In-situ Disposable Canned Mix Drink Beverage Container Apparatus

Abstract

An in-situ disposable canned mix drink beverage container apparatus is disclosed. A top internal chamber containing powder being mixed with liquid in a second lower chamber after a user pulls a small tab on the top of the can allowing slots in an inner dividing wall to open therein. Once the liquid and powder are mixed, another larger tab on the top can be opened allowing a user to drink the entire mixture. An object of the invention is to provide a large, internal mixing chambers inside a disposable beverage to accommodate a complete, insitu mixing of powdered protein mixes with a liquid in correct proportions.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to disposable beverage containers. More specifically, this invention relates to an in-situ disposable canned mix drink apparatus.

BACKGROUND

Powder-based drinks began to emerge in the 1950 as bodybuilders were experimenting with protein shakes to increase bulk. Powdered protein drink mixes were sold in large containers and stored in kitchen pantries and mixed with water in a glass. The beverage industry realized the potential for powdered drinks and developed popular mixes such as Ovaltine™ and Tang™ in the 1960s and 1970s. Others in the beverage industry began combining mixes and fluids inside separate chambers within disposable bottles that could be mixed when ready. U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,637,290B2, 6,372,270B1, and 20130139703A1 granted to Ram, Denny and Hogarth respectively, disclosed small internal drink mixing chambers inside disposable bottles. These inventions relied upon screwing actions on caps that pierced internal chambers to combine two drink ingredients. U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,372 and International Patent No.s 1999042377A1 and 042377 disclosed by DeLloret, Spring and Hunt respectively, disclosed small internal drink mixing chambers inside disposable cans. These inventions had small mixing chambers that held minute quantities of a secondary ingredient at the roof of a can and were activated by a single tab. While many of these inventions allow for intermixing of ingredients within disposable beverage containers, none were found in the prior art that held large volumes of mixing ingredients within chambers that spanned the diameter of a disposable can or had a dedicated wire pull tab mechanism to activate mixing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in the prior art through the disclosure of an in-situ disposable canned mix drink beverage container apparatus. An objective of the invention is to provide large, internal mixing chambers inside a disposable beverage can accommodate a complete, insitu mixing of powdered protein mixes in correct proportions. Protein shakes require a larger powder-to-water ratio than other recreational drinks such as Koolaid™ and Tang™ and conventional, disposable, in situ mixing chambers positioned near bottle and can tops are too small. The disclosed invention provides a powder chamber that is roughly one third of a can's volume and is separated by a dividing wall that spans a can's diameter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable beverage can having a separate pull tab (apart from the main drinking orifice pull tab) that activates the mixing process within the can. This tab is connected to the internal dividing wall by means of a small wire coiled within the upper powder chamber. When the tab is pulled, the divider is pulled away allowing powder to enter into the second liquid chamber below. A small gasket on the roof of the can prevents the drink from exiting out from the wire aperture.

Another object of the aforementioned invention is to provide a separate, main drinking aperture with a separate pull tab allowing the drink to be shaken and then opened once proper mixing has taken place.

It is briefly noted that upon a reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize various means for carrying out these intended features of the invention. As such it is to be understood that other methods, applications and systems adapted to the task may be configured to carry out these features and are therefore considered to be within the scope and intent of the present invention, and are anticipated. With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements.

The objects features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and hereinafter described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, but should not be considered as placing limitations thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side, section view of the invention with mixing chambers closed.

FIG. 3 is a side, section view of the invention with mixing chambers open.

FIG. 4 is a top, section view of the invention with three parallel, interconnected break away slots.

FIG. 5 is a top, section view of the invention with a single, C-shaped break away slot.

FIG. 6 is a top, section view of the invention with three parallel break away slots.

FIG. 7 is a top, section view of the invention with three diverging break away slots.

Other aspects of the present invention shall be more readily understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the following detailed description, neither of which should be considered limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

FIG. 1 showing a perspective view of the in-situ disposable canned mix drink apparatus 1 comprised of a hollow, cylindrical, metal vessel 4 (such as aluminum and the like) being closed on one end and having a sealed lid on another distal end 3. Said sealed end 3 also being made of aluminum and having main drinking push tab 2 on a proximal portion of said seal 3 and a mixing pull tab 5 on a distal end. Main tab 2 allowing said seal 3 to be broken by means of a user pushing said tab 2 onto a raised circular scored area on seal 3 creating a drinking orifice.

FIG. 2 showing a side section view of the invention showing powder mix chamber 14 and liquid mix chamber 15 separated by dividing hatch 7 comprised of a thin, membrane made of aluminum and the like. Said hatch 7 being operatively attached to circular flange 10 on mixing tab 5 by means of line 6 comprised of a chord made of metal wire and the like and coiled between powder 11 (such as but not limited to: protein, sugar flavoring and the like) therein.

FIG. 3 showing a side section view of the invention showing said mixing pull tab 5 being pulled, subsequently pulling on and opening dividing hatch 7 allowing powder 11 to evacuate chamber 14 and be introduced into lower liquid chamber 15.

FIG. 4 showing a top section view of the invention of an embodiment having at least three, conjoined, parallel breakaway slots 7 configured on said dividing hatch 12 and being connected to said line 6 by means of fastener 8. Said slots having a creased outline allowing force on said mixing tab 5 to pull slots 7 open and creating apertures disposed to receive powder 11.

FIG. 5 showing a top section view of the invention of an embodiment having a crescent-shaped breakaway slot 16 configured on said dividing hatch 12 and being connected to said line 6 by means of fastener 8. Said slot 16 having a creased outline allowing force on said mixing tab 5 to pull slot 16 open and creating aperture disposed to receive powder 11.

FIG. 6 showing a top section view of the invention of an embodiment having at least three individual, parallel breakaway slots 17 configured on said dividing hatch 12 and being connected to said line 6 by means of fastener 8. Said slots having a creased outline allowing force on said mixing tab 5 to pull slots 17 open and creating apertures disposed to receive powder 11.

FIG. 7 showing a top section view of the invention of an embodiment having at least three diverging breakaway slots 18 configured on said dividing hatch 12 and being connected to said line 6 by means of fastener 8. Said slots having a creased outline allowing force on said mixing tab 5 to pull slots 18 open and creating apertures disposed to receive powder 11.

It is additionally noted and anticipated that although the device is shown in its most simple form, various components and aspects of the device may be differently shaped or slightly modified when forming the invention herein. As such those skilled in the art will appreciate the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure or merely meant to portray examples of preferred modes within the overall scope and intent of the invention, and are not to be considered limiting in any manner. While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An in-situ disposable canned mix drink beverage container apparatus.

2. The device of claim one providing large, internal mixing chambers inside a disposable beverage to accommodate a complete, insitu mixing of powdered protein mixes in correct proportions.

3. The device of claim one providing a separate pull tab (apart from the main drinking orifice pull tab) that activates the mixing process within the can by means of a line attached to removable slots on a dividing member between chambers therein.

4. The device of claim one providing a main drinking aperture with a separate pull tab allowing the drink to be shaken and then opened once proper mixing has taken place.

5. An in-situ disposable canned mix drink beverage container apparatus comprised of a vessel subdivided by an internal wall with a plurality of removable slots connected to a pull tab and another main chamber pull tab.

6. The in-situ disposable canned mix drink beverage container of claim 1 providing a line connecting said removable slots on said dividing member to said pull tab facilitating opening of said slots and mixing of contents when pulled by a user.

7. The in-situ disposable canned mix drink beverage container of claim 1 providing a multitude of slot shapes in said internal wall to prevent clumping of powders during mixing.