Enhanced liquid container

Abstract

A beverage container includes a lid assembly having a chamber for storing and subsequently releasing a component of a mixture into a liquid stored within the container. The lid assembly includes an upper housing attached to a lower housing. The upper housing includes a button movable between a locked position and a released position. The upper housing also includes a spout that provides access to the contents of the container. A disk snaps into a snap groove within the lower housing and includes the chamber for storing one component of the mixture separate from liquid within the container. The chamber is initially placed in a storage position where contents of the chamber are isolated from the container. Aligning the chamber with an inlet in the lower housing to the container provides for the component mixture to fall freely into the liquid within the container.

1 . A beverage container assembly comprising:
 a container for holding a liquid; and   a lid assembly including a chamber movable from a closed position for separating a substance from the liquid within said container, and a released position where the substance within said chamber is combinable with liquid within said container.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein said lid assembly comprises a lower housing attachable to said container, an upper housing attached to said lower housing, said upper housing selectively rotatable relative to said lower housing for moving said chamber between said closed position and said released position. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein said lid assembly includes a disk assembled to said lower housing, said disk rotatable relative to said lower housing with said upper housing. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said disk defines said chamber. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said lower housing includes a snap groove for holding said disk. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said lower housing includes an inlet opening into said container. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said lower housing includes a seal surface, and said disk includes a seal surrounding said chamber. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said disk is rotatable relative to said lower housing for aligning said chamber with said inlet opening. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said chamber comprises a plurality of chambers disposed within said disk, wherein each of said chambers are alignable with said inlet opening. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said lower housing includes a guide groove and said disk includes a tab disposed within said guide groove. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly as recited in  claim 10 , including a button disposed within said upper housing, said button including an arm movable within said groove. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said button is movable between a locked position preventing rotation of said upper housing and an unlocked position allowing rotation of said upper housing. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said button includes a biasing member corresponding to said upper housing for biasing said button toward said locked position. 
   
   
       14 . The assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said upper housing includes an outlet tube received within an outlet opening of said lower housing. 
   
   
       15 . The assembly as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said outlet tube snap-fits within said outlet opening. 
   
   
       16 . The assembly as recited in  claim 14 , including a spout movable between a closed position sealing said outlet tube and an open position. 
   
   
       17 . The assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said spout slides within said upper housing between said closed and open positions. 
   
   
       18 . A lid assembly for a beverage container comprising:
 a lower housing attachable to a beverage container, said lower housing including an outlet and an inlet;   an upper housing attachable to said lower housing and rotatable relative to said lower housing, said upper housing including an outlet tube corresponding to said outlet of said lower housing; and   a disk mounted to said lower housing and rotatable with said upper housing, said disk including a chamber selectively alignable with said inlet of said lower housing, said chamber providing for storage of ingredients mixable with liquid stored within the container for mixing with said liquid by a consumer of a beverage.   
   
   
       19 . The assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said upper housing and said disk rotate about an axis and said outlet and said chamber are spaced apart from said axis such that said chamber rotates about said axis and into alignment with said inlet. 
   
   
       20 . The assembly as recited in  claim 18 , including a seal for sealing between said disk and said lower housing about a periphery of said chamber. 
   
   
       21 . The assembly as recited in  claim 20  wherein said upper housing includes a button movable between a released position allowing rotation of said upper housing relative to said lower housing and a locked position preventing rotation of said upper housing relative to said lower housing. 
   
   
       22 . The assembly as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said button includes a biasing member cooperating with a sloped surface of said upper housing for biasing said button toward said locked position. 
   
   
       23 . The assembly as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said disk includes a locking tab for locking said disk in a position where said chamber is aligned with said inlet. 
   
   
       24 . A method of storing and preparing a beverage having two component parts, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) storing a first component part within a container;   b) storing a second component part within a lid attachable to said container and separated from said first component part; and   c) releasing said second component part form said lid into said container and into said first component part.   
   
   
       25 . The method as recited in  claim 24  wherein said step b) comprises storing the second component part with a chamber defined within said lid assembly. 
   
   
       26 . The method as recited in  claim 25  wherein said step c) comprises aligning said chamber with an inlet of said lid. 
   
   
       27 . The method as recited in  claim 24  including mixing said first component with said second component.