Abstract:
The dispenser disclosed herein serves a single serving of a powdered nutrient contained within a container having multi-servings of the powdered nutrient. The dispenser has a metering device that operates as a ball valve or guillotine to dispense a single serving of the powdered nutrient into a water container. The dispenser also has a support surface that can be lowered and raised back up in order to fit a water container under the metering device and a distal tip of the metering device into a mouth of the water container so that no powdered nutrient spills out of the water container during transfer of the powdered nutrient from the metering device to the water container.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     The dispenser disclosed herein relates to a single serve dispenser for a powdered nutrient. 
     In today&#39;s quick paced environment, powdered nutritional food is one way to consume energy fast. Oftentimes, powdered nutritional food is provided in bulk to consumers in a large container containing multi-servings of the powdered nutritional food. Each time the consumer wants to consume the powdered nutritional food, the user must scoop out one or more servings of the powdered nutritional food into a bowl or cup to mix the powdered nutritional food with water or other fluids. Unfortunately, during the process of scooping the powdered nutritional food into the bowl or cup, the powdered nutritional food is spilled around the large container which must be later wiped up and cleaned. Moreover, such process is time-consuming. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a dispenser of powdered nutrient. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     A dispenser is disclosed herein wherein the dispenser can serve a single serving of a powdered nutrient. The dispenser is removably attachable to a larger container containing the powdered nutrient and operative to receive and dispense single servings of the powdered nutrient directly from the larger nutrient container. The dispenser has a metering device that operates as a ball valve or a guillotine mechanism to dispense a single serving of the powdered nutrient. Moreover, a stand of the dispenser has a support surface biased in an up position that allows a water container to be slipped under the metering device after depressing the support surface to a down position. A dispensing tip of the metering device may be disposed within a mouth of the water container so that as the powdered nutrient is dispensed from the metering device, no powdered nutrient is spilled outside of the water container. 
     More particularly, a dispenser for dispensing a single serve of a powdered nutrient is disclosed. The dispenser may comprise a container, a metering unit and a stand. The container may hold two or more servings of the powdered nutrient. The container having an opening and a first part of a fastening system. The metering unit may define a measuring cup for measuring the single serve of the powdered nutrient and dispensing the measured powdered nutrient. The metering unit may have a second part of the fastening system wherein the first and second parts are removably attachable to each other so that the container is removable from the metering unit when the container is empty and a new container filled with the powdered nutrient is attachable to the metering unit. The stand may hold the metering unit above a surface. 
     The measuring cup may be a ball with a cavity with a volume equal to the single serve of powdered nutrient. The measuring cup may be rotated at least 180° so that the measuring cup is filled with the powdered nutrient then rotated 180° to empty the powdered nutrient in the measuring cup into a water bottle. 
     The metering unit may have a guillotine that may be traversed between an opened position and a closed position. The powdered nutrient may fill the measuring cup when the guillotine is traversed to the opened position and preventing a flow of the powdered nutrient to the measuring cup when the guillotine is traversed to the closed position. The guillotine may be biased to the closed position. 
     The dispenser may further comprise a vibration unit for facilitating removal of the powdered nutrient from the measuring cup into a water bottle. The vibration unit may be attached to the metering unit. 
