AU2004101073B4

AU2004101073B4 - A Beverage Container Holder

Info

Publication number: AU2004101073B4
Application number: AU2004101073A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kerry William O'Hanlon
Original assignee: KERRY O HANLON
Current assignee: KERRY O HANLON
Priority date: 2004-12-21
Filing date: 2004-12-21
Publication date: 2005-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 2012-12-21
Also published as: AU2004101073A4; CN101080186A; WO2006066329A1

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT Name of Applicant: Address for Service: Invention Title: Kerry William O'Hanlon CULLEN CO Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street Brisbane Qld 4000 Australian A Beverage Container Holder The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it, known to me: 2

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(N Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to beverage container holders for receiving and extending around beverage containers such as bottles and cans.

Although the invention will be described with particular reference to particular types of beverage container holders it will appreciated that this is by way of example only and that the invention may be used in relation to other types of beverage 0container holders.

0 Background Art 0 10 Beverage container holders are often used for thermally insulating beverage containers such as cans and bottles so that the contents of the beverage containers remains cooler for longer. Such beverage container holders are typically made from materials such as polystyrene or neoprene rubber which have thermal insulating properties.

A typical beverage container holder is made from neoprene rubber and includes a sleeve member and an end member which covers a lower opening of the sleeve member. The sleeve member is adapted to fit over a lower portion of a beverage container such as a can or a bottle such that the sleeve member extends around the beverage container.

Beverage container holders often have information such as logos, pictures, or text messages printed on the exterior surfaces thereof for the purpose of promoting products, ideas and organisations which are associated in some way with the printed information. Such beverage container holders are often used in hotels and at social functions for promotional purposes.

Because beverage container holders are often used for promotional purposes, it would be desirable to have a beverage container holder which is able to attract more attention than existing beverage container holders so that information such as a company logo which is printed on the holder may receive more exposure.

Object of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least ameliorate, 3 one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art mentioned above, or to provide the consumer with a useflul or commercial choice.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying illustrations, wherein, by way of illustration and example, a preferred embodiment of Cfl the present invention is disclosed.

o According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a beverage o container holder for receiving and extending around a beverage container such as a o can or a bottle. The beverage container holder comprises at least one light source for to1 emitting light which is visible from the exterior of the holder.

The light sources may draw attention to information which is displayed on an exterior surface of the beverage container holder such as a logo, advertisement, picture, or text. The beverage container holder is particularly suitable for use as a promotional item for promoting products, organisations, ideas, or other subject matter which is associated with the information displayed on the exterior surface.

The beverage container holder may be of any type which is suitable for receiving and extending around a beverage container such as a can or a bottle.

Preferably, the beverage container holder is generally in the form of a sleeve which is able to receive a lower portion of a beverage container such as a can or bottle so that the sleeve extends around the beverage container.

The beverage container holder may be constructed from any suitable material or combination of materials such as polystyrene, plastic, or neoprene rubber.

In a particular preferred form, the beverage container holder includes a sleeve member and an end member which are both made from neoprene rubber. The end member is secured relative to the sleeve member such that a lower end opening of the sleeve member is substantially covered by the end member.

Any suitable light source or combination of light sources may be used. For example, the light sources may include a light bulb, light emitting diode, electroluminescent wire, or fibre optic cable. However, in the preferred form, the light sources are in the form of a plurality of light emitting diodes, If the beverage container holder includes a plurality of light sources it is *4

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preferred that each light source is able to emit a different coloured light to the other light sources.

The light sources are preferably powered by at least one battery. In the preferred form, the light sources are powered by a pair of 1.5 volt batteries which are connected in series to provide an output of 3 volts.

