Beverage Packaging Configuration with a Short Fill Level for Mixed Drinks
Disclosed herein is a beverage packaging configuration whereby mix and base beverages are packaged in a single package, and the base beverage containers are not filled completely with the base beverage. The space within each base beverage container remaining above the base beverage volume provides space in the base container for the correct proportion of at least one mix beverage to be poured into the base beverage container to create a reproducible mixed drink. One exemplary embodiment provides for a single mix beverage container which contains a volume of mix beverage equally divisible between the volume remaining in a plurality of base beverage containers. Another exemplary embodiment includes more than one mix beverage container which may contain different mix beverages. This invention removes the necessity of transporting a dispensing apparatus, such as a shot glass or volumetric dispenser or measuring glass, and also removes the need for a separate cup or glass in which to mix the base and mix beverages together, as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,781.
The present disclosure relates to the packaging of beverage containers, and in particular to the packaging of multiple beverage containers in a single package, such as alcohol and base beverage, wherein the different beverages are packaged separately, to be mixed together and consumed as a reproducible mixed drink.
BACKGROUNDIt is known at the present time to package, sell, and store beverages containers as used in the invention herein. The field of relevant of art includes the packaging of alcoholic beverages, carbonated beverages, natural fruit drinks, and other drinks that may or may not be carbonated or perishable. Also relevant to this invention is the packaging and storage of multiple beverages and the transporting of those beverages together. Consumers of mixed drinks commonly purchase two or more items separately, such as a 2 L bottle of cola and a 750 mL bottle of liquor, transport the separate items in separate packages, and then consume the beverages either separately or mixed. When making a mixed drink, the consumer mixes the beverages according to taste, and may or may not create the correct mixed ratio of beverages to create the mixed drink. U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,781, issued May 22, 2012, describes a single packaging configuration for multiple mixed drinks along with a volumetric dispenser to proportionally distribute the mix beverage to be consumed with the base beverage in a reproducible mixed drink. That invention also helped to avoid loss of carbonation and the spoiling of perishable beverages that can occur when a consumer purchases large quantities of beverages to combine and make several mixed drinks. A base beverage that is carbonated will eventually lose carbonation if not consumed immediately, and a base beverage that is perishable will eventually spoil.
As described in that patent, it is relevant to the invention that beverages be packaged and stored separately in separate containers, and then mixed at a later time. U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,781 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The present invention includes aspects of the configuration of U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,781, including: the duplication of a mixed-drink experience; the materials used for the package that houses the individual beverage modules; the various possible numbers of base beverage containers and mix beverage containers.
Other inventions, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,368, issued Jan. 18, 2005, describe a device for introducing a pre-determined dose of additive, such as a second liquid, into a packaged first liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,368 discusses two containers designed to hold different beverages or substances for mixing together to create a mixed drink; however, that invention discloses the second beverage container positioned within the first beverage container. Inventions, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,368, illustrate the importance of creating a reproducible mixed beverage on the go.
The present invention is a useful and convenient improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,781, because it does not require the use of a volumetric dispenser to proportionally distribute the mix beverage to create a reproducible mixed drink and it allows for more than one mix beverage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONDisclosed herein is a beverage packaging configuration whereby mix and base beverages are packaged in a single package, and the base beverage containers are not filled completely with the base beverage. The space within each base beverage container remaining above the base beverage volume provides space in the base container for the correct proportion of the mix beverage or mix beverages to be poured into the base beverage container to create a reproducible mixed drink. One exemplary embodiment provides for a single mix beverage container which contains a volume of mix beverage equally divisible between the volume remaining in a plurality of base beverage containers. Another exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of mix beverage containers which may contain different mix beverages. The mix beverage containers can be different sizes and contain different mix beverages from the other mix beverage container or containers, so long as each mix beverage is substantially proportionally distributed among the base beverage containers to create a reproducible mixed drink.
