GB2310658A

GB2310658A - Drinking vessel for a bottle

Info

Publication number: GB2310658A
Application number: GB9703423A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Arthur Charles Chown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-02-28
Filing date: 1997-02-19
Publication date: 1997-09-03
Also published as: GB9703423D0; GB9604209D0

Abstract

A bottle 2 having a body portion 4 and a neck portion 6 comprises a drinking vessel 8 with attachment means 10 for attaching the drinking vessel 8 over the neck portion 6 of the bottle 2. The attachment means 10 may be a plain push fit attachment that fits over a closure cap (24, Fig. 8) on the neck portion 6 or may be screw threaded for engagement with an externally threaded part 14 of the neck portion 6 so that the drinking vessel itself acts as a closure cap. Preferably, the attachment means 10 is positioned in the middle of a base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8 and may be constructed so as to be able to repeatedly engage and disengage the neck portion 6 of the bottle 2. The attachment means 10 may extend outwardly or inwardly of the base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8. An outer portion of the drinking vessel 8 may be provided with grip means which may comprise a plurality of ribs (20, Fig. 2) to assist the removing and securing of the drinking vessel 8 on the neck portion 6.

Description

A BOTTLE FOR A BEVERAGE This invention relates to a bottle for a beverage.

Bottles for beverages come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The bottles may contain a wide variety of beverages. There are often circumstances when a person would like to drink the beverage in a bottle from a drinking vessel but a drinking vessel is not available.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a bottle for a beverage, which bottle comprises a body portion for containing the beverage, a neck portion through which the beverage is able to be dispensed, and a drinking vessel from which the beverage is able to be drunk, the drinking vessel being such that it fits over the neck portion of the bottle, and the drinking vessel comprising attachment means for attaching the drinking vessel over the neck portion of the bottle.

Because the drinking vessel forms part of the bottle, it will be apparent that the drinking vessel is always available for use when it is desired to drink the beverage in the bottle. The bottle of ttle present invention may be especially useful at service stations or picnic places where, for example, parents may want to give their children a drink and they do not have a drinking vessel available.

Preferably, the attachment means is positioned on a base part of the drinking vessel. This leaves the lip of the drinking vessel uninterrupted for drinking purposes.

Preferably, the attachment means is positioned in the middle of the base part of the drinking vessel.

In this case, the attachment means is preferably such that it is able repeatedly to engage and disengage the neck portion of the bottle.

In one embodiment of the invention, the bottle is one in which the attachment means is a screw threaded attachment means for screwing over an externally threaded part of the neck portion of the bottle, the drinking vessel then also forming a closure cap for the bottle. The screw threaded attachment means can be of a size to fit the standard screw threads on the neck of a bottle. Thus bottles can continue to be made in their usual way with normal machinery and the only extra thing required to be produced is the drinking vessel with the screw threaded attachment means. Because the drinking vessel forms the closure cap for the bottle, a saving is made on the cost of producing a normal closure cap for the bottle and this saving is able to go towards offsetting the cost of the drinking vessel.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the attachment means is a plain attachment means for being a push fit over the neck portion of the bottle, the bottle then being such that it is closed by a closure cap, and the drinking vessel being such that it pushes over the closure cap.

The attachment means preferably extends outwardly of the base part of the drinking vessel. If desired however the attachment means may extend inwardly of the base part of the drinking vessel.

Preferably, an outer portion of the drinking vessel is provided with grip means for use in engaging and disengaging the drinking vessel on the neck portion of the bottle. The grip means is preferably a plurality of ribs but other types of grip means may be employed.

The body and neck portions of the bottle of the present invention can be made from those materials currently used for producing known bottles. The drinking vessel can be made from similar materials, for example plastics materials and glass. Generally, the drinking vessel may be made from a wide variety ot plastics materials, thereby enabling the drinking vessel easily to be moulded.

The bottle of the present invention may be sold with or without the beverage, depending upon whether the bottle is being sold to the general public for consumption of the beverage, or to a beverage producer for filling with a beverage.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross section through a top part of the first bottle of the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the drinking vessel shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross section through a top part of a second bottle of the invention; Figure 4 is a side view of the drinking vessel shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side view, partially cut away of a drinking vessel forming part of a third bottle of the invention; Figure 6 is a side view, partially cut away of a drinking vessel forming part of a fourth bottle of the invention; Figure 7 is a top plan view of the drinking vessel shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is an exploded view of a fifth bottle of the invention; and Figure 9 is a side view of a drinking vessel which is an alternative to the drinking vessel shown in Figure 8.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a bottle 2 for a beverage (not shown). The bottle 2 comprises a body portion 4 for containing the beverage, a neck portion 6 through which the beverage is able to be dispensed, and a drinking vessel 8 from which the beverage is able to be drunk. The drinking vessel 8 is such that it fits over the neck portion 6 of the bottle 2 as shown in Figure 1. The drinking vessel 8 comprises attachment means 10 for attaching the drinking vessel 8 over the neck portion 6 of the bottle 2.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the attachment means 10 is positioned on a base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8. As can also be seen, the attachment means 10 is positioned in the middle of the base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8.

