CAP HAVING STORAGE SPACE

Technical Field

[I] The present invention relates to a cap having a storage space in which concentration such as power can be stored and dispensed inside of a container by a tool so that it can be mixed with a material in the container and used as a beverage.

[2]

Background Art

[3] Generally, content such as a liquid is stored in a beverage container. If necessary, the content is mixed with a different material such as powder and granules.

[4] In the prior art, a cap having a storage space in which a first material is stored has been proposed. The storage space is closed by a seal member. When the cap is opened, the seal member is separated and the first material is dispensed inside of the container and mixed with a second material. This prior art structure is complicated and the seal member is not effectively separated. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is high and the operation reliability is low.

[5]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] Therefore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above- described problems of the prior art and It is an object of the present invention to provide cap that is designed to effectively dispense a material stored in a storage space inside a beverage container, thereby improving the convenience for a user and the reliability of the operation thereof.

[7] It is another object of the present invention to provide a cap that is simple in a structure and thus inexpensively manufactured.

[8]

Technical Solution

[9] To achieve the above objects, the presetn invention provides a cap separately associated with an exhausting portion of a container containing a first material, the cap including: a storage space portion for storing a second material such as powder, the second material being dispensed into the container by a tool inserted through the cap from an external side.

[10]

Advantageous Effects

[II] According to the present invention, the material stored in the cap is designed in a

simple structure to reduce the manufacturing costs. In addition, the material stored in the cap can be effectively disposed in the container by a tool such as a straw that will be inserted into the cap from an external side. [12]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[13] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: [14] FIGS. 1 through 9 are views a variety of caps according to an embodiment of the present invention; [15] FIGS. 10 through 12 are views of a variety of caps according to another embodiment of the present invention; and [16] FIGS. 13 through 16 are views of a variety of caps according to another embodiment of the present invention. [17]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[18] The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. [19] FIGS. 1 through 9 are views a variety of caps according to an embodiment of the present invention. [20] Referring to FlG. 1, a cap 1 is separately coupled to an exhaust portion 101 of a container 100. [21] The cap 1 includes a main body 10 screw-coupled to the spout portion 101. The main body 10 has a storage chamber 11 extending inside of the container 100. [22] The storage chamber 11 defines a storage space 12 for storing a material A such as powder. The storage space 12 is sealed by a seal member 20. [23] A cutting film 13 is formed on a top of the storage chamber 11. The cutting film 13 is cut by a cutting line 14 formed thereon. [24] When pressure is applied to the cutting film 13 using, for example, a straw 30, the cutting line 14 is broken. [25] A seal projection 15 is formed on an inner-bottom edge of the main body 10 to closely contact an inner surface of the exhausting portion 101 and thus seal the exhausting portion 101. [26] A liquid content is stored inside of the container 100 and the material A is stored in the storage space 12 of the storage chamber 11 of the main body 10. In this state, when the straw is inserted through the top portion of the cutting film 13, the cutting line 14 is broken to open a portion of the cutting film 13.

[27] At this point, when the straw 30 is pushed downward, the seal member 20 is separated from the storage chamber 11 or partly broken such that the material A can be dispensed inside the container 100 and mixed with the liquid content stored inside the container 100.

[28] The mixed material can be exhausted through the exhausting portion 101.

[29] The seal member 20 may be formed of a sheet. However, the present invention is not limited to this case. That is, as shown in FlG. 2, the seal member 20 includes a connecting portion 22 separately inserted in a lower end of the storage chamber 11 and a fixing portion 23 associated with the lower end of the storage chamber 11.

[30] In this case, when the straw 30 is inserted, the cutting film 13 is first opened and then the connecting portion 22 pivots around the fixing portion 23 to open the storage chamber 11 such that the material A can be dispensed inside of the container 100.

[31] In addition, as shown in FlG. 3, a protecting sheet 40 may be attached on a top of the cutting film 13 to prevent the cutting film 13 from being polluted by foreign objects such as dusts.

[32] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a barrier 16 may be formed in the storage chamber 11 to define a plurality of storage spaces 12 for storing the material A.

[33] In this case, since a plurality of storage spaces 12 are formed, different materials can be stored in the storage spaces 2 and, if required, one of the different materials can be selected and mixed with the material stored inside of the container.

[34] As shown in FlG. 6, the seal member 20 is provided with an insertion portion 24 at an edge so that the insertion portion is inserted in a lower end of the storage chamber 11. When the straw is inserted, the seal member 20 is separated from the storage chamber 11. At this point, one end of the seal member 20 may be fixed on the storage chamber 11.

[35] As shown in FlG. 7, the cutting film 13 is provided at a bottom with a cutting projection 16 to break the seal member 20.

[36] The seal member 20 is formed on a thin sheet, and as shown in FlG. 8, the seal member 20 is attached in an arc-shape on the lower end of the storage chamber 11 so that it can be easily broken by the insertion of the straw 30.

