Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a container within which at least one amylase inhibitor is stored, this container has a lid or cap that includes one or more apertures from which the inhibitor can exit the container. The inhibitor is in either a divided form (crystals or particulate matter for example) or in a liquid, or semi-liquid form.

Background Art

[0002] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification is not an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

[0003] Amylase inhibitors have been put forward as one way to reduce the absorption of dietary carbohydrates and/or control blood glucose levels. The amylase inhibitors inhibit the action of the enzyme amylase which is one of the enzymes that breaks down starches and other complex carbohydrates, so the body can process them. However, currently, these need to be taken as capsules prior to the meal.

[0004] The present disclosure provides a container including an amylase inhibitor intended to ameliorate one or more of the deficiencies in the prior art, or at least provides the customer with a useful choice.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] In a first aspect, there is described a container including an inhibitor containing at least one amylase inhibitor, such that the container is configured to allow the controlled delivery of the inhibitor, where the container includes a container lid or cap with one or more delivery apertures.

[0006] Preferably the inhibitor is in the form of a particulate material.

[0007] Preferably the lid or cap includes a plurality of delivery apertures.

[0008] Preferably the inhibitor includes more than one amylase inhibitor.

[0009] Preferably the particle size range of each different amylase inhibitor is unique.

[0010] Preferably some of the delivery apertures are dimensioned and configured to pass amylase inhibitors with a specific particle size range.

[0011] Preferably there are a plurality of delivery apertures dimensioned to deliver a specific ratio of amylase inhibitors.

[0012] Preferably the size range of each different amylase inhibitor independently falls between a powder and 4mm [0013] In an alternative preferred form, the inhibitor is in the form of a liquid, semi-liquid or gel.

[0014] Preferably the side walls of the container are flexible.

[0015] Preferably the container lid or cap includes a cap nozzle with a single delivery aperture.

[0016] Preferably the container further includes a dosage device that that is configured to deliver a predetermined quantity of the inhibitor.

[0017] Preferably the container includes a dosage device that that is configured to deliver a predetermined quantity of one or more amylase inhibitor.

[0018] Preferably the container includes a dosage device that that is configured to deliver a predetermined ratio of amylase inhibitors.

[0019] Preferably, in some configurations, there is more than one dosage device independently selected from the list consisting of: a dosage device that is configured to deliver a predetermined ratio of amylase inhibitors, a dosage device that that is configured to deliver a predetermined quantity of one or more amylase inhibitor and a dosage device that is configured to deliver a predetermined quantity of the inhibitor.

[0020] Preferably, in some configurations, there is a dosage device configured to deliver a predetermined ratio of amylase inhibitors and/or deliver a predetermined quantity of one or more amylase inhibitor and/or deliver a predetermined quantity of the inhibitor

Brief Description of Drawings

[0021] By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the first aspect of the container;

Figure 2 is a top view of a first aspect of the container;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view along the line A-A in the direction of arrows;

Figure 4 is a pictorial view of the container in use delivering the inhibitor to a target;

Figure 5 is a side view of the second aspect of the container;

Figure 6 is a top view of the second aspect of the container;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view along the line B-B in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 8 is a pictorial view of the container in use delivering the inhibitor to a target.

Description

[0022] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a first aspect of a container 1 including a container lid or cap 2 and a container body 4 is shown. The container body 4 includes a body base 6 and body wall 8. The body base 6 is the base of the container 1 and the body wall 8 is a wall of the container 1. In this first aspect the body wall 8 is also the outer wall of the container 1, this will not always be the case.

[0023] The body wall 8 includes a first end 10 which is coterminous with a peripheral edge, the base edge 12, of the body base 6. The container wall 8 is a continuous wall around, or on top of, the body base 6. The combination of the body wall 8 and body base 6 form a vessel adapted to contain particulate solids and/or fluids. In this case 'fluid' includes non-Newtonian and Newtonian fluids, for example liquids, gels, and semi-liquids. Particulate solids are intended to include crystalline and non-crystalline solids in divided form. The particulate solids can vary in size and shape, for example it is intended to include at least particles with sizes similar to coffee crystals, sugar, corn flour, salt, flour, dried herbs, rice, or anything in between.

