AU2019100149B4 - Improved hand-held beverage container with built-in storage compartment - Google Patents

Abstract

There is a hand-held beverage container having a refillable liquid holding chamber 1A for hydration of a user and a built-in storage compartment 4A for receipt of the user's personal items, said storage compartment when closed being shaped to merge into the overall contour ofsaid container.

Description

Invention Title: IMPROVED HAND-HELD BEVERAGE CONTAINER WITH BUILT-IN STORAGE COMPARTMENT

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing known to me.

2019100149 13 Feb 2019

This invention relates to beverage containers or dispensers. More particularly, although not exclusively, it discloses a multifunctional hand-held beverage container capable of storing personal items.

For some time people have realised the need for adequate hydration. It is therefore common for school children to carry a drink or beverage container when playing outdoors. Similarly, adults when engaging in strenuous work or recreational activities often carry water bottles for hydration. Such bottles come in various sizes and shapes and are typically formed from plastic or aluminium with a spout, nozzle or removable screw cap for drinking. In addition to these drink containers many persons also find it necessary to include in their kit an additional case, purse or the like to secure small personal items such as keys and/or small change. With schoolchildren items such as stationery and/or lunch money for example also need to be safety stored where they can be easily located and accessed.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a drink container with additional functional capabilities to better fulfill the above needs.

Accordingly a hand-held beverage container having a primary refillable liquid holding chamber for hydration of a user and a built-in storage compartment for receipt of the user’s personal items is disclosed, said storage compartment when closed being integrated with and shaped to merge into the overall contours of said container.

Preferably the shape of the beverage container mimics that of a conventional drink bottle with a rotund liquid holding chamber whose upper part forms into an outlet neck. The neck is adapted to receive a removable closure such as a screw cap for accessing the beverage.

2019100149 13 Feb 2019

It is further preferred that the storage compartment is elongated, is formed within a cavity in a side wall of the liquid holding chamber and is adapted to receive personal items such as car keys, loose change or school stationery items.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention it is preferred that said storage compartment is accessed via a sliding cover which, when closed, is shaped to merge with the exterior of the beverage container.

It is further preferred that said cover is slidable along the length of the container between open and closed positions.

It is further preferred that inwardly curved edges of said cover slidably engage in channels formed along the sides of the storage compartment.

It is further preferred that an end of the cover is formed with a catch mechanism to releasably hold said cover at the closed position.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention the storage compartment is preferably accessed by a slot in a close fitting flexible sleeve which encases at least a portion of said liquid holding chamber and forms part of said beverage container.

It is further preferred that said slot is formed with a zippered closure which when sealed merges into the shape of said beverage container.

One currently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which:Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beverage container according to a first embodiment of the invention with the storage

2019100149 13 Feb 2019 compartment open,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container of figure 1 with the storage compartment closed,

Figure 3 is an end view of the container of figure 2,

Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the container along the line A-A of figure 3,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a beverage container in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention without the flexible sleeve fitted,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the flexible sleeve with zippered closure,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the beverage container of figure 5 with the flexible sleeve fitted, and

Figure 8 is a bottom view of the beverage container of figure 7.

Referring first to figure 1 the beverage container may comprise an elongated liquid holding chamber 1 with a threaded spout 2 to receive a closure cap (not shown). In accordance with the invention an outer sidewall of this chamber is formed into a cavity which with this embodiment extends along a substantial portion of the container length between raised end walls 3 to define a storage compartment 4 as described in more detail hereunder. These end walls 3 may be solid or, as with this embodiment, hollow to form part of the liquid chamber 1 and thereby maximise its capacity. There is a cover 5 which is shaped to

2019100149 13 Feb 2019 closely follow the curvature of the end walls and, when closed, merge into the overall rounded contour of the container. This cover is slidable by means of inwardly turned edges 6 which engage in channels 7 formed along the sides of the compartment 4. Preferably there is also a catch mechanism 8 of any suitable design which is moulded into the container housing to releasably hold the cover 5 closed to prevent spillage of any items placed in the storage compartment.

A beverage container according to this invention is used in the usual way for hydration. It has however the added function of a handy storage compartment. For gym users or beachgoers this can be used to temporarily store car keys, loose change or the like. With school students the storage compartment is preferably also sized to hold stationery items such as writing instruments, rulers etc. In this latter case it is preferred, although not essential, that the storage compartment is secured by the sliding cover which only closes about 75% of the way so as to mimic a pencil tin. This assists students by ensuring that all stationery is accessible with active use of the beverage container.

With the second embodiment of figures 5 to 8 components of the beverage container corresponding in function to items in the first embodiment are identified by the same numbers with the addition of the letter A to differentiate them. In this case the sides of the storage compartment 4A are smooth without channels, there is no sliding cover and no catch mechanism fitted. Instead there is a flexible sleeve 9 which is shaped to be a close snug fit over the liquid holding chamber 1A as best shown in figure 7. In particular the sleeve 9 bridges across the end walls 3A to define a storage compartment 4A therebetween. The sleeve 9 is aligned so that a zippered closure 10 is positioned over the storage compartment 4A. Unzipping the closure as also shown in figure 7 therefore provides direct access to the storage compartment 4A for insertion or retrieval of small personal items or stationery or the like. The sleeve is preferably formed with end skirts 11,12 which grip the shoulder 13 and bottom 14 of the beverage

2019100149 13 Feb 2019 container as best shown in figures 6 and 8 to hold the sleeve in place. When closed the zipper merges into the overall profile of the sleeve to preserve a neat and sleek appearance for the beverage container.

It will thus be appreciated that this invention, at least in the form of the embodiments described, provides a novel and improved beverage container. Clearly however the examples described are only the currently preferred forms of the invention and a wide variety of modifications may be made which would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. For example the shape and configuration of the liquid holding chamber, storage compartment, and the cover or sleeve may be changed following further development of the invention. The method of mounting the cover for the storage compartment may vary from that shown and may include hinges, clasps, latches or any other suitable fastening means. Further, while it is currently preferred to use low cost plastic such as BPA free Polyproplyene for the liquid holding chamber and sliding cover and BPA free silicone for the flexible sleeve any other food safe plastic may be used within the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A hand-held beverage container having a refillable liquid holding chamber for hydration of a user and a built-in elongated storage compartment within a cavity in a side wall of said liquid holding chamber for receipt of a user’s personal items, said storage compartment when closed being shaped to merge into the overall contour of the container and said liquid holding chamber at one end being formed into an outlet neck adapted to receive a removable closure for accessing the beverage, wherein said storage compartment is formed in part by a close fitting flexible sleeve which encases at least a portion of said liquid holding chamber and said storage compartment is accessed through a slot with zipper closure in said flexible sleeve.

2. The hand-held beverage container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cavity extends along a portion of the container length between end walls which form part of the liquid holding chamber

3. The hand-held beverage container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sleeve bridges across the end walls to define said storage compartment therebetween.

4. The hand-held beverage container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the sleeve is formed with end skirts which grip a shoulder and bottom of the beverage container to hold said sleeve in place.

5. The hand-held beverage container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the liquid holding chamber is formed from a BPA free polyproplyene and the flexible sleeve is formed from a BPA free silicone.