阅读说明：本技术 液体分配设备 (Liquid dispensing apparatus ) 是由 B·勒雷韦朗 R·蒂沃莱特 S·布吕哈特 D·格罗利蒙德 A·亨特 于 2018-06-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了一种液体分配设备,该液体分配设备可包括第一容器,该第一容器容纳第一液体。第一容器在第一容器的端部中可具有开口。液体分配设备还可包括第二容器,该第二容器邻近第一容器。第二容器可容纳第二液体,并且第二容器在第二容器的端部中可具有开口。第一容器的端部中的开口可以靠近第二容器的端部中的开口。第一容器和第二容器可将第一液体与第二液体分离。第一液体和第二液体中的一者可包含促味剂,该促味剂基本上不存在于另一种液体中或者以相对不同的量存在。第一容器和第二容器的布置和/或第一容器的端部中的开口和第二容器的端部中的开口的布置可使得,当从设备中倒出第一液体和第二液体时,第一液体流过第一容器的端部中的开口,并且第二液体流过第二容器的端部中的开口,使得在第二液体开始离开第二容器的端部中的开口之前,第一液体开始离开第一容器的端部中的开口。(The invention discloses a liquid dispensing apparatus that may include a container containing a th liquid, a th container having an opening in an end of a th container, a liquid dispensing apparatus that may further include a second container adjacent to a th container, the second container may contain a second liquid, and the second container may have an opening in an end of the second container, an th container may be proximate to the opening in the end of the second container, a th container and the second container may separate a th liquid from the second liquid, a th liquid and a second liquid may contain an odorant that is substantially absent or present in relatively different amounts, an arrangement of the th container and the second container and/or an arrangement of the opening in the end of the th container and the opening in the end of the second container may be such that when liquid is poured from the apparatus through the opening in the second container 356 th liquid, the opening in the end of the second container begins to exit the second container before the second liquid begins to flow through the opening in the second container 368 th container th end.)

An liquid dispensing device, comprising:

an th container, the th container holding a th liquid, the th container having an opening in an end of the th container;

a second container adjacent to the th container, the second container containing a second liquid, the second container having an opening in an end of the second container,

wherein the opening in the end of the th container is proximate to the opening in the end of the second container,

wherein the th container and the second container separate the th liquid from the second liquid, and

wherein of the th liquid and the second liquid comprise tastants that are substantially absent or present in relatively different amounts in another liquids;

wherein the arrangement of the th and second containers and/or the arrangement of the opening in the end of the th container and the opening in the end of the second container is such that, when the th liquid and the second liquid are poured from the apparatus, the th liquid flows through the opening in the end of the th container and the second liquid flows through the opening in the end of the second container such that the th liquid begins to exit the opening in the end of the th container before the second liquid begins to exit the opening in the end of the second container.

2. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the tastant is sweet, salty, bitter, umami, sour, or flavoured, for example wherein the tastant is selected from the list comprising: sodium chloride, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, glucose, sucrose, fructose, or galactose.

3. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a sidewall of the th container also forms a sidewall of the second container, and wherein the sidewalls of the th container and the second container are curved so as to impede outflow of the second liquid from the second container.

4. The liquid dispensing device of claim 3, wherein the sidewall only allows a predetermined portion of the th liquid to flow to and from the opening in the end of the th container when the liquid dispensing device is rotated through an angle of degrees, and

wherein a second predetermined portion of the th liquid is permitted to flow to and exit the opening in the end of the th container when the liquid dispensing apparatus is rotated through a second angle, wherein the second angle is greater than the th angle.

5. The liquid dispensing device of claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the opening in the end of the th container and the opening in the end of the second container are located in a lid, wherein the lid is removable from the liquid dispensing device to allow replenishment of the th liquid in the th container and the second liquid in the second container.

6. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the opening in the end of the -th container comprises a -th valve, and the opening in the end of the second container comprises a second valve.

7. The liquid dispensing device of claim 6, wherein the th valve is configured to allow only a predetermined portion of the th liquid to exit the th valve and/or the second valve is configured to allow only a predetermined portion of the second liquid to exit the second valve.

8. The liquid dispensing device of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the th valve is configured to transition from an open position to a closed position and/or from the closed position to the open position faster than the second valve, or

Wherein the th valve and the second valve form part of a compound valve such that the th valve and the second valve are configured to transition from the open position to the closed position and from the closed position to the open position simultaneously.

9. The liquid dispensing device of any of claims 6-8, wherein the valve and/or the second valve are biased in the closed position, and wherein a pressure differential across the valves is required in order to overcome the bias.

10. The liquid dispensing device of , wherein the valve and the second valve are located in a cap, wherein the cap is removable from the liquid dispensing device to allow replenishment of the liquid in the container and the second liquid in the second container.

11. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second container comprises a tube and a fluid retaining element, wherein:

the opening in the end of the second container is located at the th end of the tube;

a second end of the tube is located within the fluid retaining element;

the fluid retaining element contains the second liquid; and is

The tube passes through the th container.

12. The liquid dispensing device of claim 11, wherein the th container is elastically deformable, and wherein deforming the th container causes the th liquid to flow through the opening in the end of the th container.

13. The liquid dispensing device of claim 12, wherein deforming the th container causes at least of:

portion of the th liquid flows through the opening in the end of the th container, and

preventing the second liquid from flowing through the opening in the th end of the tube of the second container.

14. The liquid dispensing device of claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the tube of the second container is elastically deformable, and wherein deforming the -th container causes the tube of the second container to deform and prevents the second liquid from flowing out of the opening in the -th end of the tube of the second container.

15. The liquid dispensing device of any , wherein suction is required at the opening in the end of the container in order to flow the th liquid out of the opening in the end of the container, for example wherein at least of:

suction at the opening in the end of the th container causes a predetermined amount of the th liquid to flow out of the opening in the end of the th container, and

suction is required at the opening in the th end of the tube of the second container in order to flow the second liquid out of the opening in the th end of the tube of the second container.

Technical Field

The present teachings relate to liquid dispensing apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively, to liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing different liquids.

Background

There is interest in being able to enhance the taste of tastants such as sugar (sucrose) and salt (sodium chloride) in order to provide an equivalent taste impression in foods and beverages but using lower addition levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends reducing salt and sugar intake in developed countries to 2g sodium and 50g sugar per person per day.

Examples of devices capable of containing and dispensing more than liquids are found in GB432400A, EP3033297a1, US2016114942A, EP1628885a1, CN2658077Y, EP2653405a1, CN202717089U and US 2007075079A.

Disclosure of Invention

Certain aspects and embodiments are set forth in the following claims.

Viewed from an aspect, the present teachings can provide an apparatus for containing and dispensing liquids that enhance the taste of tastants such as salt and sugar.

In certain methods, a liquid dispensing apparatus may be provided that includes a th container containing a th liquid, a th container having an opening in an end of a th container, a liquid dispensing apparatus further including a second container adjacent to a th container, the second container containing a second liquid, and the second container having an opening in an end of the second container, an opening in an end of the th container being proximate to the opening in the end of the second container, a th container and the second container separating a th liquid from the second liquid, a 3638 th liquid and a th liquid in the second liquid contain a tastant that is substantially absent or present in relatively different amounts, when the second liquid and the second liquid are poured from the apparatus, the arrangement of the th container and the second container and/or the opening in the end of the th container and the opening in the end of the second container may be present at a lower concentration than a threshold concentration of the second liquid, such that the second container may be present at a lower concentration "when the second liquid and the second liquid is poured from the apparatus," the opening of the second container substantially absent or absent "when the second liquid is present at least substantially absent, the opening in the second container, the opening of the second container is lower than the threshold concentration" when the second liquid is less than the threshold concentration "when the second liquid is present in the first container, the first container is less than the first container, the second container is less than the threshold concentration" when the first liquid is present in the first container, the first container is less than the second container 638, the second container is sensed at least one of the first container, the second container is sensed at least one of the second container₅₀A concentration of 10% of the value is present. EC (EC)₅₀In the case where the tastant is sucrose, "substantially absent" may be considered to be a concentration below 10mMTwo liquids of the same "amount of tastant may refer to two liquids having a tastant concentration that differs by at least 5%, such as at least 10%, such as at least 20%, such as at least 30%, such as at least 40%, and further such as at least 50%. In the context of the present invention, the meaning of the term "adjacent" includes side-by-side, but is not limited thereto.

In another specific method of , a liquid dispensing apparatus may be provided, the liquid dispensing apparatus including a th container, the th container holding an th liquid, the th container having an opening in an end of the th container, the liquid dispensing apparatus further including a second container adjacent the th container, the second container holding a second liquid, and the second container having an opening in an end of the second container, the opening in the end of the th container being proximate to the opening in the end of the second container, the curved sidewall of the th container also forming a curved sidewall of the second container, and the curved sidewall separating the th liquid from the second liquid, both of the th liquid and the second liquid containing an odorant that is substantially absent or present in relatively different amounts from the other kind of liquid, the curved sidewall preventing the second liquid from flowing out of the second container, such that when the second liquid and the second liquid are poured from the apparatus, the second liquid flows through the opening in the second container 5848 and begins to exit the second container at the end of the second container, the opening in the , such that flow of the second liquid begins to exit from the second container at the end of the .

