Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1054575
This application is a dlvision of application serial
no. 237,217 filed October 7, 1975.
This invention ~elates to containers and more
particularly to containers of the type holding material in
solid form into which fluid is added to form a liquid pre-
paration. Such containers are useful for making beverages,
such as coffee, tea and soup, and also for mixing phar-
maceutical products.
Containers of this general type are known in the art
in which a material in a solid form to be mixed with a
liquid is located in the bottom of the container and then
sealed with a cover. For example, United States Patents
Nos. 3,407,922 to Palmer and 1,709,168 to Eppenson, describe
containers in which the cover is of cardboard or paper and
it is removed by pulling on a tab which is accessible from
the open top of the container. In the containers of these
patents, and other similar prior art, after the cover for
the material is removed and the liquid is added, it is
usually necessary to stir the contents of the container
to dissolve the solid m~terial. The mixed preparation is
then extracted through the container's open top. Usually,
the open top is of relatively wide diameter making it
comparatively easy for the mixed preparation to spill out
where the container is used in moving vehicles, such as
aircraft, cars, trains and buses. Further, the prior art
containers generally have a bottom of smaller diameter than
- the top. This also makes the container susceptible to ;
tipping over when used in moving vehicles.
The present invention relates to a novel and improved
container of the type holding solid material which Is to be
dissolved upon the addition of a liquid and which does not
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require the removal of a paper or cardboard type seal to
expose the material to be dissolved. Further, an arrangement
is provided wherein the mixed contents are taken out of the
bottom of the container instead of the top.
In one embodiment of the invention, the material is
located in the bottom portion of the container and held by a
member. An opening is formed in the bottom of the container
and this opening is closed off by a seal which can be taken
off. A lid is also provided and, in use, liquid is poured
into the container through its open top which is then sealed
by the lid. The liquid in the container dissolves the material
and the container is inverted. After the container is inverted,
the seal on the bottom wall is removed to expose the opening
and the mixed contents are extracted through the opening. The
container can now be rested on the lid which can be constructed
to provide a firm base. Since the opening at the bottom of
the container is preferably made small, the container contents
are prevented from spilling out if the container is moved.
Particular features of embodiments of the present
invention are:
a) to provide a novel container holding material which is to
be mixed with a liquid with the contents of the container
being extracted through an opening in the bottom of the
container after the top has been covered with a lid;
b) to provide a container holding material to be mixed with
a liquid in which the mixing can take place without the
use of a mixing implement;
c) to provide a container in which the material to be mixed ;~
is held adjacent the container bottom wall by a soluble
sealing membrane;
d) to provide a container having an opening in its bottom
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wall which is sealed, the container being provided with
a lid which permits it to be inverted and the contents
extracted through the opening in the bottom wall after
the seal has been removed; and
e) to provide a container which can be rested in an inverted
position on its lid and the contents extracted through
an opening in the bottom wall.
According to the present invention there is provided
in combination a container having a generally circular
bottom wall and a side wall tapering upwardly from said ~
bottom wall, the upper edge of said side wall defining a ~-
normally open generally circular top for the container and
having a larger diameter than the bottom wall, a lid for
engaging said side wall and sealing said open top of the
container, an opening formed in said bottom wall through which
the contents of the inverted container can be extracted, and
separate seal m~eans attached to said bottom wall for covering
said opening in said bottom wall and removable from said
wall to uncover said opening.
Other features of embodiments of the present invention
will become more apparent upon reference to the following
specification and annexed drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is an exploded view, in cross-section, of the
container and lid according to a preferred embodiment of
the invention;
; Fig. lA is a view of another type of member for holding ~ -
` the dissolvable material;
Fig. 2 is an elevational view in cross-section showing
the lid assembled to thè container;
Fig. 3 is an elevational view in cross-section showing
the container inverted;
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Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the container showing the
seal;
Fig. 5 shows thc container in drinking position;
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Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a further
embodiment of a container according to the invention;
Fig. 7 is an elevational view in cross~section showing
the container of Fig. 6 with its lid assembled;
Fig. 8 shows the container of Fig. 6 in the inverted
position and the bottom wall seal member removed;
Fig. 9 is a view showing the stacking of several
containers; and
Fig. 10 is an elevational view, partly in cross-section
showing the container stacked on a serving plate.
