Eco-friendly cap configured to prevent loss and to be fully separable from container

Abstract

The present invention relates to an eco-friendly cap configured such that, while being used to open and close the entrance of a container, same is prevented from being separated from the container and, if necessary, can be fully separated and then easily processed for recycling. The eco-friendly cap comprises: a cylindrical main unit having a thread formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof, the lower end of the cylindrical body being separable such that same can be coupled to the container entrance or separated therefrom; an upper ring configured such that same can be partially separated from the lower end of the main unit by using a circular first breaking portion configured to break when rotated and a connecting portion for preventing separation, and configured such that a second breaking portion configured to break when tension occurs on one side thereof; and a lower ring configured such that same can be partially separated from the lower end of the upper ring by using a circular third breaking portion configured to break when rotated, and configured such that a fourth breaking portion configured to break when tension occurs on one side thereof.

Description

Eco-friendly cap with loss prevention and complete separation from the container

[0001] The present invention relates to an environmentally friendly cap used for opening and closing the entrance of a container, and more specifically, to an environmentally friendly cap that can be prevented from being separated from the container while being used for opening and closing the entrance of the container, but can be completely separated when necessary to facilitate recycling.

[0002]

[0003] Typically, the cap attached to the mouth of a plastic container used to hold beverages such as water, juice, and carbonated drinks is broken in the lower part during the initial separation process from the container.

[0004] That is, the cap used in the plastic container is manufactured in a form in which the lower part can be easily broken, and as a result, a part of the cap separated in a ring shape remains on the inlet side of the plastic container opened by the user.

[0005] This part must be removed during the recycling process because it is made of a different material from the plastic container. It can be removed by crushing it together with the plastic container and then using the difference in density. However, in terms of recycling efficiency, it is better to remove it from the beginning and dispose of it at home.

[0006] However, since some of the caps remaining on plastic containers cannot be easily removed without using tools, a significant number of plastic containers are being discharged with parts of the caps intact. Even if they are removed, they are difficult to recycle due to their small size.

[0007] And the cap, which is completely separated from the plastic container, can be lost due to the user's carelessness or can fall on the floor and become contaminated, causing inconvenience such as having to hold it in one's hand while drinking.

[0008] Accordingly, there was a need to solve the above problems, and as a result of research and development, “Eco-friendly bottle cap with improved usability” was proposed and published as an invention in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2258555.

[0009] That is, the above prior art invention proposes a bottle cap that prevents loss and contamination by allowing the upper ring and lower ring constituting 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 further allows a part of the lower ring to be additionally broken by an external force, thereby enabling the entire body to be easily separated and discharged.

[0010] However, according to the results of implementing the above-mentioned prior invention, it was found that the distance between the entrance of the container and the main body separated therefrom was maintained too close, so that the main body could touch the face while the user was drinking the beverage. In addition, it was found that the upper ring could get caught on the entrance and cause an obstruction when reattaching the main body separated from the entrance of the container.

[0011] That is, the bottle cap proposed in the above-mentioned prior invention was proposed for the purpose of improving environmental friendliness and usability, but it can be said that it needs to be supplemented in many areas in terms of usability.

[0012] Accordingly, it can be said that there is a need for an invention for an improved bottle cap that maintains the configuration proposed in the above-mentioned prior art to be the same in whole or in most parts, but solves all problems requiring supplementation so that there is no inconvenience in use.

[0013]

[0014] The present invention is an invention proposed for the purpose of solving various problems found in the above-mentioned prior inventions.

[0015] In summary, the distance between the mouth of the container and the body separated from it is kept too close, which may cause the body to touch the face of the user while drinking the beverage.

[0016] The purpose of this invention is to propose a solution to the problem that the upper ring may become caught in the inlet during the process of reattaching the main body, which is completely separated from the container, to the inlet of the container.

[0017]

[0018] The present invention aims to achieve the above-mentioned purpose,

[0019] The present invention provides an eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from a container, characterized by comprising: a cylindrical body having a screw thread formed on the inner surface and an open bottom so as to be coupled to or separated from a container entrance; an upper ring having a shape in which a portion can be separated from the lower end of the body using a circular first breakable portion that breaks when rotated and a connecting portion for the purpose of separation prevention, and a shape in which a second breakable portion that breaks when tensioned is formed on one side; and a lower ring having a shape in which a portion can be separated from the lower end of the upper ring using a circular third breakable portion that breaks when rotated, and a shape in which a fourth breakable portion that breaks when tensioned is formed on one side.

