GB2602483A

GB2602483A - Beverage container holder

Info

Publication number: GB2602483A
Application number: GB2020883.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sweeney David; Little Mark; Balfour Jamie; Ramzan Hans; Fleming Alex
Original assignee: Sup Drinkwear Ltd
Current assignee: Sup Drinkwear Ltd
Priority date: 2020-12-31
Filing date: 2020-12-31
Publication date: 2022-07-06
Also published as: GB202109581D0; GB2596657A; GB2596657B; EP4023113A1; GB202020883D0; US20220212856A1

Abstract

A holder 100 for a beverage container 116 has a side wall 102 defining an opening (108, Fig 5) through which the beverage container is insertable and a base 104. A collar 110 is positioned within the opening and the side wall and base define a cavity (114, Fig 2A). A collar 110, located in the opening, is adjustable between a first configuration for contacting a first size and a second configuration for contacting a second size of beverage container. Preferably an actuator 118 is moveable relative to the side wall to cause the collar to transition between the configurations, which may be in a graduated motion and / or lockable. The collar may be provided on a replaceable cap (128, Fig 5), preferably a plurality of caps with different size collars. The collar may comprise flexible material and / or indents, creases or perforations. Preferable the collar forms a seal around the beverage container and may comprise plastics or rubber. The side wall and/or the base may comprise rigid plastic and/or metal and / or is/are hollow including an insulating means. The holder may include material for cooling and/or heating, a bottle opener and ergonomic grips.

Description

Beverage Container Holder The invention relates to holders for beverage containers, for example to allow a user to hold a hot or cold beverage container without their hand becoming to hot or cold. In particular the invention relates to such holders which allow a user to drink from them in a safe, pleasurable and convenient manner.

Beverage holders are known which aim to maintain the temperature of a beverage. Such containers may be divided into two broad categories. Each of these categories suffers from a number of drawbacks.

A first category is a flexible, tight-fitting sleeve, typically made of neoprene foam or similar materials. While relatively cheap, these holders lack efficacy in maintaining the temperature of the beverage. In addition, the sleeves are usually shaped and sized so as to fit only a single size of beverage holder, and consequently multiple sleeves must be purchased if a user is to be able to achieve the desired effect across a range of shapes and sizes of beverage containers.

A second category is a more rigid variant for encasing the beverage container, formed from plastic or metal. In order to allow a variety of sizes of beverage containers to be fitted into the holder, the rigid walls provide a cavity typically somewhat larger than many of the containers they are intended to hold. Not only does this provide an air gap through which convective heat transfer can occur between the outside environment and the beverage container, this can also lead to issues when a user tries to drink from the container. As the user tilts the container to their mouth to drink, in some cases they will need to exert a force with their mouth on the container while drinking to prevent the container from falling out of the holder and hitting them in their face. Some users find applying such a force while drinking detracts from their enjoyment.

In addition, the cavity is typically unsealed, in the sense that convective heat flow can accelerate the process of the beverage reaching the equilibrium with the environment (that is for cold drinks to become warm and for hot drinks to become cool).

Some attempts have been made to address these issues with the second variant, but similar to designs in the first category discussed above, these tend to be tailored towards a particular size of beverage container, and so lack widespread applicability -a user must buy multiple holders and/or lids and switch between them each time they change beverage containers. In addition, these designs usually grip the beverage container very firmly and make it difficult for a user to remove an empty beverage container to empty the holder for insertion of a new, full, container.

The present invention aims to address some or all of these drawbacks.

Disclosed herein is a holder for a beverage container, the holder comprising: a base; a side wall defining an opening through which the beverage container is insertable; and a collar located within the opening; wherein the side wall and the base together define a cavity for receiving the beverage container; and wherein the collar is adjustable between a first configuration for contacting a first size of beverage container and a second configuration for contacting a second size of beverage container.

The opening is located at the other end of the side wall from the base, that is, the side wall spaces the base apart from the opening. In other words, the length of the side wall plays a part in determining the size of beverage container which can be contained within the holder.

The portion of the side wall nearest the opening is referred to as the rim. The collar is located at or near the rim of the side wall in many examples, although in some cases it may be spaced some distance into the cavity, for example between 1cm and 5cm below (i.e. closer to the base than) the rim. In general, the direction perpendicular to the base pointing into the cavity will be referred to as upward. Directions aligned with (or anti-aligned with) this direction will be referred to as axial. Circumferential directions are those which lie on or in the side wall and extend around the cavity.

The holder and the cavity are both usually generally cylindrical, but in some cases one or other (or both) may be a different shape. In general, the opening and/or the collar is/are therefore circular.

The collar defines an aperture and is adjustable to adapt the size of the aperture to the size of a particular beverage container. That is to say, the collar provides an adjustable aperture, which is selectively adjustable to restrict the effective size of the opening. The collar is therefore adjustable (leading to a change in the aperture size) while the opening is defined by the side wall and is not itself directly adjustable, it is simply partially obstructed by the collar with the extent of such obstruction being determined by the size of the aperture in the collar. Note that in some examples the widest of configurations of the collar may cause substantially no obstruction of the opening.

For example, by matching the shape and size of the aperture to the outer surface of the beverage container in question (as e.g. a first size of container in the first configuration), the holder is easily adapted to that type of beverage container. A user can insert a first size of beverage container, drink from it until it is empty and remove that container. Should the user wish to have a second beverage from a container of the same shape and size, it is a simple matter for them to simply replace the empty container with a new, full container, secure in the knowledge that the holder is already adapted to receive beverage containers of that type.

On the other hand, in the event that the user wishes to drink from a beverage container of a different size, either the new container will be too large to fit into the aperture in the collar or the collar will be too large to contact the container. With a simple adjustment (e.g. to the second configuration), the user can adjust the collar to once again contact the outer surface of the new size of beverage container.

In either case, the collar contacting the outer surface of the first or second size of beverage container in the first or second configuration respectively provides inhibition of heat flow by conduction, convection and/or radiation, thereby helping to maintain the beverage at the desired temperature.

