Abstrict The desiccant bottle cap includes a cap structure and a desiccant
material adhered thereto. The desiccant bottle cap is preferably
used to cover a medicine bottle so that the efficiency of the medicine
disposed therein will not be impaired by moisture resulting from
humid air entering the bottle. In one embodiment, the desiccant
bottle cap includes a bottle cap and a desiccant packet affixed
to an interior surface thereof. In another embodiment, the desiccant
bottle cap includes a bottle cap, a bottle cap liner adhered to
an interior surface of the bottle cap, and a desiccant packet adhered
to a top surface of the desiccant liner. In yet another embodiment,
loose desiccant material or a disk of desiccant material is sandwiched
between a bottle cap liner and a porous material to create a bottle
cap insert for removable insertion into a bottle cap.
Claims I claim:
1. A desiccant bottle cap, comprising: a cap having a closed end
and a rim depending from the closed end; and a desiccant packet
adhered to the closed end of the cap.
2. The desiccant bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein the rim
is internally threaded for attachment to a threaded bottle.
3. The desiccant bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said
cap is made from plastic.
4. The desiccant bottle cap according to claim 1 wherein said
cap is made from metal.
5. The desiccant bottle cap according to claim 1 further including
a bottle cap liner disposed between the closed end of said cap and
said desiccant packet.
6. The desiccant bottle cap of claim 5 wherein said liner is made
from cardboard.
7. A desiccant bottle cap, comprising: a cap having a closed end
and a rim depending from the closed end; and a desiccant insert
forming a snap fit into the closed end, the desiccant insert including
a cap liner, a porous material attached to the cap liner, and a
desiccant material sandwiched between the cap liner and the porous
material.
8. The desiccant bottle cap according to claim 7 wherein said
desiccant material is a loose, aggregate material.
9. The desiccant bottle cap according to claim 7 wherein said
desiccant material is provided as a disk.
10. The desiccant bottle cap according to claim 7 wherein said
porous material is paper.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to bottle caps for medicine
bottles, and more particularly, to a bottle cap having a desiccant
retained therein for preventing contamination of the medicine by
moisture.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Many drugs are typically bottled in an atmosphere of very
low humidity to avoid absorption of moisture within the container.
However, each time the bottle is opened by the consumer for removal
of a portion of the contents, atmospheric air is admitted to the
container. This results in an increase in humidity within the bottle
and eventual deterioration of the contents. In order to maintain
a moisture-free atmosphere within the bottle after it has been opened,
packagers frequently place therein a pill of desiccant material
or a moisture-permeable capsule containing a desiccant. However,
the danger always exists that the consumer may inadvertently remove
or even take the desiccant pill or capsule. Since these desiccants
often contain a cobalt salt to indicate exposure to humid atmospheres,
ingestion of such materials can result in discomfort or serious
illness.
[0005] Consequently, a bottle cap having a desiccant material attached
thereto in a manner which prevents its becoming readily detached
is desirable. While prior attempts have been made to provide a bottle
cap of this type, most cap structures of this type are configured
to include a desiccant chamber consisting of a separate unit mechanically
integrated with the complete cap. Such structures have not been
accepted by the drug and chemical packaging houses because they
involve the use of caps of extra size or shape. Their use would
entail considerable expense and trouble in adapting present machinery
to accommodate them and in making and handling cartons in which
the bottles of packaged material are packed. The inconvenience of
such change has been so great that the present cap structures of
this type have not been acceptable.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 2317882 issued Apr. 27 1943 to C. F. Boesel,
discloses closure caps for receptacles containing dry medicinal
materials. The cap includes a separate housing made of plastic or
metal for receiving an absorbent or dehydrating means to protect
the medicinal materials from moisture.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 3035730 issued May 22 1962 to P. G. Walker,
discloses a bottle cap having a desiccant chamber formed in a central
portion of the liner and a desiccant material retained therein by
means of a closure member.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3254784 issued Jun. 7 1966 to F. Lancesseur,
discloses a dehydrating stopper having a washer disposed between
the stopper bottom and a pad of dehydrating product, the washer
having printed thereon the mark or trade name of the product contained
in the bottle or other container which is to be closed by means
of the stopper.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4350508 issued Sep. 21 1982 to Santoro
et al., discloses a desiccant cap. The desiccant cap is a transparent
enclosure having an internal cavity divided into two portions, the
first of which is designed to accept and seal a container. The second
is designed to accept and hold a mixture of a desiccant and a humidity
sensitive color indicator. The first and second portions of the
cavity are separated by a barrier wall which contains a filter in
the central area of the wall. The filter is formed from a wicking
polymer.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4545492 issued Oct. 8 1985 to R. A. Firestone,
discloses a device for maintaining dry conditions in vessels. The
device is a cap or stopper having a hollow section to contain a
drying agent, a nonporous top member having at least one pinhole
therein and a porous bottom member.
[0011] Other patents related to desiccant holding devices for medicine
bottles include U.S. Pat. No. 6274209 issued Aug. 14 2001 to
Pagidas et al. (semipermeable venting closure); U.S. Pat. No. 4394144
issued Jul. 19 1983 to Y. Aoki (dehumidifying container); U.S.
