U.S. patent application number 11/054249 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-10 for enhanced liquid container.
This patent application is currently assigned to Oxygen Development, LLC. Invention is credited to Johnny Richardson.
Application Number | 20060175330 11/054249 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36778911 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060175330 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Richardson; Johnny |
August 10, 2006 |
Enhanced liquid container
Abstract
A beverage container includes a lid assembly having a chamber
for storing and subsequently releasing a component of a mixture
into a liquid stored within the container. The lid assembly
includes an upper housing attached to a lower housing. The upper
housing includes a button movable between a locked position and a
released position. The upper housing also includes a spout that
provides access to the contents of the container. A disk snaps into
a snap groove within the lower housing and includes the chamber for
storing one component of the mixture separate from liquid within
the container. The chamber is initially placed in a storage
position where contents of the chamber are isolated from the
container. Aligning the chamber with an inlet in the lower housing
to the container provides for the component mixture to fall freely
into the liquid within the container.
Inventors: |
Richardson; Johnny;
(Birmingham, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C.
400 WEST MAPLE ROAD
SUITE 350
BIRMINGHAM
MI
48009
US
|
Assignee: |
Oxygen Development, LLC
|
Family ID: |
36778911 |
Appl. No.: |
11/054249 |
Filed: |
February 9, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/212 ;
220/521; 220/715 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 47/06 20130101;
B65D 51/2892 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/212 ;
220/521; 220/715 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/26 20060101
B65D051/26; B65D 1/24 20060101 B65D001/24; A47G 19/22 20060101
A47G019/22 |
Claims
1. A beverage container assembly comprising: a container for
holding a liquid; and a lid assembly including a chamber movable
from a closed position for separating a substance from the liquid
within said container, and a released position where the substance
within said chamber is combinable with liquid within said
container.
2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said lid assembly
comprises a lower housing attachable to said container, an upper
housing attached to said lower housing, said upper housing
selectively rotatable relative to said lower housing for moving
said chamber between said closed position and said released
position.
3. The assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said lid assembly
includes a disk assembled to said lower housing, said disk
rotatable relative to said lower housing with said upper
housing.
4. The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said disk defines
said chamber.
5. The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said lower housing
includes a snap groove for holding said disk.
6. The assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said lower housing
includes an inlet opening into said container.
7. The assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said lower housing
includes a seal surface, and said disk includes a seal surrounding
said chamber.
8. The assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said disk is
rotatable relative to said lower housing for aligning said chamber
with said inlet opening.
9. The assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said chamber
comprises a plurality of chambers disposed within said disk,
wherein each of said chambers are alignable with said inlet
opening.
10. The assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said lower housing
includes a guide groove and said disk includes a tab disposed
within said guide groove.
11. The assembly as recited in claim 10, including a button
disposed within said upper housing, said button including an arm
movable within said groove.
12. The assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said button is
movable between a locked position preventing rotation of said upper
housing and an unlocked position allowing rotation of said upper
housing.
13. The assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said button
includes a biasing member corresponding to said upper housing for
biasing said button toward said locked position.
14. The assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said upper housing
includes an outlet tube received within an outlet opening of said
lower housing.
15. The assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein said outlet tube
snap-fits within said outlet opening.
16. The assembly as recited in claim 14, including a spout movable
between a closed position sealing said outlet tube and an open
position.
17. The assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein said spout slides
within said upper housing between said closed and open
positions.
18. A lid assembly for a beverage container comprising: a lower
housing attachable to a beverage container, said lower housing
including an outlet and an inlet; an upper housing attachable to
said lower housing and rotatable relative to said lower housing,
said upper housing including an outlet tube corresponding to said
outlet of said lower housing; and a disk mounted to said lower
housing and rotatable with said upper housing, said disk including
a chamber selectively alignable with said inlet of said lower
housing, said chamber providing for storage of ingredients mixable
with liquid stored within the container for mixing with said liquid
by a consumer of a beverage.
19. The assembly as recited in claim 18, wherein said upper housing
and said disk rotate about an axis and said outlet and said chamber
are spaced apart from said axis such that said chamber rotates
about said axis and into alignment with said inlet.
20. The assembly as recited in claim 18, including a seal for
sealing between said disk and said lower housing about a periphery
of said chamber.
21. The assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein said upper housing
includes a button movable between a released position allowing
rotation of said upper housing relative to said lower housing and a
locked position preventing rotation of said upper housing relative
to said lower housing.
22. The assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said button
includes a biasing member cooperating with a sloped surface of said
upper housing for biasing said button toward said locked
position.
23. The assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said disk includes
a locking tab for locking said disk in a position where said
chamber is aligned with said inlet.
24. A method of storing and preparing a beverage having two
component parts, said method comprising the steps of: a) storing a
first component part within a container; b) storing a second
component part within a lid attachable to said container and
separated from said first component part; and c) releasing said
second component part form said lid into said container and into
said first component part.
25. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein said step b)
comprises storing the second component part with a chamber defined
within said lid assembly.
26. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said step c)
comprises aligning said chamber with an inlet of said lid.
