GB2521895A

GB2521895A - Drinking vessel

Info

Publication number: GB2521895A
Application number: GB1416959.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Richard Barratt
Original assignee: Grenade UK Ltd
Current assignee: Grenade UK Ltd
Priority date: 2014-09-25
Filing date: 2014-09-25
Publication date: 2015-07-08
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-25
Also published as: GB2521895B; GB201416959D0

Abstract

A drinking vessel 1, e.g. a shaker cup or blending bottle, comprising: a lid 4 with an opening 5; and a detachable cap 6 arranged to selectively seal the opening 5, the cap 6 comprising an additional portion 8 arranged to fit or attach one or more pills, tablets or capsules such as vitamin or caffeine tablets. Preferably, the drinking vessel 1 also comprises: a first cup portion 3; and a second cup portion 2 that is arranged to either fit on the base of, or nest inside, the first cup 3. The second cup 2 may be used to store powered formulations such as protein powders or weight loss formulations. Typically, the cap 6 is a flip cap and the additional portion 8 may comprise tabs, individual pills, tablets or capsules may be secured and held between two parallel tabs. Preferably a strainer (10, fig 3) sits between the first cup 3 and the lid 4. The drinking vessel is suitable for mixing and shaking a drink mix or a protein shake.

Description

DRINKING VESSEL

The present invention relates to a drinking vessel comprising a lid and a detachable cap.

The majority of health/nutritional supplements and body building supplements are sold in power form, usually as bulk in large containers. The powders/solids are typically placed inside a bottle or other drinking vessel with a liquid (often milk, water, or other consumabk substance) and the bottle or other vesse' is mixed/shaken vigorously to form a drink mix composition.

Blending bottles or shaker cups specifically design for mixing powdered formulations, such as protein powders, nutrition& supplements or weight loss fonnuations, with liquids are known, Typically, these are used in the preparation of protein drink compositions to slLpport health, to enhance athletic performance or as a meal substitute. For exarnpk, protein shakes are consumed regularly by peopk who are exercising and body building in order to boost the nutrients available to their body in the post work-out recovery phase, Often the consumers of these drink mix compositions also use other supplements in the form of pills, tablets or capsules such as vitamin pills, caffeine tablets or branched chain amino acids capsules.

There are different shake bottle and cup designs on the market. In such drinking vessels the required amount of the powdered formula and the liquid are added to the vessel, which is closed and the content is shaken, The mixture formed, eg. the milkshake, nutritional drink, protein composition, etc, is then immediately consumed directly from the vessel, However a problem with these vessels is that they often leak if the drink composition is prepared and stored in the vessel for long time. In addition, storage of the made up composition max' have limited stability over time (e.g. sonic proteins formulations require to be consumed within 30 minutes of mixing) and typically consumers prefer to prepare the drink mix composition when is going to be consumed, However, if the consumer does not want carry a bottle with the made up drink composition, he may ends carrying the powdered formulation container, which is often quite large, and additiona' bottle containing the liquid and/or the different piUs. tablets and capsuks.

The present invention provides an all-in-one portable drinking vessel for individually storing piHs, tablets and capsules and the components required for the preparation of a drink mix composition, typically a powdered formulation and a liquid. The drinking vessel of the present invention also allows mixing and preparing a drink mix S composition and provides a drinking vessel for the user to consume the composition preparcd, all with the samc container, Therefore, the drinking vessel described hcrcin avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and allows carrying and storing separately all the components requircd for the preparation of a drink mix composition and any additional supplements in the form of pills, tablets or capsules.

Therefore, in a first aspect of the invention, we provide a drinking vessel comprising a lid, in which the lid has an opening and a detachable cap arranged to selectively seal the opening, the cap comprising an additional portion arranged to fit or attach one or more pills, tablets or capsules.

