Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6705490
-
Patent Number
6,705,490
-
Date Filed
Thursday, September 12, 200221 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, March 16, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 222 1451
- 222 154
- 222 548
- 206 221
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A closure element for a beverage container is in the form of a sports cap, or other closer, or initially closed straw and provides a chamber or reservoir for containing colorant in the form of liquids, gels, granules, powders, tablets or other solid bodies. Closures such as valves, rupturable membranes, hinged doors or clamps provide closer structure for initially keeping the chambers closed. Upon opening the bottom ends of the chambers, colorants flow into beverages in the containers which are see-through/clear or partially see-through/clear. Coloration of the beverage is voluntarily initiated by the consumer and the thus colored beverages are then consumed by passage through the closure element. In one embodiment of the invention, the colorant is a medicinal agent which can be colored or may be clear. The medicinal agent is released into liquid, which may be water, for ingestion by a patient.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to self contained additive reservoirs for use with beverage containers, and more particularly the present invention is directed to additive reservoirs wherein the additive s are colorants that are disposed in passage ways through which beverages in the container are withdrawn for consumption.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to enhance the experience of drinking a beverage, additives are added to beverages for many purposes. For example, sugar, sweeteners and/or cream is added to coffee or tea. Flavorings of various sorts are also added to other beverages. Color is a readily apparent characteristic of any beverage and food coloring is frequently added to beverages in order to make them more appealing. Many beverages are clear and would be more marketable if they could be of various colors.
Visual stimulation increases the interest in using and consuming food items, but to date that visual stimulation has not been at the discretion of the consumer in a convenient configuration. There are arrangements for providing color additives to beverages, but these arrangements require the consumer to remove a top or cap. None of the arrangements incorporate in a sports-cap, a self contained colorant reservoir or a colorant cylinder inside of a cap, nor do any arrangements employ a colorant straw with a pouch to provide visual stimulation in a contained beverage. Moreover, mixing techniques currently available are very complicated to use, too costly to produce and employ complicated structures. Consequently, no present marketing item efficiently and cost-effectively allows a coloring agent to be mixed with a clear or neutral beverage for visual entertainment while consuming the beverage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a self contained additive reservoir which is configured for attachment to a beverage container for adding to a beverage in the container, additives such as, but not limited to, coloring agents. Agents could also include vitamins, minerals or other consumable agents that in some respect enhance the beverage consumed.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a color additive is introduced to a beverage by a customer from a closure element is which is also used as a conduit to consume the beverage.
The closure element is configured for attachment to a dispensing opening of the beverage container, the closure element comprising a coupling for attaching the closure element to the dispensing opening of the beverage container.
In the first embodiment, a chamber is positioned within the closure element, the chamber containing a colorant agent and having a first end and a second end. The first end is in communication though the dispensing opening of the beverage container with a beverage within the container, and the second end is configured to dispense the beverage as the beverage passes through the chamber. A first closer is provided for closing the first end of the closure element; and a second closer is provided for closing the second end of the closure element. An opener opens at least the first closer to let the colorant flow therethrough into the beverage, and means is provided for allowing opening of the second closer to dispense the beverage, mixed with the colorant, therethrough to the consumer.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the closure element is a screw cap having threads which provide a coupling to the dispensing opening of the beverage container. Also according to the first embodiment of the invention, the screw threads are on a first cylindrical member and thread onto the dispensing opening of the beverage container. A chamber initially containing the colorant is in a second cylindrical member mounted on the first cylindrical member. The first closer is comprised of a wall on the first cylindrical member which faces a floor on the second cylindrical member, with both the wall and floor having initially unaligned openings therethrough. The opener is a rotatable connection disposed between the first and second cylindrical members which allows a customer to twist the second cylindrical member with respect to the first cylindrical member to align an opening in the floor of the colorant agent chamber with the opening through the wall of the first cylindrical member. This allows the colorant to flow into the beverage; and with the colorant therein, to flow to the second closer. The second closer is preferably a sports cap valve mounted on the closure element to provide a means for allowing opening of the second closer.
In a further aspect of the invention, the closure element has at least one detent on either the first or second cylindrical member which engages an indentation in the other cylindrical member to temporarily hold the members in a fixed position with respect to one another, until the second cylindrical member is rotated with respect to the first cylindrical member.
In still a further aspect of the invention the closure element, the colorant in the closure element is in the form of a liquid, a gel, granules, powder or a solid body such as a tablet.
