GB2592073A

GB2592073A - Drinks container with embedded smart screen

Info

Publication number: GB2592073A
Application number: GB2002146.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Singh Kulbinder
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-02-17
Filing date: 2020-02-17
Publication date: 2021-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 2040-02-17
Also published as: GB202002146D0; GB2592073B

Abstract

An assembly comprises a drinking vessel 20 and a housing. The drinking vessel has a cavity 25 defined by a recessed portion of an outer surface 23 of the drinking vessel. The housing comprises an electronic display screen 10 on a first surface. In use, the housing is received in the cavity such that the display screen is facing away from the drinking vessel. A male connector 14 may be disposed in a second surface of the housing and a female connector is 29 disposed in the cavity. The male and female connectors may interact when the housing is received in the cavity so as to provide a frictional engagement between the housing and the cavity. The housing may further comprise a speaker, microphone, microprocessor, memory storage, sensor, GPS and/or wireless communication means. The housing may further comprise a temperature sensor on a surface of the housing opposite the first surface. The drinking vessel may be a cup, mug, bottle or thermal insulation flask. The display screen may be planar and may be an LED, OLED, LCD or touch sensitive screen.

Description

Drinks Container with Embedded Smart Screen [001] The present invention relates to a drink container with an embedded smart screen, in particular it relates to a liquid container with a smart screen embedded into a wall thereof. Even more particularly it relates to a mug with a smart screen 5 removably embedded in a complimentary shaped recess in a sideyvall of the mug.

Background of the Invention

[002] Technology is becoming more and more integral with everyday life. Streamlining people's days for optimum efficiency, providing entertainment, consumption of information, and even self-expression, are increasingly intertwined with technology. None of these human desires are new, but interactive technology is providing new, faster, more personalised ways for people to satisfy these desires.

[3] Technology integrating with everyday objects has many proven advantages and uses. One of the drawbacks of this integration, however, is that the everyday objects often become more fragile or delicate due to the new electrical components, and greater care needs to be taken in their use and maintenance etc. For example, rucksack bags with electrical components often cannot be machined washed, and mugs or dishes with integral electronics cannot be microwaved.

[4] It is an object of the current invention to build on the growing integration of technology with everyday life but avoiding the increased fragility. It aims to achieve this by providing a drinks container with an embedded smart screen, the screen able to display anything that a user wants, from information about the container itself or the contents, to a social media feed or gallery of pictures.

Acknowledged Prior Art

[5] The inventor is aware of the following prior art: [6] U52008100469 Al discloses a bottle for a beverage having an electronic device inserted into a recess of a wall of the bottle. The electronic device is not releasably attached as in the present invention.

[7] EP2409615 111 discloses a cup with an embedded screen, the electronics of the screen being integral with the cup body and located in the base of a cup. The electronics of the cup are not releasably attached to the cup.

[008] CN104545250 A discloses a cup with an integral audio-visual screen, like above the electronics are integral with the cup and located in the base of the cup.

[009] W02010138107 Al and US2010182518 Al both disclose liquid containers having embedded electrical screens with an interactive user interface incorporated with the screen. In both of these documents the screen is integral with the container and non-removable.

Statement of Invention

[010[ According to a first aspect, the is provided an assembly comprising: a drinking vessel having an outer surface, wherein a cavity is defined by a recessed portion of the outer surface; and a housing comprising an electronic display screen on a first surface, dimensioned to be received in use by the cavity, such that the display screen is facing away from the drinking vessel.

[11] An embodiment of the invention, wherein: a female connector is disposed in a second surface of the housing; and a corresponding male connector protrudes from the cavity.

Such that when the housing is received within the cavity, the male and female connectors interact to provide a frictional engagement between the housing and the cavity.

[12] An embodiment of the invention, wherein: a male connector protrudes from the second surface or a third surface of the housing. A corresponding female connector is disposed in the cavity. Such that when the housing is received within the cavity, the female and male connectors interact to provide a frictional engagement between the housing and the cavity.

[13] An embodiment of the invention, wherein the housing contains electronics associated with the display screen, including at least one of: a wireless communication means; a speaker; a microphone; a microprocessor/microcontroller; memory storage; at least one sensor; thcrmo-electric generator; and/or a global positioning system.

[014] An embodiment of the invention, wherein the display screen is configured to communicate \tirelessly with a user's smart device.

[015] An embodiment of the invention, wherein the housing further comprises a temperature sensor, disposed on or proximate a surface of the housing opposite to the first surface.

[16] An embodiment of the invention, wherein the drinking vessel is one of: a cup; a mug; a bottle; a thermal insulation flask.

[17] An embodiment of the invention, wherein the display screen is substantially planar.

[018] An embodiment of the invention, wherein the display screen is one of an LED screen; an OEM screen; an LCD screen; a touch sensitive screen.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[019] The invention will be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings: [020] Figure 1 depicts a schematic view of an example smart screen, [021] Figure 2 depicts a schematic view of an example drinks container, [022] Figure 3 depicts the example smart screen and example thinks container connected to one another.

Detailed Description

[23] figure 1 depicts a schematic of the releasably embedded smart screen 10. The screen 10 comprises a casing 15 holding screen 11. The casing 15 and screen 11 are water resistant, wipeable and easy to clean. Any associated electronics of the screen 11 are housed within the casing 15. The electronics may include but are not limited to: a battery; wireless communication means Q31uetoothTv, wi-fl, etc.); speaker and/or microphone; microprocessor/ microcontroller; memory storage; backlights; sensors (temperature, motion etc.); thermo-electric generator; global positioning system; or any other component known to the skilled person.

