Patent Application
20190315549
The number and variety of flavored beverages available on the market continues to increase. At the same time, more and more complex self-serve beverage dispensing and mixing machines are being found in entertainment venues, restaurants, and bars and the availability of at home beverage dispensing and mixing machines are becoming more common place. Both the commercial and home beverage dispensing and mixing machines allow a user to generate custom flavor and nutritional profiles for each individual user's and/or each individual beverage. However, the complex self-serve beverage dispensing and mixing machines are not always compatible with pre-packaged beverages, such as carbonated beverages (e.g., soft drinks, sodas, or pops), alcohols (e.g., liquors, beers, and wines), pre-packaged waters, or other pre-packaged beverages (e.g., juices, lemonades, teas, coffees, etc.). Additionally, the complex self-serve beverage dispensing and mixing machines are often large and only available at select establishments or at home. In some cases, consumer may carry packets of powder additivities that may be added and mixed with pre-packaged beverages for a similar affect as the complex self-sever beverage dispensing machines. However, some types of beverage containers, such as juice packets do not re-seal making mixing of the additives with the beverage difficult and not ideal for all consumers.
The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical components or features.
This disclosure includes pre-packaged beverage containers with built in additives compartments for allowing consumer to customized flavors and nutritional benefits of the beverage being consumed. For example, a beverage container may be configured with a plurality of popable, puncturable, or bursting additives enclosures. Each of the additive enclosures may be configured to be activated by the consuming individual from the exterior of the beverage container at a period of time just before consumption. Upon activation of the enclosures, the additives are dispensed or released from the sealed enclosure into the beverage confined within the interior of the container without the need to open the container itself.
In some examples, the beverage container may include pressure bursting additive enclosures, such that in response to a user applying a sufficient force (greater than a bursting or puncture threshold) to designated locations along the exterior of the container at a location associated with the additive enclosure causes the enclosure to open into fluid commination with the contents within the beverage container. The contents of the beverage container may then be shaken or mixed with the additive prior to opening. In this manner, the additives may be mixed with the contents packaged in a non-resealable container without mess or a separate vessel (such as a water bottle or canteen).
In some examples, the additive enclosures may include pins or other actuatable mechanisms for bursting the additive enclosure and dispensing the additives into the container. In some cases, the actuatable mechanism may ensure that the additive is released into the container. For instance, in one example, as an individual consuming the beverage applies pressure to the exterior of the additive enclosures, the pin or puncture device may be forced into the interior wall of the additive enclosure releasing the additive into the beverage. In some cases, the pins may be configured to concentrate pressure but may not be sharp to the touch. In other cases, the bursting additive enclosures may include a screw mechanism to release the additives into the beverage. The enclosures and/or the activation device may be located internal or external to the beverage container.
The additive within the bursting additive enclosures may vary. For example, the additives may be liquid or powder. In some cases, the additives may be flavors, such as vanilla, lemon, strawberry, apples, other fruits, vegetables, etc. In other cases, the additives may be supplements such as calcium, vitamins B, vitamins C, vitamins D, fiber, etc., caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners, electrolytes, minerals, among other additives. In some specific examples, the additives may include prepackaged premeasured meditative dosages. For instance, the additives may be pre-measured antibiotics or pain relievers in a drinkable fashion to assist with, for example, child consumption.
In one case, the medication may be included in dosage levels, such that each bursting additive enclosures opened increases the dosage by one. For example, each enclosure may contain the same medication as a single pill or milliliter of the same medication in other forms. Thus, by bursting the desired number of enclosures, the consuming individual may receive the desired dosage of medication when the contents of the container are fully consumed. In this manner, the beverage containers discussed herein may accommodate medication dosage for a variety of ages and/or weights.
By including the additive enclosures with pre-packaged additives (in either liquid or powder form), the consumer may prior to puncturing the container 100 with the straw 104, dispense the desired additives (such as calcium, vitamin A, zinc, etc.) into the container. The container may then be shaken by the consumer or parents of the consumer prior to opening, thereby reducing the mess caused by attempting to add supplements or flavor to the beverage.
In the current example, six additive enclosures 102 are shown. However, it should be understood that any number of additive enclosures 102 may be used. For example, the number of additive enclosures may vary between 1 and 25, between 2 and 30, and/or between 5 and 10. In some cases, the type of additive enclosure 102 may vary between two or more of the additive enclosures 102. For example, some of the enclosures 102 may contain supplements that may be more easily burstable via pressure, while others may include medication that may require additional force (such as 1:5 ratio or a 1:3 ratio of the force required to burst the supplement enclosure v. the medicative enclosures). In another example, some of the enclosures 102 may contain supplements that may include a puncture device while others may not.
In the current example, the enclosures 102 are located along the top ¼ of the beverage container 100. In other examples, the enclosures 102 may be confined to the top ⅓ or top ½ of the container 102. In other cases, the enclosure 102 may be located above the straw puncture location 106 to prevent accidental bursting while consuming the beverage. In some cases, additional force may be required at the puncture location 106, such as to childproof the container and, thereby, prevent spilling.
In one particular example, the burst location of the enclosures 102 may be marked on the beverage container 100. For example, the burst location may include graphics, such as smiley faces, animals, cartoon characters, or other icons that a child may enjoy. In one instance, the interior of the enclosure 102 may be coated or formed by a material that changes color or intensity when exposed to water, such that the graphics may change visibly when the enclosure 102 is burst. For instance, as the fluid of the beverage contacts the inside of the enclosure 102, post bursting, the contact may cause marking along the exterior surface of the enclosure 102 to change color or become visible along the exterior of the beverage container 100.
In the current example, the enclosures 302 are positioned along the neck of the container 300 to prevent the user from inadvertently bursting while a user is holding or drinking from the container 300. However, in other examples, the enclosure 302 may be positioned such that the user may easily burst them while holding the container 300. For example, the enclosures 302 may be confined to the bottom ⅓ or top ½ of the container 300.
In some cases, the size of the enclosures 302 may be uniform as illustrated. In other cases, the size of the enclosures 302 may vary based on the type and amount of additive within each respective the enclosure 302. For example, cherry flavoring may require a larger amount of additive than lemon flavoring to achieve a desired taste. In some cases, the additives within the enclosure 202 may vary, for instance, one may contain zinc, another cherry flavor, yet another lime flavor, and still more, such as vitamin B or vitamin C. In other cases, the additives within the enclosures 302 may be the same. For example, each enclosure 302 may include cherry flavor, such that the user may set the amount of cherry flavor based on a desired task. For instance, each bust enclosure 302 may add a pre-configured amount of cherry flavor, such that the user may customize the amount of cherry by selecting the number of enclosures 302 to burst (e.g., the more enclosures 302 burst the stronger the cherry flavor).
In the current example, the enclosures 702 are located within the middle portion of the container. In other examples, the enclosures 702 may be located along the side of the container 700 within the top ¼ of the container 700, the bottom ¼ of the container 700, or within the middle 2/4 of the container 700. In the current example, the enclosures 702 are formed in a single row, however the enclosures 702 may be positioned in two or more rows in some implementations.
While
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/656,153, filed on Apr. 11, 2018 and entitled “SYSTEM FOR LOCAL LIVE STREAM OF AUDIO SIGNALS,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62656153 | Apr 2018 | US |