In an additional aspect of the invention the colorant chamber is divided into a plurality of compartments wherein the compartments each contain a different colorant.
In another embodiment of the invention, the closure element has a colorant chamber disposed within the screw cap, wherein a first closer seals a bottom end of the chamber adjacent to the beverage within the beverage container, and a second closer seals an outlet end of the chamber, through which outlet end the beverage is consumed. A tube (or drinking straw) is provided for cooperating with the closure, wherein upon inserting the tube through the outlet end of the chamber, the second seal is opened, and upon continuing insertion of the tube through the bottom end of the chamber, the first seal is opened thus allowing colorant in the chamber to flow into the beverage. Upon the tube being immersed therein, the beverage is consumable through the tube.
In a third aspect of the aforementioned embodiment, the tube or drinking straw is coupled to a dispensing opening of a clear beverage pouch by a unitary or integral joint. The tube or drinking straw contains a colorant or colorants, and is sealed above by a closer seal and below by a clamp. The beverage pouch and colorant drinking straw or tube are unitary, and when the first closer in the form of a clamp disposed between the dispensing opening of the pouch and the free end of the tube is intentionally moved to an open position, the colorant in the drinking straw mixes with the beverage in the clear pouch. The second closer is a removable seal at the free end of the tube.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
FIG. 1
is a an exploded perspective view, partially in section, of a first embodiment of the present invention showing a sports cap with its components not aligned;
FIG. 2
is a side perspective view, with portions in phantom, showing components of sports cap of
FIG. 1
aligned with the top of a beverage container;
FIG. 3
is a side elevation of the sports cap of
FIGS. 1 and 2
;
FIGS. 4A and 4B
are top views of a first embodiment of operating valve portions of the cap;
FIGS. 4C and 4D
are top views of a second embodiment of operating valve portions of the cap;
FIGS. 4E and 4F
are top views of a third embodiment of valve portions of the cap, the valve portion being configured as capillaries;
FIG. 5
is an exploded perspective view, partially in section, showing second embodiment of a sports cap which contains multiple colorant agents;
FIG. 6
is a side exploded view, with portions in phantom, showing components of
FIG. 5
in alignment with a sports bottle for assembly thereon;
FIGS. 7A and 7B
are top views of a valve arrangement for two coloring agents used with the arrangements of
FIGS. 5 and 6
;
FIGS. 7C and 7D
are top views of a valve arrangement for three coloring agents used with the sports cap of
FIGS. 5 and 6
;
FIG. 8
is a perspective side view showing a third embodiment of the invention, with portions in phantom, wherein a straw is utilized to initiate deposit of a color additive to a beverage;
FIG. 9
has a view showing a colorant containing chamber used in
FIG. 8
;
FIG. 10
is a side view showing a portion of a straw extending through the colorant chamber wherein the straw has a diameter slightly smaller than that of the chamber;
FIG. 11
is a top view of the beverage container cap of
FIGS. 8-10
;
FIG. 12
is side elevation of the cap and beverage container;
FIG. 13A
is a side view of a first embodiment of the colorant chamber using two foil membranes as seals;
FIG. 13B
is a side view of a second embodiment of the colorant chamber using a foil membrane at its top end and hinged valve at its bottom end;
FIG. 14
is a side view of a fourth embodiment of the invention in which a straw contains a colorant agent;
FIG. 15
is a top view of a slidable valve element used with the straw of
FIG. 14
;
FIG. 16
is a perspective view of the slidable valve element of
FIG. 15
shown holding the straw closed with the colorant agent therein;
FIG. 17
is a side view similar to
FIG. 16
but with the slideable valve element positioned to let the colorant agent flow into the beverage, and
FIG. 18
is a perspective view of a closer used with the straw of
FIGS. 14
,
16
and
17
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to
FIGS. 1
,
4
A-F, there is shown a first embodiment of a closure element configured in accordance with the present invention as a sports cap
20
, wherein a single colorant agent is contained within and dispensed from a colorant containing assembly
22
into a clear or colored beverage
23
in a beverage container
24
. The sports cap
20
is attached to the beverage container
24
, which beverage container is preferably of a pre-existing design and configuration and includes beverage containing portion
25
and an externally threaded neck
26
on which the sports cap
20
is mounted. Manipulation of the colorant container
22
by a consumer releases colorant into the beverage
23
packaged by the beverage container
24
. In other words, a consumer initiates coloration of the beverage
23
, rather than the packager of the beverage
23
coloring the beverage during manufacture and prior to sale.