[0020] At this time, the upper ring and the lower ring are characterized in that they are configured in a form in which parts of the body are connected to each other in opposite directions of the connecting portion based on the entire vertical cross-section including the main body.

[0021] In addition, the second breaking portion and the fourth breaking portion are characterized in that they are configured to be positioned in opposite directions based on the entire vertical cross-section including the main body.

[0022]

[0023] The eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from the container according to the present invention is

[0024] As in the prior art, the loss of the cap used for opening and closing the entrance of the container can be prevented, but if necessary, it can be completely separated from the container, thereby contributing to recycling for the purpose of protecting the environment.

[0025] In addition, compared to the prior art, by allowing a portion of the upper ring to be additionally broken, the main body does not touch the face while the user is drinking the beverage, and in addition, the main body, which is separated from the mouth of the container, does not cause interference by the upper ring when reattaching it to the mouth of the container.

[0026]

[0027] Figures 1a and 1b are external perspective views of an eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from a container function according to the present invention.

[0028] Figures 2a to 2f are flowcharts showing the process of attaching and then detaching an eco-friendly cap having a loss prevention function and a complete detachment function from a container according to the present invention to the inlet of a container.

[0029] FIG. 3 is an exemplary drawing showing another embodiment of a connecting part constituting an eco-friendly cap having a loss prevention function and a complete separation function from a container according to the present invention.

[0030] FIGS. 4A to 4C are exemplary views showing various embodiments of the second and fourth breaking portions constituting an eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from a container function according to the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 is a bottom view of an eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from a container function according to the present invention.

[0032]

[0033] The eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from the container according to the present invention is

[0034] It is characterized by comprising: a cylindrical body having a screw thread formed on the inner surface and an open bottom so as to be coupled to or separated from the container inlet; an upper ring configured such that a portion of the body can be separated from the lower end using a circular first breakable portion that breaks when rotated and a connecting portion for the purpose of preventing separation, and a second breakable portion that breaks when tensioned is formed on one side thereof; and a lower ring configured such that a portion of the body can be separated from the lower end of the upper ring using a circular third breakable portion that breaks when rotated, and a fourth breakable portion that breaks when tensioned is formed on one side thereof.

[0035]

[0036] The present invention relates to an eco-friendly cap used for opening and closing the entrance of a container,

[0037] It is characterized by comprising: a cylindrical body (100) having a screw thread formed on the inner surface and an open bottom so that it can be coupled to or separated from the entrance of a container (B); an upper ring (110) configured in a form in which a part can be separated from the lower end of the body (100) using a circular first breakable portion (111) that breaks when rotated and a connecting portion (112) for the purpose of preventing separation, and a second breakable portion (113) that breaks when tensioned is formed on one side; and a lower ring (120) configured in a form in which a part can be separated from the lower end of the upper ring (110) using a circular third breakable portion (121) that breaks when rotated, and a fourth breakable portion (122) that breaks when tensioned is formed on one side.

[0038]

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0040] First, the main body (100) is a cylindrical structure with an open bottom and screw threads or a number of curved protrusions formed on the inner surface, and is used for opening and closing the inlet formed on the upper part of the container (B) in a state where the entire body is made of a plastic material.

[0041] That is, the main body (100) may be composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is one type of plastic, and may be combined with or separated from the inlet of the container (B) in a state in which a shape corresponding to the shape of the inlet of the container (B) is formed with screw threads on the outer surface.

[0042] At this time, the container (B) in which the present invention is used is mostly a so-called PET bottle made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is one type of plastic. However, since there are no restrictions on the material of the container (B), the present invention can be used without problems in other plastic containers or paper containers.

[0043] In addition, a circular stopper should be formed to protrude downwards by a certain length from the inner ceiling surface of the main body (100), and the end of the inlet of the container (B) should be fitted into the space between the stopper and the inner wall surface, thereby completely preventing the beverage from spilling due to changes in the position of the container (B).

[0044] And, on the outer surface of the main body (100) formed in a curved shape, a number of protrusions configured in a horizontal or vertical shape are formed to protrude short along the circumference, thereby improving the frictional force with the user's fingers when rotating the container (B) for the purpose of opening or closing the entrance.

[0045] Accordingly, the user can firmly attach the main body (100) by holding it and rotating it clockwise against the entrance of the container (B) as in the conventional method of using a plastic container lid, or detach the main body (100) by rotating it counterclockwise while it is attached to the entrance of the container (B).

