Packaged Bottle Beverage Having an Ingredient Release Closure with Improved Additive Release and Method and Apparatus Thereof

• US 20110045143A1
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Crown Distributing Co.
• Original Assignee: Georgia Crown Distributing Co.
• Inventors: Bell, James Clayton
• Granted Patent: US 8,541,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/72
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2835 applying and rotating preformed threaded caps for bottles or jars B67B3/20
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2821 said element being a blister, a capsule or like sealed container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2835 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer
• 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 51/2871 the plug falling into the main container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2878 the element being a lid or cover seated on a passage between the auxiliary container and the main container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/2015 in an at least partially rigid container B65D81/2038 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/24 Special measures for applying and securing caps under vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes

Abstract

A packaged bottled beverage has a base component of the beverage in a container under vacuum separate from an additive in a sealed compartment of an ingredient release closure. Upon opening the sealed compartment, suction is created forcing the additive to quickly and thoroughly exit the ingredient release closure, a region of relatively higher pressure, and flow into the base component in the container, a region of relatively lower pressure.

Claims

1. A packaged bottled beverage comprising:

a beverage comprising a base component and an additive;

a container comprising an opening for receiving a closure and a vessel containing said base component;

an ingredient release closure comprising a sealed compartment containing said additive, a release mechanism for dispensing the additive, and attaching means for attachment to said opening of said container;

said attaching means of said ingredient release closure attached to said opening of said container to form a packaged bottled beverage,

wherein said base component is contained under vacuum in said container and separated from said additive in said sealed compartment, and upon opening of said sealed compartment, suction is created forcing said additive to exit said ingredient release closure, a region of higher pressure, and flow into said base component in said container, a region of lower pressure.

2. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein upon releasing said additive from said ingredient release closure using said release mechanism and prior to opening said packaged bottle beverage, suction is created pulling said additive from said ingredient release closure into said base component in said container.

3. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein said vacuum is formed by applying compression to an outer surface of said vessel.

16. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein said vessel of said container comprises a flexible plastic.

17. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 16, wherein said flexible plastic comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

18. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein said ingredient release closure comprises a sports closure.

19. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein said ingredient release closure is sanitized.

20. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 19, wherein said ingredient release closure comprises a metered dose of sanitizer therein.

21. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 20, wherein said sanitizer comprises peracetic acid.

22. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein while said base component is contained under vacuum, a cross-sectional shape of said vessel in a label panel area of said vessel is altered by vacuum pressure forces exerted on said vessel.

23. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein while said base component is contained under vacuum, a circular cross-sectional shape of said vessel in a label panel area of said vessel is altered by vacuum pressure forces exerted on said vessel so as to transform the circular cross-sectional shape of said vessel into a square or oval cross-sectional shape.

24. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 23, wherein the vacuum pressure forces exerted on said vessel transforms the circular cross-sectional shape of said vessel into a square cross-sectional shape.

25. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein a diameter of said vessel is 95% to 65% of an original size diameter of said vessel prior to attaching said ingredient release closure to said container.

26. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of said container adjusts as said vacuum in said container exerts negative pressure on said container.

27. The packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, wherein said base component comprises water, tea, juice, or an energy drink;

and said additive comprises one or more additives selected from flavors, vitamins, energy enhancements, or natural ingredients.

28. A method for improving delivery of an additive contained within a sealed compartment of an ingredient release closure into a base component of a beverage contained within a vessel of a packaged bottled beverage comprising the steps of:

providing the packaged bottled beverage of claim 1; and

activating the release mechanism to transfer the additive into the base component.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said activating comprises twisting or applying pressure to the release mechanism.

30. A method of creating a vacuum in the container of the packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, said method comprising:

applying compression to an outer surface of the vessel during a capping process.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the compression is applied to the outer surface of the vessel by an adjustable rail having a decreasing arc from a point of initial contact with the container to a point of final contact with the container.

32. A container closing apparatus in a filling plant configured to attach the ingredient release closure onto the container of the packaged bottled beverage of claim 1, said container closing apparatus comprising:

an inlet being configured and disposed to permit containers to enter a container closing apparatus;

at least one capper mechanism being configured to attach an ingredient release closure onto a container to form a sealed container;

a container holding apparatus being configured and disposed to receive and hold the containers to permit ingredient release closures to be attached onto containers by said at least one capper mechanism;

a means for creating a vacuum in the space inside the container during attachment of the ingredient release closure onto the container; and

an outlet being configured and disposed to permit sealed containers to exit said container closing apparatus.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said means for creating vacuum is an adjustable rail having an arc of decreasing radius from a point of initial contact with the container at said inlet to a point of final contact with the container at said outlet.

4-15. -15. (canceled)