Elapsed time indicator

A cap for a bottle comprising:

• a tubular cap body having interior and exterior side surfaces, and a top surface;
• surface manifestations provided on said interior or exterior side surfaces for holding said cap body onto a bottle neck;
• said cap top surface including a transparent portion;
• an elapsed time indicator;
• and
• means for mounting said elapsed time indicator radially interiorly of said cap body side surfaces so that said indicator is visible through said transparent portion of said cap body top surface;
• and
• said elapsed time indicator comprising:
• a substantially transparent tube having first and second ends, and an interior;
• a viscous liquid substantially filling the interior of said tube;
• a visible indicator immersed in said viscous liquid;
• and said liquid and indicator being selected so that it takes the passage of at least about 30 days at a temperature range of about 5-30 degrees C. for said indicator to move from one end of said tube to the other;
• and wherein said means for mounting said elapsed time indicator mounts said tube so that one of said ends thereof is adjacent to and visible through said cap transparent portion, and so that said tube is generally vertical when said cap top surface is generally horizontal.

An elapsed time indicator comprising:

• a substantially transparent and substantially straight tube having first and second ends, an interior, and an exterior;
• a viscous liquid substantially filling the interior of said tube;
• a visible indicator immersed in said viscous liquid and dimensioned and positioned with respect to said tube so that said visible indicator can travel from said first end to said second end through said viscous liquid and vice versa;
• said liquid and said visible indicator being selected so that there is a known predetermined time period for said visible indicator to travel through said liquid between said first and second ends when said tube has a particular orientation with respect to the vertical;
• means for releasably holding said visible indicator in a stationary position at one of said first and second ends;
• and
• wherein said tube is flexible at least adjacent said first end thereof, and wherein said means for releasably holding said visible indicator in a stationary position comprises a clamp for deforming said tube adjacent said first end thereof to clamp said visible indicator to said tube thereat.

An elapsed time indicator mounted in or on a water bottle having a filter associated therewith, which filter should be replaced or regenerated after the passage of said predetermined period of time, and comprising:

• a substantially transparent and substantially straight tube having first and second ends, an interior, and an exterior;
• a viscous liquid substantially filling the interior of said tube;
• a visible indicator immersed in said viscous liquid and dimensioned and positioned with respect to said tube so that said visible indicator can travel from said first end to said second end through said viscous liquid and vice versa;
• said liquid and said visible indicator being selected so that there is a known predetermined time period for said visible indicator to travel through said liquid between said first and second ends when said tube has a particular orientation with respect to the vertical;
• wherein said visible indicator has a density less than the density of said viscous liquid;
• wherein said water bottle has a neck, and a cap with surface manifestations for connecting the cap to the neck of said water bottle, said cap having a transparent top surface;
• and
• wherein said tube is mounted in said cap so that said second end of said tube is visible through said cap transparent top surface and said second end of said tube is above said first end when said bottle is in an upright position with said cap at the top of said neck.