[0046] However, even if separation from the entrance of the container (B) of the main body (100) occurs, immediate detachment from the container does not occur as in the case of a typical plastic container lid, and the main body (100) is maintained in a state of being connected to the container (B) through 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.

[0047] That is, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the upper ring (110) is a ring-shaped structure positioned on the lower side of the main body (100), and is used to prevent the eco-friendly cap including the main body (100) from being separated from the container (B) and to expand the flow range for the main body (100) separated from the inlet of the container (B).

[0048] More specifically, the upper ring (110) is configured to be connected to the lower part of the main body (100) entirely using a circular first break portion (111) and a connection portion (112) for the purpose of preventing separation, and as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, it is combined in a form that surrounds the entrance of the container (B), thereby limiting the rotation of the main body (100).

[0049] However, when an external force is applied to the body (100) to the extent that it rotates independently, the first breaking portion (111) breaks as shown in Fig. 2c, and as a result, most of the body (100) can be separated from the lower end.

[0050] Accordingly, the first breaking portion (111) should be configured to include a number of connecting 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 breaking can easily occur when a user holds and turns the main body (100) coupled to the entrance of the container (B), and the standard for the breaking strength should be the same as or at the same level as that of a typical plastic container lid.

[0051] However, unlike a typical plastic container lid, even if the first breaking portion (111) is broken, the main body (100) is not separated from the container (B), and the connection between the main body (100) and the upper ring (110) by the unbroken connecting portion (112) is maintained.

[0052] That is, the present invention has the effect of allowing the user to close the entrance of the container (B) again after drinking the beverage without causing problems such as loss of the main body (100) or contamination due to dropping to the floor.

[0053] At this time, as shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 3, the connecting portion (112) may be formed in an overall shape of a straight line or a diamond shape for the purpose of simplifying the mold manufacturing process, and in the case of a diamond shape, a '<' shaped cut groove (123) may be formed on one side, thereby allowing the main body (100) to be easily bent in the opposite direction from the entrance of the container (B).

[0054] Additionally, hot melt is heat-welded to a thickness of 0.45 to 1 mm on the outer surface of the connecting portion (112) to improve the breaking strength, thereby preventing or easily preventing breaking due to external force or fatigue applied when the main body (100) rotates.

[0055] In addition, the upper ring (110) is characterized in that a second fracture portion (113) is formed on one side thereof, so that under certain conditions, additional fracture may occur and a part of the body may be converted into a shape in which it is separated from each other.

[0056] That is, as shown in FIGS. 2d and 2e, the second breaking portion (113) may be broken entirely by a tensile force, which is an external force applied when a user pulls the main body (100) separated from the entrance of the container (B), thereby causing the shape of the upper ring (110) to be converted into a curved shape.

[0057] At this time, the second rupture portion (113) may also be configured to have a number of connection points similar to the first rupture portion (111), but since simultaneous rupture due to external force should not occur, it is preferable that the shape of the connection points be formed more firmly compared to the first rupture portion (111).

[0058] Accordingly, the main body (100) can be positioned further away from the entrance of the container (B) than when the shape of the upper ring (110) is maintained in a circular shape, and as a result, an effect is generated in which the main body (100) does not touch the face of the user while drinking the beverage.

[0059] Furthermore, since the upper ring (110) with one side broken can be easily joined to the entrance of the container (B), the process of joining the main body (100) to the entrance of the container (B) again becomes easier than before.

[0060] That is, when the upper ring (110) is intact, a problem may arise in which the upper ring (110) becomes caught in the process of reattaching the main body, which is completely separated from the inlet of the container, to the inlet. However, when one side of the upper ring (110) is broken, such a problem does not occur.

[0061]

[0062] In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the lower ring (120) is a ring-shaped structure positioned on the lower side of the upper ring (110), and is used to prevent the environmentally friendly cap including the main body (100) from being detached from the container (B) in conjunction with the upper ring (110).

[0063] More specifically, the lower ring (120) is configured to be entirely connected to the lower end of the upper ring (110) using a part of the body where a direct connection occurs and a circular third break portion (121), and as shown in FIG. 2c, when the main body (100) coupled to the entrance of the container (B) rotates, most of it can be separated from the lower end by the breakage of the entire third break portion (121).

[0064] Accordingly, the third breaking portion (121) should be configured to include a number of connecting points that connect 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 holds and turns the main body (100) coupled to the entrance of the container (B).