In another specific method of , a liquid dispensing apparatus may be provided, the liquid dispensing apparatus including a th container, the th container holding a second 1 liquid, a th container having an opening in an end of a th container, the liquid dispensing apparatus further including a second container adjacent to a th container, the second container holding a second liquid, and the second container having an opening in an end of the second container, the opening in the end of the th container being proximate to the opening in the end of the second container, a th container and the second container separating a th liquid from the second liquid, of the th liquid and the second liquid containing an odorant that is substantially absent or present in relatively different amounts, the opening in the end of the th container includes a th valve, and the opening in the end of the second container includes a second valve, and the th and second valves are configured such that when the second liquid begins to flow through the second valve, the second valve 3684 starts flowing through the second valve, the second valve 3684, the second liquid starts flowing through the second valve 468 th container.

In another specific method , a liquid dispensing apparatus may be provided, the liquid dispensing apparatus including a th container, the th container holding a th liquid, the th container having an opening in an end of the th container, the liquid dispensing apparatus further including a second container, the second container including a tube and a fluid retaining element, the fluid retaining element holding the second liquid, the tube having an opening at an th end of the tube, and a second end of the tube within the fluid retaining element, the tube passing through an th container, the tube passing through an 356 th container, the opening in the end of the 6 th container being proximate to the opening at the th end of the tube of the second container, the th container and the second container separating the th liquid from the second liquid, the th liquid and the second container containing an odorant that is substantially absent or present in relatively different amounts in the fluid of the th container, the th container and the arrangement of the tube of the second container is such that when the liquid flows out of the second container from the openings of the 585 th container, the second container, the openings of the second container, the th container, the opening of the tube begins to flow of the second container.

Thereby, a liquid dispensing device is provided which is operable to sequentially dispense th liquid and a second liquid having different tastant concentrations for consumption by a user in a manner perceived by the user as a single continuous sip from the device.

Drawings

Various exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings:

figure 1 is a graph of sweetness intensity versus sugar content using a non-uniform distribution of sucrose to enhance sweetness in a single sip.

Figure 2 is a graph of bitterness intensity for different samples of caffeine distributed in a single sip.

Figure 3 is a graph of sweetness intensity versus sipping times for enhanced sweetness using unevenly distributed sucrose in a multiple sipping container.

Fig. 4A-4B are schematic cross-sectional views of an exemplary liquid dispensing apparatus.

Fig. 5A-5B are series schematic cross-sectional views of the exemplary liquid dispensing apparatus shown in fig. 4 in use.

Fig. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the exemplary liquid dispensing apparatus shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 7A-7B are schematic cross-sectional views of another exemplary liquid dispensing apparatuses.

Fig. 8A-8B are perspective views of the lid of the liquid dispensing device shown in fig. 7.

Fig. 9A-9B are schematic cross-sectional views of another exemplary liquid dispensing apparatuses.

Fig. 10A-10C are schematic cross-sectional views of series of the th container of the liquid dispensing device shown in fig. 9 in use.

Fig. 11 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the exemplary liquid dispensing apparatus shown in fig. 9.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure relates to liquid dispensing devices configured to hold and dispense a plurality of liquids having different tastant properties to dispense the liquids to a user, such as a consumer.

Different tastant characteristics, as between the th liquid and the second liquid, may be provided by or two of the liquids comprising tastants either in quantitative or relatively different amounts.a tastant may be sweet, salty, bitter, umami, sour or flavoured.a tastant may comprise more than components, for example a salty tastant may consist of potassium chloride and ammonium chloride.the ratio of the concentration of the tastant in the th liquid to the total concentration of the tastant in the beverage may be between 3:1 and 1.1: 1.for example, the th liquid may comprise a tastant that is not present in the second liquid, present in a smaller amount in the second liquid, or present in a relatively different amount in the second liquid, which may be applicable to tastants that users typically consider to be positive, while the th liquid may be absent or have a reduced amount of such tastant.

The total volume of th liquid and second liquid dispensed from the liquid dispensing apparatus in dispensing strokes may be less than or equal to the natural sipping volume, therefore, the natural sipping volume of the user may vary depending on factors such as gender, age, reservoir size, cup and straw sipping and order effects, but may be considered to be around 30ml (see, for example, dysphagia.2003summer; 18 (3)): 196) -202 (dysphagia, summer 2003, 18 th scroll, phase 3, page 196-202.) various examples of the present method provide that the liquid dispensing apparatus may dispense the liquid in such a way that the single use of the liquid dispensing apparatus dispenses of the th and second liquids, such that the user takes the portion of the beverage volume as a single drink.

As discussed in step below, there may be an overlap between ending the dispensing of the th liquid and beginning the dispensing of the second liquid.

The following 3 examples provide experimental data relating to sensory perception of sweetness and bitterness in single sips and multiple sips.