Abstract:
An assembly for location at an opening of a receptacle, the assembly including: a lid including an envelope attached thereto wherein the envelope includes a substance contained therein; and, an envelope opening means including a protrusion coupled to an actuator, wherein movement of the lid relative to the receptacle operates the actuator causing the protrusion to open the envelope releasing the substance into the receptacle.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to an assembly for location at an opening of a receptacle and in particular to an assembly that allows the storage and subsequent controlled mixing of a substance with another substance contained in the receptacle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    International Patent application WO 2004/033336 (the subject matter of which is contained herein by reference) describes a device for location at the opening of a receptacle that in use allows a user to open the top of a receptacle and in the same movement dispense a second substance, such as an effervescent tablet into the drink container. Prior to opening, the second substance is contained within a compartment that is integral with the lid of the device. The action of removing the lid from the bottle also activates a cutting mechanism which opens a foil seal covering the compartment and thereby releasing the substance contained therein. However, there are a number of problems associated with this design, particularly when looking at issues of mass production of high volume beverage and/or food products. 
         [0003]    In particular, the compartment whilst providing a storage solution separate from that of the contents contained within the main body of the receptacle, does not provide an easily sanitised environment as required by the food and beverage industry. In order to use the device of WO 2004/033336, rigorous sanitation of the compartment is required in order to meet food and beverage guidelines for storing a food or beverage substance. Furthermore, the main compartment, aside from the foil seal, is composed from plastic. Moisture ultimately has a tendency to ingress through plastic. Therefore, if the device as described in WO 2004/033336 was used to store a moisture sensitive substance, such as an effervescent tablet within the compartment, the shelf life may be unsuitably short due to the necessity to provide a dry environment for the substance. 
         [0004]    In addition, the cutting portion associated with the design of WO 2004/033336 is pushed into the engagement position once the lid is rotated about the receptacle. However, the cutting portion has a tendency to drop out of cutting engagement with the foil seal surrounding the compartment, thereby not completely releasing the contents contained within the compartment. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, the present invention seeks to address the disadvantages associated with the device described above and in particular provide an assembly that significantly addresses the issues of mass production in the food and beverage industry. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to one aspect the present invention provides an assembly for location at an opening of a receptacle, the assembly including:
       a lid including an envelope attached thereto wherein the envelope includes a substance contained therein; and,   an envelope opening means including a protrusion coupled to an actuator, wherein movement of the lid relative to the receptacle operates the actuator causing the protrusion to open the envelope releasing the substance into the receptacle.       
 
         [0009]    According to one form, the actuator includes a flange that is hingedly coupled to the protrusion wherein movement of the lid relative to the receptacle causes the flange to move and bias the protrusion into a position that opens the envelope. 
         [0010]    Preferably the protrusion includes a cutter portion that is adapted to cut at least a substantial opening in the envelope to assist in the releasing of the substance. Preferably once the flange is moved to bias the protrusion into a position that opens the envelope, the flange is retained in an engaged position by retaining means such that the protrusion is maintained in a contacting position with the envelope during further movement of the lid relative to the receptacle. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the envelope is preformed prior to attaching the envelope to the lid. According to this aspect the substance may be kept in a sanitised environment within the envelope prior to being incorporated into the lid of the assembly. The surface of the envelope to be opened may be composed of any suitable material that may be opened by the protrusion either by a piercing and/or cutting action. Preferably, the surface of the envelope to be opened is composed of a material that provides a moisture barrier, such as for example foil or a laminate including a foil layer, and more preferably the entire envelope is composed of such a material. Preferably the envelope is substantially circular in shape and is produced by sealing the outer circumferential portions of two substantially circular planar portions with the substance contained within the envelope positioned between the two substantially circular planar portions. 
