Abstract:
A container system for separately storing and mixing two or more substances. The container system comprises a mixing container having a main container that stores one or more first substances. The main container has a first upper opening. The container system also includes a storage repository coupled to main container, and which stores one or more second substances. The storage repository includes a lip defining a second upper opening, which has an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of the first upper opening. Additionally, the container system includes a mixing blade having an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of the first upper opening. The mixing blade also has a plurality of openings and a non-vertical wall portion adjacent said plurality of openings. The container system includes a releasable liner placed over the storage repository&#39;s lip, and the storage repository&#39;s lip forms a seal with a lower surface of the releasable liner.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to, U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/593,748 entitled “CONTAINER WITH MIXING BLADE” filed on Jan. 9, 2015; U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/593,763 entitled “CONTAINER WITH MIXING BLADE” filed on Jan. 9, 2015; U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/593,771 entitled “CONTAINER WITH MIXING BLADE” filed on Jan. 9, 2015; and U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/593,788 entitled “CONTAINER WITH MIXING BLADE” filed on Jan. 9, 2015, all of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    Disclosed herein is a method and system for separately storing and mixing two or more substances. 
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    There exist prior art systems for separately storing and mixing two or more substances. Examples include the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,059,443, 7,861,855 B2, 8,720,680 B2, and European Patent No. EP 2190751B1, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. Disclosed herein is an improved method and system for separately storing and mixing two or more substances. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0004]    In one aspect, what is disclosed herein is a container system. The container system includes a mixing container having a main container that stores one or more first substances. The main container has a first upper opening. The container system also includes a storage repository coupled to main container, and which stores one or more second substances. The storage repository includes a lip defining a second upper opening, which has an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of the first upper opening. Additionally, the container system includes a mixing blade having an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of the first upper opening and an inside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the storage repository&#39;s lip. The mixing blade also has a plurality of openings. Furthermore, the container system includes a releasable liner placed over the storage repository&#39;s lip, and the storage repository&#39;s lip forms a seal with a lower surface of the releasable liner. 
         [0005]    In another aspect, presently disclosed is a method of separately storing one or more first substances and one or more second substances, and mixing the substances at the time of usage of a product comprising a mixture of the substances. The method involves agitating the container system after removal of the releasable liner so that the one or more first substances and one or more second substances are permitted to mix with another. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The disclosure will be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following drawings, in conjunction with the accompanying specification, in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure with the storage repository covered by a releasable liner; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure showing the releasable liner being released; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a view of the container system showing the container system being agitated so that the one or more first substances and one or more second substances are mixed; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an exploded, front elevational, cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational, cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure with the releasable liner placed over the storage repository; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational, cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure with the releasable liner removed; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8A  is a top, or overhead, view of the storage repository of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8B  is a perspective view of the storage repository of a preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is an exploded, front elevational, cross-sectional view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a front elevational, cross-sectional view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure with the releasable liner placed over the storage repository; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a front elevational, cross-sectional view of the alternative preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure with the releasable liner removed; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a side, cross-sectional, perspective view of an alternative mixing blade coupled to the cap of the alternative preferred embodiment of the container system of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a preferred storage and mixing container  10  comprises a bottle  100  for containing one or more first substances, such as a liquid  33 , a storage repository  17  for containing one or more second substances, such as a powder  35 . The storage repository  17  is disposed within an upper opening  110  of the bottle  100  and coupled to the neck  120  of the bottle  100 . This preferred embodiment includes a releasable liner  25  to cover a second upper opening  19  of the storage repository  17  when the container  10  is used to separately store the powder  35  from the liquid  33 , and a cap  300  including a mixing blade  200  that couples to the bottle  100 , such as by threads  14 . 
         [0022]    As depicted in  FIGS. 1-3  and  FIGS. 5-6 , the cap  300  may comprise an element  200 , sometimes referred to as a mixing blade, which is generally centrally located within the interior of the cap  300 . As shown, the element  200  may be generally ring-shaped and have substantially the same diameter as the lip  18  defining an upper opening to the storage repository  17 . Further, the element  200  may comprise ports  210  through the walls thereof. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate element  200  can be implemented in shapes other than circular shapes, such as a square, rectangle, pentagon, and the like; if non-circular shapes are used for element  200 , lip  18  should be formed so that it generally matches the non-circular shape of and has the same perimeter as element  200 . 