     The first part of the fastening system may be a screw thread and the second part of the fastening system may be a mating screw thread. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a dispenser for powdered nutrient showing a first embodiment of a metering device and a nutrient container containing the powdered nutrient; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates attachment of the metering device shown in  FIG. 1  with the nutrient container; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates mounting of the metering device with the nutrient container to a stand of the dispenser; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a water container to be disposed under the metering device; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the water container disposed under the metering device; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a measuring cup of the metering device being rotated in order to transfer the powdered nutrient from the metering device into the water container; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the measuring cup of the metering device being fully rotated to transfer the powdered nutrient into the water container; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a vibration device and a vibration button for facilitating transfer of the powdered nutrient from the metering cup of the metering device into the water container; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates action of the vibration device urging the powdered nutrient to be transferred from the measuring cup through its dispensing tip and into the water container; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates the powdered nutrient being dispensed into the water container; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the dispenser for powdered nutrient showing a second embodiment of the metering device and the nutrient container containing powdered nutrient; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates attachment of the metering device shown in  FIG. 11  with the nutrient container; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates mounting of the metering device with the nutrient container to the stand of the dispenser; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates the water container to be disposed under the metering device; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates the water container disposed under the metering device; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates pulling of a guillotine to fill a lower cavity of the metering device; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates the guillotine traversed back to its original position which separates upper and lower cavities of the metering device; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates vibration of the metering device in order to urge all of the powdered nutrient out of the metering device; 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the metering device; 
         FIG. 20  illustrates the dispenser for powdered nutrient showing a third embodiment of the metering device and the nutrient container containing the powdered nutrient; 
         FIG. 21  illustrates attachment of the metering device shown in  FIG. 20  with the nutrient container; 
         FIG. 22  illustrates mounting of the metering device with the nutrient container to the stand of the dispenser; 
         FIG. 23  illustrates the water container to be disposed under the metering device shown in  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 24  illustrates the water container disposed under the metering device shown in  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 25  illustrates an auger being rotated in order to transfer the powdered nutrient from the metering device into the water container; and 
         FIG. 26  illustrates the vibration device and the vibration button for facilitating and urging transfer of the powdered nutrient from the metering cup of the metering device into the water container. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, a dispenser  10 ,  10   a ,  10   b  (see  FIGS. 1, 11 and 20 ) for dispensing a single serving of a powdered nutrient  12  into a water container  14  is shown. The dispenser  10 ,  10   a ,  10   b  supports a nutrient container  16  above a support surface  18  which is traversable between a biased up position and a down position so that a mouth  20  of the water container  14  may receive a dispensing tip  22   a, b, c  of a metering device  24   a, b, c  as shown in  FIGS. 5, 15 and 24 . Moreover, the metering device  24   a, b, c  may have a vibration unit  62 ,  64  to facilitate extraction of the powdered nutrient  12  out of the dispensing tip  22   a, b, c  into the mouth  20  of the water container  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 9, 18 and 26 . Since the dispensing tip  22   a, b, c  is disposed in the mouth  20  of the water container  14 , the powdered nutrient  12  is directly inserted into the mouth  20  of the water container  14  and no possibility of a spill of the powdered nutrient  12  is possible. To dispense the powdered nutrient  12  from the nutrient container  16  to the water container  14 , a metering cavity  28   a, b, c  (see  FIGS. 5, 14 and 23 ) of the metering device  24   a, b, c  is filled with the powdered nutrient  12 . In the dispenser  10  shown in  FIG. 6 , the metering cavity  28   a  is rotated 180° so that an opening  30  is traversed to be pointed downward and the powdered nutrient  12  in the metering cavity  28   a  is poured into the water container  14 . In the dispenser  10   a  shown in  FIG. 14 , a guillotine  32  of the metering device  24   b  is pulled to drop the powdered nutrient from the metered cavity  28   b  into the dispensing tip  22   b  and into the water container  14  as shown in  FIG. 16 . The metering cavity  28   a, b  may be sized to equal a single serving of the powdered nutrient  12 . In the dispenser  10   b  shown in  FIG. 23 , an auger is rotated to flow downward the powdered nutrient from the cavity  28   c  into the dispensing tip  22   c  and into the water container  14  as shown in  FIGS. 25 and 26 . 
     Referring now to a first embodiment of the metering device  24   a  shown in  FIGS. 1-10 , the metering device  24   a  may have internal threads  34  that are removably attachable to external threads  36  of the nutrient container  16 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Although the attachment mechanism between the metering device  24   a, b  and the nutrient container  14  is shown as being mating threads  34 ,  36 , other attachment mechanisms may also be implemented including but not limited to over-center latches, friction fit, etc. so long as the powdered nutrient  12  contained in the nutrient container  16  does not leak out of the connection or attachment between the metering device  24   a, b  and the nutrient container  16 . 
