Cap for storing materials separate from a body of liquid and facilitating subsequent mixing of the materials and the liquid

• US 8,640,865 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Smart
• Original Assignee: William Smart
• Inventors: Smart, William
• Primary Examiner(s): GEHMAN, BRYON P
• Application Number:
  US13/461,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20130292275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 206219-222, 215/6, 215/10, 215/DIG.8, 222 80- 83, 222/129, 2221451-1456, 222522-525
• US Class Current: 206/219
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/25 Non-metallic tear-off strips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2835 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer

Abstract

A closure attachable over the opening of a container that selectively facilitates mixing of a component (e.g., supplement, vitamins, etc.) of any appropriate form (e.g., powders, flakes, liquids) with a liquid in the container to create a mixture. In one aspect, the closure includes a body, a storage compartment within the body, a nozzle movably received on the annular wall, a cap receivable over a portion of the body and the nozzle, an annular pull strip surrounding the body and spacing the first end of the cap from an outer collar of the body, and a plunger disposed within the storage compartment that is adapted to selectively break a seal to allow for mixing between the component and the liquid.

Claims

1. A closure adapted to attach over an opening of a container, the container closure comprising:

a body comprising an outer collar configured to be secured to a finish of the container, and an annular wall extending away from the outer collar, wherein at least a portion of the annular wall surrounds a storage compartment;

a nozzle received on the annular wall, wherein the nozzle comprises an opening;

a cap receivable over a portion of the annular wall and the nozzle, the cap having first and second opposing ends;

an annular pull strip surrounding the annular wall and spacing the first end of the cover from the outer collar; and

a plunger disposed within the storage compartment, wherein the pull strip prevents movement of the plunger towards the outer collar when the pull strip is spaced between the cap and the outer collar around the annular wall, and wherein at least partial separation of the pull strip from the annular wall allows movement of the plunger towards the outer collar.

2. The closure of claim 1, wherein pressing the second end of the cap towards the outer collar moves the plunger towards the outer collar after the pull tab has been at least partially separated from the annular wall.

3. The closure of claim 2, further comprising a first distance between the first end of the cap and the outer collar before the cap has been pressed towards the outer collar, and a second distance between the first end of the cap and the outer collar after the cap has been pressed towards the outer collar, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

4. The closure of claim 1, further comprising:

a seal configured to seal a lower end of the storage compartment and prevent mixing between one or more ingredients disposed within the storage compartment and liquid in a container when the container closure is attached to the container, wherein the plunger is configured to at least partially break the seal and allow for mixing of the one or more ingredients and the liquid to create a mixture when the pull strip is at least partially separated from the annular wall and the plunger is moved towards the outer collar.

5. The closure of claim 4, wherein the second end of the cap contacts the plunger before breaking the seal.

6. The closure of claim 4, wherein the nozzle is moveable between at least a closed position sealing the storage compartment adjacent the second end of the annular wall and an open position unsealing the storage compartment adjacent the second end of the annular wall and allowing the mixture to exit the nozzle opening via the storage compartment.

7. The closure of claim 1, further comprising:

a hollow stem disposed within the storage compartment that receives the plunger.

8. The closure of claim 7, wherein the plunger comprises a first engagement member, wherein the hollow stem comprises a second engagement member, and wherein the first engagement member is adapted to engage with the second engagement member to prevent movement of the plunger relative to the stem once the second end of the cover has been pressed to break the seal with the plunger.

9. The closure of claim 8, wherein the first and second engagement members comprise ribs.

10. The closure of claim 9, wherein the first rib extends annularly around an outer surface of the plunger, and wherein the second rib extends annularly around an inner surface of the stem.

11. The closure of claim 1, wherein the annular wall comprises a first portion attached to the outer collar and a second portion spaced from the outer collar, wherein the first portion comprises a first outer diameter, wherein the second portion comprises a second outer diameter, and wherein the first outer diameter is greater than the second outer diameter.

12. A bottle, comprising:

a body;

a liquid contained within an internal cavity of the body;

an opening at one end of the body that leads into the internal cavity; and

the closure of claim 4 secured over the bottle opening.

13. A closure adapted to attach over an opening of a container, the container closure comprising:

a body comprising an outer collar and an annular wall extending away from the outer collar, wherein the outer collar is configured to be secured to a finish of the container, and wherein at least a portion of the annular wall surrounds a storage compartment;

a hollow stem disposed within the storage compartment, the hollow stem comprising an interior cavity;

a nozzle received over an outer surface of the annular wall and comprising an aperture, wherein the nozzle is movable between at least a) a closed position in which the hollow stem is received in the nozzle aperture to limit the exit of fluids from the storage compartment via the nozzle aperture and b) an open position in which the hollow stem is spaced from the nozzle aperture to allow the exit of fluids from the storage compartment via the nozzle aperture; and

a plunger disposed within the storage compartment and the interior cavity of the hollow stem, wherein the nozzle is movable relative to the plunger between the closed and open positions.

14. The closure of claim 13, wherein the nozzle is movable relative to the hollow stem between the closed and open positions.

15. The closure of claim 13, wherein the plunger comprises a first engagement member, wherein the hollow stem comprises a second engagement member, and wherein the first and second engagement members engage to limit movement of the plunger in a direction away from the outer collar.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a liquid container adapted to store a liquid and comprising a container opening; and

a closure adapted to attach to the liquid container around the container opening, the container closure comprising;

a body comprising an outer collar and an annular wall extending away from the outer collar, wherein the annular wall surrounds a storage compartment;

a nozzle received on the annular wall, wherein the nozzle comprises an opening;

a cap received over the nozzle;

an annular pull strip surrounding the annular wall and spacing the cap from the outer collar;

a seal adapted to prevent mixing between a component contained in the storage compartment and liquid in the liquid container when the container closure is attached to the liquid container; and

a plunger disposed inside of the storage compartment, wherein the plunger is prevented from breaking the seal when the pull tab is spaced between the cap and the outer collar around the annular wall, and wherein the plunger is allowed to break the seal when the pull tab is at least partially separated from the annular wall to thereby allow for mixing between the component and the liquid in the liquid container to create a mixture.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the component comprises at least one of a liquid, powder, pellets, flakes, effervescent, and beads.