Pat. No. 4287995 issued Sep. 8 1981 to T. Moriya (container
sealing member with oxygen absorbent); U.S. Pat. No. 4279350
issued Jul. 21 1981 to R. V. King (closure with oxygen scavenging
system); U.S. Pat. No. 4146277 issued Mar. 27 1979 to D. S.
Santoro (desiccant cap); United Kingdom Patent No. 2098501 published
Nov. 24 1982 (dehumidifying container); European Patent No. 222102
published May 20 1987 (closure with a desiccant); and European
Patent No. 978306 published Feb. 9 2000.
[0012] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly
or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as
claimed. Thus a desiccant bottle cap solving the aforementioned
problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The desiccant bottle cap of the present invention relates
to a cap structure having a desiccant material or a desiccant containing
packet adhered thereto. The desiccant bottle cap is preferably used
to cover a medicine bottle so that the efficiency of the medicine
disposed therein will not be impaired by moisture resulting, viz.,
from humid air entering the bottle. In one embodiment, the desiccant
bottle cap includes a bottle cap and a desiccant packet affixed
to an interior surface thereof. In another embodiment, the desiccant
bottle cap includes a bottle cap, a bottle cap liner adhered to
an interior surface of the bottle cap, and a desiccant packet adhered
to a top surface of the desiccant liner. In yet another embodiment,
loose desiccant material or a disk of desiccant material is sandwiched
between a bottle cap liner and a porous material to create a bottle
cap insert for removable insertion into a bottle cap.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a desiccant bottle cap
according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an inner surface of the desiccant
bottle cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a desiccant bottle cap
according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a plan view of an inner surface of the desiccant
bottle cap according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is an exploded bottom perspective view of a desiccant
bottle cap according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a desiccant bottle cap,
partially broken away and in section, according to the third embodiment
of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a cut-away view of a desiccant bottle cap according
to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] The present invention relates to a desiccant bottle cap,
generally designated as 10 in the drawings, for sealing a container
C and maintaining an environment relatively free from moisture within
the container C. As can be seen in FIG. 1 the desiccant bottle
cap 10 includes a cap structure 12 and a desiccant material 14 adhered
thereto. The cap structure 12 is a cup-like member having a closed
end 16 a rim 18 and a threaded interior surface 20 which engages
the exterior threads around the mouth of the bottle or container
C. The cap structure 12 may be made from plastic, metal or any other
suitable material. While the desiccant bottle cap 10 is shown to
be threaded in the drawings, suitable lugs, ribs, a childproof fastener,
or other closures familiar to those skilled in the art could be
used for attaching the desiccant bottle cap 10 to the container
C.
[0023] The desiccant material 14 may include silica gel or any
other suitable desiccant. As is shown more clearly FIG. 2 the desiccant
material 14 is provided in a desiccant packet 22 which is affixed
to the closed end 16 of the cap structure 12. The desiccant packet
22 can be any suitable desiccant packet known in the art and can
be made in any suitable size and shape. Desiccant packets are especially
effective because they are extremely durable, can be easily adhered
to conventional bottle caps without altering the bottle cap's structure
or manufacturing process, and have high moisture adsorbing capacity.
Once attached to the container C, the desiccant bottle cap 10 ensures
that medicine disposed within the container C will not be damaged
by moisture from humid air entering the container C. Also, since
the desiccant packet 22 is securely attached to the cap 10 it is
less likely that desiccant material 14 will escape from the container
C when the container C is uncovered and medicine is being dispensed.
[0024] FIGS. 3 and 4 depict another embodiment of the desiccant
bottle cap, generally designated as 11 in the drawings. The desiccant
bottle cap 11 is identical to the desiccant bottle cap 10 except
that the desiccant bottle cap 11 includes a bottle cap liner 24
disposed between the closed end 16 of the cap 12 and the desiccant
packet 22. The bottle cap liner 24 can be made from any suitable
material. Preferably, the bottle cap liner 24 is made from cardboard.
Identical components will not be further described.
[0025] FIG. 5 depicts yet another embodiment of the desiccant bottle
cap, generally designated as 13 in the drawings. The desiccant bottle
cap 13 is identical to the desiccant bottle cap 11 except that instead
of a desiccant packet 22 the desiccant bottle cap 13 includes a
bottle cap insert 30 for snap fitting into the cap structure 12
adjacent the closed end 16. As can be seen in FIGS. 6-7 the bottle
cap insert 30 includes the bottle cap liner 24 a porous material
26 attached to the bottle cap liner 24 and a desiccant material
14 which is sandwiched between the bottle cap liner 24 and the porous
material 26. The porous material 26 may be paper or any other suitable
porous material. The desiccant material 14 in this embodiment can
be provided as loose particles of desiccant 28 as shown in FIG.
6 or desiccant particles which are adhered together to form a desiccant
disk 32 as shown in FIG. 7.
[0026] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any
and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. |