Bottle with recess

Abstract

A bottle having a hose recess formed by an outer surface thereof, the hose recess configured to accommodate a hose.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to bottles. More particularly, it relates to a water cooler bottle that has a recess for storing a hose.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Filtered water is generally preferred over tap water. Many people have filters for their faucets which remove impurities from tap water. However, these filters sometimes have slow throughput, so when someone is very thirsty they may not have the patience to wait for the filtered water. Furthermore, water coming from a faucet must generally be run for a few moments before it is cold, leading to a significant amount of wasted water.

[0003] Water coolers are also popular, in both offices and homes. Water coolers generally employ refillable bottles with a flat bottom and a neck with an opening therein on top. A full bottle is flipped upside down and the neck is inserted into the cooler. Once the water has been drained from the bottle, it is removed and replaced with another full bottle. This process involves repetitive lifting and inverting of full water cooler bottles, which may cause injuries to those doing the lifting. Furthermore, a supply of full bottles must be maintained.

[0004] Many attempts have been made over the years to address the demand for filtered water, and to minimize the inconvenience of having to replace bottles. An early example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,413, which provides a pump apparatus and a hose for refilling a water bottle atop a cooler with water from a source bottle on the ground. The inventor has noticed that systems such as this one are undesirable, since when not in use the hose will be in the user's way.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0005] The invention allows users to maximize the use of their water filters by providing apparatus and methods for directly filling a bottle from their water filters. The invention provides a bottle having a hose recess formed in an outer surface thereof, the hose recess configured to accommodate a hose used to refill the bottle with liquid.

[0006] The bottle may also have a refilling hole located at an upper portion of the bottle when the bottle is in use, and a plug configured to plug the refilling hole. A plug recess configured to accommodate the plug may be formed in the bottle.

[0007] A plurality of tabs may be located along edges of the hose recess and configured to prevent the hose from falling out of the hose recess. Alternately, a ridge may be located along edges of the hose recess and configured to prevent the hose from falling out of the hose recess.

[0008] The bottle may further comprise an adaptor configured to connect the hose to a filtered water source, and an adaptor recess configured to accommodate the adaptor. The hose may comprises an accordian-style hose or a telephone cord-style hose.

[0009] The bottle may further comprise a cap configured to cover a hole in a neck thereof, and a cap recess configured to accommodate the cap.

[0010] The invention also provides a method of refilling a bottle having a hose recess formed in an outer surface thereof, the hose recess configured to accommodate a hose used to refill the bottle with liquid, the method comprising: removing the hose from the hose recess; inserting a first end of the hose through a refilling hole in the bottle, the refilling hole located near an upper portion of the bottle when the bottle is in use; inserting an adaptor into a second end of the hose; connecting the adaptor to a liquid source; filling the bottle with liquid from the liquid source; removing the first end of the hose from the refilling hole; and, inserting a plug into the refilling hole. The method may further comprise the step of replacing the hose in the recess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view showing the water cooler bottle of FIG. 1 being refilled.

[0013] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to an alternate embodiment of the invention being refilled.

[0014] FIG. 4A depicts an accordian-style hose according to the invention.

[0015] FIG. 4B depicts a telephone cord-style hose according to the invention.

[0016] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a water cooler bottle according to another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION

[0020] Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows bottle 10 according to the invention. Bottle 10 is provided with hose recess 12 formed in the outer surface thereof, which is configured to accommodate hose 14. Hose 14 has a bottle end 16 and a filtered water source end 18. Tabs 20 are preferably located along the edges of hose recess 12 to keep hose 14 in place. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the number and placement of tabs 20 may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. In the alternative, tabs 20 may be replaced by a continuous ridge (not shown) running along the edge of hose recess 12.

[0022] Refilling hole 22 is located near an end of bottle 10 opposite the end where neck 13 is located. It is to be understood that refilling hole 22 is in an upper portion of bottle 10 when bottle 10 is in use in an inverted position, as shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, refilling hole 22 is located in hose recess 12 adjacent bottle end 16 of hose 14. Refilling hole 22 has a diameter slightly larger than that of hose 14, allowing bottle end 16 of hose 14 to be snugly (although not airtightly) inserted into refilling hole 22. Plug 24 is used to plug refilling hole 22 when bottle 10 is not being refilled. The portion of recess 12 near refilling hole 22 is sized so that a user may easily insert and remove plug 24 and hose 14 from refilling hole 22. Bottle 10 may comprise plug recess 26 configured to accommodate plug 24. Tabs 20 are preferably located along the edges of plug recess 26 to keep plug 24 in place when plug 24 is not in use.

