Abstract
A flavoring reservoir for storing aromatics and for releasing the aromatics to a drink system. The reservoir includes a container which encloses a receiving space with a wall. The wall includes at least one air inlet opening and at least one air outlet opening. The reservoir includes a substrate material loaded with an aromatic and arranged in the receiving space. The aromatic is releasable to air that flows in through the air inlet opening, past the substrate material and out through the air outlet opening. The reservoir has an annular shape with the receiving space arranged around a central aperture. A dividing wall is arranged in the receiving space. The air inlet opening is arranged in a region adjoining the dividing wall on a first side thereof. The air outlet opening is arranged in a region adjoining the dividing wall on a second side thereof opposite the first side.
Claims
1. A flavoring reservoir for storing aromatics and for releasing the aromatics to a drink system, the flavoring reservoir having comprising: a container which encloses a receiving space with a wall, the wall including at least one air inlet opening and at least one air outlet opening; and a substrate material arranged in the receiving space, the substrate material being loaded with an aromatic and releasing the aromatic to air that flows in through the air inlet opening, flows along past the substrate material and flows out through the air outlet opening wherein the flavoring reservoir has an annular shape with the receiving space which is arranged around a central aperture and enclosed by the wall, wherein a dividing wall completely traversing the receiving space is arranged in the receiving space and wherein the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening are arranged adjacently with respect to one another, the air inlet opening being arranged in a region which adjoins the dividing wall on a first side of the dividing wall, and the air outlet opening being arranged in a region which adjoins the dividing wall on a second side of the dividing wall which lies opposite the first side.
2. The flavoring reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the flavoring reservoir has a substantially rectangular cross-section and is configured such that the ratio of flowed-through length to a diagonal of flowed-through cross-section is at least 10:1, in particular more than 15:1.
3. The flavoring reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the air outlet opening is arranged on an inner wall portion of the wall located inside and facing the aperture.
4. The flavoring reservoir according to claim 3, wherein the air outlet opening is a slit-shaped opening longitudinally extending in the circumferential direction of the ring, the width of whose opening changes continuously in a direction transverse to, in particular perpendicular to the circumferential direction, in particular tapering when viewed in a circumferential direction.
5. The flavoring reservoir according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet opening is arranged on a side wall facing outwards and away from the aperture, on a lower bottom wall or on an upper ceiling wall.
6. The flavoring reservoir according to according to claim 1, wherein the container is formed by a lower shell, which is formed in a single piece, and a cover which is placed on the lower shell, wherein a bottom and side walls of the lower shell and the cover form the wall surrounding the receiving space enclosed between the lower shell and the cover, and wherein the cover is permanently joined to the lower shell by a cold-formed connection, in particular by pressing and/or rolling.
7. A drink system with a drink vessel and a flavoring reservoir according to claim 1 connected or connectable to the drink vessel, such that, when a person drinks from the drink vessel, air aspirated through the air inlet opening in the wall of the flavoring reservoir and provided with the aromatic stored in the substrate material is guided through the air outlet opening and to the mouth of the drinker.
8. The drink system according to claim 7, wherein a mouthpiece from which a drinking straw guided into the drink vessel protrudes at the drinking end and which, apart from the opening formed by the drinking straw as well as any air vent opening present on the mouthpiece or formed with the mouthpiece to replenish a volume taken from the container during drinking, largely seals an interior space of the drink vessel, the drinking straw having a circumferential wall and an air inlet opening in the circumferential wall, the flavoring reservoir being arranged around the drinking straw in such a way that the drinking straw runs through the aperture and the air outlet opening of the flavoring reservoir and the air inlet opening of the drinking straw lie opposite each other such that, when the drinking straw is sucked, air flows through the air inlet opening, through the flavoring reservoir and out from the air outlet opening.
9. The drink system according to claim 8, wherein the flavoring reservoir is axially displaceable along the drinking straw to open and close a passage formed between the air outlet opening and the air inlet opening, a first spring element being provided which pre-tensions the flavoring reservoir in a position in which the passage formed between the air outlet opening; and the air inlet opening is opened.
10. The drink system according to claim 8, further comprising a cap for closing the mouthpiece and covering the drinking end of the drinking straw, the cap having at least one bearing portion with which, when closed, lies against the flavoring reservoir and, if displaces the cap against a spring force of the first spring element to a position in which the passage formed between the air outlet opening and the air inlet opening is closed.