27. The method as recited in claim 24 including mixing said first
component with said second component.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention generally relates to a beverage container.
More particularly this invention relates to a beverage container
including features for storing separate component parts of a
mixture prior to consumption.
[0002] Typically, soft drinks, sports drinks, and other drinks are
stored within a sealed beverage container prior to purchase. The
duration between the time that the beverage is placed within the
container and actually consumed can be significant. Therefore, many
beverages include a sell-by date to insure that the beverage is
sold within a desired time to ensure a desired level of
freshness.
[0003] Commonly beverages are a mixture of several ingredients
dissolved within a liquid such as water. The mixture of ingredients
is typically performed at a bottling or other production facility
just prior to being placed within a sealed beverage container. A
sport drink typically includes ingredients that are intended to
replace nutrients lost during robust physical activity. In some
instances, those ingredients can begin to lose potency once mixed.
Disadvantageously, there can be a significant period between the
time a beverage mixed and bottled and consumption.
[0004] Accordingly, it is desirable to develop and design a
beverage container that can store a beverage for long periods,
while still providing the desired just mixed freshness upon
consumption.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention is a beverage container including a lid
assembly having a chamber for storing and subsequently releasing a
component of a mixture into a liquid stored within the
container.
[0006] The example beverage container includes a lid assembly
attached to a container containing a liquid. The lid assembly
includes an upper housing attached to a lower housing. The upper
housing includes a button movable between a locked position and a
released position. The upper housing also includes a spout that
provides access to the contents of the container.
[0007] A disk snaps into a snap groove within the lower housing and
includes the chamber for storing one component of the mixture
separate from liquid within the container. The chamber is initially
placed in a storage position that is not aligned with the inlet. In
this position, the contents of the chamber are isolated from the
container. When it is desired to mix the component stored within
the chamber with the liquid within the container, the button is
depressed to permit rotation of the upper housing and the disk.
Rotation of the upper housing aligns the chamber with an inlet in
the lower housing to the container. The contents of the chamber are
then free to fall into and mix with the contents of the
container.
[0008] Accordingly, the beverage container of this invention
provides for the separation of components such that a beverage may
be stored for long periods, while still providing the desired just
mixed freshness upon consumption.
[0009] These and other features of the present invention can be
best understood from the following specification and drawings, the
following of which is a brief description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a side view of an example beverage container
according to this invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the example beverage
container.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lower housing according to
this invention.
[0013] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an example disk having a
chamber according to this invention.
[0014] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an example disk having
multiple chambers according to this invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bottom surface of the
disk.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bottom portion of an
example spout according to this invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example button according
to this invention.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an example lid assembly
according to this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example beverage container 10
is shown that provides for storing of at least two mixable
substances separately prior to mixing by a consumer of a beverage.
The beverage container 10 includes a container 12 and a lid
assembly 14 for holding and storing a liquid within the container
12. The lid assembly 14 includes a lower housing 18 attachable to
the container 12 and an upper housing 20 attached to the lower
housing 18. The upper housing 20 includes a button 21 that is
movable between a locked position and a released position. In the
released position, the upper housing 20 is rotatable relative to
the lower housing 18. The upper housing 20 includes a spout 15 that
provides access to the contents of the container 12. The lid
assembly 14 stores and subsequently releases into the container 12
a component part for mixing with liquid stored within the
container.
[0020] The lid assembly 14 includes a disk 22 having a chamber 16.
The chamber 16 provides for the storage of one of the mixable
substances. The disk 22 snaps into a snap groove 24 within the
lower housing 18 and is rotatable relative to the lower housing 18.
The upper housing 20 includes an outlet tube 64 that assembles into
the lower housing 18 by way of a snap fit through an outlet opening
28. The snap fit of the outlet tube 64 provides for rotation of the
upper housing 20 relative to the lower housing 18. The button 21
assembles into the upper housing 20 and is held in the locked
position by a biasing arm 60.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower housing 18 includes an
annular guide groove 32. The guide groove 32 includes a locking
grove 34 that juts radially outward normal to the guide groove 32.
The disk 22 includes a guide arm 42 that guides within the guide
groove 32. The disk 22 also includes a locking tab 44 that extends
from a peripheral edge 46 of the disk 22. The locking tab 44
rotates with the disk 22 and engages a ramped surface 36 of the
lower housing 18 upon reaching an aligned position. In the aligned
position, the chamber 16 is aligned with an inlet 26. The locking
tab 44 bends upwardly responsive to engaging the ramped surface 36
until dropping into retention groove 38. The locking tab 44 locks
the disk 22 into the aligned position with the chamber 16 aligned
with the inlet 26.
[0022] Referring now also to FIG. 7, the button 21 includes a guide
member 58 that extends into the guide groove 32. The guide member
58 is disposed within the locking groove 34 when in a locked
position to prevent rotation of the upper housing 20. Depressing
the button 21 moves the guide member 58 radially inward and into
the guide groove 32. The upper housing 20 is then free to rotate.
The guide arm 42 of the disk 22 includes a slot 45 into which the
guide member 58 is received. Accordingly, movement of the upper
housing 20 is transferred to the disk 22 through the button 21.
Depressing the button 21 frees the guide member from the locking
groove 34, and allows rotation of the upper housing 20 and disk 22
relative to the lower housing 18.
[0023] Referring now also to FIG. 5, the disk 22 includes a seal 48
surrounding the chamber 16. The seal 48 is disposed between the
disk 22 and a surface 30 of the lower housing 18. The snap groove
24 holds the disk 22 in place such that pressure is applied to the
seal 48 to prevent migration of material within the chamber 16. The
seal 48 slides along the surface 30 during rotation of the disk 22
and maintains the desired seal.
[0024] The chamber 16 is a spherical cavity having the opening 17.
The size of the chamber 16 is determined to provide a desired
storage capacity required for a desired mixture. The volume of the
chamber 16 substantially coincides with the amount of material
required to provide the desired concentration of the final mixed
beverage. The volume of the chamber 16 is not necessarily equal to
the quantity of component for mixing. As appreciated, a larger
chamber 16 can provide storage for lesser amounts of component for
mixing as is desired. Further, although a semispherical shape is
shown in the example, other shapes that provide the desired storage
capacity are also within the contemplation of this invention.
Further, multiple chambers 16 (FIG. 4B) may be utilized to store
different component mixtures or increase the capacity for storing
one component mixture.
[0025] Referring now also to FIG. 6, an underside of the spout 15
is shown and includes a first annular seal 52 and a second
elongated oval shaped seal 54. The spout 15 slides within a slot 68
(FIG. 2) of the upper housing 20. The outlet tube 64 includes a
first end in communication with the contents of the container 12
and a second end terminating at the spout 15. The spout 15 seals
against spilling of the contents in both the open and closed
positions. In the closed positions, the outlet tube 64 is covered
by the spout 15 and the seal 54. In the open position, an opening
50 of the spout 15 is aligned with the outlet tube 64 to allow
consumption of the contents of the container. The spout 56 includes
a mouthpiece portion 56 adapted to direct the contents of the
container 12.
[0026] The spout 15 includes a ridge portion 55 that corresponds to
a ridge 25 about a circumference of the upper housing 20. When the
spout 15 is in a closed position the ridge 55 conforms to the ridge
25 to provide a desired continuous and desirable appearance.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 8, the chamber 16 stores a component such
as a powder or a liquid. As appreciated, the composition of the
powder or liquid can include mixtures to enhance taste or add
valuable nutrients. The container 12 stores a liquid such as for
example water. Further, other liquids may also be stored that
correspond with the component stored within the chamber 16. The
specific contents of the chamber 16 and the container 12 are
combined to provide a desired mixture that benefits both
nutritionally and preferentially from being consumed upon
mixing.
[0028] In use, the container is filled with a liquid and the
chamber 16 filled with a powder or other mixture for mixing with
the liquid. Other mixtures can include liquids, gels, crystals or
forms as known in the art. The chamber 16 is placed in the storage
position. The storage position comprises a position that is not
aligned with the inlet 26. In this position, the contents of the
chamber 16 are isolated from liquid within the container 12. The
beverage container 10 is shipped to a destination for purchase by a
consumer.
[0029] A consumer can drink from the container by sliding the spout
15 toward a center position to align the opening 50 with the outlet
tube 64. The contents of the chamber 16 need not be dispensed to
allow access to liquid within the container 12. As appreciated, a
consumer may prefer to drink the liquid within the container 12.
When it is desired to mix the component stored within the chamber
16 with the liquid within the container 12, the button 21 is
depressed. Depressing the button 21 moves the guide member 58 from
the locking groove 34 (FIG. 3) to permit rotation of the upper
housing 20. The button 21 includes a biasing arm 60 that engages a
ramped surface 70 of the upper housing 20. The corresponding
engagement biases the button 21 radially outward such that release
of the button 21 drives the button 21 back toward the locked
position.
[0030] Rotation of the upper housing 20 results in a concurrent
rotation of the disk 22. The guide member 58 rotates to an end 35
of the guide groove 32. Once the guide member 58 is free of the
locking groove 34, the button 21 need not be held. As the end 35 is
reached, the biasing arm 60 will drive the button 21, and thereby
the guide member 58 into the locking groove 34. The end of the
guide groove 32 coincides with alignment of the chamber 16 with the
inlet 26. The contents of the chamber 16 are then free to fall into
the container 12. The contents of the chamber 16 and container are
then mixed for consumption. The spout 15 may slide as indicated by
arrows to 66 to access the liquid, or to close the container 10 for
later consumption.
[0031] The beverage container 10 of this invention provides for the
isolation and subsequent mixing of two components of a beverage.
The components may include many different mixtures such as a sports
drink where beneficial nutrients are added to water. Further, other
uses are within the contemplation of this invention such for
storing and mixing an infant's formula, or adding a component
providing a desirable taste or color change for aesthetic reasons.
Further, the number of chambers 16 may be increased to add
additional components for mixing.
[0032] Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been
disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize
that certain modifications would come within the scope of this
invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied
to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
* * * * *