GB2548636A

GB2548636A - Container

Info

Publication number: GB2548636A
Application number: GB1606148.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Elisabetta Ricchetti Silvia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-09-30
Filing date: 2016-04-12
Publication date: 2017-09-27
Also published as: GB201517292D0

Abstract

A drinks or like container comprises a body formed by a wall defining upper and lower openings, each opening being sealed-off by a flexible membrane to define an interior chamber containing a substance. One end of the body is shaped and dimensioned to locate within the other end, and by relative rotation to permit said container to connect end-on-end with a further such container in a water-tight manner. Each end also carries a cutter which during the relative rotation of connecting co-located ends penetrates and cuts through the membrane of the other container in an arcuate manner to permit mixing of the potable liquids. The wall may be substantially transparent, the ends of the container may have threaded engagement portions and the substance may be a potable fluid. In use, the containers are especially suited for missing fresh smoothies.

Description

CONTAINER

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a container.

Background of the Invention

There are a number of situations where it would be an advantage to combine or mix different substances in a portable, convenient and contained manner.

One example is with fluids, including gases and liquids, but possibly also with solids, e.g. powdered substances.

To give a practical example, smoothie drinks are very popular, being liquefied or pureed forms of fruit and/or vegetables for drinking. Commercially available products come in a limited number of varieties and combinations, e.g. orange and mango. It would be useful for consumers to be able to select two or more 'base' fruit and/or vegetable smoothies from a larger selection, and combine them in a portable, convenient and contained way to produce a smoothie drink having the required flavour and/or nutrient combination.

Summary of the Invention

One aspect of the invention provides a container, comprising a wall having an upper edge defining an upper opening, and a lower edge defining a lower opening, each opening being sealed by a membrane so that a substance can be contained inside the container between the membranes, wherein the edges are shaped and configured such that the upper edge can connect with the lower edge of a separate such container using a screw or twist-type engagement to provide a substantially fluid-type seal when connected, and further comprising one or more piercing or cutting elements at or near the upper and lower openings arranged such that, in use, when two such containers are connected by screwing or twisting, the piercing or cutting elements of each container are moved into contact with the membrane of the other container so that both said membranes become broken.

The concept was devised with the idea of creating a smoothie in which flavours can be combined to create favourite preferred fruit/veggie smoothie combinations. Upon thinking into the idea, there was a realisation that what made the product innovative was the container. In one example, the idea is to place the blend of one fruit or vegetable into a water tight container. By twisting one container into the other, the two fluids will mix together to create the desired combination of flavours. Two or more containers may be combined together in, effectively, a stacked arrangement.

The upper and lower edges may be provided with cooperating thread or bayonet type arrangements to permit connecting of two such containers by relative movement between a first position where the threads or bayonet elements first engage, and a second position where further movement is prevented.

The relative positions of the piercing or cutting elements on the upper and lower edges may be arranged such that said elements are positioned substantially opposite each other at the point they are moved into contact with the membrane of the other container to effect cutting thereof.

The thread or bayonet type arrangements may be dimensioned and arranged such that the relative movement between the two containers from when the piercing or cutting elements make contact with the membrane until the second position is less than 360 degrees so that the membranes do not fully detach from their container.

The or each piercing or cutting element may be a plastics component.

The or each piercing or cutting element may be integrally formed with the upper or lower edge of the wall.

The wall between the upper and lower edges may be formed of transparent plastics material.

The or each membrane may be formed of a resilient web of material, held under tension over the upper or lower edge of the wall, so as to retract when a portion of it is cut.

The container may be a drinks container storing between the opposite membranes a potable liquid. A drinks container system may be provided, comprising plural drinks containers according to any previous definition, each storing a different potable liquid. A second aspect provides a method of mixing potable liquids, the method comprising: - providing first and second containers, each according to any preceding definition, and each storing a different potable liquid; and - connecting the containers end-on-end by means of twisting one container relative to the other so as to effect penetration of colocated membranes to cause one potable liquid to mix with the other. A third aspect provides a drinks container, comprising a body formed by a substantially transparent wall, sealed-off at spaced-apart, cross-sectional regions by a flexible membrane to define an interior chamber containing a potable fluid, wherein one end of the body is shaped and dimensioned to locate within the other end, and by relative rotation to permit said container to connect end-on-end with a further such container in a water-tight manner, each said end also having a cutter which during the relative rotation of connecting, co-located ends, penetrates and cuts through the membrane of the other container in an arcuate manner.

By developing the container, it was evident that such a container could be used for several other reasons and by several other sectors, such as the chemical industry where different chemicals need to be kept separate, and when mixed together, they create a chemical reaction.

The container can also be used in the food industry to combine food with a liquid, the beverage industry for any kind of flavour combination, the construction industry and/or or the health and beauty industry, as well as in many other sectors.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to one embodiment of the invention, in relation to one or more other identical containers;

Figure 2 shows top and bottom plan views of the Figure 1 container;

Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the bottom of one such container relative to the top of another such container prior to connection; and

Figure 4 is a partial side view of a locking system which holds two containers, after which the containers are prevented from separating.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment (s)

Referring to the Figures collectively, in the following embodiment(s) , a container is described. The container can be built or formed in plastic, cardboard or any other material which is best suitable to the sector and the content or substance it is needed for. It can be of any size and any colour. It can be transparent or opaque.

