Abstract:
An apparatus and method for associating a supplement compartment with a liquid container, wherein the supplement may be a vitamin, mineral, analgesic, antibiotic or other medicine, flavor or color additive or nutritional in nature, and may be readily accessible and retrievable for use with the liquid such as water or other beverage. The compartment may be nested atop a cap that covers the dispenser of the container or may be otherwise associated with the container in a secure but temporary and accessible manner.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]    Pursuant to the provisions of 35 U. S.C. 119(e), this application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/219,219, filed Jul. 18, 2000, for “SUPPLEMENTAL COMPARTMENT FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINER.” 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to beverage containing and dispensing systems. It is particularly directed to a compartment that may be associated with a liquid container and that is to contain supplements for ingestion with water and other beverages.  
           [0004]    2. State of the Art  
           [0005]    Beverage container and dispenser systems associated with compartments have heretofore involved various features.  
           [0006]    For example, chambers for mixing to achieve carbonation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,342 Carbonation Chamber with Sparger for Beverage Carbonation and U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,584 Beverage Carbonation Device. Other systems pertaining to compartments further include structure for osmotic mixing such as, for example, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,590 Delivery System With Bilayer Osmotic Engine; U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,265 Osmotic Device With Delayed Activation of Drug Delivery; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,390 Osmotic Device With Delayed Activation of Drug Delivery.  
           [0007]    Snap-on caps and over caps such as those disclosed respectively in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,472,121 and 5,813,575, though better suited for their intended nozzle protection may be regarded as compartment structure. A dispenser capable of delivering a plurality of drug units is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,381 and involves a compartment aspect, but is directed toward delivery of a plurality of discrete drug-containing units in a pattern or profile.  
           [0008]    Nested vial and ampule designs are disclosed respectively in U.S. Pat. Nos. D325,340 and D325,341. The nesting structure form compartments.  
           [0009]    Heretofore, to enjoy the benefit of ingesting any vitamin, mineral, flavoring, nutrient, analgesic or other medicinal supplement or the like along with a beverage, such as water, it has been necessary to separately plan for and transport such supplement. Consequently, supplements that have been misplaced or forgotten have on occasion been unavailable for their intended use. Where it is important that such a supplement be used on a particular schedule, as is so where certain medicines are involved, this consequence is particularly disadvantageous.  
           [0010]    Similarly, where the supplement has been remembered and made available but the beverage has been misplaced, forgotten or is otherwise unavailable, it may be uncomfortable if not dangerous to ingest some types of supplements without a beverage readily available to imbibe at essentially the same time. Indeed, some medicines are expressly designed for use concurrent with a liquid.  
           [0011]    There is a need for a method of securely but temporarily associating a supplement with a beverage container.  
           [0012]    A further need exists for a compartment that is associated with a beverage container and that is susceptible to the facile receiving, storing and dispensing of a supplement, which supplement is to be ingested concurrent or alternatingly with the imbibing of a beverage stored within the container.  
           [0013]    There remains a need for a supplement compartment associated with a liquid container wherein the supplement is readily and facilely accessible and retrievable from the compartment for use with the liquid.  
           [0014]    There is further yet a need for a supplement compartment whose design enhances efficiency of manufacture and assembly as well as effectiveness of distribution and use.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    The present invention provides an improved compartment affixed to a container, the compartment being structured and arranged to protectively and accessibly enclose a first substance and to enable association of the first substance with a second substance, the second substance being accessibly contained within the container, the association being for substantially combined use with the second substance.  
           [0016]    The potential use of the first substance and second substance together may comprise essentially any bodily benefit to a biological organism, which organism may include essentially any vertebrate, in particular mammals and more particularly human beings. The first substance may comprise either or any combination of a vitamin, mineral, nutritional or medicinal supplement, and alternatingly or substantially concurrently with the second substance, may be either ingested, imbibed or breathed by, or injected into or topically applied to the biological organism or any portion of its body.  
           [0017]    The second substance may include either a solid, or a semi-solid, or a liquid or a gas, but in one presently preferred embodiment comprises a beverage, which may be water.  
           [0018]    In one presently preferred embodiment, the invention may comprise a compartment structured and arranged for temporary enclosure and selective disbursement of an edible supplement that is to be ingested substantially at the same time as and with a beverage dispensed from a container with which the compartment is physically associated.  
           [0019]    The first substance may comprise either a solid, or a semi-solid, or a liquid or a gas. The solid may comprise a pill, tablet, granule, powder or the like. The semi-solid may comprise a paste, cream, gel or the like. The liquid may comprise a hydrous or nonhydrous solution.  
