GB2355644A

GB2355644A - Attachment for a drinking vessel

Info

Publication number: GB2355644A
Application number: GB9925567A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kei Man Stanley Kwok
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-28
Filing date: 1999-10-28
Publication date: 2001-05-02
Also published as: GB9925567D0; WO2001031266A1; AU1154601A

Abstract

A attachment 202 for a drinking vessel 200 comprises an elongate liquid-impermeable receptacle having coupling means 206 for retaining the upper end at or adjacent the top of a drinking vessel with the lower portion of the receptacle extending within the vessel. The receptacle may have an opening at the upper end for insertion of ice cubes 218, etc, which may have a reclosable cover 220. The receptacle may permanently contain temperature altering material. The coupling means 206 may comprise a clip 206 or hook for engaging over the rim of a vessel. There may be a stiffening annulus 204 associated with the clip 206 to hold the opening open and the receptacle may be sealed to the annulus 204. The coupling means may alternatively comprise a lid (14) for a drinking vessel (10). The receptacle (18) may have an opening for the insertion of ice cubes, etc, and the lid may have a cover portion (15) with a through-hole (17) in register with the opening. The upper end of the receptacle may be sealed to the lid wound the through-hole. The lid may have a further through-hole (20) for insertion of a drinking straw into the vessel. The receptacle may have a weight 214 in a lower region which may be in a sealed compartment. The receptacle may comprise an elongate bag 212 or flexible film material.

Description

2355644 DRINKING VESSEL AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR The present invention

relates to attachments for use with drinking vessels and to drinking vessels including such attachments.

There is often a desire to alter the temperature of a liquid in a drinking vessel. For instance, it may be desired to cool a drink, and it is common to achieve this by adding ice cubes to the liquid in the vessel.

However, this method of cooling drinks introduces the possible disadvantage that the ice cubes, as they melt, gradually dilute the drink, so weakening its flavour.

There may also be doubts about cleanliness of the ice cubes.

Similarly, where it is desired to heat a liquid in a drinking vessel, this can be achieved by adding hot water to the liquid in the vessel. Again, however, there will be a concomitant dilution of that liquid, which may not be desirable.

The present invention aims to avoid this potential problem by providing a device, which enables the temperature of a liquid in a vessel to be altered without concomitantly affecting the taste of the drink itself.

Thus, in one aspect, there is provided an attachment for a drinking vessel comprising an elongate liquid impermeable receptacle having coupling means for retaining the upper end at or adjacent the top of a drinking vessel with the lower portion of the receptacle extending within the vessel. There may be an access opening at the upper end for insertion of ice cubes or other temperature altering material. The receptacle may permanently contain temperature altering material which may be actuated by being placed in (e.g.) a freezer or a microwave oven.

The coupling means may be a clip or hook for engaging over the rim of a vessel. It may be associated with a stiffening annulus for holding the receptacle's access opening open. The receptacle may be sealed to the annulus.

Alternatively the attachment may include a lid for a drinking vessel, the lid constituting the coupling means.

For a receptacle with an access opening, the lid may have a cover portion with a through hole which is in register with the access opening. The upper end of the receptacle may be sealed to the lid around the through hole.

The lid preferably includes a second through-hole, through which a drinking straw can be inserted.

The receptacle may have a weight, e.g. a glass marble, in a lower region. The weight may be in a sealed compartment.

The receptacle preferably comprises an elongate bag or pocket of flexible film material, e.g. low density polytheneX(LDPE), polypropylene (PP) or other suitable plastic. In this embodiment, the storage and handling of the lid is facilitated, since the bag will take up little space.

Preferably, the receptacle is of a length comparable to the depth of the drinking vessel.

In use, the receptacle can be filled with any of a variety of temperature altering substances, such as iced water, ice cubes, or boiling water. The material from which the receptacle is made can be chosen according to the type of substance to be used.

Preferably, the access opening (when present) has a removable cover such that, when the cooling or heating substance is inserted into the receptacle, it can be held there by the cover. The cover will thus serve to reduce spillage of the substance. Furthermore, the cover may be made of a thermally non-conductive material, so that heat transfer between the thermomodulatory substance in the is receptacle and the ambient air is minimised. The cover will thence serve to reduce the rate at which the temperature of the substance in the receptacle equilibrates with the ambient air.

The cover may be a secondary lid which fits over the through-hole. The perimeter of the through-hole may include a protruding lip onto which the secondary lid can fit. The secondary lid may be fully removable from the mouth of the through-hole, or it may be attached by a hinge connection to one side of the through-hole.

Alternatively, the cover may be a resealable label which can be peeled away from, and sealed back over, the through-hole. The label preferably has a pull-tab to facilitate the removal and replacement of the label over 4 the through-hole.

A further aspect of the present invention provides a drinking vessel having an attachment as described herein.