11. The drink system according to claim 10, wherein the air inlet opening is arranged at a position of the flavoring reservoir exposed to the cap and that, when the cap is closed, the bearing portion lies against the air inlet opening and seals it.
12. The drink system according to claim 11, wherein the bearing portion, at least in the region in which it lies against the air inlet opening and seals it when the cap is closed, is formed of an elastic material, in particular an EVA-PE copolymer, or is coated with such material.
13. The drink system according to claim 10, wherein the bearing portion is a portion of a second spring element arranged in the cap, wherein the spring force of the second spring element is greater than the spring force of the first spring element.
14. The drink system according to claim 7, wherein the flavoring reservoir is or can be arranged about the drinking straw so as to be rotatable by at least a predefined angular range.
15. The drink system according to claim 8, claim 8, wherein the air outlet opening has a larger opening area than the air inlet opening, preferably at least 10% larger, in particular approximately 20% larger.
Description
[0031] Further advantages and features are given in the following description of embodiments on the basis of the attached figures. These show the following:
[0032] FIG. 1A schematic view of a flavoring reservoir according to the prior art with parallel flow paths.
[0033] FIG. 2A schematic view of a flavoring reservoir according to the invention in a first aspect with a single flow path formed in the flavoring reservoir.
[0034] FIG. 3 In view a, a sectional view along section line I-I from FIG. 1 and, in view b, a sectional view along section line II-II from FIG. 1 (in each case looking towards the area shown at the bottom of FIG. 1).
[0035] FIG. 4 In three views a to c, schematic diagrams showing the principle of a further design element of the invention for dosing the aromatic released from the flavoring reservoir.
[0036] FIG. 5 In two views a and b, the interaction between a cap of a drink system according to the invention and a flavoring reservoir arranged on a mouthpiece which is automatically activated and deactivated when the cap is opened or closed respectively.
[0037] FIG. 6 Schematic diagram showing an alternative embodiment of the cap of a drink system according to the invention, and
[0038] FIG. 7A view of a second spring element inserted into the cap according to FIG. 6.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a flavoring reservoir 1 according to the prior art as used for a known drink system of the air up? brand. This flavoring reservoir 1 is generally of annular shape with a wall 2 and a receiving space 3 enclosed by the wall 2 which is filled with a substrate material loaded with an aromatic, not shown in more detail here. Air L is able to flow into the receiving space 3 of the flavoring reservoir 1 through an air inlet opening 4. In a position approximately diametrically opposite to the position of the air inlet opening 4, an air outlet opening 5 is arranged through which the air L exits the flavoring reservoir 1 and is further carried to the drink system. As illustrated, the air L is able to flow through the receiving space 3 of the flavoring reservoir 1 along two parallel paths, on the one hand along the path 6 shown on the right in FIG. 1, and on the other hand along the path 7 shown on the left in FIG. 1. If the flow resistance which the substrate material in the receiving space 3 presents to the air flow along the two paths 6, 7 is different, the air will tend to flow along the path 6 with lower flow resistance. Consequently, depletion of the substrate material takes place there, this being done by releasing aromatic into the air L flowing past. On the other hand, hardly any air L flows through the substrate material in the path 7, so that little aromatic is released from it. Thus, when the substrate material along the path 6 is exhausted and no longer releases aromatic or releases only very little aromatic, the air L flowing out at the air outlet opening 5 is no longer sufficiently loaded with aromatic, so that the flavoring reservoir 1 is perceived to be used up, even though sufficient aromatic is still stored in the substrate material in the area of the path 7.