Preferably, the beverage container holder also includes a switch which is O operable to connect the light sources to the power supply. The switch is preferably a Opush-button operated switch.

oThe beverage container holder also preferably includes a flashing circuit for 0 10 flashing the light sources. If there is a plurality of light sources the flashing circuit may flash all or only some of the light sources. Preferably, the beverage container holder includes a flashing circuit which is able to flash the light sources in a sequential manner.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying illustrations, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective of a beverage container holder according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side perspective of the beverage container holder of figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the beverage container holder of figure 1 which depicts a circuit board of the holder; Figure 4 depicts the interior of the beverage container holder of figure 1 when viewed through an upper opening of the holder; Figure 5 is a front elevation of a beverage container holder according to a second embodiment of the present invention which includes a picture of a stylised face on an exterior surface thereof; Figure 6 depicts the beverage container holder of figure 5 when light sources of the holder are illuminated; Figure 7 depicts an interior surface of an outer layer of neoprene rubber

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0 which forms part of the sleeve member of the beverage container holder of figure Figure 8 depicts how the outer layer illustrated in figure 7 is secured to an inner layer of neoprene rubber which also forms part of the sleeve member of the beverage container holder of figure Figure 9 illustrates the assembly of the sleeve member of the beverage container holder of figure 5 after the inner and outer layers thereof have been secured 0 together; and 0 Figure 10 is a plan view of the beverage container holder of figure 0 0 10 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment A beverage container holder 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is depicted in figures 1 to 4 of the illustrations.

The beverage container holder 10 includes a sleeve member 11 and a circular end member 12. A lower end opening of the sleeve member 11 is substantially blocked by the circular end member 12 which is fixed to an interior surface 13 of the sleeve member 11 with an adhesive.

The sleeve member 11 is formed from a rectangular strip of neoprene rubber whose ends are sown together along a seam 14 to thereby form the member 11.

The circular end member 12 is also made from neoprene rubber, and the edge thereof is fixed to the interior surface 13 of the sleeve member 11 so that the end opening of the member 11 is thereby substantially blocked by the end member 12.

The end member 12 includes a small drainage opening The dimensions of the sleeve member 11 and the elasticity of the neoprene rubber from which the sleeve and end members 11, 12 are made are such that the sleeve member 11 is able to receive and extend around a beverage container such as a bottle or can.

An exterior surface 16 of the sleeve member 11 has information 17 printed thereon. The information 17 is in the form of a logo which includes the word "WATERHOLE" with the letters of the word spaced apart from each other at regular intervals.

A respective light emitting diode (LED) 18 is located between the letters: 6 0"W" and and and and and of the word "WATERHOLE" which forms part of the logo printed on the exterior surface 16 of the sleeve member 11. Each diode 18 is received by a respective opening in the sleeve member 11 and is secured relative to the sleeve member 11 such that each diode 18 is visible on the exterior surface 16 of the sleeve member 11. Each diode 18 Cfl is able to emit a different coloured light to the other diodes 18.

o The beverage container holder 10 also includes an elongate circuit board 19 o having a push-button-operated switch 20 and a pair of 1.5 volt batteries 21 secured S thereto. The batteries are connected in series to provide a 3 volt power supply. The switch 20 and batteries 21 are connected to each other and to the diodes 18 by wires 22 to form an electrical circuit. The electrical circuit also includes flashing circuitry (not depicted) so that when the push-button of switch 20 is operated to close the switch 20 the diodes 18 continuously flash in a sequential manner such that the diode 18 between the letters and flashes first followed by the diode between the letters and and so on. The flashing diodes 18 draw attention to the beverage container holder 10 and, more particularly, to the information 17 on the exterior surface 16 of the holder 10. The diodes 18 cease flashing if the push-button of the switch 20 is operated to open the switch The circuit board 19 is fixed in an elongate recess 23 in the interior of the sleeve member I I such that the push-button of the switch 20 faces towards the exterior of the sleeve member I11 and is located adjacent the upper opening of the sleeve member 11. This enables the push-button of the switch 20 to be operated by pressing against the exterior surface 16 of the sleeve member 11 at a location thereon which coincides with the location of the push-button. Operating instructions and an indicator which indicates the location of the push-button are printed on the exterior surface 16.

The beverage container holder 10 functions as a cooler which insulates the beverage container.