Referring to Figs. 1 through 5, the container 10
of the preferred embodiment of the invention is generally
barrel-shaped having an upper end 14 which tapers down to
a narrow bottom portion terminating in a bottom wall 12.
The container's upper end 14 is preferably of greater dia-
meter than the bottom wall 12.
A locking rib 16 is formed around the upper end 14.
The locking rib tapers from a minimum to a maximum thick- ~ -
ness going toward the bottom of the container. If desired,
the bottom wall 17 of locking rib 16 can be undercut to
provide a more secure lock for a lid.
A step 18 is formed around the interior of the
container wall at a point above bottom wall 12. Step 18
serves two functions. First, it provides a stacking lug,
or platform, so that a number of containers 10 can be
stacked, or nested, one above the other. The stacking
arrangement is conventional. Second, the step 18 provides
an area for peripheral sealing of a disc 20. This is des-
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cribed in detail below.
The container 10 can be made of any suitable material
for example, plastic which is either injection-molded,
blow-molded or thermoformed. Any conventional type of solid
foamed or cellular plastic material can be used.
An opening 24 is formed in the container bottom wall 12
This can be done during or after the molding of the container
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As seen in Fig. 4, the opening 24 is generally oval, or
elliptical, in shape and is spaced inwardly from the peri-
pheral edge of the bottom wall. The opening 24 is covered
by a seal 26 which can be made of any suitable material,
such as, for example paper, metal foil, plastic, etc. The
seal 26 is attached to the bottom wall by any suitable
adhesive, preferably one which is approved for use with
foods. A tab 27 extends from the seal. The tab 27
preferably clears the outer edge of bottom wall 12 as shown
in Fig. 1 and 2.
The material 30 which is to be dissolved is located
in the bottom of the container and sealed therein by the
disc 20. The dissolvable material 30 can be of any suit-
able type, for example, instant tea, instant coffee, boullion,
soup, sugar, cream, etc., or any combination thereof. Also
pharmaceutical products can be used. The various material
can be in their normal forms or they can be micro-encapsul-
ated as is known in the art. The material 30 can be in
loose or cake form.
The sealing disc 20 is preferably made of a food mat-
erial which will dissolve when a liquid is placed in container
A suitable material is, for example, a starch base material
sold under the name EDIFLEX which is manufactured by the
American Maize-Products Company, of New York, New York 10017.
Th~s material is a soluble, edible and digestible film made
from high amylose corn starch. Other suitable materials can
be used. This material is shaped, such as by cutting it into
a disc, and is sealed to the step 18 by a combination of
liquid, pressure and heat. That is, the periphery of the
disc, or the step 18, is moistened. The disc is placed on
the step and heat and pressure is applied. The peripheral
portion of the disc to which the heat is applied fuses to
the step 18. This can be done by automatic packaging
machinery. As an alternative to the type;~of
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sealing discussed above, where the soluble material form~
ing the disc 20 has sufficient strength to give adequate
rigidity, the disc can be friction fitted within the con-
tainer.
A lid 34 for the container is of a complementary shape
to the container top 14. The lid has a central bellows
portion 35 in its top wall which extends downwardly in a
generally concave shape from a peripheral ring 39. A
skirt wall 36 extends downwardly from the outer edge of
ring 39 and has a reverse bent leg 37 from which extends a
locking rim 38. As seen in Fig. 5, the height of the skirt
wall 36 is made large enought to accommodate one finger of
the holder when the cup is in use. The locking rim 38
terminates in an inwardly extending lip 41. The lid is
preferably made of plastic by any suitable process such as
molding or thermoforming.
