US20160120347A1

US20160120347A1 - Beverage Flotation Device

Info

Publication number: US20160120347A1
Application number: US14/675,152
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter L. Ballard; David C. Ballard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-11-04
Filing date: 2015-03-31
Publication date: 2016-05-05

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a beverage flotation device that uses attached empty containers as a primary means of flotation. The beverage flotation device includes a hollow cylinder comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the hollow cylinder configured to securely accommodate a beverage container; and a container attachment point connected to the outer surface, the container attachment point comprising a plurality of threads configured to receive a mating screw-top container.

Description

RELATED UNITED STATES CASES

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/075,036, filed Nov. 4, 2014 and entitled “Beverage Flotation Device.” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/075,036 is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field generally relates to a beverage container holder and more specifically relates to a beverage container holder that floats upright in water.

BACKGROUND

It is a favorite pastime to relax at a pool, lake, river, beach, or other body of water. Participants frequently enjoy a beverage, but often require a place to secure their beverage within reach while swimming or floating on the water. A beverage container holder that floats on the water may be used to address this problem.
There is also a movement, termed up-cycling, in which waste is reused or converted to create a new product. This is in contrast to traditional recycling in which waste is broken down into its raw material components and the raw material is reused to manufacture a new product. Up-cycling serves to both keep waste out of landfills and save the cost and energy associated with traditional recycling.

SUMMARY

A beverage flotation device is disclosed that uses empty screw-top bottles as a means of flotation. The beverage flotation device includes a hollow cylinder. The hollow cylinder is comprised of an outer surface, an inner surface, and top lip. A bottom member is connected to the bottom-most portion of the hollow cylinder. A hollow interior is defined by the inner surface, bottom portion, and top lip. The hollow interior is configured to securely accommodate a beverage container. The outer surface of the hollow cylinder includes one or more bottle attachment points. Each bottle attachment point includes a plurality of threads configured to accommodate and connect to a screw top of an empty screw-top bottle. The empty screw-top bottles protruding from the beverage flotation device provide it with buoyancy and stability.
In one embodiment, a beverage flotation device additionally includes a means for attaching a tether, which allows the beverage flotation device to be anchored to a person or object. In another embodiment, a beverage flotation device additionally includes a raised ring attached to the bottom of the bottom member. A raised ring may be sized to securely interlock with a top lip of another beverage flotation device, so that the beverage flotation devices may be easily stacked.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, exemplary examples are shown in the drawings; however, the subject matter is not limited to the specific elements and instrumentalities disclosed. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary beverage flotation device;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of an exemplary beverage flotation device;

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of an exemplary beverage flotation device;

FIG. 4 depicts a photograph of a perspective view of an exemplary beverage flotation device configured with screw-top bottles;

FIG. 5 depicts a photograph of a top view of an exemplary beverage flotation device configured with screw-top bottles;

FIG. 6 depicts a photograph of a perspective view of a plurality of beverage flotation devices containing beverage container and connected by double screw-top connectors;

FIG. 7 depicts a photograph of a side view of a double screw-top connector;