Of course, other secondary benefits exist. For example, the user may prefer to loosen the aperture (e.g. set the collar to the first configuration) to ease insertion or removal of a beverage container to through the widened aperture. The collar can then be set to e.g. the second configuration when the beverage container is inserted into the cavity, in order to contact the beverage container and restrict heat flow between the cavity and the outside environment.

This allows a single holder to be used with at least two sizes of beverage container, although as discussed below a single holder may be appropriate for more than two sizes of container. Indeed, in many cases, a single holder may be suitable for any sized container within a given range of sizes. This allows a user to set the collar to the desired size and continue to replace beverage container of the same size as often as desired with no adjustment at all. They can also replace empty beverage containers with full ones of a different size by making a simple adjustment to the collar.

The collar is arranged to restrict the opening in the second configuration by narrowing the aperture defined by the collar. In other words, the collar is at its widest in the first configuration and is narrower in the second. Where the holder is generally cylindrical and the collar is circular, then the constriction of the opening generally includes the collar forming a circular shape of smaller radius in the second configuration than in the first configuration. In both configurations, the circular collar is usually centred on the cylinder's axis.

The collar is arranged to contact beverage containers towards the upper portion of a particular beverage container, which results in the bulk of the volume of the beverage container (and therefore also most of the beverage itself) being enclosed within the cavity. A portion of the beverage container may nevertheless protrude outward from the opening to allow a user to drink from the beverage container in the usual manner.

In some cases, the collar has a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage containers which it contacts. For example, the collar may be made from rough material such as rubber, or it may have a textured, knurled, etc contacting surface to improve grip. This can help ensure that the beverage container remains within the holder while a user is drinking. In some examples, the collar may comprise a plastic or rubber material, for example it may include natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, silicone rubbers, thermoplastic polyurethane or the like, or any combination thereof, which can provide the desired flexibility and resilience, and can also optionally be adapted to grip the beverage containers.

As noted above, in some cases the collar is circular or is shaped as a portion or arc of a circle. For the avoidance of doubt, as used herein "circular" includes shapes derivable from small deformations of circles, and therefore includes rounded shapes such as ellipses and ovoid shapes. Ellipses with an eccentricity of 0.3 or lower are included within this definition of circular. More generally, the opening and/or the collar may be shaped so as to have no corners, that is to be generally rounded and formed only of smooth curves. These shapes not only allow the collar and the opening to conform to the circular cross-section commonly seen in beverage containers, but in avoiding sharp corners can help the collar to contract uniformly and thereby allow the collar to contact the beverage container in a smooth manner, without becoming distorted or ruffled.

Generally, the collar is the same general shape in first and second (and intermediate) configurations, but in some cases the transition process may cause the shape to distort between the two configurations. Of course, even where the collar is the same shape, the second configuration restricts the size of the opening, so the collar is a smaller size in the second configuration, relative to the first configuration.

As noted above beverage containers are provided in a variety of standard dimensions and the size of the collar in the first and second configurations can be selected to conform to these dimensions. That is, to constrict the opening sufficiently to contact the outer surface of the first or second size of beverage container in the first or second configurations, respectively. To conform with this, the collar may have an internal dimension of between 50mm and 75mm at its widest part in both of the first and second configurations (with the internal diameter of the second configuration being smaller than the internal diameter of the first configuration). For example, the first configuration may have an internal diameter of 75mm or slightly narrower to allow any of the standard sized bottles or cans to be inserted into the cavity (and optionally contacted or even gripped). The second configuration may have an internal diameter of 50mm or slightly wider to allow the smallest of standard bottles or cans to be contacted (and optionally gripped) by the collar.

As used herein "internal diameter" means the distance from a point on the inner edge of the collar to an opposed point on the inner edge of other side of the collar. As noted, the distance is measured at the widest part of the aperture defined by the collar, which is to say the internal diameter as set out above which gives the largest value. For circular collars, this is simply the diameter, for elliptical collars, this is the major axis. For square collars, this would represent a diagonal taken across opposed corners.

In some cases, as discussed below in more detail, the holder may be provided with multiple interchangeable collars. In such an example the collars can be selected to span the range above in an overlapping manner. For example, a large collar may transition between a first configuration of 75mm internal diameter and a second configuration of 65mm internal diameter. A medium collar may transition between internal diameters of 57mm and 67mm, and a small collar may transition between internal diameters of 60mm and 50mm. Other example dimensions to span the range will be apparent to workers in the relevant technical field. For example, the range may be spanned by a different number of collars, such as two to eight collars. In some cases, the collars may have maximum or minimum dimensions outside of the range 50mm to 75mm, for example to accommodate non-standard beverage container sizes.

The collar may extend substantially around the opening. That is, the collar may extend around the opening for a full 3600 circuit, or for a full circumferential circuit. In some cases, the collar may extend circumferentially around at least 75% of the opening, in other cases, at least 90% or even 95%.

The collar may be arranged to form a seal at least part way around an outer surface of the beverage container, when adjusted to an appropriate size for contacting the beverage container.

Whether or not the seal extends around the entire circumference of the opening, the collar may be arranged to form a seal which is discontinuous around the outer surface of the beverage container, e.g. formed as several separate pieces circumferentially spaced around the opening. In other cases, the seal may be continuous (i.e. a single piece) and airtight, thereby strongly inhibiting convective heat flow between the environment and the cavity.

Note the adjustable nature of the collar allows the seal to extend around the beverage container, since it is not a problem if a partial vacuum forms within the cavity. A partial vacuum may form when a cold beverage container is inserted, and a full seal is formed. The cold beverage container could then cool the air in the cavity and reduce the pressure. This in turn would prevent the container from being pulled out of the cavity, even when the container is empty, and the user wishes to replace it. Not only is this problem solved by providing an collar which can be transitioned to a wider configuration thereby equalising the pressure and allowing removal of the beverage container, but the partial vacuum may help hold the beverage container in the holder and reduce the risk of the container slipping out during drinking.

In cases where a hot beverage is used, the situation is reversed, and it may be preferable to use a discontinuous seal to allow pressure to equalise. In any case, the adjustable nature of the collar can be used to increase the aperture size slightly to prevent a full seal forming, if desired.

