Patent US5201053A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2642884A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4986901A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4986901A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Bottled water cap with indicator and adaptor

Assignee: Innova Pure Water Inc
•
Filing: 1990-02-12
•
Granted: 1991-01-22
•
Expires: 2010-02-12
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A detent and numerical indicia are associated with a cap for a water treatment apparatus to keep track of how many times a bottle in which the treatment apparatus is disposed has been filled and emptied, to provide for periodic replacement of the filter media. The treatment apparatus is for attachment to a bottle with an opening at a neck portion, and includes an elongated tube, a cartridge containing water treatment media connected to one end of the tube, and a cap for capping the other end of the tube. The cap includes a body having through-extending passages therein, and a top which is movable with respect to the body to selectively cover or uncover the passageways. A detent is associated with the cap body and the top for providing detented rotation of the top with respect to the body. Indicia are associated with the cap top and the cap body for indicating each detented position. Thirty-one Arabic numbered positions and another blank position may be provided as the indicia, cooperating with an arrow that is stationary. Each time the bottle is filled the cap top is rotated one position with respect to the body, and once the last indicia is indicated on the top, the filter is replaced. An adaptor connects the tube to the filter cartridge, and the adaptor can also include water treatment media.

Inventors

  • 👤 John Nohren, Jr.
  • 👤 Joseph H. Nohren

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 20:11
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/28; C02F1/283; B; B01; B01D; B01D35/00; B01D35/14; B01D35/143; B01D35/30; C02F1/001; C02F1/003; A; A45; A45F; A45F3/00; A45F3/16; A45F2003/163; B01D2201/00; B01D2201/30; B01D2201/301; C02F2201/00; C02F2201/002; C02F2201/006; C02F2209/00; C02F2209/44; C02F2209/445; C02F2307/00; C02F2307/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 161 words
Water treatment apparatus for attachment to a bottle with an opening at a neck portion thereof, comprising: an elongated tube having first and second ends; cartridge means containing water treatment media operatively connected to said tube second end; cap means for capping the first end of said tube, and for cooperating with the bottle neck to position the apparatus in the bottle, said cap means comprising a body and a top; said body having means defining fluid passageways therein adjacent, but radially spaced from, said tube first end to allow flow of liquid therethrough; and said top movable with respect to said body to selectively cover or uncover said fluid passageways; detent means associated with said cap body and said cap top for providing detented rotation of said cap top with respect to said cap body; and indicia means associated with said cap top and said cap body for indicating each detented position of said top with respect to said body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 161 words
Water treatment apparatus for attachment to a bottle with an opening at a neck portion thereof, comprising: an elongated tube having first and second ends; cartridge means containing water treatment media operatively connected to said tube second end; cap means for capping the first end of said tube, and for cooperating with the bottle neck to position the apparatus in the bottle, said cap means comprising a body and a top; said body having means defining fluid passageways therein adjacent, but radially spaced from, said tube first end to allow flow of liquid therethrough; and said top movable with respect to said body to selectively cover or uncover said fluid passageways; detent means associated with said cap body and said cap top for providing detented rotation of said cap top with respect to said cap body; and indicia means associated with said cap top and said cap body for indicating each detented position of said top with respect to said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said indicia means comprise Arabic numbers 1-32, and a thirty second position; and wherein said detent means includes 32 positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising adaptor means for connecting said second end of said tube to said cartridge means, said adaptor means also containing treatment media.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 85 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said adaptor means comprises a tubular section having a first end with an interior cross-sectional area approximately equal to the exterior cross sectional area of said elongated tube second end, and a second end having an exterior cross sectional area approximately equal to the interior cross sectional area of said cartridge means; so that said adaptor first and second ends each have an interference fit with the second end of said elongated tube, and said cartridge means, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 64 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cap top comprises: a top plate; and an elongated shaft extending concentrically from said plate; and wherein said detent means comprises a plurality of nubs spaced circumferentially around a middle portion of said shaft, and means defining a grooved passageway in said body, radially inwardly from said fluid passageways, having grooves cooperating with said shaft nubs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said grooves are elongated along the direction of elongation of said shaft, so that said shaft may slide along its direction of elongation with respect to said body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 30 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5 further comprising adaptor means for connecting said second end of said tube to said cartridge means, said adaptor means also containing water treatment media.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 85 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said adaptor means comprises a tubular section having a first end with an interior cross-sectional area approximately equal to the exterior cross sectional area of said elongated tube second end, and a second end having an exterior cross sectional area approximately equal to the interior cross sectional area of said cartridge means; so that said adaptor first and second ends each have an interference fit with the second end of said elongated tube, and said cartridge means, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said indicia means comprise Arabic numerals on said cap top plate, and a position indicator on said body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said position indicator comprises an arrow.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 30 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 10 further comprising adaptor means for connecting said second end of said tube to said cartridge means, said adaptor means also containing water treatment media.