WO2006010962A1

WO2006010962A1 - Mechanical container for liquid or solid substances that is applied in a bottle opening and used as a drinking mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2006010962A1
Application number: PCT/GR2005/000012
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexandros Papageorgiou
Original assignee: Alexandros Papageorgiou
Priority date: 2004-07-29
Filing date: 2005-04-19
Publication date: 2006-02-02

Abstract

This invention relates to a mechanical container of liquid or solid substances, used for the preparation of hot or cold beverages, that is applied in a bottle opening by use of a fixing method, contains ingredients for the preparation of beverages and is characterized by a mechanism which releases the content of the mechanical container inside the bottle which also functions as a method of regulating the flow of the beverage when consumed by the user. Its content can be in the form of powder or solid form like for example a water-soluble cube or bar. It can be used for the preparation of beverages such as coffee, juices, therapeutic substances such as medicine or vitamins and generally, cold or hot water soluble ingredients. The mechanical container is consisted of a joint (1), a container (7) and a sealing surface (10), and is characterized by the fact that it is fastened on a bottle's opening, and when turned, it releases its content inside the bottle allowing the user to mix the content of the mechanical container with the content of the bottle and thereby to prepare their preferred beverage, and drink directly from the mouthpiece of the mechanical container.

Description

MECHANICAL CONTAINER FOR LIQUID OR SOLID SUBSTANCES APPLIED IN A BOTTLE OPENING AND USED AS A DRINKING MECHANISM

This invention relates to a mechanical container of liquid or solid substances,

used for the preparation of hot or cold beverages, that is applied in a bottle

opening by use of a fixing method, contains ingredients for the preparation

of beverages and is characterized by a mechanism which releases the

content of the mechanical container inside the bottle which also functions as

0 a method of regulating the flow of the beverage when consumed by the

user. Its content can be in the form of powder or solid form like for example

a water-soluble cube or bar. It can be used for the preparation of beverages

such as coffee, juices, therapeutic substances such as medicine or vitamins

and generally, cold or hot water soluble ingredients. 5

In the past, in order for the user to consume their preferred beverage, it was

not only required that they used the beverages' packaging, but also

additional apparatus such as a glass or a straw. In the case of the screwed

cap, it is often that the it is accidentally lost or dropped on the ground,

0 causing the bottle to remain open or the cap to require washing in order for

it to be used again. Moreover, the extensive consumption of beverages and

thereafter the disposal of its packaging materials, has overloaded the

environment with materials which are very difficult to be degraded so the reduction of plastic packaging is seen as a positive contribution to the

environment, considering the large amount of plastic bottles that consumers

dispose of daily. There is no existing method of a form of packaging that

contains ingredients, that can be mixed with another liquid substance when

attached to another form of packaging of liquid substances. Up to now, there

have been three ways of consuming the liquid content from inside a bottle.

One is directly from the bottle opening when a lid or other sealing method is

detached, the second is by pouring the liquid from inside a bottle into

another container such as a glass or a cup, and the third, is by using a straw.

The first option poses the problem of unscrewing and screwing the cap on,

as it is a set of motions, which occupies both the user's hands and the

problem of the cap being separate from the bottle. The second option

requires having a glass or cup in order to consume the beverage, which

leaves the user with two separate items which have to be coordinated in

order for the user to consume their preferred beverage. The third option,

poses the problem of transporting the beverage after it has been opened,

keeping in mind that after the straw has been inserted in the bottle,

transportation requires extensive attention.

The mechanical container is consisted of a tubular shaped container which is

open in both ends, where one and is used for the user to drink from and the

other, for the container to be filled and sealed, and a larger tubular shape

inside which the container is placed and outside which, there is a fixing

method, used for fixing the mechanical container in place of the bottle opening. Both parts have two holes each. When rotating the container, inside

the fixed outer tubular shaped joint, the two holes from one part fall on the

same place as the holes of the other part, allowing passage of the content of

the container to be released to the inside of the bottle. Both tubular shapes,

when combined, leave one end open which is sealed with some form of

sealing film.

After the user has consumed all or part of the content of a bottled beverage,

they can make use of the mechanical container. By fixing the mechanical

container on the bottle opening, they can use the mechanical container to

mix its content with the bottles content and thus prepare their preferred

beverage. Alternatively, they can obtain a bottled beverage such as water

and mix the mechanical container's content with the water inside the bottle.

In either case, the user can prepare their preferred beverage by reusing a

bottle that most people would use daily and throw away at the end.

By use of the mechanical container, the user can store, carry and protect

their preferred beverage after they have prepared it, as the mechanical

container can be opened and closed with one move.

The user, does not need to use any additional apparatus in order to consume

the preferred beverage as they can do so directly from the mechanical

container's opening, after the beverage has been prepared. However, the

user can also use a straw if they so do prefer by applying the straw on one

end and accessing the inside of the bottle by breaking the seal on the other

end of the mechanical container with the tip of the straw. Due to the shape that is created by the mechanical container inside the

bottle, the preferred beverage is stirred more thoroughly when shaken inside

the bottle.

