Infusion cap

An infusion cap for a bottle having a threaded neck is screwed onto the threaded neck of a bottle; and, by removing a locking tab, a portion of the cap can be pressed toward the bottle to discharge an infusion substance into the bottle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a bottle closure cap for containing an infusion substance in a reservoir in the cap, and when desired the infusion substance can be deposited in the bottle to mix with material contained in the bottle without removing the cap from the bottle.

2. Background Art

The prior art shows several approaches to providing an infusion cap with infusion material stored in the cap for dispensing into a bottle or container for mixing with a liquid or other substance in the bottle. Typical of the prior art are the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,859,898, 3,079,022, 4,793,475, 5,465,835, 5,967,309, 6,372,270, 6,820,740, 6,840,373 B2, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/436,827, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No's. 2005/0218015 A1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an infusion cap for use on bottles having a cylindrical neck. The infusion cap includes a barrel having concentric inner and outer cylinder portions having upper and lower ends to be received, lower-end-first, over the bottle neck. The barrel has an upwardly opening third cylinder portion extending upwardly at the upper ends of and concentric with the inner and outer cylinder portions. The infusion cap also has a plunger closing the lower end of the inner cylinder portion and a reservoir cap enclosing the upper end of the third cylinder portion. The reservoir cap, plunger and barrel form a closed infusion substance reservoir with the plunger responsive to depression of the reservoir cap to pressurize the infusion substance reservoir into a bottle neck and allow discharge of an infusion substance from the infusion substance reservoir into a bottle. The plunger has a stem extending to the reservoir cap whereby depression of the reservoir cap shifts the plunger to pressurize and then open the infusion substance reservoir.

A removable locking tab is also disposed between the reservoir cap and the outer cylinder portion to prevent unintended depression of the reservoir cap. The reservoir cap is slidably and sealingly mounted on the third cylinder portion. The closed infusion substance reservoir is threadably mounted on the bottle neck and is bodily removable therefrom or replaceable thereon without discharging the infusion substance from the infusion substance reservoir. The reservoir cap is generally cup shaped and is received over the upper end of the third cylinder portion to effect an infusion-tight seal therewith and is shiftable toward the upper ends of the inner and outer cylinder portions to allow depression of the plunger and resulting pressurization of the infusion substance and its discharge from the infusion substance reservoir into the bottle upon which the infusion cap is mounted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIGS. 1 and 2show a preferred embodiment of an infusion cap10of the present invention mounted upon a neck14of a conventional bottle12. It is to be noted that, although the container12is referred to as a bottle, it may be of any desired configuration and may not be a “bottle” as that term is commonly used. The “bottle”12may be formed of plastic, glass, metal, or any other material appropriate for the circumstances. At the time the bottle12is filled, the infusion cap10may be locked on the neck14in any suitable fashion, such as by threaded engagement of external threads16on the bottle neck14and of internal threads18within the infusion cap10. Alternatively, the infusion cap10could be staked or otherwise permanently and nonrotatably secured in place on the bottle12.

As shown byFIGS. 3 and 4, the infusion cap10may be placed on the bottle12with an infusion substance20in the infusion cap10at the time the bottle is filled with a substance with which the infusion substance20is to be mixed. Alternatively, the bottle12may be provided with a conventional cap; and a user may remove such cap and place the infusion cap10upon the bottle12and store it for future use. It is contemplated that bottles12may be of conventional design and configuration such as conventional water-filled plastic bottles, beverage bottles and the like. Medicines may be dispensed with this system and even alcoholic beverages may be provided in which the alcohol is in the infusion cap10and soda water or drinking water, or the like, in the bottle12. The infusion cap10may find use wherever it is desirable to separate substances in the bottle from that in the infusion cap10until the mixture is to be used. The infusion cap10may contain liquid or powder substances, as may the bottle12itself.

The infusion cap10includes a barrel, generally indicated by the reference numeral22, having concentric inner and outer cylinder portions24and26, respectively. The outer cylinder portion26is provided with the internal threads18matching the external threads16on the bottle12, whereby the barrel may be threaded onto the threaded neck14of the bottle12. The inner and outer cylinder portions24and26have upper ends25and27, respectively, that join at the upper end of the threaded neck14of the bottle12and a sealing ring, such as an o-ring (not shown), may be utilized to seal the infusion cap46onto the bottle12. The inner cylinder portion24telescopes downward into the neck14of the of the bottle12. A third cylinder portion44extends concentrically upwardly from a junction of the inner and outer cylinder portions24and26, respectively, and is generally aligned with a vertically elongate space defined between the inner and outer cylinder portions24and26.