         [0023]    In various implementations, the element  200  may be formed integrally within the cap  300 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , or the element  200  may be formed separately from the cap  300  and secured within a ring  310  disposed in cap  300 , as shown in  FIG. 1A . In the implementation of  FIG. 1A , the element  200  may be secured within the ring  310  via interference fit and/or otherwise coupled to the cap  300  adhesively, mechanically, magnetically or by other means that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0024]    As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 1A , the container system includes one or more couplings  400  used so that the storage repository  17  will be disposed within an upper opening of the bottle  100  and coupled to the neck  120  of the bottle  100 . Disposition of the storage repository  17  within the bottle  100  is depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0025]    As depicted in  FIG. 6 , when the cap  300  is coupled to the bottle  100  while the releasable liner  25  is present, and the mixing blade  200  is contacting an upper surface of the releasable liner  25 , a seal is formed between a lower surface of the releasable liner  25  and the lip  18  of the storage repository  17 . The seal prevents the one or more first substances  33  from mixing with the one or more second substances  35 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the cap  300  is coupled to the bottle  100  using threads, but one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate any number of other means can be used to couple cap  300  to bottle  100 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  depicts the container system when the releasable liner  25  has been removed. A gap  37  is provided, comprising space above the one or more couplings, continuing above the upper opening  110  of the bottle  100 , and below an interior surface of the top of the cap  300 , through ports  210 , and into additional open space inside mixing blade  200 . The gap  37  provides additional space to facilitate mixing of liquid  33  and powder  35 . When releasable liner  25  has been removed, liquid  33  may move between the bottle  100 , gap  37 , and storage repository  17  by passing around the one or more couplings  400  and through the one or more ports  210  of the mixing blade  200 . Likewise, when releasable liner  25  has been removed, powder  35 , may move between the storage repository  17 , gap  37 , and the bottle  100  by passing through ports  210  of the mixing blade  200  and the one or more couplings  400 . Such mixing is depicted in  FIG. 7 , and occurs when, for example, the bottle  100  is shaken, inverted, or otherwise agitated, one example of such agitation being depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0027]    In a preferred embodiment, as depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , mixing blade  200  may have substantially the same height as the height of the space created between the upper opening  110  of the bottle  100  and the interior surface of the top of the cap  300 , and the diameter of the mixing blade may have substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the lip  18  of the storage repository  17 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that mixing blade  200  can be designed with ports  210  having virtually any shape, including polygonal shapes such as rectangles, squares, and triangles, or curved shapes, such as circles. Also, the number of ports  210  that may be used is not limited to the number depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0028]    While the one or more couplings  400  may not be designed so that the one or more first substances and one or more second substances are completely prevented from moving between the bottle  100  and storage repository  17 , one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various couplings may be used to couple the storage repository  17  to the neck  110  of bottle  100 . Couplings  400  may consist of a single piece of material having ports through which the one or more first and second substances may move, or, as depicted in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , multiple pieces of material, such as support arms  410 , that are placed apart from one another to create space  407  through which the one or more first and second substances may move. Also, couplings  400  may be manufactured as one piece with the storage repository  17  or bottle  100 , or may be separate components. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 9-11 , wherein like reference numerals correspond to like components, another alternative preferred storage and mixing container  10 ′ is depicted comprising an alternative element  200 ′, sometimes referred to as an alternative mixing blade. The alternative element  200 ′ comprises one or more ports  210 ′ extending through the walls thereof. The alternative element  200 ′ further comprises a lower portion  230  that extends into a non-vertical wall portion  231  formed adjacent to the ports  210 ′ and providing a lower boundary to the ports  210 ′. As used herein, the term non-vertical means not perpendicular to the plane defined by upper opening  110  of the bottle  100 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a non-vertical wall portion can be formed into a variety of linear or curved shapes, or a combination of different shapes. 
         [0030]    The alternative element  200 ′ may be generally centrally located within the interior of the cap  300  of the alternative container  10 ′. Similar to element  200  shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , the alternative element  200 ′ may be generally ring-shaped and have substantially the same diameter as the lip  18  defining an upper opening to the storage repository  17 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the alternative element  200 ′ can be implemented in shapes other than circular shapes, such as a square, rectangle, pentagon, and the like; if non-circular shapes are used for alternative element  200 ′, then lip  18  of the alternative container  10 ′ should be formed so that it generally matches the non-circular shape of and has the same perimeter as alternative element  200 ′. 
         [0031]    In various implementations, the alternative element  200 ′ may be formed integrally within the cap  300 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , or the alternative element  200 ′ may be formed separately from the cap  300  and secured within a ring  310  disposed in the cap  300 , as shown in  FIG. 1A . The alternative element  200 ′ may be secured within the ring  310  via interference fit and/or otherwise coupled to the cap  300  adhesively, mechanically, magnetically or by other means that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0032]      FIG. 12  depicts a side, cross-sectional, perspective view of the cap  300  with the alternative element  200 ′ coupled thereto. As depicted in  FIG. 9-12 , each of the substantially vertical wall portion  230  and the non-vertical wall portion  231  of the alternative element  200 ′ comprises opposing sides. The opposing sides of the substantially vertical wall portion  230  may be substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the lip  18  of the alternative container  10 ′. At least one of the opposing sides of the non-vertical wall portion  231  may be tapered so as to extend at an angle from the corresponding side of the substantially vertical wall portion  230  toward the other opposing side of the non-vertical wall portion  231 . If both opposing sides of the non-vertical wall portion  231  are tapered, they may extend toward each other at substantially the same angle or at different angles from the corresponding side of the substantially vertical wall portion  230 . As shown, the opposing sides of the non-vertical wall portion  231  may terminate substantially at a point adjacent to the ports  210 ′. 
