Capsule ejection actuator and associated system and bottle

Abstract

An actuator for piercing a sealed capsule of a consumable product and dispensing the pierced capsule into a container, the capsule having a sealed upper end and an outwardly extending brim that, in use, is positioned within a rim corresponding to the opening of the container. The actuator is actuated by a closure that can be threaded onto the container, forcing the actuator against the capsule. The actuator has one or more downwardly extending blades configured to pierce the capsule's seal as the closure rotates toward the capsule, and a bearing surface configured to press increasingly harder against the capsule's brim as the closure rotates, urging the pierced capsule to fall through the rim into the container.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention discloses an actuator configured to pierce a capsule containing a consumable product, such as a powdered ingredient or a liquid concentrate. The actuator is also configured to dispense the pierced capsule into a container, such as a bottle. The present invention also discloses a system for dispensing a consumable product into a container, and a bottle equipped with the actuator.

[0002] The configurations disclosed herein may have application in connection with consumer beverages such as infant formula and sports drinks, but may also have application in other markets, such as cleaning products. [Background technology]

[0003] Many drinks are made by mixing consumables, such as powdered ingredients or liquid concentrates, with liquids. For example, infant formula is made by mixing powdered milk with water in a bottle. Similarly, protein shakes are commonly made by mixing protein powder with water or milk.

[0004] However, accurately measuring the amount of consumables needed is often difficult or inconvenient. Furthermore, because such consumables are typically purchased and stored in bulk, it can be difficult or impossible to access the consumables while on the go and carefully measure the required amount. On the other hand, when pre-measuring consumables, the consumables are typically stored in empty containers, such as beverage bottles, making it impossible to fill the bottle with liquid to mix with the consumables (because they must be consumed immediately after mixing). This requires carrying a separate container with the liquid to mix with or finding a source of liquid while on the go. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There is a need to address the above issues and at least provide a useful alternative. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an actuator for piercing a capsule in which a consumable product is sealed and dispensing the pierced capsule into a container. The capsule has a sealed upper end and an outwardly extending brim that, in use, is located within a rim corresponding to the opening of the container. The actuator is actuated by a closure that can be screwed onto the container, forcing the actuator against the capsule. The actuator comprises: one or more downwardly extending blades configured to pierce the seal of the capsule while the closure is rotated toward the capsule; and A bearing surface configured to press increasingly harder against the capsule brim as the closure rotates, thereby encouraging the pierced capsule to fall through the rim and into the container.

[0007] The actuator comprises a downwardly extending collar having a bearing surface at its bottom, the collar having a first section extending downwardly to a first range and an opposing second section extending downwardly to a second range greater than the first range, such that in use, when the closure is rotated towards the capsule relative to the container, the bearing surface of the second section of the collar presses against the brim of the capsule.

[0008] In certain embodiments, at least one blade extends downward from the first end of the collar such that when the top rotates toward the capsule, the at least one blade penetrates the capsule, and then a bearing surface on the second end of the collar pushes the penetrated capsule through the rim and into the container.

[0009] The actuator is generally circular and the or each blade is radially spaced from the centre of the actuator so that, in use, as the closure rotates to close the container, the actuator rotates accordingly, causing the or each blade to pierce the seal and cut it along a curved path corresponding to the inner circumference of the capsule brim.

[0010] In one example embodiment, the actuator includes an annular top from which a collar extends downwardly, the annular top being received within or integrally formed with the neck of the closure such that rotation of the closure rotates the actuator.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the rim comprises an outwardly extending circumferential lip configured to rest on the edge of the opening of the container, and an inwardly extending circumferential ledge configured for the brim of the capsule to rest on before being depressed by the actuator which abuts the brim of the capsule.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for dispensing consumable products into a container, the system comprising: an actuator according to a first aspect of the present invention, a capsule for containing a consumable item therein, the capsule having a sealed upper end and an outwardly extending brim that, in use, is disposed within a rim corresponding to the opening of the container; and a closure that can be screwed onto the container and that presses the actuator against the capsule; In use, the closure is configured to rotate towards a capsule disposed within the rim to perform the following actions: actuating the or each blade of the actuator to pierce the seal of the capsule; and By gradually forcing the bearing surface of the actuator against the brim of the capsule, the pierced capsule is forced to fall through the rim and into the container, releasing the unsealed consumable item into the container.

[0013] In certain embodiments of the system, the rim comprises an outwardly extending circumferential lip configured to rest on the edge of the opening of the container and an inwardly extending circumferential ledge configured for the brim of the capsule to rest on before being depressed by the actuator against the brim of the capsule.