     The nutrient container  16  may have an interior volume sufficient to carry two or more servings of the powdered nutrient  12 . Preferably, the nutrient container  16  has an interior volume sufficient to carry one hundred (100) or more servings of the powdered nutrient  12 . The dispenser  10 ,  10   a  may be used as a point-of-sale device for selling single servings of the powdered nutrient  12  to potential customers that may want to purchase the powdered nutrient  12  in bulk. The customer is allowed to try a single serving before purchasing the powdered nutrient in bulk. To this end, the dispenser  10 ,  10   a  may be placed on a retail store countertop and customers may sample or buy a single serving of the powdered nutrient  12 . Alternatively, the dispenser  10 ,  10   a  may also be used personally and placed on a countertop at a person&#39;s home, workout gym or office desk. The user dispenses a single serving of the powdered nutrient  12  as desired. In this regard, the dispenser may be purchased in combination with the powdered nutrient in the nutrient container. 
     The dispenser  10 ,  10   a  may include a stand  36  and metering device  24   a, b . The container  16  is secured to the metering device  24   a, b  by way of a threaded connection as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and  FIGS. 12 and 13 . To connect the metering device  24   a, b  to the container  16 , a cap  38  of the container  16  is removed to expose the threads  35  of the container  16 . The metering device  24   a, b  is inverted as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 12  and threaded onto the threads  35  of the container  16 . The powdered nutrient  12  in the container  16  cannot slip between the threaded connection between the metering device  24   a, b  and container  16 . The only way that the powdered nutrient  12  is dispensed out of the container  16  is through the dispensing tip  22  of the metering device  24   a, b  as discussed herein. With the metering device  24   a,b  attached to the container  16 , the metering device  24   a, b  and the container  16  are inverted as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 13 . The stand  36  of the dispenser  10  may have a collar  40  which receives and stabilizes the metering device  24   a  and the container  16  in the inverted position, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 14 . In particular, the collar  40  may have a stepped circular configuration which receives a circular outer diameter  44  of the metering device  24   a, b . An inner diameter  42  of the collar  40  may be sized and configured to an outer diameter  44  of the metering device  24   a, b  so as to have a friction fit therebetween. In this manner, any slight nudging of the container  16  does not cause the container  16  to fall off of the stand  36 . The collar  40  may also have an opening  48  that allows the user to have access to a handle  50  of the metering device  24   a  when the metering device  24   a  is secured to the stand  36 , as shown in  FIG. 4  or a guillotine handle  68  of the metering device  24   b , as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     The stand  36  may additionally have a plurality of vertical support columns  52  that extend downward from the collar  40  and is attached to the base  54 . The vertical support columns  52  are positioned so as to allow the water container  14  to be disposed underneath the dispensing tip  22   a, b  of the metering device and withdrawn therefrom to allow the user to consume the water and nutrient powder  12  in the water container  14 . The base  54  may incorporate the support surface  18 . The support surface  18  may be traversed between a biased up position as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 14  and a depressed position to allow the water container  14  to be inserted under the dispensing tip  22   a, b  with the dispensing tip  22   a, b  at least partially inserted into the mouth  20  of the water container  14  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 15 . In particular, the support surface  18  may have a spring  56  disposed underneath the support surface  18 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In order to place the water container  14  on the support surface  18 , the user angles the water container  14  so that the bottom end  58  of the water container  14  contacts the support surface  18 . The user pushes the support surface  18  down to the depressed position. At this moment, a distance  70  between the dispensing tip  22   a, b  and the support surface  18  is greater than a height  72  of the water container  14  as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 14 . The user can now rotate the water container  14  under the dispensing tip  22   a, b  so that the mouth  20  of the water container  14  is disposed directly beneath the dispensing tip  22   a, b  of the metering device  24   a, b . In this position, the user releases the water container  14  to allow the water container  14  to be vertically traversed under power from the spring  56  (see  FIGS. 5 and 15 ) as the support surface  18  resumes its biased up position. In this position, the water container  14  is slightly raised and the dispensing tip  22   a, b  is disposed within the mouth  20  of the water container  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 15 . 
     The metering device  24   a, b  is in fluid communication with the container  16 . In the first embodiment of the metering device  24   a , a measuring cup  59  within the metering device  24   a  has an opening  60  that is pointed upward (see  FIG. 3 ) so that the powdered nutrient  12  in the container  16  can flow downward and into a metered cavity  28   a  of the measuring cup  59 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In order to ensure that the metered cavity  28   a  is completely filled with the powdered nutrient  12 , the user may depress a vibration button  62  which actuates a vibration device  64  in the metering device  24   a . The vibration device  64  vibrates the container  16  and the metering device  24   a  to urge the powdered nutrient  12  into the metered cavity  28   a  of the measuring cup  59 . 
