Container assembly having an overcap with a storage compartment
There is provided an overcap that includes a storage compartment for receiving a product to be mixed with a hot liquid. The overcap includes a top wall defining the storage compartment in an underside of the top wall surrounded by an annular portion. The overcap includes an aperture in the annular portion. The overcap also includes a skirt extending downward from a rim surrounding the annular portion. The skirt extends below a lowermost surface of the top wall and can define a grip surface which a consumer may use to hold the container assembly, such that the grip surface insulates against heat if a hot liquid is held in the container. The storage compartment is sealed with a membrane that is relatively impermeable to moisture. In addition, the skirt includes a plurality of spacers on the inside surface of the skirt that are circumferentially spaced apart and that extend downwardly from the rim of the overcap.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to overcaps for container assemblies, and more particularly, overcaps having a recessed storage compartment for storing of a product.
2. Description of Related Art
Convenience is a major factor in designing containers, such as cups, for holding consumable liquids, especially “travel” containers intended for easy transport without spillage of the liquid. To this end, such containers often have a lid, or overcap, affixed to the container so as to limit escape of the liquids due to changes in container orientation. Another problem with dispensing consumable liquids in containers is that the consumer often wishes to add various products to the liquid, such as sugar or powdered cream to coffee. However, such products are typically distributed in small, individual packages that are not easily located or opened to dispense their contents into the liquid.
The container lid may be configured to store products that will be subsequently mixed with a liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,363 to Bennett et al. (“Bennett”) discloses a container lid with a plurality of integrally-formed, hollow pockets to hold products such as sugar, powdered cream, or soft-drink concentrate. A sealing member seals the product inside the pockets, and the sealing member may be easily torn or removed to provide access to the product. The Bennett patent, and similar lids with hollow pockets, do not provide an aperture for convenient access to the liquid or product within the container, thus requiring the consumer to remove the lid to gain access to the liquid.
Containers for consumable liquids, particularly hot liquids, often include a sleeve to insulate against the heat from the hot liquid in the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,716 to Cai et al. discloses a lid integrally formed with a sleeve that insulates the wall of the container. The sleeve is tethered to the lid and is configured to slidably receive the container. Connection of the lid to the container may be difficult for consumers because the container must first be inserted into the sleeve and then the tethered lid must be rotated to attach the lid to the open upper end.
A need exists for a container lid or overcap that provides convenient access to liquids and includes a storage compartment for a product to be mixed with the liquid. A need also exists for a lid that is easily attached to a container and that provides a grip surface that insulates against heat from a hot liquid.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention addresses the above needs and achieves other advantages by providing an overcap for a container, wherein the overcap can store a product for mixing with a liquid held in the container. The overcap includes a rim configured to engage the container and a top wall that defines a storage compartment in an underside of the top wall. The top wall also includes a substantially horizontal annular portion radially inward of the rim and surrounding the storage compartment. The overcap also has a membrane removably attached to the underside of the top wall of the overcap covering the storage compartment for sealing a product in the storage compartment. The overcap may also be made of a multi-layer polymer material to provide oxygen and moisture protection. A drinking aperture is defined in the annular portion to provide convenient access to liquids that may be held in the container.
The overcap of further embodiments includes a skirt extending downwardly from the rim and includes a grip surface defined on the skirt. The skirt may include a plurality of spacers along an inner surface of the skirt, and the spacers may be circumferentially spaced apart from each other and extend downwardly from the rim of the overcap. The grip surface can be held by the consumer to support the container assembly when a hot liquid is held in the container. In addition, the spacers of the skirt insulate against heat from the hot liquid by spacing the skirt from the container wall.
Likewise, another embodiment of the present invention provides an overcap for a container, wherein the overcap includes a rim configured to engage the container and a top wall that defines a storage compartment in an underside of the top wall. The top wall also includes a substantially horizontal annular portion radially inward of the rim and surrounding the storage compartment. The overcap also has a membrane removably attached to the underside of the top wall of the overcap covering the storage compartment for sealing a product contained in the storage compartment. A skirt extends downwardly from the rim and includes a grip surface defined on the skirt. The grip surface can be held by the consumer to support the container assembly when a hot liquid is held in the container and may insulate against heat from the hot liquid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGSHaving thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
With reference to
The overcap 12 has a top wall 24 that is configured to extend over the opening 16 of the container 14 when the overcap is secured thereon. The top wall 24 defines a recessed storage compartment 26 in an underside of the top wall. The storage compartment 26 is configured to receive a product 28 that is kept in the storage compartment by a removably attached membrane 30. The membrane 30 is removable, as indicated by the arrow in
The membrane 30 of the illustrated embodiment is constructed of a membranous material that is relatively impermeable to moisture. Examples of such membranous material include, but are not limited to metal foil, polyethylene terephthalate, metallized polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, metallized polypropylene, metal oxide and silicate coated polyester, metal oxide and silicate coated polypropylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, and mixtures thereof. The membrane 30 preferably prevents the ingress of moisture and the egress of the product 28 while the membrane is fully attached to the underside of the top wall 24.
