Abstract:
A lid closure for storing and dispensing at least one material into a hot or cold beverage container comprising a one-piece molded lid closure with one or more sealed compartments containing one or more materials, and a stirring element integrally molded to the lid, wherein the sealing floor of the compartments is broken by pulling the stirring element and therefore, the materials are dispensed to the beverage container, where they are then mixed with the stirring element to provide an instant beverage, preferably instant coffee.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    N/A 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    N/A 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present disclosure relates to a lid comprising at least one or more compartments for storing one or more materials, such as coffee or cremora, to be dispensed into a beverage container by breaking the sealing floor of said compartments by a consumer. The materials dispensed to the beverage container are then mixed with a stirring element to produce an instant beverage, preferably instant coffee. 
         [0005]    Discussion of the Background 
         [0006]    A lid closure for dispensing materials into a hot or cold beverage container comprises one or more sealed compartments containing materials had been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,363 to Bennett et al and U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,578 to Kenihan. Both public documents disclose the use of plastic lid closures for sealing beverage containers comprising pockets or compartments in molded plastic lid closures that contain materials, such as powdered cream or sugar, for use by a consumer to dispense into a container of a beverage tea or coffee to which the lid closure is secured. Further, Kenihan discloses a complex lid closure forming one or more closed compartments adapted to contain liquid or solid materials, and molded or formed conical depressions or recesses in each arcuate section, wherein each recess forms a downwardly pointed element for puncturing the sealing layer and releasing the material in a respective compartment into the container. The use of multiple downwardly pointed-element to open each chamber separately makes the structure complex and expensive. Further some mixtures required stirring after the material are combined which cannot be completed without a stirring element. 
         [0007]    Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a lid closure adapted to store and dispense materials inside one or more separate compartments by removing a stirring element integrally molded to said lid. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In light of the above shortcomings of the current structures available, the present disclosure comprises a lid with at least one or more compartments containing at least one material, such as coffee and cremora, a stirring element integrally molded to said lid wherein said stirring element, when pulled, is configured to break the sealing floor of the compartments in such way that the materials are dispensed into a beverage container to be then mixed with the stirring element to provide an instant beverage, preferably instant coffee. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a stirring element comprising a pulling mechanism for removing the sealing floor of all the compartments of the lid by pulling a single element. 
         [0010]    Further, another object of the present disclosure is to provide a non-expensive simple way to package and prepare an instant beverage, preferably instant coffee. 
         [0011]    Further, another object of the present disclosure is to provide a non-expensive simple structural modification in current lids. 
         [0012]    Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a removable stirring element for stirring the combined materials. 
         [0013]    To enable a better understanding of the objectives and features of the present invention, a brief description of the drawing below will be followed with a detailed description of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, constitute part of the specifications and illustrate the preferred embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a general view of an exemplary structure for the lid closure for beverage container in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2A-2B  are views of an exemplary structure for the lid closure for beverage container in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an exploded top view of an exemplary structure for the inner lid closure system in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are exemplary views of the breaking process of the compartment-sealing floor in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an exemplary top view of the compartment-sealing floor broke by pulling the stirring element in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 6A-6B  are exemplary views of the removing process of the compartment-sealing floor in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 7A-7B  are views of additional exemplary structure for the lid closure for beverage container in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure 
           [0022]      FIGS. 8A-8B  are exemplary views of the breaking process of the compartment-sealing floor for the second exemplary inner lid in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 9A-9B  are exemplary views of the breaking process of the compartment-sealing floor for the third exemplary inner lid in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is an exemplary top view of the compartment-sealing floor by pulling the stirring element in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure while the material is combined. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    The term “material or materials” means liquid or solid materials to prepare an instant beverage such as coffee, cremora, sugar powder, tea, chocolate, water and others. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is directed to an exemplary structure  1  for the lid closure  3  for beverage container  4  in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. The exemplary structure  1  comprises a lid closure  3  including a lid recess and a stirring element  2 , wherein said lid  3  is used to cover the container  4  opening. The lid  3  in combination with a sealing mechanism formed at least a first compartment  21  and a second compartment  22 . The lid is made preferably of plastic. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 2A through 2B , each compartment  22 ,  21  comprise part of the lid inner walls perimeters, a sealing floor  2   a  and a sealing wall  3   a.  The sealing mechanism, more particularly the sealing floor  2   a  and a sealing wall  3   a  are mechanically coupled to the stirring element  2 . The stirring element  2  comprises a main elongated body  2   c  and a distal end, wherein said main elongated body  2   c  is coupled to the sealing mechanism, more particularly the sealing floor  2   a.  Each compartment is filled with at least two materials F 1 ,F 2 . The stirring element  2  may be configured to be shaped as a spoon. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 2B , the sealing floor  2   a  and sealing walls are configured to avoid the materials F 1 ,F 2  to escape from compartments  21 ,  22  and mixed. The sealing floor  2   a  is attached to the lid inner wall perimeters and the sealing walls  3   a  extend between the top lid inner upper end toward the sealing floor  2   a.    