     The user can either turn off the vibration device  64  by depressing the vibration button  62  again or leave the vibration device  64  on to continually impart a slight vibration to the metering device  24   a  as the user turns the handle  50  to have to powdered nutrient  12  transferred into the water container  14 . When the opening  60  is pointed downward as shown in  FIG. 7 , a portion of the powdered nutrient  12  may be retained within the measuring cup  50   a . To dispense all of the powdered nutrient  12  into the water container  14 , the vibration  64  vibrates the powdered nutrient  12  in the measuring cup  50   a  to urge the powdered nutrient out of the measuring cup  50   a . As shown in  FIG. 6 , as the handle  50  is rotated 180° as indicated by rotational arrow  66 , the opening  60  begins to allow the powdered nutrient  12  to flow through the dispensing tip  22   a . Once the handle is rotated 180°, the opening  60  is pointed downward into the mouth  20  of the water container  14 . The powdered nutrient  12  is poured through the mouth  20  and into the water container  14 . The vibration device  64  may be turned on before or after turning the handle  50  to orient the opening  60  downward to urge all of the powdered nutrient into the water container. 
     If the vibration device  64  was turned off or was never turned on, then a small amount of powdered nutrient  12  may remain stuck within the measuring cup  59  or the dispensing tip  22   a  of the metering device  24   a . To allow the powdered nutrient  12  or all of the powdered nutrient  12  to be poured out of the measuring cup  59  and the dispensing tip  28 , the user may turn the vibration device  64  on by depressing the vibration button  62 . The vibration urges the powdered nutrient  12  to completely flow into the water container  14  as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
     The user may grip the water container  14  and press downward on the support surface  18  in order to compress spring  56  which allows the user to tilt the water container  14  away from the dispensing tip  22   a  and remove the water container  14 . The user may put a cap  38  of the water container  14  back on in order to shake and mix the powdered nutrient  12  and the water in the water container  14  together. The cap  38  is removed from the water container  14  so that the user can drink the powdered drink. 
     The handle  50  can be rotated 180° so that the opening  60  is realigned back to the container  16  and the powdered nutrient  12  in the nutrient container  16  fills the measuring cup  59  back up again. The next user can then place a water container  14  under the dispensing tip  22  as explained above and rotate the handle in order to dispense more powdered nutrient  12  in the water container  14 . 
     The measuring cup  59  has a metered cavity  28   a  so that a predefined quantity or volume of powdered nutrient  12  is disposed in the measuring cup  59 . 
     In the second embodiment of the metering device  24   b , an internal space of the metering device  24   b  may be separated into an upper cavity  90  and a lower cavity  92 , as shown in  FIG. 19 . The powdered nutrient disposed in the nutrient container  16  flows first into the upper cavity  90  and is stopped by a guillotine  32 . The guillotine  32  has the handle  68 , a blade  94 , a return spring  96  and a return spring rod  98 . At the end of the rod  98 , a stop plate  100  is used to compress the spring  96  when the handle  68  is pulled in the direction of arrow  102  in order to transfer the powdered nutrient  12  from the upper cavity  90  to the lower cavity  92 . The volume of the lower cavity  92  may be equal to a single serving of the powdered nutrient  12 . Additionally, it is also contemplated that the volume of the lower cavity  92  may be equal to two or more servings of the powdered nutrient  12 . When the guillotine  32  is pulled in the direction of arrow  102 , the powdered nutrient  12  is transferred and fills up the lower cavity  92 . When the guillotine  32  is released, the upper and lower cavities  90 ,  92  are now separated by the blade  94 . The vibration device  64  is turned on to vibrate the powdered nutrient out of the lower cavity  92  through the distal tip  22   b  and into the water container  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 15 , powdered nutrient  12  may be disposed within the lower cavity  92 . The blade  94  separates the upper and lower cavities  90 ,  92 . The user may depress the vibration button  62  to actuate the vibration device  64 . The distal tip  22   b  of the metering device  24   b  is not closed but is opened. When the powdered nutrient  12  is filled into the lower cavity  92  upon pulling of the guillotine  32  in the direction  102 , a small amount of the powdered nutrient  12  may now fall through the distal tip  22   b . However, a majority of the powdered nutrient  12  is stuck within the lower cavity  92 . As shown in  FIG. 19 , a side wall  104  of the lower cavity  92  may have an angle  106  with respect to a vertical axis  108  by adjusting the sidewall  104  and the angle  106  vertical axis; the volume of the lower cavity  92  may be increased by decreasing such angle  106  or decreased by increasing such angle  106 . As the angle  106  is increased, less of the powdered nutrient  12  simply flows through the distal tip  22   b  and remains stuck within the lower cavity  92 . The angle  106  and the cavitational volume of the lower cavity  92  may be sized and configured so that when the guillotine  32  is traversed in the direction of arrow  102  and the blade  94  is traversed to allow the powdered nutrient to flow in the lower cavity  92 , a predetermined amount of powdered nutrient  12  is flowed into the lower cavity  92  which is now ready to be dispensed into the water container  14 . 