Thus, the drinking vessel of the present invention can eliminate the use of several different utensils including a storage container, measuring cup, mixer/shaker vessel, pourer or bottle and pill holder/box, This invention can be a combination of all these utensils into one self-contained vessel.

In one embodiment the drinking vessel of the present invention further comprises a first compartment attached to the lid. Preferably the lid is removably and/or detachably attached to the first compartment.

In one embodiment the drinking vessel can comprise a second compartment arranged to fit on the first compartment. Preferably the second compartment is removably and replaceably attachable to the first compartment. The second compartment may, when not fitted on the first compartment, fit within the first compartment; this may provide for convenient storage of the vessel.

\k'ith the drinking vessel of the present invention the powdered formulation, the liquid and the pills, tablets or capsules can be kept separately until the user needs to prepare the drink composition or take a pill, tablet or capsule. The drink mix composition can also be prepared and mixed using the vessel of the invention, which is a leak-proof container. This vessel will also serve as a storing and dispensing vessel for the drink mix composition.

More importantly the vessel of the present invention allows additional storage and dispensing of other compositions in the form of pills, tablets or capsules. The vessel of the present invention allows the user to have all the training or health supplements, both in the form of a drink and pills, tablets or capsules, in the same container and ready to be prepared or consumed when required.

In one embodiment the powdered formulation is any formulation in solid or powder form suitable for human consumption. Preferably, the powdered formulation is a protein formulation, a health or sport formulation, a diet or nutritional formulation, a weight loss formulation or a nutrition supplement formulation iii powder form.

IS The term drink mix composition refers to any solid/powder-liquid mixture suitable for human consumption. Examples of such drink mix compositions include, without limitation, protein shakes, nutrition supplements, consumable liquids, energetic drinks, meal replacement shakes, soups, health food compositions and body building compositions.

However, the skilled person reading the present document will appreciate that the invention could also be used in relation to a drink mix composition formed from liquid-liquid mixtures. Therefore, a liquid or concentrated liquid formulation could be stored, mixed and used with another liquid in the drinking vessel of the present invention.

In one embodiment the first compartment comprises a cylindrical wall, a rounded bottom closing off the compartment wall and an open top arranged to fit the lid, In one embodiment the second compartment comprises a cylindrical wall, a rounded bottom closing off the compartment wall and an open top arranged to fit under the first compartment.

In one embodiment the first compartment and the second compartment comprise open ends with serewthreads.

In one embodiment the first and second compartments comprise grip recesses or indentations along their outer walls for facilitating grasping and shaking of the vessel, S In one embodiment the first compartment further has marking ribs or measuring marks along tile outside of the. compartment wall. defining measuring increments.

In one embodiment the first compartment is larger than the second compartment.

Preferably the volume of the first compartment is 10% larger or more than the vo'ume of the second compartment, or it may be 20% larger or more than the volume of the first compartment, or 30% larger or more. 40% larger or more, or 50% larger or more, or 60% larger or more than the volume of the second compartment. It may be that the first compartment has a volume from 10% to 90% larger than the vo'ume of the second compartment, or the volume of the first compartment is from 10% to 85%. or from 10% to 80%. or from 10% to 75% larger than the volume of the second compartment. The volume of each compartment is the inner volume defined by its compartment wafl, circular bottom and open top.

In one embodiment the lid is arranged to fit over the first compartment.

In one embodiment the vesse' of the present invention further comprises a removable strainer -In one embodiment the lid is a screw-on lid. As such, there may be provided a threaded portion.

In one embodiment the threaded portion including threads can facilitate the attachment of the screw-on lid to the first compartment of the drinking vessel according to the in ye nti on In the present invention the detachable cap is arranged to fit over the opening of the lid and seal said lid opening. Therefore the cap provides a leak-proof seal of the first container by sealing the lid opening either by a snap-on method or a screw-on method.

Preferably the cap has a snap-on seal. whereby the cap can completely seal the lid opening.

In one embodiment the second compartment of the drinking vessel according to the invention is used to store a powered formulation.

