SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MIXING A FIRST MATERIAL AND A SECOND MATERIAL
[01] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/359,996 filed
February 28, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[02] This invention generally relates to a system for, and method of, mixing a second material that is within a cap and a first material that is within a container. Background
[03] Different types of caps have been used for sealing the contents of bottles, often a liquid. At times, however, drinks have two components, a liquid material and an additive material that is mixed with the liquid prior to drinking. In view of this type of drink, there is a need for a cap that allows the mixing of the liquid and the additive within the container before the container is opened.
[04] Although caps that provide premixing exist, the caps have deficiencies. For example,
U.S. patent 6,230,884 describes a system having a cap, a bottle, and a tablet basket provided between a discharge cap and the top of the container. The cap has a prong that breaks the tablet basket when the cap is fully pressed. The breaking of the basket allows a tablet within the tablet basket to mix with the contents of the bottle. This cap, however, does not allow the cap to be fully pressed without breaking the basket and enabling the tablet to mix with the contents of the bottle. Therefore, a single cap that can be fully pressed without mixing the additive with the contents of the container would be advantageous.
[05] In addition, if a user of this product wishes to drink the contents of the bottle without first mixing the tablet with the contents of the container, the user must remove both the cap and basket from the container. Thus, a cap that is a single removable structure that gives a
user the option of using the contents of the container without first mixing the contents of the cap would also be advantageous. [06] The present invention overcomes one or more of the problems as set forth above.
Summary of the Invention
[07] It is, therefore, desirable to provide cap for mixing a second material with a first material that is contained within a container.
In one aspect of the invention, a multi-cap provides the mixing of a first material within a container with a second material within the multi-cap. The multi-cap can contain more than one material, and the container can contain more than one material.
The multi-cap has a lower cap, removably attached to the container and positioned over an opening of the container, and an upper cap attached to the lower cap and positioned over the lower cap.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of mixing a first material with a second material includes providing the container and the multi-cap The method includes pressing the upper cap downward toward the lower cap and then rotating the upper cap to thereby release and the second material from the multi-cap. This allows mixing of the first material and the second material.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
[08] The advantages, nature and various additional features of the invention will appear more fully upon consideration of the illustrative embodiment of the invention which is schematically set forth in the drawings, in which:
[09] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the system for mixing a first material and a second material including a multi-cap and a container;
[10] FIG. 2 shows a II-II cross section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[11] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the embodiment when the upper cap of the multi-cap is pressed downward; [12] FIG 4 shows two parts of the embodiment, the upper cap with a protrusion as well as a diaphragm with an indented section; and [13] FIG. 5 shows the tearing of the diaphragm by the protrusion.
Detailed Description
[14] While the invention is open to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of examples in the drawings and are described herein in detail. There is no intent to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.
[15] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a system for mixing a first material and a second material, and FIG. 2 shows a II-II cross section of FIG. 1. A multi-cap 100 is attached to the top of a container 50. The container 50, which can be a bottle but is not limited in this respect, contains a first material 70, and the multi-cap contains a second material 60. The system can be used to mix drinks, or can be used to mix any other material, such as chemicals, drugs, oils, or explosives. The invention is not limited by the types of materials that are mixed.
[16] The first material 70 is often a liquid, and the container is generally a bottle, but the invention is not limited in this respect.
[17] The multi-cap 100 is made up of an upper cap 10 and a lower cap 20. The multi-cap
100 contains a second material 60 that is to be mixed with the first material 70. The second material 60 can be a liquid, a solid material, a viscid material, or a powder, but the invention is not limited in this respect. Although a single material 70 within the container 50 and a single material 60 within the multi-cap 100 will be hereinafter described with respect to the
operation of the system, either or both the multi-cap 100 and the container 50 can include more than one material. [18] The upper cap 10 includes an inner cylinder 14, an outer cylinder 16, and a protrusion
12. These features extend from the bottom of the upper cap 10. The upper cap 10 can be transparent in order to enable a user to view the second material 60, but the invention is not limited in this respect. [19] The lower cap 20 includes a upper extension 22 and a bottle mating portion 24. The upper extension 22 extends between the inner cylinder 14 and the outer cylinder 16. The bottle mating portion 24 connects the lower cap 20 to the bottle 50. The bottle mating portion
24 can be threaded to allow the lower cap 20 to be screwed onto the bottle, but the invention is not limited in this respect. [20] A diaphragm 30 is attached to the bottom of the lower cap 20 and provides a separation of the first material 70 within the container 50 and the second material 60 within the multi-cap 100. The diaphragm prevents the mixing of the materials 60, 70. [21] In the pictured embodiment, the diaphragm 30 has an indented portion 32. As is shown in FIGs. 3 and 4, the diameter of the indented portion 32 is larger than that of the protrusion 12. This allows the protrusion 12 to be pressed fully downward without breaking the diaphragm 30. [22] A seal 40 is provided between the outer cylindrical portion 14 and the upper extension
22. The seal 40 seals the second material from the conditions outside of the multi-cap 100.
The seal can be an O-ring can be made from natural rubber or silicon, but the invention is not limited in these respects. [23] To mix the first material 70 and second material 60, the upper cap 10 is first pressed downward toward the lower cap 20, as is shown in FIG. 3. Then the upper cap 10 is rotated so that the protrusion 12 tears the diaphragm 30, as is shown in FIG. 5. The second material
60 is released from the multi-cap 100 and falls into the container 50 through a hole that is torn in diaphragm 30 and through the opening 52 in the top of the container 50.
[24] If, however, a user does not wish to mix the first material 70 and the second material
60, then the user can merely allow the upper cap 10 to automatically return to its initial upper position. If the upper cap 10 is not rotated, then the diaphragm 30 is not torn and the material 60 is not released. The upper cap 10 returns to its upper, initial position due to a biasing force of the upper extension 22. In the pictured embodiment, the extension 22 biases the upper cap 10 due to a deflection of the extensions 22 in the space between the inner cylinder 14 and the outer cylinder 16, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The invention, however, is not limited in this respect. For example, a spring or a resilient material could also be used to provide the biasing force.
[25] In most applications, the diaphragm 30 is not completely torn and does not fall into the container 50. However, in some applications it may be desirable for the diaphragm 30 to be mixed with the first material 70 and the second material 60. For example, if the diaphragm 30 is made of glass, it may be desirable for the glass to be mixed with other materials, such as chemicals. If this is the case, the diaphragm 30 is completely torn and falls into the container 50.
[26] It is of course understood that departures can be made from the preferred embodiment of the invention by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention that is limited only by the following claims. For example, even though the described multi-cap 100 is shown and described as cylindrically shaped, the shapes of the multi-cap 100 and the components of the multi-cap 100 are not limited in this respect.