The vessel may be made of a thermally non-conductive material. The mouth of the vessel may include a protruding lip onto which an attachment including a lid snap-fits.

These, and other, aspects of the present invention will be understood better by reference to the accompanying figures, given only by way of example, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a drinking vessel and lid according to the present invention; is Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a drinking vessel and lid according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an attachment which is a third embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a beaker with the attachment shown in Fig 3.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, the drinking vessel (10) comprises a generally cup-shaped container as is common in everyday use. The vessel has, at its mouth (12) a radially outwardly protruding lip (not shown). A lid (14) has the form of a shallow cup with a flat base and a short depending peripheral wall 16 with an inturned lip for engaging beneath the lip of the vessel.

The lid has a through-hole (17) approximately centrally disposed in its base 15. A receptacle (18) is mounted to the base 15 around the hole 17 and extends downwardly into the vessel (10) Typically the receptacle 18 is a plastic bag. It may extend most of the way to the bottom of the vessel. The lid (14) includes a smaller, secondary through-hole (20) in its base 15 through which a straw can be inserted.

The large through-hole (16) is covered by a resealable label (22) which has a pull-tab (24). The label (22) is slightly larger in diameter than the through-hole (17), so providing complete cover for the through-hole.

In use, a substance such as iced water or ice cubes is inserted into the receptacle (18), and the cover (22) is placed over the through-hole (17). With the lid (14) in place on the vessel (10), the receptacle containing the chosen substance is suspended in the core of the vessel. The vessel (10) can be filled with liquid for drinking, and the temperature of that liquid is affected by heat exchange with the contents of the receptacle suspended from the lid. A straw may be inserted through the second, smaller through-hole (20), so allowing the liquid in the vessel (10) to be easily drunk.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a vessel and lid according to the present invention. The vessel (110) is generally the same as that of Figure 1, but the lid (114) has an upstanding peripheral wall 126 surrounding the main hole 117. This has a radially outward lip 127.

A secondary lid structure (122) for covering the through hole (116), in place of the label (22) of Figure 1, has the form of a shallow cup whose peripheral wall includes a radially inward lip such that it can snap-fit over the lip 127 of the main lid 114.

Figs 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the invention which is not a lid and is suitable for use with an ordinary glass or tumbler 200 as shown in Fig 4.

The attachment 202 has an upper stiffening ring 204, suitably of plastics, integral with a downturned arm or clip 206 for engaging over the rim of a glass 200. The outer face of the arm 206 has a protrusion 208 with an enlarged head 210. An elongate plastics bag 212 is sealed around its mouth to the ring 204. At the bottom of the bag there is a weight such as a glass marble 214 retained in a chamber delimited by a heat seal 216. In use, the rest of the bag 212 contains ice 218. A flexible cover flap 220 is connected to a part of the ring 204 opposite the arm 206. It has a tongue portion 222 with an aperture 224 such that the cover can be held down to close the mouth of the bag by forcing the head 210 of the protrusion 208 through the aperture 224.

7

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An attachment for a drinking vessel comprising an elongate liquid-impermeable receptacle having coupling means for retaining the upper end at or adjacent the top of a drinking vessel with the lower portion of the receptacle extending within the vessel.

2. An attachment according to claim 1 wherein the receptacle has an access opening at the upper end for insertion of ice cubes or other temperature altering material.

3. An attachment according to claim 2 including a recloseable cover for the access opening.

4. An attachment according to claim 1 wherein the receptacle permanently contains temperature altering material.

S. An attachment according to any preceding claim wherein the coupling means comprises a clip or hook for engaging over the rim of a vessel.

6. An attachment according to claim 5 wherein the receptacle has an access opening at the upper end for insertion of ice cubes or other temperature altering material and the clip or hook is associated with a stiffening annulus for holding the receptacle's access opening open.

V. An attachment according to claim 6 wherein the receptacle is sealed to the annulus.

8. An attachment according to any of claims 1 to 4 which includes a lid for a drinking vessel, the lid constituting the coupling means.

9. An attachment according to claim 8 wherein the receptacle has an access opening at the upper end for insertion of temperature- altering material, and the lid has a cover portion with a through hole which is in reaister with the access opening.

10. An attachment according to claim 9 wherein the upper end of the receptacle is sealed to the lid around the through hole. 20

11. An attachment according to claim 8, 9 or 10 wherein the lid has a throughhole, through which a drinking straw can be inserted for drinking the contents of the drinking vessel. 25

12. An attachment according to any preceding claim wherein the receptacle has a weight in a lower region.

13. An attachment according to claim 12 wherein the weight is in a sealed compartment.

14. An attachment according to any preceding claim wherein the receptacle comprises an elongate bag or pocket of flexible film material.

15. An attachment for a drinking vessel substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A drinking vessel having an attachment as defined in any preceding claim.