In one embodiment the first compartment is used to store a liquid.

In one embodiment the first compartment of the vessel according to the invention is used for storing a liquid and/or mixing a powered formulation and a liquid.

In one embodiment the first compartment is further used for mixing and/or storing a drink mix composition.

It will be appreciated that once a powdered formulation is added to the first compartment with a liquid, the first compartment is sealed with the lid and the cap to avoid the spillage of the composition. Optionally the second compartment can also attached under the first compartment to facihtate grasping and shaking the vessel.

Once the composition is homogeneously mixed, the user may only detach the cap to drink the drink mix composition directly from the vessel, Additionally a strainer may be fitted between the first compartment and the lid to improve the mixing and filtering any undissolved lumps.

As described above, the cap comprises an additional portion arranged to fit or attach one or more pills, tablets or capsules. Preferably, the additional portion of the cap is arranged to fit or attach two or more pills, tablets or capsules, such three or more, or four or more.

In one embodiment the additional portion of the cap comprises two or more tabs for securely and individually fitting or attaching one or more pills, tablets or capsules.

ThereFore individual dosages in the form of a pill, tablet or capsifie can he secured within the cap. The tabs are therefore sized and shaped to individually hold each pill,

tablet or capsule.

Tn one embodiment the pill holder portion of the cap comprises two or more tabs sized and shaped to hold apiH, tablet or capsule between two tabs, Therefore, wilen api! tablet or capsule is held between a pair of tabs, these substantially enclose each individual pifl while leaving one or two engagement opening to allow easy extraction of the pill, tablet or capsule.

S in one embodunent the additional portion of the cap comprises two or more parallel tabs sized and shaped to hold a pill, tablet or capsule between two tabs.

In one embodiment the cap is pivotally attached to the vessel, completely removable from the vessel or is attached to the vessel by a holding strap. Preferably the cap is pivotally attached to the vessel so the cap comprising an additional portion arranged to fit or attach one or more pills, tablets or capsules can flip to open and seal the lid opening. Preferably, the cap is a flip cap.

In one embodiment, the flip cap can pivot to open the lid opening and to make accessible the pills, tablets or capsules fitted or attached therein.

In one embodiment the lid has a spout to allow the beverage to be easily dispensed.

In one embodiment the drinking vessel further comprises a handle, In one embodiment, the drinking vessel may be provided with one or more pills, tablets or capsules. Preferably the drinking vessel further comprises one or more pills, tablets or capsules attached or fitted to the additional portion of the cap.

Additionally, the drinking vessel may be provided with a powdered formulation or may be provided with a powdered formulation and a liquid stored in different compartments.

In a second aspect, the present invention also provides the use of the drinking vessel of the first aspect of the invention to store one or more pills, tablets or capsules and/or a powdered formulation.

In one embodiment the drinking vessel is further used to prepare a drink mix composition, In one embodiment the the drinking vessel is also used to drink or pour a drink mix composition.

The skilled person reading the present document wifl appreciate that the drinking S vessel of this invention could also be used with other non-powdered formulations such a liquid formulations or concentrated formulations suitable for human consumption.

Therefore, the vessel of this invention can be used to mix prepare, store and drink or pour liquid-liquid mix compositions. In particular, a liquid or concentrated liquid formulation can be stored in a second compartment of the drinking vessel according to the invention and added to the first compartment to be mixed with another liquid to form a drink mix composition.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a kit comprising the drinking vessel according to the first aspect of the invention in combination with a powdered formulation.

In one embodiment the kit comprises a drinking vessel comprising a second compartment containing a powdered formula.

In one embodiment the kit further comprises a drinking vessel comprising one or more piUs. tablets or capsules fitted or attached to the additional portion of the cap.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a kit comprising the drinking vessel according to the first aspect of the invention in combination with a one or more pills,

tablets or capsules.