           [0020]    The present advance in the art may be actualized as a method of securely but temporarily associating an ingestible supplement with a liquid container. This method may comprise: providing an ingestible supplement within a compartment; providing a liquid within a container; and physically associating the supplement and compartment with the liquid and container. The cap and container may be physically associated with each other by structuring and arranging the cap to nest atop a dispenser end of the container.  
           [0021]    As a part of this method the compartment may be structured and arranged to be susceptible to the facile receiving, storing and dispensing of the supplement, such that the supplement may be readily accessible and retrievable from the compartment for use with the liquid. The supplement may be ingestible concurrent or alternatingly with the imbibing of the liquid stored within the container.  
           [0022]    As a further enhancement to this method, the design of the compartment may be structured and arranged to nest atop a cap of substantially identical form, dimension and material to enhance efficiency of manufacture and assembly as well as effectiveness of distribution and use.  
           [0023]    Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied as a novel bodily refreshment dispensing system which comprises a vitamin, nutritional, mineral or medicinal supplement; a compartment for temporary storage of the supplement; a beverage, comprising water; and a container for temporary accessible storage of the beverage; wherein the compartment is connected to the container atop the container; and wherein the compartment is structured and arranged to accommodate selective access to the supplement stored therein and selective reclosure of the compartment. The access and reclosure may permit the imbibing of the beverage concurrent or alternatingly with the ingestion or imbibing of the supplement.  
           [0024]    In summary, a typical embodiment of this invention comprises a bottle, generally of molded plastic, such as the ubiquitous water bottle. The bottle is provided with a suitable cap, which may be either threaded or press fit onto the conventional open top, or spout fixture of the bottle. The cap may be of any conventional or specialized type; typically being adapted for opening to dispense liquid through the cap. Examples of suitable cap structures are those of the “push-pull” or “hinged lid” type. Generally, the dispensing portion of the cap is covered with a removable/replaceable dust cap. According to this invention, the dust cap is enlarged, or otherwise structured, to accommodate a medicament or supplement; e.g., vitamin pills or aspirin. While it is within contemplation to position suitable pills, tablets, capsules or the like, within an enlarged dust cover cap, it is currently preferred to mount a secondary storage compartment atop the dust cap, ideally in nested arrangement. The secondary compartment may be removed from the dispenser structure of the bottle in association with the dust cover, to permit drinking from the bottle. Alternatively, the secondary compartment may be opened or removed from the dust cap to access the contents of the compartment. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]    In the drawings, which illustrate what is currently regarded as the best mode for carrying out the invention:  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 is a side view of a compartment nested atop a closure which covers a push-pull dispenser of a beverage bottle;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a nesting portion of a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 a  illustrates a perspective view of one piece of the nesting portion of a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 b  sets forth a bottom view of one piece of the nesting portion of a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 c  presents a cross-sectional side view of a partially assembled embodiment of the invention;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 depicts a partially exploded side perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of the compartment, cap and closure;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 5 a  shows a cut away side perspective view of the first alternative embodiment of the compartment and a cap with a rim or press-fit means of attaching to the closure;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 b  shows a cut away side perspective view of the first alternative embodiment of the compartment and a cap with threaded means of attaching to the closure;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 6 a  presents a cut away side perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the compartment and a cap with a rim or press-fit means of attaching to the closure;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 b  presents a cut away side perspective view of the second alternative embodiment of the compartment and a cap with threaded means of attaching to the closure;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 a  depicts a cut away side perspective view of a third alternative embodiment of the compartment and a cap with a rim or press-fit means of attaching to the closure; and  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 7 b  depicts a cut away side perspective view of the third alternative embodiment of the compartment and a cap with threaded means of attaching to the closure. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]    The structural elements of one configuration of the present invention, generallyl, are presented in FIG. 1. As illustrated, a beverage container  5  comprises a closure  10 . While closure of containers generally may be accomplished with structure ranging from a simple press-fit, screw-on or hinged cap, cork or lid to a levered spigot or pivoting valve (not shown), the closure  10  of the illustrated configuration includes a standard push-pull spout  15 . The spout  15  enables opening of the container  5  by pulling the rim  20  away from the container  5  along a post  25 . A liquid  30 , which may be water or other beverage, may then be dispensed from the container  5  through a nozzle  35 . Closing of the container  5  is accomplished by pushing the rim  20  toward the container  5  along the post  25 .  
