Discharge cap with releasable tablet basket

• US 6,230,884 B1
• Filed: 09/09/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fredrick Michael Coory
• Original Assignee: Fredrick Michael Coory
• Inventors: Coory, Fredrick Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUONG, SHIAN TINH NHAN
• Application Number:
  US09/380,858
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 206/222, 206/219, 222/135, 222/136, 222/82, 222/129, 222/129.1, 215/DIG.8
• US Class Current: 206/222
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2821 said element being a blister, a capsule or like sealed container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

A cap for a container where a drink, made of two components, can be stored or carried with the components stored separately. The components are mixed prior to the consumption of the drink. The cap includes a collar secured to the container and a top which is in two parts. The top is moveable between an open and a closed position. When the top is initially in the open position, a basket between the top and the liquid initially holds the material, which can be a powder or tablet. The top is initially closed to release the seal between the liquid and the material, the drink is shaken, and the top reopened for a passageway from the liquid to the exterior of the cap. A cover is releasably secured over the cap.

Claims

1. A cap for a container with a top opening and capable of containing a drinkable liquid, said cap including:

a collar with means for securing the cap to the container about the top opening, said collar being formed with a cylindrical collar passage therethrough;

a neck portion including a top portion, a bottom portion, and a centrally located seal-breaking means, said neck portion having at least one neck passage therethrough, and said top portion is moveable relative to said collar, said top portion being moveable between an open position in which said top portion is spatially separated from said collar, and a closed position in which said top portion is sealed against said collar, and while in said closed position, said neck portion provides a seal for retaining liquid within the container; and

a basket capable of containing therein a material which is capable of dissolution in the liquid in the container;

releasable means for maintaining said top portion in said open position;

a cover which is releasably securable to said collar about said cap;

wherein

said top portion being configured so that when in said open position, the liquid is sealed within said container by said basket, and

when said top portion is initially moved to said closed position, said seal provided by said basket is broken by the interaction of said seal-breaking means and said basket, and said neck passage is blocked by engagement between portions of said collar and said neck; and

thereafter, when said top portion is moved to said open position, a passageway for fluid from the container is provided through said collar passage and said neck passage, and when the top portion is in the closed position, a seal for retaining liquid within the container is thereby provided.

2. A cap for a container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cap is capable of re-use, the collar having releasably securable means for securing the cap to the container.

3. A cap for a container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top portion of the neck includes a section that narrows to a narrow opening with a diameter less than the diameter of the top of the container, and the sealing means includes two flat surfaces, one of the top of the collar and one on the underside of a flange on the neck portion and wherein the fit between the neck portion an the collar is a push fit.

4. A cap for a container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the neck portion includes a seal-breaking means that is in the form of a prong or pointed end, which is integrally formed with the top portion.

5. A cap for a container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cap is capable of re-use with a new basket.

6. A cap for a container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the basket is formed from a piece of foil and the material is in tablet form encased within the foil.