Apparatus for dispersing a substance in a liquid beverage

• US 5,885,635 A
• Filed: 02/20/1996
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canning Concepts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Canning Concepts Incorporated
• Inventors: Jones, Scott, Spring, Robert E., Loper, David
• Primary Examiner(s): WEINSTEIN, STEVEN L
• Application Number:
  US08/604,033
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 426/120, 426/115, 206/217, 206/222, 206/219, 206/221, 220/521, 220/522
• US Class Current: 426/120
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2517/0014 pivot tab and push-down tear panel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2517/0056 Unusual elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3222 with additional means facilitating admixture

Abstract

An apparatus for dispersing a substance in a liquid beverage contained in a container includes a receptacle containing the substance formed in the interior of the container and an opening tab attached to the top of the container for bursting the receptacle to disperse the substance and for opening a pour panel in the top of the container so that the liquid beverage can be drunk from the container. The receptacle is formed of a flat sheet of an elastic material that is joined at opposite edges thereof to form a burstable seam. One end of the receptacle is a beak that causes the seam to burst upon engagement with the opening tab.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispersing a substance in a liquid beverage comprising:

a container containing a liquid beverage, the container including a bottom and at least one side defining an interior;

a top having a non-resealable pour panel attached thereto;

a burstable receptacle included in the interior of the container and containing a substance to be dispersed in the beverage, the receptacle being formed of a flat sheet of an elastic material that has been deformed so that the opposite edges of the flat sheet are releasable joined to form a seam and a beak at least at one end of the seam, the deformation having created elastic energy in the sheet which is stored in the sheet while the opposite edges remain joined; and

an opening tab attached to the top such that lifting the opening tab breaks open the pour panel said burstable receptacle being positioned in the container such that when said opening tab breaks open the pour panel, the pour panel engages the beak of the burstable receptacle in the container causing a break in the seam which propagates along a length of the seam, thereby releasing the elastic energy stored in the sheet so that the receptacle bursts open and the substance is dispersed in the liquid beverage.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is generally cylindrical.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is attached to the top of the container with the beak adjacent the pour panel.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is attached to the side of the container in the interior thereof.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is formed of thermoplastic material.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is formed of a sheet of aluminum.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the receptacle is coated with and the seam is comprised of a thermoplastic material.