The attachment means 10 as shown in Figure 1 is a screw threaded attachment means for screwing over an externally threaded part 14 of the neck portion 6.

The screw threaded attachment means 10 enables the drinking vessel 8 repeatedly to engage and disengage the neck portion 6 and thus the drinking vessel 8 can be screwed on and off the neck portion as many times as may be required. As can also be seen from Figure 1, the drinking vessel actually forms a closure cap for the bottle 2.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, there is shown a second bottle 2. Similar parts as in Figure 1 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. It will be seen that the bottle 2 shown in Figures 3 and 4 operates similarly to the bottle 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

However, the drinking vessel 8 is of a different design having straight sloping sides 16 instead of curved sides 18 as shown in the drinking vessel 8 in Figures 1 and 2.

In the drinking vessel 8 shown in Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the attachment means 10 basically extends outwardly of the base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8. In Figures 3 and 4, the attachment means 10 forms more a part of the actual base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8 due to the design employed.

The drinking vessels 8 shown in Figures 1 4 both employ grip means in the form of a plurality of ribs 20. The ribs 20 are provided for use in easily removing and securing the drinking vessel 8 on the neck portion 6 of the bottle 2.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a drinking vessel 8 in which the attachment means 10 is a screw threaded attachment means 10 but one which extends inwardly of the base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8.

Figures 6 and 7 show a further alternative drinking vessel 8 in which the attachment means 10 is a screw threaded attachment means which extends outwardly of the base part 12. In the enrbodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, the attachment means 10 is in the form of a circular boss extending from the base part 12. The circular boss is supported by four flanges 22.

Figure 8 shows a bottle 2 having a drinking vessel 8 which is somewhat similar to the drinking vessel 8 as shown in Figures 6 and 7 except that the flanges 22 are not employed and also the attachment means 10 is not a screw threaded attachment means 10 but is a push fit attachment means 10. In Figure 8, the bottle is such that the neck portion 6 has a screw threaded cap 24 acting to close the neck portion 6.

Apart from the drinking vessel 8, the remainder of the bottle 2 can be of a known design.

Figure 9 shows an alternative design of a drinking vessel 8 to that shown in Figure 8. In Figure 8 the attachment means 10 extends outwardly of the base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8. In Figure 9, the attachment means 10 extends inwardly from the base part 12 of the drinking vessel 8. The attachment means 10 shown in Figure 9 is still a push fit attachment means.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected.

Thus, for example, the drinking vessels 8 may be of different designs than those shown. The drinking vessels used in the invention may be designed as cups or glasses. The cups may be produced with or without handles. The drinking vessels may be of varying depths but generally they will usually extend over the body portion of the bottle in order to give the drinking vessels a sufficient diameter and depth to enable them to act as normal drinking vessels. The drinking vessels should obviously be of such a size that they are able to contain an appropriate amount of the beverage to enable normal drinking from the drinking vessels.

Claims

1. A bottle for a beverage, which bottle comprises a body portion for containing the beverage, a neck portion through which the beverage is able to be dispensed, and a drinking vessel from which the beverage is able to be drunk, the drinking vessel being such that it fits over the neck portion of the bottle, and the drinking vessel comprising attachment means for attaching the drinking vessel over the neck portion of the bottle.

2. A bottle according to claim 1 in which the attachment means is positioned on a base part of the drinking vessel.

3. A bottle according to claim 2 in which the attachment means is positioned in the middle of the base part of the drinking vessel.

4. A bottle according to claim 3 in which the attachment means is such that it is able repeatedly to engage and disengage the neck portion of the bottle.

5. A bottle according to claim 4 in which the attachment means is a screw threaded attachment means for screwing over an externally threaded part of the neck portion of the bottle, the drinking vessel then also forming a closure cap for the bottle.

6. A bottle according to claim 4 in which the attachment means is a plain attachment means for being a push fit over the neck portion of the bottle, the bottle then being such that it is closed by a closure cap, and the drinking vessel being such that it pushes over the closure cap.

7. A bottle according to any one of claims 3 - 6 in which the attachment means extends outwardly of the base part of the drinking vessel.

8. A bottle according to any one of claims 3 - 6 in which the attachment means extends inwardly of the base part of the drinking vessel.

9. A bottle according to any one of the preceding claims in which an outer portion of the drinking vessel is provided with grip means for use in engaging and disengaging the drinking vessel on the neck portion of the bottle.

10. A bottle according to claim in which the grip means is a plurality of ribs.

11. A bottle according to any one of the preceding claims and including the beverage.

12. A bottle for a beverage substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.