Abstract:
A lighted bottle cap apparatus replaces a conventional threaded bottle cap to provide an entertaining light display externally of the bottle and also through the liquid contained within the bottle. The cap apparatus incorporates a battery powered lighting device that utilizes LED&#39;s to direct light energy into and away from the bottle. An optional advertising display can be formed as part of the cap apparatus to be illuminated from the lighting device. An alternative embodiment provides a central opening through the cap apparatus to allow the liquid within the bottle to be dispensed therethrough. The lighting device is oriented to direct light energy into the discharged liquid. An adaptor incorporating a translucent panel allows the standard cap apparatus to be connected to multiple bottle configurations. The adaptor has first and second sets of threads separated by the translucent panel to seal the lighting device from the liquid in the bottle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims domestic priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/132,770, filed on Jun. 23, 2008, and on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/192,098, filed on Sep. 15, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to caps for sealing the opening of a bottle containing liquid and, more particularly, to a lighted cap apparatus that provides entertainment by lighting the liquid and the bottle and providing an optional lighted advertisement. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Clear plastic bottles are conventionally utilized to package liquid beverages, particularly water, for sale commercially. While the liquid may be clear like water, some beverages are opaque, such as orange juice and cola soft drinks. Sales of bottled liquid beverages are normally provided at entertainment venues, such as entertainment or amusement parks, indoor and outdoor concerts, picnics, fairs and other such situations. The bottled beverage is normally sold with a removable cap sealing the opening to the bottle. Once the bottle has been dispensed, the purchaser normally removes the sealed cap and consumes a portion of the bottled beverage. The cap is usually reinstalled and the partially emptied bottle is carried with the purchaser, but typically, the carrying of the bottle is inconvenient and somewhat awkward as the bottle is too large to fit into most pockets and is often carried by hand. 
     Lighted entertainment devices, typically novelty items like rope necklaces and hats, are also sold at such entertainment and amusement venues. These lighted entertainment devices are provided with battery operated light emitting diodes (LED&#39;s) that flash in brilliant color to entertain and amuse the purchaser. A lighted bottle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,412, issued on Dec. 25, 2007, to Toshimitsu Ichikawa, wherein the cap is constructed with a battery powered lighting device to shine into the bottle to illuminate the bottle and any liquid carried therein to demonstrated to the purchaser the volume of liquid remaining in the bottle when being carried in the dark. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,216, issued on Jul. 11, 2000, to Eric Goldfab, a light mechanism is constructed to fit on a standard jar opening to convert the jar into a lighted lantern. By utilizing a transparent jar filled, or at least partially filled, with water, the lantern is created by utilizing standard items carried by campers, with the water dispersing the light into the ambient environment. Similarly, a container is adapted for holding a light source in one of multiple possible locations in U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,663, granted to Gale Tucker on Apr. 2, 1996, including a flashlight suspended into the cavity defined by the container for holding liquid therein. An early version of a lighted container for holding liquid is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,450, granted on Jan. 12, 1993, to Marilyn Zelensky, et al, wherein a light bearing cap is screwed onto the opening of a transparent jar to project light energy into the jar and the liquid therein. The Zelensky patent also discloses the placement of advertisements on the exterior surface or the bottom of the jar to be illuminated with the lighting of the light bulb within the cap apparatus. In each of these lighted bottle arrangements, a lens is provided to keep the liquid in the bottle from contacting the battery powered electrical apparatus providing the light energy into the bottle. 
     It would be desirable to provide a multi-colored lighting apparatus that can be mounted on substantially any clear plastic, transparent beverage container to provide a novelty item that illuminates the liquid and an external light display that can optionally incorporate an advertisement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of the known prior art by providing a multi-colored lighting apparatus for sealing the opening of a beverage bottle after being opened. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an entertaining multi-colored lighting display for a beverage bottle that will illuminate the liquid within the bottle as well as the bottle itself. 
     It is a feature of this invention that the lighting display is retained in a removable cap apparatus that replaces the original cap sealing the bottled beverage. 
     It is another feature of this invention that the cap apparatus can support a vertically oriented advertisement member that can incorporate a lanyard mount. 
     It is an advantage of this invention that the multi-colored LED display will project light energy from the cap in multiple directions. 
     It is still another feature of this invention that the light energy projected into the liquid beverage within the bottle will illuminate the liquid to disperse the light and create a visually pleasing effect. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide an adaptor that will enable a standardized lighted cap apparatus to be utilized with substantially any bottle configuration. 
     It is yet another feature of this invention that the adaptor has a first set of threads corresponding to the cap apparatus and a second set of threads corresponding to a specific bottle configuration with a translucent panel separating the first and second thread sets. 