The cavity is shaped and sized to allow various standard sizes of beverage container to fit inside. For example, it is common for beverages to be supplied in cans having a range of diameters between about 53mm and about 66mm, more specifically between about 53.3mm and 66.2mm. The height of these cans also varies between about 111mm and 194mm, more specifically between about 111.2mm and 193.7mm.

The holder may also be adapted to hold beverage containers in the form of bottles. Typical sizes for bottles range between about 53mm and about 66mm, more specifically between about 53.3mm and 66.2mm in diameter. The height of these bottles also varies between about 220mm and 250mm, more specifically between about 218 mm and 246.5mm. In addition, bottles tend to have a non-uniform profile in which the bulk of the volume exists in a lower body portion, with a thinner upper portion (called the neck) being provided for assisting in pouring and/or drinking. For this reason, the collar may be arranged to contact the bottle at or near the region where the body transitions to the neck, sometimes called the shoulder if the bottle.

The base provides a support to hold the weight of the bottle and retain it within the holder. The base is usually a closed base, but in some cases may have one or more through holes.

The interior of the cavity may have a shoulder arranged to contact a base of the beverage container in some examples. The shoulder can be an annular structure or a series of discontinuous platforms within the cavity. This can allow the distance along the side wall between the collar and the plane at which the beverage container is supported to be tailored to particular shapes and sizes of beverage container. Indeed, in some cases there may be multiple internal shoulders within the cavity, each positioned and sized to ensure that a particular beverage container format will align with the collar at an appropriate point on the beverage container (usually near the top of cans and near the shoulder of bottles).

In order to achieve this, concepts of interest include the distance from the base of the beverage container at which the collar is intended to contact it and the diameter of the lowest part of the beverage container. The shoulder should extend radially inward from the side wall a distance which ensures that it will support the base of the container (e.g. where the shoulder is annular, it has an inner diameter less than the diameter of the part of the beverage container intended to be supported). The upper surface of the shoulder should be located a distance from the collar which is equal to the distance from the base of the beverage container to the region at which the collar is intended to contact the beverage container.

By following these concepts, it may be possible to nest a series of shoulders to form a stepped arrangement inside the cavity. This arrangement would allow a series of containers to be correctly inserted into the holder. Starting with a tall thin container which could rest on the base of the cavity and fit inside the central hole of one or more annular shoulders, progressively wider and shorter containers could be supported by successive annular stepped shoulders. This broadens the range of containers for which the holder is suitable.

In other cases, a series of removeable and replaceable shoulders of different sizes can be included. In fact, where the shoulder is intended to be used with a single container type, there is no need to make it annular and instead a simple spacer could be provided in the form of a support column having a cross-sectional shape matched to the internal cross section of the cavity and a thickness tailored to the specific container type in accordance with the above concepts.

Advantageously the removeable shoulders could further include a material for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity. Indeed, the holder itself includes a material in thermal contact with the interior of the cavity for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity in 20 some examples For example, a phase change material or other material with high heat capacity could be provided in the cavity or in a removeable insert. The material could then be heated up and used to ensure that hot drinks remain hot, or cooled down to ensure that cold drinks remain cold (as the case may be).

The side wall and/or the base may comprise rigid plastic and/or metal. For example, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, various steels and brass (and combinations thereof) would all be suitable materials. The base and/or the side wall may be are hollow and include insulating means. For example, vacuum, aerogel, fibrous insulation and the like may all be used. This can help maintain the temperature of the beverage within the container.

In some cases, the holder further includes a bottle opener mounted in an exterior surface of the base. This may be either detachable or fixed in place. In any event this allows a user to ensure that they can open a bottle (e.g. a crown cork) at any time in which they wish to use the holder to hold a bottled beverage.

In some cases, the holder may further comprise ergonomic grips on an exterior surface of the side wall. for example, these may take the form of roughened or textured areas of material, indented portions, or indeed a material selected to provide grip such as rubber.

The holder may further comprise an actuator moveable relative to the side wall arranged to cause the collar to transition between the first configuration and the second configuration.

This provides a convenient way for the user to alter the configuration of the collar. The actuator may be moveable relative to the side wall in a rotational and/or an axial direction. This allows for an intuitive operation of the collar. VVhere both rotation and axial motion are used, the actuator can include a screw thread. Other examples may include only pushing or only rotating (and locking or clipping in place once the collar has transifioned between configurations).

Where the actuator motion includes axial motion, it can press downward on the collar and cause it to flex outward, for example, by squeezing the collar between a part of the actuator and an internal shoulder.

The motion of the actuator may cause the collar to transition continuously between the first and second configurations. In doing so, the collar may pass through a series of intermediate configurations.

The motion of the actuator may be graduated, and the graduated motion may correspond to one or more intermediate configurations of the collar between the first and second configurations. For example, the motion of the actuator may be controlled with one or more detents to indicate desired intermediate positions. Each intermediate position may advantageously correspond to the collar contacting a container of a particular size. In this way, one collar can be arranged to contact a number of different container sizes.

In other examples, the motion of the actuator may be stiff enough that it can rest securely at any intermediate position (corresponding to a collar having an internal diameter between that which it has in the first configuration and that which it has in the second configuration). In such a continuously adjustable system, the actuator may be provided with a series of alignment markings to indicate when the actuator is in an appropriate position to contact beverage containers of particular sizes (e.g. commonly encountered container sizes). The markings can be pictures, numbers, words or combinations thereof For example, the markings may refer to "large can", "normal can", "slim can", tall bottle, etc. to provide an indication to a user of a suitable setting for the beverage container they are seeking to insert. Pictures could also be used to indicate aperture sizes of the intended beverage container. Alternatively, numbers could be used, either measuring the diameter of the aperture in mm, cm, inches, etc. or as a scale from 1 to 10, whereby a user learns or is instructed which number is most appropriate for a given container type.

In some examples, the actuator is selectively lockable at least one position, the at least one position corresponding to the first configuration, the second configuration or to an intermediate configuration of the adjustable collar. This can allow a user to ensure that the collar remains in the contacting position for the beverage they are enjoying at that time. For example the actuator may be configurable in a free mode in which it can be freely moved to set the internal diameter of the aperture in the collar, and a locked configuration in which the actuator cannot move and the aperture internal diameter is fixed, at least until the actuator is unlocked.

