Additive delivery systems and containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12329307-B2
Application number	US-202117539833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2021
Priority date	Feb 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A compact filtering and additive delivery system which is readily adaptable to a portable container, such as a sports bottle, and receives a modular additive container for the metered delivery of additive, such as flavor concentrate, to a stream of base liquid as the base liquid is drawn or dispensed from the container. The modular additive container configuration on the delivery system allows a consumer/user to experience different additives, such as different flavors or supplement compositions, for a given supply of base liquid, such as water, stored in the container. The system may be readily used with off-the-shelf containers, such as disposable water bottles. An additive container configuration provides modular additive delivery system as described herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An additive delivery system for use with a portable liquid container configured to hold a base liquid, the system comprising:
a base liquid container having an inner volume to hold the base liquid, a bottom and a threaded mouth;
an additive reservoir including at least one wall defining a space holding a liquid additive and an outlet from which the liquid additive exits the additive reservoir;
a cap assembly configured to threadedly engage with the threaded mouth, the cap assembly having a bottom, a top, a spout at the top of the cap assembly and configured for movement between open and closed positions to control flow of liquid from the spout, an upper component coupled to the additive reservoir, and a lower component including at least one wall that at least partially defines an additive reservoir enclosure in which the additive reservoir is received, the lower component including an opening and configured to permit the base liquid from the inner volume to flow into the opening and through the additive reservoir enclosure, and a metering port configured to receive liquid additive from the outlet of the additive reservoir; and
a base liquid flow path extending through the cap assembly to the spout, the base liquid flow path fluidly coupled to receive liquid additive from the metering port at a mixing area to mix the liquid additive with the base liquid and including a one-way valve in the base liquid flow path upstream of the mixing area that prevents backflow of the base liquid into the base liquid container.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upper component includes an upper cap portion and a lower cap portion, the lower cap portion being configured to threadedly engage with the threaded mouth, and the upper cap portion including the spout.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the upper cap portion is configured to threadedly engage with the lower cap portion.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the upper cap portion includes a female threaded part configured to threadedly engage with a male threaded part on the lower cap portion.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the upper cap portion is configured to threadedly disengage from the lower cap portion while the lower cap portion is engaged with the threaded mouth of the base liquid container.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the spout is attached to the upper component, and the upper component includes a threaded collar.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base liquid that flows into the opening of the lower component does not contact liquid additive in the additive reservoir.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the additive reservoir and the upper component are configured such that the additive reservoir engages the upper component with a snap fit.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the additive reservoir is configured such that the liquid additive flows to the metering port when the base liquid is caused to flow to the spout.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly includes a first portion that is configured to threadedly engage with the base liquid container and the additive reservoir and the upper and lower components are removable from the first portion of the cap assembly.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the additive reservoir and the upper component are removable from the first portion while the first portion is engaged with the base liquid container.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the additive reservoir includes a flexible wall.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the additive reservoir is positioned at least partially in the inner volume when the additive reservoir is attached to the cap assembly and the cap assembly is engaged with the threaded mouth.

14. An additive delivery system for use with a portable liquid container configured to hold a base liquid in an inner volume and having a threaded mouth, the system comprising:
an additive reservoir including at least one wall defining a space holding a liquid additive and an outlet from which the liquid additive exits the additive reservoir;
a cap assembly configured to threadedly engage with the threaded mouth, the cap assembly including a first cap portion having a spout at the top of the cap assembly and configured for movement between open and closed positions to control flow of liquid from the spout, the first cap portion attached to the additive reservoir, and a lower component including at least one wall that at least partially defines an additive reservoir enclosure in which the additive reservoir is received, the lower component including an opening and configured to permit the base liquid from the inner volume to flow into the opening and through the additive reservoir enclosure, and a metering port configured to receive liquid additive from the outlet of the additive reservoir; and
a base liquid flow path extending through the first cap portion to the spout, the base liquid flow path fluidly coupled to receive liquid additive from the metering port at a mixing area to mix the liquid additive with the base liquid and including a one-way valve in the base liquid flow path upstream of the mixing area that prevents backflow of the base liquid into the base liquid container.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the cap assembly further includes a second cap portion configured to threadedly engage with the threaded mouth.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first cap portion is configured to threadedly engage with the second cap portion.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first cap portion includes a female threaded part configured to threadedly engage with a male threaded part on the second cap portion.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first cap portion is configured to remove the additive reservoir from the second cap portion with removal of the first cap portion from the second cap portion.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first cap portion is configured to removably engage with a second cap portion while the second cap portion is engaged with the threaded mouth.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the additive reservoir is configured such that the base liquid that flows into the additive reservoir enclosure through the opening of the lower component does not contact liquid additive in the additive reservoir.

21. The system of claim 14 , wherein the additive reservoir and the first cap portion are configured such that the additive reservoir engages the first cap portion with a snap fit.

22. The system of claim 14 , wherein the additive reservoir is configured such that the liquid additive flows to the metering port when the base liquid is caused to flow through the base liquid flow path to the spout.

23. The system of claim 14 , wherein the cap assembly includes a second cap portion that is configured to threadedly engage with the base liquid container and the additive reservoir and the first cap portion are removable from the second cap portion.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the additive reservoir and the first cap portion are removable from the second cap portion while the second cap portion is engaged with the base liquid container.

25. The system of claim 14 , wherein the additive reservoir includes a flexible wall.

Assignees

• Cirkul Inc

Inventors

• Waggoner Garrett S
• Gay Andrew
• Jasperse Christopher

Classifications

• A47J31/005 Primary

  Portable or compact beverage making apparatus, e.g. for travelling, for use in automotive vehicles · CPC title