[0023] Bottle 10 is preferably provided with a cap 11 to cover the opening in neck 13 when bottle 10 is not in use. Bottle 10 may comprise cap recess 28 configured to accommodate cap 11. Tabs 20 are preferably located along the edges of cap recess 28 to keep cap 11 in place when cap 11 is not in use. Bottle 10 may also comprise adaptor recess 30 configured to accommodate adaptor 32. Tabs 20 are preferably located along the edges of adaptor recess 30 to keep adaptor 32 in place when adaptor 32 is not in use.

[0024] Adaptor 32 of the FIG. 1 embodiment is for use with a filtered water source 40 comprising a faucet 44 as shown in FIG. 2. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the structure of adaptor 32 will depend on the structure of filtered water source 40. Adaptor 32 comprises hose insertion end 34 and filtered water source engaging end 36. Sling 38 may be attached to filtered water source engaging end 36. It is to be understood that the specific structure of adaptor 32 may be varied for use with different types of filtered water source 40 without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Adaptor 32 facilitates refilling of bottle 10, as described below.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows bottle 10 being refilled from a filtered water source 40. Bottle 10 is inverted and sits atop water cooler 42. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, filtered water source 40 comprises faucet 44 supplied with filtered water by means of pipes 46 from water filter 48.

[0026] To refill bottle 10, a user removes hose 14 from recess 12 and removes plug 24 from refilling hole 22. Plug 24 may be placed in plug recess 26. Bottle end 16 of hose 14 is inserted through refilling hole 22. Hose insertion end 34 of adaptor 32 is inserted into filtered water source end 18 of hose 14. Filtered water source engaging end 36 of adaptor 32 is fitted over the end of faucet 44. Sling 38 may be secured over the top of faucet 44.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a bottle 10 according to an alternate embodiment of the invention being refilled in the upright position. The FIG. 3 embodiment comprises an optional secondary refilling hole 21 located near the top of bottle 10 (near the neck). Secondary refilling hole 21, as shown in the expanded circle in FIG. 3, is located in protrusion 23, around which bottle end 16 of hose 14 fits tightly. Secondary plug 25 is used to plug secondary refilling hole 21. Secondary plug recess 27 is configured to accommodate secondary plug 25. Secondary refilling hole 21 could equally be located directly in the wall of bottle 10, without protrusion 23, and sized to snugly accept hose 14.

[0028] Hose 14 is preferably flexible and extendible. Hose 14 may comprise an accordian-style hose, as shown in FIG. 4A. Hose 14 may also comprise a telephone cord-style hose, as shown in FIG. 4B. Of course, hose 14 may simply comprise a flexible plastic tube (not shown).

[0029] FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrate alternate embodiments of bottle 10. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has a square cross section. The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 has a hexagonal cross section. Each embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 has a differently shaped recess 12. The size and shape of bottle 10 and recess 12 may vary greatly without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0030] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example, while the Figures show bottles with circular cross sections, any shape of bottle could be used. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A bottle having a hose recess formed in an outer surface thereof, the hose recess configured to accommodate a hose used to refill the bottle with liquid.

2. The bottle of claim 1 further comprising a refilling hole, the refilling hole located at an upper portion of the bottle when the bottle is in use.

3. The bottle of claim 2 further comprising a plug configured to plug the refilling hole.

4. The bottle of claim 3 further comprising a plug recess configured to accommodate the plug.

5. The bottle of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tabs, the plurality of tabs located along edges of the hose recess and configured to prevent the hose from falling out of the hose recess.

6. The bottle of claim 1 further comprising a ridge located along edges of the hose recess and configured to prevent the hose from falling out of the hose recess.

7. The bottle of claim 1 further comprising an adaptor configured to connect the hose to a filtered water source.

8. The bottle of claim 7 further comprising an adaptor recess configured to accommodate the adaptor.

9. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the hose comprises an accordian-style hose.

10. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the hose comprises a telephone cord-style hose.

11. The bottle of claim 1 further comprising a cap configured to cover a hole in a neck thereof, and a cap recess configured to accommodate the cap.

12. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the bottle has a circular cross section.

13. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the bottle has a square cross section.

14. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the bottle has a hexagonal cross section.

15. A method of refilling a bottle having a hose recess formed in an outer surface thereof, the hose recess configured to accommodate a hose used to refill the bottle with liquid, the method comprising:

(a) removing the hose from the hose recess;

(b) inserting a first end of the hose through a refilling hole in the bottle, the refilling hole located near an upper portion of the bottle when the bottle is in use;

(c) inserting an adaptor into a second end of the hose;

(d) connecting the adaptor to a liquid source;

(e) filling the bottle with liquid from the liquid source;

(f) removing the first end of the hose from the refilling hole; and,

(g) inserting a plug into the refilling hole.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of replacing the hose in the recess.