Compartmented container

• US 4,416,370 A
• Filed: 08/25/1982
• Issued: 11/22/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Beall
• Original Assignee: Robert Beall
• Inventors: Beall, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixson, Jr., William T.
• Application Number:
  US06/411,452
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 206/217, 206/222, 206/19, 206/634, 215/6, 229/1.5 B, 220/22
• US Class Current: 206/217
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2205 Drinking glasses or vessels A47G19/23 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/002 Communion cups, chalices or the like

Abstract

A compartmented container suited for use in conjunction with administering the sacramental elements during a communion service and for taking medication and like substances comprising a body member having first and second ends and a side wall portion extending therebetween, a central opening extending through the body member, a floor disposed at an intermediate location along the side wall portion and extending across the central opening separating the body member into first and second compartments, the first compartment being substantially cup-like in form to hold a liquid therein, a closed wall member extending from the floor member into the second compartment forming a cavity therewithin for receiving and storing a communion wafer, a pill or tablet, or other non-liquid substance therein, the closed wall member being spaced inwardly from the side wall portion of the body member forming a space therebetween, and a separate closure member slidably receivable within the second compartment including a closed wall member shaped to be movable in the space formed between the side wall portion of the body member and the closed wall member forming the cavity, the closure member having a rupturable membrane extending thereacross adjacent one end thereof and being positionable within the second compartment such that the membrane extends across and closes the cavity, the closure member being movable in the second compartment against the cavity forming wall member whereby the cavity forming wall member ruptures the membrane and provides access to the non-liquid substance stored within the cavity.

Claims

1. A compartmented container adaptable for holding a liquid and a non-liquid substance therein comprising a body member having a first substantially cup-like portion for holding the liquid substance therein and a second portion defining a second compartment for holding the non-liquid substance therein, said body member having first and second ends and a closed side wall portion extending therebetween, a floor member disposed at an intermediate location along the closed side wall portion separating the cup-like portion from said second compartment, a closed wall member extending from said floor member into said second compartment forming a cavity therewithin adaptable to receive the non-liquid substance therein, said closed wall member being positioned in spaced relation inwardly from the closed side wall portion of said body member to form a space therebetween, a closure member slidably receivable within said second compartment including a closed wall member shaped to be movable in the space between the closed side wall portion of said body member and the closed wall member forming said cavity, said closure member having a rupturable membrane extending thereacross adjacent one end thereof whereby said membrane can be moved against the cavity forming wall member to rupture said membrane and provide access to the non-liquid substance stored in said cavity.

2. The compartmented container defined in claim 1 wherein the first end of said body member is flared outwardly to facilitate drinking therefrom.

3. The compartmented container defined in claim 1 wherein the portion of said closed side wall portion that defines said cup-like compartment is tapered from end-to-end.

4. The compartmented container defined in claim 1 wherein said rupturable membrane is made from a relatively thin flexible material.

8. The compartmented container defined in claims 1 or 5 wherein said membrane has perforations associated therewith to facilitate the rupturing thereof.

9. The compartmented container defined in claims 1 or 5 wherein said closure member has a tab portion extending sidewardly therefrom to facilitate gripping said closure member during removal thereof from the second compartment.

5. A compartmented container for holding a liquid and a non-liquid substance therein comprising a tubular body member having first and second end portions and a side wall portion extending therebetween defining a central opening therethrough, a floor member extending transversely across said central opening at an intermediate location along said side wall portion to separate the central opening into compartments on opposite sides thereof, said floor member and said side wall portion defining a first substantially cup-shaped compartment extending to one end of the tubular body member for holding a liquid therein and a second compartment extending to the opposite end of said tubular body member for holding a non-liquid substance therein, wall means extending from said floor member into said second compartment forming a cavity therein for receiving and storing the non-liquid substance, said cavity forming wall mean being spaced inwardly from said side wall portion to form a space therebetween, a separate closure member including a closed wall member shaped to be movable in the space between the cavity forming wall means and said side wall portion, said closure member having a rupturable membrane extending thereacross adjacent one end thereof and being slidably movable within said second compartment from a first position wherein said membrane is positioned adjacent to said cavity forming wall means to close said cavity and a second position wherein said membrane engages and is ruptured by said cavity forming wall means to provide access to the non-liquid substance stored within said cavity.