[0040] The problem described above is overcome with a flavoring reservoir according to a first aspect of the invention. Such a flavoring reservoir 10 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The flavoring reservoir 10 also has a wall 12 and generally has an annular shape with a central aperture 11 bordered by an inner wall portion 18 of the wall 12. The flavoring reservoir 10 according to the invention also has an air inlet opening 14 and an air outlet opening 15 through which air L can flow in and out. The receiving space 13 of the flavoring reservoir 10, which is enclosed by the wall 12, is filled with a substrate material not shown in greater detail here that is loaded with an aromatic. In contrast to the flavoring reservoir 1 according to the prior art shown in FIG. 1, the flavoring reservoir 10 according to the invention shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 has a dividing wall 19 which completely traverses and divides the receiving space 13. In this case, the air inlet opening 14 and air outlet opening 15 are no longer essentially diametrically opposite one another, as in the prior art, rather they are arranged adjacently with respect to one another but on different sides of the dividing wall 19. Whereas in FIG. 2 the air inlet opening 14 is positioned to the left of the dividing wall 19, the air outlet opening 15 is positioned to the right of the dividing wall 19. This means that the air L flowing through the receiving space 13 must pass around the entire circumference of the ring in order to get from the air inlet opening 14 to the air outlet opening 15. In this way, therefore, the air L passes through the whole of the substrate material and, due to the longer exposure time, can absorb correspondingly more aromatic than would be possible if it were to flow through only a partial circumference of the ring. With the flavoring reservoir 10 according to the invention there is no fear of the problem outlined above caused by different flow resistances of the substrate material with air flowing in parallel along different paths, as occurs with the flavoring reservoir 1 according to the prior art. FIG. 2 also illustrates stop surfaces 20 formed in the outer circumference of the wall 12, which are significant regarding a further aspect of the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 3 shows two representations a and b, each of which is a sectional view taken along the section lines I-I (FIG. 3a) and II-II (FIG. 3b), respectively, in each case looking downwards through the representation in FIG. 2. It can also be seen here that a flavoring reservoir 10 according to the invention is composed of a lower shell 21, which is in particular formed in one piece, and a cover, not shown here, which closes this lower shell 21, which is placed on an upward facing opening as shown in the representations of FIG. 3 after the aromatic-loaded substrate material has been introduced into the receiving space 13, and which then also closes the receiving space 13 as part of the wall 12. This cover, and this is another aspect of the invention, is connected in a clamping manner to the lower shell 21 after the receiving space 13 has been filled with the aromatic-loaded substrate material, for example by pressing and/or rolling. In particular, the cover is not joined to the lower shell 21 by the application of heat, that is to say, welded, so that the aromatic contained in the receiving space 13 is not affected or damaged by such heat treatment.
[0042] Another embodiment claimed by the invention can be seen in FIG. 4. This too shows a flavoring reservoir 10 according to the invention, here placed over the free end of a drinking straw 22 of a drink vessel forming a drink system according to the invention together with the flavoring reservoir 10. The drinking straw 22 has a circular cross-section and is passed through the aperture 11 in the flavoring reservoir 10, here lying against the inner wall portion 18 with a substantially close fit. The number 23 indicates a generally circular air inlet opening formed in the side wall of the drinking straw 22. In this case, the air outlet opening 115 of the flavoring reservoir 10 is recognizably slit-shaped, longitudinally extending in the circumferential direction of the annular flavoring reservoir 10. The slit is not of uniform width, but tapers continuously, starting from a large opening cross-section on the right in the Figure to a small opening cross-section shown on the left in the Figure. The flavoring reservoir 10 can be rotated about the drinking straw 22, as indicated by corresponding double arrows in FIGS. 3a through c. As a result, the air outlet opening 115 and the air inlet opening 23 are superimposed with a varying surface overlap, making it possible to regulate the amount of air passing through the passage formed in this way and thereby dose the amount of aromatic taken from the flavoring reservoir 10 by the air L flowing through it. When a person drinks from the drink vessel into which the drinking straw 22 extends, tasteless liquid such as water in particular with which the vessel is filled is sucked in, and, when the passage is opened, air which has previously flowed through the flavoring reservoir 10, thereby absorbing aromatic, is sucked in together with the liquid. This aromatic-laden air enters the user's mouth together with the drink, entering the retronasal area where it encounters odor-sensitive sensory cells. This suggests a taste to the user when using the drink system according to the invention. For example, if the aromatic in the flavoring reservoir has a lime aroma, the user will perceive a lime flavor. The beverage, in particular neutral water, is tasteless in itself, but the impression of taste is created solely by the perception of the aromatics entrained by the air.
[0043] FIG. 4a to c show different switching states or control states. For example, FIG. 4a shows a passage with a large diameter and thus a position allowing a high dosage of the aromatic. FIG. 4b shows a closed position in which aromatic cannot pass through the closed passage, that is to say, in which the user merely sucks the beverage, for example water, contained in the drink vessel out of the drink vessel, without any additional aromatic load. FIG. 4c shows a passage with a small opening width in which only a small amount of air is drawn in through the flavoring reservoir 10, therefore only a small amount of aromatic is taken up with it so that the taste experience is less intense. In order to limit the angle of the shown rotation, stop surfaces 20 formed on the flavoring reservoir 10, as shown in FIG. 2, can be used, which then come up against corresponding counter-stops formed in the area of the mouthpiece of the drink vessel, for example a drink bottle, and thus form limits for the angle of rotation. At this point, it should also be noted that the shape of the slit of the air outlet opening 115 is shown here only schematically. In particular, this slit can be significantly longer, with a more pronounced progression from a small opening height to a large opening height, to allow dosing that is even more precise and covers a larger area.
