Abstract:
A water bottle cap for sealing a water bottle containing water supersaturated with oxygen The water bottle cap of the present invention is designed to help maintain the supersaturated oxygen level of the oxygenated water in the water bottle from the time of bottling throughout the usage cycle of the water bottle.

Description:
The present patent application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/878,609, filed Jun. 19, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,944, issued Feb. 9, 2000, and entitled “Oxygenated Water Cooler,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/124,490, filed concurrently herewith, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,447, issued Jan. 25, 2000, and entitled “Oxygenated Water Cooler.” 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a water bottle cap and, more particularly, a water bottle cap for sealing a water bottle containing water supersaturated with oxygen. The water bottle cap of the present invention is designed to help maintain the supersaturated oxygen level of the oxygenated water in the water bottle from the time of bottling throughout the usage cycle of the water bottle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bottles containing water are normally transported to a location having a water cooler, and are stored until needed. When replacement is necessary, a seal on the bottle cap of the water bottle is removed and the water bottle is inverted and placed on the top section of the water cooler. Typically, water flows from the water bottle to a tank in the water cooler where the water is cooled. The water is dispensed from the tank through a spigot or similar device. 
     A water bottle cap is generally designed to prevent leakage of water from the water bottle during transportation, storage, and dispensing. Some bottle caps are even designed to prevent water from spilling onto the floor or other surface when an inverted, partially empty water bottle is removed from a water cooler. Unfortunately, currently available bottle caps are not suitable for use with water bottles containing water that is supersaturated with oxygen or other gases, or bottles containing fluids under pressure. Specifically, such bottle caps are not configured to help maintain the oxygen content of oxygenated water within a water bottle during the transportation and storage of the water bottle, and during the dispensing of the oxygenated water from the water bottle when mounted on a water cooler. The bottle caps are not capable of preventing leakage of oxygen from the water bottle, and cannot contain pressure above ambient levels within the water bottle. 
     It would, therefore, be highly desirable to provide a new and improved bottle cap for a water bottle containing oxygenated water, wherein the bottle cap is capable of preventing leakage of oxygen and pressure from the water bottle during transportation and storage of the water bottle, and wherein the bottle cap helps to maintain the oxygen level of the oxygenated water within the water bottle throughout the entire usage cycle of the water bottle. 
     The present invention also relates to a new and improved water cooler for dispensing oxygen enriched water. Oxygen enriched drinking water has an enhanced taste appeal and offers the health and fitness conscious consumer an alternative and supplemental source of oxygen that is absorbed through the stomach. The term drinking water is intended to include, without limitation, spring water, filtered water, or water treated by the reverse osmosis process. 
     The dissolved oxygen content of natural pure spring water ranges from between about 5 mg/liter to 9 mg/liter depending on the source of the water, purification and processing techniques applied prior to bottling, and other factors. The water can be supersaturated with oxygen by injecting molecular oxygen into a water pipeline controlled at a pressure of 40-90 PSIG (pounds per square inch gage), or using other known methods. Using this technique, the dissolved oxygen level of the water can be increased to about 25-125 mg/liter. If bottled immediately and hermetically sealed, using the bottle cap of the present invention, in bulk glass bottles or other suitable containers, the oxygenated water will maintain the elevated dissolved oxygen level indefinitely. 
     Bulk water bottles typically are in the 3-5 gallon range. Upon opening a bulk water bottle containing water that is supersaturated with oxygen, and which includes a conventional bottle cap, and installing the water bottle on a standard water cooler, the dissolved oxygen in the water decreases to near the baseline level of about 5-9 mg/liter within about 3-5 days. Since the average time required to consume a 3-5 gallon bulk water bottle typically is in the 10-14 day range, the rapid decrease in dissolved oxygen prevents the commercial marketing of oxygen enriched drinking water in 3-5 gallon bulk bottles for use on standard water coolers. 
