US20100012613A1

US20100012613A1 - Water container cap for holding additives to water

Info

Publication number: US20100012613A1
Application number: US12/176,777
Authority: US
Inventors: Rick Anson; Rebecca L. Anson; Sarah M. Jimenez; Shane F. Jimenez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-07-21
Filing date: 2008-07-21
Publication date: 2010-01-21

Abstract

Provided is a container cap assembly for a water container with the container cap assembly having a compartment for holding a tablet of a substance to be added to the water. As water exits the water container, the tablet is gradually dissolved, and the user receives water that was in the container as well as the additive that was in the tablet. This can include vitamins, minerals, other supplements, coloring, flavoring, antibiotics, or other water additives.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a cap to be used on water containers and, more specifically, is a container cap assembly in which a tablet of water additives may be placed for dissolution in the water of the container as the water flows out of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is often desirable to purchase water which has various additives added to it. This can include nutrients, minerals, vitamins, colorings, flavorings, medicinal materials, herbal remedies, chemicals and other additives of water. These are often supplied with the water itself and sold as water designed for a certain task. The disadvantage with water prepared with such an additive is that the water container might be disposable, so when it is utilized it becomes waste. The pre-mixed water may also have to be transported for a long distance, which adds greatly to the cost of the product.
What is needed is a cap for a container which allows a tablet of water additive to be added to the cap, in order to enable the cap to be shipped to the point of consumption, rather than the water with the additive. Such a cap could also allow refilling the tablet containing the water additive, which would allow the re-use of a single water container a number of times. With such a system, waste would be reduced and prepared water would not have to be shipped. This would all be a cost saving to the user who could merely buy one cap and a number of water additive tablets as he would choose. In this way, the user can also select his own water additives and might mix and match a number of different water additives to create his own concoction of supplemented water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a container cap assembly for attachment to a water container, with the container cap assembly having the capability of holding additives for addition to the water. The container cap assembly is configured so that the additives are added to the water as the water passes out of the water container.
The additives that may be added to the water in this manner include: vitamins, such as multi-vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A, B-complex; as well as minerals, such as Calcium, Strontium, Fluorine, Potassium and Sodium. In addition to vitamins and minerals, the container cap of the invention can include colorings, flavorings, water purifiers, and other chemicals which may be desirable to add to water. These could include materials for aromatherapy, appetite suppressants, herbal mixtures, protein additives, antibiotics, nicotine, antioxidants, ginseng, caffeine, or other stimulants, and medicines. In addition to products for human consumption, products such as pesticides, herbicides, plant fertilizers and other chemicals could be added to water from a container, for use in the home, garden, lawn, roadways and on pets.
Each of these water additives is configured in a tablet or pill form as a solid which is mixed with selected ingredients which cause the tablet or pellet to dissolve at a selected rate. Generally, the tablet, pill or pellet is configured to dissolve at a rate selected for the volume of water in the water container, so that when the water container is emptied, the contents of the tablet would be fully dissolved and would have been dispensed with the water exiting the container.
The tablet can also be configured for a more long lasting dispensing time so that one pellet might serve for several or many refillings of the water container.
The device of the invention includes a cap body which further includes a fitting for attaching the cap body to the container. The cap body also includes a closure valve for opening and closing a passage for the release of water from the container.
The container cap assembly further includes a tablet basket which is configured for receiving a tablet, with the tablet being composed of a substance which is desirable to add to water or another portable liquid in the container. When water is dispensed from the container, it passes through the tablet basket, and gradually dissolves the tablet in the outflow of water.
The container cap assembly can be designed with a selected tablet in a tablet basket so that when the tablet is dissolved, a new cap would be placed on the container. The container cap assembly can also be configured so that a new tablet can be placed in the tablet basket, and the tablet may be replaced periodically when the user chooses to refill the container cap assembly. In order to refill the cap assembly, a capsule access port is provided for adding a tablet to the cap body.
The tablet may be made up of a mixture of ingredients, which can be selected from the list, including, vitamins, minerals, medicinal herbs, water purifiers, antibiotics, colorings, flavorings, or other additives which may be desirable to add to domestic tap and non-potable water.
The cap body may be divided into two parts, with one part being a cap base and another part being a cap top. The cap top and the cap base would be joined to each other using a connection interface. The cap base would include a container fitting interface, which would attach to a selected container.
Water containers with which the container cap could be utilized include, individual-sized drinking water containers such as a plastic bottle containing a quart, half a liter, or a liter of water. Other types of water containers could include, insulated jugs such as a picnic-sized water container, or industrial-sized such as 5 or 10 gallon water containers. For each of these, a cap would be configured to fit on the water dispensing spout of the water container and the particular tablet to be used with that size of container would be provided for certain volume and time release period of the additive. Other water containers can include a flexible bladder, containing water, which can be sized from a personal size, such as one liter; to larger sizes, such as three liters; and even larger sizes, such as those used in military and disaster recovery situations, such as a large bladder containing many thousands of gallons of water. The container cap assembly of the invention can also be fitted to other types of water containers, such as truck mounted water containers which would be carried on the bed of a truck and could hold many thousands of gallons of water.
The interface between the cap base and the container would typically be a threaded connection, but other connections are also possible, such as a permanent attachment or by the use of a half rotation type connection or other conventional cap attachment means. The interface between the cap base and the cap top would also typically be a threaded connection, but other types of connection would also work, such as a snap-on connection or a connection that releases by a partial rotation of the cap. The cap top can also include a basket closure which would press down against the top of the tablet basket, in order to trap a tablet in the tablet basket. The basket closure would typically be perforated with a number of holes which would allow water to flow out of the container after it has passed through the tablet basket.
The closure valve can take a number of configurations, including having a pull-out central stem which opens a passage for water to flow out of the water container. Other conventional closures for a water container are also possible in this configuration of device, including a bite valve, a screw-on bottle top, a pull-out release and other configurations of container caps.
The purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
Still other features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cut-away perspective view of the container cap assembly of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container cap top and tablet basket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims
In the following description and in the figures, like elements are identified with like reference numerals. The use of “or” indicates a non-exclusive alternative without limitation unless otherwise noted. The use of “including” means “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise noted.
FIG. 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention. This preferred embodiment shows the container cap assembly 10 attached to a container 18. The container cap assembly 10 includes a cap body 12 which is made up of a cap base 26 and a cap top 32. The cap base includes a connection to the cap top 30 and a container fitting interface 14. The cap base 26 also includes a table basket 20 holding a tablet 22. Inside the tablet basket 20 are dividers 42 in which different tablets 22 may be placed. The cap top 32 includes a connection 34 to the cap base, a closure cap 36, and a basket closure 38. The basket closure 38 is a disc like surface with a number of perforations. When screwed together, the basket closure 38 seals off the tablet basket 20 and allows water to flow through the container cap assembly 10 but keeps the tablet 22 from leaving the container cap assembly. The tablet basket 20 includes perforations 44 for allowing water within the container 18 to flow out the container cap assembly 10.
Although shown as a two-piece unit, with the tablet basket 20 being openable for refilling, the container cap assembly can also be configured as a one-piece unit, supplied with one or more tablets 22, without the ability for refilling. The present version shows a capsule access port 24 which is exposed when the cap top 32 is removed from the cap base 26.
Shown in FIG. 1 is a closure cap 36 which can also take a number of forms, including a pull-up closure valve 16 or other conventional water container closure mechanisms. These can include a handle which twists to open the passage for water to exit the container or other conventional water container dispensing enclosure caps and valves.
Shown in FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cap top 32 and the tablet basket 20. Viewable through the top opening of the cap top 32 is the basket closure 38 portion of the cap top, which prevents the tablets from exiting the tablet basket 20.
While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A container cap assembly for use with a water container, comprising:

A cap body, comprising a container fitting, and a closure valve for opening and closing a route for passage of water from said container;

a tablet basket for receiving a tablet, with said tablet basket configured to provide contact of water with said tablet only when said water is dispensed from said container; and

a tablet comprising a water additive in a form configured to dissolve in water as water is dispensed from said container cap assembly.

2. The container cap assembly of claim 1 in which said tablet comprises a composition, said tablet and said composition configured to dissolve corresponding to a flow rate of said water flowing from said water container, so that an amount of said composition dissolves into a volume said water held in said container, and so that when said container is empty of water, said composition be substantially dissolved, and said composition does not substantially dissolve before said container is emptied of water.

3. The container cap assembly of claim 1 in which said cap body includes a capsule access port for adding a tablet to said cap body.

4. The container cap assembly of claim 2 in which said tablet is comprised of a mixture containing nutrients in a water soluble form.

5. The container cap assembly of claim 2 in which said tablet is comprised of a mixture containing nutrients in a water soluble form, whereby said tablet contains flavorings.

6. A container cap assembly for use with a liquid container, comprising:

A cap body having a container fitting and a closure valve;

A perforated tablet basket for storing one or more tablets, said one or more tablets comprising one or more liquid soluble composition, said one or more tablets tablet and said one or more compositions configured to dissolve at a given rate of liquid flow through said tablet basket; and

A capsule access port for adding said one or more tablets to said container cap assembly, whereby said container fitting attaches to an outlet of said liquid container, said container cap assembly directs a flow of said liquid from said liquid container through said perforated tablet basket where said one or more tablets containing said one or more compositions are dissolved into said flow of liquid, thereby said liquid exiting said container cap assembly contains a desired concentration of said one or more liquid soluble compositions.

7. A container cap assembly for use with a water container, comprising:

a cap body, comprised of a cap base and a cap top, with said cap base comprising a container fitting interface, for attaching to said container, with said cap base further comprising a connection interface to a cap top;

a connection interface between said cap top and said cap base, and a closure lid for sealing said cap top from outflow of water from said container;

a tablet basket configured for insertion into said cap base, said tablet basket configured for receiving and holding a tablet out of contact with water within said container until said water is dispensed, with said tablet basket configured to provide contact between said water and said tablet only when said water is dispensed from said container, with said basket configured to allow said water to flow through said basket and around said tablet enclosed within said tablet basket;

a basket closure for securing said tablet in said basket tablet; and

8. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said cap top includes a closure valve for opening and closing a route for passage of water from said container.

9. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said container fitting interface are threads circumvolving said cap base configured for interfitting engagement with an outlet of said water container.

10. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said connection interface between said cap top and said cap base are threads circumvolving said cap base and threads circumvolving said cap top.

11. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said tablet basket is open topped.

12. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said basket closure is a perforated wall attached to said cap top for interfitting engagement with said tablet basket, whereby said basket closure allows flow of said water from said tablet basket and into said cap top.

13. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said tablet basket has a capsule access port for addition of said tablet to said tablet basket.

14. The container cap assembly of claim 13, wherein said capsule access port is accessible on the exterior of said container cap assembly.

15. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said tablet is held a neck of said container.

16. The container cap assembly of claim 7, wherein said tablet basket has dividers for storage and separation of multiple tablets within said tablet basket.