Portion closure and method of using
A dispensing container assembly includes a container having a threaded finish portion, at least one modular sealed vial that contains a substance, and a closure cap that is adapted to be screwed on to the container. The closure cap includes a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to the container. An insert is positioned between the closure cap and the container for securing the modular sealed vial to the closure cap. The closure cap further includes structure for unsealing the sealed vial, and the inset includes releasing structure for releasing the unsealed vial from the vial securing structure in order that it may fall into the container. A method of dispensing a substance into the container is also disclosed.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention broadly relates to the field of packaging, and more specifically relates to a portion closure that is adapted to release a substance into a container.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Many substances that are in wide commercial use are able to be concentrated by the manufacturer and later reconstituted by the consumer by mixing the concentrated with water. It is often ecologically preferable to use concentrates rather than paying the economic and social costs of transporting the bulkier final product through the distribution chain to the consumer. Accordingly, many products are already being sold in concentrated form, with a variety of different structures having been advanced for mixing and reconstituting the concentrate into the final product.
One disadvantage of using a concentrate is that the consumer will often end up with the concentrate or the final product on his or her hands, which in some cases may be unpleasant or unhealthy, or the concentrate, the water or the final product may be spilled on to other surfaces. A need exists for a portion closure that provides a safe and convenient way to dispensing a concentrate into a container without the concentrate ever coming into direct contact with the consumer or the surrounding environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a portion closure that provides a safe and convenient way to dispensing a concentrate into a container without the concentrate ever coming into direct contact with the consumer or the surrounding environment.
In order to achieve the above and other objects of the invention, a closure cap dispensing system for a container according to one aspect of the invention includes a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to a container; vial securing structure for securing a modular sealed vial that contains a substance; unsealing structure for unsealing the sealed vial; and releasing structure for releasing the vial from the vial securing structure.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a dispensing container assembly includes a container having a threaded finish portion; at least one modular sealed vial that contains a substance; and a closure cap including a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to the container; vial securing structure for securing the modular sealed vial; unsealing structure for unsealing the sealed vial; and releasing structure for releasing the unsealed vial from the vial securing structure into the container.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views, and referring in particular to
Dispensing container assembly 10 further includes a closure cap assembly 28 that includes a closure cap 30 and a dispensing insert 32, both of which are illustrated in
Referring now to
As the consumer continues to screw the closure cap 31 to the container 12, the operational position depicted in
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
1. A closure cap dispensing system for a container, comprising:
- a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to a container;
- vial securing means for securing a modular sealed vial that contains a substance;
- unsealing means for unsealing said sealed vial; and
- releasing means for releasing said vial from said vial securing means.
2. A closure cap dispensing system for a container according to claim 1, wherein said sidewall portion is threaded for engagement with mating threading on a container, and wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto the container.
3. A closure cap dispensing system according to claim 2, wherein said releasing means is also constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.
4. A closure cap dispensing system according to claim 3, wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a first extent, and said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a second, greater extent.
5. A closure cap dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.
6. A closure cap dispensing system according to claim 1, wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial.
7. A closure cap dispensing system according to claim 6, wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial by penetrating a frangible membrane that is sealed to said vial.
8. A closure cap dispensing system for a container according to claim 1, further comprising an insert that is mounted between said closure cap and a container and that is movable with respect to said closure main body, and wherein said vial securing means and said releasing means are positioned on said insert.
9. A closure cap dispensing system according to claim 8, wherein said unsealing means is adapted to unseal said sealed vial when said insert is in a first location with respect to said closure main body.
10. A closure cap dispensing system according to claim 8, wherein said releasing means is adapted to release said vial when said insert is in a second location with respect to said closure main body.
11. A dispensing insert that is constructed and arranged to be mounted onto a container, comprising:
- vial securing means for securing to said insert a modular sealed vial that contains a substance; and
- releasing means for releasing said vial from said vial securing means, said releasing means being constructed and arranged to release said vial while a closure cap is being secured to the container.
12. A dispensing insert according to claim 11, wherein said insert is constructed and arranged to be elastically deformed when the closure cap is being secured to the container, and wherein said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said vial when said elastic deformation has reached a predetermined state.
13. A dispensing container assembly, comprising:
- a container having a threaded finish portion;
- at least one modular sealed vial that contains a substance; and
- a closure cap comprising: a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to a container; vial securing means for securing said modular sealed vial; unsealing means for unsealing said sealed vial; and releasing means for releasing said unsealed vial from said vial securing means into said container.
14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein said sidewall portion is threaded for engagement with said threaded finish portion, and wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto the container.
15. An assembly according to claim 14, wherein said releasing means is also constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.
16. An assembly according to claim 15, wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a first extent, and said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a second, greater extent.
17. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.
18. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial.
19. An assembly according to claim 18, wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial by penetrating a frangible membrane that is sealed to said vial.
20. An assembly according to claim 13, further comprising an insert that is mounted within said closure cap and that is movable with respect to said closure main body, and wherein said vial securing means and said releasing means are positioned on said insert.
21. An assembly according to claim 20, wherein said unsealing means is adapted to unseal said sealed vial when said insert is in a first location with respect to said closure main body.
22. An assembly according to claim 20, wherein said releasing means is adapted to release said vial when said insert is in a second location with respect to said closure main body.
23. A method of dispensing a substance into a container, comprising steps of:
- (a) securing a sealed modular vial between a container and a closure cap;
- (b) unsealing the modular vial by screwing said closure cap onto said container by a first amount; and
- (c) releasing the unsealed vial into the container by continuing to screw said closure cap onto the container by a second amount.
24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said second amount is greater than said first amount.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 30, 2004
Publication Date: Aug 4, 2005
Inventors: Emanuel Shenkar (Worth, IL), James Martin (Lancaster, OH), Miles Wan (Clarendon Hills, IL)
Application Number: 10/768,273