Portable systems and methods for adjusting the composition of a beverage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025072655-A1
Application number	US-202418951776-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2024
Priority date	Oct 10, 2018
Publication date	Mar 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The systems and methods provide a container assembly comprising: a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid; an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container; one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including: an onboard gas tank; a valve assembly; and a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between: an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A portable beverage container comprising:
a beverage container housing having a chamber configured to hold a drinkable liquid for carbonation by introducing pressurized carbon dioxide gas into the chamber, the beverage container housing including an opening to the chamber having threads; a body having a threaded portion configured to threadedly and sealingly engage with the threads of the beverage container housing to sealingly close the opening, the body including a cavity inside of an outer surface of the body to hold a gas canister, a pressurized gas outlet to communicate with the chamber, a conduit for fluidly coupling the gas canister and the pressurized gas outlet, and an actuator operable by a user pressing on a portion of the outer surface of the body; and the gas canister located in the cavity of the body and having an internal space holding carbon dioxide gas under pressure, the gas canister fluidly coupled to the conduit to deliver the pressurized gas to the gas outlet in response to activation of the actuator, the gas canister having a valved port and configured to be refilled with carbon dioxide gas by delivering pressurized carbon dioxide gas into the internal space of the gas canister via the valved port.

22 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein the valved port includes a valve element having a portion movable in the internal space of the gas canister and a spring configured to bias the valve element to move to a closed position to close the valved port.

23 . The beverage container of claim 22 , wherein the valve element is configured to move into the internal space of the gas canister to open the valved port.

24 . The beverage container of claim 22 , wherein the spring is located downstream of the valve element.

25 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein the body has a cylindrical shape with a central longitudinal axis, the gas canister has a cylindrical portion with central longitudinal axis and the central longitudinal axis of the gas canister is parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the body.

26 . The beverage container of claim 25 , wherein the central longitudinal axis of the gas canister is offset from the central longitudinal axis of the body.

27 . The beverage container of claim 21 , further comprising a gas valve operable in response to activation of the actuator to controllably deliver the carbon dioxide gas from the gas canister to the pressurized gas outlet.

28 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein the pressurized gas outlet is configured to be positioned below an upper surface of the drinkable liquid in the chamber with the beverage container oriented in an upright position.

29 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the gas canister is configured to be positioned below an upper surface of the drinkable liquid in the chamber with the beverage container oriented in an upright position.

30 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to be positioned below an upper surface of the drinkable liquid in the chamber with the beverage container oriented in an upright position.

31 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein the conduit extends outside of the cavity.

32 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein the conduit includes a tube that extends away from the gas canister and the cavity to the pressurized gas outlet.

33 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein the pressurized gas outlet is located remote from the cavity.

34 . The beverage container of claim 21 , wherein the body has a cylindrical shape with the threaded portion and the pressurized gas outlet at a first end of the cylindrical shape, a second end opposite the first end having a flat surface perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical shape, and a cylindrically shaped wall extending between the first and second ends.

35 . A method of using a portable beverage container, the method comprising:
engaging a threaded portion of a body with threads at an opening of a beverage container housing having a chamber to sealingly close the opening; providing a drinkable liquid into the chamber of the beverage container housing; pressing on a portion of an outer surface of the body to cause pressurized carbon dioxide gas to be delivered from a gas canister in a cavity of the body to a pressurized gas outlet in communication with the chamber to pressurize the chamber and carbonate the drinkable liquid; and refilling the gas canister with pressurized carbon dioxide gas by delivering the pressurized carbon dioxide gas into the gas canister via a valved port.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein pressing the outer surface includes opening a valve to permit the pressurized carbon dioxide gas to flow from the gas canister into the chamber.

37 . The method of claim 35 , wherein refilling the gas canister includes moving a portion of a valve element in an internal space of the gas canister against a spring bias to open the valved port.

Assignees

• Cirkul Inc

Inventors

• Perrelli Jonathon
• Lawson-Shanks Robert
• Lyons Mark

Classifications

• B01F2101/14

  Mixing of ingredients for non-alcoholic beverages; Dissolving sugar in water · CPC title

• B01F35/2205

  Controlling the mixing process from a remote server, e.g. by sending commands using radio, telephone, internet, local network, GPS or other means · CPC title

• B01F23/23611

  Portable appliances comprising a gas cartridge · CPC title

• B67D1/0078

  Ingredient cartridges · CPC title

• B67D1/0019

  based on volumetric dosing · CPC title