The mechanical container is an invention which helps sustainability as it

allows the user to combine it with bottled beverages such as water and

therefore, extend the bottle's use, to the preparation of yet another

beverage.

Figure 1 depicts cross section of the container

Figure 2 depicts the film which seals the bottom of the container

Figure 3 depicts a cross section of the joint

Figures 1,2 and 3 depict the assembly sequence of the three parts

Figures 4 and 5 depict the whole of the mechanical container

Figures 6 and 7 depict the side and plan view of the joint.

Figures 8 and 9 depict side view and plan view of the whole of the container.

Figure 10 depicts an alternative version of the joint of the container which

can be screwed on a bottle opening.

The mechanical container is consisted of three parts. The joint (figure 3), the

container (figure 1) and the sealing film (figure 2).

The joint (figure 3) is a tubular shaped piece with smooth inner surface (1)

which is characterized by having two symmetric openings on the bottom part

(3), a section of wider diameter on the top part which used for limiting the

location of the joint in relation to the bottle's opening and a set of ribs (13)

located around the joints external surface used for locking the joint into the bottle's opening, by use of pressure from the top. There are two indentations

(6) on the top surface of the joint, where the container in placed into position

inside the joint, in a way that allows the container to rotate one quarter of a

full turn.

Alternatively, the joint could be screwed to the outside surface of the bottle's

opening (figure 10) using the conventional thread of plastic bottle caps.

For added protection from external elements, there is an additional cap which

is connected to a strap which is fastened to the joint, with which the

mouthpiece of the container can be covered and protected. This also helps,

when after preparation of the preferred beverage, the bottle can be

transported and stored.

The second part of the mechanical container is the container (figures 1,8).

The container in a tubular shaped piece with the bottom end open and the

top end (8) shaped into a mouth-piece for the user to drink from. Towards

the bottom end, the container has two symmetrical holes, same as the ones

on the joint. Over the two openings, there is a rib around the circumference

of the container (12) that connects with the rib on the inner surface of the

joint (13). This rib allows for rotational motion of the container in relation to

the joint, but does not allow vertical movement. Further up, the container

has two, symmetrically placed pins (11) Which regulate the rotation of the

container limiting its rotation to 90 degrees when the container is placed

inside the joint and the two pins match the two indentations located on the top surface of the joint (6).

When the joint (figure 3) and the container (figure 1) are connected (figure

5) the mechanical container is entirely open at the bottom end. This way the

mechanical container can be filled with the preferred ingredients, and sealed

using film or a membrane made out of any safe material for use with edible

or drinkable ingredients. Alternatively, the seal could be in the form of a rigid

lid or a cap made out of the same materials.

When the mechanical container is connected, filled and sealed, it can be

placed inside the bottle's opening. The content is released by turning the

container 90 degrees towards one direction. When so, the two holes on the

container (9) and the two openings on the joint (3) fall in the same place

allowing the content of the container to be released inside the bottle. The

bottle, is then shaken by the user and the ingredients, are mixed thoroughly

with the content of the bottle. Water flow inside the mechanical container,

washes all the content of the container.

The mechanical container can be closed, by turning the container to the

opposite direction.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A mechanical container of liquid or solid soluble substances, used for

the preparation of hot or cold beverages, which is consisted of a joint

(1), a container (7) and a sealing surface (10), and is characterized by

the fact that it is fastened on a bottle's opening, and when turned, it

releases its content inside the bottle allowing the user to mix the

content of the mechanical container with the content of the bottle and

thereby to prepare their preferred beverage, and drink directly from the

mouthpiece of the mechanical container.

2. Mechanical container as in claim 1, that can be used to contain

ingredients for preparation of hot or cold beverages such as coffee,

juices, therapeutic substances such as medicine or vitamins and

generally, any drinkable solution or mixture which derives from the

combination of two or more substances.

3. Mechanical container as in claim 1, which can be made out of any

material that can be shaped to the specified combination of parts and

maintain its function.

4. Mechanical container as in claims 1,2 and 3 that is characterized by the

fact that when turning the container clockwise or anticlockwise, the flow

of liquid through the mechanical container is increased or decreased.

5. Mechanical container as in claims 1,2 and 3, which can be sealed with

any sealing surface of material that is safe to use with edible or drinkable substances and any thickness or density serves proper sealing

and preservation of the mechanical containers liquid or solid contents.

6. Mechanical container as in claim 5, whose sealing surface (10) can be

thin enough or made in a way which allows the straw to break through it.

7. Mechanical container as in claims 1,2,3,4 and 5, whose mouthpiece (8),

is wide enough to accept use of a straw.

8. Mechanical container as in claims 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7, that can either be

obtained on its own, or attached to a bottle or a container of any sort

attached to it, or permanently connected to a container or bottle of any

sort.

9. Mechanical container as in claim 1, that can be screwed on and off

(figure 10) using any inside or outside surface of the bottle's opening or

fastened inside or outside the bottle's opening in any other way.