This invention removes the necessity of transporting a dispensing apparatus, such as a shot glass or volumetric dispenser or measuring glass, and also removes the need for a separate cup or glass in which to mix the base and mix beverages together, as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,781. Furthermore, where the mix beverage containers vary in volume, the volumetric dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,781 would not allow for proper measurement and distribution.
The close-packed configuration as described above has the advantage of resulting in a smaller footprint for the package, but other embodiments are possible that do not fill the space as completely. A possible advantage of such other embodiments would be to have standard container shapes, in contrast to the unique specialized shapes of the embodiment of
The top fill boundary in the base beverage container represents the surface within the container corresponding to the top of the filled volume once the mix beverage has been added to the base beverage. Note that for this configuration shown in 4a, the volume of mix beverage within the mix beverage container 400 is four times the volume of region 430 which correlates to the number of base beverage containers. If there are five base beverage containers, then the volume of mix beverage within the mix beverage container 400 will be five times the volume of region 430. Also note that top fill boundary 427 may correspond with the top 435 of base beverage containers, as shown in
The mix beverage is indicated by lines up-and-down. This embodiment illustrates that there can be more than one mix beverage container in the packaging configuration, and that there need not be any markings on any of the beverage containers to indicate how much of each beverage should be in each mixed drink. Base beverage containers 605, 610, 615, 620, 625, 630 are each filled up to short fill level 655 (which may be marked with a short fill line or marking, but a marking is not required), leaving region 640 between short fill level 655 and top fill boundary 627 (which may be marked with a top fill line or other indicator on the container) unfilled. The base beverage is indicated by lines side-to-side. In this embodiment, the mix beverage containers are different sizes, with the first mix beverage container 601 being smaller than the second mix beverage container 600. The mix beverage containers may be the same size or different sizes, and the mix beverage containers may contain the same mix beverage or different mix beverages.
In this embodiment, the first mix beverage container 601 is full, as indicated by the lines diagonal, and the second mix beverage container 600 is not full, as indicated by the lines up-and-down. In this embodiment, the second mix beverage is not filled all the way to the top of the mix beverage container 607 or to the mix beverage container top fill boundary 606. The mix beverage container top fill boundary 606 may be at the top of the mix beverage container 607 or at some point lower. The second mix beverage is filled to a mix beverage short-fill level 603. The region 604 between the mix beverage short-fill level 603 and the mix beverage top fill boundary 606 is equal to the amount of mix beverage 602 in the first mix beverage container 601. The number of mix beverage containers and different mix beverages is not limited to two. There can be three or more mix beverage containers. For example, a mixed drink called a “Long Island Iced Tea” contains several mix beverages, such as vodka, gin, tequila, and rum. Depending on the recipe of the mixed drink, the short fill level may be lower and the corresponding volume of base beverage within the base beverage container may be less. A lower short fill level would provide more room in the base beverage container for the mix beverages to be poured in. If there are more than two mix beverage containers, then the region 604 within the second mix beverage container may be equal to the total volume of mix beverage in the remaining mix beverage containers.
The mix beverage containers can contain various alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, carbonated or non-carbonated beverages. Base beverage containers 705, 710, 715, 720, 725, 730 are each filled up to short fill level 755 (which may be marked with a short fill line or marking, but a marking is not required), leaving at least two regions 740 and 741 between short fill level 755 and top fill boundary 727 (which may be marked with a top fill line or other indicator on the container) unfilled. The base beverage is indicated by lines side-to-side. The top fill boundary 727 may be at the top of the base beverage container 735 or it may be lower. The level between the two regions 740 and 741 may be marked with a measurement line 743, a marking, or other indicator on the container to indicate the end of one region 740 and the beginning of another region 741, but a physical line or marking is not required on the base beverage container, so long as there is another means for measuring the amount of mix beverage to be poured from each mix beverage container into the base beverage container, such as a line or marking or other indicator on at least one of the mix beverage containers 700, 701. In this embodiment, the mix beverage containers do not contain the same volume. The mix beverage in the first mix beverage container 701 is indicated by diagonal lines, while the mix beverage in the second container 700 is indicated by lines up-and-down.
