Disposable plastic bottle having one or more receptacles for storing and discharging additives into beverages and method for fabricating the same

Abstract

A disposable plastic bottle that includes a receptacle formed in a plastic casing having an outside surface and an inside surface that defines a volume for holding a beverage. The receptacle includes (a) an internal seal that protrudes inward from the inside surface of the plastic casing into the volume for holding the beverage and (b) an external surface that is substantially flush or protrudes slightly outward from the outside surface of the plastic casing and that is exposed through the plastic casing and configured to directly receive an external pressure.

1 . A disposable plastic bottle, comprising:
 a plastic casing having an outside surface and an inside surface, the inside surface defining a volume for holding a beverage; and   a receptacle, molded into the plastic casing, the receptacle molded to have:
 (a) an internal seal that protrudes inward from the inside surface of the plastic casing into the volume for holding the beverage; and 
 (b) an external surface that is substantially flush or protrudes outward from the outside surface of the plastic casing, the external surface of the receptacle exposed through the plastic casing and configured to directly receive an external force, 
   wherein the receptacle is configured to store and discharge an additive into the beverage when the external force is applied to the external surface of the receptacle, causing the internal seal to break and split open, releasing the additive into the beverage.   
     
     
         2 . The disposable bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle defines a second volume for storing the additive and substantially all of the second volume storing the additive is positioned within the volume defined by the inside surface of the plastic casing. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle defines a second volume for storing the additive and at least half of the second volume storing the additive is positioned within the volume defined by the inside surface of the plastic casing. 
     
     
         4 . The disposable plastic bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is bubble or dimple shaped. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The disposable plastic bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the internal seal is configured to split open along a perforation. 
     
     
         7 . The disposable plastic bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises one of the following: a flavor, an antioxidant, a vitamin, a carbohydrate, a protein, an electrolyte, a mineral, an extract, caffeine, a sweetener, an energy supplement, or a dosage formula including multiple additives. 
     
     
         8 . The disposable plastic bottle of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the receptacles, each of the plurality of receptacles configured to discharge a plurality of additives into the beverage respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The disposable plastic bottle of  claim 1 , wherein the additive stored in the receptacle is either a powder or a liquid. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 fabricating a receptacle in a plastic casing of a disposable bottle during an injection molding process, the plastic casing having an outer surface and an inside surface defining a volume for holding a beverage, the receptacle molded during the injection molding process to have:   (a) an external surface that is substantially flush or protrudes outward from the outside surface of the plastic casing, the external surface of the receptacle exposed through the plastic casing and configured to directly receive an external force; and   (b) an internal seal that protrudes inward from the inside surface of the plastic casing into the volume for holding the beverage,   the receptacle configured to store an additive and to discharge the additive into the beverage when the external force is directly applied to the external surface of the receptacle, causing the internal seal of the receptacle to split open.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing the receptacle into an injection mold;   molding the receptacle in a pre-form in the injection mold; and   molding the plastic casing of the disposable bottle, including the receptacle, from the pre-form.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 injection molding a pre-form to include the receptacle; and   molding the plastic casing of the disposable bottle including the receptacle from the pre-form.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 injection molding a pre-form, the pre-form including the external surface of the receptacle;   molding the plastic casing of the disposable bottle from the pre-form, the plastic casing including the external surface of the receptacle; and   molding the internal seal of the receptacle after molding the plastic casing of the disposable bottle.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 injection molding a pre-form, the pre-form including the internal seal of the receptacle;   molding the plastic casing of the disposable bottle from the pre-form, the plastic casing including the internal seal of the receptacle; and   fabricating the external surface of the receptacle after molding the plastic casing of the disposable bottle.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing the additive into the receptacle after fabricating the receptacle in the plastic casing of the disposable bottle; and   sealing the receptacle after providing the additive.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the receptacle defines a second volume for storing the additive and substantially all of the second volume storing the additive is positioned within the volume defined by the inside surface of the plastic casing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the receptacle defines a second volume for storing the additive and at least half of the second volume storing the additive is positioned within the volume defined by the inside surface of the plastic casing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising fabricating the external receptacle surface to be substantially flush or protrude outward from the outside surface of the plastic casing of the disposable bottle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising fabricating the receptacle to be bubble or dimple shaped. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the additive comprises one of the following: a flavor, an antioxidant, a vitamin, a carbohydrate, a protein, an electrolyte, a mineral, an extract, caffeine, a sweetener, an energy supplement, or a dosage formula of specified amounts of multiple additives. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising fabricating a plurality of the receptacles formed within the plastic casing of the disposable bottle, each of the plurality of receptacles configured to discharge a plurality of additives into the beverage respectively.