Abstract:
A first container for flowable substances having a first opening provided with a plug. The plug configured to be brought from its closed state to its open state after a fluid tight seal has been formed between the first opening and a second opening of a second container. The plug remains attached to the first container and remains intact when the plug is opened. The invention also provides a system comprising two or more first containers of the invention.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to containers for flowable substances.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     It is often desirable to keep components of a mixture separate from one another until the mixture is needed. For example, a baby formula may consist of a mixture formed from a powder and water. The two components of the mixture (the powder and the water) may be packaged separately, and mixed by the consumer just before the formula is to be used. The two components may be packaged in a single container and separated from one another in the container by a tearable or displaceable boundary. Just before the formula is to be used, the boundary is torn or displaced so as to allow the components to be mixed in the container.  
         [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,107 to Baudin discloses a packaging system for two substances that are initially separated but eventually mixed together. The system consists of two bottles. The first bottle has a central hollow recess supporting a stopper. The recess can be screwed in leak tight fashion onto a second bottle. When the second bottle is screwed into the first bottle, the stopper is expelled into the first bottle so that the contents of the two bottles can be mixed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention provides a first container for a flowable substance such as a liquid gas or solid powder. The first container of the invention is referred to herein as a “bottle”. The bottle is provided with a first opening that is occluded by a plug. The plug can be brought from a closed state in which it occludes the opening to an open state in which it does not occlude the opening in order to introduce or remove a flowable substance into or out of the bottle. In accordance with the invention, the plug remains intact and attached to the first bottle when brought from is closed state to its open state. The opening is configured to allow a second opening of a second bottle to be applied to the first opening of the first bottle in a fluid tight seal. In a preferred embodiment, the first opening is located at the end of a recess in the wall of the first bottle. The exposed surface of the recess is provided with screw threads configured to engage complementary screw threads on the outer surface of the spout of a second bottle so that the spout of the second bottle can be screwed into the recess. As the spout of the second bottle is screwed into the recess, the plug is brought from its closed state to its open state so as to allow mixing of the contents of the two bottles.  
         [0005]     The invention also provides a system comprising two or more first bottles of the invention.  
         [0006]     The invention may be used when it is desired to offer a variety of substances and to allow an individual to select two or more substances from the offered substances to be mixed together. For example, a variety of beverages may be offered, with each different beverage in a separate container of the invention. An individual may then devise his own concoction by selecting two or more containers of the invention, with each container containing one of the offered beverages and mixing the contents of the selected containers.  
         [0007]     The invention thus provides a first container for flowable substances, the container having a wall and having a first opening provided with a plug, the plug having a closed state in which the plug occludes the opening and an opened state in which the plug does not occlude the opening, the plug configured to be brought from its closed state to its open state after a fluid tight seal has been formed between the first opening and a second opening of a second container, the plug remaining attached to the first container and remaining intact when the plug is brought from its closed state to its open state. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a bottle in accordance with one embodiment of the invention with its capped removed;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  shows the bottle of  FIG. 1  closed with a cap;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  shows the bottle of  FIG. 1  after attachment of a second bottle;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of the plug of the bottle of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  shows the recess of the bottle of  FIG. 1  with the plug in its closed state;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  shows the plug in its open state in a top view (a) and a bottom view (b)  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  shows the plug in its closed state in a top view (a) and a bottom view (b)  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  shows the recess of the bottle of  FIG. 1  with the plug in its open state after attachment of the second bottle;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9   a  shows opening of the plug as the second bottle is attached to the bottle of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9   b  shows the spout of the second bottle;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  shows a bottle in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention with its capped removed;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  shows the bottle of  FIG. 10  closed with a cap;  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  shows the bottle of  FIG. 10  after attachment of a second bottle;  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  shows the plug in its open state after attachment of the second bottle to the bottle of  FIG. 10 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  shows a bottle in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention with its capped removed;  
         [0024]      FIG. 15 ; shows the bottle of  FIG. 14  after attachment of a second bottle; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 16  shows opening of the plug as the second bottle is attached to the bottle of  FIG. 14 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a bottle  1  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The bottle  1  may be formed from any material used in the manufacture of bottles such as glass, plastic or metal. The bottle  1  encloses an interior  4  that is used to contain a flowable substance  8  such as a liquid, gas or solid powder. The bottle  1  has a spout  2  that terminates in an opening  3  that may be used to introduce or remove a flowable substance into or out of the bottle. The outer surface of the spout  2  is provided with screw threads  5  that engage complementary screw threads  6  on an interior surface of a screw-on cap  7  so as to reversibly close the opening  3 . The bottle  1  is shown in  FIG. 1  in its open state with the cap  7  removed.  FIG. 2  shows the bottle  1  with the cap  7  screwed on the spout  2  so as to close the opening  3  and prevent passage of substances through the opening  3 . As further shown in  FIG. 2 , the cap  7  may be provided with a seal  9  that prevents inadvertent loosening of the cap. After the cap  7  has been sealed on the spout  2 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the seal is broken when a user unscrews the cap from the bottle. Bottle caps having this type of seal are well known in the art.  
