Container for dosing a flowable solid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12566085-B2
Application number	US-202318295006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2023
Priority date	Dec 2, 2021
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a container for dispensing equal doses of a flowable solid. The container may include a body defining an interior volume including a storage volume, an outlet passage, and a dosing chamber in communication with the storage volume and the outlet passage. The container may include a closure that has a lid and a plunger. The lid may be rotatably coupled to the body such that it rotates about a first axis from a closed position to an open position. The plunger may be rotatably coupled to the lid and configured to seal the dosing chamber. The container may be configured to dispense a dose of the flowable solid when the plunger is in the unsealed position and the container is at least partially inverted, and each dose may have an equal volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A container for dispensing a flowable solid, the container comprising:
a body defining an interior volume, the interior volume comprising:
a storage volume; and
an outlet passage; and
a closure for sealing the container, the closure comprising: a lid configured move between a closed position to an open position; and a plunger coupled to the lid and extending within the outlet passage, wherein the plunger is configured to move from a sealed position to an unsealed position when the lid moves from the closed position to the open position, and wherein the plunger is configured to seal the outlet passage when the plunger is in the sealed position, wherein the container is configured to dispense a dose of the flowable solid when the plunger is in the unsealed position and the container is at least partially inverted, and wherein each dose has an equal volume.

2 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising a dosing chamber to receive a single dose of the flowable solid.

3 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising a central rib extending vertically along the plunger.

4 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the plunger exposes a flow path for dispensing a dose of the flowable solid when the lid is in the unsealed position.

5 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the storage volume is defined by a wall and a base portion coupled to the wall.

6 . The container of claim 5 , wherein the base portion is fixedly coupled to the wall.

7 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the storage volume is defined in part by a partition configured to restrict the flow of the flowable solid from the storage volume.

8 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the lid further comprises a rim configured to restrict the movement of the lid from the first position to the second position.

9 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the lid is rotatably coupled to the body.

10 . A container for dispensing a flowable solid, the container comprising:
a storage volume configured to hold the flowable solid, a dosing chamber configured to hold a dose of the flowable solid, a closure configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the closure is configured to seal the storage volume when in the closed position, and a partition configured to restrict the flow of the flowable solid from the storage volume, wherein the container is configured to dispense a dose of equal volume of the flowable solid from the dosing chamber when the container is at least partially inverted.

11 . The container of claim 10 , wherein the closure comprises a plunger, wherein the plunger is configured to move up in response to the closure moving from a closed position to an open position, and wherein the plunger is configured to move down in response to the closure moving from the closed position and the opened position.

12 . The container of claim 10 , wherein the dosing chamber is configured to hold a dose of the flowable solid when the container when the container is upright.

13 . The container of claim 11 , the wherein the plunger exposes a flow path within the dosing chamber when the closure is in the open position.

14 . The container of claim 10 , further comprising a base portion and a wall coupled to the base portion.

15 . The container of claim 14 , wherein the base is fixedly coupled to the wall.

16 . A container for dispensing a flowable solid, the container comprising:
a body comprising a storage volume configured to hold the flowable solid; a lid coupled to the body; and a plunger coupled to the lid and extending within the body, wherein the plunger is configured to move upward from a closed position to an open position in response to a downward force applied to the lid.

17 . The container of claim 16 , wherein the container is configured to dispense a single dose of flowable solid.

18 . The container of claim 16 , further comprising a first portion proximate to a first end of the lid and a second portion proximate to a second end of the lid, wherein the first end is opposite to the second end,
wherein the plunger is configured to move from the closed position to the open position in response to a force applied to the first portion, and wherein the plunger is configured to move from the open position to the closed position in response to a force applied to the second portion.

19 . The container of claim 16 , further comprising a dosing chamber in communication with the storage volume and an outlet, the dosing chamber configured to hold a dose of the flowable solid when the container is upright.

20 . The container of claim 16 , wherein the body further comprising:
an outlet proximate to a top end of the body; and a dosing chamber proximate to a bottom end of the body.

Assignees

• Pepsico Inc

Inventors

• Cortadellas Xavier
• Peer Syed
• Wingfield Toby Richard David
• Kwak Albert
• Paradise Charles Simon
• Willmer-Shiles Emma Pearl

Classifications

• A47G19/34

  dispensing a certain quantity of powdered or granulated foodstuffs, e.g. sugar · CPC title

• B65D83/06 Primary

  for dispensing powdered or granular material · CPC title

• G01F11/12

  of the valve type, i.e. the separating being effected by fluid-tight or powder-tight movements (involving the tilting or inverting of the supply vessel G01F11/26) · CPC title

• B65D47/266

  the rotational movement being transmitted by displacement of an additional external element, e.g. overcap (B65D47/265 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F11/261 Primary

  for fluent solid material · CPC title