The container system has been considered for liquids and fluids, particularly potable liquids, e.g. smoothie drinks, but the idea can also be applied to solids and gases.

Each such container is in use filled with liquid/solid/gas and is air/water tight. The top and the bottom of each container are sealed with a thin plastic membrane.

The system works by stacking one container onto the other. Taking two containers, which are identical, this is achieved by twisting of the first container inside of the second container, as represented in Figure 3 in particular. Where the container is cylindrical, the ends of the container are circular with the top end having a profile shaped and dimensioned to receive the bottom end of the other container therewithin. Engagement is made by a rotational twisting motion, whereby each end has a cooperating thread or bayonet type arrangement to secure the two containers together, end-on-end. In the Figure 3 example, the outer surface of the lower end carries a thread, and the inner, recessed surface of the upper end carries the co-operating thread. A silicon or rubber seal may be provided on a lip adjacent one or both threads to provide a further water-tight engagement. The representation of Figure 3 is not in real scale; its purpose is to show how the two containers work when combined together. For this reason, the technical features have been exaggerated, and the twisting mechanism has been simplified with circles.

Both top and bottom edges have a safe cutting edge built on. This can be metal or plastics material. If plastics, it can be integrally moulded with the container. The cutting edge need not be a razor-sharp edge, but is shaped and dimensioned so as to pierce and cut through a flexible membrane with applied pressure. It may, for example, be a simple inverted v-shaped piece of plastic carried on the edge, or perhaps a narrow pyramid shape or perhaps a semi-circular blade of plastic material. Continuing with the twisting action, the respective edges cut into the opposite film membrane around the inside of the perimeter. This will allow the two films to cut, preferably almost fully (but not entirely so) and the two contents held within the containers to mix together. A small plastic film edge remains attached to the side of the container, so that it will not float around inside the combined substance.

In one example, when the two containers are initially engaged and screwing takes place, the cutting edges may be substantially opposite one another at the point they contact and begin to penetrate the membrane. The arrangement of the threads is such that further relative rotation continues to form a cut around the majority of the membrane.

The membrane may be a resilient material, e.g. plastics, adhered to the container under tension so that, when a cut of sufficient length is made, it automatically retracts to create a useful opening between the containers rather than a slow, gradual one. Aicernativa materxais

The more containers are joined, the more liquids/solids/gases can be mixed together, and the bigger the container becomes.

By reaching a predetermined point during the twisting action, a lock comes into place (as indicated by reference numeral la and 2a in Figure 4). At this point the containers can no longer be divided. This feature has been added to perfect the technicality of the system, by preserving the content to avoid any spillage, and also for environmental wastage reasons.

After the contents have been mixed, the top of the container can be opened pulling the strap (indicated by reference numeral 3 in Figure 3), becoming a cup to drink from. A straw hole may also be provided in the top film membrane.

Claims

1. A container, comprising a wall having an upper edge defining an upper opening, and a lower edge defining a lower opening, each opening being sealed by a membrane so that a substance can be contained inside the container between the membranes, wherein the edges are shaped and configured such that the upper edge can connect with the lower edge of a separate such container using a screw or twist-type engagement to provide a substantially fluid-type seal when connected, and further comprising one or more piercing or cutting elements at or near the upper and lower openings arranged such that, in use, when two such containers are connected by screwing or twisting, the piercing or cutting elements of each container are moved into contact with the membrane of the other container so that both said membranes become broken.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower edges are provided with cooperating thread or bayonet type arrangements to permit connecting of two such containers by relative movement between a first position where the threads or bayonet elements first engage, and a second position where further movement is prevented.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the relative positions of the piercing or cutting elements on the upper and lower edges are arranged such that said elements are positioned substantially opposite each other at the point they are moved into contact with the membrane of the other container to effect cutting thereof.

4. A container according to claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the thread or bayonet type arrangements are dimensioned and arranged such that the relative movement between the two containers from when the piercing or cutting elements make contact with the membrane until the second position is less than 360 degrees so that the membranes do not fully detach from their container.

5. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each piercing or cutting element is a plastics component.

6. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each piercing or cutting element is integrally formed with the upper or lower edge of the wall.

7. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the wall between the upper and lower edges is formed of transparent plastics material.

8. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each membrane is formed of a resilient web of material, held under tension over the upper or lower edge of the wall, so as to retract when a portion of it is cut.

9. A container according to any preceding claim, being a drinks container storing between the opposite membranes a potable liquid.

10. A drinks container system, comprising plural drinks containers according to claim 9, each storing a different potable liquid.

11. A method of mixing potable liquids, the method comprising: - providing first and second containers, each according to claim 9 and each storing a different potable liquid; and - connecting the containers end-on-end by means of twisting one container relative to the other so as to effect penetration of colocated membranes to cause one potable liquid to mix with the other.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a third such container and connecting said container to one of the other containers by said connecting step to permit mixing of three different potable liquids.

13. A drinks container, comprising a body formed by a substantially transparent wall, sealed-off at spaced-apart, cross-sectional regions by a flexible membrane to define an interior chamber containing a potable fluid, wherein one end of the body is shaped and dimensioned to locate within the other end, and by relative rotation to permit said container to connect end-on-end with a further such container in a water-tight manner, each said end also having a cutter which during the relative rotation of connecting, co-located ends, penetrates and cuts through the membrane of the other container in an arcuate manner.