Dispensing lid closure for beverage container and method of making and using the closure

• US 6,976,578 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Antony Austin Kenihan
• Original Assignee: Antony Austin Kenihan
• Inventors: Kenihan, Antony Austin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Jila M.
• Application Number:
  US10/139,209
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 206219-222, 206/217, 206/568, 215/DIG.8, 215/227, 426/112, 426/115, 426/120
• US Class Current: 206/222
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2835 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

A lid closure for dispensing a fluent material into a hot or cold beverage container comprises a one-piece molded lid closure with one or more sealed compartments containing the fluent material and an integrally molded conical recess associated with each compartment that can be deflected to puncture a hole in a thin foil or plastic layer sealing the compartment. The conical recess is deflected by pressure applied by the consumer and when the pressure is released, automatically retracts from the hole formed in the sealing layer to permit the fluent material to discharge into the container.

Claims

1. A lid closure adapted to dispense a fluent material into a container comprising a lid formed of a sheet material having a substantially uniform thickness, said lid having formed therein at least one compartment adapted to contain the fluent material for dispensing into the container, a convex domed portion formed in said lid and at least one conical recess formed in the domed portion, said conical recess having a tip extending into said compartment, a sealing layer affixed to said lid for sealing the fluent material in the compartment whereby pressure applied to said conical recess urges the domed portion and the tip of the conical recess toward the sealing layer to puncture the same and dispense the fluent material from the compartment and into the container.

2. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the convex domed portion has an original formed position and automatically returns to its original formed position when the pressure applied to the conical recess is released.

3. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein said lid has a top and a bottom, the bottom of the lid having a sealing surface for sealingly affixing the sealing layer to the lid.

4. The lid closure of claim 3, wherein the sealing surface comprises two coplanar concentric annular surfaces.

5. The lid closure of claim 4, wherein the sealing surface further comprises at least one radial surface extending between and coplanar with said concentric annular surfaces.

6. The lid closure of claim 5, wherein the sealing surface further comprises a plurality of radial surface extending between and coplanar with said concentric annular surfaces.

7. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the sealing layer is made of a sheet material from the group comprising a metal foil, a polymeric foil, and a metal/polymeric foil laminate.

8. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the lid has means formed therein for receiving a drinking straw and an annular skirt for attachment to the container.

9. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the lid is formed with at least one raised section forming said compartment, said raised section having a top surface, the convex domed portion and conical recess being formed in said top surface.

10. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the lid is formed with a plurality of raised arcuate sections each forming a compartment, each arcuate section having a top surface and a convex domed portion and a conical recess being formed in each top surface.

11. The lid closure of claim 1, including indicia formed in the lid.

12. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the container contains a soft drink beverage and the fluent material is a liquid, granular or powdered flavorant.

13. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the sealing layer is affixed to the lid by heat sealing or adhesive.

14. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the lid is vacuum-formed of a polystyrene sheet material.

15. The lid closure of claim 1, wherein the sealing layer has a central opening.

16. A lid closure adapted to dispense a fluent material into a container comprising a lid formed of a polymeric sheet material having a substantially uniform thickness, said lid having formed therein at least two raised arcuate portions each enclosing a compartment adapted to contain the fluent material for dispensing into the container, a convex domed portion having a conical recess formed in each raised arcuate portion, each recess having a tip extending into the compartment associated therewith, said lid having two coplanar concentric annular sealing surfaces and two radial sealing surfaces extending between and coplanar with said annular sealing surfaces, a sealing layer affixed to said sealing surfaces for sealing the fluent material in the compartments whereby pressure applied to one of said conical recesses urges the tip of the conical recess toward the sealing layer to puncture the same and dispense the fluent material from the associated compartment into the container.

17. A method of making a dispensing lid closure for dispensing a fluent material into a container, said closure comprising lid formed of a sheet material, said lid having formed therein a compartment adapted to contain the fluent material for dispensing into the container, comprising the steps of:

forming a dispensing lid closure with a raised section having a convex domed portion with a conical recess extending into said compartment;

orienting the dispensing lid closure with the compartment upwardly open and the apex of the conical recess oriented upwardly;

charging the upwardly open compartment with a quantity of the fluent material;

adhesively affixing a sealing layer to the lid closure to seal the fluent material in the compartment.

18. A method of using a dispensing lid closure for dispensing a fluent material into a container, said closure comprising lid formed of a sheet material, said lid having formed therein a compartment adapted to contain the fluent material for dispensing into the container and a convex domed portion with a conical recess having a tip extending into said compartment, and a sealing layer affixed to said lid for sealing the fluent material in the compartment, comprising the steps of:

securing the dispensing lid closure to the container;

applying pressure to the convex domed portion with the conical recess inwardly toward the container;

puncturing a hole in the sealing layer with the tip of the conical recess;

releasing the pressure on the convex domed portion to automatically permit the tip of the conical recess to retract from the hole punctured in the sealing layer; and

dispensing the fluent material into the container.

19. A lid closure adapted to dispense a fluent material into a container comprising:

a lid formed of a sheet material having a substantially uniform thickness, said lid comprising;

at least one compartment formed therein adapted to contain the fluent material for dispensing into the container;

a convex domed portion formed in said lid; and

at least one tapered recess being formed in the domed portion having a tip extending into said compartment; and

a sealing layer affixed to said lid for sealing the fluent material in the compartment,

whereby pressure applied to said tapered recess urges the domed portion toward the sealing layer such that the tip punctures the same and dispenses the fluent material from the compartment and into the container.

20. A lid closure adapted to dispense a fluent material into a beverage container comprising a lid formed of a sheet material having a substantially uniform thickness, said lid having formed therein at least one compartment adapted to contain the fluent material for dispensing into the container, a convex domed portion formed in said lid and at least one tapered recess formed in the domed portion, said tapered recess terminating substantially in a tip extending into said compartment, a sealing layer affixed to said lid for sealing the fluent material in the compartment whereby pressure applied to said conical recess urges the domed portion and the tip of the tapered recess toward the sealing layer to puncture the same and dispense the fluent material from the compartment and into the container.

21. The lid closure of claim 20, wherein the convex domed portion has an original formed position and automatically returns to its original formed position when the pressure applied to the tapered recess is released.

22. The lid closure of claim 20, wherein the lid is formed with at least one raised section forming said compartment, said raised section having a top surface, the convex domed portion and tapered recess being formed in said top surface.

23. The lid closure of claim 20, wherein the lid is formed with a plurality of raised arcuate sections each forming a compartment, each arcuate section having a top surface and a convex domed portion and a tapered recess being formed in each top surface.