TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a bifurcated container capable of storing two liquids adapted to be mixed upon opening a container, and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a container configured to not allow the contents of the container to be consumed separately or to be mixed outside of the container.
SUMMARY
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of claimed subject matter.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a bifurcated container with two separate compartments that become mixed upon unscrewing a secondary compartment from a primary compartment. The bifurcated container includes a primary compartment including a top neck portion and a secondary compartment disposed upon the top of the neck of the primary compartment. A bifurcator facilitates interaction between the primary and secondary compartment, and includes a set of arms, as well as a hermetic seal and a screw thread finish.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a bifurcated container of the present invention with a smaller secondary compartment retaining its contents and a separate larger primary compartment, wherein the two compartments are still attached.
FIG. 2 is an illustration of a bifurcated container of the present invention with a smaller compartment releasing its contents into a primary, larger compartment.
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a bifurcated container of the present invention; illustrating a hermetic seal, a large primary compartment, and a small secondary compartment.
FIG. 4 is a top, perspective view of a bifurcated container of the present invention with only a primary compartment visible.
FIG. 5 is an illustration of a surface body view of an assembled container of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an exploded illustration of the present invention depicting a smaller secondary compartment, a bifurcator, and a separate larger primary compartment.
FIG. 7A is an illustration of a surface body view of a primary compartment of the present invention.
FIG. 7B is an illustration of a bottom perspective of the primary compartment of the present invention.
FIGS. 8A-B are illustrations of top and bottom perspective views of a bifurcator of the present invention.
FIGS. 9A-B are illustrations of top and bottom perspective views of a secondary compartment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is an illustration of a zoomed-in and cutout perspective of the primary compartment to further show the internal components in the neck portion of the primary compartment of the present invention.
FIGS. 11A-G are illustrations of a bifurcator of the present invention as it is rotating anti clockwise to meet the leading edge of the neck portion of a primary compartment, creating the locking aspect of this idea and forcing the bifurcator to break the seal between the itself and the lid bottle.
FIGS. 12A-J are internal illustrations of the primary compartment of the present invention while the bifurcator is rotating anti-clockwise.
FIGS. 13A-L are internal illustrations of the application of torque to separate the primary compartment from the secondary compartment of the present invention.
FIGS. 14A-M are fragmentary, perspective views of the container of the present invention illustrating the application of torque to separate the primary compartment from the secondary compartment of the present invention.
FIGS. 15A-J are external illustrations of the present invention and of the application of torque to separate the primary compartment from the secondary compartment with a distanced perspective.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Various embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, the embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.
In relation to FIG. 1, there is shown an illustration of one particular embodiment of a bifurcated container 100 comprising a smaller secondary compartment 110 holding a liquid substance 115, a bifurcator 140 forming a hermetic seal, and a large primary compartment 170 holding a different liquid substance 175. In this particular embodiment, the bifurcator 140 includes a series of grooves around its body helping to seal the container 100 as well as to help interact with the large primary compartment 170, and to prevent the bifurcator 140 from turning counterclockwise and unscrewing from the secondary compartment 110. The bifurcator 140 also has a collection of arms exerting outward pressure that prevent the bifurcator from falling into the primary compartment 170 by forcing contact with the grooves as well as taking advantage of a narrow opening where the primary compartment 170 meets the secondary compartment 110.
