cone shape with a closed protruding tip. If the protruding portion 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape, the surrounding frozen beverage can be melted by pouring water or hot water into the inner space 30. If the protruding portion 3 is formed in a truncated cone shape, the resulting space is narrow, but the protruding portion 3 can be easily removed.

[0025] (3) Furthermore, the method of using the PET bottle cap 1 of this embodiment is the same as any of the methods of using the PET bottle cap 1 described above, and includes the steps of filling the PET bottle 90 with a beverage to a depth that covers the drinking spout 91 when the bottle is laid on its side, tightening the PET bottle cap 1 onto the drinking spout 91, freezing the PET bottle 90 on its side, removing the PET bottle cap 1 from the drinking spout 91, and pouring the beverage into the PET bottle 90 through the space created by the PET bottle cap 1. By performing these steps in this order, the method of using the dedicated PET bottle cap 1 makes it easy to pour the beverage into the PET bottle 90 without the frozen beverage near the drinking spout 91 getting in the way when freezing the beverage inside the PET bottle 90. [Example]

[0026] Next, the structure and usage of a cap 1A for a plastic bottle having a key groove (4), which is different from that of Example 1, will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Note that the same or equivalent parts as those described in Example 1 will be described with the same reference numerals.

[0027] (composition) First, the configuration of a plastic bottle cap 1A of Example 2 will be described with reference to Figure 6. Similar to Example 1, the plastic bottle cap 1A of this Example integrally includes a cylindrical container-shaped cap body 2 and a protrusion 3 that protrudes inward from the bottom surface of the cap body 2.

[0028] 6, the cap body 2 of the PET bottle cap 1A of this embodiment differs from that of Example 1 in that three key grooves 4, 4, 4 are formed on the upper edge of the outer periphery of the cap body 2. That is, the key grooves 4 are formed as arc-shaped recesses (curved rectangular prism-shaped cutouts) at positions spaced apart by a circumferential angle of 120 degrees.

[0029] (How to use) Next, a method of using the cap 1A for a plastic bottle having a key groove 4 will be described. This method of use is realized by carrying out the following steps 1) to 5) in this order. Steps 1), 2), 3), and 5) are substantially the same as those in the method of use in Example 1, and therefore will not be described here.

[0030] 1) A step of filling a beverage into a PET bottle 90 to a depth that covers the drinking spout 91 when the bottle is laid on its side: 2) A process of fastening a cap 1 for a plastic bottle to a drinking spout 91 3) The process of freezing 90ml plastic bottles on their sides 4) A process of removing the cap 1 for the PET bottle from the drinking spout 91 using an opener 5 that fits into the key groove 4. 5) A step of pouring a beverage into the PET bottle 90 through the space created by the PET bottle cap 1.

[0031] Here, step 4) will be explained. 4) A process of removing the cap 1 for the plastic bottle from the drinking spout 91 using an opener 5 that fits into the key groove 4: As shown in Figure 6, the opener 5 is rotated with the key 52 of the opener 5 fitted into the key groove 4 of the cap body 2. In this way, even if the frozen beverage adheres to the PET bottle cap 1A and it becomes impossible to turn, the PET bottle cap 1A can be easily removed by applying force to the handle 53 (point of force) and rotating it.

[0032] Here, the opener 5 is composed of a disk-shaped fitting portion 51, a key 52 that protrudes inward from the periphery of the fitting portion 51, and a handle 53 connected to the fitting portion 51. A recess having the same shape as the cap 1A for a plastic bottle is formed on the underside of the fitting portion 51. That is, a short cylindrical recess and a key 52 (a convex portion bent in an arc (a curved rectangular pillar)) that fits into the key groove 4 are formed.

[0033] (effect) Next, the effects achieved by the cap 1 for a plastic bottle of this embodiment will be listed and explained.

