Dispensing cap

• US 20020157971A1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coca-Cola Company (The Coca-Cola Company)
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Carlson, Stephen G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,017,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/222
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2814 the additional article or materials being released by piercing, cutting or tearing an element enclosing it
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

A cap for use with a container includes a ring member having an opening and a capsule provided on the ring member. The capsule extends through the opening. A plunger is provided on an interior wall of the capsule. The capsule contains a substance, such as a water-dispersible liquid. The container having a main chamber and a mouth stores and serves a beverage. The main chamber is filled with a single strength beverage, and the capsule is filled with a water-dispersible liquid. The liquid may be a flavor such as, for example, citrus, cranberry, passion fruit, or carambola. The capsule is placed in the mouth of the container contiguous the main chamber, with the capsule being openable to inject the water-dispersible liquid into the single strength beverage in the main chamber in response to manual manipulation of the capsule.

Claims

1. A cap for use with a container, comprising:

a ring member having an opening therein;

a capsule provided on the ring member and extending through the opening;

a plunger provided on an interior wall of the capsule; and

a substance contained within the capsule.

2. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the ring member includes a top wall and a peripheral side wall, the top wall having the opening therethrough.

3. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the capsule includes a bottom end containing a water-dispersible liquid and a headspace containing nitrogen at atmospheric pressure.

4. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the capsule includes a bottom end

containing a water-dispersible liquid and a headspace of inert gas at a

pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure.

5. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the capsule includes a bottom end containing a water-dispersible liquid and a headspace of inert gas at a pressure much greater than atmospheric pressure.

6. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the plunger is configured to rupture the capsule upon application of a force to the capsule.

7. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the capsule includes a bottom end containing a water-dispersible liquid, said bottom end comprising a scored region for facilitating rupture of the capsule.

8. The cap according to claim 3, wherein, when the capsule is ruptured, the pressure of the nitrogen in the headspace assists ejection of the water-dispersible liquid from the bottom end.

9. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the container is made of a material chosen from at least one of glass, polymeric material, and cellulose material and derivatives thereof.

10. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the capsule contains a water-dispersible liquid and a headspace containing inner gas.

11. The cap according to claim 10, wherein the water-dispersible liquid comprises at least one of a flavor, a color, a vitamin, and a micronutrient.

12. The cap according to claim 10, wherein the water-dispersible liquid comprises at least one of orange, grapefruit, lemon, cranberry, passion fruit, and carambola.

13. The cap according to claim 10, wherein the water-dispersible liquid comprises an essential oil of citrus origin.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising rupturing the capsule to assist ejection of the water-dispersible liquid into the single strength beverage at a time proximate consumption of the beverage.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising shaking the container after ejection of the water dispersible liquid into the single strength beverage.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the single-strength beverage is a non-flavored single-strength beverage and the water-dispersible liquid is a water-dispersible liquid flavor.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the water-dispersible liquid comprises at least one of a flavor, a color, a vitamin, and a micronutrient.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the water-dispersible liquid flavor is citrus flavor.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the water-dispersible flavor is from the group consisting of citrus, cranberry, passion fruit, and carambola.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the capsule includes a bottom end containing the water-dispersible liquid flavor and a headspace of inert gas at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the capsule includes a bottom end containing the water-dispersible liquid flavor and a headspace of inert gas at a pressure much greater than atmospheric pressure.

29. The cap according to claim 1 wherein the capsule includes a nozzle end having a scored rupture point.

14. A method of storing a beverage, comprising:

filling a container to a predetermined level with a single strength beverage component;

filling a capsule with a predetermined amount of a water-dispersible liquid, the capsule being openable into fluid communication with the single strength beverage component;

flushing a headspace of the capsule with nitrogen at a pressure slightly greater than atmospheric pressure; and

sealing the container with a cap that includes the capsule.

19. A method of improving shelf-life of packaged beverages flavored with delicate water-dispersible liquid flavors, comprising:

providing a container for storing and serving the beverage, the container having a main chamber and a mouth;

filling the main chamber with a non-flavored single strength beverage;

filling a capsule with a water-dispersible liquid flavor; and

placing the capsule in the mouth of the container contiguous the main chamber, the capsule being openable to inject the water-dispersible liquid flavor into the non-flavored single strength beverage in the main chamber in response to manual manipulation of the capsule.

20. A container for beverages flavored with delicate water-dispersible liquid flavors for enhancing shelf-life thereof, the container comprising:

a main chamber fillable with a non-flavored single strength beverage;

a capsule in a mouth of the container contiguous the main chamber fillable with a water-dispersible liquid flavor; and

an actuation device for flushing the water-dispersible liquid flavor from the capsule into the non-flavored single strength beverage.

21. The container of claim 20 wherein the water-dispersible liquid flavor is citrus flavor.

22. The container of claim 20 wherein the water-dispersible liquid flavor is from the group consisting of citrus, cranberry, passion fruit, and carambola.

27. The container of claim 20 wherein the capsule a bottom end containing the water-dispersible liquid flavor and a headspace of inert gas at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure.

28. The container of claim 20 wherein the capsule includes a bottom end containing the water-dispersible liquid flavor and a headspace of inert gas at a pressure much greater than atmospheric pressure.