Programmable Liquid Container With Segmented Additive Chambers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current liquid containers do not effectively allow for multiple versions of a liquid product to be offered in a single container without increasing manufacturing costs, storage requirements, and complexity, while maintaining user control over the product's characteristics such as flavor and color.

Innovation Solution

A programmable liquid container with sealed additive chambers that can be manually opened by the user to mix additives with the base liquid without disrupting the container's integrity, allowing for customizable liquid compositions through independently selected additives such as colorants, flavorings, and preservatives, and featuring a sealing device to maintain container integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate liquid products are manufactured and stored to offer product variety, then user choice and product variety are improved, but manufacturing costs, storage requirements, and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct varietyVSAvoidcontainer complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into a base liquid chamber and multiple separate additive chambers, each containing different additives. This segmentation allows the container to offer multiple product variants by combining the base liquid with different additives, eliminating the need to manufacture and store multiple separate liquid products while maintaining product variety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges multiple liquid products into a single container by combining a base liquid with separate additive chambers. The base liquid chamber contains a common liquid base, while additive chambers contain different flavorings, colorants, or other additives. This merging reduces manufacturing and storage requirements while allowing users to create multiple product variants through different additive combinations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate liquid products are manufactured and stored to offer product variety, then user choice and product variety are improved, but manufacturing costs and storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct varietyVSAvoidstorage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If additive chambers are made manually openable by users, then ease of operation and user control are improved, but container integrity and sealing reliability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser controlVSAvoidcontainer integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The additive chambers are pre-sealed with frangible seals that are designed to break at a specific point. The outlet seal is broken first as a preliminary action, which releases pressure and enables subsequent opening of additive chambers. This preliminary action ensures that the container remains intact during normal handling while allowing controlled access when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The additive chambers utilize frangible seals made of thin, breakable material that can be easily punctured or broken by user action. These flexible yet sealed membranes maintain container integrity during storage and transport while allowing controlled opening when the user applies minimal force to break the seal and access the additives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Ease of operation

If an outlet seal is broken to release pressure before opening additive chambers, then ease of operation is improved, but container integrity is temporarily compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveopening sequenceVSAvoidcontainer integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP1876901B1Programmable liquid containers

Publication Date: 2011.11.09 IPIFINI INC

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AI summary

The invention relates to liquid containers comprising a plurality of sealed additive chambers in communication with a vessel tillable with a liquid. The additive chambers comprise independently selected additives that may be added to a liquid in the container at the option of the user. The user can manually open the additive chambers of their choice and release the additive into a liquid in the vessel without destroying the integrity of the container. In this manner, the liquid containers are programmable by the users and various aspects of the liquid in the container, such as color and/or flavor, is controlled by the user.