Drinkable storage and dispensing ingredient cap for a liquid container

• US 8,297,456 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blast Mask, LLC
• Original Assignee: Blast Mask, LLC
• Inventors: Anderson, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALKER, NED ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US12/649,438
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 206/219, 206/221, 206/222, 215/227, 215/249, 215/257, 215/297, 215/DIG.8, 220/258.3, 220/258.4, 220/258.5, 220/278, 222/83.5, 222/519
• US Class Current: 215/227
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/222 the piercing or cutting means being integral with, or fixedly attached to, the outer closure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/225 and further comprising a device first inhibiting displacement of the outer closure B65D51/223 takes precedence

Abstract

A three piece ingredient dispensing cap attachable a primary container including but not limited to the threaded circular opening of a bottle, said dispensing cap being a storage container or receptacle for sealably containing a liquid and/or dry material and a dispenser for releasing the material when desired into the primary container. The top of the dispensing cap is depressed manually forcing than ingredient storage chamber with like prongs against the bottom of the cap body seal ripping a portion away, dispensing the material. The top includes an opening or nipple valve to allow drinking through the dispensing cap. The present invention allows the use of materials that would discolor, degrade or interact with other substances when added to the contents of the bottle, to remain stable and/or inactive until the time of use.

Claims

1. A dispensing cap for storing and dispensing a separate ingredient, said cap being attachable to a primary liquid container such as a water bottle, said dispensing cap comprising:

a cap body that is impervious to liquids that includes;

a first annular wall having fastening threads disposed on an inside of said first annular wall, a cylindrical sleeve having top and base openings, said sleeve coaxially mounted inside said first annular wall and extending upwardly and downwardly beyond an upper edge and a base of said first annular wall, respectively, said base of said cylindrical sleeve comprising a sealed membrane with a line of weakness covering said cylindrical sleeve base opening, and

a second annular wall coaxially surrounding a portion of said cylindrical sleeve and connected at a lower end to said first annular wall and open at an upper end, said cylindrical sleeve top opening extending beyond said second annular wall and spaced by a slot between a portion of said cylindrical sleeve and said second annular wall;

a cylindrical ingredient storage chamber having an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of said cylindrical sleeve of said cap body and sized to fit moveably inside said cylindrical sleeve of said cap body, said ingredient storage chamber including an open bottom end that includes a peripheral cutting edge and a top opening that includes a central contact area and a plurality of spoke members connecting said central contact area to the upper edge of said first annular wall;

a dispensing actuator cylindrically shaped and sized to fit in said slot coaxially between said cylindrical sleeve and said second annular wall of said cap body and moveable between a first position and a second position, said dispensing actuator including a centrally downwardly facing protrusion;

wherein said dispensing actuator in the first position is spaced away from said central contact area of said ingredient storage chamber, and

wherein said dispensing actuator in the second position is depressed downwardly and engages said ingredient storage chamber, thereby forcing the ingredient storage chamber downwardly to extend partially beyond the cylindrical sleeve base opening and causing said peripheral cutting edge of said ingredient storage chamber to tear said sealed membrane along said line of weakness.

2. The dispensing cap of claim 1, including:

a circular dust cover connected to a top of said dispensing actuator, said circular dust cover exposing the top of said dispensing actuator in an open position, and said circular dust cover sealing the top of said dispensing actuator in a closed position;

said dispensing actuator including a liquid passage which allows liquid to be passed through the primary liquid container and through the dispensing actuator to a user.

3. The dispensing cap of of claim 1, wherein:

said dispensing actuator includes a safety ring frangibly connected to and surrounding an exterior of said actuator and positioned to prevent depressed downward movement of said dispensing actuator until said safety ring is broken away by downward force.

4. The dispensing cap of claim 1, wherein:

said cap body includes a safety ring frangibly attached to said first annular wall that includes a cap locking member for preventing said cap body from being removed from a said primary liquid container without breaking said safety ring from said first annular wall.

5. The dispensing cap of claim 1, said cap body further comprising:

a nipple valve for drinking, said nipple valve operable by pushing down to close said nipple valve and pulling up to open said nipple valve.

6. The dispensing cap of claim 1, including:

a desiccant pad housed in said cap body to eliminate moisture.