The colorant dispenser
22
has a first cylindrical member
30
with internal threads
31
that thread onto the externally threaded neck
26
of the beverage container
24
. The first member
30
has an exterior groove
32
and one or more longitudinally extending exterior ribs
33
. Extending radially with respect to the axis
34
of the first cylindrical member
30
is a top wall
36
having an apertured area or opening
37
which may be one or more holes through the wall
36
, which holes may also be capillaries.
Integral with the first cylindrical member
30
is a second cylindrical member
40
. The second cylindrical member
40
has adjacent its bottom edge
41
a circular internal rib
42
which is received in the exterior groove
32
of the first cylindrical member
30
so as to rotatably mount the second cylindrical member
40
on the first cylindrical member
30
. The circular rib
42
can also be in the form of a gasket in order to seal the second member
40
with respect to the first member
30
. Alternatively, a separate gasket
43
may be provided to accomplish or enhance sealing. The second cylinder member
40
has longitudinally extending groove
45
which receives the longitudinally extending rib
33
on the first member
30
to hold the second cylindrical member
40
in specific rotational position relative to the first cylindrical member. Disposed above the longitudinal groove
45
is a floor
48
which has an opening
50
therethrough. Opening
50
may be a single opening, a plurality of openings or an array of perforations or capillaries.
Above the floor
48
, there is a top wall
52
which forms the top surface of the cap forming the sports cap
20
, the top wall
52
having an opening
54
therethrough which is in communication with a neck
58
. The neck
58
cooperates with a conventional sports cap spout
59
, such as the spout of a sports bottle which allows the consumer to drink directly from the beverage container
24
.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the space
62
between the floor
48
and top wall
52
of the second cylindrical member
40
contains a coloring agent
63
which may in the form of a liquid, the liquid being either free flowing or initially a gel, or in solid form such as granules, a powder a mixture of powders, or even in the form relatively large bodies such as tablets. In other words, the colorant
63
can be in any form which suspends or dissolves to a greater or lesser extent in the beverage
23
retained within the beverage container
24
. The colorant
63
is retained within the space
62
by misalignment of the openings
50
and
37
in the cylindrical members
40
and
30
, respectively. As long as the opening
37
in the first cylinder member
30
is covered by the closed portion
64
of the floor
48
of the second cylindrical member
40
, and the aperture
50
of the second cylindrical member
40
is closed by the closed portion
66
of the top wall
36
of the first cylindrical member
30
, the colorant
63
is held within the space
62
.
In order to dispense the colorant
63
from the space
62
to the beverage
23
, the second member
40
is rotated so that the opening
50
aligns with the opening
37
which allows the colorant
63
to drain from the space
62
, through the cylindrical member
30
and into the beverage container
24
containing the beverage
23
. When the beverage is consumed, the beverage flows through the first opening
37
in cylindrical member
30
, into the space
62
in the second cylindrical member
40
and through the spout
59
of the sports cap
20
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 4A-4F
, it is seen that the openings
37
in the first cylindrical member
30
and
50
in the second cylindrical member
40
may have a number of configurations, such as but not limited to: the semicircular valve configurations
37
′ and
50
′ of
FIGS. 4A and 4B
; the pie shaped apertures
50
″ and
37
″ of
FIGS. 4C and 4D
, and the capillaries
50
′″ and
37
′″ of
FIGS. 4E and 4F
. When the perforations
50
align with the perforations
37
, the colorant in chamber
62
flows through the floor
48
and top wall
36
into the beverage container
24
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 5-7D
, there is shown a second configuration of the first embodiment of the invention wherein the closure element in the form of a sports cap
80
has a plurality of colorant additive compartments
81
,
82
and
83
instead of the single compartment
62
of the first embodiment of
FIGS. 1-4
. With the sports cap
80
, the second cylindrical
40
′ member has a floor
48
′ with a single opening
86
therethrough and a ceiling
87
with a single opening
88
therethrough which is aligned with the opening
86
in the floor
48
′ of the second cylindrical member
40
′. When the openings
88
and
86
are aligned, the beverage
23
in the container
24
can flow through both the first cylindrical member
30
′ and the second cylindrical member
40
′ for consumption by the customer.