     With the powdered nutrient  12  disposed within the lower cavity  92 , as discussed above, the user releases the guillotine to insert the blade  94  between the upper and lower cavities The user may then depress the vibration button  62  which vibrates the metering device  24   b . The vibration from the vibration device  64  gently vibrates the metering device  24   b  and slowly but surely vibrates all of the powdered material within the lower cavity  92  into the water container  14 . 
     In  FIG. 15 , the lower cavity  92  may be empty and not filled with the powdered nutrients. To fill the lower cavity  92  with powdered nutrient  12 , the user pulls on the handle  68  in the direction of arrow  102 . In doing so, the blade  94  (see  FIG. 19 ) is moved out of the way laterally so that powdered nutrient  12  in the upper cavity  90  is flowed into the lower cavity  92 . The bottom distal tip  22   b  of the metering device  24   b  is not closed and always remains opened. As such, when the guillotine  32  is pulled, some of the powdered nutrient  12  escapes out of the distal tip  22   b  as shown in  FIG. 16 . The user then releases the guillotine  32 . As shown in  FIG. 19 , the spring  96  when the guillotine  32  is pulled in the direction of arrow  102  is compressed. When the user releases the guillotine  32 , the spring pushes the guillotine back so that the blade  94  is now separating the upper and lower cavities  90 ,  92 . In order to flow the powdered nutrient  12  out of the lower cavity  92  and into the water container  14 , the user may now depress the vibration button  62  to activate the vibration device  64  which in turn flows the powdered nutrient  12  out of the lower cavity  92  and into the water container  14 . 
     The user may now grip the water container  14  and press downward on the support surface  18  in order to compress spring  56  which allows the user to tilt the water container  14  away from the dispensing tip  22   b  and remove the water container  14 . The user may put a cap  38  of the water container  14  back on in order to shake and mix the powdered nutrient  12  and the water in the water container  14  together. The cap  38  is removed from the water container  14  so that the user can drink the powdered drink  12 . 
     When the next user wants to sample a single serving of the powdered nutrient  12 , the user disposes his or her water container  14  under the dispensing tip  22   b  and pulls on the guillotine  32  in order to start the process over again. 