[0065] That is, the first breaking portion (111) and the third breaking portion (121) are configured in a form that includes a plurality of connection points where breaking occurs due to an external force, so that the main body (100) coupled to the entrance of the container (B) can be broken simultaneously when it rotates independently.

[0066] At this time, a situation may occur in which the first fracture portion (111) located higher than the third fracture portion (121) and subjected to a relatively greater external force is fractured, but the third fracture portion (121) is not fractured, as a result of their respective positions.

[0067] Accordingly, the present invention allows the first rupture portion (111) and the third rupture portion (121) to have different numbers of connection points, thereby causing simultaneous ruptures or ensuring that when the first rupture portion (111) is ruptured, the third rupture portion (121) is also ruptured.

[0068] As one embodiment of the present invention, the first breaking portion (111) may be formed with 10 to 12 connecting points that are broken by an external force while connecting the main body (100) and the upper end of the upper ring (110), and the third breaking portion (121) may be formed with 6 to 8 connecting points that are broken by an external force while connecting the lower end of the upper ring (110) and the upper end of the lower ring (120).

[0069] In this way, the first fracture portion (111) is configured to have a larger number of connection points compared to the third fracture portion (121), thereby requiring more force for fracture, so that a situation in which the first fracture portion (111) is fractured but the third fracture portion (121) is not fractured does not occur, and when fracture occurs simultaneously or the first fracture portion (111) is fractured, the third fracture portion (121) is also guaranteed to be fractured.

[0070] However, since the lower ring (120) is configured in a form in which a part of the body is directly connected to a lower part of the upper ring (110), even when the third break portion (121) is broken, a part of it remains connected to the upper ring (110).

[0071] Accordingly, problems such as loss of the main body (100) or contamination due to dropping to the floor do not occur, and the user can close the entrance of the container (B) again after drinking the beverage.

[0072] At this time, the upper ring (110) and the lower ring (120) are configured in a form in which parts of the body are connected to each other in opposite directions of the connecting portion (112) based on the vertical cross-section of the entire present invention including the main body (100), so that the pressure applied when the user rotates the main body can be applied uniformly to the entire first breaking portion (111) and the third breaking portion (121).

[0073] In addition, the lower ring (120) is formed thinner in the range of 70 to 80% of the thickness of the body (100) to create a gap with the container (B), so that when the user closes the entrance of the container (B) again using the body (100), it is pulled upward, making it easy to re-close.

[0074] And the upper ring (110) can be formed to have the same thickness as the lower ring (120), but by being formed to have the same thickness as the main body (100), the main body (100) and the lower ring (120) can be firmly connected.

[0075]

[0076] In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2a to 2f, a fourth fracture portion (122) is formed on one side of the lower ring (120), so that under certain conditions, additional fracture may occur and parts of the body may be converted into a shape in which they are separated from each other.

[0077] That is, as shown in FIGS. 2e and 2f, the fourth breaking portion (122) can be broken entirely by tension, which is an external force applied when a user pulls the main body (100) separated from the entrance of the container (B), thereby allowing the lower ring (120) to be completely separated from the entrance of the container (B).

[0078] At this time, it is preferable that the fourth fracture portion (122) be formed in a more solid shape at the connection point than the first fracture portion (111) and the third fracture portion (121), similar to the second fracture portion (113).

[0079] In addition, the present invention can be configured in a form that prevents simultaneous fracture of the second fracture portion (112) and the fourth fracture portion (122).

[0080] First, as shown in Fig. 4a, the second breaking portion (113) and the fourth breaking portion (122) can be configured to be positioned in opposite directions based on the entire vertical cross-section including the main body (100).

[0081] In addition, the second rupture portion (113) and the fourth rupture portion (122) may be formed in a vertical direction based on a form in which the main body (100) is positioned vertically above the upper ring (110) and the lower ring (120), but may be configured in a form in which one is formed in a vertical direction and the other is formed in an inclined direction.

[0082] As one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4b, the present invention can be configured in a form in which the second breaking portion (113) is formed in an inclined direction with respect to the upper surface of the main body, and the fourth breaking portion (122) is formed in a vertical direction.

[0083] At this time, the second breaking portion (113) may be configured in a shape having an incline of 125°.

[0084] In addition, as another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4c, the present invention can be configured in a form in which the second breaking portion (113) is formed in a vertical direction based on the upper surface of the main body, and the fourth breaking portion (122) is formed in an inclined direction.