         [0033]    As depicted in  FIG. 10 , when the cap  300  is coupled to the bottle  100  while the releasable liner  25  is present, and the mixing blade  200 ′ is contacting an upper surface of the releasable liner  25 , a seal is formed between a lower surface of the releasable liner  25  and the lip  18  of the storage repository  17 . The seal prevents the one or more first substances  33  from mixing with the one or more second substances  35 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 11  depicts the container system when the releasable liner  25  has been removed. A gap  37  is provided, comprising space above the one or more couplings, continuing above the upper opening  110  of the bottle  100 , and below an interior surface of the top of the cap  300 , through ports  210 ′, and into additional open space inside alternative mixing blade  200 ′. The gap  37  provides additional space to facilitate mixing of liquid  33  and powder  35 . When releasable liner  25  has been removed, liquid  33  may move between the bottle  100 , gap  37 , and storage repository  17  by passing around the one or more couplings  400  and through ports  210 ′ of the alternative mixing blade  200 ′. Likewise, when releasable liner  25  has been removed, powder  35  may move between the storage repository  17 , gap  37 , and the bottle  100  by passing through ports  210 ′ of the alternative mixing blade  200 ′ and the one or more couplings  400 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 11 , such mixing occurs when, for example, the bottle  100  is shaken, inverted, or otherwise agitated, one example of such agitation being depicted in  FIG. 4 . During such mixing, the non-vertical surface  231  of the alternative mixing blade  200 ′ may inhibit or prevent the build-up of powder  35 , or any other second substance, on the alternative mixing blade  200 ′ and may further enhance mixing as powder  35  moves from the storage repository  17  and through the ports  210 ′ of the alternative mixing blade  200 ′. 
         [0036]    As depicted in  FIGS. 9-11 , the alternative mixing blade  200 ′ may have substantially the same height as the height of the space created between the upper opening  110  of the bottle  100  and the interior surface of the top of the cap  300 , and the diameter of the alternative mixing blade  200 ′ may have substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the lip  18  of the storage repository  17 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the alternative mixing blade  200 ′ can be designed with ports  210 ′ having virtually any shape, including polygonal shapes such as rectangles, squares, and triangles, or curved shapes, such as circles. Also, the number of ports  210 ′ that may be used is not limited to the number depicted in  FIGS. 1-12 . 
         [0037]    The one or more first substances and the one or more second substances may each be in solid form, liquid form, or some combination thereof. Examples of substances that may be used in connection with the container system include but are not limited to the following substances: water, dehydrated substances, preservative free substances, dietary supplement mixtures, nutritional mixtures, protein mixtures, dairy based proteins, milk proteins, whey proteins, vegetable based proteins, soy based proteins, amino-acids, beta alanine, vitamins, minerals, creatine, glutamine, L-arginine, phenylalanine, L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-yaline, Synephrine, yohimbe, ginseng, ascorbic acid, hydroxyl citric acid, aloe vera, dimethylamyamine, polysaccharide, monosaccharide, maltodextrin, dextrose, fructose, silicon, artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners, sucralose, artificial or natural flavors, artificial or natural colors, tea, coffee, dairy product, or any other substances which may be consumed by a user either alone, or in combination with any other chemical or other substance. 
         [0038]    The bottle  100  and storage repository  17  may be constructed of any material suitable for storing liquid or solid substances. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle  100  is manufactured of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other materials also could be used to manufacture said bottle  100  or storage repository  17 , such as other plastics (including High Density Polyethylene and polypropylene), glass, metal, styrofoam and the like. It is contemplated that alternate embodiments of the container system may be constructed of materials suitable for heating within a microwave oven or other heating apparatus. Cap  300 , mixing blade  200 , alternative mixing blade  200 ′, and the one or more couplings  400  may likewise be constructed of any suitable materials, including those identified above. 
         [0039]    The purpose of releasable liner  25  is to prevent the mixing of the one or more first substances and the one or more second substances. One of ordinary skill in the art will therefore appreciate releasable liner  25  can be implemented in the container system of the present disclosure in many different ways. Releasable liner  25  may cover first upper opening  110  of the bottle  100  and the second upper opening  19  of storage repository  17 , but one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate releasable liner  25  need only cover second upper opening  19 . Releasable liner  25  may be a gasket, i.e., it may be loosely placed over second upper opening  19  in the absence of cap  300  being placed on bottle  100 , so that the releasable liner  25  might fall off when cap  300  is removed. Or, releasable liner  25  might be coupled to bottle  100  and/or lip  18  using an adhesive. Releasable liner  25  could even be formed in the shape of a sphere, such as a marble, or a spherical cone, and be disposed in second upper opening  19  of storage repository  17 . 
         [0040]    It is believed the operation and construction of the apparatus and method disclosed herein will be apparent from the foregoing description. While the apparatus and method shown and described has been characterized as being preferred, it will be readily apparent that various changes and modifications could be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.