WO2004022435A2

WO2004022435A2 - Portable beverage container

Info

Publication number: WO2004022435A2
Application number: PCT/US2003/027205
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patrick Stokes
Original assignee: Mug Master, Inc.
Priority date: 2002-09-09
Filing date: 2003-08-29
Publication date: 2004-03-18
Also published as: US20040045973A1; AU2003268296A1; AU2003268296A8; WO2004022435A3

Abstract

A portable beverage container (10) that can be used separately or in combination with a beverage heater and cooler unit (20). The portable beverage container (10) includes a body (30) defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner (40) and liquid that can be set inside of the body of the container to hold liquids and the like. The body (30) has a handle (50) for easy grasping and also has a plurality of holes (60) on the bottom perimeter that correspond to raised air passage channels (32) formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner (40) and the inner wall (31) of the body (30), for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner (40).

Description

Portable Beverage Container

Background of the Invention

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable beverage container.

2. Description of the Related Art

Portable beverage coolers and dispensers are well-known in the related art. These beverage coolers generally have an insulation capability, as well as being easy to hold and easy to drink from. There are also many cup holders and bases that are used with beverage coolers. These are also described in the related art.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,461 issued to Holzwarth, et al., outlines a holder for cups and more particularly to a one-piece nestable holder for disposable flexible walled cups, generally made of paper, which are commonly used in the dispensing of potable liquids, ice cream and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,795 issued to D'Ercoli, outlines thin-walled, plastic cups or containers of the expendable kind for receiving hot or cold beverages, food and the like, and providing a reusable supporting holder for the cups or containers.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,023 issued to Jeff, relates to an insulated mug with a detachable flexible retainer that can function as both an insulated holder of a beverage can and as a normal drinking vessel.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,415 issued to Lombness, outlines a holder for keeping a can or bottle beverage container cold. The holder includes a cup-shaped base of an inside diameter sufficient to accommodate the outside diameter of the beverage container. A cylindrical upper portion is provided, having both ends open, one end being snap connectable to the base, and an inside diameter which matches the outside diameter of the beverage container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,159 issued to Stokes, outlines an apparatus for chilling the contents of a beverage container, and for dispensing these contents through a faucet formed integrally to the apparatus. A further feature of the apparatus is that the beverage container is opened and fastened to the apparatus, so that the beverage can be dispensed upon demand by operating the faucet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes, also outlines an apparatus for chilling the contents of a beverage container, and for dispensing the contents through a faucet formed integrally to the apparatus. A further feature of the apparatus is that the beverage container is opened and fastened to the apparatus, so that the beverage can be dispensed upon demand by operating the faucet. Alternatively, the beverage container is supported by the apparatus so as to be easily and repeatedly removed from, and returned to the apparatus.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,353 issued to Ward, et al., outlines the use of a drinking cup device which includes a drinking cup having an open top and a base. A storage portion may be connected and disconnected from the base of the cup portion. A cylindrical shoulder on the cup portion base mates with an open top on the storage portion. A removable lid has an upper side and a lower side. The upper side of the lid receives either the cup portion base or the storage portion.

Although each of the outlined patents describe a useful invention, the invention outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes, is particularly useful. This invention and others like it, can be further improved by providing a portable beverage container that can quickly chill or heat the contents of the portable beverage container while keeping the outer layer of the portable beverage container at a comfortable ambient temperature for easy and comfortable handling.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a base cover providing vacuum seal to beverage cooler and dispenser solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Summary of the Invention The invention is a portable beverage container, that can be used separately or in combination with a beverage heater and cooler unit. The portable beverage container includes a body defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner and liquid that can be set inside of the body of the container to hold liquids and the like. The body has a handle for easy grasping and also has a plurality of holes on the bottom perimeter that correspond to raised air passage channels formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner and the inner wall of the body, for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved portable beverage container with a thermally conductive inner liner and an insulating thermally conductive outer liner.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved portable beverage container with a thermally conductive bottom that allows for thermal conductivity from a heating or cooling element.

It is a further object of the invention to allow for the heating and cooling of an improved portable beverage container while keeping [the] an insulating thermally conductive outer layer at a temperature that is easy for a user to handle. It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable beverage container used in combination with a heating/cooling element, according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of a portable beverage container.

Fig. 3 is an exploded front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4. is a cross sectional view of Fig. 2 along line 3-3, showing the bottom portion of the portable beverage container.

Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of a portable beverage container.

Fig. 6 is an exploded front perspective view of a second embodiment of a portable beverage container.

Fig. 7 is an exploded front perspective view of the third embodiment of a portable beverage container.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the present invention is an improved portable beverage container 10. More specifically, the improved beverage container 10 is an improvement of the beverage container used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes. The improved portable beverage container 10 has been modified to be a stand-alone portable beverage container that is also easier to use in a dishwasher, without having to worry about any debris being formed on the bottom of the improved portable beverage container 10. The improved portable beverage container 10 also has improved air circulation around the generally cylindrical cup liner 40, as is discussed later in this application.