[0085] At this time, the fourth breaking portion (113) may be configured in a shape having an incline of 125°.

[0086] 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 the main body (100), and sequential breaking according to the direction in which the main body (100) is pulled is enabled.

[0087] That is, when a user twists and pulls the main body (100) or the upper ring (110) separated from the entrance of the container (B), the second breaking portion (113) may break, but the fourth breaking portion (122) may maintain its shape. Thereafter, when the user pulls the main body (100) or the lower ring (120), the fourth breaking portion (122) may break.

[0088] Conversely, when pulling the main body (100) or the upper ring (110) separated from the entrance of the container (B), the second breaking portion (113) may be broken, but the fourth breaking portion (122) may maintain its shape. Then, 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 be broken.

[0089] At this time, as shown in FIGS. 4a to 4c, both the second fracture portion (113) and the fourth fracture portion (122) can be formed linearly, but as shown in FIG. 4d, the second fracture portion (113) is formed linearly, but the fourth fracture portion (122) is formed in a curved shape such as an 'S', so that the phenomenon of sequential fracture as described above can be realized more clearly.

[0090]

[0091] Meanwhile, a number of catches (124) may be formed to protrude along the inner surface of the lower ring (120) so that the lower ring (120) is caught at the entrance of the container (B).

[0092] That is, as shown in Fig. 5, the lower ring (120) has a plurality of catches (124) formed protruding along the inner surface thereof, which are spaced apart from each other and whose area decreases toward the end, so that they can be caught on the screw thread formed on the outer surface of the inlet side of the container (B).

[0093] Accordingly, the lower ring (120) may be positioned at the entrance side of the container (B) even when the fourth break portion (122) is broken, but the user may pull the main body (100) more strongly so that the entire body (100), including the upper ring (110) and the lower ring (120), is completely separated from the container (B).

[0094] As a result, the present invention has the effect that the entire eco-friendly cap including the main body (100), upper ring (110), and lower ring (120) can be completely and simultaneously detached from the entrance of the container (B) without leaving any residue.

[0095]

[0096] The embodiments introduced above are provided as examples so that the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be sufficiently conveyed to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and may be embodied in other forms.

[0097] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not related to the explanation are omitted from the drawings, and in the drawings, the width, length, thickness, etc. of components may be expressed in an exaggerated or reduced form for convenience.

[0098] Additionally, identical reference numbers throughout the specification represent identical components.

[0099]

[0100] The present invention has sufficient industrial applicability because it can prevent the loss of a cap used for opening and closing the entrance of a container, and can be completely separated from the container when necessary, thereby contributing to recycling for the purpose of protecting the environment.

Claims

1. In a cap used for opening and closing the entrance of a container (B), A cylindrical body (100) having threads formed on the inner surface and an open bottom so that it can be connected to or separated from the inlet of a container (B); An upper ring (110) configured in a form in which a portion can be 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 the purpose of preventing separation, and a second breaking portion (113) that breaks when tensioned is formed on one side; and, An eco-friendly cap having a loss prevention function and a complete separation function from a container, 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 tensioned is formed on one side thereof.

2. In paragraph 1, The above first breaking portion (111) and the above third breaking portion (121) are, It is configured to include a number of connection points where fracture occurs due to external force, An eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from a container function, characterized in that the first breaking portion (111) is configured to have a greater number of connection points compared to the third breaking portion (121).

3. In paragraph 1, The above upper ring (110) and the above lower ring (120) are, An eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from a container function, characterized in that parts of the body are connected to each other in opposite directions of the connecting portion (112) based on the entire vertical cross-section including the main body (100).

4. In paragraph 1, The above second breaking portion (113) and the above fourth breaking portion (122) are, An eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from a container, characterized in that it is configured to be positioned in opposite directions based on the entire vertical cross-section including the main body (100).

5. In paragraph 1, The above second breaking portion (113) and the above fourth breaking portion (122) are, Based on the form in which the above body (100) is positioned vertically above the upper ring (110) and the lower ring (120), One of them is formed in a vertical direction, An eco-friendly cap with loss prevention and complete separation from the container, characterized by the other being configured in a form in which the other is formed in an inclined direction.

6. In paragraph 5, The above second breaking portion (113) is formed linearly, An eco-friendly cap having loss prevention and complete separation from the container, characterized in that the fourth breaking portion (122) is formed in a curved shape.

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