     In the third embodiment of the metering device  24   c , the internal space of the metering device  24   c  is separated into upper and lower cavities  290 ,  292 , as shown in  FIG. 22 . The powdered nutrient disposed in the nutrient container  16  flows into the upper cavity  290  first and is stopped by an auger  232 . The auger  232  has a handle  268  and a twist  294  formed about shank  296 . The twist  294  and shank  296  are rotatable by turning handle  268  about axis  266 . The auger  232  is rotated and such rotation urges the powdered nutrient in the upper cavity  290  to flow into the lower cavity  292  in a continuous flow. The handle  268  is rotated until the powdered nutrient  12  has filled the water container  14  to the desired level by the user. Additionally, the auger  232  in terms of its twist  294  and shank  296  may meter out a pre-determined volume of powdered nutrient per revolution of handle  268  about axis  266 . After rotating the auger  232 , the user may activate vibration unit  62 ,  64  to ensure that any powdered nutrient  12  that is stuck in the lower cavity  292  is urged out of the distal tip  22   c  of the metering device  24   c  into the water bottle. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 20 and 21 , the metering device  24   c  may be attached to the nutrient container  16  through a threaded attachment. In particular, a lid  30   a  is removed from the nutrient container  16  which exposes threads  35  which mates with threads  34  of the metering device  24   c . Once the metering device  24   c  is attached to the nutrient container  16  as shown in  FIG. 22 , the assembly  24   c ,  16  is oriented upside down and inserted into stand  36 . The stand  36  has an inner diameter  42  that receives outer diameter  44  of the metering device  22   c . Preferably, the upper periphery of the stand  36  has an L-shaped ledge that receives and supports the assembly  24   c ,  16  therein. Once the assembly  24   c ,  16  is disposed on the stand  36 , the distal tip  22   c  is aligned centrally above the support surface  18  of the stand  36 . The distance  270  between the distal tip  22   c  of the metering device  24   c  and the support surface  18  is less than a length  72  of the water container  14 . In this manner, the distal tip  22   c  is inserted into the mouth  20  of the water container  14  when the water container  14  is disposed on the support surface  18  as shown in  FIG. 24 . The water bottle  24  may be disposed on the support surface  18  with the distal tip  22   c  inserted into the mouth of the water bottle  14  by pressing down on the spring-loaded support surface  18 , pivoting the mouth  20  under the distal tip  22   c  and releasing the water bottle  14 . At this time, the spring  56  pushes the water bottle  14  upward so that the distal tip  22   c  of the metering device  24   c  is inserted into the mouth  20  of the water container  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 25 , the handle  268  may be rotated about axis  266 . In doing so, the twist  294  is also rotated. By rotating the twist  294 , the powdered nutrient  12  is urged around the shaft  296  and into the lower cavity  292  where gravity will force the powdered nutrient  12  out of the distal tip  22   c  and into the water container  14 . The upper and lower cavities  290 ,  292  may be sized and configured in order to mate with the outer diameter of the twist  292  so that any powdered nutrient  12  that is transferred from the upper cavity  290  to the lower cavity  292  must pass between the twist and not around and outside of the twist  292 . The twist  292  may have a distance  288  between the twist  292  that does not allow the powdered nutrient  12  to simply flow downward from the upper cavity  290  to the lower cavity  292  if the auger  232  is not being rotated. A depth of the twist  286  and the length  284  may be sized and configured so that each revolution of the handle  268  dispenses a predetermined amount of powdered nutrient  12  from the upper cavity  290  to the lower cavity  292 . By way of example and not limitation, one revolution of the handle  268  may dispense one serving of the powdered nutrient  12  into the lower cavity  292 . 
     The handle is rotated  268  until the desired amount of powdered nutrient  12  is transferred into the water container  14 . However, when the handle  268  is not rotated, a small volume of powdered nutrient  12  may be stuck at a distal portion of the metering device  24   c , as shown in  FIG. 26 . In this regard, the user may press a button  62  in order to actuate the vibration device  64  that frees up the powdered nutrient  12  and allows gravity to force the powdered nutrient  12  to flow into the water container  14 . 
     The metering device  24   c  may operate so that each revolution or predetermined angular rotation of the handle  268  may dispense a pre-determined quantity of powdered nutrient. Alternatively, the metering device  24   c  may be operated so that the user continues to rotate the handle  268  until the powdered nutrient  12  fills the water bottle to the desired amount. Once the desired amount or proper amount of powdered nutrient  12  is disposed in the water container  14 , the user stops rotating the handle  268  and presses the vibration button  62  to eliminate any powdered nutrient  12  from the metering device  24   c  before the removal of the water container  14 . The user then turns off the vibration device  62  by depressing the vibration button  62  again. The water container  14  is pressed downward to traverse the support surface  18  down so that the water container  14  can be removed from the stand  36 . The user puts a cap back on the water container  14 , shakes the water container  14  and drinks the fluid. 
     The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including various ways of configuring the stand. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.