Functionally locking bottle cap

A functionally locking bottle cap, the feature of which lies mainly in the inclusion of a locking mechanism located in the space between the interior and the exterior of the cap, for which a locking combination number must be set to enable at least one pin to be inserted into at least one pin opening on a selective basis before the bottle cap can be opened. Otherwise an outer cap will rotate freely without causing rotation of an interior cap which is threadably coupled to a container, such as a bottle. Thus making the opening of the container impossible so as to prevent the misue of the contents in the container, by other people.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Most of the conventional bottles and some cans commonly found in commerce 
have closures formed by caps which threadably engage the mouth of the 
container or such closures are formed by cork stoppers, both closures 
being easily opened. Such easily opened containers have been known to lead 
to the misuse of the containers contents or use of the contents without 
Permission which frequently resulted in the causing of accidents. 
Sometimes these accidents result in incurable events, as in the case of a 
child's misuse of something poisonous. 
Having been well accepted by consumers, bottles and can type containers 
have become very common in the marketplace. However, the aforementioned 
defects found in closures for these containers have not yet been overcome. 
Accidental injurious o fatal events caused by the misuse of medicine are 
frequently reported in the news. Therefore, the existence and value of a 
functionally locking bottle cap is well justified. However, no prior art 
device known to the applicant provides a locking function as provided by 
the instant invention. Known prior art, such as Taiwan Patent #T4209519 
disclosing a Sealed Cap for a Container where the seal cap includes a seal 
element having a changeable shape to achieve the object of having the 
container sealed. However, no locking mechanism is provided by this prior 
art device, which allows the cap of the bottle to be easily opened with no 
possibility to achieve the object of preventing accidents by unauthorized 
use of the containers contents. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is related to a functionally locking bottle cap, 
particularly denoting a bottle cap for which the setting up of a locking 
combination number makes it impossible for the other people, not having 
the combination, to open the cap. The locking cap features a locking 
mechanism located in the space between the interior and the exterior caps. 
A locking combination number is set by making use of a convex pin and a 
corresponding pin opening of the locking mechanism to lock the bottle cap 
to the container. When the pin of an indication ring is not in alignment 
with the preset locking combination number, the exterior caps will rotate 
freely, thus making the opening of the container by removal of the cap 
impossible, so as to prevent the misuse or use without permission of the 
contents in the container by other people. The design of this invention is 
focused on the existing defects currently found in the caps of bottles. 
The instant invention provides a device in which a locking combination 
number can be set to prevent others from freely opening the container to 
which the locking cap is applied, so as to achieve the object of safety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As shown by FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, this invention comprises an exterior cap 1, 
an interior cap 2, a water-proof cushion ring 3, and indication ring 4 and 
a pin ring 5, wherein at least two small convex projections 11 are set at 
an appropriate height on the interior wall of the exterior cap 1. Exterior 
cap 1 having its bottom portion projected horizontally toward a central 
opening to form the shape of a channel rail having geartooth-like 
projections 12 set on the plane of the horizontally projected portion and, 
also having many numerals (indicia) marked as required at the lower 
portion of the exterior wall of the exterior cap 1, as a means to lock or 
unlock the cap of a bottle. The interior cap 2 is located in the interior 
space of the exterior cap 1 and is shorter in length than the exterior cap 
1, having water-proof cushion ring 3 tightly fixed onto the top end of the 
interior wall of the interior cap 2. Interior cap 2 includes at least two 
annular concave grooves 21, 21' being dimensioned for receiving the convex 
projections 11 and positionally located appropriately on the exterior wall 
of the interior cap 2 to align with projections 11 to provide two 
operative positions and for slidingly joining together exterior cap 1 and 
interior cap 2. Female threads 22 are located at the upper end of the 
interior wall of interior cap 2 for threadedly engaging a container. A 
system of geartooth-like projections 23 are also located at the upper 
portion of the interior cap 2, extending from the bottom of the female 
threads 22 to the interior wall of the interior cap 2. A channel or step 
extends from the lower edge of the wall of the interior cap 2 and extends 
to the geartooth-like projections 22 to form a smooth interior wall which 
provides a recess of a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the 
indication ring 4, as a means to provide a location for the indication 
ring 4 and a means to retain it. 
