Tablet dispensing mechanism for use with beverage containers

• US 7,163,129 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Douglas A. Bennett
• Original Assignee: Douglas A. Bennett
• Inventors: Bennett, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hageman; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/218,924
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 221/3, 221/7, 221/13, 221/199, 221/25, 221/26, 222/192, 222/80, 206/219, 206/222
• US Class Current: 222/192
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/4012 for opening partially by means of a tearing tab
• 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 2543/00046 Drinking-through lids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00092 circular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00527 NO contact
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00629 Massive bead
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00685 Totality
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00731 Groove or hollow bead
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00796 Totality
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0212 only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth B65D43/0206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2814 the additional article or materials being released by piercing, cutting or tearing an element enclosing it
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3216 Rigid containers disposed one within the other

Abstract

A storage unit is rotatably mounted on one end of a liquid beverage container and contains a plurality of packets. Each packet has a flexible top and a frangible bottom and a flavored tablet is stored in each packet. The tablets dissolve in the liquid stored in the container when dropped thereinto and can be of various flavors to add flavors to the liquid contained in the container.

Claims

1. A tablet dispensing mechanism for use with a beverage container comprising:

a) a liquid beverage container having a top end, a bottom end, a sidewall, a top rim surrounding the top end, a longitudinal axis extending between the top end and the bottom end, an outer surface on the top end of said beverage container, and an inner surface on the top end of said beverage container with the inner surface being located between the outer surface of the top end of said container and the bottom end of said container, and

b) a tablet storage unit rotatably mounted on the top end of said beverage container and including

(1) a one-piece body having a top surface and a bottom surface, an outer circumference, a plurality of arms which are spaced apart from each other along the direction of the outer circumference, a plurality of cutouts, each cutout being positioned between adjacent arms, and a center with the center of the body of said tablet storage unit being located on the longitudinal axis of said beverage container,

(2) a plurality of tablet storage packets mounted on the body of said tablet storage unit, with the tablet storage packets being spaced apart from each other along the direction of the outer circumference of the body of said tablet storage unit, each tablet storage packet including

(A) a flexible top surface located adjacent to the top surface of the body of said tablet storage unit,

(B) a frangible bottom surface located adjacent to the bottom surface of the body of said tablet storage unit, and

(C) a favored tablet stored in each tablet storage packet,

(3) a mounting unit rotatably mounting the body of said tablet storage unit on said beverage container adjacent to the top of said beverage container and including a plurality of rolled edges on the outer circumference of the body of said tablet storage unit, with one rolled edge being located on each arm of the body of said tablet storage unit, the rolled edges being spaced apart from each other along a direction of the circumference and having a cutout interposed between adjacent rolled edges, each rolled edge including a cylindrically shaped body having an open mouth and slidably accommodating the top rim of said beverage container in the cylindrically shaped body when said tablet storage unit is mounted on said beverage container,

(4) an opening defined in the body of said tablet storage unit and extending from the outer circumference of the body of said tablet storage unit toward the center of the body of said tablet storage unit,

(5) the body of said tablet storage unit being mounted on the top of said beverage container to rotate around the longitudinal axis of said beverage container, and

(6) the body of said tablet storage unit being oriented on the top of said beverage container to have the bottom surface of the body of said tablet storage unit positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the top end of said beverage container.

2. The tablet dispensing mechanism as described in claim 1 wherein the tablets are effervescent tablets.