     It is still another advantage of this invention that the translucent panel in the adaptor isolates the liquid within the bottle from the cap apparatus. 
     It is yet another advantage of this invention that the translucent panel allows the passage of light energy from the cap apparatus into the liquid remaining in the bottle container. 
     It is still another feature of this invention that the adaptor and the cap apparatus can be formed of translucent material or from an opaque material. 
     It is a further feature of this invention that the cap apparatus incorporates a battery powered lighting device that has at least one LED oriented to direct light energy downwardly through the translucent panel into the bottle container, and at least one LED oriented to direct light energy away from the bottle container. 
     It is still another advantage of this invention that the LED directing light energy away from the bottle container can be utilized to illuminate an advertising display. 
     It is another feature of this invention that the light emitting diodes can be configured to have different colors that alternately or randomly flash to provide a pleasing visual effect. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a lighted cap apparatus that incorporates a central opening for the dispensing of liquid from the interior of the bottle container. 
     It is another feature of this invention that the lighted cap apparatus incorporates a lighting device that has at least one LED oriented to direct light energy therefrom into the stream of liquid being discharged from the bottle container through the central opening in the cap apparatus. 
     It is a further advantage of this invention that the cap apparatus includes a closure device associated with the central opening to keep the liquid within the bottle container from being dispensed from the bottle unless selectively opened to allow the dispensing of the liquid. 
     It is yet another feature of this invention that the cap apparatus includes an asymmetric lanyard mount for the detachable connection of a lanyard thereto. 
     It is still another advantage of this invention that the utilization of a lanyard enables the bottle to be carried in a hands-free manner. 
     It is a further feature of this invention that the cap apparatus incorporates a switch that enables the lighting device to be selectively operated. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a lighted bottle cap apparatus for use with multiple commercial bottle configurations, which is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, and simple and effective in use. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a lighted bottle cap apparatus that provides an entertaining lighting display that is dispersed through the liquid contained within the bottle and to an external display. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a lighted bottle cap apparatus that can be utilized to replace a conventional threaded bottle cap to provide an entertaining light display externally from the bottle and also through the liquid contained within the bottle. The cap apparatus incorporates a battery powered lighting device that utilizes LED&#39;s to direct light energy into and away from the bottle. An optional advertising display can be formed as part of the cap apparatus to be illuminated from the lighting device. An alternative embodiment provides a central opening through the cap apparatus to allow the liquid within the bottle to be dispensed therethrough. The lighting device is oriented to direct light energy into the discharged liquid. An adaptor incorporating a translucent panel allows a standard cap apparatus to be connected to multiple bottle configurations. The adaptor has first and second sets of threads separated by the translucent panel to seal the lighting device from the liquid in the bottle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a lighted cap apparatus incorporating the principles of the instant invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the lighted cap apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with the optional advertising display being oriented to face the viewer; 
         FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the lighted cap display oriented orthogonally to the side elevational view of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the cap apparatus with the lighting device removed to facilitate the viewing of the cap structure; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the cap apparatus corresponding to lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 , with the lighting device removed to facilitate the viewing of the cap structure, the upper portion of the advertising display being broken away for purposes of clarity; 
         FIG. 6  is an elevational view of an adaptor incorporating the principles of the instant invention, a portion of the outer wall of the adaptor being broken away to better view the first and second sets of threads separated by the translucent panel; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the adaptor shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the lighted cap apparatus, the adaptor and the upper portion of a representative bottle on which the adaptor is to be connected, the upper portion of the advertising display being broken away for purposes of clarity; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of the lighting device to be mounted internally of the cap apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1-5 ; 
         FIG. 10  is an elevational view of the lighting device shown in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 5 , but having the lighting device mounted therein; 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the lighted cap apparatus; 
         FIG. 13  is an elevational view of the lighted cap apparatus as shown in  FIG. 12 , oriented to view the lanyard mount to one side of the cap apparatus; 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the cap apparatus corresponding to lines  14 - 14  of  FIG. 12 , the lighting device being removed to permit a better view of the cap structure; 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of the cap apparatus shown in  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded side elevational view of a second alternative embodiment of a lighted cap apparatus, being formed with a central opening through the base member and the adaptor to form a spout that allows the discharge of liquid from the interior of the bottle; 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of the base member with the lighting device mounted in the interior cavity of the base member; 
         FIG. 18  is a side elevational view of the lighting device shown in  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 19  is a bottom plan view of a lighting device to be used in conjunction with the second alternative embodiment of the instant invention depicted in  FIG. 16 ; and 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a representative lanyard that is connectable to the lanyard mounting structure provided on the cap apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , a lighted cap apparatus incorporating the principals of the instant invention can best be seen. The cap apparatus  10  is intended to replace the removable cap placed on commercially available bottled beverages, particularly bottled water, but can be used with any clear or opaque liquid beverage. The cap apparatus  10  is formed with a base member  12  having downwardly extending portion  13  formed with a set of male threads  14 . As is best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the base member  12  defines a hollow cavity  15  into which an electronic, battery powered lighting device  30  is mounted, as will be described in greater detail below. The cavity  15  is provided with mounting bosses  16  to secure the lighting device  30  thereto. 
