AU773814B2 - A container - Google Patents

Description

WO 01/09005 PCT/AU00/00911 TITLE: A CONTAINER TECHNICAL FIELD: The present invention relates to an improved type of container. The container is suitable for holding a beverage, but is not limited thereto.

BACKGROUND ART: According to French patent number 9513480 a champagne bottle has been modified to allow a musical device to be affixed to the base of the bottle.

The champagne bottle has a base which is recessed and the musical device is affixed to the bottom of the bottle in the recessed area, so that it does not affect the stability of the bottle when it is placed on a flat surface.

According to the French patent, the champagne bottle with the musical device affixed in the aforementioned manner, plays a pleasant tune when the bottle is lifted and tilted.

The present invention provides an alternative type of container which allows it to be used as a percussive instrument.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a bottle including a first chamber and a second chamber, the second chamber being sealed from the first chamber and containing percussion means, the first chamber being suitable for receipt of contents of the bottle and including a neck portion having a removable closure at an open end thereof, the neck portion being formed substantially in the shape of a handle suitable to permit the bottle to be shaken as a percussion instrument.

The first chamber may further include a body portion formed adjacent to an end of the neck portion opposed to the open end. Preferably the body portion encloses a volume substantially larger than the volume enclosed by the neck portion. It is preferred that the second chamber be located adjacent to the first chamber at an end of the portion opposed to the neck portion. In preferred 20 embodiments the neck portion extends from the body portion and has a narrow profile with respect to the body portion so as to define a handle whereby the neck S portion may be grasped to allow the bottle to be shaken as a percussion ***instrument.

Preferably, the first chamber and second chamber together form an 25 exterior surface of the bottle. The body portion may be formed into a substantially bulbous shape, and the neck portion may be tapered such that the perimeter of the neck portion is smaller near the end adjacent to the body portion than at the opening. It is particularly preferred that the bottle be shaped like a maraca.

The first chamber may be included in a first part of the bottle, and the second chamber included in a second part. The first and second parts may be removably connected together. Preferably, the second part includes a base portion which acts as a support for the first part. In preferred embodiments the first part includes a connecting means provided on a base portion of the first part, and the second part preferably includes a coupling means adapted to couple to the connecting means of the first part. It is preferred that the base portion of the first part be substantially concave.

In some embodiments, the connecting means includes a downwardly directed protrusion adapted to connect with a corresponding female portion of a coupling means of the second part. Alternatively, the connecting means may include a structure which is a snap fit with a complementary structure on the second part.

In preferred embodiments, the bottle includes a bulbous lower end, which lower end includes the second chamber and a large proportion of the first chamber. It is preferred that said large proportion of the first chamber occupies a major part of the bulbous lower end of the bottle.

The percussion means is preferably particulate matter, for example ball bearings, plastic beads and/or ceramic beads, such that when the bottle is shaken noise is created by the motion thereof.

Advantageously, the first chamber may be used to contain a liquid.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

S BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS •go• 20 Figure 1 shows a front view of a bottle according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows an angled front view of a first part of the bottle shown in Figure 1.

*..*Figure 3 shows an angled top view of a second part of the bottle shown in Figure 1.

25 Figure 4 shows a top view of the second part.

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0.0* .0 0 0 WO 01/09005 PCT/AU00/00911 Figure 5 shows a side view of the second part.

Figure 6 shows a front view of the first part according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 shows a front view of the first part according to another embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION: As shown in Figure I a bottle in accordance with the preferred embodiment is shaped like a maraca.

The handle 11 of the bottle 10 flares upwardly and outwardly. A screw-on cap 12 may be fitted to the mouth of the bottle The neck 11 of the bottle 10 extends upwardly from a generally round shaped main chamber 14.

The main chamber 14 has a base 15 as shown in Figure 2.

A spigot 16 extends downwardly from the centre of this base 15 and is provided with an external thread 17.

The spigot 16 is adapted to screw into a hole 18 with threaded internal peripheral walls adapted to permit the spigot 16 to be screwed there into.

The percussion part 20 according to the present embodiment of the invention has a generally flat top surface 21 and has a generally bowl shaped outer peripheral surface with a slightly convex base 23.

