Special receptacle or package – For mixing – Tear strip or piercer
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-18
2004-03-16
Luong, Shian (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For mixing
Tear strip or piercer
C215SDIG008
Reexamination Certificate
active
06705462
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cap for a contents mixer. In particular, an exemplary embodiment of this invention relates to a cap that can fit onto a container, and preferably a cap for a contents mixer used for storing a first contents inside the cap, and the first contents in the cap is capable of being mixed with different kinds of contents stored in a container's main body when required.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, it has been difficult to preserve various types of substances, such as medicines, food and drink, adhesives etc. in a state where a number of the components are mixed together in advance. In this type of situation, it is necessary to keep each component separately, and only mix them together at the time of use.
For example, Utility Model Laid-open No. Sho. 52-51103 discloses a two liquid mixture container where the two types of contents are kept in a single container, and are mixed together at the time of use. In this container, there is a storage tube for one component that is separated from the container main body by a thin film inside the cap. By opening up the thin film, one of the components is conveyed into the container's main body and mixes with the other component already situated inside the container's main body.
This two liquid mixture container has a ring for preventing lowering of the cap. This ring has a gripping piece, interposed between a lower end surface of the cap and a container shoulder. This arrangement of the ring prevents the thin film from being opened up when not required. However, at the time of mixing, the gripping piece is tensioned to disconnect the ring at a thinner cut-away section of the ring, which was formed in advance. After the ring has been removed, the thin film is cut open.
However, when a solution is mixed using a two liquid mixture container with a cap lowering prevention ring, it is first of all necessary to disconnect the ring. In order to make this disconnection simple, it is necessary to take steps such as cutting a slot or notch along the radial direction of the ring in advance. Hence, taking these additional steps complicates the manufacturing process.
Since it is also necessary to provide the gripping piece on the ring in order to disconnect the ring, the overall shape of the device is also complicated to make. For example, the gripping piece juts out from the cap, and the whole item becomes bulky. For this reason, in the case where containers are lined up parallel to each other, it becomes necessary to keep a space for the jutting out gripping piece, thus lining up the containers close to each other is made more difficult.
In addition, to disconnect the ring it is necessary to apply tension to the gripping piece. However, in practical terms, considerable force is required to disconnect the ring, creating cases whereby the person applying the force makes a mistake and turns the container itself over. In a worst case scenario the contents of the container may be tipped out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed with the view to substantially solving the above described problems. The object of the invention is to provide a cap for a contents mixer that can keep at least two components apart from each other reliably until such time as they are mixed. In addition, the cap can reliably mix the at least two components with a simple operation at the time of mixing, without a bulky apparatus, and includes a simple method of manufacture.
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cap for a contents mixer is attached to an opening section of a container body. The cap comprises a cap main body having a first contents storage tube. The first contents storage tube has a thin bottom that is sealed but is capable of being opened. The first contents storage tube is suspended from a lower surface of a top wall of the cap main body. The first contents storage tube is further formed with an engagement section for attaching the first contents storage tube to an opening section of the container main body at an inner surface. The first contents storage tube is also formed with a cutting tube. The first contents storage tube blocks a head section of the cutting tube. The first contents storage tube further has a flange section formed at an outer periphery of the cutting tube's head section. The flange section is engaged in the inside of the first contents storage tube in a watertight manner and is capable of sliding in relationship with the first contents storage tube. In addition, a substantially U-shaped stopper is interposed between the flange section of the cutting tube and the top wall of the cap main body.
In accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cap for a contents mixer is the same as the first embodiment, wherein a projection for reducing a detachment force of the cap contacts the flange section at a lower surface and is formed on an upper surface of the stopper.
In accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cap for a contents mixer is the same as the first or second embodiments, wherein a projection for preventing detachment of the cap and for engaging the cap with the first contents storage tube is formed on an opening inner wall of the stopper.
In accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a cap for a contents mixer is the same as any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein the stopper has an open-ended square cross-section with a lower surface opened.
These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or are apparent from the following detailed description of this invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4874102 (1989-10-01), Jessop et al.
patent: 5950819 (1999-09-01), Sellars
patent: 6170654 (2001-01-01), Gartner et al.
patent: 6171293 (2001-01-01), Rowley et al.
patent: RE38067 (2003-04-01), Gueret
patent: 52-51103 (1977-11-01), None
patent: 7-38155 (1995-08-01), None
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Luong Shian
Mikuni Corporation
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