The collar may comprise a strip of flexible material. This is a simple collar, but one which may easily be tailored to produce the desired effect.

The collar in the form of a strip of flexible material may be arranged to lie substantially along an internal wall of the cavity in the first configuration and a portion of the collar may be deflected away from an internal surface of the side wall in the second configuration. This deflection causes a constriction of the aperture and allows the beverage container to be contacted. When the collar lies flat against the wall, the aperture is larger, which allows the holder to be used with wider beverage containers, and may also assist in removal and insertion of beverage containers by allowing a user to break contact (and optionally gripping) between he collar and the beverage container. The flexible strip of material may have elastic properties, so that it biases itself towards the first configuration. This means that the actuator need only force the collar into the second configuration, it need not force it back into the first configuration. That is the actuator can be arranged to exert e.g. only a push force and need not also pull.

By "lie substantially along", it is meant that the strip of material lies as flat as possible against the internal surface of the side wall, given the material and dimensions.

In the second configuration, a pair of opposed edges of the strip may remain adjacent to the internal wall and an intermediate portion of the strip may curve away from the internal wall. This forces the flexible strip into a "C" shape in cross section. The edges remain in contact with the side wall, thereby forming a stable arrangement and the central portion extends towards the centre of the opening to contact the beverage container. The central portion is located between the two edges, and the edges run broadly circumferentially around the inner surface of the side wall (in other words around the opening), with one edge being an upper edge, nearest the rim of the opening and the other edge being a lower edge, located nearest the base of the holder. One or both of the edges may be joined to the side wall and/or the actuator. For example, the motion of the actuator may be to press the upper of the two edges towards the base of the holder. The lower of the two edges may be prevented from moving toward the base by a shoulder supporting it, and/or by being fixed to the side wall. The downward force on the upper of the two edges thereby forces the central portion of the strip to flex outward and constrict the aperture.

In other examples just one edge may flex outward when actuated by the actuator. For example, the lower edge may once again be fixed in place and the actuator may be wedge shaped in profile and act to force the upper edge away from the side wall and cause a constriction of the aperture with the innermost part of the collar being the upper edge. Where the collar is fixed to the actuator, the situation may be reversed, e.g. the lower edge may be forced against a tapered internal shoulder which acts to force the lower edge away from the side wall and leads to a constriction of the aperture with the innermost portion of the collar being the lower edge this time.

In yet further examples, the first and second configurations may comprise a pair of opposed edges of the strip remaining adjacent to the internal wall and an intermediate portion of the strip curving away from the internal wall, forcing the flexible strip into a "C" shape in cross section. The difference between the two configurations is seen in the degree of curvature of the "C" shape with the second configuration having a flatter and wider "C" shape than the first configuration has. In this case, the first configuration may be one in which the collar does not lie substantially along the internal surface of the side wall but is in any case on average closer to the wall than is seen in the second configuration.

The adjustable collar may include one or more indents, creases or perforations. This can encourage the collar to flex in a desired location or simply allow the collar to constrict the opening without ruffling and/ becoming damaged.

The collar may retain its angular position relative to the side wall during transitions between the first and second configurations in some examples. In other examples, the collar is rotationally affixed to the actuator and rotates with the actuator, relative to the side wall. This can help ensure that the collar does not twist in cases where the actuator moves relative to the side wall in a rotational manner to actuate the collar.

In any case the collar, where it is a strip as in the example above, rotates as a single element, meaning that its upper and lower edges remain rotationally aligned with one another and the strip is not twisted during the transition. This can help to ensure that the deformation of the collar results only in narrowing and does not strain the collar in twisting it in undesirable ways.

In some examples the collar is provided on a replaceable cap, which can assist in removing the beverage container. In such cases, the cap does not cover the full container, rather the upper portion of the holder which houses the collar is removeable, replaceable and/or reversibly attachable.

In some cases, a plurality of replaceable caps may be provided, each cap having a differently sized collar. This allows a series of collars to be used depending on the desired size of beverage container. In yet further examples a taller cap may be used to accommodate a taller container.

The disclosure also extends to a kit of parts, including a holder according to any the above examples and at least one replaceable shoulder, replaceable cap, and/or cooling or heating insert. Of course, multiple of any or each of these may also be provided as part of the kit.

Specific examples will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which: Figure 1A shows a perspective view of a holder for a beverage container; Figure 1B shows a perspective view of the holder of Figure 1A, shown from below; Figure 2A shows a cross-sectional view of the holder of Figure 1A prior to a beverage container being inserted and the collar in the first configuration; Figure 2B shows the cross-sectional view of Figure 2A, with a beverage container received in the cavity and the collar in the second configuration; Figure 20 shows the cross-sectional view of Figure 2B, having an alternate beverage container received in the cavity and contacted by the collar, the collar being in an intermediate configuration; Figure 20 shows the cross-sectional view of Figure 20, in which the collar is in the first configuration and does not contact the beverage container; Figure 3A shows an example of the collar in detail in the first configuration; Figure 3B shows the collar of Figure 3A in the second configuration; Figure 4A shows a cross-sectional view of a further example of a holder for a beverage container, having an internal shoulder for supporting a beverage container; Figure 4B shows the cross-sectional view of Figure 4A with an alternate beverage container received in the cavity; and Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a modular holder having a variety of replaceable collar sizes and a plurality of removeable inserts.

As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, an example of a holder 100 according to the present disclosure has a generally cylindrical shape. The holder 100 has a side wall 102 and an opening 108 allowing access to an internal cavity 114 (not visible in Figures 1A and 1B), the opening 108 being best seen in Figure 1A. At the other end of the side wall 102 from the opening 108 is a base 104. The base 104 and the side wall 102 together define and enclose the cavity 114. The cavity 114 also has a generally cylindrical shape as it conforms to the interior of the cylindrical side wall 102 and the interior of the base 104. The opening 108 allows access to the cavity 114 and in particular is arranged to allow a user to insert a beverage container (not shown in Figures 1A and 1B) into the cavity 114.

