WO1991002475A1

WO1991002475A1 - Insulated holder for beverage container

Info

Publication number: WO1991002475A1
Application number: PCT/US1989/003531
Authority: WO
Inventors: San Fu Lee
Original assignee: San Fu Lee
Priority date: 1989-08-17
Filing date: 1989-08-17
Publication date: 1991-03-07

Abstract

An insulated holder (10) for beverage containers. A flexible bag member (12) receives a substantially rigid holder (18) for beverage containers. The rim of the bag member and the rim of the container holder are permanently bonded to one another, with the bag member rim surrounding the rim of the container holder. A flowable granular material (36) with insulating properties fills that part of the bag member not occupied by the container holder.

Description

INSULATED HOLDER FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINER

Technical Field

This invention relates, generally, to devices that insulate beverage containers against heat transfer.

Background Art

Beverage containers, typically, are made of aluminum. Since aluminum transfers heat readily, a cold beverage in an aluminum can will warm up rapidly.

Accordingly, a number of inventors have developed insulated devices that are intended to hold such beverage containers.

For example, U.S. patent to Bradley, Des. 281,755, discloses a holder for a drinking glass that includes a flexible base member.

Another insulated holder for a beverage can is shown in U.S. patent No. 3,013,691 to Prentice; further examples of insulated can or cup holders are shown in U.S. patent Nos. 3,302,427, 3,302,428, 4,383,422, 4,681,239 and 3,285,455.

The art of insulated beverage holders is quite well developed, but a functional insulated holder of irreducible structural simplicity has- not heretofore been developed. Disclosure of Invention

The present invention fulfills the longstanding need for an insulated beverage holder of elegant design_*

A cylindrical beverage container holder has a rigid, metallic circular bottom wall and substantially rigid, heavy paper side walls of cylindrical construction mounted about the periphery of the bottom wall in upstanding relation thereto. The surface of the side walls is lined with a heat transfer resistant foil.

The holder is dimensioned to slidably receive therein a conventional beverage container of standard size. An alternative embodiment receives a drinking cup.

A rigid, metallic rim caps the upper end of the side walls, and a flexible rim liner member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending flexible finger members is releasably secured to the rim and serves to guide a beverage container as it is slid into the holder and further serves to center the beverage container when it is fully seated within the holder.

The mouth or rim of a flexible (vinyl) bag member, which bag member has a height or longitudinal extent greater than the height of the container holder, is permanently bonded to the rim of the holder in surrounding or circumscribing relation thereto. Thus, the rim of the bag and the rim of the holder are substantially co-planar. More specifically, the bag member has an open end or rim that is bonded to the rim of the container holder, i.e., the inner surface of the bag's rim overlies and is fixedly secured to the outer surface of the container holder's rim.

A flowable, granular. material having insulating properties fills that part of the bag not occupied by the container holder. Thus, the container holder sits atop a thick layer of the granular material and the side walls of said container holder are surrounded by said granular material, from the rim to the bottom wall.

Another embodiment has a holder of larger diameter than the holder of the first embodiment; the larger holder accommodates a drinking cup and is also provided with a slot to accommodate a cup's handle. The metallic rim of the holder also lines the slot. Additional features include a pocket member for the storage of sundry items and non-skid pads on the bottom wall of the flexible bag member.

Further embodiments add Velcro (TM) fastening means to the exterior bottom wall of the flexible bag member. In a final embodiment, a heavy, granular, flowable material such as sand is confined to the base of the bag member to concentrate weight in said base, and the balance of the bag member is filled with small styrofoam balls.

Thus, a cold beverage will remain cold for extended periods of time when its container is placed in the container holder. The granular materials at the base of the flexible bag member conform to the shape of the support surface upon which the bag member bottom wall is placed so that the beverage in the container is maintained in an upright condition regardless of the contour of said support surface.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an insulated beverage container holder having a structure of virtually irreducible simplicity so that it will be economical to manufacture and readily affordable by consumers.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the descriptions set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be set forth in the claims.