FIG. 4  discloses an exemplary view of the sealing mechanism without the lid  3 . It is clearly show that the stirring element is attached to the sealing floor  2   a,  wherein said sealing floor  2   a  comprises at least two sealing wings  20   a.  The sealing walls  3   a  are on top of the sealing floor  2   a  in order to create a chamber for fluids F 1 ,F 2  in combination with the lid closure inner walls. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are exemplary views of the breaking process of the compartment seals in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure. The main elongated body  2   c,  which is made of a resilient material strong, such as plastic, enough to assist the opening of the sealing mechanism when it is pulled by user without breaking into pieces. First the main elongated body  2   c  is partially aligned with the lid recess  3   b  in order to provide an exit to the main elongated body  2   c  while it is pulled out. While the main elongated body  2   c  is pulled out the sealing wings detached from the lids inner walls letting the material F 1 ,F 2  to drain into the container  4 . The farther the main elongated body  2   c  is pulled away from the lid  3  the more the sealing wings  20   a  detached from the inner lid walls until it is completely detached as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0030]      FIGS. 6A-6B  are directed to removing the sealing mechanism from the lid  3  through the lid recess  3   b.  As shown the sealing floor  2   a  is detached from the lids inner walls by pulling the stirring element  2 . Once the sealing floor  2   a  is detached the user pulls out the sealing mechanism from the lid  3 . It is important to understand that the sealing mechanism, more particularly the stirring element attached to the sealing mechanism is used to stir the materials at the container  4 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are directed to a second exemplary inner lid closure and a third exemplary inner lid closure respectively comprising a basic inner lid closure as shown in  FIG. 2B  comprising a sealing floor  2   a  and walls  3   a,  as explained in  FIG. 3 . The second exemplary inner lid closure comprises at least a U-like configuration  22   a  at the end of the main elongated body  2   c  coupled to a sealing floor  2   a  as shown in  FIG. 7A . As disclose above, by pulling the stirring element away from the lid  3 , the sealing floor  2   a  detaches from the inner walls of the lid  3 . The U-like configuration  22   a  assists to open each of the chambers during the process of removing the sealing mechanism. The U-like configuration  22   a  comprises a more rigid structure than the sealing floor  2   a  in such way that the force exerted on the main elongated body  2   c  during the breaking seal process, as part of the process of removing the sealing mechanism, is transmitted to the sealing floor  2   a.    FIGS. 8A and 8B  clearly shows the connection between the U-like configuration  22   a  and the sealing floor  2   a.    FIG. 8B  discloses the breaking seal process before the sealing mechanism is removed. Due to the angle of the stirring element  2  configuration, more particularly the angle, the main elongated body contact the lid and the main elongated body  2   c  works as a lever. The more rigid structure of the U-like configuration  22   a  assist with the breaking process of the sealing floor  2   a.  It should be understood that the more rigid structure may be accomplished by providing a more thick area at the U-like configuration  22   a  of the same material used for the sealing floor  2   a  or main elongated body  2   c.  Further other material with a more rigid characteristic, when it is compared to the sealing floor  2   a  or main elongated body  2   c,  may be used. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7B  is directed to the third exemplary inner lid closure. The third exemplary inner lid closure comprises at least a semicircular border configuration  21   a  coupled to the main elongated body  2   c  and the sealing floor  2   a.  Similar as disclose above, by pulling the stirring element  2  away from the lid  3 , the sealing floor  2   a  detaches from the inner walls of the lid  3 . The semicircular border configuration  21   a  assists to open each of the chambers during the process of removing the sealing mechanism. While the main elongated body  2   c  is pulled out the sealing floor  2   a  detaches from the lid by separating or disconnecting the semicircular border configuration  21   a  from the lids inner walls. The farther the main elongated body  2   c  is pulled away from the lid  3  the more the semicircular border configuration  21   a  detaches from the inner lid walls as shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B . The semicircular border configuration  21   a  comprises a more rigid structure than the sealing floor  2   a  in such way that the force exerted on the main elongated body  2   c  as part of the process of removing the sealing mechanism, is transmitted to the sealing floor  2   a  without breaking into pieces. 
         [0033]      FIG. 10  is an exemplary view of sealing mechanism being detached from the lids inner walls by pulling the stirring element in accordance with the principles of the current disclosure while the material F 1 ,F 2  are drained to the container  4 . As shown the container may have a hot or cold third material F 3  which is combined with the materials F 1 ,F 2  from the compartments  21 , 22 . Further, as mentioned above, the stirring element is used to assist mixing the materials F 1 ,F 2 ,F 3  at the container  4 . 
         [0034]    In summary of the previous sections, the disclosure presented here is structurally innovative, presents advantages not available at the moment with existing courts, complies with all new patent application requirements and is hereby lawfully submitted to the patent bureau for review and the granting of the commensurate patent rights. 
         [0035]    While the disclosure has been described as having a preferred embodiment, it is understood that many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject disclosure will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this disclosure after considering this specification together with the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, all such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure are deemed to be covered by this disclosure as defined in the following claims and their legal equivalents. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses, if any, are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. 
         [0036]    All of the patents, patent applications, and publications recited herein, and in the Declaration attached hereto, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein. All, or substantially all, the components disclosed in such patents may be used in the embodiments of the present invention, as well as equivalents thereof. The details in the patents, patent applications, and publications incorporated by reference herein may be considered to be incorporable at applicant&#39;s option, into the claims during prosecution as further limitations in the claims to patentable distinguish any amended claims from any applied prior art.