A beverage container holder 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is depicted in figure 5. For convenience, features of the holder which correspond with features of the holder 10 are referenced using the same 7 0 reference numbers.

Similarly to the beverage container holder 10, the holder 3 0 includes a sleeve member 11I and an end member 12 which are both made from neoprene rubber. The sleeve member 11I of holder 30 also includes an interior surface 13, seam 14, exterior surface 16, and information 17 which is printed on the exterior surface 16.

Cfl Information 17 is in the form of a stylised smiling face in a circle. The O smiling face includes a pair of eyes 3 1, a nose 3 2, and a mouth 3 3.

O A plurality of light emitting diodes 18 are fixed to the sleeve member 11I in a similar manner to the diodes 18 of the holder 10 such that the diodes 18 are visible on 010 the exterior surface 16 of the sleeve member 11. Figure 6 depicts the diodes 18 in an illuminated state. It can be seen from figure 6 that a respective diode 18 is located coincident with each eye 31 and the nose 32, and five diodes 18 are located along the mouth 33.

Figure 7 depicts an inner surface 34 of an outer layer 35 of the sleeve member 11I of the beverage container holder 30. The outer surface of the outer layer which is not visible in figure 7 forms the exterior surface 16 of the sleeve member 11. The diodes 18 are fixed to the outer layer 35 and each diode 18 is inserted into a respective opening in the outer layer 35 from the inner surface 34 thereof so that the diodes 18 are visible on the exterior surface 16 of the sleeve member 11.

A circuit board 19 of the holder 30 includes a push-button operated switch and a pair of 1. 5 volt batteries 2 1. The batteries 21 arc connected in series to form a 3 volt power source. The circuit board 19 is fixed to the inner surface 34 of the outer layer 35. The switch 20 and batteries 21 are connected to each other and to the diodes 18 by wires 22 to form an electrical circuit. The electrical circuit also includes flashing circuitry (not depicted) so that when the push-button of switch 20 is operated to close the switch 20 the diodes 18 continuously flash. The flashing diodes 18 draw attention to the beverage container holder 30 and, more particularly, to the information 17 on the exterior surface 16 of the holder 30. The diodes cease flashing if the push-button of the switch 20 is operated to open the switch Once the circuitry including the diodes 18, circuit board 19, and wires 22 has been secured relative to the outer layer 35 of neoprene rubber, an inner layer 36 of 8 0 neoprene rubber is fixed to the inner surface 34 of the outer layer 35 with glue as depicted in figure 8. Both the outer layer 35 and the inner layer 36 have a thickness of mm.

After the inner layer 36 has been glued to the outer layer 35, the ends of the resultant sheet of neoprene rubber are glued together as depicted in figure 9 to form Cf the seam 14 of the cylindrical member 11 of the beverage container holder 30. The O edge of the circular end member 12 is then glued to the interior surface 13 of the Osleeve member 11 adjacent the lower opening thereof A plan view of the holder 30 is Odepicted in figure Throughout the specification and the claims (if any), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to apply the inclusion of the stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Throughout the specification and claims (if any), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications to the invention described herein will be apparent without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The variations and modifications as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.

Claims

1. A thermally insulating stubby cooler for receiving, extending around and thermally insulating a beverage container such as a can or a bottle, the cooler comprising at least one light source for emitting light which is visible from the n exterior of the holder. o

2. The thermally insulating stubby cooler of claim 1 further including a flashing ocircuit for flashing at least one of the light sources.

3. The thermally insulating stubby cooler of any one of the preceding claims, owherein the light sources are selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, electroluminescent wire, and fibre optic cable.

4. The thermally insulating stubby cooler of any one of the preceding claims further including a switch operable to connect an electrical power supply to the light sources. A thermally insulating stubby cooler for receiving and extending around a beverage container such as a can or bottle, the cooler being substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 to 4; or figures 5 to 10 of the accompanying illustrations. DATED this 26" h day of July 2005 KERRY WILLIAM O'HANLON By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.