US3194470A - Liquid container seal provided with drinking tube - Google Patents

Description

y 1965 H. G. ZIMMERMAN ETAL 3, 4, 7

LIQUID CONTAINER SEAL PROVIDED WITH DRINKING TUBE Filed March 18, 1963 lNVE/VTOPS HG. ZIMMEQMAN J. W- CATLOW United States Patent 3,194,470 LIQ CQNTAINER SEAL PROVIDED WITH DKING TUBE Henry G. Zimmerman, 301 Trumbull St, and John W. Catlow, 207 Sigourney St., both of Hartford, Conn. Filed Mar. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 265,937 1 Claim. (Cl. 223-7) This invention relates to liquid containers having a removable cap or sealing member associated with which is a drinking tube so that on removal of the cap or sealing member the contents may be consumed by removal of the tube from the sealing cap or member.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid container with a drinking tube retained in a collapsed condition within the cap or sealing member so that upon removal of the sealing cap or member the tube may be removed from its position after which it will unfold and straighten so that it may be used for drinking the contents of the bottle or container.

A feature of importance of the invention is to retain the drinking tube within a bottle provided with a standard Crown closure cap or with a standard form of closure for a paper or other form of container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seal disposed between the cap and a bead formed on the neck of the bottle, the drinking tube being retained within a depression formed within the seal.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may include the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of the specification, we have shown the invention as a part of a closure for a bottle and for a conventional plastic or paper container, but it will be understood that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claim appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a small liquid container, the hinged closing cover of which may be provided with the present inveniton;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container shown in FIG. 1 having the drinking tube retainer shown positioned Within the depression of the closure member;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a container shown in FIG. 1 having the drinking tube placed directly Within the central depression to the hinged closure member;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the neck portion of a bottle showing a drinking tube coiled within the seal provided below a conventional metal sealing cap;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the form of invention shown in FIG. 5, partly in section, and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are, respectively, plan and side views of a plastic or other material member shaped to form a seal for the form of invention shown in FIG. 5.

In the above mentioned drawing there have been shown but two "embodiments of the invention which are now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood, however, that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing and first to the form of invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, it will be seen that a coiled drinking tube 10 is retained 3,194,470 Patented July 13, 1965 within the closure member 12 of a conventional form of milk container 14.

FIG. 1 shows such a container 14 with its hinged closing member 12 in open position with a drinking tube of plastic or other material 10 inserted therethrough. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coiled drinking tube 10 may be placed within a pre-formed plastic member 16 having a central depression within which the coiled tube is retained. Over the plastic retainer 16 is a thin flexible transparent covering member 18 preferably adhesively attached to the upper surface of the moulded or formed retainer 16 for the tube 10. This retainer 16 with the tube 10 enclosed is inserted within the central depression of the closing member 12 as shown.

FIG. 4 shows a modified form of the invention in which a coiled tube 10 is placed directly in the central depression of a hinged cover 12 and a thin sheet of transparent or other material 18 placed thereover to retain the coiled tube in place.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the invention applied to the neck of a bottle 20 having a head 22 at its open end. In this form of the invention the bottle neck is of standard form and is shown as having a standard form of Crown sealing cap 24 thereon. Within the sealing cap 24 is a plastic pre-formed member 26. This member 26 fits the upper rim of the bead 22 and is provided with a central depression 28. Within the depression 28 is housed a coiled tube 10 retained in position by the sealing cap 24 being crimped about the bead 22. Upon removal of the sealing cap 24 the member 26 and the tube 10 may be removed.

To prevent the member 26 and tube 10 being forcibly driven from the bottle when the bottle is opened, the annular portions of the member 26 may be radially indented as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 by narrow grooves 30. These grooves act upon removal of the sealing cap 24 to permit slow release of pressure within the bottle. When the sealing cap 24 is crimped into position the radially extending grooves are entirely flattened to provide a complete seal. Upon removal of the cap 24 the grooves 30 open slightly to relieve pressure within the bottle and permit manual removal of the member 26 and its tube 10.

We claim:

A liquid container having a preformed flexible sealing member hinged to said container and having an annular wall adapted to enter an opening in one of the surfaces of the container,

a flanged flexible member having a central depression therein,

a compact drinking tube housed within the depression of said flanged flexible member, the flanged flexible member engaging the annular wall of said sealing member to retain said flanged flexible member therein,

and a cover member adhesively positioned over said depression and retaining said tube within said depression.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,680,341 8/28 Rosenthal 215-1 2,175,735 10/ 39 Banks 2151 3,006,525 10/ 61 Herrmann 229--17 3,039,669 6/62 Hill 229-17 FOREIGN PATENTS 408,463 1/10 France. 1,130,524 10/56 France.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

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