METHOD AND APPARATUS OF PACKAGING BEVERAGE MIXTURE
A method of making a beverage that needs to be agitated before drinking includes a first step of providing a container assembly having a main body portion that has a side wall that defines an interior space and an upper mounting portion to which a closure is releasably secured. The main body portion has a lower portion that is at least partially filled with a first substance, the lower portion defining a first volume, an upper head portion having a second volume and an agitator portion defined in the side wall between the lower portion and the upper head portion. The closure is removed, and a second substance is added to the container assembly. The closure is then replaced, and the container assembly is shaken by the consumer, which causes the agitator portion to promote mixing of the contents of the container assembly. The consumer will then drink at least a portion of the contents of the container assembly.
1 . A container for packaging a beverage that needs to be agitated before drinking, comprising:
a main body portion having a side wall that defines an interior space, said main body portion having an upper mounting portion defining an opening that is in communication with the interior space;
a closure member that is releasably securable to the upper mounting portion; and wherein
the main body portion is shaped so as to define a lower portion having a first volume, an upper head portion having a second volume and an agitator portion defined in the side wall between the lower portion and the upper head space portion for facilitating amplified mixing of the contents of the container when the container is shaken by a consumer.
2 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second volume to the first volume is substantially within a range of about 0.47 to about 0.87.
3 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 2 , wherein the ratio of the second volume to the first volume is substantially within a range of about 0.52 to about 0.82.
4 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 3 , wherein the ratio of the second volume to the first volume is substantially within a range of about 0.57 to about 0.77.
5 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the lower portion of the main body portion is substantially shaped as an inverted truncated cone.
6 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the upper head portion is substantially cylindrically shaped.
7 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the lower portion has a first maximum lateral extent and the upper head portion has a second maximum lateral extent, and wherein the second maximum lateral extent is greater than the first maximum lateral extent.
8 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 7 , wherein the agitator portion comprises an angled surface defined within the side wall between the lower portion and the upper head portion, and wherein the angled surface is angled with respect to a transverse plane within a range that is substantially about 21° to about 81°.
9 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 8 , wherein the angled surface is angled with respect to the transverse plane within a range that is substantially about 31° to about 71°.
10 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 9 , wherein the angled surface is angled with respect to the transverse plane within a range that is substantially about 41° to about 61°.
11 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall comprises a multi-layer material having an oxygen barrier.
12 . A container for packaging a beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall comprises a viewing window for enabling a consumer to detect a fill level within the container
13 . A method of making a beverage that needs to be agitated before drinking, comprising:
providing a container assembly having a main body portion having a side wall that defines an interior space and an upper mounting portion to which a closure is releasably secured, the main body portion having a lower portion that is at least partially filled with a first substance, the lower portion defining a first volume, an upper head portion having a second volume and an agitator portion defined in the side wall between the lower portion and the upper head portion;
removing the closure;
adding a second substance to the container assembly;
replacing the closure; and
shaking the container assembly so that the agitator portion promotes mixing of the contents therein.
14 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 13 , wherein a ratio of the second volume to the first volume is substantially within a range of about 0.47 to about 0.87.
15 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 14 , wherein the ratio of the second volume to the first volume is substantially within a range of about 0.52 to about 0.82.
16 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 15 , wherein the ratio of the second volume to the first volume is substantially within a range of about 0.57 to about 0.77.
17 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 13 , wherein the lower portion of the main body portion is substantially shaped as an inverted truncated cone.
18 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 13 , wherein the upper head portion is substantially cylindrically shaped.
19 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 13 , wherein the lower portion has a first maximum lateral extent and the upper head portion has a second maximum lateral extent, and wherein the second maximum lateral extent is greater than the first maximum lateral extent.
20 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 19 , wherein the agitator portion comprises an angled surface defined within the side wall between the lower portion and the upper head portion, and wherein the angled surface is angled with respect to a transverse plane within a range that is substantially about 21° to about 81°.
21 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 20 , wherein the angled surface is angled with respect to the transverse plane within a range that is substantially about 31° to about 71°.
22 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 21 , wherein the angled surface is angled with respect to the transverse plane within a range that is substantially about 41° to about 61°.
23 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 13 , wherein the side wall comprises a multi-layer material having an oxygen barrier.
24 . A method of making a beverage according to claim 13 , wherein the side wall comprises a viewing window for enabling a consumer to detect a fill level within the container assembly, and further comprising a step of determining a fill level within the container assembly by inspecting the viewing window.