Containers and methods for dispensing multiple doses of a concentrated liquid, and shelf stable concentrated liquids
DC CAFC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A packaged flavored liquid beverage concentrate comprising:
- a container body having a closed bottom end, a top end with a neck defining an outlet opening and a sidewall extending between the top and bottom ends to define an interior of the container body accessible through the outlet of the top end, the sidewall being flexible and resilient, the sidewall including opposing front and rear walls and a pair of opposing end walls extending therebetween, the opposing front and rear walls having a maximum width that is greater than a maximum width of the end walls;
a flavored liquid beverage concentrate in the interior of the container body comprising;
about 30 to about 65 percent water by weight;
about 15 to about 30 percent acid by weight;
up to about 10 percent buffer by weight, the buffer selected from the group consisting of a potassium salt of an acid, a sodium salt of an acid, and combination thereof; and
about 1 to about 30 percent flavoring by weight,the concentrate having a pH of about 1.9 to about 2.4 and a viscosity of about 1 to about 75 cP when measured at 20°
C., and the concentrate having a concentration such that, when diluted at a ratio of about 1;
75 to about 1;
160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.01 to about 0.8 percent acid by weight of the beverage made by the flavored beverage concentrate;
a lid attached to the neck of the container body and defining an exit path aligned with the outlet opening of the container body and through which the flavored liquid beverage concentrate can be dispensed; and
a valve supported by the lid and disposed in the exit path, the valve movable from a closed position, whereby flow of flavored liquid beverage concentrate through the exit path is substantially blocked when the sidewall of the container body is unsqueezed, to an open position, whereby the flavored liquid beverage concentrate from the interior of the container body can be dispensed in a jet when the front and rear walls of the sidewall of the container body are squeezed.
4 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
Containers and methods are provided for dispensing a liquid concentrate utilizing one or more desirable properties including a generally consistent discharge across a range of squeeze forces, a generally consistent discharge with the same force without significant dependence on the amount of liquid concentrate in the container, a substantially dripless or leak proof outlet opening, a jet that minimizes splashing when the liquid concentrate impacts a target liquid, and a jet that maximizes mixing between the liquid concentrate and the target liquid to produce a generally homogenous mixture without the use of extraneous utensils or shaking. Also provided are liquid beverage concentrates that can be cold filled during packaging while maintaining shelf stability for at least about three months at ambient temperatures. Concentrates are provided having low pH, with or without alcohol, and with buffers to allow for increased acid content at a selected pH.
560 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A packaged flavored liquid beverage concentrate comprising:
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a container body having a closed bottom end, a top end with a neck defining an outlet opening and a sidewall extending between the top and bottom ends to define an interior of the container body accessible through the outlet of the top end, the sidewall being flexible and resilient, the sidewall including opposing front and rear walls and a pair of opposing end walls extending therebetween, the opposing front and rear walls having a maximum width that is greater than a maximum width of the end walls; a flavored liquid beverage concentrate in the interior of the container body comprising; about 30 to about 65 percent water by weight; about 15 to about 30 percent acid by weight; up to about 10 percent buffer by weight, the buffer selected from the group consisting of a potassium salt of an acid, a sodium salt of an acid, and combination thereof; and about 1 to about 30 percent flavoring by weight, the concentrate having a pH of about 1.9 to about 2.4 and a viscosity of about 1 to about 75 cP when measured at 20°
C., and the concentrate having a concentration such that, when diluted at a ratio of about 1;
75 to about 1;
160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.01 to about 0.8 percent acid by weight of the beverage made by the flavored beverage concentrate;a lid attached to the neck of the container body and defining an exit path aligned with the outlet opening of the container body and through which the flavored liquid beverage concentrate can be dispensed; and a valve supported by the lid and disposed in the exit path, the valve movable from a closed position, whereby flow of flavored liquid beverage concentrate through the exit path is substantially blocked when the sidewall of the container body is unsqueezed, to an open position, whereby the flavored liquid beverage concentrate from the interior of the container body can be dispensed in a jet when the front and rear walls of the sidewall of the container body are squeezed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A packaged flavored liquid beverage concentrate comprising:
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a container body having a closed bottom end, a top end with a neck defining an outlet opening and a sidewall extending between the top and bottom ends to define an interior of the container body accessible through the outlet of the top end, the sidewall being flexible and resilient, the sidewall including opposing front and rear walls and a pair of opposing end walls extending therebetween, the opposing front and rear walls having a maximum width that is greater than a maximum width of the end walls; a flavored liquid beverage concentrate in the interior of the container body comprising; about 30 to about 65 percent water by weight; about 15 to about 30 percent acid by weight; up to about 10 percent buffer by weight, the buffer selected from the group consisting of a potassium salt of an acid, a sodium salt of an acid, and combination thereof; and about 1 to about 30 percent flavoring by weight, the concentrate having a viscosity of about 1 to about 75 cP when measured at 20°