An adjustable collar 110 is provided in the opening 108, near to the rim of the side wall 102.

The adjustable collar 110 extends substantially around the opening 108, meaning that the collar 110 forms a roughly circular shape circumferentially around the internal surface of the side wall 102.

The adjustable collar 110 is shown in a first configuration in which it lies substantially along the interior of the side wall 102. This arrangement allows beverage containers to be inserted and removed with ease. In order to allow a wide variety of beverage containers to be inserted into the cavity, the cavity 114, the opening 108 and the collar 110 On the first configuration) should be provided to be large enough to allow the beverage container to be inserted with ease. For example, this may mean that the opening 108, collar 110, and cavity all have an internal diameter which is at least as large as the beverage container, and preferably also have an annular clearance of at least 1mm to 2mm around the outer surface of the beverage container, to ensure that the user can easily insert and remove the beverage container. While the variety of beverage containers is in theory unlimited, in practice there is a degree of standardisation in the industry. The table below illustrates the dimensions of the most common containers. Based on this table, the collar 110 may be provided to be at least 73mm, or at least 75mm with clearance, in the first configuration. The second configuration (discussed in detail below) is one in which the collar 110 contacts the exterior surface of a beverage container. Based on the below table, this should be set to approximately the diameter of the container in question, or possibly a little smaller (1mm to 2mm smaller in diameter) than the container diameter to allow a degree of gripping. Again, noting the values in the table, the smallest container would imply a collar 110 diameter of 53.3mm or around 51mm if a gripping effect is to be provided. In some cases, the first configuration of the collar 110 may be just wide enough to contact or grip the largest beverage container. That is, in the first configuration, there may be no clearance between the outer surface of a particular beverage container and the collar 110.

Name Height Body diameter Volume Traditional Can 115.2 mm 66.2 mm 330 ml Traditional Can 149.9 mm 66.2 mm 440 ml Traditional Can 168 mm 66.2 mm 500 ml Traditional Can 188.1 mm 66.2 mm 568 ml Sleek Can 113.9 mm 58.1 mm 250 ml Sleek Can 145.4 mm 58.1 mm 330 ml Sleek Can 156.9 mm 57.6 mm 355 ml Sleek Can 152.1 mm 63.5 mm 400 ml Sleek Can 168 mm 63.5 mm 450 ml Sleek Can 173.5 mm 63.5 mm 473 ml Sleek Can 173.5 mm 63.5 mm 473 ml Sleek Can 193.7 mm 66.2 mm 591 ml Slim Can 88.5 mm 53.3 mm 150 ml Slim Can 111.2 mm 53.3 mm 200 ml Slim Can 134 mm 53.3 mm 250 ml Standard Bottle 218 mm 55.0 mm 275 ml Standard Bottle 226.9 mm 60.7 mm 330 ml Vichy Amber Bottle 227 mm 60.8 mm 330 ml Belgian Bottle 246.5 mm 69.0 mm 500 ml Standard Bottle 246.5 mm 69.0 mm 500 ml Real Ale 224.8 mm 73.0 mm 500 ml The height column provides guidance for the height dimension of the internal cavity 114 (that is, the length of the side wall 102 between the base 104 and the opening 108). Generally, the collar 110 should be spaced apart from the internal surface of the base 104 by a distance which is shorter than the height of the beverage container intended to be received in the cavity 114. This allows the beverage container to protrude out of the top of the holder 100 which in turn can aid a user in drinking from the beverage container. For beverage holders which are cans, the protrusion may be only around 5mm to 10mm. For beverage holders which are bottles, the protrusion is usually somewhat larger than this as it is usually for the entire neck of the bottle to protrude. For bottles therefore, the protrusion may be closer to about 50mm to 100mm, depending on the exact bottle design.

In some cases, in order to accommodate a wide range of beverage container types in a single holder, the collar 110 may be provided on a removeable and replaceable cap, with a series of such caps being used to provide collars 110 of different maximum and minimum diameters On the first and second configurations respectively). In addition, the caps may have a different height from one another, to allow the collar 110 to align correctly with the top regions of the intended beverage container. That is the cap may be used to space the collar 110 a desired distance from the base 102.

As noted below, the collar 110 may be adapted to operate with only a subset of container sizes. In this case, the collar 110 may have a diameter in each of the first and second configurations which lies in the range 50mm to 75mm (with the diameter in the second configuration having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the first configuration), without necessarily spanning the entirety of the 50mm to 75mm range. The dimensions provided in the above table are relevant for various aspects of the following discussion and should therefore be borne in mind in understanding and interpreting the principles of operation of the holder 100.

As can be seen in Figure 1B, which shows the holder 100 from below, a bottle opener 106 is provided mounted to the exterior of the base 104. This can allow a user to open bottles prior to inserting the bottle into the cavity 114.

The base 104 and the side wall 102 are formed from any suitable material, that is one which is rigid and durable enough to withstand repeated use as set out herein. Examples of suitable materials include steels as well as various plastics. In some cases, the base 104 and/or the side wall 102 is/are hollow and include insulating means, such as vacuum, aerogel, fibrous materials or other insulating materials.

The exterior surface of the side wall 102 is provided with ergonomic grips 112 to assist a user in holding the holder 100 firmly, but comfortably. The grips may take the form of indents, textured, rough or roughened material, for example, depending on the specific embodiment.

Turning now to Figures 2A to 20, in which the process of inserting a beverage container 116 into the cavity 114 of the holder 100 in cross-sectional elevation view. Figure 2A shows a cross-sectional view of a holder 100 of the type shown in Figures 1A and 1B, prior to a beverage container 116 being inserted into the cavity 114. Due to this overlap, features already described above will not be described in detail again. In Figure 2A, the collar 110 is in a first configuration, lying substantially flat against the interior of the side wall 102, and providing little or no obstruction of the opening 108.