When the lid 34 is placed over the open top end 14
of the container, the sealing rim 38 snaps over the rib 16
on the container and the lip 41 locks under the rib bottom
wall 17 to form a first sealing area on the outside of the
container. The sealing rim 38 also has an upper channel
member 38a which includes a part of the reverse bent leg
37. As seen in Fig. 2, the upper wall of the channel 38a
engages the top edge of the container while the channel ~
side walls engage the inner and outer walls of the container
at its top and holds the container material under compres- -
sion in a pinching manner. When fully fastened to the
container, the lid sealing rim 38 conforms to the shape of
the container rib 16 and there are no projections extending ~-
outwardly from the lid. This forms a fluid tight seal for
liquid in the container.
The bottom of the con~ave bellows 35 terminates be-
low the channel 38a of the lid locking rim 38 so that
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the bellow's bottom would normally ex-tend below
the top edge of the container into its interior.
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In use, as shown in Fig. 2, the lid bellows 35
expands outwardly to a convex shape when the lid is
fastened to the container due to the air captured in the
container between the top surface of the liquid and the
lower surface of the bellows. In its expanded state the
bellows 35 terminates below the ring 39 on the top of the
lid so that the inverted container can be rested on the
ring 39. The bellows 35 also gives a visible signal that
the lid has been properly placed on the container. That
is, if the bellows does not change its shape from concave
to convex, the user will know that the lid is not fully
fastened down.
Figs. 2, 3 and 5 depict the use of the container.
Liquid is poured in through the open top 14 and it dis-
solves the sealing disc 20 and also infuses with the mater-
ial 30. The lid 34 is then applied, as shown in Fig. 2,
and the bellows changes to convex shape. The container is
now sealed ~n the top and bottom. Therefore~, mixing of ~-
the container contents can take place by shaking the con-
tainer or, by inverting it one orm0re times. When it is ~-
desired to remove the liquid into which the material 30 is
now infused, the container is e2ther held in the inverted
position or set down on the ring 39 of the lid. The user
pulls on the tab 27 of the seal 26 to either take it off
entirely or to peel it back sufficiently to expose all or a
portion of the opening 24. The seal 26 provides a sanitary
advantage in that the opening 24 is always covered until
the seal is removed.
The user extracts the contents of the container,
as shown in Fig. 5, by drinking through the opening 24.
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The spacing of the opening 24 with respect to the con-
tainer side wall is made such that the mouth and nose
of the user can be accommodated when the container is
held in a drinking position.
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The contents of the container also can be extracted
by a straw. If desired, a part of the seal 26 can be
weakened so that a straw can be inserted through it with-
out taking off the entire seal. This further aids in
keeping contaminants out of the liquid and, also, retards
spilling. As shown in Fig. 5, the tapered container side
wall permits the nose of the user to clear the bottom wall.
When the container is in use and the seal 26 has been
peeled off, the container, with the contents therein, can
be rested on the rim 39 of the lid to provide a stable sur-
face for the container and its contents. Only the relatively
small opening 24 is now present so that even if the container
is jostled in a manner such that the liquid will slosh
around, it will be very difficult for any of the contents
to come out through the opening 24. In addition to its -
self-mixing feature for the material 30, the mechanical
arrangement described above makes the container particu-
larly useful in applications where there is movement, for
example, trains, aircraft, cars and buses.
The material 30 can be packed and contained in the
same manner as previously described b~t using a perforated
shield, which stays ridgidly fixed in place of the soluble
disc 20. The shield 20a, as shown in Fig. lA is of -~
foraminous material and is flat, at least semi-rigid in
form. It is made of metal, plastic or woven wire, all with
non-toxic properties wherein the holes in the member are of ~
lesser size than the granular ro crystaline materials 30 ~-
that are restrained by it.
The liquid to be mixed with the dissolvable material
30 passes freely through the perforated disc thereby causing
the crystaline or granular dissolvable material to change
its substance and flow freely back into the main body
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of the container. The shield can be pressed flat or
otherwise adhered to the container.
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The perforations or weave of the shield 20a are
such as to permit the mixed fluid to pass freely through
it at a rate greater than the speed of consumption by the
drinker.