FIG. 8 depicts a photograph of a perspective view of a double screw-top connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Described herein is a beverage flotation device that uses empty plastic or other types of bottles or containers as a primary source of buoyancy.
In describing embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated in the figures, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. The disclosure, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary beverage flotation device 100. A beverage flotation device 100 may be composed of plastic, such as polypropylene or high density polyethylene, metal, wood, glass or any other material. A preferred material will be one that is lightweight, yet strong, tough, and durable. Since a beverage flotation device will likely be used around water, a preferred material will be corrosion, rot, rust, and mildew resistant. In addition, it will be useful for a beverage flotation device 100 to be composed of a buoyant material to assist with the flotation of the device and so that it will not sink if dropped before being fully configured with screw-top bottles. A beverage flotation device 100 may be composed of a single material or more than one material. To simplify and reduce costs in the manufacture process, a single material, such as a plastic, may be used in an injection molding process to form the beverage flotation device 100.
Beverage flotation device 100 includes a hollow cylinder 102. A hollow cylinder 102 is comprised of an outer surface 104 and an inner surface 110. A bottom member 116 (shown in FIG. 3) may be connected to the bottom-most portion of the hollow cylinder 102. The upper-most portion of the hollow cylinder 102 may comprise a top lip 120.
The inner surface 110, the top lip 120, and the bottom member 116 define a hollow interior 118. The hollow interior 118 is sized to securely accommodate a variety of beverage containers 600 (shown in FIG. 6), such as an aluminum can in a variety of sizes (e.g., twelve, sixteen, twenty, or twenty-four ounce) and shapes, a plastic bottle in a variety of sizes (e.g., twelve, sixteen, twenty, twenty-four, or thirty-two ounce) and shapes, a disposable cup from a fast-food restaurant or convenience store, a Solo® cup, a Tervis® tumbler, a glass bottle in a variety of sizes (e.g., twelve, sixteen, thirty-two, or sixty-four ounce) and shapes, and a wine bottle in a variety of sizes (e.g., 750 milliliter or one-and-a-half liter) and shapes or any other appropriately sized beverage container. The hollow interior 118 may also be sized to accommodate a beverage container 600, such as an aluminum can or glass bottle, covered by a neoprene or foam insulation sleeve. The hollow interior 118 may, for example, be variable in circumference through the use of inserts (not shown), sizing pads (not shown) or an inflatable lining (not shown) which would inflate or deflate based on the size of the beverage container 600.
One or more bottle attachment points 106 are connected to the outer surface 104 of the hollow cylinder 102. The bottle attachment points 106 may be equidistantly arranged around a single circumference of the outer surface 104, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. The bottle attachment points 106 should be arranged in a configuration that prevents the beverage flotation device 100 from tipping in the water, and the bottle attachment points 106 may, for example, be three in number and located equidistant around the circumference of outer surface 104.
The bottle attachment points 106 may protrude from the outer surface 104, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, or may be recessed within the hollow cylinder 102 and flush with the outer surface 104. A bottle attachment point 106 may be a truncated cone shape, as depicted in FIGS. 1-3, but is not so limited. A bottle attachment point 106 may be cylindrical, square, pyramidal, hexagonal, hemispherical, or any other shape conducive to attaching a bottle to the outer surface 104.
A bottle attachment point 106 may be configured so that the longitudinal axis of an attached screw-top bottle 400 (shown in FIGS. 4-6) is normal to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder 102. A bottle attachment point 106 may also be configured so that the angle between the longitudinal axis of an attached screw-top bottle 400 and the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder 102 is between, un-inclusively, forty-five and ninety degrees. In other words, an attached screw-top bottle 400 may point slightly downwards (i.e., in the direction of the bottom member 116) from the bottle attachment point 106. This downward-pointing configuration may allow the beverage flotation device 100 to remain further above the water and thereby prevent splashed water from entering the beverage container 600.
A bottle attachment point 106 may include a plurality of threads 108 configured to accommodate and connect to a screw-top of a screw-top bottle 400. The plurality of threads 108 may accommodate a cooperating screw-top composed of a variety of materials, such as plastic, glass, aluminum or any other type of suitable material. In one example, the plurality of threads 108 are configured to accommodate a screw-top with a 28 mm PCO 1810 or 28 mm PCO 1881 finish, which are commonly found on plastic soft-drink bottles. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of threads 108 is interior to the bottle attachment point 106 in an arrangement to receive a screw top that has external threads in a female-male relationship. If the screw top has internal threads, then the bottle attachment point 106 may have external threads (not shown) such that the bottle attachment point 106 and the screw top cooperate in a male-female configuration.
A means for attaching 114 a tether may be connected to the outer surface 104. The means for attaching 114 a tether may comprise a circular ring attached to the outer surface 104, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, wherein a tether, rope, string, or lanyard may be passed through the circular ring to attach the beverage flotation device 100 to a person or object. Those skilled in the art will understand that there are many other means for attaching 114 a tether, including but not limited to a hook, a clip, a carabiner, a loop, a key ring, and other functionally equivalent parts. The means for attaching 114 may be formed integral to the beverage flotation device 100 or separate from the beverage flotation device 100 and then connected to the beverage flotation device 100 when being used. The attachment to a person or object may serve to prevent the beverage flotation device 100 from floating away from the person or object. The means for attaching 114 a tether may also comprise a square, rectangular, oval or semi-circular ring shape instead of the circular ring depicted in FIGS. 1-3. The means for attaching 114 a tether may also be configured in a parallel orientation (in relation to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder 102) or any other angled orientation, instead of the perpendicular orientation depicted in FIGS. 1-3.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a beverage flotation device 100. Shown in FIG. 2 are hollow cylinder 102, outer surface 104, bottle attachment points 106, plurality of threads 108, means for attaching 114 a tether, and top lip 120. Also shown in FIG. 2 is raised ring 112.
A raised ring 112 may be attached to the bottom of the bottom member 116. The raised ring 112 may be configured to interlock with the top lip 120 to facilitate a secure stacking of one beverage flotation device 100 on top of a second beverage flotation device 100. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the raised ring 112 is of a slightly smaller diameter than that of the top lip 120. When a first beverage flotation device 100 is placed atop a second beverage flotation device 100, the raised ring 112 of the first beverage flotation device 100 fits securely inside the top lip 120 of the second beverage flotation device 100. In another embodiment, the interior of a raised ring 112 may be slightly larger than a top lip 120, so that the top lip 120 fits securely inside the raised ring 112.
