Abstract:
A composite container includes two containers that are axially aligned in movable toward each other to close a hole between the containers or away from each other to open the hole. When the hole is opened liquids, powder or other appropriate material in the containers can be mixed or intermingled ending up in either container or in both containers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    This invention pertains two or more containers that are interconnected, or nested and are filled with different materials. The containers can be separated and their content can be dispensed or a channel or common zone is formed between the containers and the two materials are mixed or comingled. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    In many instances consumers need the ability to carry two or more materials disposed in separate containers which they can mix quickly and easily. While attempts have been made in the past to provide containers that can be used for this purpose, all such attempts (or at least the ones known to the present inventors), have one or more of the following disadvantages: they have a complex shape or detail and therefore are difficult to manufacture; usually they include one of the materials in a cup which is then emptied completely in another container, and therefore cannot be used for only partially mixing the contents of each container; once they are opened and the mixing process starts, the containers cannot be accessed separately and refilled as needed; once the mixing process starts, the contents of one of the containers cannot be kept separate and isolated from the contents of the other container; etc. Some typical prior art solutions having these problems are illustrated in the following U.S. patents: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 4,203,517 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 4,386,696 
               
               
                   
                 5,419,445 
               
               
                   
                 5,092,644 
                 4,950,237 
                 3,802,604 
                 3,802,604 
                 7,810,661 
               
               
                   
                 6,705,462 
                 6,068,396 
                 5,593,052 
                 5,060,811 
                 4,856,995 
               
               
                   
