Pressure point materials storage, mixing, and delivery system

Abstract

Closure systems for food containers, and methods for mixing foods in portable containers is disclosed, using new apparatus for closing portable containers to store and transport foods, and new processes for mixing those foods prior to final or on-site dispensing and use, in which the food mixing takes place within the container, generally prior to its opening, as chambers or compartments within a container are opened to other chambers or compartments within the same container by transmission of pressure or tension from the exterior of the container, to one or more points, lines, or channels in one or more walls of chambers within the container, thereby opening one or more channels between such chambers through which food, fluids, or materials may travel.

1 . A mixing assembly comprising: 
 a content dispensing frangible chamber member, formed to hold contents therewithin;    a pressure point member formed of rigid material, the pressure point member having a narrow passage formed therethrough;    the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends through the narrow passage of the pressure point member;    a container having an opening and a volume therewithin, the container having a wall, and the pressure point member is affixed to the wall of the container in fluid-tight fashion;    a first portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends into the container, and a second portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends outside the container, when the pressure point member is affixed to the wall of the container in fluid-tight fashion; and    a tension means, attached to the portion of the frangible chamber member extending outside the container;    whereby the first portion of the frangible chamber member is ruptured when the frangible chamber member is pulled through the narrow passage of the pressure point member using the tension means, and the contents within the frangible chamber member are released.    
   
   
       2 . The mixing assembly of  claim 1 , in which the wall of the container may be placed over, and removed from, the opening of the container.  
   
   
       3 . The mixing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-tight container tube, a first end of the container tube is attached in fluid-tight fashion to the pressure point member, a second end of the container tube is attached in fluid-tight fashion to the second portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber member.  
   
   
       4 . The mixing assembly of  claim 3 , in which the wall of the container may be placed over, and removed from, the opening of the container.  
   
   
       5 . A mixing assembly comprising: 
 a plurality of content dispensing frangible chamber members, formed to hold contents therewithin;    a plurality of pressure point members formed of rigid material, the pressure point members having narrow passages formed therethrough;    the content dispensing frangible chamber members extend through the narrow passages of the pressure point members;    a container having an opening and a volume therewithin, the container having a wall, and the pressure point members are affixed to the wall of the container in fluid-tight fashion;    a first portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber members extend into the container, and a second portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber members extend outside the container, when the pressure point members are affixed to the wall of the container in fluid-tight fashion; and    a plurality of tension means, attached to the portions of the frangible chamber members extending outside the container;    whereby the first portions of the frangible chamber members are ruptured when the frangible chamber members are pulled through the narrow passages of the pressure point members using the tension means, and the contents within the frangible chamber members are released.    
   
   
       6 . The mixing assembly of  claim 5 , in which the wall of the container may be placed over, and removed from, the opening of the container.  
   
   
       7 . The mixing assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of water-tight container tubes, a first ends of the container tubes are attached in fluid-tight fashion to the respective pressure point members, a second end of the container tubes are attached in fluid-tight fashion to the second portions of the respective content dispensing frangible chamber members.  
   
   
       8 . The mixing assembly of  claim 7 , in which the wall of the container may be placed over, and removed from, the opening of the container.  
   
   
       9 . A container for storing materials comprising: 
 a first outer compartment having a flexible wall;    a second inner compartment having a substantially semi-rigid wall;    the second inner compartment residing within the first outer compartment;    the second inner compartment having a channel formed in the second inner container wall;    means for sealing the channel formed in the second inner container wall; and    means for opening the channel in the second inner container wall by opening the channel sealing means.    
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 9 , further comprising means for opening the flexible wall of the first outer container.  
   
   
       11 . A container for storing materials comprising: 
 a first wall having an opening;    a second wall forming an open compartment having a volume;    the first wall adapted to fit tightly over the open compartment of the second wall, thereby creating a sealed space between the first wall and the second wall;    a closure residing between the first wall and the second wall, the closure having a channel, the channel having a mouth;    the first wall adapted to fit tightly over the closure, thereby creating a sealed space between the first wall and the closure upon sealing the mouth of the channel;    a first seal, adapted to seal the mouth of the channel, the first seal positioned over the mouth of the channel to thereby seal the channel;    means for transmitting tension to the first seal to break it away from the mouth of the channel, the means for transmitting tension to the first seal extending from the first seal, through the space between the first wall and the closure, and through the opening in the first wall, and to the exterior of the container; and    a second seal, residing over the opening in the first wall, the second seal adapted to fit snugly around the means for transmitting tension to the first seal, the second seal closing the opening in the first wall.    
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 11 , in which the second seal is firmly attached to the means for transmitting tension to the first seal, with frangible connection between the second seal and the first wall.  
   