[37] As shown in FlG. 9, the storage chamber 11 is provided at a lower portion with a cutting portion 18 that will be opened along the cutting line 17. The main body 10 is provided at an upper portion with an opening 19. A protecting sheet 40 is attached on the upper portion of the opening 19. When the straw 40 is inserted through the protecting sheet 40, the cutting line 17 is cut to break the cutting portion 18, thereby dispensing the material stored inside of the storage chamber 12 inside of the container 100.

[38] FIGS. 10 through 12 are views of a variety of caps according to another

embodiment of the present invention. [39] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, a storage member 50 storing a material A is coupled on a lower portion of a cutting film 13 formed on a main body 10 of a cap. [40] An upper portion of the storage member 50 is coupled on a hook portion 61 formed on a bottom of the main body 10 and is provided with a storage space 51 for storing the material A. A seal sheet 52 is attached on an upper portion of the storage space and a cutting portion 54 is integrally formed with a lower portion of the storage space 51.

The cutting portion 54 is broken along the cutting line 53. [41] A cutting projection 16 for breaking the seal sheet 52 is formed on a bottom of the cutting film 13. A space 55 is formed between the cutting film 13 and the seal sheet 52. [42] Therefore, when the straw 30 is inserted through the cutting film 13, the cutting line

14 is cut to open the cutting film 13. Therefore, the cutting projection 16 formed on the bottom surface of the cutting film 13 breaks the seal sheet 52 to allow for the straw insertion. Then, by the pressure of the straw 30 inserted into the storage space 51, the cutting line 53 is cut and the cutting portion 54 is opened to dispense the material A stored in the storage space 51 inside of the container and be mixed with the material stored inside of the container. [43] The mixture of the material A and the material of the container 100 can be exhausted through an exhausting portion 101 of the container from which the cap is separated. [44] In addition, as shown in FlG. 12, the storage member 50 is coupled inside of a storage portion 62 formed on a lower portion of the opening 19 of the main body 10. A protecting sheet 40 is attached on the upper portion of the opening 19. [45] Therefore, after the protecting sheet 40 is broken by the straw 30, when the seal sheet 52 and the cutting potion 54 are cut, the material A stored in the storage space 51 is dispensed inside of the container to allow for the drink of the mixture beverage. [46] FIGS. 13 through 16 are views of a variety of caps according to another embodiment of the present invention. [47] Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, an inner cap 70 is located inside of a cap main body

10 and an edge of the inner cap 79 closely contacts between an upper end of an exhaust portion 101 and a bottom of a main body 10. [48] The cap main body 10 has a cutting film 13 having a cutting line 14 that is broken by a tool such as a straw 30. [49] The inner cap 70 extends downward to define a storage space 71 for storing a material A. A seal portion 73 having a cutting line 72 that will be broken by the straw

30 is formed on a lower portion of the inner cap 70. [50] The edge of the inner cap 70 is holed on a hook step 80 formed on an inner surface of the main body 10 so that it can be separated, when the main body 10 is separated

from the exhausting portion 101, together with the main body 10.

[51] According to this embodiment, a liquid content is stored in the container 100 and the inner cap 70 and the main body 10 are fixed on the exhausting portion 101. The material A such as powder is stored in the storage space 71 of the inner cap 70.

[52] In this state, when the straw 30 contacting the cutting line 13 is pressed, the cutting line 14 is cut to open the cutting film 13. Therefore, the straw 30 penetrating through the storage space 71 applies a force to the seal portion 73. As a result, as shown in FlG. 14, the cutting line 72 is cut by the straw 30 to open the lower portion of the storage space 71 and thus dispense the material A into the container 100.

[53] The material A dispensed into the container is mixed with the liquid content. The mixture can be exhausted through the exhausting portion of the container 100, from which the main body 10 and the inner cap 70 are separated.

[54] In addition, as shown in FlG. 15, an opening 19 may be formed on the upper portion of the main body 10 and the opening 19 may be closed by the protecting sheet 40.

[55] The inner cap 70 is provided with a storage portion 74 extending downward. The storage portion 74 defines a storage space 71 for storing a material A. A seal member 20 is attached on the lower portion of the storage portion 74 and a cutting film 75 having a cutting line 76 is formed on the upper portion of the storage portion 74.

[56] A seal sheet 77 may be attached on a bottom of the cutting film 75 and a seal projection 78 is formed on an outer-edge of the inner cap 70 to closely contact the inner surface of the exhaust portion 101.

[57] Therefore, after the protecting sheet 40 is broken by the straw 30, the cutting film

75 is opened by the straw 30. Then, the extreme end of the straw 30 penetrating the storage space 71 breaks the seal member 20 to dispense the material A stored in the storage space 71 into the container 100.

[58] As shown in FlG. 16, a pulling handle 79 may be formed on the upper portion of the cutting film 75. After the protecting sheet 40 is separated, the pulling handle 79 is pulled to separate the cutting film 75 from the inner cap 70. At this point, the straw 30 is inserted through a hole formed by the separated cutting film 75 to break the seal member 20, thereby dispensing the material A into the container.

[59] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

[60]

Industrial Applicability

[61] The cap of the present invention can be applied to any kinds of containers formed of such as resin, pouch and paper pack as far as the containers have an exhausting portion to which the cap can be associated.