In order to color the beverage
23
, the second member
40
′ is rotated about its axis to align one of the compartments
81
,
82
or
83
with the opening
90
in the top wall
91
of the first member
30
′. As with the arrangement of
FIGS. 1-4
, a rib-in-slot latching arrangement is used to position the second cylindrical member
40
′ with respect to the first cylindrical member
30
′, only there are three or four ribs and cooperating slots on the cylindrical members instead of one or two ribs or slots on each member. For example, if there are three colorants to be dispensed, then there are three or four ribs
95
in the first cylindrical member
30
′ and three or four grooves
96
in the second cylindrical member
40
′; positioned for example at 90°, 180° and 270°.
If there are only two colorants, then there are two or three ribs
95
in the first cylindrical member
30
′ and two or three grooves
96
in the second cylindrical member
40
′. In each case, the ribs
95
and the grooves
96
are preferably disposed at 90° intervals, although other angular intervals, may be employed.
Referring now to
FIGS. 7A and 7B
, it is seen that the opening
90
′ through the wall
91
′ of the first cylindrical member
30
′ is almost semicircular in order to align with one of the colorant compartments
81
and
82
, with respective openings
81
′ and
82
′, or possibly with both colorant compartments
81
and
82
, so that two colorants can be dispensed simultaneously. After the colorants have been dispensed from the compartments
81
and
82
into the beverage
23
in the container
24
, the opening
88
that is aligned with the opening
86
is then aligned with the opening
90
′ so that the opening
88
is also aligned with the opening
90
′. The beverage
23
which has been colored by colorants
97
or
98
in compartments
81
or
82
(or in both compartments) is then available for drinking through the spout
70
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 7C and 7D
, it is seen that the opening
90
in the top wall
91
of the first cylindrical member
30
′ is a cord portion of one quarter of a circle. When either of the three colorant containing compartments
81
,
82
or
83
is aligned with the opening
90
, the respective colorant flows through the opening
90
into the beverage
23
in the beverage container
24
. If desired, colors can be mixed by sequentially aligning the colorant chambers
81
,
82
and
83
in the second cylindrical member
40
′ with the opening
90
in the first cylindrical member
30
′. The colorant in the chamber
83
may be released through very small openings such as capillaries
99
so as to have a particular pattern of dispersal in the beverage
23
. When the customer desires to consume the beverage, the opening
86
is then aligned with the opening
90
which automatically aligns the opening
88
with the opening
90
, since the opening
88
is aligned with the opening
86
. The beverage
23
is then consumed through the spout
59
′ of the sports cap
80
.
FIGS.
8
-
13
B: Threaded Cap With Central Colorant Cylinder
Referring now to
FIG. 8
there is shown a second embodiment of the invention wherein a sports bottle
100
, or other container containing a beverage
102
, has a neck
104
with a mouth
106
which is closed by a closure element in the form of a screw cap
108
which is threaded onto the neck
104
of the bottle
100
by threads
112
. The threaded cap
108
has a container
114
therein which contains a colorant material
115
, such as a colorant liquid, gel or a solid in the form of powders, granules or even a tablet or tablets. Colorant container
114
has an upper membrane
116
and a lower membrane
118
. Preferably, the upper membrane
116
and lower membrane
118
are made of foil which can be penetrated sequentially by a relatively stiff tube, such as a straw
122
. When the straw
122
is pushed through the lower membrane
118
, the colorant
115
within the chamber
114
is released and flows into the beverage
102
. Instead of having a lower foil
118
as is seen in
FIG. 13A
, a hinged plastic floor
124
may be used, which hinged floor is pivoted away from the bottom of the chamber
114
by the straw
122
. The lower membrane
118
or hinge
124
form a first closer while the upper membrane
116
forms a second closer.
The axial length of the chamber
114
may be equal to, greater than or shorter than the axial length of the screw cap
108
. The straw
122
may have a diameter which is substantially smaller than the diameter of the chamber
114
, or as is seen in
FIG. 10
, may be only marginally smaller so that it has clearance to slide through the container
114
to open the first closer by either rupturing the foil
118
, or pushing the hinged plastic floor
124
open. The tinted beverage is then drawn through the closure element in the form of the screw cap
108
by virtue of being pulled or sucked through the straw
122
.
FIGS.