The top surface of the indication ring 4 is a smooth plane and its bottom 
surface is formed by gear tooth-like projections 41 with a plurality of 
thin and long indication pins 42 each extending downward an equal distance 
from the interior edge of the bottom surface. The indication ring 4 also 
includes a plurality of slotted through pin openings 43 unsymmetrically 
positioned on indication ring 4 to mate with pin ring 5 in only one 
orientation. Pin ring 5 includes a plurality of projecting pins 52 for 
insert into pin openings 43. Tee bottom surface of pin ring 5 includes 
geartooth-like projections 51 and includes a smooth plane on its upper 
surface. The top edge surface of pin 52 also includes geartooth-like 
projections 521. When pin 52 passes through the pin opening 43 of the 
indication ring 4 the teeth 521 will then mesh with teeth 23 at the bottom 
of the interior cap 2, while simultaneously the indication pin 42 of the 
indication ring 4 will pass through the interior edge of the annular pin 
ring 5 to extend below the outside bottom edge of the exterior cap 1, so 
as to facilitate the unlocking of the bottle cap. Having a plurality of 
indications pins 42 provides convenience for pushing the pin ring 5 into 
position to set a locking number. By interfacing a plurality of pins 52 
with a plurality of pin openings 43 both of which are unsymmetrical in 
their positions, and the multiplicity of numerals located on the exterior 
cap, the rate of accidentally unlocking the cap will be reduced to a 
minimum. For example, out of the 100 locking numbers which are located on 
the exterior cap, only one of the numbers can unlock the cap of the 
bottle. However, such a number must be in alignment with a particular one 
out of the plurality of indication pins before the unlocking can occur. 
This makes the chance of randomly choosing the correct combination drop 
from 1 out of 100 to that of one out of several hundreds. Therefore, it 
will be more difficult for an unauthorized person to unlock the container 
cap. 
Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, as received from the factory and prior to 
enabling a locking number for the bottle cap of this invention, the 
projections 11 of the interior wall of exterior cap 1 are located within 
the upper concave groove 21 in the exterior wall of the interior cap 2, 
and the pins 52 of the pin ring 5 inserted into the pin openings 43 of the 
indication ring 4. At this point the cap of the bottle can easily be 
opened, as any ordinary bottle cap. If a user wants to make use of the 
locking function of this invention, all he has to do is lightly push the 
pin ring 5 to cause it to be separated from the exterior cap 1 (as shown 
in FIG. 4A) and cause it to rotate. At this point, the pins 52 of the pin 
ring 5 will mesh with the indication ring 4 to cause both to rotate 
together until they are stopped at a particular pin 42a, so as to be in 
alignment with a particular number on the exterior cap 1, which the user 
intended to use as the combination number for setting the lock, and thus 
completing the procedure, as shown in FIG. 4B. Exterior cap 1 is then 
pushed down to cause the projections 11 to be transferred from groove 21 
to be seated within the lower concave groove 21 on the exterior wall of 
the interior cap 2. This action causes the pins 52 on the pin ring 5 to 
move away from the pin opening 43, so that the rotating force of the 
exterior cap 1 cannot be transferred to the interior cap 2, providing free 
rotation of the exterior cap 1 that prevents opening of the cap of the 
bottle, so as to achieve the object of locking up the bottle cap. 
After having set the lock number according to the aforementioned 
description, the cap is pressed down and rotated so that the indication 
pin 42A will no longer be in alignment with the locking number, which had 
previously been set (as shown in FIG. 5A). Subsequently, if the exterior 
cap 1 is being pulled upward, drawing pin rings upward toward ring 4, the 
pins 52, due to their not being in alignment with the pin openings 43, 
will not be able to pass through the aforementioned openings 43 to contact 
the teeth 23 of interior cap 2. Thus the force applied to rotate the 
exterior cap 1 will be passed by the teeth 12 located at the bottom of the 
exterior cap to the pin ring 5. From pin ring 5 the force is passed by the 
pins 52 to the indication ring 4. Because the top surface of the 
indication ring 4, which contacts the teeth 23 on the bottom surface of 
interior cap 2, is a smooth plane, the indication ring 4 will rotate 
freely in accord with the pin ring 5 and the exterior cap 1 without 
transferring opening force to cap 2. As long as pins 52 are not in 
alignment with the pin openings 43, exterior cap 1 will rotate idly, not 
being rotatively coupled to interior cap 2. 
It would be easy for anyone who knows the locking combination number to 
open the cap of the bottle. All that must be done is to rotate the 
exterior cap, until it reached the locking combination number aligning it 
with the particular indication pin 42a (as shown in FIG. 5B). The exterior 
cap 1 is thin pulled upward. The pins 52, then being in alignment with the 
pin openings 43 will pass through the pin openings 43 to contact the 
bottom teeth 23 of interior cap 2 (as shown in FIG. 5C). The projections 
11 located on the interior wall of the exterior cap 1 is thereby seated 
into and positioned in the upper concave groove 21 on the exterior wall of 
the interior cap 2. Thus providing the means of passing a force applied to 
the exterior cap 1 through the teeth 12 to the teeth 23, drivingly 
coupling caps 1 and 2 providing a synchronized rotational displacement 
thereof, so as to open the container by removal of the locking cap. 