     It would, therefore, also be highly desirable to provide a new and improved water cooler for dispensing oxygen enriched water wherein the dissolved oxygen content of water in the water bottle installed on the water cooler is maintained at or about the original supersaturated level during the entire time oxygenated water is dispensed from the bottle by the water cooler, i.e., during the entire usage cycle of the water bottle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a new and improved water bottle cap for a bulk water bottle containing oxygenated water under pressure. The bottle cap of the present invention prevents leakage of oxygen and pressure from the water bottle during transportation and storage of the water bottle, and helps to maintain the oxygen level of the oxygenated water within the water bottle throughout the usage cycle of the water bottle. 
     The bottle cap of the present invention is attached to a water bottle immediately after oxygen enriched water is introduced into the water bottle at a bottling plant. The bottle cap is typically placed over the opening formed in the neck of the water bottle. From this point on, throughout the usage cycle of the water bottle, the bottle cap helps to maintain the supersaturated level of oxygen in the oxygenated water contained in the water bottle. 
     After bottling, the water bottle is typically transported to a location having a water cooler, and is stored until needed. During transportation and storage of the water bottle, the water bottle is often shaken, handled, etc., in a rough manner, and is often transported and stored on its side such that the water therein applies a force against the bottle cap. A conventional bottle cap is generally not capable of handling such stresses, especially when the water in the water bottle is held under pressure, and will often crack, leak, or otherwise malfunction, thereby allowing the oxygen within the oxygenated water stored in the water bottle to escape. The bottle cap of the present invention, however, has been ingeniously reinforced to withstand such rough handling and the increased pressure within the water bottle without failing, thereby ensuring that the oxygen level of the oxygenated water in the water bottle remains at a supersaturated level. 
     The bottle cap of the present invention includes a reinforced seal to further strengthen the bottle cap and to enhance the pressure sealing performance of the bottle cap. When replacement is necessary, the reinforced seal on the bottle cap of the water bottle is removed and the water bottle is inverted and placed on the top section of a water cooler. A probe sleeve in the bottle cap seals around the feed probe of the water cooler, preventing the loss of pressurized oxygen or water from the water bottle. In use, when oxygenated water flows from the water bottle into the tank in the water cooler, make-up oxygen is pumped through the feed probe into the water bottle in order to maintain pressurized oxygen (about 2 PSIG) in the water bottle. 
     Thus, the bottle cap of the present invention prevents the leakage of water, pressure, and oxygen from a water bottle containing oxygenated water under pressure. 
     In order to provide the requirements mentioned above, the improved water bottle cap of the present invention generally includes a flexible plastic body, two layers of foil heat glued to the outer top surface of the body, a reinforcing element positioned against the inner top surface of the body, a gasket located adjacent the reinforcing element, and a band tightened around an outer peripheral portion of the body. 
     Although described for use with water bottles containing oxygenated water under pressure, it should be readily apparent that the bottle cap of the present invention may be used on bottles or other bulk containers containing “normal” unoxygenated water or other fluids, containing fluids that have been supersaturated with other types of gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) or the like, or containing fluids stored under ambient or elevated pressures. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of the present invention will best be understood from a detailed description of the invention and a preferred embodiment thereof selected for the purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle cap in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the bottle cap of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bottle cap taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a water bottle including a bottle cap in accordance with the present invention, installed on a water cooler; and 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a water bottle including a bottle cap in accordance with the present invention, installed on a water cooler. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will be shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present invention will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., and are disclosed simply as an example of the preferred embodiment. The features and advantages of the present invention are illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings. 
     A bottle cap  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in various views in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 . The bottle cap  10  generally includes a plurality of seals  12 , a body  14 , a band  16 , a gasket  18 , a reinforcing element  20 , a probe sleeve  22 , and a plug  24 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, the band  16  extends around the circumference of the body  14 , and is tightened after the bottle cap  10  is positioned over the open end of a water bottle  26 . Since the oxygen in the bottle  26  is pressurized, the band  16  is provided to secure the bottle cap  10  on the bottle  26 , during transportation, storage, and usage. That is, the band  16  is provided to prevent the bottle cap  10  from being inadvertently forced off the water bottle  26  by the pressurized oxygen in the headspace of the water bottle  26 . The band can be made of metal or plastic or any other suitable material having sufficient strength. The band  16  can be secured around the neck of the water bottle  26  using known techniques. Other means for clamping the body  14  of the bottle cap  10  around the neck of the water bottle  26  may also be used. Preferably, the bottle cap  10  cannot be removed from the water bottle  26  without first removing the band  16 . 
