Ingredient dispensing cap for beverage container

Abstract

A beverage ingredient dispenser can include a seal assembly configured to form spillproof seals with the inner surface (I.D.) of a beverage container opening. Additionally, a beverage ingredient dispenser can include a beverage ingredient reservoir containing a beverage ingredient to be mixed with another ingredient for creating a mixed beverage. For example, the beverage ingredient dispenser can include a dried powdered, tablet, or liquid ingredient to be mixed with water contained in a water bottle. The dispenser can also include a sealing mechanism configured to generate spillproof seals with a plurality of different sizes of beverage containers. The dispenser can also include an anchoring mechanism configured to enhance an anchoring of the dispenser to a beverage container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSField of the Inventions[0001]The inventions disclosed herein relate to ingredient dispensing devices, for example, devices that can be connected to an opening of a beverage container for facilitating release of beverage ingredients stored therein into the beverage container for later consumption.Description of the Related Art[0002]Presently, there are thousands of beverage products widely available to the consuming public. The vast majority, if not all, of these beverages are made by mixing dry or concentrated ingredients with water. Alongside these beverages, various brands of bottled water in variety of differently sized bottles are also widely marketed.[0003]Many retailers normally cannot sell all of the different beverages and waters currently offered by beverage manufacturers. The practical reality of the large amount of shelf space required for selling beverages effectively limits the number of different beverages many retailers can offer for sale a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a new design for a beverage ingredient dispenser that can save money by avoiding the need for expensive threaded engagement surfaces. The dispenser includes a seal assembly that can seal against the inner surfaces of the openings of a beverage container, eliminating the need for internal threads. Additionally, the dispenser includes a drink through valve that can be mounted for piercing movement relative to a piercing element, which can be connected to a sealing assembly that can seal to a range of sized openings of beverage containers. This design allows for the dispenser to be used with a variety of beverage containers, such as water bottles, without incurring unnecessary costs.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, a dispensing cap provided with a threaded collar designed for engagement with one water bottle will not work on most other water bottles.

Such beverage ingredient dispensing caps can leave a user without the ability to connect the cap to the bottles that may be available at a given time.

For example, threaded engagement surfaces such as those provided on the caps of water bottles add a significant amount of cost to the manufacturing of such caps from plastic.

Thus the timing and procedures necessary for successfully molding such a part presents significant cost to the manufacturing of such a component.

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