The mix beverage containers 700 701 do not have to have the same volume, nor contain the same mix beverage. For example, in this embodiment, assuming the first mix beverage container 701 is smaller and contains 60 mL of first mix beverage, then the first region 740 between the short fill level 755 and the measurement line 743 would contain 10 mL of that first mix beverage—so that the 60 mL first mix beverage container 700 was substantially equally distributed between the six base beverage containers 705, 710, 715, 720, 725, and 730. Further in this example, if the second mix beverage container 701 was larger and contained 300 mL of a second mix beverage, then the second region 741 between the measurement line 743 and the top fill boundary 727 would contain 50 mL of that second mix beverage, so that the 300 mL second mix beverage container 700 was substantially equally distributed between the six base beverage containers 705, 710, 715, 720, 725, and 730. The top fill boundary 727 may be at the top 735 of the base beverage container or it may be lower. The total volume of mix beverage from the mix beverage containers 700 and 701 is substantially equivalent to the total volume of the at least two regions 740 and 741 between short fill level 755 and top fill boundary 727 of the plurality of base beverage containers 705, 710, 715, 720, 725, and 730. Using the above example, the volume of the at least two regions 740 and 741 of the base beverage containers would be 60 mL for each of the six base beverage containers. In that example, the total volume of the at least two regions 740 and 741 for the six base beverages combined would be 360 mL, which is equal to the volume of the first mix beverage container 700 (60 mL) plus the volume of the second mix beverage container 700 (300 mL).
The inventive beverage packing configuration provides added convenience to dispensing mixed drinks by packing all components separately with the ability of producing reproducible mixed drinks of the correct proportions, without the necessity of using a separate volumetric dispenser, cup, or container for measuring, mixing, or serving.
It is not expected that the invention be restricted to the exact embodiments disclosed herein. Modifications can be made without departing from the invented concept. For example, other numbers and relative volumes or mix percentages than those listed can be used. The scope of the invention should be construed in view of the claims.
Claims
1. A product configuration comprising:
- a number being a plurality of base beverage containers, each containing a base beverage, each said base beverage container having a top surface;
- a mix beverage container, containing a mix beverage;
- a package designed to contain said plurality of base beverage containers and said mix beverage container;
- wherein;
- the base beverage containers are filled with base beverage up to a short-fill level, wherein the short-fill level is not at the top surface of the base beverage container;
- the base beverage container has a top fill boundary above the short-fill level; and
- volume V1 of space between the short-fill level and the top fill boundary in each base beverage container is equal to volume of mix beverage in the mix beverage container divided substantially equally by the number of base beverage containers
2. The product configuration of claim 1, wherein said top fill boundary corresponds with said top surface of said base beverage containers.
3. The product configuration of claim 1, wherein said top fill boundary is lower than said top surface of said base beverage containers.
4. The product configuration of claim 3, wherein said mix beverage container has a plurality of markings thereon, wherein said volumetric space between each two adjacent said markings is substantially equal to V1.
5. The product configuration of claim 1, wherein said mix beverage container and said plurality of base beverage containers are in a close packed configuration.
6. The product configuration of claim 5, wherein said mix beverage container and said plurality of base beverage containers are enclosed within external packaging.
7. The product configuration of claim 1, wherein the base beverage containers contain at least two different types of base beverages.
8. A product configuration comprising:
- a number being a plurality of base beverage containers, each containing a base beverage, each said base beverage container having a top surface;
- two mix beverage containers, each containing the same mix beverage a package designed to contain said plurality of base beverage containers and said plurality of mix beverage containers;
- wherein;
- the base beverage containers are filled with base beverage up to a short-fill level, wherein the short-fill level is not at the top surface of the base beverage container;
- the base beverage container has a top fill boundary above the short-fill level; and
- volume of the space between the short-fill level and the top fill boundary in each base beverage container is equal to total volume of mix beverage in the plurality of mix beverage containers divided substantially equally by the number of base beverage containers.