Description of the Drawings

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a first illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in Fig.

1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 7; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the second embodiment;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevational view of a third embodiment;

Fig. 9 is a combination side elevation and sectional view of the third embodiment;

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the third embodiment;

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the third embodiment;

Fig. 12 is a top ^'plan view of the third embodiment.

Fig. 13 is sectional view of still another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 14 is a bottom plan view showing the non-skid pad members of Fig. 3 in larger size;

Fig. 15 is a bottom plan view of the novel cup, showing a hook or loop type fastening means secured thereto;

Fig. 16 is a bottom plan view showing a cup bottom wall having hook or loop fastening means and non-skid pad members secured to the bottom thereof;

Fig. 17 is a detailed, enlarged view of the complementary parts of a typical hook and loop fastening means;

Fig. 18 is a diagramatic representation of a cup having hook and loop fastener means secured to its bottom wall about to be releasably secured to a mating hook and loop fastener means permanently secured to a support surface; Fig. 19 is a side elevational view showing the cup of Fig. 18 in its releasably secured relation to said support surface;

Fig. 20 is a plan view of a strip of material having utility in connection with a final embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 21 is a side elevational view of the strip of material of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is an elevational view showing how the strip of material of Figs. ^"20 and 21 is wrapped around a support member such as an arm rest of a chair;

Fig. 23 shows a cup member releasably secured to the arm rest of a chair by means of the strip of material shown in Figs. 20 and 21; and

Fig. 24 is a bottom plan view showing a different configuration of hook and loop fastening means and non-skid pads fixedly secured to the bottom wall of a cup.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Best Modes for Carrying Out The Invention

Referring now to Fig. 1, it will there be seen that a first embodiment of the invention is denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 10.

Flexible bag member 12 may have decorative indicia imprinted thereon as shown. Bag member 12 has a flexible but substantially flat imperforate bottom wall 14 of circular configuration, as perhaps best shown in Fig. 3.

Flexible side walls 16 of bag 12 are secured by suitable means to the periphery of bottom wall 14 and project upwardly therefrom as shown. The side walls 16 and bottom wall 14 may be sewn to one another in the manner depicted in Fig. 2 as at 15, 15, for example.

Non-skid pad members 13 perform the function their name implies.

As best shown in Fig. 2, a substantially rigid holder for a beverage container is denoted 18, generally, and is positioned within the cavity 20 defined by the flexible bag member; the holder 18 defines a second cavity 22. Holder 18 includes an aluminum, circular in configuration, imperforate bottom wall 24, heavy, substantially rigid paper side walls 26 mounted about the periphery of said bottom wall and projecting upwardly therefrom, and an annular aluminum rim member 28 fixedly secured to the uppermost edge of said side walls.

A thin but effective layer of modern, insulating foil 30 overlies the cylindrical inner surface of heavy paper side walls 26; the relative thinness of the layer of reflective foil 30 is difficult to depict and is therefore not specifically shown but the drawings should be interpreted as showing said thin layer. A soft pad means 32 of suitable material overlies bottom wall 24 as shown in Fig. 2, but is not attached thereto; it primarily serves as a resilient cushioning means between the metallic bottom wall of a container disposed within holder 18 and the metallic bottom wall 24 of the holder 18. A container, such as a beverage can, is shown in phantom lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and is denoted 34.

Bag cavity 20 is filled with a flowable, granular material 36. The cavity is depicted as substantially full but it should be understood that this invention contemplates the complete filling of cavity 20.

When cavity 20 is filled with granular material 36, said material 36 surrounds holder 18 and this insulates container 34 against heat transfer. Thus, the granular material 36 and the foil 30 combine to provide a very effective barrier to heat transfer.