According to an alternative preferred form of the invention which is not illustrated in the drawings, the base 15 and the percussion part 20 carry complementary structures which provide for a snap fit between the parts 15 and WO 01/09005 PCT/AU00/00911 -6- Percussion beads or ball bearings are adapted to be placed inside the hollow percussion part 20 and the percussion beads may be sealed off inside the percussion part 20 prior to attachment of the percussion part 20 to the spigot 16. Once the percussion part 20 is screwed onto the spigot 16 the two parts may be permanently connected together by suitably gluing the opposing faces 14 and 21 of the main chamber 14 and the percussion part As shown in Figure 7 and Figure 6 the size of the main chamber may vary, with the main chamber being larger in the bottle of Figure 7 compared to that of the bottle shown in Figure 6.

It is intended that in use the bottle be filled with a beverage or other substance and that once the substance has been removed the bottle can then be shaken like a maraca. It is also possible that the bottle can be used as a maraca prior to removal of the contents from it. However it is preferred that the beverage is removed firstly to prevent accidental spillage of the beverage from within the container and secondly to ensure the best possible simulation of a maraca.

Variations may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the overall concept. For example the percussion part of the bottle could be provided in the form of a specially shaped container which is merely stuck to the bottom of the bottle.

Furthermore the percussion part could be in the form of a ring which is attached to the outside of the main chamber of the bottle. The ring could be in the form of a toroid or similar shaped structure which may be placed over the neck of the bottle.

According to another variation of the present invention the bottle could be made with two chambers formed therein and a small hole to the chamber housing the percussion beads to enable the percussion beads to be placed therein.

Once the percussion beads are inside the percussion bead chamber, the small opening could then be sealed.

WO 01/09005 PCT/AU00/00911 -7- According to yet another embodiment of the invention which is not shown in the drawings, the cap 12 includes a teat for excretion of contents from the container.

Variations and modifications can be made in respect of the invention described above and defined in the following statement of claims.

Claims (22)

1. A bottle including a first chamber and a second chamber, the second chamber being sealed from the first chamber and containing percussion means, the first chamber being suitable for receipt of contents of the bottle and including a neck portion having a removable closure at an open end thereof, the neck portion being formed substantially in the shape of a handle suitable to permit the bottle to be shaken as a percussion instrument.

2. A bottle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first chamber further includes a body portion formed adjacent to an end of the neck portion opposed to the open end, the body portion enclosing a volume substantially larger than the volume enclosed by the neck portion.

3. A bottle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first chamber further includes a body portion formed adjacent to an end of the neck portion opposed to the open end, the neck portion extending from the body portion and having a narrow profile with respect to the body portion to define a handle whereby the neck portion may be grasped to allow the bottle to be shaken as a percussion instrument. *go*

4. A bottle as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the second chamber is located adjacent to the first chamber at an end of the body portion opposed to the neck portion. 0000

5. A bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first chamber and second chamber together form an exterior surface of the bottle.

6. A bottle as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the body portion is 000* formed into a substantially bulbous shape.

7. A bottle as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the neck portion is tapered such that the perimeter of the neck portion is smaller near the end adjacent to the body portion than at the open end.

8. A bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and which is shaped like a maraca.

9. A bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including a first part including the first chamber and a second part including the second chamber.

A bottle as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first part is removably connected to the second part.

11. A bottle as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the second part includes a base portion which acts as a support for the first part.

12. A bottle as claimed in any one of the claims 9 to 11 wherein the first part includes a connecting means and wherein the connecting means is provided on a base portion of the first part.

13. A bottle as claimed in claim 12 wherein the base portion of the first part is substantially concave.

14. A bottle as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the second part includes a coupling means which is adapted to couple to the connecting means of the first part.

A bottle as claimed in claim 14 wherein the connecting means includes a downwardly directed protrusion which is adapted to connect with a female portion 0O@i of the coupling means of the second part. p.el

16. A bottle as claimed in claim 12 wherein the connecting means includes a structure which is a snap fit with a complementary structure on the second part.

17. A bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bottle includes a bulbous lower end, which lower end includes the second chamber and a large proportion of the first chamber.

18. A bottle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the large proportion of the first chamber occupies a major part of the bulbous lower end of the bottle.

19. A bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the percussion means includes particulate matter such that when the bottle is shaken noise is created by the motion thereof.

A bottle as claimed in claim 19 wherein the particulate matter includes any one or more of ball bearings, plastic beads and ceramic beads.

21. A bottle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first chamber contains a liquid.

22. A bottle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 31st day of March 2004 COOL PLASTICS PTY LTD oleo o" WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA RLT/MAS/AXO .ee