   
       13 . A lid for sealing a container comprising: 
 a substantially flat lid body having an opening therethrough, the lid body having a lip at its edge for engaging a container wall;    a pouch having at least one lobe formed from a thin sheet of material, the lobe having an interior and at least one frangible line in the thin sheet of material;    means for pulling the pouch through the opening in the lid body, thereby increasing pressure within the interior of the pouch; and    the means for pulling the pouch extends through the opening in the lid body, and is attached to the lobe along a line substantially distal from the frangible line in the thin sheet of the lobe.    
   
   
       14 . The lid of  claim 13 , in which the pouch has two lobes, each lobe having an interior and at least one frangible line in the thin sheet of material, each lobe being attached to the means for pulling the pouch.  
   
   
       15 . The lid of  claim 13 , in which the opening in the lid body is near the center of the lid body.  
   
   
       16 . The lid of  claim 13 , in which the opening in the lid body is near one side of the lid body.  
   
   
       17 . The lid of  claim 13 , in which the opening in the lid body is a narrow slit, and the means for pulling the pouch is a strip formed to fit within the slit.  
   
   
       18 . The lid of  claim 13 , in which the pouch is removably affixed to the underside of the lid body, such that the pouch may break away from the underside of the body of the lid when tension is applied to the means for pulling the pouch.  
   
   
       19 . A mixing bottle comprising: 
 a container having a wall, a volume therewithin, and an opening;    the container having a substantially rigid lid, the top having a narrow passage formed therethrough;    a content dispensing frangible chamber member, formed to hold contents therewithin;    the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends through the narrow passage in the lid;    a first portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends from the lid into the container, and a second portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends outside the container from the lid, when the pressure lid is placed over the opening of the container; and    a tension means, attached to the portion of the frangible chamber member extending outside the container;    whereby the first portion of the frangible chamber member is ruptured when the frangible chamber member is pulled through the narrow passage of the lid using the tension means, and the contents within the frangible chamber member are released.    
   
   
       20 . A medical device comprising: 
 a tube having a wall, a first opening at a first end, a second opening at a second end, and a volume therewithin;    the tube has a substantially rigid restriction near the first end of the tube, the restriction has a narrow passage formed therethrough;    a content dispensing frangible chamber member, formed to hold contents therewithin;    the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends through the narrow passage in the restriction;    a first portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends from the restriction into the first end of the tube, and a second portion of the content dispensing frangible chamber member extends toward the second end of the tube from the restriction; and    a tension means, attached to the portion of the frangible chamber member extending toward the second end of the tube;    whereby the first portion of the frangible chamber member is ruptured when the frangible chamber member is pulled through the narrow passage of the restriction using the tension means, and the contents within the frangible chamber member are released.    
   
   
       21 . A dispensing assembly for dispensing contents comprising: 
 a pressure point member formed of rigid material and having a opening forming a narrow passage through the rigid material;    a frangible tube having a first part extending through the opening and squeezed by the narrow passage and having a second part forming a volume for holding the contents; and    a grip attached to the first part of the frangible tube for pulling the second part of the frangible tube through the narrow passage to cause the second part to break and release the contents.    
   
   
       22 . The dispensing assembly of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 a container tube attached to the grip and to the pressure point member to form a sealed volume for containing the frangible tube pulled through the narrow passage.    
   
   
       23 . A mixing assembly comprising: 
 a pressure point member formed of rigid material and having a opening forming a narrow passage through the rigid material;    a frangible tube having a first part extending through the opening and squeezed by the narrow passage and having a second part forming a tube volume for holding the contents;    a grip attached to the first part of the frangible tube for pulling the second part of the frangible tube through the narrow passage to cause the second part to break and release the contents; and    a mixing container having walls forming a container volume where the pressure point member is attached to one of said walls and extends the second part of the frangible tube and the tube volume into the container volume whereby the contents of the frangible tube are released into the mixing container.