[0024] The container lid or cap 2 is shown attached to the body end 13 of the container body 4, in this aspect the body end 13 is coterminous with the second end 14 of the body wall 8. The first end 10 and the second end 14 are the longitudinally opposite ends of the body wall 8.

[0025] In this first aspect the body wall 8 is a cylinder and the body base 6 is a circular plate upon which the container 1 sits.

[0026] The container lid or cap 2, in this first aspect, includes a delivery end 20, lid wall 22 and a plurality of delivery apertures 24. The delivery apertures 24 are apertures in the container lid or cap 2 that pass through the delivery end 20.

[0027] The lid wall 22 includes a primary end 26 that is coterminous with the peripheral edge, the lid edge 27, of the delivery end 20, such that the lid wall 22 forms a wall extending away from the delivery end 20. The delivery end 20 in this first aspect is a circular plate.

[0028] The lid wall 22 and body end 13 of the container body 4 include complementary features that attach (releasably or permanently) the container lid or cap 2 to the container body 4. The complementary features are any known for attaching lids to containers, for example matching threaded sections, bayonet connection, etc.

[0029] Referring to Figure 3, which is a cross sectional view of the container 1 along the line A- A viewed in the direction of the arrows, the container body 4 is shown acting as a receptacle for a particulate form of an inhibitor 30. The inhibitor 30 in this aspect is one or more amylase inhibitor, where an amylase inhibitor is a compound or material that acts to inhibit (reduce or prevent the activity) of the enzyme amylase (ct-amylase in humans). The inhibitor 30 may be a single amylase inhibitor, or a mixture or combination of more than one amylase inhibitor.

[0030] The term amylase inhibitor is wide, for example, some researchers recognise 6 classes of amylase inhibitors (specifically alpha-amylase inhibitors) based on their tertiary structures: lectin-like, knottin-like, cereal-type, Kunitz-like, y-purothionin-like and thaumatin-like inhibitors. Other researchers (see Table 1, in ct-Amylase Inhibitors: A Review of Raw Material and Isolated Compounds from Plant Source, J Pharm Pharmaceut. Sci. 15(1) 141 - 183, 2012) simply list a variety of materials found to have the required activity.

[0031] Referring to Figure 2, the exposed surface of the delivery end 20 is shown with the open end of the delivery apertures 24 facing the viewer. Each delivery aperture 24 is shown as a circle dimensioned to allow the inhibitor 30 (Figure 3) to pass through the container lid or cap 2. In the simplest form the delivery apertures 24 are dimensioned to allow the inhibitor 30 to pass through in a controlled manner.

[0032] In one preferred form of this first aspect, see any of Figures 1 to 3, the inhibitor 30 includes three different amylase inhibitors 31, 32, 33. Each amylase inhibitor 31, 32, 33 has a different particle size range. The container lid or cap 2 has three sizes of delivery aperture 24, a first delivery aperture 36, a second delivery aperture 37 and a third delivery aperture 38. Each delivery aperture 24, 36, 37, 38 is dimensioned to allow one or more amylase inhibitor to be delivered from the container 1. The first delivery aperture 36 is the smallest and it will allow only one amylase inhibitor 31, 32, 33 through, the second delivery aperture 37 is large enough to allow a larger particle size through thus will allow an additional amylase inhibitor 31, 32, 33 to pass through, and the third delivery aperture 38 allows any inhibitor 30, 31, 32, 33 present to pass through. By choosing the number of each delivery aperture 24, 36, 37, 38 present the composition of the delivered inhibitor 30 can be predetermined. An advantage of this approach is that a bulk supply of amylase inhibitors 31, 32, 33 can be provided for refilling, but, the container 1 still delivers the predetermined composition. It should be noted that though described with the reference to three different aperture and amylase inhibitor sizes this can be any number desired, for example 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or more.

