Methods and apparatus for making personal quantities of beverage

Abstract

The present invention comprises various methods and apparatus for making or brewing personal quantities of beverages using bottled water, either in a conventional or specially formed bottle. One embodiment includes a cap assembly having an outer attachment portion and a plunger portion fitting within the attachment portion. The two portions define a chamber therein containing a drink mix, one or more tea bags, etc. A seal is provided to prevent mixing of the drink mix and water within the bottle until desired. When the plunger is pushed downwardly, it drives the drink mix through the seal, bursting the seal and deploying the drink mix or tea bags into the water within the bottle. In another embodiment, the bottle and drink mix are packaged together, with; the bottle including a pocket formed in the side thereof and the; drink mix secured in the pocket by a label extending thereacross. Yet another embodiment includes a conventional bottle, with the, label having a pocket formed therein. The label may have fan fold, or accordion fold sides, for forming an open pocket after opening for insertion of a spent tea bag or the like therein for disposal. The labels preferably include weakening lines and a pull tab for| opening the pocket to access the drink mix or tea bags for insertion into the bottle. Still another embodiment comprises tea bags or drink mix packets which are specially shaped and configured for ease of insertion into the relatively narrow neck of a bottle of water.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A drink mix apparatus, comprising 
 a water bottle with a personal size quantity of water therein; 
 said water bottle having a narrow neck;  
 said neck including means for positively and removably securing a cap thereto;  
   a cap assembly; 
 said cap assembly having an outer portion including means for positively and removably securing to said neck of said bottle;  
 said outer portion of said cap assembly further having a lower end with burstable seal means extending thereacross;  
 said cap assembly further having a plunger portion closely fitting within said outer portion, and defining a beverage mix containment chamber therein sealed from said water within said bottle by said seal means; and  
   a quantity of dry drink mix disposed within said beverage mix containment chamber, whereby; 
 said dry drink mix is distributed into said water of said, bottle when said plunger portion of said cap is forced downwardly, thereby rupturing said seal means and opening said beverage mix containment chamber to said water within said bottle.  
   
     
     
         2 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 1 , including upper sealing means disposed across said outer portion and across said plunger portion of said cap assembly.  
     
     
         3 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for positively and removably securing said outer portion of said cap assembly to said neck of said bottle comprises mating threaded areas disposed within said outer portion of said cap assembly and about said neck of said bottle.  
     
     
         4 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said dry drink mix comprises at least one tea bag.  
     
     
         5 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one tea bag includes means for securing said at least one tea bag to said cap assembly for retrieval of said at least one tea bag from said bottle after deployment therein.  
     
     
         6 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said dry drink mix comprises a quantity of powdered drink mix.  
     
     
         7 . A drink mix apparatus, comprising 
 a water bottle with a personal size quantity of water therein; 
 said water bottle having a narrow neck and at least one side;  
 said neck including means for positively and removably securing a cap thereto;  
   a cap including means for positively and removably securing to said neck of said bottle; 
 said bottle including a beverage mix containment pocket formed in said at least one side thereof, and separate from said water of said bottle;  
   a quantity of beverage mix disposed within said pocket of said bottle, for deploying within said water within said bottle; and    a label extending across at least said pocket of said bottle and removably sealing said quantity of beverage mix within said pocket of said bottle.    
     
     
         8 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said label includes an edge having a pull tab extending therefrom and weakening lines for facilitating removal of at least a portion thereof from across said pocket of said bottle.  
     
     
         9 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said means for positively and removably securing said cap to said neck of said bottle comprises mating threaded areas disposed within said cap and about said neck of said bottle.  
     
     
         10 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said dry drink mix comprises at least one tea bag.  
     
     
         11 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said at least one tea bag includes means for securing said at least one tea bag to said bottle for retrieval of said at least one tea bag from said bottle after deployment therein.  
     
     
         12 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said at least one tea bag has a narrow and streamlined configuration for facilitating insertion into said water of said bottle through said narrow neck of said bottle.  
     
     
         13 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said dry drink mix comprises a quantity of powdered drink mix.  
     
     
         14 . A drink mix apparatus, comprising 
 a water bottle with a personal size quantity of water therein; 
 said water bottle having a narrow neck;  
 said neck including means for positively and removably  
   securing a cap thereto;    a cap including means for positively and removably securing to said neck of said bottle;    a label extending about at least a portion of said bottle; 
 said label including a beverage mix containment pocket formed therein; and  
   a quantity of beverage mix disposed within said pocket, for deploying within said water within said bottle.    
     
     
         15 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said label includes an edge having a pull tab extending therefrom and weakening lines for facilitating the opening of said pocket of said label.  
     
     
         16 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said means for positively and removably securing said cap to said neck of said bottle comprises mating threaded areas disposed within said cap and about said neck of said bottle.  
     
     
         17 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said dry drink mix comprises at least one tea bag.  
     
     
         18 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said at least one tea bag includes means for securing said at least one tea bag to said bottle for retrieval of said at least one tea bag from said bottle after deployment therein.  
     
     
         19 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said at least one tea bag has a narrow and streamlined configuration for facilitating insertion into said water of said bottle through said narrow neck of said bottle.  
     
     
         20 . The drink mix apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said dry drink mix comprises a quantity of powdered drink mix.