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US 11,406,946 B2Granted
Adjustable additive cartridge systems and methods
AssigneeCirkul, Inc.
InventorsGarrett S. Waggoner, Andrew Gay, Thomas A. Urbanik, William G. Kurth, Daniel J. Faulkner, Drew Kissinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An additive delivery system may incorporate a cartridge system, including a container cap and a reservoir assembly that provides for storage of an additive. The container cap includes a mixing nozzle for mixing of the additive with a base fluid as the base fluid flows from the base fluid container through the cartridge. A one-way valve prevents backflow of base fluid and/or mixed base fluid/additive from an area downstream of the mixing nozzle such that the base fluid supply remains in a pure state.
Claims19
A method of mixing a base liquid with an additive to form a beverage, the method comprising:
- providing a portable base liquid container having a container lid having an opening to an interior of the base liquid container, the base liquid container containing a supply of base liquid;
- providing an additive delivery system, the additive delivery system having a cap base for engaging the base liquid container lid opening and a mixing nozzle, the mixing nozzle defining a mixing nozzle additive flow passage and at least one base liquid port adjacent the mixing nozzle additive flow passage, the additive delivery system further comprising an additive reservoir containing a supply of additive, the additive delivery system further comprising a metering component arranged to cooperate with the mixing nozzle, the additive delivery system further comprising an additive adjuster adapted to move relative to the cap base and to thereby adjust the position of the metering component relative to the mixing nozzle;
- securing the additive delivery system cap base to the container lid;
- dispensing base liquid from the base liquid container and thereby causing the base liquid to flow through the at least one base liquid port;
- as base liquid flows through the at least one base liquid port, causing the additive to flow from the additive reservoir through the mixing nozzle additive flow passage, wherein the base liquid and additive flow in separate paths through the mixing nozzle and remain separate as the base liquid and additive flow through the mixing nozzle;
- mixing the additive with the base liquid after the base liquid and additive flow separately through the mixing nozzle;
- and
- adjusting the additive flow through the mixing nozzle additive flow passage by moving the additive adjuster.
5 more elements
A method of mixing a base liquid with an additive comprising:
- providing a portable base liquid container having a base liquid container mouth and containing a stored supply of base liquid in a storage portion of the base liquid container;
- securing an additive delivery system containing a supply of additive in an additive reservoir and defining a flow-through passage extending from an inlet end of the additive delivery system, and through the additive delivery system to a dispensing spout thereon, the flow-through passage also extending through a mixing nozzle in the additive delivery system;
- securing the additive delivery system to the mouth of the base liquid container such that the additive reservoir extends inside of the base liquid container;
- causing a dispensed stream of the base liquid to flow from the storage portion of the base liquid container and through at least one base liquid port in the mixing nozzle and out of the dispensing spout;
- as base liquid flows through the at least one base liquid port in the mixing nozzle, causing the additive to flow from the additive reservoir through a mixing nozzle additive flow passage, wherein the base liquid and additive flow in separate paths through the mixing nozzle and remain separate as the base liquid and additive flow through the mixing nozzle;
- mixing the additive with the base liquid after the base liquid and additive flow separately through the mixing nozzle;
- and
- adjusting the position of a metering element cooperating with the mixing nozzle by moving a flow adjustment actuator in a rotational direction to vary the amount of additive mixed with the base liquid.
5 more elements
A method of forming a beverage comprising:
- providing a base liquid container with a supply of base liquid, the base liquid container having a base liquid container opening and an interior space;
- securing an additive cartridge in the base liquid container opening;
- dispensing base liquid from the base liquid container to cause the base liquid to flow through at least one base liquid port in a mixing nozzle in the additive cartridge;
- as base liquid flows through the at least one base liquid port in the mixing nozzle, causing additive to flow from an additive reservoir through an additive flow passage in the mixing nozzle, wherein the base liquid flows through the at least one base liquid port and the additive flow through the mixing nozzle additive flow passage remain separate as the base liquid and additive flow through the mixing nozzle;
- and
- adjusting the amount of additive flowing through the additive flow passage by moving an additive adjuster on the additive cartridge.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.