FIG. 6 shows the coupling scheme of the bottle cap and the opening of the 
container-bottle 10 as disclosed by this invention, in which the male 
thread 101 of the bottle 10 can only be screwed together with the female 
thread 22 of the interior cap 2. Therefore, under a locking condition, it 
would be impossible to open the cap of the bottle by rotating its exterior 
cap 1. This will prevent the contents in the bottle from being misused or 
used without permission. 
In addition, the structure of another embodiment of this invention 
featuring a locking function is shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 respectively, 
wherein the structure of cap of a container includes an exterior cap 20, 
an interior cap 30, two indication rings 40 and 60 and two locking rings 
50 and 70, in which the exterior cap 20 is formed by two half bodies i.e. 
the upper half 21 and the lower half 22. The lower end of the upper half 
body 21 is comparatively smaller than the upper end of the upper half body 
21, and the top portion of the lower half body 22 is comparatively larger 
than the lower end of the upper half body 21. The upper half of the half 
body 22 is inserted inside the upper half body 21 to integrally form a 
flexible exterior cap 20 having its bottom portion projected horizontally 
inward to form a channel rail, also having two unsymmetrical pins 221 
extending from the horizontal portion. 
With gear teeth located on the top plane of the pins 221, the upper half 
body 21 includes at least two projections 211 located on the interior 
surface. The lower half body 22 includes a window 222 located at an 
appropriate position of the lower half body 22 to facilitate the rotating 
of both indication ring 40 and 60 with a person's fingers, to set up a 
locking combination number or unlocking the cap. 
The length of the interior cap 30 is smaller than that of the exterior cap 
20, making it possible to be displaced vertically within the exterior cap 
20. A female thread 31 is located on the interior wall of interior cap 30 
be be screwed together with the threaded portion of the bottle. The 
exterior surface of cap 30 includes a pair of concave grooves 32 to 
receive the projections 211 on the interior wall of the exterior cap 20 
for slidingly coupling caps 20 and 30 to form two operative positions. 
Interior cap 30 further includes a plurality of gear teeth 33 located on 
its bottom surface to be driven by the rotation of the pins 221. Four 
fixed feet 34 are extended downwardly from the interior edge of the 
interior cap 30. The aforementioned fixed feet have a portion bent 
90.degree. outwardly to capture the indication rings 40 and 60 and the 
locking rings 60 and 70. The interior edges of the indication rings 40 and 
60 are smooth, and their exterior surface is marked by numerals. The 
locking rings 50 and 70 are placed inside the indication rings 40 and 60 
to provide a compact coupling. The interior edges of locking rings 50 and 
70 are smooth. Each ring 50 and 70 includes a plurality of gear teeth 52 
and 72 respectively, on their bottom surface. Each of rings 50 and 70 also 
includes at least two pin openings 51 and 71 respectively, for receipt of 
pins 221. 
When this locking cap is provided to the user, no locking number is set. 
The pins 221 at the bottom part of the exterior cap 20 passing through the 
pin opening 51 and 71 to contact and mesh with the teeth 33 of the 
interior cap to drive the rotating of the interior cap responsive to 
rotation of the exterior cap for the opening of the cap of the bottle. If 
the cap is to be used for locking a container, the exterior cap 20 must be 
held while the indication ring 40 is rotated through window 222 until it 
reaches a selected number. Then indication ring 60 is similarly rotated 
until it reaches a selected number. The lower half part 22 of the exterior 
cap 20 is then pulled downward and the pins 221 will then be separated 
from the pin opening 51 and 71. The two locking rings 50 and 70 are next 
rotated so that pin opening 51 will not be in alignment with pin opening 
71. This reduces the probability of unlocking (as shown in FIG. 9A) the 
cap by random selection of numbers. The exterior cap 20 cannot now 
rotatively operate the interior cap 30, resulting in the impossible 
opening of the bottle cap. If the cap of the bottle has to be opened, the 
exterior cap is rotated until a little triangular mark 224 located at the 
lower edge of the window 222 aligns with the number which had been 
selected on the indication ring 60. The lower half body 22 is then pulled 
up to allow the pins 221 to be inserted into the pin openings 71. Next, 
the exterior cap is rotated until a second little triangular mark 223 
located on the upper edge of the window 222 is aligned with the number 
which had been selected on the indication ring 40. The lower hald body 22 
is then pulled up to enable the pins 221 to be inserted into the pin 
openings 51. In this way, both the exterior and the interior caps can be 
rotated together to open the bottle. 
Two indication rings and two locking rings are used in this embodiment to 
increase the probability of a correct random selection of the combination 
numbers and thus reduce the probability of cap opening by mere guessing. 
The use of two pins 221 increases their coupling strength. In order not to 
increase the probability of unlocking by guessing, it is so designed that 
the positional locations of the two aforementioned pins is unsymmetrical 
about the rotative axis of cap 20. 
The structure of the aforementioned functionally locking bottle cap 
described herein, provides new and improved practical functions to 
substantially prevent unauthorized people from opening the cap of a bottle 
or can at will.