A secondary use of the beverage flotation device 100 may be as an elevated drink coaster or holder for use outside of water. For example, a pool-goer might use the beverage flotation device 100 while playing in a pool, but then decide to rest on a nearby lawn. The pool-goer may turn the beverage flotation device 100 upside-down, such that the raised ring 112 is facing upward, and place his or her beverage container 600 on the bottom member 116 of the beverage flotation device 100. The attached screw-top bottles 400 may be removed or left attached for this usage. This configuration will function to raise the beverage container 600 off the ground, preventing the beverage container 600 from being soiled and dust, dirt, or debris from contaminating the beverage. The raised ring 112 in this configuration serves the additional purpose of preventing the beverage container 600 from sliding off the bottom member 116.
FIG. 3 is a top view of a beverage flotation device 100. Shown in FIG. 3 are hollow cylinder 102, outer surface 104, inner surface 110, hollow interior 118, bottle attachment points 106, means for attaching 114 a tether, and top lip 120. Also shown in FIG. 3 are bottom member 116 and bottom hole 122.
A bottom member 116 may be connected to the bottom of the hollow cylinder 102 and may help define the bottom-most portion of the hollow interior 118. The bottom member 116 may serve the function of vertically supporting a beverage container 600 within the hollow interior 118. The bottom member 116 may be positioned at the base of the hollow cylinder 102 or may be positioned within the hollow cylinder 102. Additionally the bottom member 116 may be suspended from the base of the hollow cylinder 102 to permit some of the beverage container 600 to protrude into the water. There may also be no bottom member 116 wherein the beverage container 600 is secured in the hollow interior 118 through friction or some other method. The bottom member 116 may also define a bottom hole 122. The bottom member 116 may define a single circular bottom hole 122 in the center of the bottom member 116, as depicted in FIG. 3. However it should be appreciated that the bottom member 116 may instead define a plurality of bottom holes 122 and in shapes other than a circle. For example, the bottom member 116 may define repeated rows of bottom holes 122 such that the bottom member 116 resembles a mesh or perforated material. A bottom hole 122 may operate to allow splashed water or beverage to drain from the beverage flotation device 100. It should be appreciated that a bottom member 116 may be configured without a bottom hole 122. For example, a bottom hole 122 may be undesirable if a beverage container 600 is made of a material that deteriorates in liquid, such as a paper cup.
FIGS. 4-5 show a perspective and top view, respectively, of a beverage flotation device 100 configured with a plurality of empty screw-top bottles 400. In the embodiment shown, the beverage flotation device is configured with three screw-top bottles 400. This configuration allows the screw-top bottles 400 to form a flotation tripod, providing stability and preventing the beverage flotation device 100 from tipping over in the water. The beverage flotation device 100 may also include more than three bottle attachment points 106, and therefore be configured with more than three screw-top bottles 400. Additional screw-top bottles 400 may provide added stability and buoyancy.
The screw-top bottles 400 shown in FIGS. 4-5 are empty, plastic, twelve ounce soft drink bottles found commonly in the United States market. A screw-top bottle 400 may be composed of any of a variety of materials, including plastic (e.g., high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET)), glass, or metal (e.g., aluminum or stainless steel). A screw-top bottle 400 may also be in a variety of sizes. Contemplated screw-top bottle 400 sizes include twelve ounce, sixteen ounce, one half liter, twenty ounce, twenty-four ounce, one liter, and two liter, but a screw-top bottle 400 may be in any size that provides sufficient buoyancy to the beverage flotation device 100.
A screw-top bottle 400 operates to provide the primary means of flotation for a beverage flotation device 100. Since a screw-top bottle 400 is typically empty of liquid and filled with air, the density of the screw-top bottle 400 is significantly less than the surrounding water and, thus, the resulting buoyant forces maintain the screw-top bottles 400 and the beverage flotation device 100 with a beverage container 600 at or above the water level. A user may wish to adjust the size of the screw-top bottle 400 according to the weight of a particular beverage and beverage container 600. For example, if a beverage flotation device 100 contains a full, large, twenty-four ounce aluminum can, the user may attach empty one liter bottles to provide additional buoyancy.
A plurality of screw-top bottles 400 also prevents the beverage flotation device 100 from tipping. Since the screw-top bottles 400 typically protrude a distance away from the beverage flotation device 100 and are vertically supported by their buoyancy, they provide a source of leverage against horizontal forces and/or rotational forces about a horizontal axis. A user may adjust the stability of a beverage flotation device 100 according to present uses or conditions by configuring the beverage flotation device 100 with screw-top bottles 400 of a certain size and/or shape. For example, if a beverage flotation device 100 is to be used in a choppy ocean, a user may configure it with screw-top bottles 400 that are both larger-sized to provide additional buoyant forces and longer to provide additional leverage.
FIG. 6 shows a plurality of beverage flotation devices 100 configured with screw-top bottles 400 and holding beverage containers 600, wherein the plurality of beverage flotation devices 100 are connected with double screw-top connectors 602. As shown in FIG. 7, a double screw-top connector 602 is comprised of a first screw top 604 and a second screw top 606, connected to each other to face in opposite directions. A first screw top 604 and a second screw top 606 of a double screw-top connector 602 are similar to those found on a screw-top bottle 400. A first screw top 604 and a second screw top 606 may each include a grip plate 608 connected to an interior portion of the first screw top 604 or second screw top 606. A grip plate 608 may be used to turn one or both of a first screw top 604 and a second screw top 606. A first screw top 604 and a second screw top 606 may be connected, for example by an interlocking plastic rivet, such that the first screw top 604 and the second screw top 606 may be turned independently. A first screw top 604 and a second screw top 606 are each configured to screw into a plurality of threads 108 of a first and second beverage flotation device 100, respectively, thereby connecting the two beverage flotation devices 100. As shown in FIG. 6, several double screw-top connectors 602 may be used to chain together multiple beverage flotation devices 100.
FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a double screw-top connector 602. Shown in FIG. 8 are a first screw top 604 and a grip plate 608.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with the various embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments can be used or modifications and additions can be made to the described embodiments. Therefore, the beverage flotation device as described herein should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A beverage flotation device, comprising:

