Beverage Container Assembly for Dispensing Extra Content and Methods of Use

Abstract

A beverage container for original content is comes with at least one additional piece on the inside of the container. Each additional piece provides a selectively breakable or rupturable packet that contains an amount of additional content or an additional ingredient such as flavoring or caffeine. When the container is slightly squeezed or “crunched” the packet is ruptured and releases the additional content into the original content.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to beverage containers and more particularly to a beverage container assembly that incorporates a selectively rupturable interior packet of additional content.

SUMMARY

A metal, preferably aluminum, or other suitable pliable container for original content is manufactured with an additional piece on the inside of the can that retains an amount of additional content or an additional ingredient. When the can is slightly squeezed together or “crunched” the piece is ruptured and releases the additional content into the original content.

BACKGROUND

Have you ever grabbed a cold fresh drink in a can and wished it had the extra oomph!? Well, now you “can”! With a beverage container of the present disclosure, you can crunch the canned drink of your choice to release one or more additional ingredients into the beverage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a beverage container assembly of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a “crunched” beverage container assembly of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a beverage container of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a “crunched” beverage container assembly of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of another exemplary embodiment of a beverage container assembly of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a “crunched” beverage container assembly of FIG. 3A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. The term “invention” is likewise intended to be inclusive and not to refer to any specific exemplary embodiment.

In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . . ” Also, the terms “couple” or “couples” or similar connection terms, are intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection or through an indirect connection via other devices and connections. Have you ever grabbed a cold fresh drink in a can and wished it had the extra oomph!? Well, now you “can”! With a beverage container of the present disclosure, you can crunch the canned drink of your choice to release one or more additional ingredients into the beverage.

An aluminum can or other suitable pliable beverage container is manufactured with an additional piece on the inside of the can forms a selectively breakable or rupturable packet that retains an amount of additional content such as flavoring or caffeine, for example. When the sides of the can is slightly squeezed together manually, or “crunched,” it releases the additional content into the original content. Add a variety of amazing flavors and energy shots to any drink!

examples:

Grab a nice cold beer—“Crunch the Can” BAM! Instantly, lime or salt flavor is dispensed inside the container and added to the beer contents.

A coffee drink—Squeeze it and it adds an additional caffeinated shot on the spot!

How about an energy drink lacking that extra boost or flavor? “Crunch Time!” simply crush the can on the designated spot and within a second you have your extra shot to keep you going all day long!

Various additional alternative exemplary embodiments provide a packet containing seasonal flavors such as, for examples, Pumpkin Spice, Egg Nog, Sugar Cookies, and so forth.

Liquor such as Vodka, Tequila, Rum, and so forth are provided in the packet in further additional exemplary embodiments.

Fruit flavors such as berry, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and the like are provided in the packet in yet additional exemplary embodiments.

How is it better?

“Crunch Can” gives the thirsty user the ability to choose to add the flavor of their desire. Salt, lime, lemon, fruit, liquor or caffeine or any other flavors or ingredients to change the original product with the squeeze or slight crunch of the can.

In an exemplary embodiment, a container formed of a pliable metal, for example, a pin is disposed on the interior surface of the container and a frangible piece such as a sack or packet containing an extra ingredient such as flavoring is adhered to the interface such that the pin presses against the sack. When the container is manually crushed proximate to the pin, the pin ruptures the sack and releases the ingredient.

In addition to aluminum or metal container products, additional alternative embodiments, such as for plastic bottles, are contemplated as illustrated in FIG. 2. In a plastic container exemplary embodiment, a rupturable tube of the extra ingredient is attached to the interior surface of the plastic container such that when the container is crushed, the tube breaks to release the ingredient.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a beverage container assembly of the present disclosure. FIG. 1A depicts a container 110 at a point in time prior to being crunched. Container 110 has exterior surface 130 and interior surface 140 and contains contents 116. Frangible membrane 112 is disposed on interior surface 140 to form a selectively rupturable void, pocket or pouch between membrane 122 and interior surface 140. One or more additional ingredients 114 is contained in the pouch. Specific exemplary embodiments of container 110 provide a printed instruction 120, such as for example, “CRUNCH HERE” to indicate the location of the interior pouch to a user.

FIG. 1B is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a “crunched” beverage container assembly of FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B shows the container of FIG. 1A some moments later after a user has crunched the container according to instruction 120. Frangible membrane 122 has ruptured due to the sheering forces applied to it upon crunching. The one or more additional ingredients 114 contained in the pouch are released into contents 116.

FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a beverage container of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A depicts a container 210 at a point in time prior to being crunched. Two selectively frangible packet assemblies, 220,230 are disposed opposite each other on the interior surface 214 interior to exterior surface 212 of container 210. Each assembly 220, 230, respectively, provides pin 228, 238, respectively, disposed of the interior surface 214 on container 210 and within the packet formed by the cooperative arrangement of frangible membrane 222, 232, respectively, and interior surface 214. Each packet formed by frangible membrane 222, 232, respectively, holds one or more additional ingredients 224, 234, respectively. In specific exemplary embodiments, one or more ingredients 224 are different from one or more ingredients 234. Container 210 contains content 240.

FIG. 2B is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a “crunched” beverage container assembly of FIG. 2A. FIG. 2B shows the container of FIG. 2A some moments later after a user has crunched the container. Pin 228, 238, respectively, ruptures membrane 222, 232, respectively, when the deformation forces of crunching container 210 impel pin 228,238, respectively, to pierce frangible membrane 222,232, respectively, thereby rupturing frangible membranes 222.232, respectively. One or more additional contents 224,234, respectively, are released into contents 240 upon rupturing frangible membrane 222,232, respectively.

FIG. 3A is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of another exemplary embodiment of a beverage container assembly of the present disclosure. FIG. 3A depicts a container 310 at a point in time prior to being crunched. Frangible cylinder assembly 320 disposed on the interior surface of container 310 provides frangible portion 326 which holds one or more additional ingredient 328 within the interior void of cylinder assembly 320. Frangible portion 326 is bounded on each terminus by relatively infrangible rigid portions 322, 324, respectively. Rigid portions 322, 324 are infrangible relative to the frangibility of frangible portion 326.

FIG. 3B is a diagrammatic illustration partial cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment of a “crunched” beverage container assembly of FIG. 3A. FIG. 3B shows the container of FIG. 3A some moments later after a user has crunched the container. Frangible portion 326 is ruptured 350 to release one or more additional contents in to container content 330. Deformation forces from crunching container 310 act on rigid portions 322, 324, which in turn act on frangible portion 326 to produce rupture 350.

A container 11, 210 or 310 of the present disclosure is not limited to any particular material of construction as long as the material is manually deformable by a user sufficiently to rupture at least one packet of one or more additional contents. Suitable materials include but are not limited to tin, aluminum, plastic, and the like.

A membrane 112, 222, 232, or frangible portion 326 is not limited to any particular material provided the material is frangible and can be raptured by the force of manual deformation of the container by a user. In specific exemplary embodiments, the frangible material is the same as the container material, although thinner so as to be frangible.

Described herein is a container for containing original content, the container being formed of pliable material having an interior side, and having, on the interior side, a frangible piece containing an amount of additional content. In specific exemplary embodiments, the additional content comprises an additional ingredient. In other specific exemplary embodiments, a rupture assist piece is disposed between the frangible piece and interior side to facilitate the rupture of the frangible piece. In still other exemplary embodiments the frangible piece further comprises a frangible portion containing the additional content and said frangible portion is disposed between two portions that are infrangible relative to the frangibility of the frangible portion.

Further additional exemplary embodiments have on the interior surface more than one frangible piece containing an amount of additional content.

In some specific exemplary embodiments the frangible piece is formed unitarily from the pliable material of the container.

Also described herein is a frangible packet attachable to the interior surface of a container of original content. The frangible packet contains an amount of additional content. In specific exemplary embodiments the additional content includes an additional ingredient.

Further described herein are methods of introducing additional content into a container of original content. Exemplary embodiments of the methods include the steps of (1) providing a container for containing original content, the container being formed of pliable material having an interior side; (2) providing on the interior side a frangible piece containing additional content; and (3) manually squeezing the pliable material to rupture the frangible piece to release the additional content into the original content.

Exemplary embodiments of a method of the present disclosure also include the steps of providing a rupture assist piece disposed between the frangible piece and interior side and squeezing the pliable material so as to actuate the rupture assist piece to rupture the frangible piece and release the additional content into the original content.

In certain specific exemplary embodiments of the methods, the frangible piece has a frangible portion containing the additional content and said frangible portion is disposed between two portions that are infrangible relative to the frangibility of the frangible portion.

In other specific exemplary embodiments of the methods, the methods include the step of providing, on the interior surface, more than one frangible piece containing additional content.

Additional exemplary embodiments of the methods include the step of forming the frangible piece unitarily from the pliable material of the container.

In still other additional embodiments of the methods, the additional content comprises an additional ingredient.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the frangible packet, beverage container assembly and methods described herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

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8. (canceled)

9. A method of introducing additional content into a container of original content, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a container for containing original content, the container being formed of pliable material having an interior side;

providing on the interior side a frangible piece containing additional content; and

manually squeezing the pliable material to rupture the frangible piece to release the additional content into the original content.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing a rupture assist piece disposed between the frangible piece and interior side; and squeezing the pliable material so as to actuate the rupture assist piece to rupture the frangible piece and release the additional content into the original content.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the frangible piece further comprises a frangible portion containing the additional content, said frangible portion being disposed between two portions that are infrangible relative to the frangibility of the frangible portion.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing, on the interior surface, more than one frangible piece containing additional content.

13. The container of claim 9, further comprising the step of forming the frangible piece unitarily from the pliable material of the container.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the additional content comprises an additional ingredient.

15. A container for containing original content, the container being formed of pliable material having an interior side, the container comprising:

on the interior side, a sealed tubular piece comprising a frangible portion containing additional content, said frangible portion being disposed between two portions that are infrangible relative to the frangibility of the frangible portion, and wherein the sealed tubular piece has a length longer than its width and oriented so that the length is horizontal, the sealed tubular piece further having an exterior surface such that a portion of the exterior surface is in contact with the interior side of the container continuously along the length of the sealed tubular piece.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the additional content comprises an additional ingredient.