Portion closure and method of using

Abstract

A dispensing container assembly includes a container having a threaded finish portion, at least one modular sealed vial that contains a substance, and a closure cap that is adapted to be screwed on to the container. The closure cap includes a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to the container. An insert is positioned between the closure cap and the container for securing the modular sealed vial to the closure cap. The closure cap further includes structure for unsealing the sealed vial, and the inset includes releasing structure for releasing the unsealed vial from the vial securing structure in order that it may fall into the container. A method of dispensing a substance into the container is also disclosed.

1 . A closure cap dispensing system for a container, comprising: 
 a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to a container;    vial securing means for securing a modular sealed vial that contains a substance;    unsealing means for unsealing said sealed vial; and    releasing means for releasing said vial from said vial securing means.    
   
   
       2 . A closure cap dispensing system for a container according to  claim 1 , wherein said sidewall portion is threaded for engagement with mating threading on a container, and wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto the container.  
   
   
       3 . A closure cap dispensing system according to  claim 2 , wherein said releasing means is also constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.  
   
   
       4 . A closure cap dispensing system according to  claim 3 , wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a first extent, and said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a second, greater extent.  
   
   
       5 . A closure cap dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.  
   
   
       6 . A closure cap dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial.  
   
   
       7 . A closure cap dispensing system according to  claim 6 , wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial by penetrating a frangible membrane that is sealed to said vial.  
   
   
       8 . A closure cap dispensing system for a container according to  claim 1 , further comprising an insert that is mounted between said closure cap and a container and that is movable with respect to said closure main body, and wherein said vial securing means and said releasing means are positioned on said insert.  
   
   
       9 . A closure cap dispensing system according to  claim 8 , wherein said unsealing means is adapted to unseal said sealed vial when said insert is in a first location with respect to said closure main body.  
   
   
       10 . A closure cap dispensing system according to  claim 8 , wherein said releasing means is adapted to release said vial when said insert is in a second location with respect to said closure main body.  
   
   
       11 . A dispensing insert that is constructed and arranged to be mounted onto a container, comprising: 
 vial securing means for securing to said insert a modular sealed vial that contains a substance; and    releasing means for releasing said vial from said vial securing means, said releasing means being constructed and arranged to release said vial while a closure cap is being secured to the container.    
   
   
       12 . A dispensing insert according to  claim 11 , wherein said insert is constructed and arranged to be elastically deformed when the closure cap is being secured to the container, and wherein said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said vial when said elastic deformation has reached a predetermined state.  
   
   
       13 . A dispensing container assembly, comprising: 
 a container having a threaded finish portion;    at least one modular sealed vial that contains a substance; and    a closure cap comprising: 
 a closure main body having a top portion and a downwardly depending sidewall portion that is adapted to be secured to a container;  
 vial securing means for securing said modular sealed vial;  
 unsealing means for unsealing said sealed vial; and  
 releasing means for releasing said unsealed vial from said vial securing means into said container.  
   
   
   
       14 . An assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said sidewall portion is threaded for engagement with said threaded finish portion, and wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto the container.  
   
   
       15 . An assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said releasing means is also constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.  
   
   
       16 . An assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to unseal said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a first extent, and said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure has been screwed onto the container to a second, greater extent.  
   
   
       17 . An assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said releasing means is constructed and arranged to release said sealed vial when said closure is being screwed onto said container.  
   
   
       18 . An assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial.  
   
   
       19 . An assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said unsealing means is constructed and arranged to breach said sealed vial by penetrating a frangible membrane that is sealed to said vial.  
   
   
       20 . An assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising an insert that is mounted within said closure cap and that is movable with respect to said closure main body, and wherein said vial securing means and said releasing means are positioned on said insert.  
   
   
       21 . An assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein said unsealing means is adapted to unseal said sealed vial when said insert is in a first location with respect to said closure main body.  
   
   
       22 . An assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein said releasing means is adapted to release said vial when said insert is in a second location with respect to said closure main body.  
   
   
       23 . A method of dispensing a substance into a container, comprising steps of: 
 (a) securing a sealed modular vial between a container and a closure cap;    (b) unsealing the modular vial by screwing said closure cap onto said container by a first amount; and    (c) releasing the unsealed vial into the container by continuing to screw said closure cap onto the container by a second amount.    
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein said second amount is greater than said first amount.