Abstract:
A nail polish bottle comprises a bottle body, a cap including a disc portion having a center hole and one or more air holes and including a discharge passage and one or more external-air introduction grooves in flow contact with the air holes. A pressure opening and closing valve is mounted to the disc portion such that a skirt portion of the valve may sit below the disc portion and a top of the valve may be above the disc portion. The skirt portion may press against the disc portion to close the air holes. When internal pressure in the bottle body opens the top of the valve, nail polish may flow through the discharge passage if the bottle is upside-down. When the internal pressure is released, the top of the valve may close and the skirt portion may move away from the disc to open the air holes.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    The present nonprovisional U.S. patent application claims priority to and benefit from pending Korean patent application no. 10-2013-0124649 filed Oct. 18, 2013. 
       FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates, in general, to a nail polish bottle intended to contain nail polish liquid therein, and, more particularly, to a nail polish bottle having a pressure opening and closing valve. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2002-0021579 (published on Mar. 21, 2002) disclosed an “Automatic Nail Polish Bottle”. The automatic nail polish bottle includes a cap, a body, a tube, a covering member, a brush support plate, a brush, a button, and a spring. Internal threads are formed in the cap. External threads are formed on the body to allow the body to be fastened to the cap. The tube is provided in the body to contain nail polish liquid therein. The covering member is movably provided on an upper portion of the body to cover the tube. The brush support plate is screwed to an inlet of the tube and has a hole to permit the passage of the nail polish liquid. The brush is provided on the brush support plate. The button is provided on an outer surface of the body to press the tube. The spring is provided at a predetermined position on an inner surface of the body to restore the button to its original state. 
         [0004]    However, the automatic nail polish bottle is problematic in that, when one desires to use the bottle, the covering member should be pushed in an opening direction, and, after the bottle has been used, a user should push the covering member in a closing direction, so that it is inconvenient to use, and, unless the covering member is closed after the use, the nail polish liquid may unexpectedly leak from the body. 
         [0005]    The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0006]    There is a compelling need for a nail polish bottle that prevents leakage of the nail polish and is convenient to use and overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    One aspect of the present invention is a nail polish bottle, comprising a bottle body; a cap including a disc portion having a center hole and a plurality of air holes formed in the disc portion, the cap having a discharge passage disposed above the center hole and external-air introduction grooves in flow contact with the air holes of the disc portion; and a pressure opening and closing valve mounted to the disc portion such that a skirt portion of the valve sits below the disc portion and such that a top of the valve is above the disc portion, when internal pressure in the bottle body is increased by squeezing the bottle, the skirt portion presses against the disc portion to close the air holes and the top of the valve opens allowing nail polish to flow through the discharge passage if the bottle is upside-down, and when the internal pressure is restored by releasing a squeezing force, the skirt portion moves away from the disc to open the air holes and the top of the valve closes to block polish from escaping through the discharge passage. 
         [0008]    The bottle may further include a structure wherein the top of the valve comprises a pair of pieces that either contact each other to close or else move away from each other to open, depending upon the internal pressure of the bottle body. The pieces may be rectangular pieces. The pair of pieces may contact each other to keep an upper end of a hollow portion of the valve closed until pressure is exerted through the hollow portion. The upper end of the hollow portion of the valve may be above the center hole of the disc portion. The hollow portion of the valve may be inward of a cylindrical portion of the valve. The external air-introduction grooves may have a small enough clearance such that a viscous nail polish in the bottle does not leak out of the bottle through the air holes and grooves even when the bottle is upside down before the bottle is squeezed. It may be the case that when internal pressure in the bottle body. is increased by squeezing the bottle, the skirt portion may. press against the disc portion as a result of radially distal ends of the skirt portion flex toward the disc portion. 
         [0009]    A further aspect of the present invention may comprise a nail polish bottle, comprising a bottle body; a cylindrical cap fastened to the bottle body, and including a disc portion in the cap, with a center hole and a plurality of air holes. formed in the disc portion; a pressure opening and closing valve mounted to the disc portion, a top of the valve above the center hole opening or closing depending on internal pressure of the bottle body, the valve also opening or closing the air holes of the disc portion depending on internal pressure of the bottle body; an inner cap member mounted to the cap, with a discharge passage disposed above the center hole; and an outer cap member mounted to the cap, with at least one external-air introduction groove that is formed on the outer cap member and that is in flow contact with at least one air hole of the disc portion. 
         [0010]    This aspect of the present invention may also be structured so that upon squeezing the bottle body when the bottle is upside-down, a skirt portion of the valve presses again a lower surface of the disc portion so as to block the air holes of the disc portion, while internal pressure forces a gap between pieces of a top of the valve, thereby allowing nail polish to flow through the gap out of the bottle. In some versions, the pieces of the top of the valve comprise a pair of rectangular pieces that may be integrally joined to a top of a cylindrical portion of the valve. In some versions, the rectangular pieces may come into contact with each other to keep an upper end of a hollow portion defined by the cylindrical portion of the valve closed, and, if pressure is exerted through the hollow portion, the rectangular pieces may move away from each other. In certain versions, restoring internal pressure in the bottle as before the bottle was squeezed may close the gap so as to block further flow of nail polish out of the bottle through said gap and may restore the skirt portion to a position away from the disc portion thereby allowing external-air to enter the bottle body through the at least one external-air introduction groove. In some versions, an enlarged groove is formed in the inner cap member and wherein the inner cap member is covered by the outer cap member, the outer cap member coming into contact with an inner circumference of an upper end of the cap. 
         [0011]    There may be versions structured such that the cylindrical cap is fastened to a bottleneck portion of the bottle body, and wherein a helical fastening portion is formed on the bottleneck portion. 
         [0012]    The cap may comprise an upper cylindrical portion and a lower cylindrical portion, the upper cylindrical portion integrally formed on an upper end of the lower cylindrical portion in a stepped configuration. 
         [0013]    In some versions, a helical fastening portion is formed on an inner circumference of the lower cylindrical portion, a stopper protrusion is formed above the helical fastening portion, and the disc portion is formed above the stopper protrusion. In some versions, a locking protrusion is formed on an upper end of an inner circumference of the upper cylindrical portion. 
         [0014]    A skirt portion of the valve may be provided on a lower end of a cylindrical portion. The skirt portion may flex toward the air holes and may block the air holes of the disc portion when internal pressure is increased in the bottle body. 
         [0015]    In some versions, a pair of rectangular pieces is integrally provided on a top of the cylindrical portion, the rectangular pieces coming into contact with each other to keep an upper end of the hollow portion closed unless increased internal pressure from the bottle body is exerted through the hollow portion. 
         [0016]    In some versions of the present invention, the inner cap member comprises a body having a truncated cone shape, and a cylindrical portion is integrally formed on an upper end of the body in such a way as to extend upwards therefrom, and an enlarged groove is defined in the body, and a discharge passage extends from an upper end of the enlarged groove in such a way as to pass through the cylindrical portion, and a pocket is formed in an upper portion of the body so as to accommodate a brush therein, and the cylindrical portion is disposed in the brush, with the discharge passage defined in the cylindrical portion. 
         [0017]    In some versions, the outer cap member comprises a cylindrical portion, with an elliptical hollow portion formed in the cylindrical portion, and an extended inclined portion is integrally formed on a lower end of the cylindrical portion, and an enlarged cylindrical portion is provided on a lower end of the extended inclined portion, and an enlarged inclined hole is formed in a lower end of the hollow portion corresponding to the extended inclined portion in such a way as to extend downwards therefrom, and an inner inclined surface is formed around the enlarged inclined hole, and a plurality of external-air introduction grooves is formed on the extended inclined portion and an outer circumference of the enlarged cylindrical portion. 
         [0018]    The present invention is intended to propose a nail polish bottle, in which a pressure opening and closing valve is mounted to an outlet of a bottle body, so that, if a bottle body made of flexible material, such as a synthetic resin material, is pushed, the internal pressure of the bottle body is increased and thus the pressure opening and closing valve is opened, thereby discharging nail polish liquid from an interior of the bottle body to a brush and, if force is eliminated from the bottle body, the internal pressure of the bottle body is restored to its original state and thus the pressure opening and closing valve is closed, thereby automatically preventing the nail polish liquid from leaking. 