[0033] In use, see Figure 4, the container 1 is inverted and by manual action the inhibitor 30 is delivered from the container 1 to a target 40. In this case the target 40 is a piece of food or a drink prior to consumption, but, it may equally be delivered to food or drink during preparation, or cooking.

[0034] Referring to Figures 5 to 7, a second aspect of the invention is shown. In this second aspect the inhibitor 30 is in the form of a liquid or semi liquid/gel container body 4 is a truncated cone with the body wall 8 being a flexible material. The container lid or cap 2 includes a cap nozzle 50, where the cap nozzle 50 is a truncated cone with the largest cross section located closest to the lid wall 22, and the smallest cross section coterminous with the single delivery aperture 24. [0035] This second aspect, see Figure 5, may also include a protector 52 (shown in dashed lines and only in figure 5) which is a cap configured to engage with the cap nozzle 50 to protect or seal off the delivery aperture 24. Preferably the protector 52 is attached to the container lid or cap 2 by a retaining strap 53, though it may also remain in place by friction.

[0036] The body wall 8, in this second aspect, is preferably made of a flexible material, so that the container body 4 can be squeezed to deform the body wall 8 and thus expel the inhibitor 30 from the delivery aperture 24. The alternative is that the container is inverted (as shown in Figure 8) and the inhibitor 30 exits the container 1 under the force of gravity, or by shaking and gravity.

[0037] In this second aspect the inhibitor 30 is a liquid, semi-liquid or gel with one or more amylase inhibitors 31, 32, 33 present in the form of this liquid, semi-liquid or gel. Alternatively, the amylase inhibitor 31, 32, 33 is dissolved, suspended or otherwise present within a liquid, semi-liquid or gel carrier.

[0038] Referring to Figure 8, the second aspect of the container 1 is shown delivering the inhibitor 30 via the cap nozzle 50 to a target 40.

[0039] Referring to Figure 1 or 5 the container body 4 is shown as transparent or translucent so that the level 60 of inhibitor 30 present can be determined. This is most likely to be done by marking the container body 4 at intervals (regular, irregular, specific volume, specific mass) so that the amount delivered can be controlled. Alternatively, the container 1 includes a dose control mechanism 65 (shown in dashed lines as it is only preferred) that controls the amount of inhibitor delivered. For solid inhibitors this can be similar to the sugar containers that deliver ½ teaspoon of sugar each inversion, or like spirit delivery bottles used in bars where a specific volume of liquid is delivered each inversion.

[0040] In combination with the container lid or cap 2, the container 1 may be pressurised and contain gaseous fluids to allow the inhibitor 30 to be sprayed. In this aspect the inhibitor 30 can be particulate or fluid, or a combination of these.

[0041] In certain aspects, see Figure 3 or 7 for example, the inhibitor 30 may include dyes 100, filler 101 or additional agents 102 (such as stabilisers, carrier, anti-oxidants, flavourings, materials to prevent particle size reduction during use, etc.). When a dye 100 is present, this may be used to determine the amount of inhibitor delivered to the target 40. The dye 100 may also be used to indicate that the inhibitor 30 has been applied to the target 40, to minimise the chances of double dosing or allergic reactions. When an additional agent 101 is present, this could be a carrier such as a liquid/semi-liquid/gel into which one or more amylase inhibitor 31, 32, 33 has been dissolved or suspended. [0042] In an alternative aspect, not shown, the container 1 is similar to a toothpaste tube with the inhibitor 30 in the form of a fluid paste. In this aspect the inhibitor 30 could have stripes with the specific colours of the stripes indicating the amylase inhibitor 31, 32, 33 present in that stripe, thus allow the identification of the amylase inhibitors 31, 32, 33 and relative ratios to ensure the correct inhibitor 30 is added.