Figs. 6-8 show a further embodiment of the inven-
tion. Here, instead of packing the material to be mixed
directly in contact with the bottom wall of a container 58,
a thimble type device 60 is used. The thimble 60 is made
of a non-toxic material acceptable for food use. The thim-
ble has a flanged wall 62 at the bottom of a generally cyl-
indrical wall 64 within which the material 30 is located.
The top of the cylinder 64 is sealed off by a disc 66 which
can be of the same material as the disc 20 previously des-
cribed. It is also possible for the entire thimble to be
made of the same material. The cylinder 64 extends in ; -
through the opening 68 in the container bottom wall 12.
The opening 68 conforms to the shape of wall 64. Adhesive
is preferably located on the flanged portion of bottom
wall 62 to secure the thimble to the bottom wall.
In the embodiment of Figs. 6-8 a step, such as 18 of
Fig. 1, is not provided on the inner wall of container 58
Stacking of the containers is accomplished merely by nesting
the containers one within the other. A bead 59 is formed
around the upper end of the container's side wall to hold
a lid.
A lid 70 is provided whlch has a flat top wall 71
from which depends a skirt wall 72. A reverse bent sealing
lip 74 terminates the skirt wall. Lip 74 is designed to
snap over the sealing bear 59.
The use of the container 58 is depicted in Fig.
7 and 8. Liquid is poured into the open top of the con-
tainer dissolving the seal 66 so that the material 30
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is mixed with the liquid. A shield of the type 20a
discussed previously, also can be used. The lid 70
is fastened over the open top of the container which then
can be shaken or inverted several times to
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completely mix the fluid and the material. After the
mixing has taken place, the thimble 60 is pulled out of
the opening 68 so that the contents may be extracted
therethrough. As before, the top wall 71 of lid 72 pro-
vides a stable surface for standing the container while it
is inverted.
Fig. 9 shows another form of lid 70a for the container
having a depressed center section 71a. The depressed sec-
tion 71a corresponds to the shape of the bottom of the con-
tainer so that container can be stacked oneon top of the
other. As the angle of the bottom of the container is
increased, that is, the container is made shorter, it will
fit further into the lid. The lid is shaped accordingly
This permit more containers to be stacked in a smaller
space. The containers can be stacked after filling but
before drinking.
The container of Figs. 6-8 has the same advantages
as that of Figs. 1-5. Both containers are relatively
strong, are easy to hold due to their shape and provide
rapid preparation of any beverage or other preparation
using pre-meaured quantities Of material. Supplements
can be added to any of the beverages produced, i.e., addi-
tional sugar, cream etc. The containers are compatible
for use with vending machines and reduce the cost of mech-
anisms for these machines since the beverage materials
are already in the container. The containers are advan-
tageously used in applications where there is movement -
or in other situations such as in hospitals where the rela-
tively small opening at the bottom of the container reduces
the possibilityof spillage. The opening at the bottom
of the container also effectively strains ice and
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slush and prevents it from entering the mouth where a
cold beverage is mixed.
Fig. 10 shows the container of the subject invention
used in combination with a serving member, such as a plate
or tray ~0, which can be of any size or shape. The serving
member
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80 is preferably made of plastic material by any suitable
process, for example, molding or thermoforming, and includes
a projection 82 of complementary shape to the depression
in the lid. The projection 82 is illustratively shown of
a shape ~omplementary to the lid depression 71a of the con-
tainer of Fig. 9. It should be understood, of course, that
the projection can be made complementary to the shape of the
lid of Figs. 1-4. The projection 82 need not extend all of
the way up into the lid depression. Also, it can be segmen-
ted or itself have a depressed central portion.
After the contents of the container have been mixed,
the container is placed on the projection 82 as shown in
Fig. 10 and it interlocks with the projection. The serving
member 80 can hold any suitable articles such as food.
The interlocking of the lid to the projection provides a
very high degree of stability to the container since its
base is now effectively the entire serving member. The
container can be readily removed from and replaced onto the
projection on the serving member.
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