FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a beverage container, and, more specifically, to a container for separately storing a multi-component beverage and mixing thereof immediately before drinking.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There has been a recent explosion in the growth of personal beverage usage, and particularly in the purchase and consumption of "designer" drinks such as bottled spring and mineral water, often flavored or reinforced with vitamins and other supplements. A variety of bottles has been developed for such beverages, sometimes having a simple removable stopper valve in the cap through which the beverage can be consumed. Such bottles usually are composed of flexible plastic materials.

Technology is known for the dispensing of powders into such beverages, such as flavourings or other supplements from a dispenser in the cap, of the bottle, but such bottle- cap dispensing containers have inherent limitations regarding the types and amounts of substances that can be dispensed into the beverage. Beverage containers are known in the art that permit easy mixing of two separate relatively large quantities of substances in a beverage bottle, and permits dispensing of the mixture through a conventional drinking opening.

US Patent Application 2006/0254936 ('936) discloses a dispending bottle having an open top closed by a cap with a stopper-type drinking valve, and two separate compartments or chambers in upper and lower sections of the bottle joined together by a rotary coupler permitting twisting of the top and bottom sections in opposite direction to open a mixing valve in the mid portion of the bottle. Spiral ribs facilitate gripping and twisting, and flexible walls facilitate mixing.

It should be emphasized that most of the beverages (cocktails) on the market are multi- component. In accordance with the known technical solution '936, the separate compartments are interconnected by means of the rotary coupler partially opening a wall separating the aforesaid compartments. In the case of a multi-component beverage, mixing of a number of the beverage components accommodated in the separate compartments interconnected between each other in series is troublesome, because it takes a long time to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Thus, it is an unmet and long-felt need to provide a device adapted for separately storing a multi-component beverage and mixing thereof immediately before drinking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is hence one object of the invention to disclose a device for separately storing liquid components of a multi-component beverage and mixing thereof immediately before drinking. The aforesaid device comprises a container and means for impermeably separating the components of the beverage. The container has a bottom and side walls.

It is a core purpose of the invention to provide the separating means comprising (a) a plurality of separating members adapted for inserting into the container; the separating members are congruently configured with the side walls to be impermeably fitted in the container in a removable manner; and (b) means for withdrawing the separating members from the container.

Another object of the invention is to disclose the inserting means being an elongate member secured to the plurality of the separating members.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the separating members radially projected to said elongate member to side walls is a impermeable manner.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the surface of said separating member substantially parallel to said withdrawing means.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the surface of said separating member substantially perpendicular to said withdrawing means.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the container which is cylindrically configured; said separators are radially projected from an cylinder axis to said container side wall; said bottom wall is made of an easily tearable material.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the easily tearable material selected from the group consisting of a metal foil, a polymer film, ....

A further object of the invention is to disclose the separators spaced apart in a predetermined manner according a beverage formulation.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the device adapted to be mounted on a blender for mixing immediately before drinking.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the device further comprising a cover adapted to seal the device. A further object of the invention is to disclose the cover interconnected with the separating members by means of said elongate member of an effective length for inserting the members into the container when the container is sealed by the cover and for withdrawing the members when the cover is removed immediately before drinking. A further object of the invention is to disclose the container being a wineglass. A further object of the invention is to disclose the device adapted for mixing said beverage components without withdrawing said separators.

A further object of the invention is to disclose a method of for separately storing a multi- component beverage and mixing thereof immediately before drinking. The aforesaid method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a device comprising a container and means for impermeably separating components of the beverage; the container having a bottom and side walls; the separating means comprises (i) a plurality of separating members adapted for inserting into the container; the separating members are congruently configured with the side walls to be impermeably fitted in the container in a reversible manner; and (ii) means for withdrawing at least one separator into the container; (b) filling the container with a beverage component; (c) inserting the separating member into the container such that the member is on a surface of the beverage component; (d) repeating the steps b and c according to a number of the beverage components; (e) sealing the container by means of a cover; (f) separately storing the multi-component beverage in the device; (g) withdrawing the separating means from the container; and (h) mixing the beverage components. A further object of the invention is to disclose the step of inserting separating member performed by means of an elongate member secured to the plurality of the separating members.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the separators spaced apart in a predetermined manner according a beverage formulation.

