Multi-compartment beverage container

• US 8,365,960 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fadi Kalaouze
• Original Assignee: Fadi Kalaouze
• Inventors: Kalaouze, Fadi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAINBRIDGE, ANDREW PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US12/496,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 426/115, 206/217, 206219-222, 206/229, 206/303, 206/568, 215/6, 215/10, 215/227, 215/306, 215/311, 220/254.9, 220500-502, 220521-522, 220/810, 220/906, 222/129, 222/136, 222/145.1, 2221455-1456, 222/153.07, 222/164, 222/166, 222/325, 222/482, 222/485, 222/488, 222/570
• US Class Current: 222/145.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3211 coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture

Abstract

A beverage container has a lower container section filled with a first liquid. Above the lower container section is an upper container section secured to the lip and groove of the lower section. The upper container section can hold a second different liquid than the first liquid. The upper section defines a mixing channel where openings to both the upper and lower container sections meet to allow the two liquids to mix prior to final dispensation.

Claims

1. A beverage container, comprising:

an integrally formed upper container section configured to engage and be disposed adjacent and above a lower container section that includes a central axis, a wall defining an interior space that is capable of holding a first liquid beverage, and a lower container opening through which the first liquid beverage is capable of flowing, which upper container section includes a superior surface, a peripheral wall extending from said superior surface and defining an interior storage space that is capable of holding a second liquid beverage, said peripheral wall terminating at a peripheral free edge, said peripheral free edge defining a bottom opening of the upper container section; and

a mixing channel, which includes;

a channel wall extending from said superior surface and terminating at a channel free edge, said channel free edge defining a channel opening;

an interior mixing channel bounded at least in part by the channel wall;

one or more intermediate openings in the channel wall through which any second liquid beverage is capable of passing from the interior storage space of the upper container section to the interior mixing channel; and

an upper opening in the superior surface through which any liquid in the interior mixing channel is capable of passing to a location outside the beverage container, said channel wall terminating at said upper opening; and

a portion of said peripheral wall adjacent to said peripheral free edge defining a container attachment sized and configured to grip the lower container opening; and

an integrally formed inferior cover attached to said integrally formed upper container section, within the bottom opening of the upper container section, adjacent to said container attachment, said inferior cover including

a lower opening in said inferior cover through which any first liquid beverage is capable of passing from the lower container section to the interior mixing channel, said lower opening being aligned with said interior mixing channel; and

a sealable fill port in said inferior cover, said fill port being in fluid communication with said interior space of said upper container section; and

a removable closure removably covering said upper opening in the superior surface; and

a removable seal extending from said upper opening in the superior surface into said interior mixing space and removably covering said one or more intermediate openings in the channel wall.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the intermediate openings is smaller than the lower opening.

3. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the intermediate openings is positioned at a location in the channel wall that is closer in distance to the upper opening of the mixing channel than to the channel free edge of the mixing channel.

4. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the interior storage space includes a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion is positioned above the bottom portion when the upper container section is upright, wherein the bottom portion is capable of holding the second liquid beverage such that the bottom portion is devoid of the second liquid when the upper container section is upright, and wherein at least one of the intermediate openings is positioned at a location in the channel wall in fluid communication with the top portion but not the bottom portion.

5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the intermediate openings is positioned at a location in the channel wall that is closer in distance to the peripheral wall of the upper container section than to the central axis of the lower container section.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the intermediate openings is positioned at a location in the channel wall that is closer in distance to the central axis of the lower container section than to the outer wall of the upper container section.

7. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the one or more intermediate openings in the channel wall includes at least one opening capable of providing for the flow of a second liquid beverage from the upper container section to the interior mixing space;

and at least one vent opening capable of providing for the flow of air between the interior mixing space of the mixing channel and the interior of the upper container section.

8. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall of the upper container section has a concave surface.

9. The beverage container of claim 7, wherein the peripheral wall of the upper container section further includes a planar member positioned in the space bounded by the peripheral wall that provides reinforcement and rigidity to the upper container section.

10. The beverage container of claim 7, wherein the intermediate openings in the channel wall are disposed vertically so that liquid in the upper container section is capable of flowing vertically from the upper container section to the interior mixing space of the mixing channel.

11. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the mixing channel has a substantially cylindrical side wall.

12. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the peripheral as a concave surface defining a dome-shaped space between the superior surface and inferior cover.

13. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lower container section is a metal soft drink can with a top rim and is capable of holding a soft drink, and said container attachment comprises a resilient collar sized to securely engage the top rim of the soft drink can.

14. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lower container section is a plastic soft drink bottle capable of holding a soft drink, and said container attachment comprises a female threaded opening.

15. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the removable closure comprises a hinged lid capable of rotating from a closed position in which the upper opening in the superior surface is closed, to an open position in which the upper opening of the superior surface is open.

16. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein said container attachment comprises a collar that is capable of attaching the upper container section to the lower container section.

17. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the sealable fill port comprises a filling aperture through which the second liquid can be introduced to the interior of the upper container section, and a filling aperture closure for sealing the filling aperture.

18. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the mixing channel includes a flexible planar tab member that has adhesive on one side and is removably adhered to an inner surface of the channel wall so that at least one of the one or more intermediate openings in the channel wall is closed, and so that the flexible planar tab member can be removed to open the intermediate opening.

19. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the lower container section is a plastic soft drink bottle with a threaded upper opening, the upper container section includes a channel with threads that are capable of being affixed to the threaded upper opening of the soft drink bottle by screwing the upper container section to the lower container in a clockwise direction.

20. The beverage container of claim 1, further comprising a removable closure covering each of said intermediate openings, said removable closure including a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape applied over each intermediate opening, said pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a top edge and a bottom edge, and an elongated tab extending from the bottom edge of the pressure sensitive adhesive tape through the interior mixing space to and out of the upper opening.