         [0012]    Alternatively, the envelope includes a bottom surface and a top surface capable of being opened by the protrusion wherein the bottom surface is sealed to the top surface creating a void therebetween with the substance contained in the void. According to this form, the bottom surface is substantially semi spherical or substantially bulbous in shape with a circumferential edge portion which is in contact and sealed to the top surface. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the lid includes a receiving portion within which the envelope is attached. Preferably, the receiving portion includes a series of castellations in a substantially circular configuration defining the outer circumferential area of the receiving portion. Preferably the edge portion of the envelope is attached to the castellations. According to this form, the castellations provide a pathway for a liquid or fluid to pass into the receiving portion whilst the envelope is attached thereto. As such, a sanitising fluid such as ozonated water may be used to sanitise the assembly with the envelope in place just prior to the assembly being positioned on the receptacle during a bottling process. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the lid is adapted for threadable engagement with the opening of the receptacle whereby rotation of the lid in a first direction attaches the lid to the receptacle thereby covering the opening of the receptacle. Preferably, rotation of the lid in a second opposite direction detaches the lid from the receptacle and also corresponds to movement of the lid relative to the receptacle that operates the actuator causing the protrusion to open the envelope releasing the substance into the receptacle. 
         [0015]    Preferably the protrusion is part of an insert that is positionable in a neck of the receptacle. More preferably, the insert is a sleeve positionable in a neck of the receptacle and the protrusion is positioned inwardly from the sleeve. 
         [0016]    Preferably the sleeve further includes:
       a mounting that attaches the sleeve to the lid and allows rotation of the sleeve in an axially fixed manner relative to the lid;   retaining means located on the outward surface of the sleeve for holding the sleeve in a frictional engagement at the opening of the receptacle; and,   a flange located on an interior or exterior surface of the sleeve which is arranged to abut a corresponding flange on the lid, wherein when the lid is rotated and the flange located on the sleeve abuts the flange located on the lid, the sleeve and lid rotate together but only as allowed by the frictional engagement of the retaining means.       
 
         [0020]    According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a process for producing the assembly as herein described including the following steps:
       (a) producing the envelope with a substance contained therein;   (b) attaching the envelope to the lid;   (c) optionally sanitising and/or sterilising the assembly.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The present invention will become better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments thereof, described in connection with the accompanying figures, wherein: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a cross sectional perspective view of a two part vessel including an assembly in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the assembly in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the lid in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the sleeve displaying the protrusion and actuator in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; and, 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the assembly in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a two part vessel generally at  10  which includes a bottle or receptacle  15  for containing a liquid substance and a top assembly  20  which contains a solid substance  25  attached to a receiving portion within the lid  30 . In this embodiment, the solid substance is in the form of an effervescent tablet  25 . The substance is encased within an envelope  26  that is attached to the inside surface of the lid  30 . 
         [0031]    The top assembly  20  includes a lid portion  30 , a sleeve portion  35  that is attached to the underside of the top surface  27  of the lid portion  30  and extends into the neck portion of the bottle  15 . The substance  25  in the envelope  26  is fixed to the receiving portion  40  of the lid  30  by means of an adhesive. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an exploded diagram of the top assembly  20  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Here the envelope  45  encasing the effervescent tablet is shown separated from the lid  30 . The envelope  45  in this instance is composed of foil on a top surface  47  and a bottom surface  48  composed of laminate and foil combination. The materials of the envelope  45  provide a moisture barrier around the entirety of the effervescent tablet. 
         [0033]    The bottom surface  48  of the envelope  45  in this embodiment is in a substantially semi circular or bulbous shape which includes an edge portion  49 . The top surface  47  is sealed onto the bottom surface  48  around the edge portion  49  with the effervescent tablet encased within the envelope  45 . The bottom surface  48  is fixed within the lid  30  in the receiving portion  40  by means of an adhesive and the sealed edges  49  of the envelope  95  are attached to the castellations  55  that are appearing around the outside of the receiving portion  40  also by means such as an adhesive. 
         [0034]    The envelope  45  encasing the effervescent tablet provides significant advantages in that the tablet is encased separately and can be attached in place after the formation and sanitisation of the other components of the assembly, which may be necessary when producing a beverage product on a mass produced scale. 
