Solute-dispensing closure

Abstract

A solute-dispensing closure is configured to mount on a filler neck of a container. Solute-dispensing closure can be operated by a user to discharge solute into solvent stored in a solvent reservoir provided in the container.

1 . A solute-dispensing closure comprising
 a cartridge-support body including a tubular inner guide formed to include a cartridge-guiding passageway and a guide mount coupled to the tubular inner guide and adapted to be coupled to a container to hold the tubular inner guide in a stationary position relative to the container placing the cartridge-guiding passageway in fluid communication with an interior solvent-storage region formed in the container, the tubular inner guide being formed to include a top aperture opening into the cartridge-guiding passageway and a bottom aperture opening into the cartridge-guiding passageway and communicating with the interior solvent-storage region of a container coupled to the guide mount,   a cartridge-piercing unit associated with the bottom aperture formed in the tubular inner guide,   a solute-carrier cartridge mounted for movement in the tubular inner guide toward the cartridge-piercing unit, and   a cartridge retainer coupled to the tubular inner guide and configured to provide means for normally retaining the solute-carrier cartridge in a raised solute-storage position lying in spaced-apart relation to the cartridge-piercing unit and extending outwardly through the top aperture formed in the tubular inner guide to cause an exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge to lie outside of the cartridge-guiding passageway until an external impact force is applied to the exposed portion to cause the solute-carrier cartridge to move in the cartridge-guiding passageway to engage the cartridge-piercing unit and cause the cartridge-piercing unit to puncture the solute-carrier cartridge and establish a solute-discharge opening in the solute-carrier cartridge freeing any solute carried in the solute-carrier cartridge to flow out of the solute-carrier cartridge into any solvent stored in an interior solvent-storage region formed in a container coupled to the guide mount.   
     
     
         2 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular inner guide includes a top edge formed to define the top aperture and the solute-carrier cartridge includes a cup formed to include an end wall arranged to lie outside the cartridge-guiding passageway and in spaced-apart relation to the top edge of the tubular inner guide and a side wall coupled to the end wall and arranged to extend into the cartridge-guiding passageway and terminate at a brim when the solute-carrier cartridge is retained in the raised solute-storage position. 
     
     
         3 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 2 , wherein the solute-carrier cartridge further includes a sealing member coupled to the brim and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the end wall of the cup and cooperate with the end and side walls of the cup to define an interior solute-storage region therebetween and the sealing member is arranged to lie in confronting relation to the cartridge-piercing unit when the solute-carrier cartridge is retained in the raised solute-storage position and to be punctured by the cartridge-piercing unit upon movement of the solute-carrier cartridge in the cartridge-guiding passageway to engage the cartridge-piercing unit. 
     
     
         4 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 2 , wherein the tubular inner guide is cylinder-shaped, the top edge has an annular shape, and a portion of the side wall included in the exposed portion of solute-carrier cartridge is cylinder-shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 2 , further comprising a removable outer lid coupled to the cartridge-support body to cover the exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge to provide means for shielding the exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge from the raised solute-storage position to a lowered solute-dispensing position in engagement with the cartridge-piercing unit to establish the solute-discharge opening in the solute-carrier cartridge. 
     
     
         6 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 5 , wherein the cartridge-support body further includes an upstanding lid mount coupled to the outer skirt and arranged to surround the tubular inner guide and the removable outer lid is configured to mate with the upstanding lid mount to lie in spaced-apart relation to the exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge. 
     
     
         7 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 6 , wherein the top edge of the tubular inner guide is arranged to lie above the upstanding lid mount and below the end wall of the cup in the solute-carrier cartridge when the solute-carrier cartridge is retained in the raised solute-storage position. 
     
     
         8 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge retainer includes a first retention rib coupled to the tubular inner guide and arranged to lie in the cartridge-guiding passageway, the solute-carrier cartridge is formed to include an outwardly opening notch, and the first retention rib is arranged to extend into the outwardly opening notch to establish the raised solute-storage position of the solute-carrier cartridge in the cartridge-guiding passageway. 
     
     
         9 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 8 , wherein the first retention rib is arranged to extend into the outwardly opening notch and to confront an upwardly facing surface included in the solute-carrier cartridge to provide means for engaging the upwardly facing surface to block withdrawal of the solute-carrier cartridge from the cartridge-guiding passageway through the top aperture formed in the tubular inner guide. 
     
     
         10 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 8 , wherein the cartridge retainer further includes a second retention rib coupled to the tubular inner guide and arranged to lie in the cartridge-guiding passageway and the second retention rib is configured and sized to provide means for establishing an interference fit with an outer surface of the solute-carrier cartridge normally to retain the solute-carrier cartridge in the raised solute-storage position in the cartridge-guiding passageway. 
     
     
         11 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 10 , wherein the tubular inner guide includes a top edge formed to define the top aperture and the second retention rib is arranged to lie between the top edge and the first retention rib. 
     
     
         12 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 10 , wherein the cartridge-support body further includes a cartridge stop coupled to the tubular inner guide and arranged to engage the solute-carrier cartridge after the cartridge-piercing unit has punctured the solute-carrier cartridge to produce the solute-discharge opening in the solute-carrier cartridge and wherein the first retention rib is arranged to lie between the second retention rib and the cartridge stop. 
     
     
         13 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 12 , wherein the cartridge stop is arranged to interconnect the tubular inner guide and the cartridge-piercing unit and to support the cartridge-piercing unit in a stationary position extending into the cartridge-guiding passageway. 
     
     
         14 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge retainer further includes a retention rib coupled to the tubular inner guide and arranged to lie in the cartridge-guiding passageway and the retention rib is configured and sized to provide means for establishing an interference fit with an outer surface of the solute-carrier cartridge normally to retain the solute-carrier cartridge in the raised solute-storage position in the cartridge-guiding passageway and yielding in response to application of an external impact force to the exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge to allow movement of the solute-carrier cartridge in the cartridge-guiding passageway to engage the cartridge-piercing unit so that the solute-discharge opening is produced in the solute-carrier cartridge. 
     
     
         15 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 1 , wherein the solute-carrier cartridge includes a cup formed to include a cavity and a sealing member coupled to a brim of the cup to close an aperture defined by the brim of the cup and arranged to open into the cavity to form an interior solute-storage region of the solute-carrier cartridge and the exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge is defined by the cup. 
     
     
         16 . The solute-dispensing closure of  claim 15 , wherein the cup includes an end wall and a side wall coupled to a perimeter edge of the end wall, the end and side walls cooperate to form the cavity, a terminal end of the side wall is located in spaced-apart relation to the end wall and formed to include the brim, and the exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge is defined by the end wall and an upper portion of the side wall appendant to the end wall and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the brim.