6. The compartmented container defined in claim 5 wherein the second end of said side wall portion and said closure member have means associated therewith that are cooperatively engagable when said closure member is in its first position to maintain said closure member in said first position.

7. The compartmented container defined in claim 6 wherein said means for maintaining said closure member in its first position includes an offset portion formed on the closed wall of said closure member and a projection formed on the second end of said side wall portion, said projection being in a position to be able to engage said offset portion when the closure member is in said first position.

10. A container dispensing device having a cup portion for holding a liquid substance and a second compartment portion for holding a non-liquid substance comprising a container body member having first and second compartments formed therein, said container body including a tube-like member having first and second ends and a side wall portion extending therebetween with a central opening extending through said container body, a floor member disposed at an intermediate location between the first and second ends of said side wall portion across said central opening separating said container body into said first and second compartments, said first compartment being adaptable to receive and hold a liquid therein, said second compartment being adaptable to hold a non-liquid substance therein, a closed wall member extending from the floor member into said second compartment in spaced relation inwardly from the side wall portion of said container body to form a space therebetween, said closed wall member and said floor member defining a cavity within said second compartment adaptable to receive and store the non-liquid substance therewithin, a closure member slidably receivable within said second compartment including a wall member having an opening extending therethrough and a flexible membrane extending across said opening adjacent one end thereof, the wall member associated with said closure member being shaped to be movable in the space formed between the side wall portion of said container body and the closed wall member forming said cavity, said closure member being movable into said second compartment to a first position wherein said flexible membrane extends across and in contact with the closed wall member to form a closure wall for said cavity, said closure member being movable to a second position whereby the closed wall member ruptures said membrane and provides access to the non-liquid substance stored within said cavity, said non-liquid substance being dispensed through the opening extending through said closure member when said membrane is ruptured.

11. The container dispensing device defined in claim 10 wherein the portion of said side wall portion defining said first compartment is tapered from end-to-end.

12. The container dispensing device defined in claim 10 wherein said container body, said closed wall member and the wall member associated with the closure member are all annular in shape.

13. The container dispensing device defined in claim 10 wherein the closed wall member has a serrated edge portion for engaging and rupturing the membrane.

14. A container dispensing device having a cup portion for holding a liquid substance and a second compartment portion for holding a non-liquid substance comprising a container body member having first and second compartments formed therein, said container body including a tube-like member having first and second ends and a side wall portion extending therebetween with a central opening extending through said container body, a floor member disposed at an intermediate location between the first and second ends of said side wall portion across said central opening separating said container body into said first and second compartments, said first compartment being adaptable to receive and hold a liquid therein, annular wall means extending from said floor member into said second compartment forming a cavity therein adaptable to receive and store a non-liquid substance therein, said annular wall means being spaced inwardly from the side wall portion of said container body to form a space therebetween, a closure member slidably receivable within said second compartment including an annular wall member shaped to be movable in the space formed by and between the side wall portion of said container body and said cavity forming wall means, said closure member having a rupturable membrane extending thereacross adjacent one end thereof in position to be moved in one position thereof against said cavity forming wall means to close the cavity and in another position whereby the cavity forming wall means ruptures said membrane and provides access to the non-liquid substance stored within said cavity.

15. The container dispensing device defined in claim 14 including means on said closure member and on said container body to hold said membrane in the one position closing the cavity.

16. The container dispensing device defined in claim 14 wherein the portion of said side wall defining said first compartment is tapered from end-to-end.

17. The container dispensing device defined in claim 14 wherein the portion of said side wall forming the second compartment, said annular cavity forming wall means and the annular wall member of said closure member are cylindrical in shape.