     The top of the base member  12  has a centrally disposed advertising display member  17  that can be formed in any predetermined shape, but is preferably constructed from a translucent polymer to facilitate the transmission of light energy therethrough and is preferably formed with an opening at the top to establish a lanyard connection mount  18 . The advertising display member  17  can be etched or molded with an advertising logo. The advertising display member  17  is preferably secured to the top of the base member  12  so that an activation switch  19  can be positioned to one side of the advertising display member  17 . The activation switch  19  can be a depressible button, which may be covered with a soft plastic shell to make the switch  19  watertight, or the activation switch could be a motion activated switch. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6-8 , an adaptor  20  cooperable with the cap apparatus  10  can best be seen. The adaptor  20  is preferably formed with a cylindrical outer housing  22  with a first set of female threads  23  at one end thereof and a second set of female threads  24  at the opposing end of the outer housing  22 . A translucent central panel  25  separates the first and second sets of threads  23 ,  24 . The first set of threads  23  is formed to be compatible with the male threads  14  on the downwardly depending portion  13  of the base member  12  so that the base member  12  can be mounted onto the one end of the adaptor  20 . The opposing end of the adaptor  20  has the second set of threads  24  configured to mate with a selected commercially available plastic beverage bottle  29 . A different adaptor  20  would be required for each bottle configuration such that the second set of threads  24  would be matched to a specific bottle configuration, though the first set of threads  23  would be standardized to mate with the male threads  14 . 
     By securing the base member  12  to the adaptor  20 , the lighting device  30  would be isolated from the liquid within the interior of the bottle  29  by the translucent panel  25 , which allows the passage of light energy from the lighting device  30  into the interior of the bottle  29 , and into any liquid remaining therein. The liquid, particularly if the liquid is clear, such as water, will disperse the light energy passing through the translucent panel  25  and create an enjoyable lighting display therein. Typically, the base member  12  will be tightly secured to the one end of the adaptor  20  containing the first set of threads  23  and form an integrated assembly that is removed as desired from the bottle  29  to permit the liquid beverage therein to be consumed. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9-11 , the lighting device  30  includes a printed circuit board  32  operably connected to a battery pack  33  to obtain electrical power therefrom. The printed circuit board  32  is also connected to the activation switch  19  by a control circuit  37  to control the flow of electrical current from the battery pack  33  through the circuit  32 . The battery pack  33  can be formed from one or more watch batteries, which can be formed to be replaceable or be integrally contained within the lighting device  30  to not be replaceable. Holes  34  are formed in the printed circuit board  32  to allow the passage of fasteners to engage aligned mounting bosses  16  and secure the lighting device  30  within the cavity  15  of the base member  12 . The printed circuit board  32  further has a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED)  35 ,  36  connected to the circuit  32  to illuminate when electrical current is directed thereto. The control circuit  37  can be configured to provide a plurality of lighting sequences from simply turning the light on to provide a constant illumination to a number of flashing patterns and sequences. 
     Preferably, at least two of the LED&#39;s  35  are oriented to direct light energy into the interior of the bottle  29  to illuminate the bottle  29  and any liquid present within the bottle  29 . Also, the preferable configuration of the lighting device  30  would have at least one LED  36  oriented to direct light energy upwardly into the advertising display member  17 . The illumination of the LED&#39;s  35 ,  36  will also illuminate the base member  12  and the adaptor  20  in the selected lighting pattern. One skilled in the art will recognize that a random flashing pattern for the LED&#39;s  35 ,  36  can provide an aesthetically pleasing visual display for the cap apparatus  10 , but also of the liquid in the bottle  29  and further to the advertising display member  17  to direct attention to the advertisement placed thereon. Making the respective LED&#39;s  35 ,  36  different colors will enhance the pleasing visual effect. 