C., the amount of acid and buffer selected to provide a pH of less than about 2.4 and to avoid substantial flavor degradation for at least about three months storage at ambient temperature, and the concentrate having a concentration such that, when diluted at a ratio of about 1;
75 to about 1;
160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.01 to about 0.8 percent acid by weight of the beverage made by the flavored beverage concentrate;a flip top cap having a base attached to the neck of the container body and defining an exit path aligned with the outlet opening of the container body and through which the flavored liquid beverage concentrate can be dispensed and a cover connected to the base by a hinge; and a valve supported by the flip top cap and disposed in the exit path, the valve movable from a closed position, whereby flow of flavored liquid beverage concentrate through the exit path is substantially blocked when the sidewall of the container body is unsqueezed, to an open position, whereby the flavored liquid beverage concentrate from the interior of the container body can be dispensed in a jet when the front and rear walls of the sidewall of the container body are squeezed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A packaged flavored liquid beverage concentrate comprising:
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a container body having a closed bottom end, a top end with a neck defining an outlet opening and a sidewall extending between the top and bottom ends to define an interior of the container body accessible through the outlet of the top end, the sidewall being flexible and resilient, the sidewall including opposing front and rear walls and a pair of opposing end walls extending therebetween, the opposing front and rear walls having a maximum width that is greater than a maximum width of the end walls, the neck having one or more axially extending and outwardly projecting protuberances and a radially projecting ramp extending partially about the circumference of the neck; a flavored liquid beverage concentrate in the interior of the container body comprising; about 30 to about 65 percent water by weight; about 15 to about 30 percent acid by weight; up to about 10 percent buffer by weight, the buffer selected from the group consisting of a potassium salt of an acid, a sodium salt of an acid, and combination thereof; and about 1 to about 30 percent flavoring by weight; the concentrate having a viscosity of about 1 to about 75 cP when measured at 20°
C., the acid and buffer included in amounts to provide a ratio of acid to buffer of about 1;
1 to about 60;
1, the amounts of acid and buffer selected to provide the concentrate with a pH of less than about 2.4 and to avoid substantial flavor degradation for at least about three months storage at ambient temperature, and the concentrate having a concentration such that, when diluted at a ratio of about 1;
75 to about 1;
160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.01 to about 0.8 percent acid by weight of the beverage made by the flavored beverage concentrate;a lid having a base attached to the neck of the container body and defining an exit path aligned with the outlet opening of the container body and through which the flavored liquid beverage concentrate can be dispensed, the base having portions that are substantially flush with the adjacent portions of the sidewall of the container body in a preferred orientation, the base having an inner skirt with an inwardly extending rib configured for attaching the base to the neck of the container body, the inner skirt having one or more axially extending slots each configured to receive one of the protuberances of the neck to restrict rotation of the base relative to the container body and maintain the base in the preferred orientation; and a valve supported by the lid and disposed in the exit path, the valve movable from a closed position, whereby flow of flavored liquid beverage concentrate through the exit path is substantially blocked when the sidewall of the container body is unsqueezed, to an open position, whereby the flavored liquid beverage concentrate from the interior of the container body can be dispensed in a jet when the front and rear walls of the sidewall of the container body are squeezed. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeKraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
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Original AssigneeKraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
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Inventorsde Cleir, Piaras Valdis, Ragnarsson, Karl, Albaum, Gary J., MacDonald, Jane Lee, Scarola, Leonard S.
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Primary Examiner(s)Dye, Rena
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Assistant Examiner(s)SMITH, CHAIM A
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Application NumberUS13/656,226Publication NumberTime in Patent Office417 DaysField of Search220/254.1, 215/11.4, 215/11.1, 215/228, 215/311, 215/310, 215/307, 222/494, 426/72, 426/115US Class Current426/115CPC Class CodesA23L 2/385 Concentrates of non-alcohol...A23L 2/52 Adding ingredients adding p...A23L 2/56 Flavouring or bittering age...A23L 2/68 Acidifying substancesA23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function...B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive m...B65D 81/32 for packaging two or more d...C12G 3/06 with flavouring ingredients