In Figure 2B a beverage container 116 has been inserted into the cavity 114, occupying much of the internal volume of the holder 100. As can be seen, the width of the beverage container 116 is less than the diameter of the opening 108 meaning that the container easily fits through the opening 108 to enter the cavity 114. Moreover, the height of the cavity (i.e. distance between the internal surface of the base 104 and the rim of the side wall 102) is selected to ensure that the collar 110 aligns with a desired portion of the beverage container 116. In the example shown in Figure 2B the beverage container 116 is a bottle, and the collar 110 aligns with the bottle near the neck of the bottle. The neck of the bottle extends out from the opening 108 (i.e. beyond the side wall 102) in order to provide a more comfortable drinking experience for a user., although this is not essential in all examples.

Since the bottle 116 is narrower than the opening 108, the collar 110 has been adjusted in Figure 2B, causing the collar to restrict its central aperture 111 (see Figure 3), otherwise referred to as the second configuration. A central portion (central in an axial direction, i.e. approximately halfway up the collar 110) of the collar 110 to flex inwardly and contact the bottle 116. This adjustment can be made at any time in the process of inserting a beverage container 116 into the cavity 114. For example, it may be that a user prefers to adjust the collar 110 prior to inserting the beverage container 116, or that they prefer to ensure that the beverage container 116 is correctly seated in the cavity 114 prior to tightening the collar 110 to contact the beverage container 116. Once the user has finished drinking from the beverage container 116, i.e. the beverage container is empty 116, the user can remove the beverage container 116 and replace it with a full beverage container 116, if desired.

Where the new beverage container is the same shape and size as the previous beverage container 116, the previous beverage container 116 may be removed without adjusting the collar 110 at all. Similarly, the new beverage container 116 may be inserted into the cavity without adjusting the collar 110, leading to a very quick and simple process. Of course, a user may elect to loosen the collar 110 (i.e. transition from the second configuration back to the first configuration) to assist in either removal of the old beverage container 116 or insertion of the new one.

In cases where the new beverage container 116 is a different shape or size, the user will need to adjust the collar 110 to cause the collar 110 to contact the beverage container 116. As above, this adjustment can be made at any point in the process which the user finds convenient.

As shown, the adjustable collar 110 comprises a strip of flexible material. As can be seen, the collar 110 is engaged with an actuator 118 located above the collar 110 (here "above" means close to the rim of the side wall 102, or further from the base 104). In this example the actuator 118 takes the form of an annular element which engages with the opening 108 using cooperating screw threads. Rotating the actuator 118 relative to the side wall 102 engages the cooperating screw threads and moves the lower edge of the actuator upwards or downwards depending on the direction of rotation. Here "below" and "lower" mean closer to the base 104, or further from the rim of the side wall 102. "Upwards" and "downwards" are to be construed accordingly.

Comparing Figures 2A and 2B with one another reveals two positions of the adjustable collar 110: substantially flat against the side wall 102 in the first configuration; and bowed outward to contact the beverage container 116 in the second configuration. However, it will be appreciated that the transition between the first and second configurations passes through one or more intermediate configurations in which the collar 110 restricts the opening 108 to diameters smaller than that in its first configuration, yet larger than that in its second configuration. In other words, the transition between the first and second configurations is a continuous one and there exist positions for the actuator 118 which correspond to most, if not all intermediate diameters for the aperture in the collar 110. Indeed, it will be apparent that in some cases it may be possible to use the actuator 118 to cause the collar 100 to restrict the opening 108 more than it does in Figure 2B (for example to contact a beverage container 116 having a smaller diameter than that shown in Figure 2B).

Although not expressly shown, the actuator 118 may have a graduated motion within the continuous transition region. In such cases, there may be one or more positions in which the actuator corresponds to specific diameters of the aperture in the collar 110. For example, as set out in the table above, it is clear that certain diameters are commonly used, and it would therefore be beneficial to allow a user to set the diameter of the collar 110 to match some or all of these diameters, by using the actuator 118. In order to assist in this, the actuator 118 may be provided with markings to indicate positions of the actuator 118 which correspond to particular diameters of the collar 100.

Additionally, or alternatively, the motion of the actuator 118 may be locally stable at particular intermediate positions (corresponding to common aperture diameters), by using detents or the like to allow a user to stably maintain a desired intermediate position of the actuator 118.

Additionally, or alternatively, the motion of the actuator 118 may be arranged in each of a free mode and a locked mode. In the free mode, the actuator 118 can freely move to change the diameter of the aperture of the collar 110. Once the desired level of constriction of the opening 108 has been achieved, the actuator 118 can be put into the locked mode, in which it is prevented from moving (and correspondingly the diameter of the collar 110 is also fixed). The diameter of the collar 110 can be changed again by returning the actuator 118 to the free mode and adjusting the collar 110 using the actuator 118 in the usual way.

The first and second configurations may also make use of any of the above means for retaining the actuator 118 and the collar 110 in position and/or notifying a user as to the current diameter of the aperture in the collar 110.

It will be apparent that the collar 110 is held in position relative to the side wall 102, and consequently the actuator 118 deforms the collar 110, but the collar 110 remains its angular alignment with the side wall 102. In other words, the actuator 118 does not drag the collar 110 around as the actuator 118 moves downward, thereby preventing the collar from becoming twisted and possibly damaged.

In other examples, the collar 110 may be fixed to the actuator 118 instead (see e.g. Figure 5), or not fixed to either the actuator 118 or the side wall 102. In any case, the motion of the actuator 118 does not cause the collar 110 to twist. That is, the upper and lower edges of the collar 110 remain angularly aligned with one another during transitions between configurations of the collar 110.

In Figure 2B the beverage container 116 is a bottle. It is worth noting that due to the shape of bottles having most of their volume located towards their base, the location at which the collar 110 contacts the exterior surface of the bottle is at the uppermost part of the body, sometimes referred to as the shoulder of the bottle. Since most of the volume of the beverage is located below the comparatively thinner neck of the bottle, contacting the beverage container 116 at the shoulder of the bottle ensures that most of the beverage is located below the collar 110 and benefits from any insulating effect, even when the bottle is full. As will be seen below, the situation is slightly different for other beverage containers 116 such as cans.

In Figures 20 and 2D, a beverage container 116 in the form of a can is shown in the cavity 114. A small part of the of the can extends out from the opening 108 (i.e. beyond the side wall 102) in order to provide a more comfortable drinking experience for a user, although this is not essential in all examples.

