Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02573824 2008-12-05
1 CAP ASSEMBLY FOR COLD STEEPING DRINKS
2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
3 1. Field of Invention
4 The present invention relates to a cap, and more particularly to a cap
assembly for cold steeping drinks that can hold steeping materials and improve
6 sealability of the steeping materials and safety of drinks.
7 2. Description of the Related Art
8 Steeping materials such as tea leaves, dried vegetables and fruit, Chinese
9 traditional medicine, leaven and concentrated vinegar are brewed in cold
water
for hours to make cold brewed drinks. Because some harmful and bad-tasting
11 substances dissolve in hot water when steeping materials are steeped in hot
water,
12 cold steeped drinks taste better and are healthier than drinks steeped in
hot water.
13 Taking cold steeping tea as an example, because tannic acid and caffeine
14 cause a bitter taste and are difficult to extract from tea leaves in cold
water, cold
steeping tea results in a smooth taste and prevents disadvantages like
palpitations,
16 stomach ulcers, insomnia and low calcium absorption rate caused by
caffeine.
17 Cold steeping tea is also helpful to reduce a person's blood pressure and
uric acid
18 because less theophylline is extracted. In addition, catechins like EC, EGC
and
19 EGCg extract effectively from tea leaves in cold water and have healthy
effects
such as reducing free radials and cholesterol, producing anticarcinogens,
21 antioxidants for antiaging and antibacterial agents, preventing stomach
ulcers,
22 protecting the cardiovascular system and increasing helpful bacteria in the
23 intestinal tract.
24 With reference to Figs. 5 and 6, a conventional cap assembly for cold
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1 steeping tea as disclosed in the applicant's prior art is mounted on a mouth
(61A)
2 of a bottle (60A) and comprises a body ( l0A), a punch assembly (20A), a
safety
3 ring (30A) and a connector strip (50A).
4 The body (10A) is mounted on the mouth (61A) and has a cap connector,
a primary tube (12A), a cover (16A), a drive tube (14A) and a chamber (13A).
6 The cap connector is screwed on an outer thread formed on the mouth (61 A)
and
7 has a side wall and a shoulder. The side wall has an upper edge, a lower
edge, an
8 inner surface and an inner thread. The inner thread is formed on the inner
surface
9 of the cap connector and screws onto the outer thread on the mouth (61 A).
The
shoulder is formed on and protrudes in from the upper edge of the side wall
and
11 has an outer surface and an inner surface. The primary tube (12A) is formed
on
12 and protrudes coaxially down from the inner surface of the shoulder and has
a
13 distal end. The cover (16A) is mounted detachably on the distal end of the
14 primary tube (12A). The drive tube (14A) is formed on and protrudes
coaxially
up from the outer surface of the shoulder and has an inner surface, an outer
16 surface, a drive thread and an annular lip (144). The drive thread is
formed on the
17 inner surface of the drive tube (14A). The annular lip (144) is formed on
and
18 protrudes out from the outer surface of the drive tube (14A). The chamber
(13A)
19 is defined in the primary tube (12A) and the drive tube (14A) above the
cover
(16A) and holds steeping materials (70A).
21 The punch assembly (20A) is mounted on the body (10A) and comprises
22 a drive cap (24A) and a punch tube (22A). The drive cap (24A) has a top and
a
23 side wall. The top is circular and has an outer edge and a bottom surface.
The
24 side wall is formed on and protrudes down from the outer edge of the top
and has
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1 a lower edge. The punch tube (22A) is formed coaxially on and protrudes down
2 from the bottom surface of the top, is mounted slidably in the drive tube
(14A)
3 and the primary tube (12A), is longer than the body ( l 0A), selectively
punches
4 the cover (16A) off the distal end of the primary tube (12A) to release the
steeping materials (70) into the bottle (50) and has an outer surface and a
thread.
6 The thread is formed on the outer surface of the punch tube (22A) and screws
7 into the drive thread on the drive tube (14A).
8 The safety ring (30A) is connected to the cap connector, engages a
9 flange on a bottle (60A), is removable so the cap assembly can be removed
from
the bottle (60A) and has an upper edge, an inner surface, a connector and
11 multiple resilient teeth (32A). The connector is formed on the upper edge
of the
12 safety ring (30A), is connected to the lower edge of the cap connector and
tears
13 to allow the cap assembly to be removed from a bottle (60A). The resilient
teeth
14 (32A) are formed on and protrude in and up from the inner surface of the
safety
ring (30A) and engage a flange on the bottle (60A) to hold the cap assembly on
a
16 bottle (60A).
17 The connector strip (50A) is connected detachably to the punch
18 assembly (20A) and has an upper edge, an inner surface, a connector,
multiple
19 teeth (51 A), a crack and a pull tab. The connector is formed on the upper
edge of
the connector strip (50A), is connected to the lower edge of the drive cap
(24A)
21 and is torn to remove the connector strip (60A) and allow the drive cap
(24A) to
22 be removed. The teeth (51A) are formed on and protrude in from the inner
23 surface of the connector strip (50A) and engage a notch between the annular
lip
24 (144) on the drive tube (14A) and the shoulder on the cap connector. The
crack is
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1 defined in the connector strip (50A). The pull tab is mounted near the crack
to
2 separate the connector strip (50A) from the cap connector. Though the
3 conventional cap assembly is capable of holding steeping materials (70A) and
4 performing cold steeping, safety of the drinks and sealability of the
steeping
materials (70A) still need to be improved and enhanced.