14
-
18
-Pouch With Colorant Straw
Referring now to
FIG. 14
there is shown a pouch
150
containing a beverage
152
, the pouch
150
having a top portion
154
with which a closure element in the form of a straw
160
is integral. The pouch
150
is relatively flexible, whereas the straw
160
is relatively stiff and contains a colorant
162
. In order to keep the colorant
162
within the straw
160
, a clamp
166
forms a first closer which closes the straw
160
adjacent its bottom end
168
and a cap
170
forms a second closer which closes the mouth
172
of the straw. The cap
170
is preferably in the form of a removable foil but may be another sealing structure.
The coupling
173
of the straw
160
with the cap
170
may be unitary, with the straw formed simultaneously with the pouch, or may be integral with the straw attached to the pouch after one or the other is formed.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the clamp
166
, the clamp
166
has a slot
180
therein a relatively narrow, longitudinally extending portion
182
which is sufficiently narrow to squeeze the straw
160
shut and seal the colorant
162
within the straw. Narrow portion
182
expands into a relatively wide portion
184
which has a diameter greater than the diameter of the straw
160
and allows the straw to expand outwardly so that the colorant
162
drains into the beverage
152
within the pouch
150
. Preferably, the pouch
150
is transparent so that the consumer sees the colorant
162
flow into the beverage
152
.
If the colorant
162
is a liquid, the cap
170
(preferably in the form of aluminum foil or another seal) is opened to remove any vacuum which might retain the colorant within the straw
160
, the straw thereafter providing a drinking straw for the consumer after the colorant
162
has flowed down into the beverage
152
. While the colorant
162
is preferably in a liquid form, it can also be in the form of a powder, granules, capsule or a gel so as to have various effects upon passing into and through the beverage
152
.
In accordance another embodiment of the invention described herein, and especially in accordance with the pouch configurations of
FIGS. 14-18
, the pouch
150
is transparent or translucent and the beverage may optionally be water or another consumable liquid suitable for dissolving or suspending a medical agent
162
which is dispensed from the straw
160
. In this embodiment of the invention, the medical agent
162
may be clear or colored since the primary purpose is to medicate a patient. Such an arrangement is especially useful for patients who have difficulty in swallowing pills or capsules. While the pouch
150
of
FIGS. 14-17
is a preferred arrangement for such a device, the concept is applicable to other structures such as the bottle-type containers
24
and
100
and their associated closure elements
20
,
20
′ and
108
, respectively.
From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.
Claims
- 1. A closure element for attachment to a dispensing opening of a beverage container, the closure element comprising:a coupling for attaching the closure element to the dispensing opening of the beverage container; a chamber within the closure element, the chamber containing a colorant agent and having a first end and a second end, the first end being in communication with a beverage through the dispensing opening of the beverage container, and the second end being configured to dispense the beverage therethrough as the beverage passes through the chamber; a first closer for closing the first end of the closure element; a second closer for closing the second end of the closure element; an opener for opening at least the first closer to let the colorant flow therethrough into the beverage, and means for allowing opening the second closer for dispensing the beverage mixed with the colorant therethrough to the consumer.
- 2. The closure element of claim 1 wherein the closure element is a screw cap having threads which provide the coupling to the dispensing opening of the beverage container.
- 3. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the screw threads are on a first cylindrical member and thread onto the dispensing opening of the beverage container;wherein the chamber containing the colorant is in a second cylindrical member mounted on the first cylindrical member; wherein the first closer is comprised of a wall on the first cylindrical member which faces a floor on the second cylindrical member, both the wall and floor having initially unaligned openings therethrough to keep the colorant in the chamber; wherein the opener is a rotatary connection between the first and second cylindrical members which allows a customer to twist the second cylindrical member with respect to the first cylindrical member to align the opening in the floor of the colorant agent chamber with the opening through the wall of the first cylindrical member to allow the colorant to flow into the beverage, and with the colorant therein, to flow to the second closer, and wherein the second closer is a sports cap valve slidably mounted in the closure element to provide a means for allowing opening of the second closer.
- 4. The closure element of claim 3 wherein at least one detent in the first or second cylindrical member engages an indentation of the other cylindrical member to hold the members in a fixed position with respect to one another until the second cylindrical member is rotated with respect to the first cylindrical member.
- 5. The closure element of claim 4 wherein there are two detents, one to hold the first and second cylindrical members in a position where the openings are misaligned and another to hold the first and second cylindrical members in a position where the openings are aligned.