     In operation, the cap apparatus  10  is placed on the screw top of an opened bottle  29  containing a liquid beverage, such as water, with the second set of threads  24  of the adaptor  20  being engaged with the bottle  29 . The base member  12  is mounted to the first set of threads  23  of the adaptor  20  to form an assembly having the lighting device  30  mounted in the cavity  15  and sealed from the liquid in the bottle  29  by the transverse translucent panel  25 . Once mounted on the opened bottle  29 , the operator depresses the activation switch  19  to initiate the lighting sequence selected for this particular lighting device  30 . The LED&#39;s  35  direct light energy into the bottle  29  to illuminate both the bottle  29  and the liquid remaining therein. The upwardly directed LED&#39;s  36  illuminate the advertising display member  17 , if provided, to direct attention to the advertising placed thereon. If no advertising display member  17  is provided, the upwardly directed LED  36  will simply illuminate the base member  12 . If a lanyard  39 , such as depicted in  FIG. 19 , is connected to the lanyard connection mount  18  provided, for example, at the top of the advertising display member  17 , the bottle  29  can be carried around the purchaser&#39;s neck for convenient no-hands transport of the beverage. 
     An alternative configuration for the cap apparatus  10  is depicted in  FIGS. 12-15 , wherein no vertically oriented advertising display member  17  is provided. Using like reference numbers to the elements described above with respect to the first embodiment, the cap apparatus  10  includes a base member  12  having a downwardly extending portion  13  formed with a set of male threads  14  configured to be engagable with the first set female threads  23  on the adaptor  20 . For aesthetics purposes, the activation switch  19  can be enlarged, as shown in  FIGS. 12-14 , to present a large centrally located button at the top of the base member  12 . The base member  12  can also be formed with an integral lanyard mount  18  capable of supporting the weight of a bottle  29  filled with a liquid beverage. The lighting device  30  is essentially the same as that shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , except that the control circuit can be centrally positioned to mate with the activation switch  19  and the upwardly directed LED&#39;s  36  can be positioned off center, as is reflected in  FIG. 14 . 
     Another alternative configuration of the instant invention is shown in  FIGS. 16-19 . The primary difference in this second alternative configuration is that the cap apparatus  40  includes a central passage  46  for the dispensing of the liquid beverage from within the bottle  29  without requiring the cap apparatus  40  to be removed from the bottle  29 . As with conventional sports beverage bottles, the central passage  46  extends upwardly from the base member  42  to form a spout  47  that is topped by a closure device  49  which can be a pop-up nozzle as depicted generally in  FIG. 16 , or other known closures such as a flip-top member (not-shown) or a removable threaded cap that is taken from the top of the purchased bottle  29 , etc. 
     The base member  42  is preferably formed with the female threads for connection to the top of the purchased beverage bottle  29  and has the central passage  46  extending through the base member  42  to terminate as the spout  47 . To isolate the liquid beverage from the lighting device  50 , the base member  42  includes a translucent panel  45  which is located at the interior end of the female threads. The central passage defines an interior chamber wall  48  passing through the base member  42  where the lighting device  50  is located. The base member can be formed with a removable outer shell that will permit the lighting device to be installed while maintaining the integrity of the central passage  46  so as to isolate the interior cavity of the base member  42 . This removable outer shell can be detachable or secured, such as by adhesives, in which case the batteries  53  would not be replaceable. 
     Similarly, as is depicted in  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the lighting device  50  includes a printed circuit board  52  that is operatively connected to batteries  53  positioned around the central opening  54  in the printed circuit board  52 . The printed circuit board  52  is controlled through a control circuit  57  connected to the activation switch  19 , as is described above with respect to  FIGS. 1-11 . The lighting device  50 , however, is formed with a central opening  54  to permit passage of the interior chamber wall  48 . Accordingly, the batteries  53 , the LED&#39;s  55 ,  56 , and the activation switch  19  must be offset from the center of the printed circuit board  52 . Although the specific position of the downwardly directed LED  55  is not intended to be defined in  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the relative orientation is the same as described above to illuminate the bottle  29  and the liquid contained therein. The upwardly directed LED&#39;s  56 , however, are preferably oriented to illuminate the liquid as the liquid is being dispensed through the spout  47 . Accordingly, the operation of the cap apparatus  50  will not only illuminate the bottle  29  and the liquid contained therein, as described in detail above, but also illuminate the stream of the liquid being discharged from the spout  47 . 
     All of the components described above for the base members  12 ,  42  and the adaptors  20 ,  45  are preferably formed from plastic that can be either translucent or opaque, except for the transverse panel  25  which needs to be translucent for the effective passage of light energy from the downwardly direct LED&#39;s  55 . These plastic components are effectively formed via injection molding techniques and assembled as needed. One skilled in the art will recognize that the specific preferred configuration of the sports bottle cap apparatus, depicted in  FIGS. 16-19 , can be constructed in other similar configurations, such as by having a base member and an adaptor formed with the central passage extending therethrough to provide a similar structure to the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-11 . 
     It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiments of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.