                 6,988,168. 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The above-named disadvantages are overcome by the present invention. The invention pertains to a novel composite Container includes a first container having first container body; a second container having a second container body; and an interconnecting device interconnecting Said first and second container bodies selectively in one of a first configuration in which the two bodies are sealed from each other and a second configuration in which the bodies are in fluid communication thereby allowing contents from one body container to comingle with the contents of the second container. 
         [0006]    Depending on the application and usage, the simple design of the two containers allow user to decide where to end up locating the mixed material: in the upper container, in the lower container or in both containers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows an elevational partial sectional view of a two-container baby bottle constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0008]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show an elevational view of the upper and the lower container respectively; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a two-part water bottle constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  shows a bottom view of the top containers of the bottles of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  shows an alternate embodiment of the baby bottle of  FIG. 1  with the bottom container connected to the top container and an additional separated bottom container closed with a cover. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    As discussed above, the present invention can be used in various environments and purposes. For example, a composite baby bottle  10  composed of containers is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . The top container  12  includes a standard cylindrical body  14  made typically of a hard, transparent or translucent plastic material. The body  14  is provided with a dome-shaped closure terminated with a nipple  18  through which a baby could be fed. 
         [0013]    The body  14  further includes a bottom  20  that has a generally circular shape. Importantly, the bottom  20  includes a centrally located round aperture or hole  22 . Typically the hole may have a diameter of ½-1″ depending on the size of the container, and various other parameters. In addition, a lower portion of the body  14  is formed with an attachment member. In one embodiment, the attachment member is a an outer thread  24 . 
         [0014]    Lower container  30  is preferably molded from a plastic material and includes a cylindrical outer wall  32  and a circular bottom  34 . Dependent on bottom  34  is a boss or shaft  36  disposed coaxially within the wall  32 . The boss  36  is terminated with a mushroom shaped head  38  having a top surface  40 . The boss  36  may be made of a softer material, such as a rubber or similar material. Alternatively, the boss  36  is made of a relatively hard material, the same material as the wall  32  and bottom  34  but the top surface  40  of the head  38  is made of a softer material that is attached to the head  38  by an adhesive or other conventional means. The top surface  40  has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of hole  22 . 
         [0015]    An upper portion of the inner surface of wall  32  is provided with a thread  42  that is shaped to mate with the thread  24  on top container  12 . A plastic cover  44  may be optionally provided that fits over the container  30  to close it at will. The cover  44  may be shaped to snap onto the container  30  or it may have a skirt (not shown) with a threaded portion to engage threads either on the outside on the wall  32  or threads  42 . 
         [0016]    The baby bottle  10  is used as follows. Containers  12  and  30  are filled at will with any desired materials, including liquids, powders, pastes, etc. For example, the bottom container  30  can be filled with a baby formula at a factory and shipped either together with or independently of the top container  12 . Alternatively, the container  30  can be filled at home and then either attached to the container  12  which then could be also filled with liquid at home, or container  30  could be carried separately with the top  44  in place. To feed the baby, the top  44  is removed from the Container  30  and the container  30  is attached to the bottom of container  12  closing hole  22 . Then container  12  is filled with the appropriate liquid. Then by twisting accordingly the containers, the mixing of the material in the containers starts until food in the bottle is ready to be served to the baby. This arrangement is advantageous because it allows a person to prepare everything already at home. He or she fills in the bottom container and attaches to the top container and by turning it she seals the bottom container from the top container and, as such, the material remains isolated in the bottom container. She can also fill in at home the top container with the appropriate liquid, and be ready for later on to mix the materials by twisting the containers and opening hole  22  and as such allowing material to go through hole  22 . She can also prepare a second filled bottom container to be used later. But when replacing the first container with the second one and connecting the second container to the top container, the top container needs to be empty and only after filled in. The hole  22 , the boss  36  and the head  38  and top head  40  are sized and shaped so that when the container  30  is attached to the container  12 , the top surface  40  comes in contact with the bottom  20  of the container  12  and closes the hole  22 . In order to make sure that the container  30  is sealed and air-tight, an O-ring  46  may be used as a sealing gasket between containers  30  and  12 . If necessary, the container  30  may be formed with a shoulder on wall  32  supporting the O-ring  46 . 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, in order to feed the baby, the bottom container is turned in a predetermined direction causing the container  12  and boss  36  to move downwardly away from the bottom  20  and its hole  22 . As a result, the hole  22  is uncovered or opened and the water or other appropriate liquid from container  12  enters into container  30  and mixes with the baby formula. Some shaking may be helpful to insure that the formula and the water are properly mixed. 
         [0018]    For baby formula, it is expected that the mixing is continued until the materials are thoroughly mixed. In other instances it may be desirable to stop the mixing before it is complete. This can be easily accomplished by tightening the bottom container  30  to the top container  12  thereby closing the hole  22 . Further more, the mixing of materials could occur either at the bottom container, top container or in both container as per the application or user preference. It is possible and simple to direct the material in  30  into the top container  12  by flipping (turning up side down) the containers while both containers are still sealed from each other and now bottom container  30  is on top, opening in a controlled way the hole  22  (by twisting away the containers) and allowing material from  30  drop into container  12  in the desirable quantity and controlled manner and then closing the hole  22  by tightening back both containers. 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment. In this embodiment, a soft drink bottle  70  is provided that includes a top container  72  and a bottom container  74 .  FIG. 4  is showing the hole of bottom container  72  open, but when filling in the top container  72  it need to be closed if user wants at this stage to keep both material that reside in the two containers  72  and  74  isolated. The top container could be filled with plain water, soda water or any other drinking liquid. The bottom container  74  could contain a flavor in a solid, gel or liquid form. When a user is ready to drink, she flips over the containers so bottom container  74  is now on top. Then she twists the bottom container  74  which is now on top, opening in a controlled way the passage of material through the hole  22  of container  72  into container  72 . The content of container  74  flows into container  72 , dissolve and/or mix in container  72 , with at least some or all of the flavored material, as desired by user. User can then tighten back the two containers closing opening  22 , flip over the containers, open cap  76  and drink. 
         [0020]    By flipping over the containers and only then allowing material from container  74  go into the container  72 , the user can control the flow of material and then close hole  22  of the top container by tightening the two containers. This will allow repeat of this process. The user just need every time after finishing drinking to fill in the top container  72  with water or other drinkable liquid. 
         [0021]    As explained earlier same repeatable process could be done also on the baby bottle. 
         [0022]    On the other side, in either bottle, if desired to mix the entire material, user just untighten the two containers, by doing so he is opening hole  22  and material can flow from one container to another. User can mix the material including shaking the container and now having free flow of material form one container to the other. User can leave the passage hole open and have like one big container consisted of the two containers with the open hole allowing free flow. 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of the baby bottle of  FIG. 1  wherein stops  91  are provided that limit the rotation of container  90  in either or both directions. Moreover, in this Figure, a separate container  90 A is also provided with cover  92 . Container  90  may be replaced with container  90 A as desired. 
         [0024]    The composite bottles and other types of containers can be made for various purposes, especially where two materials have to be mixed before use, including medical containers, paints, glues, etc. Moreover it should be appreciated, that in some instances, once the two containers are in communication and the materials are properly mixed, the composite bottle or container can be turned so that either container is on top and the mixture can be dispensed in either direction. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, while the containers are interconnected or coupled by respective interengaging threads, other means of performing this function can be used. 
         [0026]    As indicated, the mixed material can be ended either in top container only, bottom container only or in both. Also it is possible to perform partial mixing. By flipping over the containers user can control the direction of the material flow, all depending on the application and what is the usage of the containers. 
         [0027]    Numerous modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its scope as defined in the appended claims.