A plunger, generally indicated by the reference numeral28, extends coaxially within the barrel22. The plunger28has a vertical stem30extending upwardly to a reservoir cap46and terminating at a lower end, generally indicated by the numeral32, of the plunger28in a conically shaped head34atop a short cylindrical section36. The stem30has an upper end, generally indicated by the reference numeral38, proximate which at least three spokes40extend from attachments to the stem30to points where the spokes40are in slidable contact with the inner surface42of the third cylinder portion44. The spokes40support the plunger28and maintain an axial alignment of the upper end38of the stem30within the barrel22. Due to its conservative configuration, the plunger28is easily fabricated by, but is not limited to being fabricated by, a molding process.

The reservoir cap46, which has a general configuration of an inverted cup, has a top portion48, sides50and a rim52. The rim52has an inwardly extending lip54, which slidably and sealingly contacts an outer surface56of the third cylinder portion44to prevent the infusion substance20from leaking between the third cylinder portion44and the reservoir cap46. An upper end58of the third cylinder portion44has an outwardly extending lip60, which cooperates with the inwardly extending lip54of the reservoir cap46to limit the upward movement of the reservoir cap46, as best illustrated byFIG. 3. It is to be noted that means, such as a resilient O-ring (not shown) or the like, other than the lips54and60, could be used to prevent leakage of the infusion substance20from the infusion substance reservoir51. The upper end27of the outer cylinder portion26forms a shoulder62that limits the downward movement of the reservoir cap46, as best illustrated byFIG. 4. The upper end25of the inner cylinder portion24forms a plunger-retaining seat64that limits the downward movement of the plunger spokes40, thus retaining the plunger28within the infusion cap10after the shifted plunger28has opened the lower end of the inner cylinder portion24and also after the infusion cap10has been removed from the bottle12upon which it has been mounted. The short cylindrical section36of the plunger28slidably and sealingly contacts an inner surface37of the inner cylinder portion24at a lower end65. The space defined between the reservoir cap46, the third cylinder portion44, the inner cylinder portion24, and the lower end32of the plunger28forms a closed infusion substance reservoir51. The engagement between the short cylindrical section36of the plunger28and the inner surface37of the inner cylinder portion24is a press fit so that infusion material20in the infusion substance reservoir51will not seep into the bottle12. Furthermore, the seal effected by the press fit between the surfaces36and37results in a pressurization of the infusion substance20as the reservoir cap46is depressed just before the infusion reservoir is opened, which results in a burst-like expulsion of the infusion substance into the bottle neck.

Since the short cylindrical section36that seals the infusion substance reservoir51has the same diameter as does the inside of the inner cylinder portion24, maximum clearance is provided for a greater flow of infusion substance20when the infusion substance reservoir51is opened. Being press-fitted into the lower end65of the inner cylinder portion24of the barrel22, the short cylindrical section36that seals the infusion substance reservoir51requires no inwardly projecting seat, which could slow, catch and retain downwardly flowing infusion substances20. Moreover, the conical shape of the head34atop the short cylindrical section36provides a minimal likelihood of slowing, catching and retaining downwardly flowing infusion substances20. The lack of obstructive features within the infusion substance reservoir51and in the infusion substance exit path are particularly beneficial when infusing powders. It is to be noted that flow-enhancing substances can be added to the infusion substance20.

A removable locking tab66(FIG. 3) is disposed between the upper end27of the outer cylinder portion26and the rim52of the reservoir cap46to prevent an unintended downward displacement of the reservoir cap46. The tab66may be made of a resilient material that allows the tab66to be snapped into position. Upon removal of the tab66, the reservoir cap46may be depressed. A downward movement of the reservoir cap46forces the plunger stem30downward, as best illustrated byFIG. 4. The short cylindrical section36of the plunger28is forced from within the inner cylinder portion24, and the infusion substance20is allowed to discharge into the bottle12.