Multi-chambered container with collared O-ring

• US 7,127,912 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technology Licensing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Insta-Mix, Inc.
• Inventors: Holley, James W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US10/339,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20040134222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 62/60, 624573-4578, 215/11.4, 220/500, 220/501, 220/509, 206/299, 251/352, 251/900, 277572-574
• US Class Current: 62/457.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2031 having openings brought into alignment
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2093 Containers having several compartments for products to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/00 Feeding-bottles in general
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/08 with provisions for removing or destroying, e.g. to facilitate mixing of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2892 the element, e.g. a valve, opening an aperture of the auxiliary container B65D51/2864, B65D51/2878 take precedence

Abstract

A modified multi-chambered container including a container body defining a central (e.g., liquid) chamber, a neck defining an opening to the central chamber, a flange extending upward from the neck, and a groove formed in the neck around the first opening. A collared O-ring includes an annular base mounted in the groove, and a ring-shaped collar extending from an upper portion of the base toward the opening. A hollow ball member is mounted on the neck such that an outer wall of the ball member contacts the O-ring collar. A housing is attached to the container body that pushes the ball member against the collared O-ring.

Claims

1. A multi-chambered container comprising:

a container body for storing a first substance, the container body having a neck defining an annular groove and surrounding a first opening;

a hollow member for storing a second substance, the hollow member including a curved wall and defining a second opening and a selectively sealable third opening; and

a collared O-ring having an annular base mounted in the groove and a ring-shaped collar extending from the base outside of the groove and toward the first opening;

wherein the curved wall of the hollow member is moveable between a first position in which a portion of the curved wall is pressed against the collared O-ring and disposed to block the first opening such that the first stored substance is separated from the second stored substance, and a second position in which the first opening aligns with the second opening to form a passage between the interior of the bottle and the interior of the hollow member such that said first substance forms a mixture with said second substance.

2. The multi-chambered container according to claim 1, wherein the collared O-ring comprises a soft, flexible, impermeable material.

3. The multi-chambered container according to claim 2, wherein the soft, flexible, impermeable material comprises silicone.

4. The multi-chambered container according to claim 1, wherein the hollow member comprises a spherical portion and a cylindrical portion extending from the spherical portion.

5. The multi-chambered container according to claim 1, further comprising a housing defining an interior portion, wherein the hollow member is rotatably disposed in the interior portion when the housing is loosely connected the bottle, and wherein the hollow member is fixedly disposed in the interior portion when the housing is tightly connected to the bottle.

6. The multi-chambered container according to claim 1, wherein the container body includes a lower opening communicating with the central chamber, and wherein the multi-chambered container further comprises:

a lower cap assembly detachably connected over the first opening of the body, the lower cap assembly including;

a disk-shaped cover plate; and

an elongated cooling element having a first end connected to a central portion of the disk-shaped cover plate and a second end extending perpendicular to the disk-shaped cover plate,

wherein the elongated cooling element extends into a central portion of the body such that the elongated cooling chamber is surrounded by the liquid stored in the body, and

wherein an interior chamber of the cooling element is filled with a coolant.

7. The multi-chambered container according to claim 1, wherein the container body includes a lower opening communicating with the central chamber, and wherein the multi-chambered container further comprises:

a lower cap assembly detachably connected over the first opening of the body, the lower cap assembly including;

a disk-shaped cover plate;

an elongated element having a first end connected to a central portion of the disk-shaped cover plate and a second end extending perpendicular to the disk-shaped cover plate; and

a mixing fixture attached to the second end of the elongated element,

wherein the elongated element extends into the body such that the mixing fixture is maintained at a central portion of the central chamber.

8. A multi-chambered container comprising:

a container body for storing a first substance, the container body having a neck defining an annular groove and surrounding a first opening;

a hollow member for storing a second substance, the hollow member including a curved wall and defining a second opening and a selectively sealable third opening; and

a collared O-ring having an annular base mounted in the groove and a ring-shaped collar extending from the base outside of the groove and toward the first opening;

means for adjustably securing the hollow member to the container body such that a portion of the hollow member contacts the collared O-ring;

wherein the hollow member is slidable relative to the flange between a first position, in which a portion of the wall is disposed to block the first opening, and a second position in which the first and second openings align to define a passage between an interior of the bottle and an interior of the hollow member.

9. The multi-chambered container according to claim 8, wherein the collared O-ring comprises a soft, flexible, impermeable material.

10. The multi-chambered container according to claim 9, wherein the soft, flexible, impermeable material comprises silicone.

11. The multi-chambered container according to claim 8, wherein the hollow member comprises a spherical portion and a cylindrical portion extending from the spherical portion.

12. The multi-chambered container according to claim 8, further comprising a housing defining an interior portion, wherein the hollow member is rotatably disposed in the interior portion when the housing is loosely connected the bottle, and wherein the hollow member is fixedly disposed in the interior portion when the housing is tightly connected to the bottle.

13. The multi-chambered container according to claim 8, wherein the container body includes a lower opening communicating with the central chamber, and wherein the multi-chambered container further comprises:

a lower cap assembly detachably connected over the first opening of the body, the lower cap assembly including;

a disk-shaped cover plate; and

an elongated cooling element having a first end connected to a central portion of the disk-shaped cover plate and a second end extending perpendicular to the disk-shaped cover plate,

wherein the elongated cooling element extends into a central portion of the body such that the elongated cooling chamber is surrounded by the liquid stored in the body, and

wherein an interior chamber of the cooling element is filled with a coolant.

14. The multi-chambered container according to claim 8, wherein the container body includes a lower opening communicating with the central chamber, and wherein the multi-chambered container further comprises:

a lower cap assembly detachably connected over the first opening of the body, the lower cap assembly including;

a disk-shaped cover plate;

an elongated element having a first end connected to a central portion of the disk-shaped cover plate and a second end extending perpendicular to the disk-shaped cover plate; and

a mixing fixture attached to the second end of the elongated element,

wherein the elongated element extends into the body such that the mixing fixture is maintained at a central portion of the central chamber.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a body having an annular groove surrounding a first opening;

a hollow valve member including a curved wall and defining a second opening, wherein the curved wall of the hollow valve member is moveable between a first position in which a portion of the curved wall blocks the first opening, and a second position in which the first opening aligns with the second opening to form a passage between the body and the hollow valve member; and

a collared O-ring including an annular base mounted in the groove, and a ring-shaped collar extending from the base outside of the groove and toward the first opening,

wherein the hollow member is biased against the collared O-ring such that the ring-shaped collar forms an annular seal.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the collared O-ring comprises a soft, flexible, impermeable material.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the soft, flexible, impermeable material comprises silicone.