9. The product configuration of claim 8, wherein said top fill boundary corresponds with said top surface of said base beverage containers.
10. The product configuration of claim 8, wherein said top fill boundary is lower than said top surface of said base beverage containers.
11. The product configuration of claim 8, wherein said plurality of mix beverage containers have at least one marking thereon to indicate quantity of mix beverage to pour into each base beverage.
12. The product configuration of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of mix beverage containers contains an equal volume of mix beverage.
13. A product configuration comprising:
- a number being a plurality of base beverage containers, each containing a base beverage, each said base beverage container having a top surface;
- a first mix beverage container containing a first mix beverage,
- a second mix beverage container containing a second mix beverage, said second mix beverage container having a top surface;
- a package designed to contain said plurality of base beverage containers and said two mix beverage containers;
- wherein;
- the base beverage containers are filled with base beverage up to a short-fill level, wherein the short-fill level is not at the top surface of the base beverage container;
- the base beverage container has a top fill boundary above the short-fill level; and
- the second mix beverage container is filled with a second mix beverage up to a short-fill level, wherein the short-fill level is not at the top surface of the mix beverage container;
- the volume of space between the short-fill level and the top fill boundary in the second mix beverage container is equal to the volume of first mix beverage in the first mix beverage container, wherein the entire first mix beverage can be poured into the second mix beverage container to create a mixture of first and second mix beverage which has a total volume of mixture equal to the combined volume of first mix beverage in the first mix beverage container and second mix beverage in the second mix beverage container;
- the volume of space between the short-fill level and the top fill boundary in each of the base beverage containers is equal to said total volume of said mixture of first and second mix beverage divided substantially equally by the number of base beverage containers; such that said mixture of first and second mix beverages can be poured into the space remaining in each of the base beverage containers, to create a proportional and reproducible mixed drink in each base beverage container.
14. The product configuration of claim 13, wherein said plurality of base beverage containers have at least one marking thereon to indicate the quantity of mix beverage to pour into each base beverage.
15. The product configuration of claim 13, wherein said plurality of mix beverage containers have at least one marking thereon to indicate the quantity of mix beverage to pour into each base beverage.
16. A product configuration comprising:
- a number being a plurality of base beverage containers, each containing a base beverage, each said base beverage container having a top surface;
- a plurality of mix beverage containers each containing a different mix beverage, wherein the different mix beverages have a total combined volume;
- a package designed to contain said plurality of base beverage containers and said plurality of mix beverage containers;
- wherein;
- the base beverage containers are filled with base beverage up to a short-fill level, wherein the short-fill level is not at the top surface of the base beverage container;
- the base beverage containers have a top fill boundary above the short-fill level; and
- the volume of space between the short-fill level and the top fill boundary in each of the base beverage containers is equal to the total combined volume of mix beverages divided substantially equally by the number of base beverage containers; such that the total combined volume of mix beverages can be poured into the space remaining in each of the base beverage containers, to create a proportional and reproducible mixed drink in each base beverage container.
17. The product configuration of claim 16, wherein said plurality of base beverage containers have at least one marking thereon to indicate the quantity of mix beverage to pour into each base beverage.
18. The product configuration of claim 16, wherein said plurality of mix beverage containers have at least one marking thereon to indicate the quantity of mix beverage to pour into each base beverage.
19. The product configuration of claim 16, wherein said top fill boundary corresponds with said top surface of said base beverage containers.
20. The product configuration of claim 16, wherein said top fill boundary is lower than said top surface of said base beverage containers.
21. The product configuration of claim 16, wherein the plurality of mix beverage containers is equal to two.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 22, 2013
Publication Date: Feb 26, 2015
Inventor: Scott D. Gold (Santa Cruz, CA)
Application Number: 13/973,933
International Classification: B65D 77/22 (20060101);