Portable system for dispensing controlled quantities of additives into a beverage

Abstract

A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus, comprising:
 a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid;   a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of an additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly;   said dispensing assembly including an aperture structured and arranged to retain an additive vessel containing the additive to be dispensed into the consumable liquid; and   the dispensing assembly including a pumping mechanism for dispensing contents of the additive vessel;
 the pumping mechanism including a reciprocating piston assembly; 
 the pumping mechanism including at least one component contained within the additive vessel that can be removed from the dispensing assembly; and 
   the portable, self-contained beverage apparatus including a controller that controls the dispensing by the dispensing assembly of the variable, non-zero quantities of the additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly; and   wherein the controller controls the dispensing by the dispensing assembly of the variable, non-zero quantities of the additive based on a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid determined by a level sensor and the known storage capacity of the container assembly.   
     
     
         22 . A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus, comprising:
 a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid;   a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of an additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly;   said dispensing assembly including an aperture structured and arranged to retain an additive vessel containing the additive to be dispensed into the consumable liquid; and   the dispensing assembly including a pumping mechanism for dispensing contents of the additive vessel;
 the pumping mechanism including a reciprocating piston assembly; 
 the pumping mechanism including at least one component contained within the additive vessel that can be removed from the dispensing assembly; and 
   the portable, self-contained beverage apparatus further including:
 a controller that controls the dispensing by the dispensing assembly of the variable, non-zero quantities of the additives into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly; and 
 reading means for reading identification information on the additive vessel retained in the aperture, said controller controlling the dispensing by the dispensing assembly based on the identification information. 
   
     
     
         23 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 22 , further including:
 a memory device storing tracked consumable liquid level in the container assembly and quantity of the additives,   a level sensor sensing the consumable liquid level at different times,   said controller tracking the consumable liquid level in the container assembly and the quantity of the additive dispensed into the consumable liquid,   said memory device storing the identification information of the additive vessel in data association with the tracked consumable liquid level and the quantity of the additive.   
     
     
         24 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 21 ,
 said controller controlling the dispensing by the dispensing assembly to achieve a targeted concentration of the additive in the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly, wherein said controlling is based on the consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid determined by the level sensor and the known storage capacity of the container assembly.   
     
     
         25 . A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus, comprising:
 a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid;   a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of the additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly;   said dispensing assembly including a plurality of apertures structured and arranged to retain an additive vessel containing the additive to be dispensed into the consumable liquid; and   the dispensing assembly including a pumping mechanism for dispensing contents of the additive vessel;
 the pumping mechanism including a reciprocating piston assembly; 
 the pumping mechanism including at least one component contained within the additive vessel that can be removed from the dispensing assembly; and 
   the portable, self-contained beverage apparatus further including:
 a controller that controls the dispensing by the dispensing assembly of the variable, non-zero quantities of the additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly; and 
 a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly; 
   the level sensor sensing the consumable liquid level at different times;   the controller tracking the consumable liquid level in the container assembly and the quantity of the additive dispensed into the consumable liquid, and   a memory device storing the tracked consumable liquid level in the container assembly and the quantity of the additive.   
     
     
         26 . A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus, comprising:
 a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid;   a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of an additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly;   said dispensing assembly including an aperture structured and arranged to retain the additive vessel containing the additive to be dispensed into the consumable liquid; and   the dispensing assembly including a pumping mechanism for dispensing contents of the additive vessel;
 the pumping mechanism including a reciprocating piston assembly; 
 the pumping mechanism including at least one component contained within the additive vessel that can be removed from the dispensing assembly; and 
   the portable, self-contained beverage apparatus further including:
 a controller that controls the dispensing by the dispensing assembly of the variable, non-zero quantities of the additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly; and 
   the controller controlling the dispensing by the dispensing assembly to maintain a targeted concentration of the additive in the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly, wherein said controlling is based on tracked consumable liquid level and the quantity the additive.   
     
     
         27 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein a plurality of apertures are positioned radially about the dispensing assembly, each for a respective additive vessel. 
     
     
         28 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus according to  claim 27 , said dispensing assembly including:
 a pressure applicator provided proximate to the aperture, said pressure applicator applying pressure to the additive vessel when the additive vessel is retained the apertures to create a dispensing event from the vessel.   
     
     
         29 . A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus, comprising:
 a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid;   a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of an additive into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly;   said dispensing assembly including an aperture structured and arranged to retain an additive vessel containing the additive to be dispensed into the consumable liquid; and   the dispensing assembly including a pumping mechanism for dispensing contents of the additive vessel;
 the pumping mechanism including a reciprocating piston assembly; 
 the pumping mechanism including at least one component contained within the additive vessel that can be removed from the dispensing assembly; and 
   the portable, self-contained beverage apparatus including three additive vessels retained in a plurality of apertures that contain the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly;   wherein each of the additive vessels includes a one-way valve through which additive contained in the respective additive vessel is dispensed into the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly; and   wherein each of the additive vessels has at least one bellow formed in at least one side wall of the additive vessel.   
     
     
         30 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 21 , said container assembly including:
 an outer sleeve; and   an inner chamber slidably and removably fitted into said outer sleeve, said inner chamber being structured and arranged to receive the dispensing assembly, said inner chamber storing the consumable liquid.   
     
     
         31 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 21 , the level sensor disposed within the container assembly, and the level sensor determines the consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. 
     
     
         32 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 21 , further including an air-tight radial face seal between the additive vessel and a pump body facilitating neutral pressure additive vessel removal. 
     
     
         33 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 21 , further including an attachment mechanism for coupling the additive vessel to the dispensing assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The portable, self-contained beverage apparatus of  claim 21 , the dispensing assembly coupled to an end of the container assembly.