A further object of the invention is to disclose the step of mixing immediately before drinking performed by means of rotating the device on a blender.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be implemented in practice, a plurality of embodiments is adapted to now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the separator;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the wine glass provided with the separator; FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the wine glass provided with the separator; FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the beverage container provided with the separator; FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the beverage container provided with the separator; Figs 6a and 6b are a decorative appearance and a cross sectional view of beverage container provided with the radial separator; Figs 7a is a schematic view of the container provided with grooving for the radial separator;

Fig. 7b is a schematic view of the radially configured separator; Fig. 7c is a schematic view of the radially configured separator and the container cover threaded thereon; Fig. 8a is a schematic view of the radially separated inner container provided with the bottom wall made of easily tearable material; and Fig. 8b is a schematic view of the radially separated inner container with without with the bottom wall. Fig. 8c is a schematic view of the outer container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is provided, alongside all chapters of the present invention, so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention. Various modifications, however, are adapted to remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide a device for separately storing a multi-component beverage and mixing thereof immediately before drinking and a method of use thereof.

Reference is now made to Fig. 1 , showing an isometric view of a separator 200 adapted to be inserted into a beverage container (not shown). The Separator 200 comprises a cover 90, an elongate member 50, and separating members 70 and 80. The cover is adapted to seal the beverage container when a multi-component beverage accommodated in the aforesaid container is stored, preserving the individual components in separate compartments. The elongate member 50 is of an effective length for inserting the separating members 70 and 80 into said container when the container is sealed by the cover and for withdrawing the separating members 70 and 80 when the cover 90 is removed immediately before drinking. The separating members 70 and 80 are adapted for inserting into the beverage container. The separating members 70 and 80 are congruently configured with the side walls of the container to be impermeably fitted in the container in a reversible manner. It should be emphasized that Fig. 1 presents the separator 200 as an exemplary non limiting embodiment. Any number of the selecting members is in the scope of the current invention. Reference is now made to Figs 2 and 3, showing a wine glass 10 provided with the separating members 70 and 80. The aforesaid members 70 and 80 separate components 20, 30, and 40 of the multi-component beverage. The wineglass 10 is filled with the components 20, 30, and 40 such that the separating members 70 and 80 are inserted into the wineglass 10 after pouring the corresponding component, specifically, the member 70 is inserted after pouring the component 20, the member 80 after pouring the component 30. Thus, the separating members 70 and 80 keep the components 20, 30, and 40 in an unblended state. Arrows 60 indicate directions of wineglass rotation when mounted on a blender (not shown). Immediately before drinking, the separating members are removed by means of the elongate member 50 and instantly mixing results therefrom. Reference is now made to Figs 4 and 5, presenting a beverage container 10a provided with the selecting members 70 and 80. The aforesaid members 70 and 80 separate components 20, 30, and 40 of the multi-component beverage. The cover 90 seals the beverage container during storing the multi-component beverage in a detached state. The beverage container 10a is filled with the components 20, 30, and 40 such that the separating members 70 and 80 are inserted into the wineglass 10 after pouring the corresponding component, specifically, the member 70 is inserted after pouring the component 20, the member 80 after pouring the component 30. The separating members 70 and 80 keep the components 20, 30, and 40 in an unblended state. Arrows 60 indicate directions of wineglass rotation when mounted on a blender (not shown). Immediately before drinking, the beverage container 10a is opened. Specifically, the cover 90 and separating members 70 and 80 connected to the cover 90 by means of elongate member 50 are removed. Thus, intermixing of the component 20, 30, and 40 takes place.

Reference is now made to Figs 6a and όb.presenting an alternative embodiment of the beverage container 200 having a cover 100 threadable thereonto. The container 200 accommodates radially configured separators 400 mechanically connected to a central member 300.

