Container having separate storage facilities for two materials

• US 4,221,291 A
• Filed: 06/20/1978
• Issued: 09/09/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Foods Corporation (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Foods Corporation (Mondelez International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hunt, Guilbert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, George T.
• Application Number:
  US05/917,261
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 206/222, 206/219, 215/6, 215/DIG. 8, 220/23, 222/83
• US Class Current: 206/222
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2842 said element being provided with a preformed weakened line B65D51/2821 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3222 with additional means facilitating admixture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

A container providing for the separate storage of two materials and the admixing of the materials upon opening of the container. A main container holds a quantity of a first material, such as carbonated water, and a separate compartment holds a small quantity of a second material, such as a dipeptide sweetener flavoring. The disclosure provides several embodiments of the invention wherein a bottle has a compartmented closure applied as a cap thereto. The closure incorporates a compartment, which may be substantially cylindrically shaped, for the second material, and has a flexible top wall and a releasable bottom wall which is positioned within the neck of the bottle. An actuating rod extends through the compartment intermediate the flexible top wall to the releasable bottom wall whereby, when it is desired to admix the first and second materials, the flexible top wall is pressed down to force the actuating rod against the releasable bottom wall, thereby causing it to pivot open and release the second material within the compartment to admix with the first material in the bottle.

Claims

1. A container arrangement for separately storing at least first and second materials in a container and providing for the selective admixing of the first and second materials in the container, comprising:

a. a container for containing said first material, said container including a dispensing orifice defining an access aperture to the contents of the container; and

b. closure means, comprising inner and outer members, for sealing said access aperture, including a flexible upper wall in said outer member, a compartment associated with said closure means for containing said second material, said inner member forming the side walls of said compartment and defining a first substantial portion of the compartment extending into the container through said dispensing orifice and further defining a substantial portion of the compartment projecting above said dispensing orifice, said inner member also forming said compartment having at least a portion thereof extending into said container, a releasable bottom wall on said compartment proximate the innermost end of said compartment in said container, a hinge means connecting said releasable bottom wall to said compartment, an actuating rod extending through said compartment from said releasable bottom wall to said upper wall sealing said access aperture, said flexible upper wall adapted to be depressed into said container responsive to external pressure being applied thereto whereby said actuating rod will be displaced in the direction of the releasable bottom wall of said compartment to cause said releasable bottom wall to at least partly disengage from said compartment so as to open said compartment and release the second material from said compartment into the first material in said container.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said container having a substantially cylindrical neck section extending to said access opening, said compartment having a cylindrical wall portion extending at least partly into said neck section in close conformance with the inner wall surface thereof, said releasable bottom wall being located proximate the innermost end of said neck section within said container.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said actuating rod being integrally formed with said releasable bottom wall of said compartment.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, said closure means comprising inner and outer members, said inner member including said releasable bottom wall, said actuating rod and said cylindrical wall portion of said compartment, and said outer member including said flexible upper wall.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, said inner member being formed of an integral unitary structure.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, said inner member being constituted of a molded plastic material.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, said outer member being consituted of a metallic material.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, said inner and outer members each comprising annular flange portions adapted to cooperatively engage the lip of said neck section so as to sealingly close said container.

9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, comprising hinge means connecting said releasable bottom wall to the cylindrical wall portion of said compartment for pivotal motion relative thereto.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9, said hinge means being integrally formed with said releasable bottom wall and said cylindrical wall portion.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, said releasable bottom wall and said cylindrical wall portion being integrally formed, a weakening line extending along a major portion of the circumferential edge of said releasable bottom wall whereby said releasable bottom wall is adapted to be at least partly detached from said cylindrical wall portion along said weakening line responsive to downward movement being imparted to said actuating rod.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11, said releasable bottom wall being inclined relative to said closure with the lowest point thereof coinciding with the center of said weakening line.