It can be seen by comparing Figures 20 and 2D that the actuator 118 forces the adjustable collar 110 away from the side wall 102 towards the centre of the cavity 114. In other words, the actuator 118 is moveable relative to the side wall 102 and can be used to cause the adjustable collar 110 to transition between the first and second configurations. In the second configuration the collar 110 constricts the opening 108. As can be seen in Figure 2C, the collar 110 constricts the opening 108 to the extent that the collar 110 contacts the external surface of the beverage container 116. Note that in Figure 20, the collar 110 has an aperture size between that shown in Figure 23 (the second configuration) and that shown in Figures 2A and 2D (the first configuration). This is sometimes referred to as an intermediate configuration.

Figures 20 and 2D respectively illustrate the beginning and end of the process of the actuator 118 moving and causing the collar 110 to transition between the intermediate configuration in Figure 2C, and the first configuration in Figure 2D. More specifically, Figure shows a central portion of the collar 110 flexing into the cavity 114 to contact a beverage container 116 On this case a can), resulting in the collar 110 having a noticeably C-shaped profile. In Figure 2D the collar 110 lies substantially against an internal surface of the side wall 102..

Of course, while an actuator 118 is shown which is rotated by a user to actuate the adjustable collar 110 to cause a vertical motion, other actuators will be apparent which use only vertical or rotational motion to actuate the collar 110.

As the lower edge of the actuator 118 moves downward, it is arranged to engage the upper edge of the adjustable collar 110. It can be seen that the collar 110 is unable to move vertically (or axially) relative to the side wall 102 because the collar 110 is supported from below by a circumferential protrusion 120. The action of the actuator 118 moving downward presses the collar 110 against the circumferential protrusion 120 and causes it to bend inwardly towards the centre of the cavity 114.

In Figure 20, a seal is formed at least part way around the outer surface of the beverage container 116. This helps to insulate the container 116 (and its contents) by reducing heat flow into or out of the cavity 114. The act of forming a seal may also serve to grip the container 116 and thereby assist in retaining the container 116 in the cavity 114.

More specifically the adjustable collar 110 lies substantially along an internal wall of the side wall 102 in the first configuration and as shown a central portion of the adjustable collar 110 is deflected away from the internal wall in the intermediate and second configurations. This arrangement results in the intermediate and second configurations having a pair of opposed edges of the collar 110 running circumferentially around the interior surface of the side wall 102 with a central portion of the collar 110 bowing inwardly into the cavity 114. This results in a double layer of the collar 110 being present between the cavity 114 and the outside environment. This in turn can lead to an improved insulating effect in terms of reducing conductive, convective and radiative heat transfers between the cavity 114 and the outside environment. In other examples, only one edge of the collar 110 may be retained against the interior surface of the side wall 102. This advantageously allows a collar 110 of a given size to have a wider range of aperture diameters accessible to it, as the collar 110 is not doubled up in the second configuration, so can extend broadly twice as far towards the centre of the cavity 114.

When the beverage has been fully consumed, the steps above can be reversed to release the beverage container 116, thereby allowing its removal.

Turning now to Figure 3, which shows an example of a collar 110 according to the present disclosure separated from the holder 100. The collar 100 is presented in both the first and second configurations to illustrate the differences between the configurations.

As noted above, the collar 110 is formed as a strip of flexible material. More specifically, the collar 110 is a strip joined at its ends to form a loop of flexible material, arranged to conform to the inner surface of the side wall 102. In the first configuration, shown at the top of the Figure, the collar 110 has a form which deviates only slightly from that of a straight-sided cylinder. More specifically, the collar 110 has a central portion (central in the axial direction, i.e. approximately half way up the collar 110) which bows slightly toward the central aperture 111. This slight inward bowing of the central portion helps to encourage the collar 110 to flex in the correct direction and manner when the upper and lower edges are squeezed between an actuator 118 and a circumferential support surface 120.

In the second configuration, shown at the bottom of the Figure, the collar has been pressed vertically by the actuator 118 (not shown) forcing the upper and lower edges of the collar 110 towards one another and causing a central portion of the collar 110 to bow inwardly towards the centre of the central aperture 111. In the second configuration, the collar 110 has the form a section of the innermost part of a torus.

The collar 110 may be formed of any suitable pliant material. For example, rubbers, elastic materials or elastomers may all be used. In addition, the adjustable collar 110 may be provided with a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage container 116 when the adjustable collar is in the second configuration.

As shown in Figures 3A and 33, the collar 110 has one or more recessed features 122 formed in its innermost surface. These features 122 may be indents, creases or perforations passing entirely through the collar 110. The purpose of these features 122 is to allow or even encourage the collar 110 to constrict its inner aperture 111 in the desired manner. It will be appreciated that the central portion of the collar 110, which forms the innermost edge of the collar 110 in the second configuration, undergoes compression during the transition to (and while in) the second configuration. In order to prevent damage to the collar 110 in these circumstances, the collar 110 is provided with the recessed features 122 described above to ease the strain of contracting in this way.

As noted above, some examples of collars 110 may retain only one edge around the circumference of the opening 108 with the other edge forming the innermost portion. In such cases, the recessed features 122 may be located along the edge which is deflected towards the centre of the cavity 114, since this is the area which will experience the greatest compressive strain. In any case, the deformation to the second configuration tends to cause at least some parts of the collar 110 to undergo strain (e.g. compressive or tensile strain). This strain in turn biases the collar 110 towards the first configuration. This means that the collar 110 tends to spring back to the first configuration when a load is removed -e.g. when the actuator 118 is moved such that the actuator 118 no longer presses the collar 110 against the circumferential support 120 within the cavity 114.

Another effect of the recessed features 122 may be to provide a discontinuous seal around the external surface of the beverage container 116, for example to allow air pressure equalisation.

Turning now to Figures 4A and 4B, a further example of a holder 100 of the present disclosure is shown. The operation of the holder 100 with regard to the insertion of a beverage container 116, adjusting the collar 110, and removing the beverage container 116 occur broadly as set out above, and will not be discussed again in detail.

As can be seen, the holder 100 has an internal shoulder 124 arranged to provide support to beverage containers 116 exceeding a particular diameter at their base. For example, Figure 4A shows a relatively short and wide beverage container 116 inserted into the holder 100.