     A plurality of seals  12  are shown in FIG.  1  and in the cross-sectional view of FIG.  3 . The seals  12  prevent contaminants from entering a probe cavity  28  of the bottle cap  26 . Additionally, the seals  12  prevent oxygen and pressure from leaking from the water bottle  26  during transportation and storage of the water bottle  26 . The seals  12  are preferably formed of a foil material or other material that is impermeable to oxygen. The seals  12  are secured by heat sealing, adhesive, or other suitable means to an outer surface of a top portion  32  of the body  14  of the bottle cap  10 , or to an underlying seal  12 . For increased strength, a plurality of the seals  12  are sandwiched together as shown. Alternately, a single seal  12 , formed of an oxygen impermeable material that is strong enough to withstand the elevated pressure within the water bottle  26 , may be used. Each seal  12  includes a tab  30  to facilitate the removal of the seal from the water bottle  26 . 
     Since the water bottle  26  contains pressurized oxygen, a reinforcing element  20  is provided to reinforce and prevent bulging of the top portion  32  of the body  14  of the bottle cap  10 . Without the reinforcing element  20 , the pressure in the water bottle  26  may cause the top portion  32  of the body  14  of the bottle cap  10  to bulge outward. Such distortion could loosen the seals  12 , damage the probe sleeve  22  and plug  24  or other water transfer elements, or otherwise adversely affect the operation of the bottle cap  10 , potentially resulting in the leakage of oxygen, pressure and water from the water bottle  26 . Preferably, the reinforcing element  20  has an annular shape configured to encircle the probe sleeve  22  and plug  24 , and is formed of metal (e.g., stainless steel) or other material having sufficient strength to prevent bulging of the bottle cap  26 . Of course the exact shape of the reinforcing element  20  is dependent on the specific configuration of the bottle cap  10 . 
     In order to provide additional leakage prevention, and to provide a layer of cushioning between the reinforcing element  20  and the neck of the water bottle  26 , a gasket  18  is located between the reinforcing element  20  and the neck of the water bottle  26  as shown in FIG.  4 . The gasket  18  preferably has an annular shape similar to that of the reinforcing element  20 , and is formed from foam or other material having suitable resiliency. The gasket  18  may also be formed of a resilient material which is impermeable to water and oxygen. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, a plug  24  is located in the probe sleeve  22 . When the water bottle is inverted, the plug  24  prevents water from spilling from the inverted water bottle  26 . In FIG. 3 the plug  24  is shown in the sealing position. The plug  24  additionally includes a gripping rib  34  that is configured to engage a groove  36  formed on a feed probe  38  of a water cooler  40  in the dispensing position (see FIG.  4 ). 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 show the bottle cap  10  of the present invention attached to a water bottle  26  which has been inverted and positioned on a water cooler  40 . FIG. 4 illustrates the inverted water bottle  26  supported on a bottle entry portion  42  of the water cooler  40 . The bottle entry portion  42  is attached to a lid  44  of a water tank  58  of the water cooler  40  by a mounting adapter assembly  46 . 
     The mounting adapter assembly  46  includes a feed probe  38  having a groove  36 , a threaded fastener  48 , a liquid conduit  50 , an oxygen conduit  52 , and a mounting flange  54 . The central, upwardly projecting feed probe  38  is configured to enter the probe cavity  28  of the bottle cap  10  when the water bottle  26  is installed on the water cooler  26 . Specifically, as the bottle  26  is lowered onto the feed probe  38 , the feed probe  38  pushes the plug  24  in an upward direction until the plug  24  is no longer in contact with the probe sleeve  22 , thereby allowing oxygenated water to flow out of the water bottle  26  and oxygen to flow into the water bottle  26  via the feed probe  38 . At the same time, as further shown in FIG. 4, the gripping rib  34  on the plug  24  engages the groove  36  on the feed probe  38 , preventing the plug  24  from escaping into the water bottle  26 . When the water bottle  26  is lifted away from the water cooler  40 , the plug  24  is lowered by the feed probe  38  until the plug  24  reenters the probe sleeve  22  and seals the probe cavity  28 , preventing water (if any) from spilling from the inverted bottle  26 . 
