Magnifying bottle assembly with improved sealing capability

A magnifying bottle assembly, comprising a cap; further comprising a cap housing and a magnifying lens. Said magnifying lens provides a radially extended portion, further comprising an integral retaining ring oriented upwardly for engaging said cap housing, and a gasket engaging ring oriented downwardly for engaging a gasket. Said retaining ring is oriented with respect to said radially extended portion so as to form a pressure channel. The magnifying bottle assembly further comprises a container suitable for engaging said cap.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a bottle and magnification end cap and more particularly to a bottle and magnification end cap permitting a magnified view of the contents of the bottle and effecting a stabilized seal between the magnification end cap and the bottle when the magnification end cap and bottle are engaged.

BACKGROUND

The use of a magnification device is known in the prior art for combination with jars, bottles and other containers, such as medicine bottles: for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,975 to DiGiovanni and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/807,411 by Muir; and specimen containers: for example Nature-Watch Bug Viewer and HABA Terra Kids Beaker Magnifier.

Prior art magnifying caps, or cap and bottle assemblies, have failed to integrate magnification means for viewing of the internal contents of the attached container with sealing properties sufficient to provide for stability of the container's contents and durability of the magnifying end cap itself. Relatedly, those containers in the prior art that do include magnifying means, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,975 to DiGiovanni or U.S. Pat. No. 8,844,722 to Wang, fail to direct and apply the forces between the cap and container components to stabilize and secure the magnifying means within the cap to ensure security of the components of the container and cap, or the seal between the cap and container. This results in lack of reliability and durability of the magnifying cap itself and further prevents the designs of the prior art from achieving seals between the cap components or between the cap assembly and container portion sufficient to provide stable storage for the bottle's contents and protection of the contents from the deleterious effects of exposure to outside air, outside liquids, contaminants and the like.

Therefore, a need remains for an improved magnifying bottle assembly with improved sealing capability that provides a magnified view of the contents of a bottle, coupled with improved sealing ability for stable storage of those contents.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a magnifying bottle assembly with improved sealing capability including a cap, an integrated magnifying means, a sealing portion and a container. A cap portion of the assembly is comprised of a cap housing, a magnifying lens and a gasket. The magnifying lens is radially extended to engage with the inner diameter of the cap housing and arranged so that the optically magnifying portion of the lens coincides with an open area of the cap housing so that, when assembled, the cap assembly, including the magnifying lens, provides a magnified image of the contents of a container portion of the bottle and cap assembly. The magnifying lens is further comprised of a retaining ring to be engaged by the cap housing and a gasket retaining ring to engage the included gasket. The gasket retaining ring not only holds the gasket, but further acts to stabilize the placement of the gasket with respect to the other portions of the bottle and cap assembly, as further described herein. The cap portion, when engaged with a container portion of the bottle and cap assembly, effectuates a seal between the cap portion and container portion by transfer of force from the cap housing through a pressure channel integral to the magnifying lens, and contact between the magnifying lens, gasket and container portion, thereby permitting secure storage of contents, such as medicines, biology samples, specimens and the like, within the container portion of the bottle and cap assembly. The magnifying bottle assembly with improved sealing capability provides magnification of the contents of the container portion, as well as other benefits including stable storage of the contents of the assembly and the prevention of the entrance of air or liquid into the sealed container and the effects of the interaction of such fluids with the contents of the assembly.

Embodiments of the present invention, as described further herein, may further include child safety mechanisms and an integral or separable lens cover.

Magnifying bottle assemblies with improved sealing capability consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure, as described above and as further described herein, permit the stable storage of the contents of the bottle and cap assembly and permit one to view the contents of the bottle and cap assembly optically magnified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention of the present disclosure is described below with reference to certain embodiments. While these embodiments are set forth in order to provide a thorough and enabling description of the invention, these embodiments are not set forth with the intent to limit the scope of the disclosure. A person of skill in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced in numerous embodiments, of which those detailed here are merely examples. In order to allow for clarity of the disclosure of the claimed invention, structures and functions well known to those skilled in the art are not here disclosed. Those skilled in the art should also realize that equivalent magnifying bottle assemblies with improved sealing capability do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

FIG. 1shows a perspective view of a magnifying bottle assembly in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown, a cap100includes a cap housing110and a lens cover130, which is hingedly connected to the cap housing110. The cap is designed to engage with a container120. It will be understood that the cap110and container120can be engaged in numerous ways known to those of skill in the art, such as, without limitation, by complementary threaded segments for screwing the cap100onto the container120; or by the engagement of lug portions140on one of the cap or container for engaging recesses or seats on the other of the cap or container. In this embodiment, the hingedly connected lens cover130is shown in an open position. In its closed position, the lens cover mechanically engages the cap housing, and such engagement may be reinforced by use of a latch or other known closure methods.