         [0039]    A cap  40  placed atop the closure  10  is commonly used as a form of protection against contamination of the nozzle  35 . Closures generally may be further protected against contamination, intentional or otherwise, by such structure as a tamper-proof, shrink-wrap hull (not shown). Upon removal of such a hull, the cap  40  may be selectively removed for actuation of the spout  15  and replaced as a continuing barrier against contamination.  
         [0040]    A novel aspect of the present invention includes a compartment  45  associated with the beverage dispensing system  1  that enables temporary storage of a supplement  50  for use in conjunction with the beverage  30 . The supplement  50  utilized may be provided in any preferred form such as, for example, a granule or powder  55 , a tablet or pill  60  or a paste, liquid or syrup  65 . Depending upon the intended benefit sought by use of the supplement  50 , the supplement  50  may be applied to the beverage  30  as an additive prior to the beverage being imbibed, such as with flavors, sweeteners or electrolytes. Likewise, the supplement  50  may be ingested and followed by the beverage  30 , such as with chewable nutritional supplements. Alternatively, the supplement  50  may be placed in the mouth of a user and the beverage  30  used to facilitate swallowing and dissolution of the supplement  50 , such as with aspirin or other medicines.  
         [0041]    As more clearly depicted in FIG. 2, the compartment  45  in one presently preferred embodiment is formed in part by associating the bottom end  70  of the compartment  45  with the top end  75  of the cap  40 .  
         [0042]    One presently preferred embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3 a - 3   c , comprises a top end  75  formed with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the bottom end  70 , and involves a press-fit nesting of the bottom end  70  to the top end  75  to fully establish and enclose the compartment  45 . An exterior annular lip  80  may further be formed around the top end  75  of the cap  40  to enhance the fluid-tight seal initiated by the nesting of the compartment  45  and cap  40 , and further to enhance the anchor of the compartment  45  to the cap  40  against inadvertent displacement from each other. A further refinement comprises an interior annular lip  85 , illustrated in FIGS. 3 b  and  3   c , within the compartment  45  at the bottom end  70  to accomplish the same functions as those described for the exterior annular lip  80 .  
         [0043]    It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that one and the same mold may be used to form an identical part  90  that may be interchanged as either the cap  40  or the compartment  45 , achieving further economy in the manufacture and assembly.  
         [0044]    In addition to a nesting relationship, the bottom end  70  and top end  75  of the compartment  45  may be associated by any of several alternative means, such as with a hinge (not shown), a threadable connection (not shown) or an essentially permanent annular attachment with which a sliding wall could be formed adjacent a side of the compartment to selectively slide over to cover or away from to open an access hole to the interior of the compartment (not shown).  
         [0045]    The compartment  45  may be structured and arranged in any of a variety of commercially appealing configurations to enable access to the supplement  50  stored within the compartment  45 . A few such configurations are set forth in FIGS. 4 through 7 b . A lid  95  may be affixed to the compartment wall  100  by means of a hinge  105 , as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 a  and  5   b . Alternately the lid  95  may be configured as a twist top  110  affixed to the compartment wall  100  by means of a perforation  115  susceptible to being torn away, as shown in FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b . After the twist top  110  is detached along the perforation  115 , the lid  95  may remain attached to the compartment  45  by a hinge (not shown). FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b  depict a window access  120  to the compartment  45 . In these configurations, the compartment  45  may be enclosed by a shrink wrap (not shown), a rotating wall with a hole (not shown) that slides into registration with the window access  120  or out of registration to enclose the window access  120 . Threads  125 , rims  130  or press-fit surfaces  135  suggest a few of a variety of means of attaching the cap  40  to the closure  10 .  
         [0046]    It will be further appreciated by one of skill in the art that any of a wide variety of forms and substances may comprise the supplement  50  and liquid or beverage  30 . For example, the enzyme papain is normally stored in a dormant powdered form to be activated by combination with water in a hydrous composition for optimal debriding effect on necrotic proteinaceous tissue. By storing a powdered form of papain supplement in the compartment for combination with water stored in the container for application to, for example, a wound site to achieve immediate and optimally active debridement, the present invention may realize further bodily benefits of a medical nature hitherto unachieved.  
         [0047]    The device system of the present invention provides distinct advantages over prior supplement compartments associated with beverage containment systems and methods. Thus, reference herein to specific details of the illustrated or other preferred embodiments is by way of example and not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications of the basic illustrated embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited by the claims.