In one embodiment, the portable beverage container 10 comprises a body 30 defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner 40 and liquid (not shown) that can be set inside of the body 30 of the portable beverage container 10 to hold liquids and the like, the body 30 also having a handle 50 for grasping. The body 30 also has a plurality of holes on the bottom perimeter 60 that correspond to raised air passage channels (not shown) formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner 40 and the inner wall of the body 30 for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner 40. The generally cylindrical cup liner 40 has threads 70 protruding from the top of the cylindrical cup liner 40 to accommodate the inner threading 82 of a top cover 80 that can be twisted onto and off of the top of the cylindrical cup liner 40. The top cover 80 has a spring-loaded dispenser aperture 84 to pour and distribute liquid from the inside of the generally cylindrical cup liner 40. These features are depicted in Fig. 2, which also includes a twist on the bottom cover 90, attached to the bottom of the body 30.

In an alternate embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the portable beverage container 10 utilizes the top cover 41 which has a dispenser aperture 44 and tab 46 to pour and distribute liquid from the inside of the cylindrical cup liner 31. There is also a ventilation hole 43 provided on the top cover 41. A second tab 48 can also be used to "pop open" the top cover 41 by hand as well.

As shown in Fig. 2, the portable beverage container 10 allows for the contents of the portable beverage container 10 to be heated sufficiently to brew coffee, tea or other similar heated beverages using a heater/cooler unit 20. The portable beverage container 10 protects a user from heat from the generally cylindrical cup liner 40. The inner lining of the generally cylindrical cup liner 40 is made of thermally conductive material, such as aluminum or stainless steel, which the exterior body 30 is made of thermally resistive material, such as thermoplastic, which is well-known to those that are skilled in the related art. The inner lining of the generally cylindrical cup liner 40 can be heated or cooled easily, which the body 30 remains at a comfortable, ambient temperature for the user. This is because the portable beverage container 10 body 30 is made of material that prevents the transfer and conduction of thermal energy from the generally cylindrical cup liner 40.

Fig. 4 depicts a bottom cover 90 that can be twisted onto the bottom of the body 30 of the portable beverage container 10, while allowing a user to align the plurality of the holes 60 with the holes provided on the bottom cover 90. When the bottom cover 90 is turned and positioned so that the plurality of holes 60 are not aligned with the holes provided on the bottom cover 90, a vacuum seal is formed on the bottom of the body 30. This arrangement is particularly useful to a user, because such an arrangement does not allow debris to accumulate in the holes of the bottom cover 90 or the plurality of holes 60 on the bottom of the body 30. It should also be noted that the bottom cover 90 is also made of thermally conductive material, such as aluminum or stainless steel, so as to thermally conduct heat or cold up into the thermally conductive generally cylindrical cup liner 40 and its contents. The portable beverage container 10 can accommodate a variety of other type of bottom covers 90. The portable beverage container 10 can accommodate a solid bottom cover (not shown) with a twist-on bottom cap that can be twisted onto and off of the bottom of the body 30. Similarly, the portable beverage container 10 can also accommodate a fitted snap-on bottom cap (not shown) for the bottom of the body 30 that can be twisted onto and off of or snapped off by hand.

Fig. 5 shows a closer view of one embodiment generally cylindrical cup liner 31. There are a minimum of 3 raised air passage channels 32, which make contact with the inner wall of the body 30, which form air passage and circulation channels (not shown) that surround the generally cylindrical cup liner 31. Air can flow form the plurality of holes 24 on the bottom of the body 30 to allow circulating air. If a snap-on bottom cap 50 is applied, then air is blocked from the outside, and the air circulating is caught in a closed system around the improved portable beverage container 10. Fig. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the improved portable beverage container 10.

Many individual components from the first embodiment 10 are identical to the second embodiment 100, such as a body 30 defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner 31 and liquid that can be set inside the body 30 of the container 10 to hold liquids and the like, the body having a handle 22 for easy handling. The body 20 also has a plurality of holes 24 on the bottom perimeter of the body 30, that correspond to raised air passage channels 32 formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner 30 and the inner wall of the body 30 for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner 30.

As shown in Fig. 3, in one embodiment, the portable beverage container 10, also has a generally cylindrical cup liner 31 having threads protruding 34 from the top of the generally cylindrical cup liner 30 to accommodate the inner threading of a top cover 41 that can be twisted onto and off of the top of the generally cylindrical cup liner 31. The top cover 41 has a dispenser aperture 44 to pour and distribute liquid from the inside of the generally cylindrical cup liner 31. The improved portable beverage container 10, utilizes the top cover 41 which has a dispenser aperture 44 and tab 46 to pour and distribute liquid from the inside of the cylindrical cup liner 31. A second tab 48 can also be used to "pop open" the top cover 41 by hand as well.

