Patent Publication Number: US-2007098851-A1

Title: Beverage and package for such beverage

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates, in general, to beverages and packaging for such beverages and, more particularly, this invention relates to beverages which are normally served cold and that are suitable for having preselected additives added thereto just before drinking and, still more particularly, the instant invention relates to a container for prepackaging such preselected additives for shipment either with the beverage they are to be added to or as a separate item to be sold to the consumer.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, as is generally well known in the prior art, different beverages and packaging for such beverages have gained excellent commercial acceptance. Most of these beverages are usually served cold. To name a few such beverages, for example, there are different flavored sodas, sports drinks, teas, beer, ale and more recently certain coffee flavors. These different beverages are presently packaged and shipped in either cans, bottles and/or in cartons, such as TetraPak type cartons. Such bottles presently come in both glass and plastic. Regardless of the type container used for these beverages they are all recycleable.  
      Still more recently, it has become quite popular to have certain types of flavoring added to some of these cold drinks. This is particularly the case with certain teas and coffees. For example, a tea known as boba tea. Boba tea is also known just as plain boba, bubble tea, pearl tea, pearl tea drink, boba drink, boba ice tea, pearl milk tea, pearl ice tea, black pearl tea, tapioca ball drink, pearl shake.  
      Boba tea originated in the early 1980&#39;s. Because of the sweet and cool taste, children soon loved this type of tea. When flavor is added, however, the tea and flavoring needs to be shaken well for a good all around taste. This shaking caused bubbles to be formed in the drink, which tea then came to be known as “Bubble Tea”.  
      In 1983, a new fad came into play which was to add tapioca pearls into a favorite drink. Most of the time tapioca pearls were served in cold infused tea. After the tea and flavor were shaken well, it was topped with bubbles and the tapioca pearls ended up sitting on the bottom of a clear cup. The tapioca pearls also looked like bubbles, thus this version also became to be known as “Bubble Tea”. Bubbles floated on the top of your drink (from shaking) and on the bottom of your drink from the pearls.  
      Tapioca pearls are normally black, but can sometimes be found to be white and/or transparent. Depending on the ingredients of the pearl, the color will usually vary. White and translucent pearls are made of caramel, starch and chamomile root extract. The black pearl includes sweet potato, cassava root and brown sugar, which add the black color.  
      In addition to the tapioca pearls, candies like Choobees™ a registered trademark of Bruce &amp; Clark Company and candied jellies like coconut jelly can also be added to these beverages. Tapioca pearls and the various candies and jellies are sometimes referred to as texture components. The consistency of such tapioca pearls are somewhere between jell-o and gummy bear type candy and they are about the size of a marble.  
      Boba tea&#39;s appearance definitely makes it unique. A clear cup with black balls on the bottom can easily identify boba tea drinks. Another obvious trait is a huge fat straw. The fat straw is needed so that the tapioca pearls can be sucked up with the drink and then eaten.  
      Boba tea drinks are usually a cool, refreshing, sweet drink with tapioca pearls sitting on the bottom of a clear cup. Sometimes the drink is made with fresh fruits, milk, and crushed ice to create a healthy milk shake. You can also find drinks that are made of powdered flavoring, creamer, water, and crushed ice.  
      Boba tea first gained popularity in the US during the late 90s in San Francisco and Los Angeles areas and quickly spread throughout California, Seattle, Wash. and Portland, Oreg. The tea is now available in select coffee houses in most major metropolitan areas of the U.S., specifically those located near major universities or those with highly concentrated Asian populations.  
      There are many RTD (ready to drink) tea products on the market today, but only a few are blended with milk. Recently, however, several RTD milk tea beverages have come on the market, specifically, RTD chai tea. Chai tea originated in India and is a brewed black tea beverage with milk containing spices ranging from pepper to cardamom to cinnamon. Chai tea first gained popularity in the U.S. in the late 90s and has continued to gain widespread appeal during the last few years.  
      There currently are no RTD beverages (with a texture component) available on the home consumer market today. The main reason for this is that the particular type additives needed for these drinks have only been available in upscale restaurants and coffee shops because tapioca, for example, once cooked starts to harden and stick together after only a few hours and thus become unusable. After extended periods in liquid, tapioca will eventually become quite soggy, stick together and begin to break down.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In a first embodiment the present invention provides a dry preselected additive for adding to a beverage prior to drinking such beverage and a package for prepackaging such additive for shipping either with such beverage or as a separate product. The dry preselected additive and package of the present invention includes a substantially dry preselected additive for the beverage and a sealable package for containing the substantially dry preselected additive therein until time of its use. Such dry preselected additive having each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size.  
      According to a second embodiment the present invention provides in combination with a preselected flavoring type additive for a beverage the improvement comprising a package for such preselected additive which will enable such preselected additive to be added to such beverage by a consumer just prior to consuming such beverage having such preselected additive added thereto.  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a beverage having a preselected additive for such beverage prepackaged and ready to be added to the beverage just before drinking.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage having a preselected additive for such beverage prepackaged in such a manner that will enable the consuming public to have these beverages available at home.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage having a preselected additive for such beverage prepackaged in such a manner which will exhibit a relatively long shelf life for such additive.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage having a preselected additive for such beverage prepackaged in such a manner that is relatively simple to use.  
      A further object of the present invention is to provide a beverage having an additive for such beverage prepackaged in such a manner that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.  
      An additional object of the present invention is to provide a beverage having an additive for such beverage which can be prepackaged effectively in a number of different ways.  
      It is another object of the present invention is to provide a prepackaged additive for a beverage which can be shipped with such beverage.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a prepackaged additive for a beverage in which such packaged additive can be shipped external to the container having the beverage therein or inside such container having such beverage therein.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide a prepackaged additive for a beverage in which such additive can have a variety of shapes.  