a hollow cylinder comprising an inner surface and an outer surface;

the hollow cylinder configured to securely accommodate a beverage container; and

a container attachment point connected to the outer surface, the container attachment point comprising a plurality of threads configured to receive a cooperating screw-top container.

2. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, further comprising at least three container attachment points connected to the outer surface, each of the at least three container attachment points comprising a plurality of threads configured to receive a cooperating screw-top container.

3. The beverage flotation device of claim 2, wherein the at least three container attachment points are spaced equidistantly around a circumference of the outer surface.

4. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, wherein the container attachment point is configured to receive a cooperating screw-top container substantially perpendicularly oriented to a longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder.

5. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, wherein the container attachment point is configured to receive a cooperating screw-top container oriented in a substantially downward direction.

6. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of threads are configured to receive a screw-top conforming to at least one of a 28 mm PCO 1810 standard and a 28 mm PCO 1881 standard.

7. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, further comprising means for attaching a tether.

8. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, further comprising a raised ring connected to and protruding downward from a bottom portion of the hollow cylinder.

9. The beverage flotation device of claim 8, further comprising a top lip connected to a top portion of the hollow cylinder, wherein the raised ring is configured to securely interconnect with a top lip of a second beverage flotation device.

10. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, wherein the hollow cylinder further comprises a bottom member.

11. The beverage flotation device of claim 10, wherein the bottom member defines a hole.

12. The beverage flotation device of claim 10, wherein the bottom member defines a plurality of holes configured to form a mesh pattern.

13. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, wherein the inner surface comprises an insert configured to securely accommodate the beverage container.

14. The beverage flotation device of claim 13, wherein the insert is inflatable.

15. The beverage flotation device of claim 1, wherein the beverage flotation device is substantially plastic.