As shown in Fig. 6, one embodiment of the invention utilizes a twist-on bottom cap 60 for the bottom of the body 30 that can be twisted onto and off of the bottom of the body 20. The twist-on bottom cap 60 also forms a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body 30 with the twist-on bottom cap 60 and is provided with the slip-resistant material (not shown) on its outside surface. The inside bottom 64 of the twist-on bottom cap 60 can press right-up against the plurality of holes (not visible on Fig. 3) to form a vacuum seal. The twist-on bottom cap 60 also has interlocking threads 62 on the inside of the twist-on bottom cap 60 to mate with the threads 26 provided on the outside of the body 20. These threads are arranged to serve as a stopping mechanism after only a few turns clockwise or counter-clockwise.

As shown in Fig. 4, one embodiment utilizes a combination twist-on and fitted snap- on bottom cap 70 for the bottom of the body 30 that can be twisted onto and off of or snapped onto or off of the bottom of the body 30, forming a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body 30. In other words, this embodiment can be screwed on and off. A raised button 72 and corresponding aperture 74 on the combination bottom cap 70 and outer threads 76 on the outer body 30. These threads are also arranged to serve as a stopping mechanism after only a few turns clockwise or counterclockwise. Slip-resistant material is also provided on the outside surface of the combination bottom cap 70.

Preferably, the improved portable beverage containers are dishwasher safe and are made of aluminum, stainless steel or sturdy thermoplastic material. The containers are also easily manipulated by the user by hand and can also operate with the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes.

In one embodiment, the portable beverage container 10 is approximately 9" high and 4" wide at its top diameter. The portable beverage container 10 and its components are durable and reusable and are dishwasher safe. The portable beverage container 10 can be also easily manipulated by the user by hand and can also operate with the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,496 issued to Stokes.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

ClaimsI claim:

1. A portable beverage container, comprising:

a body defining a receptacle therein for containing a generally cylindrical cup liner and liquid that can be set inside of the body of the container to hold liquids and the like, said body having a handle for easy grasping;

said body also having a plurality of holes on the bottom perimeter that correspond to raised air passage channels formed between the outside of the generally cylindrical cup liner and the inner wall of the body for increased air flow around the generally cylindrical cup liner; and

said generally cylindrical cup liner having threads protruding from the top of the cylindrical cup liner to accommodate the inner threading of a top cover that can be twisted onto and off of the top of the cylindrical cup liner, said top cover has a spring-loaded dispenser aperture to pour and distribute liquid from the inside of the cylindrical cup liner.

2. The portable beverage container, according to claim 1, wherein a fitted snap-on bottom cap for the bottom of the body is provided, forming a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body.

3. The portable container, according to claim 1, wherein a twist-on bottom cap for the bottom of the body that can be twisted onto and off of the bottom of the body is provided, forming a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body with the twist-on bottom cap.

4. The portable container, according to claim 1, wherein a combination twist-on and fitted snap-on bottom cap for the bottom of the body that can be twisted onto and off of or snapped onto or off of the bottom of the body is provided, forming a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body.

5. The portable container, according to claim 1, wherein said body is made of material that prevents the transfer and conduction of thermal energy.

6. The portable container, according to claim 5, wherein said body is made of thermoplastic.

7. The portable container, according to claim 1, wherein said generally cylindrical cup liner and bottom cover are made of material that easily transfers and conducts thermal energy.

8. The portable container, according to claim 7, wherein said generally cylindrical cup liner and bottom cover are made of aluminum.

9. The portable container, according to claim 7, wherein said generally cylindrical cup liner and bottom cover are made of stainless steel.

10. A portable beverage container used in combination with a beverage heater and cooler unit, comprising:

11. The portable beverage container, according to claim 10, wherein a fitted snap-on bottom cap for the bottom of the body is provided, forming a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body.

12. The portable container, according to claim 10, wherein a twist-on bottom cap for the bottom of the body that can be twisted onto and off of the bottom of the body is provided, forming a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body with the twist-on cap.

13. The portable container, according to claim 10, wherein a combination twist-on and fitted snap-on bottom cap for the bottom of the body that can be twisted onto and off of or snapped onto or off of the bottom of the body is provided, forming a vacuum seal on the bottom of the body.

14. The portable container, according to claim 10, wherein said body is made of material that prevents the transfer and conduction of thermal energy.

15. The portable container, according to claim 14, wherein said body is made of thermoplastic.

16. The portable container, according to claim 10, wherein said generally cylindrical cup liner and bottom cover are made of material that easily transfers and conducts thermal energy.

17. The portable container, according to claim 16, wherein said generally cylindrical cup liner and bottom cover are made of aluminum.

18. The portable container, according to claim 16, wherein said generally cylindrical cup liner and bottom cover are made of stainless steel.

19. A portable container system comprising:

a body defining a receptacle therein and a bottom perimeter, the bottom perimeter having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough;

a cup liner disposed in the receptacle of the body, the cup liner and the body defining a plurality of air passages therebetween; and

a bottom cover rotatively coupled to the bottom perimeter, the bottom cover having a plurality of second apertures correspondingly positioned to the apertures on the bottom perimeter, the bottom cover being rotated to seal the apertures or to align the apertures with the corresponding second apertures.

20. The system of claim 19 and further comprising a heating/cooling unit.