     When the water bottle  26  is installed on the water cooler  40 , the plug  24  is no longer in contact with the probe sleeve  22 . This allows oxygenated water from the water bottle  26  to enters a liquid conduit  50  through a port  56 . The oxygenated water flows through the liquid conduit  50  and passes into the water tank  58  located in the water cooler  40 . At the same time, to replace the volume of oxygenated water dispensed from the water tank  58 , an equivalent volume of make-up oxygen, present within a headspace of the water tank  58 , flows up through an oxygen conduit  52  in the feed probe  38  into the water bottle  26  through an oxygen port  60 . The oxygen flows through the remaining oxygenated water in the water bottle  26  to a headspace of the bottle, thereby maintaining the supersaturated oxygen level of the oxygenated water in the water bottle  26 . 
     The mounting adapter assembly  46  is attached to the bottle entry portion  42  by the threaded fastener  48 . A flexible circular seal  62  is located between the bottle entry portion  42  and the and the mounting adapter assembly  46 . The circular seal  62  prevents oxygen from leaking from the water tank  58  through the threaded fastener  48  into the bottle entry portion  42  of the water cooler  40 . The mounting adapter assembly  46  includes a flange  54  that is attached by threaded fasteners  64  or other suitable hardware to the water tank lid  44 . In order to provide a strong rigid support for the weight of the water bottle  26 , both the water tank lid  44  and the flange  54  are preferably formed of a strong, rustproof material such as stainless steel. A suitable flexible sealing material  68 , such as such as silicone rubber or the like, is applied to the surface between the flange  54  and the water tank lid  44 . The flexible sealing material  68  is provided to prevent oxygen or water from escaping from the water tank  58 . 
     As shown by the combination of FIGS. 4 and 5, oxygen flows from an oxygen source  70  through a conduit  72  into the water tank  58 . The conduit  72  is attached to the water tank lid  44  by a tubing connection  74 . The water tank  58  is sealed to contain not only the oxygenated water, but also a supply of pressurized oxygen generated by the oxygen source  70 . As described above, the oxygen in the water tank  58  flows into the water bottle  26  as oxygenated water is dispensed from the water cooler  40  to maintain the supersaturated oxygen level of the oxygenated water in the water bottle  26 . 
     The general structure of the water cooler  40  is illustrated in FIG.  5 . The water cooler  40  includes the water bottle  26 , bottle cap  10 , bottle entry portion  42 , mounting adapter assembly  46  including the feed probe  38 , and the water tank  58 . The water cooler  40  additionally includes a spigot assembly  80  for dispensing oxygenated from the water tank  58 , a refrigeration source  86  for cooling the oxygenated water within the tank  58 , a base  88 , and a housing  82 . The preferred form of the oxygen source  70  is an oxygen generator in the form of a pressure swing adsorption apparatus, however other sources such as bottled oxygen may also be used. Oxygen flows from the oxygen source  70  to the water tank  58  through the conduit  72 . The oxygen source  70  may be located in the same housing  82  as the water cooler  40 , or may alternately be enclosed within a housing  84  formed separately from the housing  82  as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     In operation, oxygenated water flows from the water bottle  26 , through the feed probe  38  which extends into the water bottle  26  through the bottle cap  10 , into the pressurized water tank  58 . In the water tank  58  the oxygenated water is cooled by the refrigeration source  86 . The oxygenated water is dispensed from the water tank  58  through the spigot assembly  80  for drinking or other uses. 
     As the oxygenated water is drawn from the water bottle  26 , a like amount of make-up oxygen flows from the water tank  58  up through the feed probe  38  into the water bottle  26 , thereby maintaining a positive pressure within the water bottle  26 . The oxygen in the water tank  58  is replaced by oxygen flowing from the oxygen source  70  through the conduit  72  into the water tank  58 .