         [0035]    Furthermore, by attaching the sealed portion  49  of the envelope  45  to the top of the castellations  55 , it is possible to allow the passage of liquid or fluid, such as ozonated water, and sanitise underneath the foil envelope  45  of the entire receiving portion  40 . 
         [0036]    Referring to the sleeve  35  in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , there is shown mounting means  70  consisting of a flange portion which cooperates with a similarly arranged flange portion on the inside surface of the lid  30  circumferentially external to the receiving portion  40 . When the mounting means  70  of the sleeve  35  is engaged with the corresponding flange portion of the lid, this allows rotational movement of the sleeve  35  around the receiving portion  40  in a fixed axial manner. 
         [0037]    The sleeve  35  further includes retaining means  60  which hold the sleeve in frictional engagement at the opening of the receptacle  15  when the lid  1  is in place at the top of the bottle  15 . 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there is shown the lid portion of the assembly. The lid portion  30  includes a receiving portion  40  where the envelope including the effervescent tablet (not shown) may be fixed with glue or other suitable fixing or attachment means such as for example ultrasonic welding or heat sealing. Furthermore, the edges of the sealed portion of the envelope  49  (see  FIG. 2 ) can be attached to the top of the castellations  55  allowing a passage behind the envelope if required for sanitation purposes during assembly or a production line. In addition, there is shown at  75  a retaining ledge for maintaining the actuator  85  (see  FIG. 4 ) in an engaged position whereby the protrusion  65  and cutting portion of the protrusion  65  are kept in constant engagement with the foil envelope  45  whilst cutting around releasing the effervescent tablet. 
         [0039]    At  78  there is also shown a flange which cooperates with a corresponding flange  90  on the sleeve portion  35 . When flange  78  is in contact and abutting the flange on the sleeve portion  90  rotation of the sleeve about the lid is prevented thereby allowing removal of the lid from the bottle. 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown the sleeve portion  35  of the assembly. In particular, this view of the sleeve portion  35  shows the cutter protrusion  65  in a hinged relationship with the actuator  85 . The hinge  80  allows the protrusion to move between a cutting position (not shown) and the unengaged position (shown).  FIG. 4  also depicts a flange  90  attached to the sleeve which corresponds to the flange  78  on the lid portion and inhibits rotational movement of the sleeve about the lid portion. 
         [0041]    In use and referring again to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the top assembly is attached to a bottle  15  during assembly and filling of the bottle with a liquid. Prior to opening the lid, the actuator  65  rests in an open position between two castellations which do not include the retaining ledge  75  thereby retaining the protrusion  65  in a position that does not touch or open the top surface  47  of the envelope. Upon rotation of the lid  30  relative to the bottle  15 , the sleeve is held in place through frictional engagement with the neck of the bottle  15  whilst the lid rotates around. The retaining means  70  and corresponding flange arrangement  78  in the lid allow the rotational movement of the lid relative to the sleeve in a fixed axial manner. Upon movement of the lid, the actuator  85  which is fixed to the sleeve  60  is moved up onto the retaining ledge  75  of the lid in an upward position thereby forcing the protrusion including a cutting surface also attached to the sleeve  60  into an opening position. Upon further rotation of the lid the protrusion cuts an arc along the foil top portion  47  of the envelope  45  opening up the envelope and allowing the contents to drop into the liquid contained within the bottle  15 . 
         [0042]    The actuator  85  of the sleeve  60  is maintained in an engaged position by the retaining ledge  75  of the lid  30  whilst the lid  30  is rotating relative to the sleeve  60  held in place in the neck of the bottle until flange  90  is abutting flange  78  of the lid  30 . At this point, the further rotation of the lid overcomes the frictional force of the sleeve  60  held within the neck of the bottle  15  wherein the sleeve portion  60  now moves together with the lid  30  allowing the assembly to be removed from the receptacle. In this manner, the contents of the envelope  45  may be emptied into the liquid contained within the bottle  15  in the same motion as removing the top assembly  20  from the bottle  15  to gain access to the liquid contained therein. 
         [0043]    Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.