[0044] A further aspect of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5a and b. These schematically show a mouthpiece 24 of a drink vessel 30 of a drink system according to the invention, with the drinking straw 22 at its center. In particular, the drink vessel 30 and the drink system may otherwise be formed substantially as described in WO 2020/126210 A1, the features of which are fully incorporated into this disclosure. However, the changes explained herein and described as essential to the invention are implemented.
[0045] The flavoring reservoir 10 is arranged around the drinking straw 22 of the drink vessel 30 in the way described above with reference to FIG. 4, and can be displaced there by rotation in order to adjust the inflowing amount of aromatic as described above. Displacement is also possible in the axial direction of the drinking straw 22. Such displacement can serve to activate or deactivate the flavoring reservoir 10. In this case, according to the invention, the flavoring reservoir 10 is pressed by a first spring element 25, which may for example take the form of a shaft ring spring, into an active position shown in the upper Figure, in which the air inlet opening 23 in the drinking straw 22 is level with the air outlet opening 115 in the flavoring reservoir 10. A vertical stop 26 on the drinking straw 22 ensures that the flavoring reservoir 10 does not become detached from the drinking straw 22. When the flavoring reservoir 10 is attached, this vertical stop 26 is overcome in the manner of a latch; also, the flavoring reservoir 10 can be released from the drinking straw 22 by applying a force sufficient to overcome the latching force, which is not applied by the first spring element 25. A cap 27 for closing the drink vessel 30 can also be seen, which has strip-like press-down structures 28. When the cap 27, which may in particular be a screw cap, is placed on the mouthpiece 24 of the drink vessel 30, these hold-down structures 28 meet the annular flavoring reservoir 10 and press it down against the force of the first spring element 25 into a position as shown in FIG. 5b. In this position, the air outlet opening 115 and the air inlet opening 23 are offset with regard to their level, so that the passage is closed. Thus, no aromatic can escape from the flavoring reservoir 10 when the drink vessel 30 is closed with the cap 27. It can also be seen that a central stud structure 29 is formed on the cap 27, which in the closed state (cf. FIG. 5b) projects into the drinking straw 22 and closes it in such a way that no drink liquid can escape from the interior of the drink vessel 30.
[0046] FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the drink system according to the invention with an attached cap 27 in the closed position. The difference compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is primarily that, instead of the fixed and rigid hold-down structure 28, as shown in the cap 27 according to FIG. 5, a second spring element 128 is arranged therein and fixed in the cap which presses on the flavoring reservoir 10 with sections, more precisely with inwardly projecting tongues 31 (cf. FIG. 7), and presses it down into the closed position. The spring force of the second spring element 128 pressing down the flavoring reservoir 10 is significantly greater than the spring force of the first spring element 25 pressing the flavoring reservoir 10 upwards towards the open position. This ensures that the flavoring reservoir is pressed securely into the closed position when the cap 27 is closed. Yet the flexibility of the second spring element 128 is such that the cap 27 is placed in a specific closed position that securely seals the drink system even in the event of possible dimensional differences due to manufacturing tolerances, for example, with respect to the height of the flavoring reservoir 10 used in the drink system. Such tolerances are compensated by a possible yielding movement of the tongues 31 of the second spring element 128.
[0047] The foregoing description once again makes clear the various advantages of the different embodiments of the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCES
[0048] 1 Flavoring reservoir [0049] 2 Wall [0050] 3 Receiving space [0051] 4 Air inlet opening [0052] 5 Air outlet opening [0053] 6 Path [0054] 7 Path [0055] 10 Flavoring reservoir [0056] 11 Aperture [0057] 12 Wall [0058] 13 Receiving space [0059] 14 Air inlet opening [0060] 15 Air outlet opening [0061] 18 Internal wall section [0062] 19 Dividing wall [0063] 20 Stop surface [0064] 21 Lower shell [0065] 22 Drinking straw [0066] 23 Air inlet opening [0067] 24 Mouthpiece [0068] 25 Spring element [0069] 26 Vertical stop [0070] 27 Cap [0071] 28 Hold-down structure [0072] 29 Stud structure [0073] 30 Drink vessel [0074] 31 Tongue [0075] 115 Air outlet opening [0076] 128 Spring element [0077] L Air