Importantly, the thickness of the material 36 that underlies bottom wall 24 of holder 18, said thickness being denoted by the double headed arrow 38 in Fig. 2, is substantially equal to the thickness of the material that surrounds the bottom wall 24 of holder 18, said latter thickness being denoted by the double headed arrow 40.

It should be noted that the granular material 36 lying radially outwardly of holder 18 collectively forms a generally toroidal pattern for any given longitudinal extent of material. For example, material 36 within the longitudinal extent indicated by the double headed arrow 37 in Fig. 2 forms a toroid about holder 18, said toroid having a height dimension or longitudinal extent equal to the length of arrow 37. The diameter of a similar imaginary toroid would increase toward the bottom . of holder 18 and progressively diminish toward the rim 28 of holder 18.

In other words, the thickness of the granular material 36 diminishes gradually toward the top of holder 18 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, the amount of insulation provided by the combined effects of the granular material 36 and the insulating foil 30 a^'lso gradually diminishes from bottom to top. However, the beverage container 34 and its contents will be cold when container 34 is first inserted into holder 18, and the first few sips of beverage will reduce the level of the beverage to a point where the granular insulation is increased. Subsequent sips further reduce the beverage level to increasingly insulated parts of device 10. Thus, that part of the beverage that will be consumed last is protected by the greatest amount of insulation.

A rim-covering member 42 having downwardly turned peripheral flange 43 is releasably attached to holder rim 28. It includes a plurality of closely circumferentially spaced, flexible, radially extending flat flap members, collectively denoted 44 in Fig. 4, that serve as guide means for container 34 when it is slidably inserted into holder cavity 22.

A second embodiment is shown in Figs. 5-7 and is denoted 50 as a whole. The diameter of holder 18 is greater in this embodiment relative to the diameter of the holder 18 of the first-described embodiment; the greater diameter accommodates a drinking cup, not shown. Slot 52 accommodates a cup handle. Cushioned pad 54, although thicker than pad 32 of the first embodiment, performs the same function as pad 32.

A shown in Figs. 8-12, a third embodiment is denoted 60 as a whole.

A pocket member 62 is attached by suitable means to the back of bag member 12 as shown; it is suitable for use as a storage means for ^"cigarettes, pens, and other assorted articles.

More particularly, as perhaps best shown in Fig. 12, pocket member 62 includes a cigarette pack-receiving cavity 64 and a pair of pen or pencil receiving subpockets 66 as shown. Subpockets 66 could be eliminated and pens could still be stored in pocket 62. Also, pocket 62 could be substantially smaller than depicted and it could have substantially less depth so that its width as depicted in Figs. 9, 11 and 12 could be much less.

Referring now to Fig. 13, it will there be seen that another embodiment of the invention is denoted 68 as a whole. A thick layer of sand or similar material 70 is deposited in the bottom of cavity 20, and the rest of bag member 12 is filled with small styrofoa balls or pellets 72. Sand 70 is heavy and serves to anchor cup 68 against movement; being flowable, it conforms to the shape of any support surface. The styrofoam pellets 72 provide the needed insulation, and cooperate with the heat transfer-resistant foil 30 as in the earlier-described embodiments.

A plurality of non-skid pad members 13 may be secured to an exterior surface of bottom wall.14 of all embodiments, as aforesaid. Moreover, as shown in Fig. 15, a plurality of Velcro (TM), or other similar hook and loop fastening members 74, may also be provided in lieu of the non-skid pad members 13. Ideally, both are provided as depicted in Fig. 16. When both are provided, non-skid pads 13 will hold the cup securely against movement on a wide variety of surfaces, and the hook and loop fastening means 74 will hold the cup securely on many other surfaces. For example, a textile surface such as found on many items of furniture provides a good base means for engaging Velcro (TM) members 74.

An enlarged view of a hook means 74 and a loop means 76 appears in Fig. 17. Where it is desired to securely position a cup on a surface not readily engaged by a hook means or a loop means, such as the console or dash board of a vehicle, a loop means 76 is permanently secured to such non-textile support surface 78, and the cup is brought into registration therewith as suggested by the directional arrow 80 in Fig. 18. The releasably but firmly engaged cup is shown in Fig. 19.