Reference is now made to Figs 7a to 7c, presenting detail drawings of the .beverage container provided with radially configured separator. As shown in Fig. 7a, the container 200 has grooving 210 adapted to receive a radially configured separator 400 mechanically connected to central member 300 threaded at upper terminal thereof (Fig. 7b). In Fig. 7c, the cover 100 is threaded onto the terminal 350 (not shown)

Reference is now made to Figs 8a and 8c presenting an alternative embodiment of an internal beverage container 500 provided with an easily tearable bottom wall 700 which is removed before drinking. The tearable wall can be made of a metal foil, a polymer film or other easily tearable liquid-proof (water, alcohol and other) materials. The innage is drained into an outer container 800.

Example 1:

Cocktail Kamikaze

3 part of Vodka; 3 parts of Triple sec; 2 parts of lemon juice; 2 parts of lime juice.

Example 2:

Cocktail Orgasm

2 parts of Vodka; 1 part of Coffee liqueur; 3 parts of Irish cream.

Example 3:

Cocktail Acapuloco

1 part of Tequila; 1 part of White rum; 2 parts of pineapple juice; 2 parts of grapefruit juice.

Example 4:

Cocktail Screwdriver

1 part of Vodka; 1 part of orange juice; martini glass.

Example 5:

Cocktail Margarita

1 part of Tequila; 1 part of Triple sec; 1 part of lime juice; salt.

Example 5: Cocktail Casablanca

3 parts of white rum; 1 part of Cherry liqueur; 1 part of Triple sec; 1 part of lime juice.

It should be appreciated that the beverage components poured in the container would naturally intermix due to differences in the specific density of the components, for example, a low density component which has been poured in first such as vodka or brandy, and then overlayed with a high density component such as a cherry syrup or avocaat, would be mixed up, spoiling the desired layered structure. The proposed separator arrangement allows beverage components to be individually stored without mixing independent of their component density. The specific densities of the cocktail components are presented in

Table 1. The elongate member implemented as cord, rod, thread, and any combination thereof is in the scope of the current invention.

In accordance with one embodiment of the current invention, a device for separately storing liquid components of a multi-component beverage and mixing thereof immediately before drinking is disclosed. The aforesaid device comprises a container and means for impermeably separating the components of the beverage. The container has a bottom and side walls.

The separating means comprising (a) a plurality of separating members adapted for inserting into the container; the separating members are congruently configured with the side walls to be impermeably fitted in the container in a removable manner; and (b) means for withdrawing the separating members from the container.

In accordance with another embodiment of the current invention, the inserting means is an elongate member secured to the plurality of the separating members.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the separators are spaced apart in a predetermined manner according a beverage formulation.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the device is adapted to be mounted on a blender for mixing immediately before drinking.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the device further comprises a cover adapted to seal the device.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the cover is interconnected with the separating members by means of the elongate member of an effective length for inserting the members into the container when the container is sealed by the cover and for withdrawing the members when the cover is removed immediately before drinking.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the container is a wineglass.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the device is adapted for mixing said beverage components without withdrawing said separators.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, a method of for separately storing a multi-component beverage and mixing thereof immediately before drinking comprises the steps of: (a) providing a device comprising a container and means for impermeably separating components of the beverage; the container having a bottom and side walls; the separating means comprises (i) a plurality of separating members adapted for inserting into the container; the separating members are congruently configured with the side walls to be impermeably fitted in the container in a reversible manner; and (ii) means for withdrawing at least one separator from the container; (b) filling the container with a beverage component; (c) inserting the separating member into the container such that the member is on a surface of the beverage component; (d) repeating the steps b and c according to a number of the beverage components; (e) sealing the container by means of a cover; (f) separately storing the multi-component beverage in the device; (g) withdrawing the separating means from the container; and (h) mixing the beverage components. In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the step of inserting separating member is performed by means of a elongate member secured to the plurality of the separating members.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the separating members are spaced apart in a predetermined manner according a beverage formulation. In accordance with a further embodiment of the current invention, the step of mixing immediately before drinking is performed by means of rotating the device on a blender.

Table 1