- 6. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the colorant comprises of a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body.
- 7. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the colorant chamber is divided into a plurality of compartments wherein the compartments each contain a different colorant.
- 8. The closure element of claim 7 wherein the compartments each have an opening alignable with the opening through the top wall of the first cylindrical member, and wherein there is free opening through the floor of the second cylindrical member which is in communication with the sports cap comprising the second closer.
- 9. The closure element of claim 8 wherein a detent arrangement holds the second cylindrical member in position to individually align the floor opening of the compartments with the opening through the top wall of the first cylindrical member.
- 10. The closure element of claim 9 wherein there are two compartments.
- 11. The closure element of claim 10 wherein there are three compartments.
- 12. The closure element of claim 7 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body.
- 13. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the chamber is disposed within the screw cap, wherein the first closer seals a bottom end of the chamber adjacent to the beverage within the beverage container, and the second closer seals an outlet end of the chamber through which outlet end the beverage is consumed; andwherein the opening means is a tube or drinking straw for cooperating with the closure, wherein upon inserting the tube or drinking straw through the outlet end of the chamber, the second seal is opened and upon continuing inserting of the tube through the bottom end of the chamber, the first seal is opened allowing colorant in the chamber to flow into the beverage, the beverage being consumable through the tube upon the tube being immersed therein.
- 14. The closure element of claim 13 wherein at least one of the first and second seals is a ruptureable membrane which ruptures as the tube is pressed thereagainst, the tube functioning as a drinking straw.
- 15. The closure element of claim 14 wherein the first seal is a pivoted or hinged closure and the second seal is a membrane, wherein insertion of the tube punctures the second seal and pivots the pivoted or hinged closure comprising the first seal to an open position releasing the colorant into the beverage.
- 16. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the beverage container is pouch and the closure element is a tube which functions as a drinking straw that is coupled to a dispensing opening through the pouch by a unitary or integral joint; the chamber in the closure element being a portion of the tube defined by a first closer in the form of a clamp disposed between the outlet opening of the pouch comprising the beverage container and the free end of the tube, while the second closer is a removable seal, preventing flow through the face end of the tube.
- 17. The closure of claim 16 wherein the second seal is a cap disposed at the free end of the tube wherein the cap is configured as a seal.
- 18. The closure of claim 17 wherein the clamp is a body with a slot therein through which the tube projects, the slot having a narrow portion which squeezes the tube closed and a wide portion which allows the tube to open upon moving the body on the tube to position the tube within the wide portion of the clamp to allow the colorant to flow into the pouch.
- 19. The closure element of claim 18 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body.
- 20. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body.
- 21. The closure element of claim 1 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, or a tablet or other solid body.
- 22. The closure element of claim 16 in combination with the pouch wherein the pouch is made of a see-through plastic material which is transparent or translucent material.
- 23. The combination of claim 22 wherein the pouch is transparent and wherein the colorant is medication.
- 24. The combination of claim 23 wherein the beverage is water.
- 25. The closure element of claim 1 in combination with the beverage container wherein the beverage container is made of a see-through material which is transparent or translucent or has portions which are of transparent or translucent material.
- 26. The combination of claim 3 wherein the container is transparent and wherein the colorant is medication.
- 27. The combination of claim 13 wherein the container is transparent and wherein the colorant is medication.
- 28. In combination a consumable liquid container and a closure element for attachment to a dispensing opening of the consumable liquid container, the combination comprising:a coupling for attaching the closure element to the dispensing opening of the container; a chamber within the closure element, the chamber containing a medicinal agent and having a first end and a second end, the first end being in communication with a liquid in the container though the dispensing opening of the container, and the second end being configured to dispense the liquid therethrough as the liquid passes through the chamber; a first closer for closing the first end of the closure element; a second closer for closing the second end of the closure element; an opener for opening at least the first closer to let the medicinal agent flow therethrough into the liquid, and means for allowing opening the second closer for dispensing the liquid mixed with the medicinal agent therethrough to the consumer.
- 29. The combination of claim 28 wherein the container is a transparent or translucent bottle.
- 30. The combination of claim 28 wherein the container is a transparent or translucent pouch.
- 31. The combination of claim 30 wherein the medicinal agent is a liquid, gel, contained within a capsule, or solid, the solid being configured as granulated powder or configured as a pill.
US Referenced Citations (66)