However, there may be times when it is not convenient to permanently adhere a hook means 74 or a loop means 76 to a support surface. For example, when visiting a friend's house or attending a ball game or when seated in any chair not owned by the cup owner, the permanent connection of a hook or loop fastening member thereto is inadvisable.

A novel solution to this problem has been found; an elongate flexible strip of hook and loop type fastening material is provided, and the strip of material is releasably fastened around the arm of a chair when needed to provide a mating surface for the fastener means permanently secured to bottom wall 14 of the cup. The strip of material is denoted 82 in Fig. 20 and is shown in side elevation in Fig. 21. Hooks 74 are formed on a first side of the strip 82 and loops 76 are formed on the second side thereof. As depicted in Fig. 22, strip 82 is wrapped around the armrest 84 of a chair as shown and as suggested by directional arrow 86. Hooks 74 engage loops 76 as clearly shown in Fig. 22, and the end result is strip 82 securely wrapped around armrest 84 as depicted in Fig. 23; a cup equipped with Velcro (TM) pads 74 is then removably secured thereto. Since strip 82 is also removably secured to armrest 84, the versatility of the novel cup is thereby enhanced.

Elongate hook strips 74, shown in Fig. 24, mate well with the loop side of strip 82 when a cup is positioned on an armrest such as armrest 84.

In most structural respects, all three embodiments are essentially the same, as indicated by the common reference numerals in the drawings. The many features of this cup separate it from the cups of the prior art. More importantly, this invention provides to the public an economical to purchase insulated beverage holder of a type heretofore unknown.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and no in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described,

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An insulated device for holding beverage containers, comprising: a flexible bag means; said bag means having a circular in configuration rim means at a first end thereof; said bag means having an imperforate, circular in configuration bottom wall, of predetermined diameter, at a second end thereof; said predetermined diameter of said bottom wall being greater than said predetermined diameter of said rim means; said bag means having imperforate, flexible side walls of predetermined longitudinal extent that extend between said bag means first end and said bag means second end; a substantially rigid, cylindrical in configuration beverage container holder means; said holder means having a circular in configuration, substantially rigid rim means of predetermined diameter at a first end thereof; said holder means having a circular in configuration bottom wall member at a second end thereof; said holder means having cylindrical side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall member to said rim means; said predetermined diameter of said holder means rim means being substantially equal to the predetermined diameter of said bag means rim means; said holder means having a ■ predetermined longitudinal extent less than the longitudinal extent of said bag means side walls; said bag means defining a first open-ended cavity means; said holder means defining a second open-ended cavity means; said holder means being entirely disposed within said first cavity means; said bag means rim means being fixedly secured, in circumscribing relation, to said holder means rim means; a predetermined quantity of a preselected flowable, granular material being disposed in said bag means; said predetermined quantity of said preselected granular material being sufficient to at least substantially fill that part of said first cavity means not occupied by said holder means so that said holder means is substantially surrounded by said granular material; whereby a beverage container positioned within said second cavity means is insulated by said granular material.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said cylindrical side walls of said holder means are made of a thick paper that resists facile crushing thereof.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein a thin layer of an insulating foil is disposed in overlying relation to said cylindrical side walls.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said container holder bottom wall and said bag means bottom wall are vertically spaced apart from one another by a layer of said granular material of predetermined thickness, and wherein said container holder bottom wall is circumscribed by a toroidal layer of said granular material of substantially the same predetermined thickness.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein a toroidal layer of granular material of progressively smaller diameter circumscribes said container holder cylindrical side walls along the longitudinal extent of said side walls from said holder bottom wall to said holder rim means.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a vertically extending slot means formed in said cylindrical side walls to accommodate a handle of a cup received within said second cavity means.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a pocket means fixedly secured at a predetermined location to an outer surface of said bag means side walls for the transient retention of sundry items.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising at least one non-skid pad means fixedly secured to an exterior surface of said bag means bottom wall.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising at least one hook and loop type fastening means fixedly secured to said exterior surface of said bag means bottom wall so that said fastening means can engage a complementary fastening means.

