Flavoring component holding dispenser for use with consumable beverages

• US 7,306,117 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cool Gear International LLC (Dometic Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Donna Roth, Henry Roth, Marco Wo
• Inventors: Roth, Donna, Roth, Henry, Wo, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US11/019,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 222/80, 222/81, 222/83, 222/83.5, 222/145.1, 222/145.5, 222/522, 222/523, 222/524, 222/525
• US Class Current: 222/83
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/243 moving linearly, i.e. without rotational motion
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2835 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0012 related to concentrate handling

Abstract

A dispenser for a bottle that is adapted to contain a consumable beverage. The dispenser includes a dispenser body defining a chamber therein. The chamber is adapted to hold a flavoring component. The dispenser body has a first dispenser end, suitable for drinking therefrom, and has a second dispenser end, adapted to be positioned within the bottle when the dispenser is engaged with the bottle. The plunger is slidably disposed at least partially within the dispenser body for movement from a first plunger position to a second plunger position, in which the plunger penetrates a portion of the dispenser body to create a passageway. When the plunger is in the second plunger position and a cap is in a first cap position, the plunger end cooperates with the cap to seal the cap opening.

Claims

1. A dispenser for a drink bottle adapted to contain a consumable beverage, the dispenser being adapted to engage the bottle, the dispenser comprising:

a dispenser body defining a chamber therein, the chamber being adapted to hold a flavoring component;

a plunger slidably disposed at least partially within the dispenser body for movement from a first plunger position to a second plunger position, in which the plunger penetrates a portion of the dispenser body to create a passageway, the passageway being adapted to allow the flavoring component from the chamber to mix with the consumable beverage in the bottle,

at least one gasket extending outwardly from the plunger, when the plunger is in the first plunger position, the at least one gasket forms a chamber seal between the plunger and an inner chamber surface that secures the flavoring component between the at least one gasket and the portion of the dispenser body that can be penetrated by the plunger, while the plunger is in the first plunger position the at least one gasket does not contact the consumable beverage, when the plunger is in the second plunger position, the at least one gasket does not form the chamber seal and the plunger penetrates the portion of the dispenser body to allow the flavoring component to mix with the consumable beverage in the bottle and to allow a mixture of the flavoring component and consumable beverage to flow through the dispenser body to a mouth of the drink bottle.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispenser body has first and second dispenser ends, the second dispenser end being adapted to be positioned within the bottle when the dispenser is engaged with the bottle, wherein the dispenser has a longitudinal axis, the chamber having at least first and second chamber sections, the first chamber section including the first dispenser end, the first chamber cross-section, as measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, being greater than the second chamber cross-section, as measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

3. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the at least one gasket forms a chamber seal between the plunger and an inner chamber surface along the first chamber section when the plunger is in the first plunger position, the chamber seal being adapted to prevent the flavoring component from being dispensed through the cap.

4. The dispenser of claim 3, the at least one gasket being spaced from the inner chamber surface along the second chamber section when the plunger is in the second position to form a chamber passageway, the chamber passageway being adapted to allow at least one of the flavoring component and the consumable beverage to flow toward the cap.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plunger includes at least one guide projection extending outwardly therefrom and slidably abutting an inner chamber surface.

6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein the at least one guide projection includes a perforated area.

7. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein the chamber includes a chamber shoulder adapted to abut the at least one guide projection to prevent the plunger from being completely withdrawn from the dispenser body.

8. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein the chamber shoulder is formed at an interface between the second chamber section and a third chamber section, the third chamber section having a third chamber cross-section, as measured perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, that is greater than the second chamber cross-section.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispenser body includes an outwardly directed dispenser lip that forms a dispenser shoulder adapted to be seated on a bottle surface defining a bottle opening.

10. The dispenser of claim 9, further comprising a tubular sleeve that is slidably engageable over the dispenser to secure the dispenser at least partially in the bottle opening.

11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the tubular sleeve is threadably engageable with the bottle.

12. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a tubular sleeve disposed over and spaced from a portion of the dispenser body to create a perimeter groove around the dispenser body adapted to receive a portion of the bottle that defines a bottle opening.

13. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the dispenser body comprises a penetrable section disposed on the second dispenser end.

14. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plunger end forms a button that, while the plunger is in the first plunger position, is adapted for the person to depress to allow the flavoring component to mix with the consumable beverage.

15. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the first and second chamber sections are generally cylindrical.

16. A dispenser for a bottle adapted to contain a consumable beverage, the dispenser being adapted to engage the bottle, the dispenser comprising:

a dispenser body defining a chamber therein, the chamber being adapted to hold a flavoring component, the dispenser body having a first dispenser end, proximate to a mouth of the bottle, and having a second dispenser end, adapted to be positioned within the bottle when the dispenser is engaged with the bottle;

a cap slidably positioned proximate the mouth of the bottle;

a removeable member disposed between the cap and the mouth of the bottle, the removeable member being adapted to prevent the cap from sliding from a second cap position, in which an inner cap surface is spaced from the mouth of the bottle, to a first cap position, in which the inner cap surface is at least in close proximity to the mouth of the bottle;

a plunger slidably disposed at least partially within the dispenser body for movement from a first plunger position, in which the plunger generally extends between the inner cap surface and the second dispenser end, to a second plunger position, in which the plunger penetrates a portion of the dispenser body to create a passageway, the passageway being adapted to allow the flavoring component from the chamber to mix with the consumable beverage in the bottle, wherein when the removeable member is displaced from about the dispenser body, the cap can be moved into the first cap position to drive the plunger from the first plunger position to the second plunger position.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the dispenser body includes an outwardly directed dispenser lip that forms a dispenser shoulder adapted to be seated on a bottle surface defining a bottle opening.

18. The dispenser of claim 17, further comprising a tubular sleeve that is slidably engageable over the dispenser to secure the dispenser at least partially in the bottle opening.

19. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein the tubular sleeve is threadably engageable with the bottle.

20. The dispenser of claim 16, further comprising a tubular sleeve disposed over and spaced from a portion of the dispenser body to create a perimeter groove around the dispenser body adapted to receive a portion of the bottle that defines a bottle opening.

21. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the dispenser body comprises a penetrable section disposed on the second dispenser end.

22. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the dispenser has a longitudinal axis, the chamber having at least first and second chamber sections, the first chamber section including the first dispenser end, the first chamber cross-section, as measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, being greater than the second chamber cross-section, as measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

23. The dispenser of claim 22, wherein the plunger comprises at least one gasket extending outwardly therefrom, the at least one gasket forming a chamber seal between the plunger and an inner chamber surface along the first chamber section when the plunger is in the first plunger position, the chamber seal being adapted to prevent the flavoring component from being dispensed through the cap, the at least one gasket being spaced from the inner chamber surface along the second chamber section when the plunger is in the second position to form a chamber passageway, the chamber passageway being adapted to allow at least one of the flavoring component and the consumable beverage to flow toward the cap.

24. A dispenser for a drink bottle adapted to contain a consumable beverage, the dispenser being adapted to engage the bottle, the dispenser comprising:

a dispenser body defining a chamber therein, the chamber being adapted to hold a flavoring component, wherein the dispenser body includes an outwardly directed dispenser lip that forms a dispenser shoulder adapted to be seated on a bottle surface defining a bottle opening;

a plunger slidably disposed at least partially within the dispenser body for movement from a first plunger position to a second plunger position, in which the plunger penetrates a portion of the dispenser body to create a passageway, the passageway being adapted to allow the flavoring component from the chamber to mix with the consumable beverage in the bottle,

at least one gasket extending outwardly from the plunger, when the plunger is in the first plunger position, the at least one gasket forms a chamber seal between the plunger and an inner chamber surface that secures the flavoring component between the at least one gasket and the portion of the dispenser body that can be penetrated by the plunger, when the plunger is in the second plunger position, the at least one gasket does not form the chamber seal and the plunger penetrates the portion of the dispenser body to allow the flavoring component to mix with the consumable beverage in the bottle and to allow a mixture of the flavoring component and consumable beverage to flow through the dispenser body to a mouth of the drink bottle.

25. The dispenser of claim 24, further comprising a tubular sleeve disposed over and spaced from a portion of the dispenser body to create a perimeter groove around the dispenser body adapted to receive a portion of the bottle that defines a bottle opening.