As can be seen the shoulder 124 provides support to the beverage container 116, spaced away from the internal surface of the base 104. The support raises the beverage container 116 so that the collar 110 aligns with the upper edge of the beverage container 116. If no shoulder 124 were present, the beverage container could in some cases be too short to align with the collar 110 at all.

Figure 4B shows a different beverage container 116 located within the cavity 114. The beverage container 116 in Figure 4B is both taller and narrower than the beverage container 116 in Figure 4A. In fact, the beverage container 116 in Figure 4B is narrow enough that it fits into the gap between the shoulder 124 and contacts the internal surface of the base 104.

This arrangement allows the relatively taller, but narrower, beverage container 116 to also be aligned with the collar 110. It will be apparent that the height of the shoulder 124 and the diameter of the gap between the supporting edge portions of the shoulder 124 can be selected to accommodate various standard sizes of bottles and cans, based on the table above.

In some cases, it may be possible to have a stepped internal arrangement in which a series of shoulders 124 are provided inside the cavity 114. The highest shoulder 124 would have the widest central gap and would be provided to support the base of the widest and shortest type of beverage container 116. The next shoulder 124 would have a less wide gap and would extend less far up the side wall 102 from the base 104 than the highest shoulder 124.

This would support a beverage container 116 of intermediate width and intermediate height. As many shoulders 124 as desired could be included to accommodate beverage holders 116 which are progressively narrower and taller, with the narrowest and tallest beverage holder 116 resting on the internal surface of the base 104. In this way, a single holder 100 can be provided with the means to receive a wide range of different types of beverage container 116, and provide correct alignment between the collar 110 and each of the different types of beverage container 116, by carefully selecting the dimensions of the shoulders 124 carefully.

In some cases, a series of removeable and replaceable shoulders 124 may be provided in order to allow a user to tailor the holder 100 to their preferred shape of beverage container 116. Advantageously, such removeable shoulders 124 may include a material for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity 114. For example, phase change materials or materials with high heat capacity can be placed in a freezer or oven to cool or heat them. These materials can be placed in the cavity 114 to help maintain the cavity 114 (and thereby the beverage) at a reduced or elevated temperature.

In fact, the holder 100 may be provided with such materials in contact with the interior of the cavity 114 without aiming to provide the effect provided by the shoulders 124 at all.

Finally, turning to Figure 5, a modular holder system is shown, which includes a holder 100 and a series of inserts 126 containing a material for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity 114, a series of replaceable shoulders 124 and a series of replaceable caps 128 having a collar 110 mounted on each of the caps 128.

The caps each have an actuator 118 and an opening 108. The openings 108, the height of each cap 128, and the distance below the opening 108 and the collar 110 can be varied for each replaceable cap 128 to provide a great degree of flexibility to a user in adapting their holder 100 to the types of beverage container 116 which they wish to drink from.

Similarly, the shoulders 124 can be provided with a range of internal diameters and heights to allow a user to adapt the cavity 114 to a variety of different beverage containers 116. The inserts 126 serve a dual purpose of spacing a beverage container 116 away from the base 104 and of providing cooling and/or heating to the cavity 114. A plurality of such inserts 126 may be provided so that e.g. a user can keep several in their freezer and replace the inserts 126 as they warm up with fresh, cool ones.

The user is thereby provided with a large amount of flexibility in assembling a holder 100 tailored to their specific needs. VVhile this kit of parts is shown with a large number of options, it will be appreciated that a kit of parts may include just the holder 100 with two interchangeable modules of any type.

Claims

Claims 1. A holder for a beverage container, the holder comprising: a base; a side wall defining an opening through which the beverage container is insertable; and a collar located within the opening; wherein the side wall and the base together define a cavity for receiving the beverage container; and wherein the collar is adjustable between a first configuration for contacting a first size of beverage container and a second configuration for contacting a second size of beverage container.
2. The holder according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator moveable relative to the side wall arranged to cause the collar to transition between the first configuration and the second configuration.
3. The holder according to claim 2, wherein the actuator is moveable relative to the side wall in a rotational and/or an axial direction.
4. The holder according to claim 3, wherein motion of the actuator causes the collar to transition continuously between the first and second configurations.
The holder according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein motion of the actuator is graduated and wherein the graduated motion corresponds to one or more intermediate configurations of the collar between the first and second configurations.
The holder according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the actuator is selectively lockable at least one position, the at least one position corresponding to the first configuration, the second configuration or to an intermediate configuration of the collar.
7. The holder according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the collar retains its angular position relative to the side wall during transitions between the first and second configurations.
The holder according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the collar is circular.
The holder according to any one of the preceding claims wherein, in each of the first and second configurations, the collar has an internal dimension of between 50mm and 75mm at its widest part.
10. The holder according to any preceding claim, wherein the collar is provided on a replaceable cap.
11. The holder according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of replaceable caps, each cap having a differently sized collar.
12. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collar comprises a strip of flexible material.
13. The holder according to claim 12, wherein the collar lies substantially along an internal wall of the cavity in the first configuration and wherein a portion of the collar is deflected away from an internal surface of the side wall in the second configuration.
14. The holder according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein, in the second configuration, a pair of opposed edges of the strip remain adjacent to the internal wall and an intermediate portion of the strip curves away from an internal surface of the side wall.
15. The holder according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the collar includes one or more indents, creases or perforations.
16. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collar has a rough or roughened surface for gripping the beverage container.
17. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collar extends substantially around an internal surface of the side wall.
18. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the collar is arranged to form a seal at least part way around an outer surface of the beverage container.
19. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interior of the cavity has a shoulder arranged to contact a base of the beverage container.
20. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collar comprises a plastic or rubber material.
21. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall and/or the base comprise(s) rigid plastic and/or metal.
22. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base and/or the side wall is/are hollow and include insulating means.
23. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a material in thermal contact with the interior of the cavity for cooling and/or heating the interior of the cavity.
24. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a bottle opener mounted in an exterior surface of the base.
25. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising ergonomic grips on an exterior surface of the side wall.