10. An insulated device for holding beverage containers, comprising: a flexible bag means; said bag means having a circular in configuration rim means at a first end thereof; said bag means having an imperforate, circular in configuration bottom wall, of predetermined diameter, at a second end thereof; said predetermined diameter of said bottom wall being greater than said predetermined diameter of said rim means; said bag means having imperforate, flexible side walls of predetermined longitudinal extent that extend between said bag means first end and said bag means second end; a substantially rigid, cylindrical in configuration beverage container holder means; said holder means having a circular in configuration, substantially rigid rim means of predetermined diameter at a first end thereof; said holder means having a circular in configuration bottom wall member at a second end thereof; said holder means having cylindrical side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall member to said rim means; said predetermined diameter of said holder means rim means being substantially equal to the predetermined diameter of said bag means rim means; said holder means having a predetermined longitudinal extent less than the longitudinal extent of said bag means side walls; said bag means defining a first open-ended cavity means; said holder means defining a second open-ended cavity means; said holder means being entirely disposed within said first cavity means; said bag means rim means being fixedly secured, in circumscribing relation, to said holder means rim means; a predetermined quantity of styrofoam pellets being disposed in said bag means; said predetermined quantity of said styrofoam pellets being sufficient to at least substantially fill that part of said first cavity means not occupied by said holder means so that said holder means is substantially surrounded by said styrofoam pellets; whereby a beverage container positioned within said second cavity means is insulated by said styrofoam pellets.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said cylindrical side walls of said holder means are made of a thick paper that resists facile crushing thereof.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein a thin layer of an insulating foil is disposed in overlying relation to an interior surface of said cylindrical side walls.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a thick layer of a heavy, flowable granular material disposed in overlying relation to an interior surface of said bottom wall, said granular material providing weight to said device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein a plurality of styrofoam pellets overlies said thick layer of granular material and substantially fills said bag means.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said granular material is sand.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising at least one hook and loop fastening means fixedly secured to an exterior surface of said bag means bottom wall.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein a mixture of said hook and loop fastening means and said non-skid pad members are secured to an exterior surface of said bag means bottom wall.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising an elongate, flexible strip of material having a hook type fastening means on a first side thereof and a loop type fastening means on a second side thereof, whereby said strip of material is wrapped around a support surface to provide a base means to which said cup may be releasably secured.

19. An insulated holder for a beverage container, comprising: a cylindrical beverage can holder member; said holder member having side walls formed of a heavy paper; said holder member having a rigid bottom wall; a thin layer of a light-reflecting, heat transfer-resistant foil means secured in overlying relation to interior surfaces of said holder member side walls; a flexible bag member having a rim part thereof fixedly secured in circumscribing relation to a rim part of said holder member; said flexible bag member having a height dimension greater than the height dimension of said holder member; a thick layer of a sand-like material being disposed in the bottom of said bag member; and a plurality of styrofoam pellets overlying said layer of sand-like material, said pellets at least substantially filling said bag means.

20. The holder of claim 19, further comprising a hook and loop type fastening means permanently secured to an exterior bottom wall of said cup member.

21. The holder of claim 20, further comprising an elongate, flat, flexible strip of material having a hook type fastening means on a first side thereof, and a loop type fastening means on a second side thereof, so that when said strip of material is wrapped about a support surface such that an exposed side thereof carries fastening means that mate with the fastening means secured to the bottom wall of said holder member, then said respective fastening means releasably secure said insulated holder to said support surf ce.

22. The holder of claim 21, further comprising a pocket means secured to said preselected bag member.