         [0019]    In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nail polish bottle, including a bottle body; a cylindrical cap fastened to a bottleneck portion of the bottle body, and including a disc portion in the cap, with a center hole and a plurality of air holes formed in the disc portion; a pressure opening and closing valve mounted to the disc portion, the pressure opening and closing valve opening or closing the center hole and the air hole of the disc portion; an inner cap member mounted to the cap, with a discharge passage and an enlarged groove formed in the inner cap member; and an outer cap member mounted to the cap, with a plurality of external-air introduction grooves formed on the outer cap member, whereby the inner cap member is covered by the outer cap member that comes into contact with an inner circumference of an upper end of the cap, and the enlarged groove of the inner cap member coupled to the discharge passage is disposed above the center hole of the disc portion. 
         [0020]    The bottle body may be made of a flexible nylon material by injection molding, and a side portion of the bottle body may be compressed by external force and then may be restored to its original state, with a helical fastening portion formed on the bottleneck portion. 
         [0021]    The cap may include an upper cylindrical portion and a lower cylindrical portion, with the upper cylindrical portion being integrally formed on an upper end of the lower cylindrical portion in a stepped configuration, and a helical fastening portion may be formed on an inner circumference of the lower cylindrical portion, and a stopper protrusion may be formed above the helical fastening portion, and the disc portion may be formed above the stopper protrusion, and the center hole and the plurality of air holes may be formed in the disc portion, with a locking protrusion formed on an upper end of an inner circumference of the upper cylindrical portion. 
         [0022]    The pressure opening and closing valve may be made of a silicone material by injection molding, and a skirt portion may be provided on a lower end of a cylindrical portion that has a hollow portion therein, and a protruding step may be provided on an upper end of an outer circumference of the cylindrical portion, and a pair of rectangular pieces may be integrally provided on a top of the cylindrical portion, the rectangular pieces coming into contact with each other to keep an upper end of the hollow portion closed, and, if pressure is exerted through the hollow portion, the rectangular pieces may move away from each other. 
         [0023]    The inner cap member may include a body having a truncated cone shape, and a cylindrical portion may be integrally formed on an upper end of the body in such a way as to extend upwards therefrom, and an enlarged groove may be defined in the body, and a discharge passage may extend from an upper end of the enlarged groove in such a way as to pass through the cylindrical portion, and a pocket may be formed in an upper portion of the body in such a way as to accommodate a brush therein and to be around a lower end of the cylindrical portion, and the cylindrical portion may be disposed in the brush, with the discharge passage defined in the cylindrical portion. 
         [0024]    The outer cap member may include a cylindrical portion, with an elliptical hollow portion formed in the cylindrical portion, and an extended inclined portion may be integrally formed on a lower end of the cylindrical portion, and an enlarged cylindrical portion may be provided on a lower end of the extended inclined portion, and an enlarged inclined hole may be formed in a lower end of the hollow portion corresponding to the extended inclined portion in such a way as to extend downwards therefrom, and an inner inclined surface may be formed around the enlarged inclined hole, and a plurality of external-air introduction grooves may be formed on the extended inclined portion and an outer circumference of the enlarged cylindrical portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    Various embodiments are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a nail polish bottle according to one embodiment of the present invention in an assembled state; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing the nail polish bottle according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a sectional taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1  showing the nail polish bottle according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view showing portion B of  FIG. 3  in detail in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a partial sectional perspective view showing a cap in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a partial sectional perspective view showing a pressure opening and closing valve in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a partial sectional perspective view showing an inner cap member in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is a partial sectional perspective view showing an outer cap member in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0034]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate the use of the nail polish bottle according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 9  shows a state in which a bottle body is pushed TO with the nail polish bottle turned upside down to get a manicure, and  FIG. 10  shows a state in which the pushed bottle body is released. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0035]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a nail polish bottle according to the present invention includes a bottle body  10 . A cylindrical cap  20  is fastened to a bottleneck portion  11  of the bottle body  10 , and includes a disc portion  23  in the cap  20 , with a center hole  21  and a plurality of air holes  22  formed in the disc portion  23 . A pressure opening and closing valve  30  is mounted to the disc portion  23 , and serves to open or close the center hole  21  and the air hole  22  of the disc portion  23 . An inner cap member  40  is mounted to the cap  20 , with a discharge passage  41  and an enlarged groove  42  formed in the inner cap member  40 . An outer cap member  50  is mounted to the cap  20 , with a plurality of external-air introduction grooves  56  formed on the outer cap member  50 . Thereby, the inner cap member  40  is covered by the outer cap member  50  that comes into contact with an inner circumference of an upper end of the cap  20 , and the enlarged groove  42  of the inner cap member  40  coupled to the discharge passage  41  is disposed above the center hole  21  of the disc portion  23 . 
         [0037]    The bottle body  10  is made of a flexible nylon material by injection molding, and a side portion of the bottle body  10  is compressed by external force and then is restored to its original state, with a helical fastening portion  12  formed on the bottleneck portion  11 . 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the cap  20  includes an upper cylindrical portion  24  and a lower cylindrical portion  25 , with the upper cylindrical portion  24  being integrally formed on an upper end of the lower cylindrical portion  25  in a stepped configuration. A helical fastening portion  26  is formed on an inner circumference of the lower cylindrical portion  25 . A stopper protrusion  27  is formed above the helical fastening portion  26 . The disc portion  23  is formed above the stopper protrusion  27 , and the center hole  21  and the plurality of air holes  22  are formed in the disc portion  23 , with a locking protrusion  29  formed on an upper end of an inner circumference of the upper cylindrical portion  24 . 
         [0039]    Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , when the helical fastening portion  26  of the cap  20  is fastened to the helical fastening portion  12  formed on the bottleneck portion  11  of the bottle body  10 , the upper end of the bottleneck portion  11  is stopped by the stopper protrusion  27 , thus preventing the cap  20  from being excessively fastened to the bottleneck portion  11  of the bottle body  10 . The nail polish liquid contained in the bottle body  10  is discharged through the center hole  21  that is formed in the disc portion  23  of the cap  20 , and external air is introduced into the bottle body  10  through the air holes  22  of the cylindrical portion  23 . 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the pressure opening and closing valve  30  is made of a silicone material by injection molding. A skirt portion  33  is provided on a lower end of a cylindrical portion  32  in which a hollow portion  31  is formed. A protruding step  34  is provided on an upper end of an outer circumference of the cylindrical portion  32 , and a pair of rectangular pieces  35  and  36  is integrally provided on a top of the cylindrical portion  32 . The rectangular pieces  35  and  36  come into contact with each other to keep an upper end of the hollow portion  31  closed. If pressure is exerted through the hollow portion  31 , the rectangular pieces  35  and  36  move away from each other. 
         [0041]    Hence, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the cylindrical portion  32  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30  is placed around the center hole  21  of the disc portion  23  formed in the cap  20 , so that the skirt portion  33  covers a lower surface of the disc portion  23 . The protruding step  34  is stopped by an upper surface of the disc portion  23 , so that the cylindrical portion  32  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30  is mounted around the center hole  21  of the disc portion  23 , and the skirt portion  33  blocks the air holes  22  formed in the disc portion  23 , from the lower surface of the disc portion  23 , thus preventing the nail polish liquid in the bottle body  10  from being introduced into the air holes  22 . In contrast, if the internal pressure of the bottle body  10  is reduced, the skirt portion  33  moves away from the lower surface of the disc portion  23 , so that the air hole  22  is opened. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the inner cap member  40  includes a body  43  having a truncated cone shape. A cylindrical portion  44  is integrally formed on an upper end of the body  43  in such a way as to extend upwards therefrom. AR enlarged groove  42  is defined in the body  43 . A discharge passage  41  extends from an upper end of the enlarged groove  42  in such a way as to pass through the cylindrical portion  44 . A pocket  46  is formed in an upper portion of the body  43  in such a way as to accommodate a brush  47  therein and to be around a lower end of the cylindrical portion  44 . The cylindrical portion  44  is disposed in the brush  47 , with the discharge passage  41  defined in the cylindrical portion  44 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the outer cap member  50  includes a cylindrical portion  51 , with an elliptical hollow portion  52  formed in the cylindrical portion  51 . An extended inclined portion  53  is integrally formed on a lower end of the cylindrical portion  51 . An enlarged cylindrical portion  54  is provided on a lower end of the extended inclined portion  53 . An enlarged inclined hole  55  is formed in a lower end of the hollow portion  52  corresponding to the extended inclined portion  53  in such a way as to extend downwards therefrom. An inner inclined surface  57  is formed around the enlarged inclined hole  55 . A plurality of external-air introduction grooves  56  is formed on the extended inclined portion  53  and an outer circumference of the enlarged cylindrical portion  54 . 