Now referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an illustration of an embodiment 200 where a secondary compartment 210 has been unscrewed from a primary compartment 270, including a screw thread finish on the secondary compartment 220, a bifurcator 240, at least one bifurcator arm 245 and in certain exemplary embodiments four or any number of bifurcator arms 245 may also be present, a frangible seal 225 including, in certain embodiments, a low density foam core between two solid layers of low density polyethylene (LDPE) which may include, in other embodiments, plastisol, pressure-sensitive liners comprised of styrene foam material with a torque-activated adhesive on its downward facing side, or polyseal cone liners comprising of low density polyethylene, a screw thread finish on the bifurcator 250, a collection of indentations in the secondary compartment's neck 285, these indentations function to prevent the bifurcator 240 from rotating counterclockwise, and a screw thread finish 290 located at the top of the neck of the primary compartment 270. A collection of liquid droplets 215 are depicted falling from the secondary compartment 210 into the primary compartment 270 as a result of the secondary compartment 210 being unscrewed from the primary compartment 270 resulting in a mixture of liquids or combination of liquids and solid solutions 280. In certain embodiments, the liquid contained in the secondary compartment 210 is, for example, of an alcoholic nature, including but not limited to distilled spirits, wine, or beer, and the liquid contained in the primary compartment 270 is any other liquid that readily mixes with alcohol. In other embodiments, the secondary compartment's 270 liquid may contain one or more pharmaceutical drugs, or pharmaceutical drug precursors, that upon mixing with the primary compartment's 270 liquid, become ready for consumption. In certain embodiments, one of the compartments may hold an aqueous solution. In certain embodiments, the liquid solution contained in either the primary or secondary compartment may be organic in nature and may need to be separated from the contents in it's apposing container until the time of use. For example, a caffeinated beverage such as coffee or espresso could be kept in one of the compartments and a cream, milk or flavored combination of either may be contained in the other compartment. Additionally, organic solutions, such as organic cold pressed juices that have been pasteurized through method of high pressure pasteurization or other methods that allow the juice solutions to remain preserved in an organic state without the use of added chemicals may benefit from this method of bifurcating consumable products. An example of this may be to have an organically cold pressed and high pressure pasteurized juice in the primary compartment, and an alcoholic solution in the secondary compartment as a high-end mixed cocktail consumer product. In certain embodiments, a solid solution such as a powder for use as a pre-workout supplement may be contained in the secondary compartment 220, and mixed into the primary compartment 270 upon unscrewing the secondary compartment 220 from the primary compartment 270. In certain embodiments, a volatile chemical solution can be bifurcated in the primary compartment 270 and secondary compartment 220 prior to use. This method of separating liquid and solid solutions may be beneficial in certain applications including but not limited to chemistry applications, military applications, aviation applications, high altitude or microgravity applications, and mechanical applications. In certain embodiments, the convenience of having pre-measured amounts of liquid and solid solutions is essential in micro-gravity conditions such as in orbit around the earth or in transit to other lunar or astrological bodies, pouring out and measuring solutions is extremely difficult and can be very dangerous for the participants on board and the technical equipment on board. For example, If the secondary compartment 220 is unscrewed enough to break the connection between the bifurcator 240 and frangible seal 225, then screwed back on to reestablish a seal between the secondary compartment 220 and primary compartment 270, but the contents or the secondary compartment 220 are able to freely flow into the primary compartment 270, a user may shake the entire embodiment 200 until the contents of the primary compartment 270 and secondary compartment 220 are mixed into a consistent solution 280.
Now referring to FIG. 3, there is shown an illustration of an additional aspect of the invention, wherein a bifurcated bottle 300 is shown in a perspective view, allowing the separate components to be visualized, including a primary compartment 370, and a secondary compartment 310. The secondary compartment 310 also functions as a lid for the primary compartment 370, a bifurcator 340 including a set of bifurcator arms 345 and a screw thread finish 350; a set of indentions within the neck of the primary compartment 370, a bifurcator seal 355 made of a three-ply liner composed of a low density foam core between two solid layers of low density polyethylene, and a screw thread finish 390 on the primary compartment.
Now referring to FIG. 4, there is shown an illustration of an aerial perspective of the container, a bifurcated bottle 400, including a bifurcator 440, a set of bifurcator arms 445, a screw thread finish 450 located on the bifurcator, a primary compartment 470, a set of indentations 485 inside the neck of the primary compartment 470. The indentations 485 function to prevent the bifurcator from rotating counterclockwise, and a screw thread finish 490 located on the neck of the primary compartment 470.
Now referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an illustration of a surface body view 500 of the whole assembly assembled. In certain embodiments, the invention would appear to the consumer as depicted. In other embodiments, minor details may be different or dissimilar.
Now referring to FIG. 6, there is shown an exploded illustration 600 depicting a smaller secondary compartment 610, a bifurcator 640, and a separate larger primary compartment 670. This is a more accurate view of what all the parts would look like. This is post engineering, so it includes more detail than the original exploded view, but the concept is exactly the same.
