SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR OPTIMIZING HYDRATION AND FOR THE CONTEXTUAL DISPENSING OF ADDITIVES

• US 20160159632A1
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirkul, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lifefuels Inc. (Infuze, LLC)
• Inventors: WHEATLEY, Maxim D., Wheatley, David J., Metlen, Todd, PERRELLI, Jonathon E., BACON, Connor J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,932,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/16 Water-bottles; Mess-tins; Cups
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00046 Drinking-through lids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0857 made separately from the base element provided with the spout or discharge passage
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2807 the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3216 Rigid containers disposed one within the other
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0015 the beverage being prepared by mixing at least two liquid components
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0081 Dispensing valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0882 Devices for controlling the dispensing conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0093 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0096 Means for pressurizing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

Provided are systems, methods, and apparatuses for a portable hydration system including a mechanical or electromechanical mechanism for dispensing additives into a liquid or other solute in a portable container. Such additives include solids, liquid, powders, and gases, and include vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements, pharmaceuticals, and other consumables. Additives are introduced into the hydration device via closed vessels equipped with RFID tags or similar, capable of transferring data about the vessels'"'"' contents to the device. Dispensing is initiated manually by direct user action, automatically by the device, and/or externally through an associated application on a user device. Dispensing is adjustable by contextual factors such as a user'"'"'s preferences, location, activity, physiologic status, and the like, obtained via APIs to third party applications or through more direct measurements or inputs. Consumption of additives and consumable liquids in the container is measured and monitored, and the data used to generate recommendations.

Claims

1. A portable container for retaining a consumable liquid, the container comprising:

at least one aperture that receives a vessel containing an additive to be dispensed into the consumable liquid; and

a dispensing assembly that dispenses variable quantities of an additive contained in a vessel received in the at least one aperture based on data associated with use of the portable container by a user.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the container includes at least one processor configured to adaptively control the dispensing assembly to dispense the variable quantities of the additive based on the data associated with use of the portable container by a user.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

control timing of dispensing of the additive from the vessel into the consumable liquid;

control an amount of pressure applied to the vessel by the dispensing assembly; and

control duration of the application of pressure.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

collect data associated with use of the portable container; and

adjust the dispensing of the additive based on the collected data,

wherein the collected data includes one or more of the following;

an amount of the consumable liquid retained in the container;

a physical characteristic of the additive to be dispensed;

a consumption activity associated with the user of the container;

a preference of the user of the container; and

a context of use of the container by the user.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

transmit the collected data from the container to a remote server in communication with the container via a communications network, to a user device associated with the user of the container, or both.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive at the container from the server, from the user device, or from both the server and user device, one or more recommendations for the user of the container, wherein the one or more recommendations are based on the collected data transmitted from the container; and

provide the one or more recommendations to the user of the container.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the one or more recommendations provided to the user include a recommendation about one or more additives to be purchased for future dispensing by the container.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the recommendation about one or more additives to be purchased for future dispensing is based on one or more of the following:

quantities and dates of previous additive purchases by the user;

rate of dispensing of additives into the container of the user; and

rate of consumption of the liquid consumable retained in the container of the user.

9. The container of claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure applicator within the dispensing assembly;

wherein the pressure applicator is moveable into a position proximal or adjacent to a surface of a vessel received in the at least one aperture; and

wherein the pressure applicator is configured to apply pressure to the surface of the vessel to fully or partially release the additive contained in the vessel.

10. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

monitor an amount of the consumable liquid retained in the container;

determine a type of the consumable liquid retained in the container;

monitor a rate of consumption of the consumable liquid retained in the container; and

detect when the amount of the consumable liquid retained in the container has increased or decreased.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

process sensor data about the amount, type, and/or rate of consumption of the consumable liquid retained in the container;

store the sensor data about the amount, type, and/or rate of consumption of the consumable liquid retained in the container;

communicate the sensor data about the amount, type, and/or rate of consumption of the consumable liquid retained in the container over a communication network; and

receive data indicating a recommended amount, a recommended type, and/or a recommended rate of consumption of the consumable liquid retained in the container.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

present, to the user of the container, the received data indicating the recommended amount, the recommended type, and/or the recommended rate of consumption of the consumable liquid retained in the container.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein a vessel received in the at least one aperture of the container includes:

a form factor enabling the vessel to recover shape after a dispensing event;

a dispensing valve permitting the dispensing of variable quantities of the additive contained in the vessel into the consumable liquid; and

a valve mechanism enabling the vessel to be removed from the dispensing assembly and stored, replaced, or transferred to a second dispensing assembly.

14. A portable dispensing system comprising:

a container for retaining a consumable liquid;

a vessel containing an additive to be dispensed into the consumable liquid retained in the container; and

a dispensing assembly that dispenses variable quantities of the additive contained in the vessel, and adaptively adjusts a quantity of the dispensed additive to achieve a targeted concentration of the additive in the consumable liquid.

15. The dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the vessel containing an additive includes a passive data storage tag affixed thereto, the data storage tag storing data associated with the additive contained in the vessel.

16. The dispensing system of claim 15, wherein the dispensing assembly is configured to:

read the data storage tag affixed to the vessel; and

control the dispensing of the additive contained in the vessel based on the data stored in the tag.

17. The dispensing system of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain the data stored in the data storage tag affixed to the vessel; and

generate one or more recommendations for a user of the container.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the dispensing assembly adjusts the quantity of the dispensed additive based on:

a level of the consumable liquid retained in the container; and

a recommended level of concentration of the additive in the consumable liquid, wherein the recommended level of concentration of the additive is based on data associated with use of the portable container by a user.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a vessel containing an additive to be dispensed into a consumable liquid retained in a portable container;

obtaining data associated with use of the portable container by a user; and

dispensing a quantity of the additive contained in the vessel into the consumable liquid retained in the container based on the obtained data associated with use of the portable container by the user.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving one or more recommendations generated for the user of the container; and

adjusting the dispensing of the additive based on the one or more received recommendations,

wherein the one or more recommendations are generated for the user based on one or more of the following;

an amount of the consumable liquid retained in the container;

a physical characteristic of the additive being dispensed;

rate of consumption of the consumable liquid retained in the container;

a preference of the user of the container; and

a context of use of the container by the user.