FIG. 2shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a magnifying bottle assembly such as that ofFIG. 1. In this exemplary embodiment, a lens cover230is connected to a cap housing210by a hinge260. The cap housing210, lens cover230and hinge260are formed as integral portions of a single, molded plastic unit by known methods. This unit is also molded to include a latch250for engaging the lens cover230when closed and securing the lens cover in its closed position. A magnifying lens240is engaged with the cap housing210forming a seal and thereby, with the cap housing210completing a cap suitable for providing closure when engaged with the container220shown.

The mechanical engagement between the magnifying lens240and cap housing210may be effected in various ways. By way of non-limiting example, the magnifying lens240may be formed with an apron portion extending radially from the outer circumference of the lens, which may snap into the underside of the cap housing210. In such example, the diameter of the integral lens and apron may be marginally smaller than the diameter of the inside of the cap housing, thereby allowing friction or contact force between the lens and cap housing to maintain the engagement. More secure or permanent methods of effecting such engagement may include inserting the magnifying lens240into the mold for the cap housing210and molding the cap around the magnifying lens, thereby creating a mechanical connection that reduces or eliminates the ability of the lens to be removed from the cap assembly and provides watertight and airtight properties. This process of molding the cap housing210around the magnifying lens240is further amenable to variation. For example, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,710,945 to Miranda, the lens may be secured by molding the cap housing210around the entire circumference of the lens240. The lens may alternatively be formed to include struts extending from sections of the lens' circumference or from sections of the circumference of an apron around the lens, which struts are in turn secured in the molded cap housing. This may, for example, be accomplished by snapping said struts into recesses in the inner area of the cap housing or by molding the cap housing around the struts, as described in the previous example.

Further still, the lens240may be secured to the cap housing210by welding or by the use of an adhesive preparation.

It will be understood by one of skill in the art that variations of the structure described above will not deviate from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the method of forming the cap housing210, lens cover230and hinge260may be accomplished other than by use of a single mold. Likewise, the disclosed embodiments both above and below should not be read as limited to the use of plastic or other specific polymer and the choice of material for the lens240and the cap housing210may affect the ability to employ a particular method of securing the two pieces to one another.

Further, some embodiments may include a lens cover but employ means other than the use of a hinge for connecting the lens cover to the cap housing, or may omit connection of the lens cover to the cap housing altogether. Additionally, some embodiments may use other means for securing shut the lens cover. One non-limiting example is the use of a magnetic closure wherein the opposite magnetic poles are placed in or on the lens cover and the cap housing, respectively. In still further embodiments of the magnifying bottle assembly, the cap portion will not include a lens cover and, therefore, will neither include a latch or other means for securing closed a lens cover.

FIG. 3illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A cap310is shown, including an integral lens cover portion. The cap is formed by injection molding to include a plurality of lugs392on the interior of the cap310. These lugs392operate in conjunction with child-safe seats390of a container320to permit the magnifying bottle assembly to be closed in a child-safe manner. A magnifying insert330is formed as a unit, integrally including a lens340for magnification of the contents of the bottle when such contents are viewed through the lens, a pressure channel370formed as an apron extending radially along the circumference of the lens340, a retaining ring360upwardly disposed at the outer circumference of the pressure channel370and a gasket retaining ring350downwardly disposed on the underside of the magnifying insert330. The diameter of the magnifying insert330, and as a consequence the location of the retaining ring360is selected to coincide with the diameter of the cap310and to permit the magnifying insert330to be securely snapped into the cap in a way that creates a mechanical connection between the magnifying insert330and the underside of the cap310, allowing the lens340to be disposed partially through an open segment of the cap310. As such, the diameter of the lens340is selected to coincide with the diameter of the opening in the cap310. The aforementioned diametric measurements will thereby also determine the location and size of the pressure channel section370of the magnifying insert330.

The placement of the gasket retaining ring350on the underside of the magnifying insert330is selected to permit engagement of the gasket retaining ring350with a gasket380, preferably of silicone or other rubber material, whose inner diameter matches the outer diameter of the gasket retaining ring350, which causes the gasket to be arranged so as to contact the top edge of the container320and assist in the creation of the desired seal. In embodiments such as the one described, where a non-rigid gasket material is employed, the engagement of the gasket380and container320will cause the gasket to partially protrude into the inner circumference formed by the top edge of the container. The gasket retaining ring350further provides stabilization of the gasket, including the portions contacting the top edge of the container and the portion protruding inside this circumference of the top edge of the container320. This, in turn, provides for improved, stable sealing. As is further illustrated in and described with respect to figureFIG. 4, the assembly of the parts shown inFIG. 3permit the magnifying bottle assembly to be closed, effecting child-safe protection, providing airtight and liquid tight properties, and providing a magnified view of the contents of the container portion320of the magnifying bottle assembly through the lens340.