6 To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a cap
7 assembly for cold steeping drinks to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned
8 problems.
9 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a cap
11 assembly for cold steeping drinks that is mounted on a bottle, holds
steeping
12 materials and improves sealability and safety of the drinks.
13 A cap assembly in accordance with the present invention for cold
14 steeping drinks comprises a body, a punch assembly, a safety ring and a
connector strip.
16 The body has a cap connector, a primary tube, a cover, a drive tube and a
17 chamber. The cap connector comprises a side wall and a shoulder. The side
wall
18 has an upper edge, a lower edge, an inner surface and an inner thread
formed on
19 the inner surface. The shoulder is formed on and protrudes in from the
upper
edge of the side wall and has an outer surface and an inner surface. The
primary
21 tube is formed on and protrudes coaxially down from the inner surface of
the of
22 the shoulder and has an inner surface, an outer surface, a distal end and
at least
23 one annular seal formed on the inner surface of the primary tube. The cover
is
24 attached to the distal end of the primary tube. The drive tube is formed on
and
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1 protrudes coaxially up from the outer surface of the shoulder and has an
inner
2 surface, an outer surface, a top edge, multiple outer pawl teeth and
multiple top
3 pawl teeth. The outer pawl teeth are formed between the top surface of the
4 shoulder and the outer surface of the drive tube. The top pawl teeth are
formed
5 on the top edge of the drive tube. The chamber is defined in the primary
tube and
6 the drive tube.
7 The punch assembly is mounted on the body and comprises a drive cap,
8 a punch tube and multiple upper teeth. The drive cap is mounted slidably on
the
9 drive tube and comprises a top and a side wall. The top is circular and has
a
bottom surface and an outer edge. The side wall is formed on and protrudes
11 down from the outer edge of the top of the drive cap and has a lower edge
and an
12 inner surface. The punch tube is formed coaxially on and protrudes down
from
13 the bottom surface of the top wall, is mounted slidably in the drive tube
and the
14 primary tube, is longer than the body and has an outer surface and a distal
end.
The outer surface presses against the at least one annular seal in the primary
tube.
16 The distal end selectively extends through the distal end of the primary
tube to
17 separate the cover from the distal end of the primary tube. The upper teeth
are
18 formed on the bottom surface of the top of the drive cap between the outer
19 surface of the punch tube and the inner surface of the side wall of the
drive cap
and correspond to the top pawl teeth on the drive tube.
21 The safety ring is connected to the cap connector, is removable and has
22 an upper edge, an inner surface, multiple connectors and a locking ring.
The
23 connectors are tearable, are formed on the upper edge of the safety ring
and are
24 connected to the lower edge of the side wall of the cap connector. The
loclcing
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1 ring is formed on the inner surface of the safety ring.
2 The connector strip is connected detachably to the punch assembly and
3 has an upper edge, an inner surface, multiple connectors, multiple inner
pawl
4 teeth, a crack and a pull tab. The connectors are formed on the upper edge
of the
connector strip, are connected to the lower edge of the side wall of the drive
cap.
6 The inner pawl teeth are formed on and protrude in from the inner surface of
the
7 connector strip and engage the outer pawl teeth on the drive tube. The crack
is
8 defined in the connector strip. The pull tab is mounted near the crack to
separate
9 the connector strip from the cap connector.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will
11 become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in
12 conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
13 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
14 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cap assembly in accordance with the
present invention for cold steeping drinks;
16 Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view in partial section of the cap
17 assembly in Fig. 1 on a bottle;
18 Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the cap assembly in Fig. 1;
19 Fig. 4 is an operational cross-sectional view of the cap assembly in Fig. 1
with steeping materials released into the bottle;
21 Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view in partial section of a
22 conventional cap assembly in accordance with the prior art; and
23 Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the conventional cap assembly in
24 Fig. 5.
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1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
2 With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a cap assembly in accordance with the
3 present invention for cold steeping drinks is mounted on a mouth (61) of a
bottle
4 (60) having a top edge, an outer thread and a flange (62) and comprises a
body
(10), a punch assembly (20), a safety ring (30) and a connector strip (50).
6 The body (10) is mounted on the bottle mouth (61) and has a cap
7 connector (11), a primary tube (12), a cover (16), a drive tube (14) and a
chamber
8 (13).
9 The cap connector (11) screws onto the outer thread of the mouth (61)
and comprises a side wall and a shoulder. The side wall has an upper edge, a
11 lower edge, an inner surface and an inner thread. The inner thread is
formed on
12 the inner surface of the side wall and screws onto the outer thread of the
mouth
13 (61). The shoulder is formed on and protrudes in from the upper edge of the
side
14 wall and has an outer surface and an inner surface.