         [0027]     The bottle  1  is provided with a recess  11 . The recess  11  terminates in an opening  17  that is occluded by a plug  18 . The plug  18  is openable, as explained below, in order to introduce or remove a flowable substance into or out of the bottle  1  through the opening  17 . The plug  18  is shown in its closed state in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and in its open state in  FIG. 3 . The exposed surface  13  of the recess  11  is provided with screw threads  16 . The recess  11  is dimensioned to allow a spout  12  of a bottle  1 ′ to be screwed into the recess  11 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The bottle  1 ′ may be identical to the shape and dimensions of the bottle  1 , or the bottle  1 ′ may be different in its shape or dimensions from the bottle  1 . The bottle  1 ′ is provided with a screw or cap  14  that has been removed from the spout  12  of the bottle  1 ′ in  FIG. 2 . The outer surface of the spout  12  is provided with screw threads  15  that engage complementary screw threads  36  interior surface of the cap  14  when the cap  14  is screwed onto the spout  12 . The threads  15  engage the threads  16  on the exposed surface  13  of the recess  11  when the spout  12  is screwed into the recess  11 , as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0028]     The bottle  1 ′ contains a flowable substance  8 ′. As explained below, when the spout  12  of the bottle  1 ′ is screwed into the recess  11  of the bottle  1 , the plug  18  can be opened so as to allow mixing of the contents  8  of the bottle  1  and the contents  8 ′ of the bottle  1 ′.  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of the plug  18 . The plug  18  consists of a first diaphragm  19  and a second diaphragm  20 . The first diaphragm  19  is provided with sector-shaped holes  21 . The second diaphragm is provided with sector-shaped holes  22 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows the recess  11  of the bottle  1  in greater detail. The first diaphragm  19  and the second diaphragm  20  are maintained in the recess  11  between a first circular ridge  24  and a second circular ridge  25 , that extend from the exposed surface  13  of the recess  11 . The upper diaphragm  19  is immobilized in the recess  13  by means of teeth  26  that extend radially from the circumference of the upper diaphragm  19  and engage teeth extending radially, inward from the exposed surface  13  of the recess  11 . The lower diaphragm  20  is rotatable in the annular groove between the upper and lower ridges  24  and  25 . The upper and lower diaphragms  19  and  20  are formed from a rigid material such as hard rubber that forms a seal with the exposed surface  13  of the recess  11 , even as the lower diaphragm  20  is rotated in the annular groove between the upper and lower circular ridges  24  and  25 . This prevents passage of flowable substances, such as the flowable substances  8  or  8 ′ between the circumference of the diaphragms  19  and  20  and the exposed surface  13  of the recess  11 .  
         [0031]     The plug  18  is shown in a top view in  FIGS. 6   a  and  7   a  and in a bottom view in  FIGS. 6   b  and  7   b . When the lower diaphragm  25  has been rotated in the annular groove so that the openings  22  on the lower diaphragm  25  are in register with the openings  21  in the upper diaphragm  19  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the plug  18  is in its open state and flowable substances such as the substance  8  or  8 ′ may flow from one side of the plug  18  through the openings  21  and  22  to the other side of the plug  18 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , when the lower diaphragm  20  is rotated 90° from the position shown in  FIG. 6 , the openings  21  and  22  are occluded, so that the plug  18  is in its closed state and flowable substances are prevented from flowing from one side of the plug  18  to the other side.  
