Beverage storage and discharge cap assembly

• US 6,840,373 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory A. Gibler
• Original Assignee: Gregory A. Gibler
• Inventors: Hall, Brian, Gibler, Gregory A
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/439,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 206/219, 206/221, 206/222, 215/DIG.8, 222/81, 222/83.5, 222/83
• US Class Current: 206/219
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2842 said element being provided with a preformed weakened line B65D51/2821 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

A beverage storage and discharge cap assembly includes an inner cylindrical housing rotatably nested within an outer cylindrical housing, the outer housing including a cap skirt having threads capable of being rotatably coupled to the neck of a bottle. The housings are hollow such that the inner housing may store a beverage substance therein, the inner housing having a closed top and the outer housing having a bottom wall for sealing the beverage substance within the cap assembly. A rotation of the inner housing causes a free edge thereof to rupture the bottom wall, thus releasing the stored beverage substance into the bottle whereby to interact with a beverage substance in the bottle. The housings include cooperating nubs that produce an audible sound or “pop” substantially simultaneous with rupture of the seal.

Claims

1. A beverage storage and mixing cap assembly for attachment to a spout of a beverage container adapted to hold a first beverage substance therein, comprising:

a first housing having a generally cylindrical side wall defining a first housing open top and having a first housing bottom wall with a first housing bore extending longitudinally therebetween;

means for connecting said first housing to the spout of the beverage container such that said first housing extends into the beverage container;

a second housing for insertion in said first housing bore, said second housing having a generally cylindrical second housing side wall defining a second housing open bottom and having a second housing closed top, said second housing side wall defining a second housing bore extending between said second housing closed top and said second housing open bottom, an insertion of said second housing into said first housing causing said second housing bore to cooperate with said first housing so as to form a second housing chamber for containing a second beverage substance;

means for coupling said second housing to said first housing for relative movement of said second housing therein between first and second configurations, said second housing open bottom being situated within said first housing bore at said first configuration and said second housing open bottom extending beyond said first housing bottom wall at said second configuration for communicating said second housing bore with the container for mixing said first and second beverage substances;

means for resisting movement of said second housing from said first configuration to said second configuration, said resisting means being capable of producing an audible sound when a predetermined amount of force is applied to said second housing.

2. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said first housing bottom wall is a breakable seal, a lower edge of said second housing side wall being capable of rupturing said breakable seal upon movement of said second housing from said first configuration to said second configuration, whereby to communicate said first housing bore with said container.

3. The assembly as in claim 2 wherein said first housing bottom wall includes lines of weakness to enhance breakage of said bottom wall and to minimize fragmenting thereof.

4. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said resisting means includes a first rim extending circumferentially about an inner surface of said first housing side wall and a second rim extending circumferentially about an outer surface of said second housing side wall, said first and second rims being situated so as to contact one another when said second housing is moved from said first configuration to said second configuration, said first and second rims being configured so as to produce said audible sound upon contacting one another.

5. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said resisting means comprises:

a first nub attached to an outer surface of said second housing side wall;

a second nub attached to an inner surface of said first housing side wall, said first and second nubs being configured to contact one another upon said relative movement of said first and second housings between said first and second configurations, said first and second nubs producing said audible sound when said first nub is moved across said second nub.

6. The assembly as in claim 5 wherein said first nub is displaced from said open bottom of said second housing and said second nub is adjacent said first housing bottom wall.

7. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises:

a skirt about said first housing side wall; and

a plurality of threads on said skirt for engagement with a plurality of threads located on the spout of the container.

8. The assembly as in claim 7 further comprising:

a first plurality of knurled edges situated on an outer surface of said skirt for enhanced gripping by fingers of a person; and

a second plurality of knurled edges situated on an outer surface of an upper end portion of said second housing for enhanced gripping by fingers of a person.

9. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises:

a plurality of threads about an interior of said first housing side wall;

a plurality of complementary threads about an exterior of said second housing side wall, an engagement of said respective threads of said first and second side walls coupling said first housing to said second housing for relative movement thereof.

10. The assembly as in claim 1 further comprising:

a stop rim extending circumferentially about an interior of said first housing side wall;

an assembly rim extending circumferentially about an exterior of said second housing side wall, said stop rim and said assembly rim having complementary configurations such that said stop rim precludes a movement of said assembly rim upwardly beyond said stop rim after the assembly rim has been moved downwardly beyond the stop rim upon said insertion of said second housing into said first housing.

11. The assembly as in claim 1 further comprising:

an upper end portion depending from said second housing closed top and having a diameter slightly larger than said first housing bore; and

means connected to a lower edge of said upper end portion for forming a seal between said upper end portion and said second housing bore when said second housing is at said second configuration, whereby to prevent said first beverage substance from flowing through said first housing open top.

12. The assembly as in claim 1 further comprising sealing means for precluding liquid from flowing between said first and second housings when said second housing is inserted in said first housing bore.

