Compartmentalized container
View Patent ↗A container having an first chamber; a second chamber; an upper seal forming a lower portion of the upper chamber; a lower seal adjacent the upper seal, the lower seal forming an upper portion of the lower chamber; a plurality of upper seal apertures in the upper seal; and a plurality of lower seal apertures in the lower seal, the upper seal apertures and the lower seal apertures rotatable between an open position with the upper and lower seal apertures aligned and a closed position with the upper and lower seal apertures nonaligned.
1. A container comprising:
a first compartment comprising a first seal having at least one first aperture;
a second compartment comprising a second seal having at least one second aperture, wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are detachably coupled such that an interface of the first and second compartments at an outer surface of the container has a generally smooth and continuous surface; and
a rotation mechanism disposed within the outer surface of the container and adjacent to the interface of the first and second compartments and facilitating rotation of the first seal relative to the second seal between a first position where the first and second apertures are nonaligned and a second position where the first and second apertures are aligned;
wherein the rotation mechanism comprises a spring unit configured to fix the first seal relative to the second seal in one of the first position and the second position until rotational force is applied to one of the first compartment and the second compartment.
2. The container of claim 1 , further comprising a first cap configured to detachably couple to the first compartment and cover a first opening in the first compartment, the first opening disposed opposite the first seal.
3. The container of claim 2 , wherein the first cap is one of a crown cork, a threaded screw top, a stopper, a sports top, and a snap-fit top.
4. The container of claim 2 , wherein the first cap comprises a straw and a protective cover configured to cover the straw.
5. The container of claim 2 , wherein the first cap comprises a retractable tab.
6. The container of claim 2 , wherein the first cap comprises a nipple.
7. The container of claim 1 , further comprising a second cap configured to detachably couple to the second compartment and to cover a second opening in the second compartment, the second opening disposed opposite the second seal.
8. The container of claim 1 , wherein the spring unit comprises:
a first spring lock port disposed in the second compartment and adjacent to the second seal; and
a spring pin configured to engage the first spring lock port when the first seal is in the first position, wherein applying rotational force to one of the first compartment and the second compartment disengages the spring pin from the spring lock port such that the first seal rotates to the second position.
9. The container of claim 8 , wherein the spring unit further comprises a second spring lock port disposed in the second compartment and adjacent to the second seat, wherein the spring pin is configured to engage the second spring lock port to fix the first seal in the second position where the first and second apertures are aligned.
10. The container of claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism comprises:
a channel disposed in the second compartment; and
a pin configured to travel in the channel when rotational force is applied to one of the first compartment and the second compartment to rotate the first seal between the first and second positions.
11. The container of claim 1 , further comprising an o-ring disposed adjacent to the rotation mechanism and the interface of the first and second compartments, and within the outer surface of the container.