         [0032]      FIG. 9   a  shows the recess  11  of bottle  1  after the spout  12  of the bottle  1 ′ has been inserted partially into the recess  11 . The plug  18  is in its closed state. The spout  12  was introduced into the recess  11  and rotated so that the screw threads  15  on the spout  12  engage the screw threads  16  on the exposed surface  13  of the recess  11 . As shown in  FIG. 9   b , the rim  30  surrounding the opening of the bottle  1 ′ is provided with two engaging notches  27  each of which is shaped and dimensioned to receive a driving pin  28  extending from the lower diaphragm  20  ( FIGS. 4, 6 , and  7 ). The notches  27  may occupy the entire thickness of the rim  30 , as shown in  FIG. 9   b , or may only occupy part of the thickness of the of the rim  30 . As the bottle  1 ′ is screwed into the recess  11  in the direction of the arrow in  FIG. 9   b , the spout  12  of the bottle  1 ′ advances towards the plug  18 , and the driving pins  28  enter the engaging notches  27 . As the bottle  1  continues to be rotated, the driving pins cause the lower diaphragm  20  to rotate in the annular groove so as to bring the plug  18  from its closed state shown in  FIG. 6  to its open state shown in  FIG. 7 . Opening of the plug  18  thus occurs without tearing the plug and without releasing part of the plug into the interior of either bottle. When the plug  18  is in its open state, the flowable substances  8  and  8 ′ can be mixed.  
         [0033]      FIG. 10  shows a bottle  31  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The bottle  31  may be formed from any material used in the manufacture of bottles such as glass, plastic or metal. The bottle  31  encloses an interior  34  that is used to contain a flowable substance  38  such as a liquid, gas or solid powder. The bottle  31  has a spout  32  that terminates in an opening  33  that may be used to introduce or remove a flowable substance into or out of the bottle. The outer surface of the spout  32  is provided with screw threads  35  that engage complementary screw threads  36  on an interior surface of a screw-on cap  37  so as to reversibly close the opening  33 . The bottle  31  is shown in  FIG. 10  in its open state with the cap  37  removed.  FIG. 11  shows the bottle  31  with the cap  37  screwed on the spout  32  so as to close the opening  33  and prevent passage of substances through the opening  33 . As further shown in  FIG. 31 , the cap  37  may be provided with a seal  39  that prevents inadvertent loosening of the cap. After the cap  37  has been sealed on the spout  32 , as shown in  FIG. 31 , the seal is broken when a user unscrews the cap from the bottle. Bottle caps having this type of seal are well known in the art.  
         [0034]     The bottle  31  is provided with a recess  41 . The recess  41  terminates in an opening  47  that is occluded by a plug  48 . The plug  48  is openable, as explained below, in order to introduce or remove a flowable substance into or out of the bottle  31  through the opening  47 . The plug  48  is shown in its closed state in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , and in its open state in  FIG. 13 . The exposed surface  43  of the recess  41  is provided with screw threads  46 . The recess  41  is dimensioned to allow a spout  42  of a bottle  31 ′ to be screwed into the recess  41 , as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . The bottle  31 ′ may be identical to the shape and dimensions of the bottle  31 , or the bottle  31 ′ may be different in its shape or dimension from the bottle  31 . The bottle  31 ′ is provided with a screw or cap  44  that has been removed from the spout  42  of the bottle  31 ′ in  FIG. 12 . The outer surface of the spout  42  is provided with screw threads  45  that engage complementary screw threads  47  in the interior surface of the cap  44  when the cap  44  is screwed onto the spout  42 . The threads  45  engage the threads  46  on the exposed surface  43  of the recess  41  when the spout  42  is screwed into the recess  41 , as shown in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0035]     The bottle  31 ′ contains a flowable substance  38 ′. As explained below, when the spout  42  of the bottle  31 ′ is screwed into the recess  41  of the bottle  31 , the plug  48  can be opened so as to allow mixing of the contents  38  of the bottle  31  and the contents  8 ′ of the bottle  31 ′.  