In one embodiment the kit further comprises a drinking vessel comprising a second compartment containing a powdered formulation.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preparing a drink mix composition comprising: a) providing a drinking vessel according to the first aspect of the invention, b) adding a powdered formulation and a liquid to the vess&, c) sealing the vessel with the lid having the cap attached to se& the Ud opening, and d) shaking the drinking vessel.

In one embodiment the method further comprises providing a drinking vessel comprising a first and a second compartment with a powdered formulation stored in the second compartment.

In one embodiment the method further comprises providing one or more pills tablets and capsules fitted or attached to the additional portion of the tab so when the cap is detached from the lid opening to consume the drink mix composition the user can also access and take one or more of the pills, tablets and capsules.

There now follows, by way of example only, description of embodiments of the invention described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a pcrspeetive view of the drinking vessel in accordance with the invention showing the second compartment, first compartment and lid attached to each other and showing the cap in an open position; Figure 2 shows the drinking vessel of Figure 1, with the cap sealing the opening of the lid; Figure 3 shows the compartments and lid of Figure 1 detached and a strainer.

As seen in Figure 1. the drinking vessel I can have a second compartment 2 attached to a first compartment 3. A removable lid 4 is attached to and encloses the first compartment. The removable lid 4 has a cap 6 and an opening 5 for poring or drinking the content on the first container.

The cap 6 is pivotally mounted on the lid 4 and has a snap-on seal 7, whereby the cap 6 completely seals the first compartment 3 when the lid is also attached to the first compartment (Figure 2). The cap 6 also has an additional portion having a series of tabs 8 for fitting or attaching pills, tablets or capsules between tabs. Thus, when the flip cap 6 is pivoted, by pushing it upwards, opening the lid aperture, the pills, tablets or capsules held by the tabs can be accessed. The vessel can include a handle 9.

Figure 3 shows the second compartment 2, the first compartment 3 and the lid 4 detached, Both compartments can be fitted by rotating the first compartment 3 above the second compartment. A removable strainer 10 may be placed between the first compartment 3 and the lid 4, In use thc cap of the drinking vessels may have one or more pills, tablets or caps held by the tabs within the additional portion of the cap. FlLrthermore. the second compartment 2 may storc a powdered formula, such that when the user wants to prepare a drink mix composition (e.g. a protein shake) the first compartment is detached and the content added to the first compartment. Typically, the second compartment 2 can contain three 35 gram packets of the powdered formulation. The user can fill the first compartment 3 with a liquid, if this does not already store a liquid. The second compartment 2 is then fitted or attached back to the lower part of the first compartment 3. The first compartment is then sealed by securely fitting the lid 4 while making sure that the cap 6 closes the opening of the lid 4 so the mixture can be shaken and mixed without loss. The powdered formulation and the liquid can be vigorously shaken or mixed to get a homogenous drink mix composition.

The user may remove or pivot the cap to pour or drink-the content of the first compartment thought the opening 5 of the lid. By flipping the cap to open the lid opening. the user also gets access to the pills, capsules or tablets attached to the additional portion of the cap. Advantageously, the consumer has all the supplements, formulations and/or composition iii the same container.

For ease of storage. the second compartment 2 may fit with in the first compartment 3.

Thus, one compartment may nest within the other, so as to reduce the total amount of space e.eeupied by the vessel.

