Tumbler lid with reservoir and repetitive measuring and disbursement mechanism

• US 10,112,752 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toddy Tech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Toddy Tech, LLC
• Inventors: Tonn, Andrew, Sanford, Stephen, Yakos, David, Switzer, Joel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, King M
• Application Number:
  US15/658,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20180186529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 206221
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/52 Adding ingredients adding preservatives A23L2/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0018 of the 43-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0028 of the 51-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0081 of the 43-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/0087 of the 47-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/009 of the 51-type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00046 Drinking-through lids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/02 Removable lids or covers with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/06 with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages with slidable spouts B65D47/26
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/18 Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures B65D51/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2864 the element being a plug or like element closing a passage between the auxiliary container and the main container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2892 the element, e.g. a valve, opening an aperture of the auxiliary container B65D51/2864, B65D51/2878 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/16 for liquid or semiliquid

Abstract

This container lid fits onto existing insulated cups. It has a refillable and sealable reservoir with a top opening to receive substances and a bottom opening to release substances into a container. The release of substances is controlled and measured before release. A double piston and button combination interact with a narrow section of the reservoir to dispense only a portion of the contents from the reservoir into the container. The released portion is carefully metered within the narrow channel when the double piston alternately seals a first opening and a second opening of the narrow channel. The reservoir serves to store the unreleased substance until the next time the button is activated to release addition substance into the container.

Claims

1. A lid for a beverage container comprising:

a refillable reservoir section,

a measuring channel having a proximal aperture and a distal aperture,

a reciprocating sealing mechanism for selectively blocking the proximal aperture and distal aperture,

an actuating mechanism mechanically joined with the reciprocating sealing mechanism controls movement of the reciprocating sealing mechanism,

a drinking access,

wherein the refillable reservoir section and the reciprocating sealing mechanism cooperate to receive and enclose an additive within the lid,

the drinking access having a wall partitioning the drinking access from the additive within the lid,

the lid permitting disbursement into the beverage container of the additive from the distal aperture in measured and repeatable quantities.

2. The lid of claim 1, wherein the lid further comprises coupling permitting repeated attachment to the beverage container.

3. The lid of claim 1, wherein the reciprocating sealing mechanism selectively seals in the following configurations:

blocking of the distal aperture of the measuring channel simultaneously with the unblocking of the proximal aperture of the measuring channel,

simultaneous blocking of the proximal aperture of the measuring channel and the distal aperture of the measuring channel,

blocking of the proximal aperture of the measuring channel simultaneously with the unblocking of the distal aperture of the measuring channel, and

various stages in between these enumerated stages.

4. The lid of claim 1, wherein a default position of the reciprocating sealing mechanism allows the additive to pass into the measuring channel from the refillable reservoir section.

5. The lid of claim 1, wherein the reciprocating sealing mechanism is a plunger piston.

6. The lid of claim 1, wherein the refillable reservoir section is shaped to allow the additive to spill into the measuring channel when the proximal aperture is unsealed.

7. The lid of claim 1, wherein the additive is a liquid.

8. The lid of claim 7, wherein when the distal aperture of the measuring channel is sealed, the measuring channel is in fluid communication with the refillable reservoir section.

9. The lid of claim 7, when the proximal aperture of the measuring channel is sealed, the measuring channel is in fluid communication with the beverage container.

10. The lid of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism automatically returns to rest in a default position which seals the lid from the beverage container.

11. The lid of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism may be operated an indefinite number of times.

12. The lid of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism is a button located on the lid.

13. The lid of claim 1, wherein the refillable reservoir section holds a volume that is at least twice as large as that of the measuring channel.

14. The lid of claim 1, wherein the refillable reservoir section further comprises a hinged cover access to allow refilling and reclosing.

15. The lid of claim 1, wherein additive is poured into the refillable reservoir section through a filling port with a hinged cover.

16. The lid of claim 1, wherein the drinking access further comprises a closure.

17. The lid of claim 1, wherein operation of the lid transfers a metered quantity of the additive from the reservoir section to the beverage container.

18. A beverage container lid for use with a conventional reusable cup having a beverage compartment with a drinking opening, the beverage container lid comprising:

a lid reservoir having a filling port vertically spaced from a measuring tube,

the filling port having a reclosable access,

the filling port in fluid communication with the measuring tube,

the measuring tube having a proximal aperture and a distal aperture,

a reciprocating sealing mechanism selectively seals the measuring tube,

an actuating mechanism connects with the reciprocating sealing mechanism,

wherein the beverage container lid repeatedly couples to the drinking opening,

wherein the lid reservoir and the reciprocating sealing mechanism cooperate to receive and enclose an additive within the beverage container lid, and

wherein the actuating mechanism controls the movement of the reciprocating sealing mechanism to release the additive into the measuring tube and then into the beverage compartment for repeated disbursement of an apportionment of an additive.

19. The beverage container lid of claim 18, further comprising

a drinking channel having a vertical wall partitioning the drinking channel from the lid reservoir, the filling port, and the measuring tube,

the drinking channel further allowing access to the beverage compartment.

20. The beverage container lid of claim 18, wherein before the additive is released into the beverage compartment it is sealed off from the lid reservoir.

21. The beverage container lid of claim 18, wherein the actuating mechanism moves the reciprocating sealing mechanism to block passage of the additive from the lid reservoir into the measuring tube and unblock the flow from the measuring tube into the beverage container.

22. A tumbler-compatible lid comprising:

a gasket seal to interface and create a liquid-tight seal with a conventional beverage container,

an open bottom,

a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is comprised of;

a lid top piece forming a top wall of the reservoir and the lid top piece having,

a reservoir fill hole disposed atop the lid top piece and encompassing approximately half of the top wall,

a button recess to receive a button actuating mechanism,

a first alignment lip,

a reservoir vent traversing the top wall above the reservoir,

the lid top piece further having attachment points for a hinged reservoir cover which seats into the reservoir fill hole,

a lid bottom piece comprising a bottom wall of the reservoir and the lid bottom piece having,

a metering tube having an interior wall to interface with a double piston to receive a metered volume,

wherein the double piston further comprises a vertical shaft and two radially extending horizontal walls, each horizontal wall circumscribed by a wiper seal,

a second alignment lip communicates with the first alignment lip,

the first alignment lip and second alignment lip surround a drinking channel and cooperate to hold the top lid piece and the lid bottom piece in non-rotational alignment,

a container ledge to receive a top opening of the conventional beverage container,

a beverage container vent hole traverses the reservoir to allow air flow from the conventional beverage container during drinking,

when joined, the lid top piece and the lid bottom piece create a liquid-tight reservoir with a shape and size to complement the top opening of the conventional beverage container,

the drinking channel traverses each of the top lid piece and bottom lid piece,

the button actuating mechanism mechanically attaches to the double piston and controls the movement of the double piston within the metering tube to alternatively create fluid communication between the reservoir and the open bottom.