[0034] (1) Similar to Example 1, the PET bottle cap 1A of Example 2 is a PET bottle cap 1 for freezing a beverage in a PET bottle 90, and includes a cylindrical container-shaped cap body 2 that is screwed onto the drinking spout 91 of the PET bottle 90, and a protrusion 3 that protrudes inward from the top surface 22 of the cap body 2 and (when attached) exceeds the height of at least the drinking spout 91. With this configuration, the frozen beverage near the drinking spout 91 does not get in the way when freezing the beverage in the PET bottle 90, making it easy to pour the beverage, resulting in a dedicated PET bottle cap 1.

[0035] (2) The PET bottle cap 1A of this embodiment has one or more key grooves 4, ... formed on the upper edge of the outer circumferential surface of the cap body 2. Therefore, by using it in combination with an opener 5 having a key 52 that fits into the key groove 4, the PET bottle cap 1A can be removed by rotating it with a light force.

[0036] (3) Furthermore, the method of using the PET bottle cap 1A of this embodiment is the same as the method of using the PET bottle cap 1A described above, but includes the steps of filling the PET bottle 90 with a beverage to a depth that covers the drinking spout 91 when the bottle is laid on its side, tightening the PET bottle cap 1 onto the drinking spout 91, freezing the PET bottle 90 on its side, removing the PET bottle cap 1 from the drinking spout 91 using the opener 5 that fits into the keyway 4, and pouring the beverage into the PET bottle 90 through the space created by the PET bottle cap 1. By performing these steps in this order, the method of using the dedicated PET bottle cap 1A makes it easy to pour the beverage without the frozen beverage near the drinking spout 91 interfering with freezing the beverage in the PET bottle 90. By performing these steps in this order, even if the frozen beverage becomes stuck to the PET bottle cap 1A and becomes unable to turn, applying force to the handle 53 (point of force) and rotating the PET bottle cap 1A makes it easy to remove the PET bottle cap 1A.

[0037] The other configurations and effects are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0038] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention are included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1: Plastic bottle caps 1A: Cap for plastic bottles 2: Cap body 20: Hole 21 :Outer surface 22:Top surface 23: Inner surface 3:Protrusion 30: Inner sky 31: Side 32: Bottom 4: Keyway 5: Opener 51: Fitting part 52: Key 53: Handle 90: Plastic bottles 91: Mouth 92: Main body container

Claims

1. A cap for a plastic bottle for freezing a beverage in the plastic bottle, a cylindrical container-shaped cap body that is screwed onto the drinking spout of a PET bottle; a protrusion that protrudes inward from the top surface of the cap body at least above the height of the drinking spout and extends to an obliquely slanted shoulder portion of the PET bottle; Equipped with A cap for a PET bottle, wherein the protrusion is formed in a cylindrical shape with a closed protruding tip, or in a truncated cone shape with a closed protruding tip, and a hole is formed in the top surface of the cap body portion, which is connected to the protrusion.

2. 2. The cap for a plastic bottle according to claim 1, wherein one or more key grooves are formed on an upper edge of the outer peripheral surface of the cap body.

3. A method of using the cap for a plastic bottle described in claim 1, comprising: a step of filling the PET bottle with a beverage to a depth that covers the drinking spout when the bottle is laid on its side; fastening a cap for the PET bottle to the drinking spout; freezing the plastic bottle lying on its side; removing the cap for the plastic bottle from the drinking spout; A method of using a cap for a plastic bottle, comprising the step of pouring a beverage into the plastic bottle through the space created by the cap for the plastic bottle.

4. A method of using the cap for a plastic bottle described in claim 2, comprising: a step of filling the PET bottle with a beverage to a depth that covers the drinking spout when the bottle is laid on its side; fastening a cap for the PET bottle to the drinking spout; freezing the plastic bottle lying on its side; removing the cap for the plastic bottle from the drinking spout using an opener that fits into the keyway; A method of using a cap for a plastic bottle, comprising the step of pouring a beverage into the plastic bottle through the space created by the cap for the plastic bottle.

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