Claims

CLAIMS1 A drinking vessel comprising a lid, in which the lid has an opening and a detachable cap arranged to seectivey seal the opening, the cap comprising an S additional portion arranged to fit or attached one or more pills, taMets or capsules.
2. The drinking vessel of claim 1, further comprising a first compartment attached to the lid.
3, The drinking vessel of claim 2, further comprising a second compartment arranged to fit on the first compartment.
4, The drinking vesse' of daim 3. in which the second compartment, when not fitted on the first compartment, fits within the first compartment.
5. The drinking vessel of any of claims I to 4, in which the cap comprises two or more tabs for securely and individually fitting or attaching one or more piUs, tablets or capsules.
6. The drinking vessel of any of claims 1 or 5. in which the cap is a flip cap.
7. The drinking vessel of any of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a removable strainer located between the first compartment and the lid.
8, The drinking vessel of claim 3 or any preceding claim dependent thereon, further comprising a powdered formulation stored in the second compartment.
9. The drinking vessel of any of claims 1 to 8, further comprising one or more piUs, tablets or capsules fitted or attached to the additional portion of the cap.
10, The use of the drinking vessel as defined in any of claims 1 to 9 to store one or more pills, tablets or capsules and/or a powdered formulation.
11. The use of the drinking vessel as defined in any of claims I to 9 to prepare a drink mix composition.
12. A kit comprising a drinking vessel as defined in any of daims I to 9 in combination with a powdered formula.
13. The kit of claim II, in which the drinking vessel is in accordance with daim 3 and the second compartment contains the powdered formula.
14. A kit comprising a drinking vessel as defined in any of claims 1 to 9 in combination with one or more pills, tablets or capsules stored in the additional portion.
15. The kit of claim 14 in which the drinking vessel is in accordance with claim 5, in which the tabs are sized to fit each of the pills, tablets or capsules and each pill tablet or capsule is held between two of the tabs.
16. A method of preparing a drink mix composition comprising: a) providing a drinking vessel as defined in any ofdaims Ito 9.b) adding a powdercd formulation and a liquid to the vessel, c) scaling the vessel with the lid having the cap attached to seal the lid opening, and d) shaking the drinking vesseL
17. A drinking vessel substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, Amended to Claims filed as followsCLAIMS1 A drinking vessel comprising a lid, in which the lid has an opening and a detachable cap arranged to seectivey seal the opening, the cap comprising an S additional portion arranged to fit or attach one or more piUs, tablets or capsules, in which thc cap is a flip cap, in which thc flip cap can pivot to opcn the opening and to make accessible the pills, tablets or capsules fitted or attached therein.2. The drinking vessel of daim I, further comprising a first compartment attached to the lid.3. The drinking vessel of claim 2, further comprising a removable strainer located between the first compartment and the Ud.4. The drinking vessel of claim 2 or claim 3, further comprising a second LI) compartment arranged to fit on the first compartment.LC) 5, The drinking vessel of claim 4. in which the second compartment, when not 0 fitted on the first compartment, fits within the first compartment.6. The drinking vessel of claim 4 or claim 5, further comprising a powdered formulation stored in the second compartment.7. The drinking vessel of any of claims I to 6, in which the cap comprises two or more tabs for securely and individually fitting or attaching one or more pills, tablets or capsules.8. The drinking vessel of any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising one or more piUs, tablets or capsules fitted or attached to the additional portion of the cap.9, The use of the drinking vessel as defined in any of claims 1 to 8 to store one or more pills, tablets or capsules and/or a powdered formulation.10, The use of the drinking vessel as defined in any of claims I to 8 to prepare a drink mix composition.11 A kit comprising a drinking vessel as defined in any of daims I to 8 in combination with a powdered formula.12. The kit of claim II, in which the drinking vessel is in accordance with daim 4 and the second compartment contains the powdered formula.13. A kit comprising a drinking vessel as defined in any of claims 1 to 8 in combination with one or more pills, tablets or capsules stored in the additional portion.14. The kit of claim 13 in which the drinking vessel is in accordance with claim 7, in which the tabs are sized to fit each of the pills, tablets or capsules and each pill tablet or capsule is held between two of the tabs.LI) 15. A method of preparing a drink mix composition comprising: a) providing a drinking vessel as defined in any ofdaims Ito 8.IL, b) adding a powdercd formulation and a liquid to the vessel, 0 c) scaling the vessel with the lid having the cap attached to seal the lid opening and C'J d) shaking the drinking vesseL 16. A drinking vessel substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings,