Patent ID: 7000790
Filing Date: 2006-02-21
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
1. A bottle cap for a bottle which holds contents, the bottle cap being moveable between an open position with respect to the bottle and a closed position, the bottle cap comprising: a cap body having an inner cap coupled so as to open or close the mouth of the bottle, and an outer cap made to rotate in a circumferential direction only and integrally connected to the inner cap so as not to deviate from the inner cap and remain in coupled axial position therewith, said inner cap and said outer cap each including a top surface and a peripheral side wall, each of said side walls including an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface; a ratcheting mechanism which operatively associates said inner cap with said outer cap by providing unidirectional engagement between said inner cap and said outer cap, said ratcheting mechanism having a first set and a second set of ratcheting teeth formed at facing portions of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the side walls of the inner and outer caps and engaged to be moved unidirectionally, and first and second ratcheting protrusions spaced apart from the first set and the second set of ratcheting teeth and protruding from the facing portions of the outer and inner caps, for integrally rotating the inner and outer caps from the mouth of the bottle such that the first and second ratcheting protrusions are engaged with each other when the second set of ratcheting teeth move relative to the first set of ratcheting teeth by stages, said first set and the second set of ratcheting teeth producing tension between each other when in engagement and moving relative to one another, whereby one of said first set of ratcheting teeth or said second set of ratcheting teeth are pressed inwardly toward the other of said second set of ratcheting teeth or said first set of ratcheting teeth, said first and second protrusions being spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance when the bottle cap is in its closed position with respect to said bottle; and an opening/closing identification mechanism for displaying whether the cap body has been opened or not, said opening/closing identification mechanism having a display portion which displays whether the cap body had been opened or not, printed on the top surface of the inner cap, and an identification mechanism for identifying from the outside whether the cap body has been opened or not according to the movement of the second set of ratcheting teeth relative to the first set of ratcheting teeth, said identification mechanism being formed on the top surface of the outer cap; wherein said integral connection of said inner and outer caps is defined by fixed protrusions and grooves formed at facing portions of inner and outer circumferential surfaces thereof.