[0014] It is envisaged that the consumable item will consist of a powdered material or a liquid concentrate and that the container will consist of a bottle capable of mixing the powdered material or liquid concentrate expelled from a dropped capsule with a liquid.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a closure for a container comprising an actuator according to the first aspect of the present invention. In certain embodiments, the actuator may be integrally formed on the underside of the closure.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a baby bottle comprising: an actuator according to the first aspect of the invention, or A system according to a second aspect of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a baby bottle with an actuator and associated system for dispensing a consumable article into a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the actuator, capsule, and rim of the assembly of FIG. [Figure 3]Figure 3A is a side perspective view of the bottle of Figure 1 showing the rim seated within the opening. Figure 3B is a side perspective view of Figure 3A showing the capsule of Figure 2 positioned within the rim. [Figure 4] 4A to 4C are a side view, a bottom perspective view, and a front view, respectively, of the actuator of FIG. [Figure 5] Figure 5A is a bottom view of the closure of the baby bottle of Figure 1. Figure 5B is a bottom view of the closure of Figure 5A with the actuator of Figure 4A inserted. [Figure 6] Figure 6A is a side view of the assembled assembly of Figure 1 before the closure is manipulated to pierce and dispense the capsule into the bottle, and Figure 6B is a top perspective view of the assembly of Figure 6A after the capsule has been pierced and dispensed into the bottle. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are top perspective and side views of the actuator and capsule, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] This patent specification contemplates accurately pre-weighing and sealing a consumable product in a capsule, replacing the potentially inaccurate and messy manual removal of powdered ingredients or liquid concentrates from bulk storage containers. The capsule can be easily carried by the user, especially if the desired liquid for mixing with the consumable product is already in the container. The capsule can then be conveniently opened and the consumable product dispensed therein can be mixed with the liquid in the container. To this end, this patent specification relates to an actuator 2 and associated system 14, through which a user can open the seal of a capsule 4 and dispense the consumable product therein into a container 6. It is contemplated that the actuator 2 is inserted into or integrally formed with a closure 8 of the container 6. It is contemplated that upon actuation of the closure 8 (e.g., by screwing the closure 8 onto the container 6), the actuator 2 pierces the seal of the capsule 4 and compresses the pierced capsule 4, causing it to drop into the container 6. Advantageously, the capsule 4 is made of food-safe materials and can be dispensed directly into the liquid in the container 6, so that the capsule 4 can act as an agitator and promote mixing of the consumable goods and the liquid in the container 6 (e.g., by shaking the container 6). To extend the teachings of the present invention, embodiments of the actuator 2 and associated system of the present invention, as well as a baby bottle equipped with said actuator 2 and associated system 14, are described below. While the consumable goods will be referred to below as powdered materials (such as powdered milk), it will be understood that other consumable goods, such as liquid concentrates, can also be enclosed in the capsule 4, and that the actuator 2, system 14, and closure for opening and / or dispensing such capsules are within the scope of this specification.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a baby bottle 10 including a container 6, a closure 8, and a sanitary cover 12 for the closure 8. The present system 14 for dispensing a powdered material into the bottle 6 is shown in this exploded view and in FIG. 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 14 includes an actuator 2, a capsule 4 containing the powdered material, and a rim 16 (which may be a separate part or may form an opening in the container 6). The actuator 2 is receivable within the underside 18 of the closure 8 (see FIGS. 5A and 5B ) and can be actuated by rotating the closure 8 (i.e., screwing the container 6 closed) to cut the seal on the capsule 4 and force the pierced capsule 4 into the container bottle 6.

[0020] 2, the rim 16 is a generally ring-shaped component configured to fit within the opening of the bottle 6 in use. In particular, the upper end of the rim 16 is provided with an outwardly extending circumferential lip 20 configured to rest on the edge 22 of the opening of the bottle 6, as shown in FIG. 3A. The inner surface of the rim 16 is provided with an inwardly extending circumferential ledge 24 configured to receive the brim 26 of the capsule 4.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, capsule 4 has a dome-shaped body 28 capable of containing a powder material and a relatively flat upper end sealed by conventional means. The upper end includes an outwardly extending brim 26 configured to rest on an inwardly extending ledge 24 of rim component 16, as shown in FIG. 3B. Rim 16 and ledge 24 are configured to facilitate alignment and positioning of capsule 4, such that capsule body 28 extends through rim 16 and brim 26 of capsule 4 rests flush against inner ledge 24 of rim component 16. In this manner, capsule 4 is maintained perpendicular to container 6, even if container 6 is tilted.

[0022] Of course, the system need not use a separate rim component 16, and it is within the scope of this specification for the brim 26 of the capsule 4 to simply rest on the edge 22 of the opening of the container 6. As will be explained below, the brim 26 of the capsule 4 can rest relatively firmly on the ledge 24 of the rim 16, but the actuator 2 is configured to push or encourage the capsule 4 through the rim 16, so that the capsule 4 falls into the container 6 after it has been punctured. Therefore, the material of the brim 26 of the capsule 4 and / or the ledge 24 of the rim 16 needs to be at least slightly deformable so that the brim 26 of the capsule 4 can be pushed past the ledge 24 of the rim component 16.

[0023] 4A-4C show various views of the actuator 2. While the actuator 2 is shown as a separate part in the figures, it is certainly within the scope of this specification that this is merely an exemplary embodiment for illustrative purposes, and that the actuator 2 can be integrally formed with the closure 8 of the container 6 and need not be a separate part housed or inserted therein.

[0024] In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator 2 includes an annular upper end 30 sized to be received within the neck of the closure 8, as shown in FIG. 5B. Preferably, the annular upper end 30 has a substantially flat upper surface that can be received flush against the upper end of the neck of the closure 8. The actuator 2 also includes a collar 32 extending downward from the annular upper end 30. Referring to FIG. 4A, the collar 32 is not perfectly symmetrical. Specifically, the collar 32 includes a first section 34 extending downward to a first extent and a second section 36 extending downward to a second extent, the second extent being larger than the first extent. Referring specifically to FIG. 4A, the collar 32 is sloped or angled; for example, the collar slopes downward from the first section to the second section along its circumference. In other words, the collar can be thought of as a short, hollow cylinder cut along an angled plane intersecting the cylinder's longitudinal axis. As will be explained below, the tapered shape of the collar 32 is important to ensure that the capsule 4 is first pierced before being forced past the rim 16 and into the container 6 .

[0025] Referring to FIG. 4B, the lower ring-shaped surface of the collar 32 defines a bearing surface 38 configured to abut and press against the brim 26 of the capsule 4, forcing it through the rim 16 and into the container 6. However, it is important to ensure that the capsule 4 is sufficiently pierced or opened before it is dropped into the container 6. Otherwise, the capsule 4 may be substantially sealed when ejected into the container 6, in which case the powder material within the capsule 4 will not be fully released and mixed with the liquid within the container 6. To this end, the actuator 2 includes a pair of blades 40 extending downward from the collar 32. In particular, the blades 40 are positioned toward or in the first section 34 of the collar 32. Thus, referring to FIG. 7B, as the closure 8 rotates, the actuator 2 advances toward the capsule 4, and the blades 40 in the first section 34 of the collar 32 first contact and penetrate the seal of the capsule 4. As the closure 8 and actuator 2 continue to rotate, the blade 40 cuts at least a portion of the seal along a curved path that corresponds to the inner circumference of the brim 26 of the capsule 4. Meanwhile, the bearing surface 38 of the second section 36 of the collar 32 advances toward the brim 26 of the capsule 4. After the capsule 4 is pierced and partially cut, the bearing surface 38 of the higher second section 36 of the collar 32 presses against the brim 26 of the capsule 4, increasing pressure against the brim 26 as the closure 8 continues to rotate. The downward pressure of the bearing surface 38 against the brim 26 of the capsule 4 forces the capsule 4 downward, through the rim 16 (i.e., the brim 26 of the capsule 4 is pushed over the ledge 24 of the rim 16 on which it rests), and into the container 6. This releases the powder material within the pierced capsule 4 and mixes it within the container 6. It will be appreciated that the angled bearing surface 38 applies pressure to a generally localized point on the brim 26, tilting the capsule 4 and forcing it through the rim 16 with relatively little force. If the bearing surface were flat, the entire circumference of the brim 26 would have to pass through the rim 16, requiring more force. For this reason, the circumferential ledge 24 of the rim 16 may be angled (e.g., about 45°).As such, when the system 14 is assembled for use, the bearing surface 38 of the second section 36 of the actuator 2 contacts and presses with a normal force against the brim 26 of the capsule 4 when the closure 8 is operated. In other words, the bearing surface 38 acts to push the capsule 4 directly downward.

[0026] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while the illustrated actuator 2 includes a blade 40 extending downwardly from the collar 32, it is envisioned that the blade may simply be formed as an edge of the collar that is sharp enough to pierce the seal of the capsule. In this embodiment, the collar has a relatively sharp and / or thin first section configured to pierce the capsule, and an opposing second section that is thicker and provides a bearing surface for pressing against the brim 26 of the capsule 4.

[0027] It is contemplated that a liquid seal may be provided to prevent leakage of liquid from bottle 10 during use. For example, as shown in Figure 2, a food-grade elastomeric seal 42 is provided around actuator collar 32. In use, seal 42 seals against rim 16 (whether a separate rim component 16 or the rim at the opening of bottle 6) to prevent the liquid mixture within bottle 6 from leaking therefrom.

[0028] Throughout this specification and the claims that follow, unless the context otherwise requires, the word "comprise" and its variations "comprises" and "comprising" will be understood to mean the inclusion of a stated integer, step, or group of integers or steps, but not to the exclusion of other integers, steps, or groups of integers or steps.

[0029] Reference herein to any prior publication (or information derived therefrom) or known matter is not, and should not be construed as, an acknowledgement, admission, or in any way suggesting that the prior publication (or information derived therefrom) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavor to which this specification pertains.

Claims

1. A consumer article is an actuator for piercing a sealed capsule and dispensing the pierced capsule into a container, the capsule having a sealed upper end and an outwardly extending brim, the brim being located in a rim associated with an opening of the container in use, the actuator being actuated by the container and a threadable closure to force the actuator against the capsule, the actuator comprising: one or more downwardly extending blades configured to pierce the seal of the capsule while the closure is rotated toward the capsule; and A bearing surface configured to press increasingly harder against the capsule brim as the closure rotates, thereby encouraging the pierced capsule to fall through the rim and into the container.

2. 2. The actuator of claim 1, comprising a downwardly extending collar having a bearing surface at its bottom, the collar having a first section extending downwardly to a first extent and an opposing second section extending downwardly to a second extent greater than the first extent, such that, in use, when the closure is rotated towards the capsule relative to the container, the bearing surface of the second section of the collar presses against the brim of the capsule.

3. 3. The actuator of claim 2, wherein at least one blade extends downward from a first end of the collar such that when the top rotates toward the capsule, the at least one blade penetrates the capsule and then a bearing surface at a second end of the collar pushes the penetrated capsule through the rim and into the container.

4. 10. An actuator according to any preceding claim, which is generally circular and the or each blade is radially spaced from the centre of the actuator so that, in use, as the closure rotates to close the container, the actuator rotates accordingly, causing the or each blade to pierce the seal and cut it along a curved path corresponding to the inner circumference of the brim of the capsule.

5. 5. The actuator of claim 4 added to claim 3, comprising an annular upper portion having a collar extending downwardly therefrom, the annular upper portion being received within or integrally formed with the neck of the closure, such that rotation of the closure rotates the actuator.

6. An actuator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rim comprises an outwardly extending circumferential lip configured to rest on the edge of the opening of the container, and an inwardly extending circumferential ledge configured to rest on the brim of the capsule, before being depressed by the actuator against the brim of the capsule.

7. 1. A system for dispensing a consumable product into a container, comprising: An actuator according to any of the preceding claims. a capsule for containing a consumable item therein, the capsule having a sealed upper end and an outwardly extending brim that, in use, is disposed within a rim corresponding to the opening of the container; and a closure that can be screwed onto the container and that presses the actuator against the capsule; In use, the closure is configured to rotate towards a capsule disposed within the rim to perform the following actions: actuating the or each blade of the actuator to pierce the seal of the capsule; and By gradually forcing the bearing surface of the actuator against the brim of the capsule, the pierced capsule is forced to fall through the rim and into the container, releasing the unsealed consumable item into the container.

8. 8. A system as claimed in claim 7, comprising an outwardly extending circumferential lip configured to rest on the edge of the opening of the container, and an inwardly extending circumferential ledge configured for the brim of the capsule to rest on before being depressed by an actuator that abuts the brim of the capsule.

9. 9. The system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the consumable item comprises a powder material or a liquid concentrate, and the container comprises a bottle capable of mixing the powder material or liquid concentrate dispensed from the dropped capsule with a liquid.

10. A closure for a container comprising an actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

11. 11. A container closure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the actuator is integrally formed on the underside of the closure.

12. Baby bottle with: An actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, or A system according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

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