[24] The casing 15 has a front side defined by screen 11, an opposing back surface 16 and edge walls 17 connecting the front and back. Centrally located on one of the edge walls 17 is a port 13, this when the embedded screen 10 is removed from the drinks container, port 13 provides connection means to an external power source so that an internal battery of the embedded screen 10 can be charged. The port 13 can be of any design known to the person skilled in the art, for example: jack connection, USB, micro USB etc. Port 13 also provides additional connection means when embedded in a drinks container, this is discussed in more detail below. On another edge 17, different to the one port 13 is located, there is a male protrusion 14 extending from an edge 17 away from the casing 15. When in place in the drinks container, the male protrusion 14 is located in a complimentary female recess in the drinks container, this is discussed in more detail below.

[25] The smart screen 10 has wireless communication capabilities such as Bluetooth(RTM) and is in communication with a smart device (e.g. a smartphone or tablet) of a user. The user via the smart device, using an app for example, controls what is shown on the screen 11 of the smart screen 10. Anything can be chosen by a user to be displayed on the screen 11. Some non-limiting examples being: a series of personally selected pictures and/or video; social media feed; news/weather feed; time and date; calendar/calendar appointments; information relating to the contents of the container (temperature, nature etc); personal/general reminders; or anything else obvious to the skilled person.

[26] If the smart screen 10 includes a clock, accelerometer and temperature sensor, the screen 11 could be set to, for example, display the current temperature of the liquid of in the container and/or the amount of times a user had taken a drink/tipped the container.

S

[27] The screen 11 can be an LED, OT,F,D, LCD, touchscreen or any other flat panel display known to the skilled person.

[28] Figure 2 depicts and example embodiment of a drinks container 20 with the embedded smart screen 10 detached. Tn this particular embodiment the drinks container 20 is a mug. The mug 20 has a top rim 21 and bottom surface 22, connecting the two is a circurnvolving wall 23. The inner surface of the circumvolvin-g wall 23 along with the top of the bottom surface 22 define a volume 24 for holding, in the case of a mug, liquid.

[29] On the outer surface of the circumvolving wall 23 there is a recess 25. The recess 25 has complimentarily dimensions to the smart screen 10, having back surface 26 and inner side walls 27. Such that when the smart screen 10 is placed in the recess 25, the outer surface of the edge walls 17 are snug against the inner surface walls 27 of the recess 25.

[30] Located centrally on one of the inner side walls 27 of the recess 25 is a male protrusion 28, the protrusion 28 having the dimensions and position such that it fits in the port 13 of the smart screen 10 when the smart screen 10 is attached to the container 20. This helps hold the smart screen 10 in place and helps avoid unwanted detachment of the smart screen 10 from the container 20.

[31] Located on a different side wall 27 to that with the protrusion 28, is a female recess/cut out 29, the female cut out 29 has the dimensions and position to snugly hold male protrusion 14 of the smart screen 10 when the smart screen 10 is attached to the container 20. This helps hold the smart screen 10 in place and avoid unwanted detachment.

[32] The inner surfaces 26,27 of the recess 25 may be coated in a material (e.g. 30 silicone) to improve the grip and hold on the smart screen 10.

[33] Figure 3 depicts and example embodiment of a smart screen 10 embedded with a drinks container (mug) 20. In the particular instance where the drinks container 20 is intended to hold liquid of a temperature significantly different to that of the ambient surrounding temperature (for example a mug for holding a hot drink), the smart screen 10 could include a thermoelectric generator to help increase the battery life of the smart screen 10.

[34] Although depicted as a mug, the drinks container can be of any form, some 40 non-limiting examples being a cup; a bottle; a thermos; a rucksack; a box; a bag; a briefcase etc. or any other container known to the skilled person.

[0351 The described invention has all the advantages of integrated smart devices but with the embedded smart screen being removable and self-containing of all its required electricals the drinks container isn't subject to a number of disadvantages that integrated smart devices have. For example, when the drinks container is a mug, if the temperature of the beverage held in the mug has dropped below a certain desired temperature it is reasonably common practice to microwave the mug and its contents. With a smart device integrated mug this is not possible without risking damage to the electronics. I lowever, with the present invention the 10 smart device can be easily removed before the mug is microwaved and easily put back in place after the mug has been microwavcd.

10361 The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment The description is intended to enable a skilled person to make the 15 invention, not to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

Claims 1. An assembly comprising: a drinking vessel having an outer surface, wherein a cavity is defined by a recessed portion of the outer surface; and a housing comprising an electronic display screen on a first surface, dimensioned to be received in use by the cavity, such that the display screen is facing away from the drinking vessel.
2 An assembly according to claim 1, wherein: a female connector is disposed in a second surface of the housing; and a corresponding male connector protrudes from the cavity; such that when the housing is received within the cavity, the male and female connectors interact to provide a frictional engagement between the housing and the cavity.
3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: a male connector protrudes from the second surface or a third surface of the housing; and a corresponding female connector is disposed in the cavity; such that when the housing is received within the cavity, the female and male connectors interact to provide a frictional engagement between the housing and the cavity.
4. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing contains electronics associated with the display screen, including at least one of: a wireless communication means; a speaker; a microphone; a microprocessor/microcontroller; memory storage; at least one sensor; a thermo-electric generator; and/or a global positioning system.
5. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the display screen is configured to communicate wirelessly with a user's smart device.
6. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing further comprises a temperature sensor, disposed on or proximate a surface of the housing opposite to the first surface.
7. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the drinking vessel is one of: a cup; a mug; a bottle; a thermal insulation flask.
8. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the display screen is substantially planar.
9. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the display screen is one of: an 1,1 lD screen; an °LED screen; an LCD screen; a touch sensitive screen.