Now referring to FIGS. 7A-B, in FIG. 7A, there is shown an illustration of a surface body view of a primary compartment 700A depicting the shape of the exterior of the primary compartment as well as aspects of the interior neck portion of the bottle, including threads 790 and leading edge 785. In certain embodiments, threads in this area (or any other area of this invention) may not be continuous (an interrupted thread pattern), allowing fluids to pass more easily. In other embodiments, the threads may be continuous (or uninterrupted), or specialized in some other manner to facilitate the passage of mixtures. In FIG. 7B, there is shown an illustration of a bottom perspective of the primary compartment 700B.
Now referring to FIGS. 8A-B, in FIG. 8A there is shown an illustration of a top perspective of a bifurcator 800A, a set of bifurcator arms 845, and screw thread finish 850. In FIG. 8B, there is shown an illustration of a bottom perspective of a bifurcator 800B, a set of bifurcator arms 845, and screw thread finish 850.
Now referring to FIG. 9 there is shown an illustration of top 900A and bottom 900B perspective views of a secondary compartment, a screw thread finish on the secondary compartment 920 that interacts with the threads of the primary compartment, a frangible seal 925 where a groove is formed to enjoin the secondary compartment to the neck of the primary compartment, and lastly another screw thread finish 926 that allows the secondary compartment to attach and seal to the bifurcator.
Now referring to FIG. 10, there is shown an illustration of a zoomed and cutout perspective of the primary compartment showing the internal components in the neck portion of the aforementioned primary compartment. A screw thread finish 1090 and a leading edge 1085 allow a secondary compartment to attach to the primary compartment, and an additional leading edge 1086 holds the bifurcator in place, preventing it from falling into the volumetric area of the primary compartment after the bifurcator is separated from the secondary compartment when the container is opened.
Now referring to FIGS. 11A-G, there is shown in each figure an illustration (1100A, 1100B, 1100C, 1100D, 1100E, 1100F, and 1100G) of a bifurcator as it is rotating anti clockwise to meet the leading edge of the neck portion of a primary compartment, allowing the compartments to remain locked in place while forcing the bifurcator to break the seal between the itself and the lid bottle, with each figure depicting a gradual increase of rotation.
Now referring to FIGS. 12A-J, there is shown in each figure an internal illustration (1200A, 120013, 1200C, 1200D, 1200E, 1200F, 1200G, 1200H, 1200I, and 1200J) of the primary compartment while the bifurcator is rotating anti-clockwise by a user who is applying torque to open the bottle, while the arms of the bifurcator ultimately lock against the leading edge of the neck portion of the primary compartment.
Now referring to FIGS. 13A-L, there is shown in each figure an internal illustration (1300A, 130013, 1300C, 1300D, 1300E, 1300F, 1300G, 1300H, 1300I, 1300J, 1300K, and 1300L) of torque being applied to remove the secondary compartment from the primary compartment, releasing the contents of the secondary compartment into the primary compartment while the bifurcator is held in place.
Now referring to FIGS. 14A-M, there is shown in each figure an external illustration (1400A, 1400B, 1400C, 1400D, 1400E, 1400F, 1400G, 1400H, 1400I, 1400J, 1400K, 1400L, and 1400M) of torque being applied to remove the secondary compartment from the primary compartment, releasing the contents of the secondary compartment into the primary compartment while the bifurcator is held in place with particular focus focusing on the neck portion of the primary compartment container to elucidate the process of separation.
Now referring to FIGS. 15A-15J, there is show in each figure an external illustration (1500A, 1500B, 1500C, 1500D, 1500E, 1500F, 1500G, 1500H, 1500I, and 1500J) of torque being applied anti-clockwise to the secondary compartment 1595 while a lifting force 1596 is also applied to the secondary compartment, with each figure showing a gradual progression of separation.
The term “substantially” is defined as largely but not necessarily wholly what is specified (and includes what is specified; e.g., substantially 90 degrees includes 90 degrees and substantially parallel includes parallel), as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In any disclosed embodiment, the terms “substantially,” “approximately,” “generally,” and “about” may be substituted with “within 10% of” what is specified.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the devices or algorithms illustrated can be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. As will be recognized, the processes described herein can be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features can be used or practiced separately from others. The scope of protection is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Patent Application
20200130906
