IP Library Granted Patent US 12,168,207
Granted Patent B2
US 12,168,207 · App. 17/959,499 · Granted Dec 17, 2024

Water bottle device assembly

Inventors: Daniel Noall (Wellsville, UT); Nathan Erickson (Beaverdam, UT); Shane McKenna (Salt Lake City, UT)
Assignee: Cirkul, Inc.
B01F33/50111A23L2/56A45F3/18A47G19/2272A47J43/27B01F23/451B01F25/312B01F25/31242B01F35/7161B65D47/06B65D51/2821B65D81/3222A23V2002/00B01F2101/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,168,207
App. No.
17/959,499
Granted
Dec 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A water bottle system for adding an additive, which may be flavoring, to the line of flow without contaminating the main reservoir. The system may include a water bottle with a lid feature that may maintain a flavor that may be infused into the water within the water bottle. The infusion of the additive may be adjusted by a user to have the desired concentration of additive to a user's liking. The additive cartridge may be reusable or disposable depending on a user's preference.

Claims (68)

1. A water bottle system for adding an additive to a substance comprising:

a reservoir for maintaining a substance;

a lid configured to engage the reservoir; and

an assembly within the lid for adding an additive to the substance in a line of flow, the assembly comprising:

a cartridge with additive, the cartridge being configured for addition of additive to the cartridge and to hold the additive without leaking after being used to provide additive to the line of flow, wherein the cartridge includes a valve or an opening with a removable lid to receive the additive into the cartridge; and

an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an amount of additive added from the cartridge to the line of flow.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising: a recess within the lid and a mouthpiece configured to fit within the recess; wherein the mouthpiece is pivotable between a closed configuration and an open configuration.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises:

a dial capable of moving in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction; and

a needle valve assembly coupled to the dial and manipulatable by the dial to either increase the amount of additive or decrease the amount of additive relative to the movement of the dial in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a straw with a proximal end and a distal end extending from the lid to the reservoir; and

a duckbill valve coupled to the lid and coupled to a proximal end of the straw.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lid and the reservoir comprise complementary threads to couple the lid to the reservoir.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the cartridge assembly is insertable into the lid in a transverse direction.

7. The system of claim 1 comprising:

a Venturi system with at least one port and a rolling seal wherein the rolling seal circumferentially engages the Venturi system.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the Venturi system is positioned within the lid.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the Venturi system is in a vertical orientation with respect to the reservoir.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substance is a drinkable liquid and the lid is configured to close an opening to the reservoir when engaged with the reservoir.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is removable from the lid for the addition of additive to the cartridge, and wherein the additive is a liquid.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the line of flow is a line of flow of the substance from the reservoir to a spout at a top of the lid, wherein the assembly includes a mixing chamber fluidly coupled to the line of flow in which the substance and the additive are combined.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substance is a drinkable liquid, wherein the line of flow is a line of flow of the drinkable liquid from the reservoir to a spout at a top of the lid, and the assembly is configured to provide the additive to the line of flow in response to flow of the drinkable liquid along the line of flow.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the valve or opening are accessible for the addition of additive to the cartridge only after removal of the cartridge from the lid.

15. A water bottle assembly for adding an additive to a substance comprising:

a vessel with a first liquid;

a lid engagable with the vessel; and

an assembly for adding a second liquid to a line of flow, wherein the line of flow is a line of flow of the first liquid from the vessel to a spout at a top of the lid, the assembly comprising:

a cartridge assembly holding the second liquid, the cartridge assembly being configured for addition of the second liquid to the cartridge assembly and holding the second liquid without leaking after being used to provide the second liquid to the line of flow;

an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an amount of the second liquid added to the line of flow of the first liquid; and

a mixing chamber fluidly coupled to the line of flow in which the first liquid and the second liquid are mixed.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , comprising:

a recess within a top of the lid and a mouthpiece configured to fit within the recess; wherein the mouthpiece is pivotable between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

17. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises:

a dial capable of moving in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction; and

a needle valve assembly coupled to the dial and manipulatable by the dial to either increase the amount of second liquid or decrease the amount of second liquid relative to the movement of the dial in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

18. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising:

a straw with a proximal end and a distal end extending from the lid to the vessel; and

a duckbill valve coupled to the lid and coupled to a proximal end of the straw.

19. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the lid and the vessel comprise complementary threads to couple the lid to the vessel.

20. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cartridge assembly is insertable into the lid in a transverse direction.

21. The assembly of claim 15 comprising:

a Venturi system with at least one port and a rolling seal wherein the rolling seal circumferentially engages the Venturi system.

22. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein the Venturi system is positioned within the lid.

23. The assembly of claim 22 , wherein the Venturi system is in a vertical orientation with respect to the vessel.

24. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first liquid is a drinkable liquid and the lid is configured to close an opening to the vessel when engaged with the vessel.

25. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cartridge assembly includes a cartridge removable from the lid for the addition of the second liquid to the cartridge.

26. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first liquid is a drinkable liquid, and the assembly for adding is configured to provide the second liquid to the line of flow in response to flow of the drinkable liquid along the line of flow.

27. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cartridge assembly includes a cartridge with a valve or an opening with a removable lid to receive the second liquid into the cartridge.

28. The assembly of claim 27 , wherein the valve or opening are accessible for the addition of the second liquid to the cartridge only after removal of the cartridge from the lid.

29. A method of infusing a first liquid with a second liquid in a water bottle assembly comprising:

providing a first liquid in a reservoir;

engaging a lid with the reservoir, wherein the lid comprises a cartridge assembly including a cartridge holding an additive liquid;

adding a first portion of the additive liquid to the cartridge of the cartridge assembly and holding the first portion of the additive liquid in the cartridge without leaking after providing a second portion of the additive liquid from the cartridge for mixing with the first liquid;

manipulating a dial to adjust an amount of the first portion of the additive liquid to be introduced into a line of flow of the first liquid; and

mixing the first portion of the additive liquid with the first liquid in the line of flow of the first liquid from the reservoir.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

removing the cartridge from the lid;

wherein adding the first portion of the additive liquid to the cartridge includes adding the first portion of the additive liquid to the cartridge while the cartridge is removed from the lid.

31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first liquid is a drinkable liquid, wherein the line of flow is a line of flow of the drinkable liquid from the reservoir to a spout at a top of the lid, and mixing the first portion of the additive liquid includes providing the first portion of the additive liquid from the cartridge to the line of flow in response to flow of the drinkable liquid along the line of flow.

32. The method of claim 29 , wherein adding the first portion of the additive liquid to the cartridge includes providing the first portion of the additive liquid to the cartridge via a valve or opening of the cartridge that is accessible only after removal of the cartridge from the lid.

33. A water bottle assembly for adding an additive to a substance comprising:

a vessel with a first liquid;

a lid engagable with the vessel; and

an assembly for adding a second liquid to a line of flow, the assembly comprising:

a cartridge assembly holding the second liquid, the cartridge assembly being configured for addition of the second liquid to the cartridge assembly and holding the second liquid without leaking after being used to provide the second liquid to the line of flow; and

an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an amount of the second liquid added to the line of flow of the first liquid,

wherein the first liquid is a drinkable liquid, wherein the line of flow is a line of flow of the drinkable liquid from the vessel to a spout at a top of the lid, and the assembly for adding is configured to provide the second liquid to the line of flow in response to flow of the drinkable liquid along the line of flow.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2026
From: CIRKUL, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 075311/0397 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2026
From: CIRKUL, INC.
To: ACP REDSTONE CREDIT, LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 075286/0047 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2023
From: INFUZE, L.L.C.
To: CIRKUL, INC.
Reel/Frame 064024/0520 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: NOALL, DANIEL; ERICKSON, NATHAN; MCKENNA, SHANE
To: INFUZE, LLC
Reel/Frame 063206/0826 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16255497 · Jan 23, 2019
Provisional Application 62620817 · Jan 23, 2018
Related Publication 20230027083A1 · Jan 26, 2023