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 45 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cap top comprises a top plate, and wherein said body includes a stationary element and a shaft which is reciprocal with respect to said stationary element but restrained against rotational movement with respect to said stationary element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said detent means acts between said top plate and said shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 35 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein said indicia means comprises numbers on said top plate and an indicator mark on a top portion of said shaft which is visible when viewing said top plate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 85 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said adaptor means comprises a tubular section having a first end with an interior cross-sectional area approximately equal to the exterior cross sectional area of said elongated tube second end, and a second end having an exterior cross sectional area approximately equal to the interior cross sectional area of said cartridge means; so that said adaptor first and second ends each have an interference fit with the second end of said elongated tube, and said cartridge means, respectively.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said indicia means comprise Arabic numbers 1-32, and a thirty second position; and wherein said detent means include 32 positions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 134 words
Water treatment apparatus for attachment to a bottle with an opening at a neck portion thereof, comprising: an elongated tube having first and second ends; cartridge means containing water treatment media operatively connected to said tube second end; cap means for capping the first end of said tube, and for cooperating with the bottle neck to position the apparatus in the bottle, said cap means comprising a body and a top; said body having means defining fluid passageways therein adjacent, but radially spaced from, said tube first end to allow flow of liquid therethrough; and said top movable with respect to said body to selectively cover or uncover said fluid passageways; and adaptor means for connecting said second end of said tube to said cartridge means, said adaptor means also containing water treatment media.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 134 words
Water treatment apparatus for attachment to a bottle with an opening at a neck portion thereof, comprising: an elongated tube having first and second ends; cartridge means containing water treatment media operatively connected to said tube second end; cap means for capping the first end of said tube, and for cooperating with the bottle neck to position the apparatus in the bottle, said cap means comprising a body and a top; said body having means defining fluid passageways therein adjacent, but radially spaced from, said tube first end to allow flow of liquid therethrough; and said top movable with respect to said body to selectively cover or uncover said fluid passageways; and adaptor means for connecting said second end of said tube to said cartridge means, said adaptor means also containing water treatment media.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 85 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said adaptor means comprises a tubular section having a first end with an interior cross-sectional area approximately equal to the exterior cross sectional area of said elongated tube second end, and a second end having an exterior cross sectional area approximately equal to the interior cross sectional area of said cartridge means; so that said adaptor first and second ends each have an interference fit with the second end of said elongated tube, and said cartridge means, respectively.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein said adaptor means includes screen means disposed therein for retaining water treatment media therewithin.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 198 words
Water treatment apparatus for attachment to a bottle with an opening at a neck portion thereof, comprising: an elongated tube having first and second ends; cartridge means containing water treatment media operatively connected to said tube second end; cap means for capping the first end of said tube, and for cooperating with the bottle neck to position the apparatus in the bottle, said cap means comprising a body and a top; said body having means defining fluid passageways therein adjacent, but radially spaced from, said tube first end to allow flow of liquid therethrough; and said top movable with respect to said body to selectively cover or uncover said fluid passageways; said cap top including an annular portion having a first set of indicia thereon, and a central portion having other indicia thereon; means for mounting said annular portion and said central portion together so that said central portion is rotatable with respect to said annular portion so that the indicia on said central portion and annular portion may be aligned in a plurality of different circumferentially spaced positions of the indicia on said central portion; and detent means between said cap central portion and said annular portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 198 words
Water treatment apparatus for attachment to a bottle with an opening at a neck portion thereof, comprising: an elongated tube having first and second ends; cartridge means containing water treatment media operatively connected to said tube second end; cap means for capping the first end of said tube, and for cooperating with the bottle neck to position the apparatus in the bottle, said cap means comprising a body and a top; said body having means defining fluid passageways therein adjacent, but radially spaced from, said tube first end to allow flow of liquid therethrough; and said top movable with respect to said body to selectively cover or uncover said fluid passageways; said cap top including an annular portion having a first set of indicia thereon, and a central portion having other indicia thereon; means for mounting said annular portion and said central portion together so that said central portion is rotatable with respect to said annular portion so that the indicia on said central portion and annular portion may be aligned in a plurality of different circumferentially spaced positions of the indicia on said central portion; and detent means between said cap central portion and said annular portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein the indicia provided on said cap central portion is an arrow, and wherein indicia provided on said annular portion includes Arabic numerals.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4695379A Cited
US4769144A Cited
US4895648A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-01-21 1994-07-23 1995-01-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-01-21 1998-07-23 1999-01-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-01-21 2002-07-23 2003-01-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag