GB2211479A

GB2211479A - Compartmented drinks container

Info

Publication number: GB2211479A
Application number: GB8825421A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ernest James Cameron-Price
Original assignee: E J Price
Current assignee: E J Price
Priority date: 1987-10-29
Filing date: 1988-10-31
Publication date: 1989-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-31
Also published as: GB2211479B; GB8825421D0

Abstract

The components of a mixed drink, such as whisky and soda, or gin and tonic, are stored in separate chambers 8, 9 of a container separated by a partition 5 which is pierced prior to pouring of the contents by a punch 11 which is carried by the base 6 of the container and which can be urged against the partition 5 by thumb pressure on the central region 13 of the base. The container can be a purpose made can with a partition having a skirt (Figure) or being an interference fit in the side walls but a conventional drinks can (Figures 2, 3) may be adapted by attaching to it a plastics cup member to define a spirits chamber beneath the can base. Cup members containing spirits may be stored in a filled condition by providing a sealed cover (18, Figure 4) on the cup, the cover including a sealed central hole which is pierced by the punch 11. The can base may have a weakened area to assist the piercing process or may be pre-pierced and sealed with a plug or film which is then displaced by the punch 11. The cup member may be secured to the can by adhesive or a force fit. The end wall (6) is preferably corrugated to give flexibility. <IMAGE>

Description

DRINKS CONTAINER This invention relates to a drinks container assembly suitable for dispensing a mixed drink, such as whisky and soda, or gin and tonic, comprising a mixture of a spirit and a mixer drink.

Such drinks are usually made up by taking a measure of spirits and adding a larger volume of the mixer drink, which has been separately stored, often in a can. It is not generally satisfactory to store such drinks in a pre-mixed condition.

According to the invention a drinks container assembly comprises a substantially cylindrical wall, first and second end walls at opposed ends of the container, and a partition wall extending substantially parallel to the end walls and being positioned axially closer to the first end wall to define a spirits chamber between the first end wall and the partition, and a mixer drink chamber between the second end wall and the partition, one of the end walls comprising an area which is adapted to provide a pouring opening, and means operable from the exterior of the can for producing or opening a passage means in the partition wall to provide fluid communication between the chambers and thereby permit both the spirits and the mixer drink to be poured through the pouring opening following operation of said means and opening of the pouring opening.

Such a container is capable of storing predetermined quantities of spirits and mixer drink in a separated condition but in a container which can be made of neat external appearance, similar if desired to a conventional drinks can. All of the drink can be poured out in one simple pouring operation.

The means for producing or opening the passage means preferably comprises a punch which is preferably located in the spirits chamber and is operated by urging part of the first wall towards the partition wall.

The punch is preferably supported by that part of the first wall. When the first wall is made of plastics the punch is conveniently an integral projection on the first wall. When the first wall is made of metal, or when a particularly sharp punch is required, the punch can be a sharp metal pin rivetted to the first wall.

The dimensions of the passage will need to be such that liquid can pour relatively freely through the passage. Since the first wall will usually be resilient, within the range of movement of the punch required to produce the passage, it is desirable to shape the punch such that it does not become stuck in the passage following its operation, rather it should retract to leave the passage relatively unrestricted.

In one embodiment of the invention the drinks container has an external appearance similar to a conventional drinks can, but the can is provided with -the internal partition wall. There are various ways in which such a can may be constructed.

Preferably the partition wall is made integral with the cylindrical side wall of the can but with an integral downwardly extending skirt providing an extension to the side wall, said first wall being a metal disc which is attached to the skirt.

Alternatively the first wall could be made integral with the cylindrical side wall, and the partition wall could be inserted into the can to be an interference fit with the can side walls.

Since the can side walls may be no more than about 0.005 inch thick it is preferred to deform the partition wall with a vacuum tool into a convex or concave shape during insertion, in order to avoid unsightly damage to the can side wall.

In a second embodiment the mixer drink chamber is provided by a more or less conventional drinks can, and a cup member is adapted to be secured to the can so as to provide the spirits chamber. Thus the base of the can constitutes the partition wall, and the cup base constitutes the first wall.

Any suitable means may be provided for securing the cup member to the can, such as a force fit over the lower part of the can side wall, or by the use of an edible-grade adhesive.

If desired the cup member may be provided as a pre-filled vessel, closed by a suitable cover.

Either the cover or the cup base may be made integral with the cup side wall.

The cover is preferably dome shaped.

The cover is preferably provided at its centre with a filling/emptying hole which is suitably sealed, for example by a thin plastics or metal film.

After attachment of such a pre-filled cup member to a can, and on operation of the punch, the punch will pierce both the seal of the cover and the base of the can to provide the passage.

If necessary the base of the can may be provided with a weakened area to assist the piercing process.

For example, the base of the can may be subjected to a pair of opposed dies which produce a circular line of weakness in the can base.

The can may alternatively be provided with a hole in its base which is sealed with a plug or with a plastics film, the plug being displaced or the film broken on operation of the punch.

Three embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of a metal can in accordance with the invention containing a mixer drink and spirits in separate, sealed compartments of the can; Figures 2 and 3 show respectively a perspective view and a vertical cross-section of a drinks container assembly in accordance with the invention which comprises a conventional drinks can containing a mixer drink, fitted with a plastics cup which contains spirits; and Figure 4 shows a sealed cup assembly in accordance with the invention containing spirits and which is adapted to be fitted to the base of a conventional mixer drink can.

The drinks can of Figure 1 comprises a conventional can top 1 provided with a ring pull 2 to enable a pouring opening to be produced by tearing of a tab from the top 1 in well known manner. The top 1 is swaged around its periphery to the upper margin of a deep drawn aluminium alloy can sidewall 3, of which the lower portion is arranged as a double layered skirt 4 depending from an integral partition wall 5. A disk 6 is swaged at 7 around its periphery to the lower end of skirt 4 to define a spirits chamber 8 between disk 6 and partition 5, a mixer drink chamber 9 being provided above the partition 5.

A punch 11 is riveted to the central region 13 of disk 6 and has a sharp end 12 positioned in contact with, or closely adjacent to, the underside of partition 5. Disk 6 is corrugated as shown to permit the central region 13 to be pushed inwards with a thumb in order to force the punch end 12 through the partition 5 when the drink is about to be poured. The shape of the punch end 12 is chosen such that the end 12 will not become jammed in the hole created in the partition 5.

After the punch 11 has been operated, the ring pull 2 is used to open the can top 1, and the entire contents of the can can be poured from the opening in top 1.

It will be appreciated that because sidewall 3 is smoothly contiguous with the outer skin of the skirt 4, the container can have the appearance of a conventional drinks can.

In the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3 a substantially conventional drinks can 14 has been fitted with a plastics cup member 15 to define a spirits chamber 8 beneath the base 16 of the can.

Parts corresponding to those of Figure 1 have been given corresponding reference numbers. The upstanding sidewalls 17 of the cup member are arranged to effect a fluid-tight seal with the can sidewall, either as a force fit, by the provision of an integral sealing lip, annular sealing ring, or by a suitable adhesive.

In order to pierce the base of can 14 the central region 13 of the cup member 15 is forced inwards.

Figure 4 shows a cup member similar to that of Figures 2 and 3 but provided with a domed, thin aluminium cover 18 which is sealed around its periphery to the cup sidewalls. Cover 18 is provided with a central filler opening sealed with a plastics film 19 overlying the punch 11. Such a pre-filled spirits containing cup can be sold independently for the user to apply to a can containing a mixer drink. On pushing the can into the mouth of the cup member an assembly similar to that of Figure 3 will be achieved, and on operation of the punch 11, the film 19 and can base 16 will be ruptured.

Claims

1. A drinks container comprising a substantially cylindrical wall, first and second end walls at opposed ends of the container, and a partition wall extending substantially parallel to the end walls and being positioned axially closer to the first end wall to define a spirits chamber between the first end wall and the partition, and a mixer drink chamber between the second end wall and the partition, one of the end walls comprising an area which is adapted to provide a pouring opening, and means operable from the exterior of the can for producing or opening a passage means in the partition wall to provide fluid communication between the chambers and thereby permit both the spirits and the mixer drink to be poured through the pouring opening following operation of said means and opening of the pouring opening.

2. A drinks container assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for producing or opening the passage means comprises a punch.

3. A drinks container assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the punch is located in the spirits chamber and is operable by urging part of the first wall towards the partition wall.

4. A drinks container assembly as claimed in claim 3 in which the punch is supported by said part of the first wall.

5. A drinks container assembly as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the punch is so shaped that it does not become stuck in the passage means following operation of the punch.

6. A drinks container assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and in the form of a can having an internal partition wall, and a smoothly continuous external sidewall surface to hide the presence of the partition.

7. A drinks container assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in the form of a can, and in which the partition wall is made integral with the cylindrical side wall of the can, which sidewall comprises an integral downwardly extending skirt providing an extension to the side wall, said first wall being a metal disc which is attached to the skirt.

8. A drinks container assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in the form of a can, in which the first wall is made integral with the cylindrical side wall, and the partition wall has been inserted into the can to be an interference fit with the can side walls.

9. A drinks container assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the mixer drink chamber is provided by a substantially conventional drinks can, and a cup member is adapted to be secured to the can so as to provide the spirits chamber, the base of the can constituting the partition wall, and the cup base constituting the first wall.

10. A drinks container assembly as claimed in claim 9 in which the cup member is provided as a pre-filled vessel, closed by a suitable cover.

11. A drinks container assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the mixer drink chamber contains a mixer drink, and the spirits chamber contains spirits.

12. A drinks container assembly substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A drinks container assembly substantially as described w:;th reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A cup member suitable for use in the drinks container assembly of claim 9, the cup member comprising a cup base and an upstanding cup sidewall, the cup sidewall being dimensioned to receive sealably the lower end of a drinks can.

15. A cup member as claimed in claim 14 in which the cup is closed by a cover to define a sealed spirits chamber within the cup, the spirits chamber containing spirits.

16. A cup member substantially as described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A cup member containing spirits, substantially as described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.