초록 ▼

A closure element for a beverage container is in the form of a sports cap, other closer, or initially closed straw, and provides a chamber for containing colorants in the form of liquids, gels, granules, powders, tablets or other solid bodies. Closures such as valves, rupturable membranes, hinged do

A closure element for a beverage container is in the form of a sports cap, other closer, or initially closed straw, and provides a chamber for containing colorants in the form of liquids, gels, granules, powders, tablets or other solid bodies. Closures such as valves, rupturable membranes, hinged doors, clamps or undersized holes provide closer structure for initially keeping the chambers closed with respect to the colorant so that colorant does not flow into the beverage until released to do so by the customer. Upon opening ends of the chambers, colorants flow into beverages in the containers, which containers are made of see-through/clear or partially see-through materials. In a preferred embodiment, the colorant is a material enclosed in at least one capsule which flows through openings in the chamber within the closure element when the capsule is ruptured or perforated. Coloration of the beverage is voluntarily initiated by the consumer, and the thus colored beverages are then consumed by passage through the closure element. In one embodiment of the invention, the colorant is a medicinal agent which can be colored or may be clear. The medicinal agent is released into liquid, which may be water, for ingestion by a patient.

대표청구항 ▼

A closure element for a beverage container is in the form of a sports cap, other closer, or initially closed straw, and provides a chamber for containing colorants in the form of liquids, gels, granules, powders, tablets or other solid bodies. Closures such as valves, rupturable membranes, hinged do

A closure element for a beverage container is in the form of a sports cap, other closer, or initially closed straw, and provides a chamber for containing colorants in the form of liquids, gels, granules, powders, tablets or other solid bodies. Closures such as valves, rupturable membranes, hinged doors, clamps or undersized holes provide closer structure for initially keeping the chambers closed with respect to the colorant so that colorant does not flow into the beverage until released to do so by the customer. Upon opening ends of the chambers, colorants flow into beverages in the containers, which containers are made of see-through/clear or partially see-through materials. In a preferred embodiment, the colorant is a material enclosed in at least one capsule which flows through openings in the chamber within the closure element when the capsule is ruptured or perforated. Coloration of the beverage is voluntarily initiated by the consumer, and the thus colored beverages are then consumed by passage through the closure element. In one embodiment of the invention, the colorant is a medicinal agent which can be colored or may be clear. The medicinal agent is released into liquid, which may be water, for ingestion by a patient. cylindrical members in a position where the openings are misaligned and another to hold the first and second cylindrical members in a position where the openings are aligned. 6. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the colorant comprises of a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body. 7. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the colorant chamber is divided into a plurality of compartments wherein the compartments each contain a different colorant. 8. The closure element of claim 7 wherein the compartments each have an opening alignable with the opening through the top wall of the first cylindrical member, and wherein there is free opening through the floor of the second cylindrical member which is in communication with the sports cap comprising the second closer. 9. The closure element of claim 8 wherein a detent arrangement holds the second cylindrical member in position to individually align the floor opening of the compartments with the opening through the top wall of the first cylindrical member. 10. The closure element of claim 9 wherein there are two compartments. 11. The closure element of claim 10 wherein there are three compartments. 12. The closure element of claim 7 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body. 13. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the chamber is disposed within the screw cap, wherein the first closer seals a bottom end of the chamber adjacent to the beverage within the beverage container, and the second closer seals an outlet end of the chamber through which outlet end the beverage is consumed; and wherein the opening means is a tube or drinking straw for cooperating with the closure, wherein upon inserting the tube or drinking straw through the outlet end of the chamber, the second seal is opened and upon continuing inserting of the tube through the bottom end of the chamber, the first seal is opened allowing colorant in the chamber to flow into the beverage, the beverage being consumable through the tube upon the tube being immersed therein. 14. The closure element of claim 13 wherein at least one of the first and second seals is a ruptureable membrane which ruptures as the tube is pressed thereagainst, the tube functioning as a drinking straw. 15. The closure element of claim 14 wherein the first seal is a pivoted or hinged closure and the second seal is a membrane, wherein insertion of the tube punctures the second seal and pivots the pivoted or hinged closure comprising the first seal to an open position releasing the colorant into the beverage. 16. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the beverage container is pouch and the closure element is a tube which functions as a drinking straw that is coupled to a dispensing opening through the pouch by a unitary or integral joint; the chamber in the closure element being a portion of the tube defined by a first closer in the form of a clamp disposed between the outlet opening of the pouch comprising the beverage container and the free end of the tube, while the second closer is a removable seal, preventing flow through the face end of the tube. 17. The closure of claim 16 wherein the second seal is a cap disposed at the free end of the tube wherein the cap is configured as a seal. 18. The closure of claim 17 wherein the clamp is a body with a slot therein through which the tube projects, the slot having a narrow portion which squeezes the tube closed and a wide portion which allows the tube to open upon moving the body on the tube to position the tube within the wide portion of the clamp to allow the colorant to flow into the pouch. 19. The closure element of claim 18 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body. 20. The closure element of claim 2 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid, a gel, granules, powder, a tablet or other solid body. 21. The closure element of claim 1 wherein the colorant comprises a liquid,