The top wall 24 further includes an annular portion 32 surrounding the storage compartment 26. The annular portion 32 of
Surrounding the annular portion 32 is a rim 36, as illustrated in
Extending downwardly from the rim 36 is the skirt 40, as shown in
The skirt 40 defines a grip surface 44, which a consumer may grasp to hold the container assembly 10 and which may insulate the consumer against heat if a hot liquid is held in the container 14. The grip surface 44 may be of any axial length that is sufficient to allow a customer to hold the container assembly 10 with or without touching the remainder of the overcap 12 or container 14. The overcap 12 of
A second embodiment of the container assembly 110 is illustrated in
The overcap 112 of
The top wall 124 further includes an annular portion 132 surrounding the storage compartment 126. The annular portion 132 of
Extending downwardly from the rim 136 is the skirt 140, as shown in
The skirt 140 of
The storage compartment 26 and 126 of
The annular portion 32 and 132 of
To manufacture the container assembly 10 of the present invention, the container 14 and the overcap 12 are individually formed. Preferably, the overcap 12 is thermoformed, injected molded, or blow molded from a polymer material. The overcap 12 may be formed to include a multi-layer polymer structure to provide oxygen and moisture barrier should the packaged product require such a barrier. After the overcap 12 hardens, the product 28 can be inserted into the storage compartment 26 and the membrane 30 attached to the underside of the top wall 24. The membrane 30 is attached to the overcap 12 by any suitable process, which include conductive heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, the applying of adhesives, or any other joining method. Once the product 28 is securely stored in the storage compartment 26, the overcap 12 can be paired with the container 14 to complete the container assembly 10.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention 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. An overcap for a container, wherein the overcap can store a product for mixing with a liquid held in the container, the overcap comprising:
- a rim configured to engage the container;
- a top wall defining a storage compartment in an underside of the top wall, the top wall having a substantially horizontal annular portion radially inward of the rim and surrounding the storage compartment, a drinking aperture being defined in the annular portion; and
- a membrane removably attached to the underside of the top wall of the overcap covering the storage compartment for sealing a product contained in the storage compartment.
2. An overcap of claim 1, further comprising a skirt extending downwardly from the rim.
3. An overcap of claim 2, wherein the skirt defines a grip surface.
4. An overcap of claim 3, wherein the skirt extends below a lowermost surface of the top wall of the overcap.
5. An overcap of claim 3, wherein the skirt includes a plurality of spacers extending along an inner surface of the skirt.
6. An overcap of claim 5, wherein the plurality of spacers are circumferentially spaced apart from each other and extend downwardly from the rim of the overcap.
7. An overcap of claim 1, wherein the storage compartment defines a domed portion.
8. An overcap of claim 7, wherein the domed portion has incorporated therein a desiccant.
9. An overcap of claim 1, wherein the membrane is relatively impermeable to moisture.
10. An overcap for a container, wherein the overcap can store a product for mixing with a liquid held in the container, the overcap comprising:
- a rim configured to engage the container;
- a top wall defining a storage compartment in an underside of the top wall, the top wall having a substantially horizontal annular portion radially inward of the rim and surrounding the storage compartment;
- a skirt extending downwardly from the rim, wherein the skirt defines a grip surface; and
- a membrane removably attached to the underside of the top wall of the overcap covering the storage compartment for sealing a product contained in the storage compartment.
11. An overcap of claim 10, wherein the skirt extends below a lowermost surface of the top wall of the overcap.
12. An overcap of claim 11, wherein the skirt includes a plurality of spacers extending along an inner surface of the skirt.
13. An overcap of claim 12, wherein the plurality of spacers are circumferentially spaced apart from each other and extend downwardly from the rim of the overcap.
14. An overcap of claim 13, wherein the storage compartment defines a domed portion.
15. An overcap of claim 14, wherein the domed portion has incorporated therein a desiccant.
16. An overcap of claim 10, wherein the membrane is relatively impermeable to moisture.
17. An overcap of claim 10, further comprising a drinking aperture defined in the annular portion.
18. A container assembly comprising:
- a container comprising a bottom wall and a tubular side wall upstanding from the bottom wall, the side wall having a top edge encircling a top opening of the container;
- a cap having rim configured to engage the top edge of the container, the cap having a top wall defining a storage compartment in an underside of the top wall, the top wall having a substantially horizontal annular portion radially inward of the rim and surrounding the storage compartment, a drinking aperture being defined in the annular portion; and
- a membrane removably attached to the underside of the top wall of the overcap covering the storage compartment for sealing a product contained in the storage compartment.
19. A container assembly of claim 18, further comprising a skirt extending downwardly from the rim.
20. A container assembly of claim 19, wherein the skirt extends below a lowermost surface of the top wall of the overcap and defines a grip surface.
21. A container assembly of claim 20, wherein the skirt includes a plurality of spacers extending along an inner surface of the skirt, wherein the plurality of spacers are circumferentially spaced apart from each other and extend downwardly from the rim of the overcap.
22. A container assembly of claim 18, wherein the membrane is relatively impermeable to moisture.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 16, 2004
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2005
Applicant:
Inventor: J. Morrow (Camden, SC)
Application Number: 10/780,401