         [0036]     The plug  48  has a circular diaphragm  50  that occludes the opening  47 . From the circumference of the diaphragm  50  extend two or more projections  52 . Each projection  52  has a foot  54  that is received in a complementary notch  56  on the exposed surface  43  of the recess  42 . The plug  48  is formed from an elastic material such as plastic. In the closed configuration shown in  FIGS. 1   o  and  11 , the projections  52  are somewhat strained from a resting configuration (not shown) that the plug  48  assumes when the projections  52  are not constrained in any way. In this way, the feet  54  exert a radially outward force into the notches  56 , so that the plug  48  is fixed in its closed state in the opening  47 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 12  shows the recess  41  of the bottle  31  after the spout  42  of the bottle  31 ′ has been partially inserted into the recess  41 . The rim  58  of the spout  42  of the bottle  31 ′ exerts a force upon the projections  52  that is coaxial with the spout  42  and is directed toward the bottle  31 . This causes the feet  54  to be dislodged from the notches  56  and the plug  48  to be dislodged from the closed configuration shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  to its open state shown in  FIG. 13 . As the bottle  31 ′ continues to be screwed in the recess  41 , the feet  54  eventually become lodged in notches  60 . At this point, the bottle  31 ′ cannot be screwed any further into the recess  41 , so that the feet  54  do not dislodge from the notches  58 , and is thus prevented from being released into the flowable substance  38 . Opening of the plug  48  thus occurs without tearing the plug and without releasing part of the plug into the interior of either bottle.  
         [0038]      FIG. 14  shows a bottle  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The bottle  100  may be formed from any material used in the manufacture of bottles such as glass, plastic or metal. The bottle  100  encloses an interior  104  that is used to contain a flowable substance  108  such as a liquid, gas or solid powder. The bottle  100  has a spout  102  that terminates in an opening  103  that may be used to introduce or remove a flowable substance into or out of the bottle  100 . The outer surface of the spout  102  is provided with screw threads  105  that engage complementary screw threads  106  on an interior surface of a screw-on cap  107  so as to reversibly close the opening as explained above for the previous embodiments.  
         [0039]     The bottle  100  is provided with a recess  111 . The recess  111  terminates in an opening  117  that is occluded by a plug  118 . The plug  118  is openable, as explained below, in order to introduce or remove a flowable substance into or out of the bottle  100  through the opening  117 . The plug  118  is shown in its closed state in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , and in its open state in  FIG. 16 . The exposed surface  113  of the recess  111  is provided with screw threads  116 . The recess  111  is dimensioned to allow a spout  112  of a bottle  100 ′ to be screwed into the recess  11 , as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . The bottle  100 ′ may be identical to the shape and dimensions of the bottle  100  or the bottle  100 ′ may be different in its shape or dimension from the bottle  100 . The bottle  100 ′ is provided with a screw cap (not shown). The outer surface of the spout  112  is provided with screw threads  115  that engage complementary screw threads on the interior surface of the cap when the cap is screwed onto the spout  112 . The threads  115  engage the threads  116  on the exposed surface  113  of the recess  111  when the spout  112  is screwed into the recess  111 , as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 .  
         [0040]     The bottle  100 ′ contains a flowable substance  108 ′. As explained below, when the spout  112  of the bottle  100 ′ is screwed into the recess  111  of the bottle  100 , the plug  118  can be opened so as to allow mixing of the contents  108  of the bottle  100  and the contents  108 ′ of the bottle  100 ′.  
         [0041]     The plug  118  is attached to the wall of the recess  111  by a hinge  120 . In the closed state of the plug  118  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the plug  118  is snapped closed onto the rim  122  of the recess  111  by means of a first engaging rim  124  associated with the plug  118  and a record engaging rim  126  associated with the rim  122 .  
         [0042]     As the bottle  100 ′ continues to be screwed in the recess  111 , rim  128  of the spout  112  of the bottle  100 ′ applies a force upon a projection  130  extending from the plug  118  into the spout recess  111  of the bottle  100 . This causes the engaging rim  124  and  126  to disengage so as to move the plug  118  from its closed position. Opening of the plug  118  thus occurs without tearing the plug and without releasing part of the plug into the interior of either bottle. The plug  118  may then be opened further by inverting the bottles  100  and  100 ′ so as to allow flowable material to flow from the interior of the bottle  100 ′ into the bottle  100 .