The primary tube (12) is formed on and protrudes coaxially down from
16 the inner surface of the shoulder and has an inner surface, an outer
surface, a
17 distal end, at least one annular seal (121) and a sealing lip (122). The at
least one
18 annular seal (121) is forrned on the inner surface of the primary tube
(12). The
19 sealing lip (122) is formed between the inner surface of the shoulder and
the
outer surface of the primary tube (12). When the body (10) is screwed onto the
21 mouth (61), the sealing lip (122) presses against the top edge of the mouth
(61) to
22 prevent air or moisture from entering the bottle (60) and improves
sealability.
23 The cover (16) may be plastic, metallic or airtight papery film and is
24 attached to the distal end of the primary tube (12).
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1 The drive tube (14) is formed on and protrudes coaxially up from the
2 outer surface of the shoulder and has an inner surface, an outer surface, a
top
3 edge, multiple outer pawl teeth (141), an outer thread (142) and multiple
top
4 pawl teeth (143). The outer pawl teeth (141) are formed between the top
surface
of the shoulder and the outer surface of the drive tube (14). The outer thread
(142)
6 is formed on the outer surface of the drive tube (14). The top pawl teeth
(143) are
7 formed on the top edge of the drive tube (14).
8 The chamber (13) is defined in the primary tube (12) and the drive tube
9 (14) to hold steeping materials (70).
The punch assembly (20) is mounted on the body (10) and comprises a
11 drive cap (21), a punch tube (22) and multiple upper teeth (23). The drive
cap (21)
12 is mounted slidably on the drive tube (14) and comprises a top and a side
wall.
13 The top is circular and has a bottom surface and an outer edge. The side
wall is
14 formed on and protrudes down from the outer edge of the top and has a lower
edge, an inner surface and an optional inner thread (211). The inner thread
(211)
16 is formed on the inner surface of the side wall and corresponds to and is
screwed
17 onto the outer thread (142) of the drive tube (142).
18 The punch tube (22) is fonned coaxially on and protrudes down from the
19 bottom surface of the top, is mounted slidably in the drive tube (14) and
the
primary tube (12), is longer than the body (10) and has an outer surface and a
21 distal end. The outer surface of the punch tube (22) presses against the at
least
22 one annular seal (121) to prevent air or moisture from entering the chamber
(13)
23 in the body (10). With further reference to Fig. 4, the distal end of the
punch tube
24 (22) may be oblique, selectively extends through the distal end of the
primary
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1 tube (12) when the drive cap (21) is screwed fully on the body (10) and
separates
2 the cover (16) from the distal end of the primary tube (12) to release the
steeping
3 materials (70) in the chamber (13).
4 The upper teeth (23) are formed on the bottom surface of the top of the
drive cap (21) between the outer surface of the punch tube (22) and the inner
6 surface of the side wall of the drive cap (21) and correspond to the top
pawl teeth
7 (143) on the drive tube (14). When the drive cap (21) is screwed fully on
the
8 body (10), the upper teeth (23) engage the top pawl teeth (143) to prevent
the
9 punch assembly (20) from loosening from the body (10) and safety of the cap
assembly is improved.
11 The safety ring (30) is connected to the cap connector (11), engages a
12 flange (62) on a bottle (60), is removable so the cap assembly can be
removed
13 from the bottle (60) and has an upper edge, an inner surface, multiple
connectors
14 (31) and a locking ring (32). The connectors (31) are tearable, are formed
on the
upper edge of the safety ring (31) and are connected to the lower edge of the
side
16 wall of the cap connector (11). The locking ring (32) is formed on the
inner
17 surface of the safety ring (30) and abuts the flange (62) on the mouth (61)
of the
18 bottle (60) when the body (10) is loosened from the bottle mouth (61) to
prevent
19 the safety ring (30) from moving with the body (10). Consequently, the
connectors (31) are torn, and the safety ring (30) remains around the mouth
(61)
21 of the bottle (60) to indicate that the body (10) has been loosed from the
mouth
22 (61) of the bottle (60).
23 The connector strip (50) is connected detachably to the punch assembly
24 (20) and has an upper edge, an inner surface, multiple connectors (52),
multiple
CA 02573824 2008-12-05
1 inner pawl teeth (51), a crack and a pull tab (53). The connectors (52) are
formed
2 on the upper edge of the connector strip (50), are connected to the lower
edge of
3 the side wall of the drive cap (21) and are torn to remove the connector
strip (50)
4 and allow the drive cap (24) to be removed. The inner pawl teeth (51) are
formed
5 on and protrude in from the inner surface of the connector strip (50) and
engage
6 the outer pawl teeth (141) on the drive tube (14) to keep the punch assembly
(20)
7 from loosening from the body (10). The crack is defined in the connector
strip
8 (50). The pull tab (53) is mounted near the crack to separate the connector
strip
9 (50) from the cap connector (11). To release the steeping materials, the
pull tab
10 (53) is pulled to tear the connectors (52) on the connector strip (50) and
to
11 remove the connector strip (50) from the punch assembly (20) and allow the
12 punch assembly to be turned.
13 Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present
14 invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with
details
of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative
only.
16 Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and
17 arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full
extent
18 indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended
19 claims are expressed.