         [0044]    Thereby, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the circumference of the upper end of the extended inclined portion  53  of the outer cap member  50  is locked by the locking protrusion  29  of the cap  20  so as to prevent unexpected removal. The body  43  of the inner cap member  40  is fitted into the enlarged inclined hole  55  of the outer cap member  50 , so that the body  43  of the inner cap member  40  comes into close contact with the inner inclined surface  57  of the outer cap member  50 , and thereby the brush of the inner cap member  40  is exposed to the outside through the hollow portion  52  of the outer cap member  50 . 
         [0045]    An operation of the nail polish bottle according to the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
         [0046]    First, as shown in  FIG. 9 , if the bottle body  10  is pushed in a direction of arrow  65  in a state in which the nail polish bottle is turned upside down for the purpose of a manicure, the rectangular pieces  35  and  36  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30  are moved away from each other by pressure. Simultaneously, the nail polish liquid  70  contained in the bottle body  10  is discharged through a gap between the rectangular pieces  35  and  36  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30 , the enlarged groove  42  and the discharge passage  41  of the inner cap member  40 . The nail polish liquid discharged from the discharge passage  41  of the inner cap member  40  permeates the brush  47 , thus allowing a user to apply the nail polish liquid. 
         [0047]    In this regard, the skirt portion  33  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30  blocks the air holes  22  formed in the disc portion  23 , from the lower surface of the disc portion  23 , so that the nail polish liquid of the bottle body  10  is not introduced into the air holes  22 , thus preventing the nail polish liquid from leaking to the outside through the external-air introduction grooves  56  of the outer cap member  50 . 
         [0048]    Further, as shown in  FIG. 10 , if a pushing force is removed from the bottle body  10  after a user finishes using the nail polish, the bottle body  10  is restored to its original state in the direction of arrow  66 , and the rectangular pieces  35  and  36  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30  are closed by their own elastic force (restoring force), thus preventing the nail polish liquid in the bottle body  10  from leaking to the brush  47 . 
         [0049]    As such, according to the present invention, even if the bottle body  10  is laid down or turned, upside down, the rectangular pieces  35  and  36  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30  are closed, thus preventing the nail polish liquid  70  from unexpectedly leaking from the bottle body  10 . 
         [0050]    Further, if the pushing force is eliminated from the bottle body  10 , the bottle body  10  is restored to its original state by its own elasticity. Here, the skirt portion  33  of the pressure opening and closing valve  30  moves away from the lower surface of the disc portion  23 , so that the air holes  22  of the disc portion  23  are opened, and thereby air introduced through the external-air introduction grooves  56  of the outer cap member  50  is fed through the air holes  22  of the disc portion  23  into the bottle body  10 . 
         [0051]    As described above, the present invention provides a nail polish bottle, which is configured so that, if a bottle body is pushed, the internal pressure of the bottle body is increased and thus the pressure opening and closing valve is opened, thereby discharging nail polish liquid contained in the bottle body through a discharge passage to a brush and allowing a user to apply to polish to his or her nails, and, if force is eliminated from the bottle body, the internal pressure of the bottle body is restored to its original state and thus the pressure opening and closing valve is closed, thereby automatically preventing the nail polish liquid from leaking. 
         [0052]    While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. Therefore, the claimed invention as recited in the claims that follow is not limited to the embodiments described herein.