13. A beverage storage and mixing cap assembly for attachment to a spout of a beverage container adapted to hold a first beverage substance therein, said assembly comprising:

a first housing comprising;

a first housing side wall having a generally cylindrical configuration defining a first housing chamber;

a first housing bottom wall at an end of said first housing chamber, said first housing side wall defining a first housing open end opposite said first housing bottom wall;

means in said first housing for attaching said first housing to the spout of the container such that said first housing chamber extends into an interior of the container;

a second housing configured for insertion in said first housing chamber, said second housing comprising;

a second housing side wall defining a second housing open end and having a second housing closed top, said second housing open end cooperating with said first housing chamber to form a second housing chamber upon said insertion of said second housing within said first housing chamber, said second housing chamber adapted to contain a second beverage substance;

means for providing a relative movement of said second housing within said first housing between a first configuration in which said second housing open end is situated in said first housing chamber adjacent said first housing bottom wall and a second configuration in which said second housing open end extends beyond said first housing bottom wall for communicating said second housing chamber with the container, whereby to mix said first and second beverage substances; and

means on said first and second housings for cooperatively producing an audible sound upon movement of said second housing between said first and second configurations.

14. The assembly as in claim 13 wherein said first housing bottom wall is a breakable seal, said breakable seal being capable of being ruptured by a lower edge of said second housing side wall upon movement of said second housing from said first configuration to said second configuration.

15. The assembly as in claim 14 wherein said breakable seal includes lines of weakness for enhancing rupture of said breakable seal and inhibiting fragmentation thereof.

16. The assembly as in claim 13 wherein said means for providing a relative movement comprises:

a plurality of threads about an inner surface of said first housing side wall; and

a plurality of complementary threads about an outer surface of said second housing side wall, an engagement of said respective threads of said first and second side walls coupling said first housing to said second housing for relative movement thereof.

17. The assembly as in claim 13 wherein said sound producing means comprises:

a first nub attached to an outer surface of said second housing side wall;

a second nub attached to an inner surface of said first housing side wall, said first and second nubs being configured to contact one another upon said relative movement of said second housing within said first housing between said first and second configurations, said first and second nubs producing said audible sound when said first nub is moved across said second nub.

18. The assembly as in claim 13 wherein said sound producing means comprises a first rim extending circumferentially about an inner surface of said first housing side wall and a second rim extending circumferentially about an outer surface of said second housing side wall, said first and second rims being configured so as to contact one another for production of a sound when said second housing is moved from said first configuration to said second configuration.

19. The assembly as in claim 13 wherein said attaching means comprises:

a skirt extending about said first housing side wall and connected to said first housing side wall adjacent said first housing open top; and

a plurality of threads on an interior of said skirt for engagement with a plurality of threads the a spout of the container;

said assembly further comprising;

a first plurality of knurled edges situated on an outer surface of said skirt for providing an enhanced gripping of said skirt between a thumb and finger of a person; and

a second plurality of knurled edges situated on an outer surface of an upper end portion of said second housing for providing an enhanced gripping between a thumb and finger of a person.

20. A beverage storage and mixing cap assembly for attachment to a spout of a beverage container adapted to hold a first beverage substance therein, said assembly comprising:

a first housing comprising;

a first housing side wall defining a first housing chamber;

a first housing bottom wall at an end of said first housing chamber, said first housing side wall defining a first housing open end opposite said first housing bottom wall;

a skirt extending about said first housing side wall;

a plurality of threads on an inner surface of said skirt for engagement with a plurality of threads on the spout of the container, whereby to releasably couple said first housing to the spout of the container such that said first housing chamber extends into an interior of the container;

a second housing configured for insertion in said first housing chamber, said second housing comprising;

a second housing side wall defining a second housing open end and having a second housing closed top, said second housing open end cooperating with said first housing chamber to form a second housing chamber upon said insertion of said second housing within said first housing chamber, said second housing chamber adapted to contain a second beverage substance;

a plurality of threads about an inner surface of said first housing side wall;

a plurality of complementary threads about an outer surface of said second housing side wall, an engagement of said respective threads of said first and second side walls coupling said first housing to said second housing for relative movement of said second housing within said first housing between a first configuration in which said second housing open end is situated in said first housing chamber adjacent said first housing bottom wall and a second configuration in which said second housing open end extends beyond said first housing bottom wall for communicating said second housing chamber with the container, whereby to mix said first and second beverage substances;

means on said first and second housings for producing an audible sound upon movement of said second housing between said first and second configurations, wherein said sound producing means includes;

a first nub attached to said outer surface of said second housing side wall;

a second nub attached to said inner surface of said first housing side wall, said first and second nubs being configured to contact one another upon said relative movement of said second housing within said first housing between said first and second configurations, said first and second nubs producing said audible sound when said first nub is moved across said second nub; and

means for precluding liquid from flowing between said first and second housings when said second housing is inserted in said first housing chamber.