The inclusion of the gasket retaining ring350, retaining ring360, and pressure channel370, in combination with the gasket380and the design of the cap housing310and container320stabilize and secure the cap assembly, and as a result its component gasket380and magnifying insert330, in way superior to known devices of the prior art. This is due to the combination of lateral stability provided by the gasket retaining ring350and retaining ring360, and the sealing forces between the gasket380, container320, pressure channel370, and cap housing310.

Turning now toFIG. 4, there is shown a sectional view of the upper portion of the novel magnifying bottle assembly with improved sealing capability. The cap410is shown engaged with the container420. The hingedly connected lens cover430of the cap is closed and is secured in the closed position by the latch435. The magnifying lens portion440in this exemplary embodiment is round and terminates at its circumference in an upwardly disposed integral retaining ring460. The diameter of the magnifying lens portion440is substantially equal to or marginally smaller than the inner diameter of the cap housing410so as to provide a flush fit of the magnifying lens portion into the cap housing. The integral retaining ring460effectuates mechanical engagement between the magnifying lens440and the cap housing410. The magnifying lens440further includes a downwardly disposed gasket retaining ring450, which is integral to the magnifying lens440. This gasket retaining ring450maintains mechanical engagement of a gasket480with an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the cap housing410and inner diameter sufficient to permit the circumference of the gasket to engage the circumference of the container portion420of the magnifying bottle assembly. The gasket480is thereby disposed between the gasket retaining ring450and the inner surface of the cap housing410. The cap housing410is further designed to include a pressure transfer portion490for transferring mechanical pressure from the cap housing410to the magnifying lens440and gasket480by the pressure transfer point's contact with the integral pressure channel470portion of the magnifying lens. By use of this assembly, closing the magnifying bottle assembly exerts pressure from the forces between the child-safe lugs and recesses or other closure mechanism (such as threads) between the cap housing410and container420, through the pressure transfer portion490of the cap housing to the pressure channel470of the magnifying lens440and then the gasket480. In combination with the laterally stabilizing function of the gasket retaining ring450a seal is effected. The stability of the gasket retaining ring450itself may be influenced by the design of the same by shortening or extending its length, thereby causing it to extend further into the container420or less so, as the case may be. The act of engaging and closing the cap causes a downward force to be applied from the cap housing410, to the pressure channel470by the downward displacement of the pressure transfer portion490. In conjunction with the stabilization provided by the gasket retaining ring450the gasket480is substantially centered and is engaged with the circumference of the top edge of the container portion420, thereby effecting an airtight and water-tight sealing of the magnifying bottle assembly, protecting its contents from spoilage, leakage or other undesired result. In some embodiments this engagement of the gasket480may instead be arranged to occur at the inner circumference of the container420.

FIG. 5illustrates an exploded view of another exemplary embodiment of the present invention effecting a child resistant closure. A cap housing510is shown with a first plurality of extruded engaging teeth530disposed on its outer circumference. An outer cap housing515is shown with a second plurality of extruded engaging teeth590disposed on its inner circumference. The outer cap housing515engages with the cap housing510, such as by snapping the cap housing510frictionally into the outer cap housing515. However, the outer cap housing will rotate freely about the cap housing unless downward force is placed upon the outer cap housing, causing the first and second plurality of extruded engaging teeth530,590to engage, whereby rotational force applied to the outer cap housing will be transferred to the cap housing due to the engagement of the first and second plurality of extruded engaging teeth, permitting the cap to be removed from the bottle520. Similar to other embodiments disclosed herein, the magnifying insert comprised of lens540, upwardly disposed retaining ring560, gasket retaining ring550, and pressure channel570, permit stable sealing of the bottle assembly by engagement with the gasket580and magnified view of the contents of the bottle520.

It will be understood that the material of the gasket480may be chosen to meet the sealing requirements of the assembly for a particular use and therefore the seal effected by engagement of the cap assembly and the container portion may be substantially airtight and water-tight and that complete airtight and water-tight are not requirements of all embodiments of the present invention.

As discussed herein, particularly with respect toFIG. 2, the lens cover430and/or hinge and latch may be omitted or otherwise disposed upon the cap housing in embodiments of the present invention.

While various disclosed embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Numerous changes to the subject matter disclosed herein can be made in accordance with this disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. In addition, while a particular feature may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.