N/A
Most if not all liquids, creams, gels and even certain powders and other substances are formulated and created for the longest shelf life and not necessarily for optimal performance and/or usefulness. There are many ingredients and/or combinations of ingredients that have reduced shelf life due to requiring combinations of liquid substances. In most all cases when any ingredients are exposed to one another, including air, deterioration begins and the clock on the limited shelf life starts. Also in most products in any category, “Shelf Life” is the key factor with respect expiration dates based on the product and category.
Several attempts have been made to design capsules and containers to improve the shelf life of compositions such as gels, liquids, powders and the like however the majority of the available devices rely on a plurality of interconnected parts which are not cost effective to manufacture and assemble. The present invention is designed to be inexpensive to mass produce, fill and seal to be able to deliver an affordable dispensing capsule in virtually any application and category. This invention can be made from a one piece mold or more pieces depending on the desired application with features and benefits for keeping ingredients separate and fresh until time of use. This invention allows formulas and new products in any categories to be invented and made for desired end effects and not for what has to be done do to normal packaging and manufacturing and eliminating many unhealthy ingredients that are currently and normally used to produce most products. The present invention, therefore, is useful for packaging ingredients such as enzymes, calcium and magnesium with bio flavinoids vitamin C, probiotics creatine and many more. Moreover, the present invention allows for the mixing of a plurality of ingredients by providing a multi-chambered dispenser configuration. This provides a substantial improvement over the prior art with respect to shelf life and overall versatility.
It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. However, in view of the container capsules and related devices in existence at the time of the present invention, it was not obvious to those persons of ordinary skill in the pertinent art as to how the identified needs could be fulfilled in an advantageous manner.
As noted above, the actuating drink-through cap 3 is slidingly engaged with the capsule body 2.
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After the dispensing capsule 1 has been actuated, it can be utilized a drinking device to directly access the now-mixed contents of the target container. Accordingly, as mentioned above, the cap body 2 and actuation cap 3 are in flow communication, namely by way of chamber 22, which leads up to nozzle 24 which is in flow communication with punch 34 and ultimately spout 33. This provides a flow passage through which the contents of the target container 5 can be accessed for drinking or other purposes without the need to remove the capsule 1 from the container 5. Of course, after actuation, the flow of liquid through and out of the capsule 1 can be prevented by closing hinged lid 37. Hinged lid 37, therefore, permits selective access to the mixture contained in container 5 once the capsule 1 has been actuated.
To further enhance the usability and effectiveness of the dispensing capsule 1, the window vents 42 are provided in plunger 40 to assure that the one or more ingredients 22a are entirely cleared from the dispensing capsule. To that end, the window vents 42 allow the flow of liquid and in and out of the chamber 22 to allow for the chamber 22 to be completely flushed of ingredients 22a after actuation. Flushing the capsule 1 after actuation can be accomplished by upending the container 5 (with capsule 1 installed) or by shaking or otherwise disturbing the device such that a sufficient amount of liquid enters the dispensing capsule 1 from the bottom. This helps to alleviate the problem of residue build up or unused ingredients 22a remaining in the chamber 22, particularly in the vicinity of the lower sealing member 25. The window vents 42 also promote the flow of liquid back through the entire dispensing capsule 1 when used from drinking, for example, by way of spout 33 of the actuation cap 3.
In some embodiments, the capsule 1 includes actuation cap 3 including an internal punch 34, a cap body 2 including a container connector 21, a chamber 22 disposed in the container connector and sealed by a lower sealing member 25, and an actuator base 23 extending above said container connector 21 and surrounding a top portion of the chamber 22. Nozzle 24 is attached to chamber 22 by a flexible actuator 26 disposed circumferentially around the nozzle 24. Nozzle 24 is sealed by an upper sealing member 27. A moveable plunger 40 extends downward from nozzle 24 and is disposed within chamber 22. The plunger 40 includes one or more window vents 42 to facilitate the flow of liquid into and out of said chamber. Actuation cap 3 is slidingly engaged with cap body 2 at the actuator base 23. Upon application of pressure to actuation cap 2, the internal punch 34 engages nozzle 24 causing plunger 40 to displace downward and at least partially break lower sealing member 25. One or more ingredients 22a are contained in the chamber 22 which, upon actuation, are dispensed into a target container for mixture and use. The punch 34 of the actuation cap 3 is also capable of breaking the upper sealing member 27 disposed within nozzle 24 to provide drink-through access to the eventual mixture.
It is appreciated that the capsule of the present invention can comprise any combination of materials including plastics, rubbers, aluminum, resins, and the like. The capsule may also be sized and shaped to accommodate fitment on any desired container such as bottles, IV bags, pouches, and the like. Furthermore, the threaded engagement with the container may be substitute for various snap-on or other releasable fitments known in the art.
It is further appreciated that the upper sealing member 27 and lower sealing member 25 may comprise a variety of plastic and foil-like materials. In some embodiments, the sealing members comprise a thin plastic or resin material having one or more lines of weakening to allow for dispensing of the first ingredient. In other embodiments, the sealing members may comprise a foil or paper material equally suitable to be broken by the plunger action described above.
The chamber 22 can contain any liquid, powder and or gasses and or micro/nano encapsulation in any combination desired. The dispensing capsule can be mounted or applied at any location of a container including a bottle, pouch, can, IV bag, drum or tote. In some embodiments, the capsule is suited to be received on the threaded opening of such containers in order to provide a leak-free fitment. The chamber of the dispensing capsule stores any desired ingredient and may be dimensioned as desired to fit a variety of applications. The size and shape of the capsule of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the sizes and shapes shown in the drawings herein. Rather, the volume of the chamber and the diameter of the various components can vary as desired and/or can vary depending on the size and shape of the intended container or other parameters. Further, the chamber need not be filled completely, but rather can accept any volume of an ingredient desired depending on mixing parameters and the desired final product.
By way of example only, the device can be used for drinks, hair care, pet products, drugs, over the counter medications, cleaning products, soups, dressings, nitrogen, fuels and engine cleansing, oils, waxes, pH enhancers, oral care, oxygen, adhesives and other categories of use depending on the ingredients and formulas. It is appreciated that the dispensing capsule allows for on-demand dispensing of a product or component of a product for mixing with another ingredient or ingredients in the container to which it is attached. Also a coating of any type of moisture absorbent can be applied to the inside of the chamber to act as a desiccant and allow for moisture absorption of any excess moisture that may be contained inside the invention when filled and sealed.
This dispensing capsule can be molded in two pieces, i.e. cap 3 and cap body 2, thus eliminating a high cost to manufacture other dispensing caps that are multiple pieces and difficult to fill and seal the ingredients desired. Furthermore, due to the encapsulated capsule excluding the sealing area the invention allows the ingredients to remain moisture free and have an unusually long shelf life and allowing with the sealed chamber to combine liquids and powders and oils and other ingredients to be sealed and stored separately if desired to prevent any reaction with one another.
The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.
This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/752,493 filed on Jan. 29, 2013, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/478,419 filed May 23, 2012, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/490,971 filed May 27, 2011. This application is also a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/480,958 filed May 25, 2012, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/490,920 filed May 27, 2011.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13752493 | Jan 2013 | US |
Child | 14627487 | US | |
Parent | 13478419 | May 2012 | US |
Child | 13752493 | US | |
Parent | 14627487 | US | |
Child | 13752493 | US | |
Parent | 13480958 | May 2012 | US |
Child | 14627487 | US |