      In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention which have been described in considerable detail above, it should be noted that various additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing Figures and with the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a presently preferred embodiment of a package containing a flavoring additive for dispersing into a beverage prior to drinking;  
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of illustrating one arrangement for shipping such presently preferred package containing such flavoring additive illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of an arrangement for shipping such presently preferred package containing such flavoring additive illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a package containing such flavoring additive therein for dispersing into a beverage prior to drinking;  
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of still another alternative embodiment of a coaster type package containing such flavoring additive therein for dispersing into a beverage prior to drinking in which a plurality of such coasters are packed for shipping;  
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of a plurality of presently preferred packages packed for shipping without the beverage container;  
       FIG. 7  is a plan view of still another alternative embodiment of a package containing such flavoring additive therein for dispersing into a beverage prior to drinking and showing one presently preferred shape of such flavoring additive;  
       FIG. 8  is a plan view of yet still another alternative embodiment of a package containing such flavoring additive therein for dispersing into a beverage prior to drinking and showing an alternative shape of such flavoring additive;  
       FIG. 9  is a plan view of yet still another alternative embodiment of a package containing such flavoring additive therein for dispersing into a beverage prior to drinking;  
       FIG. 10  is a plan view illustrating tapioca beads at the bottom of a beverage container; and  
       FIG. 11  is a plan view of a single coaster type package for containing such flavoring additive therein for dispersing into a beverage prior to drinking. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that for the sake of clarity, identical components having identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawings.  
      Furthermore, it should be noted that as used in the present specification and claims the term flavoring additives is meant to include additives added primarily for texture and/or flavor.  
      Now refer more particularly to  FIGS. 1-11  of the drawings. Illustrated therein are a presently preferred and a number of alternative embodiments of a package, generally designated  10  in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, for packaging a preselected flavoring additive therein and which will enable at least one preselected flavoring additive to be added to a preselected beverage by a consumer. The package  10  allows the preselected flavoring additive to be shipped substantially dry and mixed with such beverage just prior to consuming the beverage having such preselected flavoring additive added thereto.  
      According to the present invention, the package  10  can be at least one of the group consisting of a straw  12  sealed at each end  14  and  16  thereof after such preselected flavoring additive  18  has been disposed therein. A coaster type container  20  having such preselected flavoring additive  18  disposed therein or a lid  22  for such beverage container  24  having such preselected beverage  26  disposed therein and a moisture proof bag  28 .  
      In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, such packaging  10  for the flavoring additive  18  is the straw  12 . Such straw  12  can be shipped in a number of different ways. For example, the straw  12  can be positioned within the beverage container  24  having such beverage  26  disposed therein, attached to an outer surface  30  of such beverage container  24  having such beverage  26  disposed therein or as a plurality of straws  12  packaged separately in a package  28  for use by a consumer.  
      Preferably, if the straw  12  is to be packaged with the beverage  26  to be sold the straw  12  will be releasably attached to such outer surface  30  of such container  24  having such beverage  26  disposed therein.  
      In one form of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention such straw  12  is a plurality straws  12  packaged separately in a package  32  for use by the consumer.  
      In another alternative embodiment, the present invention provides a substantially dry preselected additive  18  for adding to a beverage  26  prior to drinking and a package  10  for prepackaging such additive for shipping with such beverage  26 . In this embodiment, the substantially dry preselected additive  18  and package  10  include the substantially dry preselected additive  18  for the beverage  26 . Such substantially dry preselected additive  18  has each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size.  
      In this embodiment there is a sealable package  10  containing such substantially dry preselected additive  18  therein until it is time of use such substantially dry preselected additive  18 .  
      The dry preselected additive  18  for adding to the beverage  26  is preferably selected from a group consisting of tapioca pearls  34 , preselected candies  36  and candy jellies  38 .  
      It is presently preferred that such substantially dry preselected additive  18  is tapioca pearls  34  and that such tapioca pearls  34  have a color selected from a group consisting of black, white and translucent. Preferably, the color of such tapioca pearls  34  will be black and that such tapioca pearls  34  will have a consistency between jello and gummy bear candy.  
      It is further presently preferred that such preselected candies  36 , for use as the flavoring additive  18 , at least include Choobees.  
      In the present invention the predetermined shape of such substantially dry preselected additive  18  is one of spherical and cubical, preferably, such predetermined shape will be spherical due to making it easier to such the flavoring additive  18  up thru a straw  12 .  
      It is within the scope of the appended claims of the present invention for such sealable package  10  containing the substantially dry preselected additive  18  therein to selected from a group consisting of the straw  12  sealed at each end  14  and  16  thereof after such preselected flavoring additive  18  has been disposed therein, a coaster type container  20  having such preselected flavoring additive  18  disposed therein, a lid  22  for such beverage container  24  having such preselected flavoring additive  18  disposed therein and a moisture proof bag  28 .  
      As discussed above the presently preferred sealable package  10  containing such substantially dry preselected additive  18  therein is a straw  12 .  
      It is further within the scope of the claims that the sealable package  10  containing the substantially dry preselected additive  18  therein be provided as a plurality such straws  12  packaged separately in a package  32  for use by a consumer.  
      It has been found that the most popular beverages for use in the invention is one of teas and coffees with the most popular being teas, particularly, a Boba type tea.  
      While in accordance with the patent statutes, the presently preferred as well as a number of alternative embodiments of the invention have been described in such full clear and concise terms as to enable those persons skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be noted that various other modifications and alterations to the invention can be made without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.