Decanting and dosing closure system

Abstract

A closure system of the present invention preferably includes a flexible or rigid container having container mating surface, a stiffening ring having a first ring mating surface and a second ring mating surface, and a stopper having a stopper mating surface. The first ring mating surface is matable to the container mating surface and the second ring mating surface is matable to the stopper mating surface. In one preferred embodiment a dosing cavity is defined in the stopper mating surface. The container may be sealed to have inhalation energy stored therein. When the inhalation energy is released, dosing material within the dosing cavity is inhaled into the container. The inhalation energy is stored as inhalation means such as vacuum or the deflection of at least one panel of the container or the closure system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dosing closure system for maintaining a small quantity of dosing material separate from products in a container, the opening of said container causing said dosing material to enter said product, said system comprising: 
 (a) closure means for sealing said container;    (b) a dosing cavity defined between said container and said closure means;    (c) said dosing cavity for holding said dosing material; and    (d) inhalation energy stored within said container when said closure means seals said container;    (e) wherein said dosing material is inhaled into said container when said inhalation energy is released by said opening of said container.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said inhalation energy is stored as an inhalation means, wherein said inhalation means is at least one inhalation means selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) deflection of at least one panel of said container;    (b) deflection of at least one panel of said closure means;    (c) panel restoration; and    (d) vacuum.    
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , said closure means comprising: 
 (a) a stiffening ring; and    (b) a stopper;    (c) wherein said dosing cavity is defined between said stiffening ring and said stopper.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dosing cavity is defined in said stopper.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said dosing cavity is defined in said stiffening ring.  
     
     
         6 . A closure system, said system comprising: 
 (a) a container having container mating surface;    (b) a stiffening ring having a first ring mating surface and a second ring mating surface;    (c) a stopper having a stopper mating surface;    (d) said first ring mating surface matable to said container mating surface; and    (e) said second ring mating surface matable to said stopper mating surface.    
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a cap.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said container is rigid.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said container is flexible.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 (a) a dosing channel defined in said second ring mating surface;  
 (b) a dosing cavity defined in said stopper mating surface;  
 (c) said dosing cavity for holding dosing material separate from product in said container;  
 (d) said container having inhalation energy stored therein;  
 (e) wherein said inhalation energy is released when said dosing channel comes into contact with said dosing cavity and causes said dosing material to be inhaled into said container.  
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said inhalation energy is stored as an inhalation means, wherein said inhalation means is at least one inhalation means selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) deflection of a bottom panel of said container;    (b) deflection of at least a portion of said stopper;    (c) deflection of a wall of said container;    (d) panel restoration; and    (e) vacuum.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 (a) said stiffening ring having an annular ring flange along said second ring mating surface;  
 (b) at least one breakaway feature defined substantially between said annular ring flange and said ring mating surface;  
 (c) a dosing cavity defined in said stopper mating surface;  
 (d) said dosing cavity for holding dosing material separate from product in said container;  
 (e) said container having inhalation energy stored therein;  
 (f) wherein said inhalation energy is released when said breakaway feature is broken, thereby causing said dosing material to be inhaled into said container.  
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said inhalation energy is stored as an inhalation means, wherein said inhalation means is at least one inhalation means selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) deflection of a bottom panel of said container;    (b) deflection of at least a portion of said stopper;    (c) deflection of a wall of said container;    (d) panel restoration; and    (e) vacuum.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 (a) said stiffening ring having a central ring panel defined within said second ring mating surface;  
 (b) at least one breakaway feature defined substantially between said central ring panel and said ring mating surface;  
 (c) a dosing cavity defined in said stopper mating surface;  
 (d) said dosing cavity for holding dosing material separate from product in said container;  
 (e) said container having inhalation energy stored therein;  
 (f) wherein said inhalation energy is released when said breakaway feature is broken, thereby causing said dosing material to be inhaled into said container.  
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said inhalation energy is stored as an inhalation means, wherein said inhalation means is at least one inhalation means selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) deflection of a bottom panel of said container;    (b) deflection of at least a portion of said stopper;    (c) deflection of a wall of said container;    (d) panel restoration; and    (e) vacuum.    
     
     
         16 . The closure system of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 (a) said first ring mating surface and said container mating surface having first-directional mating means for first-directional mating therebetween; and    (b) said second ring mating surface and said stopper mating surface having second-directional mating means for second-directional mating therebetween.    
     
     
         17 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein said mating means are threads.  
     
     
         18 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein said first-directional mating is left-handed and said second-directional mating is right-handed.  
     
     
         19 . The closure system of  claim 16 , wherein said first-directional mating is right-handed and said second-directional mating is left-handed.  
     
     
         20 . A dosing closure system for maintaining a small quantity of dosing material separate from products in a container, the opening of said container causing said dosing material to enter said product, said system comprising: 
 (a) said container having container mating surface;    (b) a first mating surface associated with said container;    (c) a second mating surface associated with a stopper;    (d) a dosing cavity defined in said second mating surface;    (e) said dosing cavity for holding said dosing material; and    (f) said container having inhalation energy therein when said first mating surface is mated to said second mating surface;    (g) wherein said dosing material is inhaled into said container when said inhalation energy is released.    
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said inhalation energy is stored as an inhalation means, wherein said inhalation means is at least one inhalation means selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) deflection of a bottom panel of said container;    (b) deflection of said stopper;    (c) deflection of a wall of said container;    (d) panel restoration; and    (e) vacuum.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising a dosing channel defined in said first mating surface, wherein said dosing material is inhaled into said container when said inhalation energy is released by said dosing channel contacting said dosing cavity.  
     
     
         23 . A method for using a dosing closure system, said system comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a container;    (b) providing a first closure surface associated with said container;    (c) providing a closure system having a second closure surface for removably mating with said first closure surface;    (d) defining a dosing cavity within said second closure surface;    (e) removably interconnecting said first closure surface with said second closure surface to seal said container; and    (f) creating inhalation energy within said container.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preloading dosing material into said dosing cavity; and  
 (b) filling said container with product.  
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preloading dosing material into said dosing cavity;  
 (b) filling said container with product;  
 (c) opening said dosing closure system;  
 (d) releasing said inhalation energy; and  
 (e) inhaling said dosing material into said container.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said step of providing a first closure surface associated with said container further comprises the steps of: 
 (a) providing a stiffening ring having said first closure surface; and  
 (b) mating said stiffening ring with said container.  
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said step of providing a closure system further comprises the steps of providing a stopper.