Abstract:
A lift top cap for bottles and the like adapted to be used on liquid filled bottle allowing selective directional access through cap base portion having a limited access opening with internal one way sealing. The flip top cap has a raised central portion registerable with the enabled access opening. A flexible insert slot defines the access cap base opening with a spring urged one way valve mounted there with for sealing registration with access opening when not accessed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to closure caps such as flip top cap configurations having a base portion engageable on a bottle and an attached closure cap registerable there over and specifically spill resistant caps and bottles to prevent spillage from container filled with liquid such as bubble solution. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Prior art devices of this type have been directed to basic spill resistant container structures having a single liquid resistant access on the bottle, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,246,046, 6,135,842, 6,520,822, 7,524,230 and 8,430,708. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,046 discloses a spill resistant solution container having an external bottle neck insert. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,842 claims a spill resistant bubble blowing apparatus with cap insert defining an access slot with flexible material to seal after and before the bubble wand is inserted. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,822 is directed to a bubble toy container with a spill resistant bubble wand having a bubble ring with solution supply channels and articulated joint between multiple rings formed within. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,524,230 illustrates a non-spill container having a stopper on the bubble wand registerable on an extended container access tube offset from the primary chamber. 
         [0009]    Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 8,430,708 shows a large spill proof bubble creation applicator having separable solution bottle with main container. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A flip top spill resistant cap for liquid container allowing intermittent dispenser wand insertion through an access opening with primary and secondary liquid retainment fixtures. The primary one-way valving trap door combines with the flexible access slot providing bubble dispensing wand insertion and removal while preventing solution spilling. An access slot exterior stopper extends from the flip cap corresponding thereto within closed non-wand use position. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top, front and side perspective view of the flip top cap closure in open access position with a dispensing bubble wand position for insertion therein. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the flip top cap closure of the invention as seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view on lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged bottom plan view of a spring actuated trap door fitting prior to mounting within the flip top cap configuration. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged top plan view thereof. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged side elevational view thereof with portions shown in broken lines. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged front elevational view of the spring trap door fitting. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of a dispenser wand. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view thereof. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a bottom perspective view of an alternate resilient trap door valve seal within the flip top cap with portions broken away for illustration. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the alternate trap door valve seal. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side elevational view thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3  of the drawings, a flip top cap assembly  10  of the invention can be seen for use as a selective closure on a solution supplied bottle B shown partially in broken lines. 
         [0024]    The flip top cap assembly  10  has an annular cap base portion and flap top cap portion  12 . The cap base portion  11  has generally flat upper surface  13  with an annular depending vertical perimeter wall  14  thereabout. A rectangular access slot at  15  is positioned centrally therein. The rectangular access slot  15  has parallel flexible closure surfaces  16 A and  16 B which will allow a bubble dispensing wand  17  access under directional insertion as will be described hereinafter and affords a primary seal through which solution will not readily pass as is well known within the art. 
         [0025]    A base cap trap door insert  18  is positioned within the base cap portion  11  secured directly to the oppositely disposed lower surface thereof as best seen in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. The trap door insert  18  is semi-circular in shape with a dual apertured cap engagement mounting portion  18 A and a hinged door  19  pivotally attached thereto. The hinged door  19  is spring urged by a spring hinged assembly  20  mounted on the outer cap engagement portion  18 A. The hinged trap door  19  is adapted therefore to overlie the hereinbefore described access slot  15  providing a primary liquid resistant seal there between as best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. The hinge door  19  has an upstanding elongated valve element  19 A on its cap engagement surface and is of a dimension so as to be registerable partially within the access slot  15  which defines a valve seat  15 A there within. 
         [0026]    The spring hinge assembly  20 , best seen now in  FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6  of the drawings is fitted into a correspondingly contoured recess  21  in the cap engagement portion  18 A adjacent the dual longitudinally spaced apertures A for heat staking ST thereto as is well known and understood within the art. 
         [0027]    The spring hinge door assembly  20  has a pair of longitudinally aligned spaced hinge fittings  22  and  23  on a pivot pin P interconnecting the trap door  19  and the correspondingly fixed insert cap engagement portion  18 A. 
         [0028]    A coil spring  24  is positioned there between engageable on the respective trap door  19  at  24 A and cap engagement portion  18 A at  24 B providing spring urged engagement tension there between to maintain the trap door  19  against the access slot  15  as hereinbefore described and seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  of the drawings. 
         [0029]    Referring now to the flip top cap portion  12  as seen in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3  of the drawings, it can be seen as having a circular top  25  with a depending annular flange  26  extending vertically from a perimeter defined edge  27  thereof. 
         [0030]    A living hinge  28  extends integrally from a free end edge  29  thereof to the upper perimeter edge of the upper surface  12  as hereinbefore described base portion  11 , best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. The living hinge  28  provides the flip top cap portion  12  support and alignment for registerable engagement over the cap base portion  11  which has an annular perimeter recess  30  thereabout for corresponding aligned engagement. An elongated rectangular raised central lug  31  extends from the underside  32  of the top  25  in spaced parallel relation to the living hinge  28  and hereinbefore described access slot  14  therein. The raised central lug  31  has oppositely disposed tapered sidewalls  32 A and  32 B defining a dimensionally reduced top surface  34  adapted for aligned registration with and within the access slot  15  when in closed position as shown in broken lines in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. 
         [0031]    In this example, a liquid transfer wand  17  can be seen in  FIGS. 1, 8 and 9  of the drawings for selective insertion and removal through the cap assembly  10 . The wand  17  has an elongated body member  36  defining a wide, flat handle portion  37  with an aperture A annular end  38  of the wand  17  for fluid F transfer via a surface tension film formation FF there within as is required for functional formation of bubbles when airflow is applied as is understood in the bubble formation as is well known within the art. 
         [0032]    A plurality of individual radially spaced extending ribs  39  are formed about the aperture A on oppositely disposed surfaces of the annular end  38 . The body member  36  has multiple elongated spaced parallel ribs  40  extending partially there along from the handle portion to and intersecting with some of the ribs  39  to channel fluid F there along to the aperture A to aid in the formation of the film FF there within as described. The handle portion  37  has a flat displaced surface  37 A for informational marking indicia I thereon with an enlarged aperture annular end  37 B, best seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9  of the drawings. The annular end  37 B has a resilient hollow bulb  41  secured therein with its interior in communication with a fluid transfer tube  42  formed within the handle portion  37  and extending to the apertured annular end  38 . 
         [0033]    It will be seen that the overall diameter and material thickness of the apertured annular end  38  for bubble formation is less than that of the hereinbefore described access slot  15  so as to provide for ease of insertion and retrieval there through as described below. 
         [0034]    In operation, access through the flip top cap assembly  10  is achieved in the following sequence. The flip top cap portion  12  must be engaged and removed from the cap base portion  11  to allow for insertion and subsequent removal of the transfer wand  17  through the cap access slot  15  as seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. Upon wand  17  insertion indicated by directional arrows WI, the annular apertured end  38  of the wand  17  engages and parts the respective hereinbefore described parallel flexible sealing flaps  16 A and  16 B then engaging the hinged door  19  valve element overcoming the resistant pressure imparted by the door spring. The wand  17  can then access the bottle B collecting liquid both as a film over the ribbed parameter aperture and by depressing and slowly releasing the bulb  41  creating a suction to draw up and in, bubble fluid F retaining same and then be removed with drawing back through the access slot  15  allowing the door  19  to close restricting the contents of the bottle B from spilling under non-vertical orientation which may occur during use. The retained bubble fluid F can then be selectively dispensed by compression of the bulb  41  by the user, not shown, transfer bubble fluid from the bulb  41  through the transfer tube  42  to the film formed aperture A for continued use. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIGS. 10-12  of the drawings, an alternate trap door insert  43  can be seen positioned in a corresponding base cap portion  44 . The alternate trap door insert  43  is of a circular configuration of similar dimension to that of the primary trap door  18  having a dual apertured cap attachment portion  45  and an integrated live hinged door  46  with an upstanding valve element  46 A. An elongated living hinge  47  is formed there between allowing the door  46  deflection shown in broken lines in  FIG. 11  of the drawings under engaged insertion of the wand  17  through the hereinbefore described access slot  15 . 
         [0036]    It will thus be seen that an integrated adaptable spill resistant access cap configuration has been illustrated and described and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, therefore I claim: