Beverage container for immersing food
A beverage container for immersing food including an open container, a holder defining an area adapted to hold food and a handle. The holder fits within the open container and has a first magnetic portion such that when the holder is in the container, the first magnetic portion is adjacent an interior part of the walls of the container. The handle has a second magnetic portion such that when the second magnetic portion of the handle is placed adjacent an exterior part of the walls of the container near the first magnetic portion of the holder, a magnetic bond formed between the first and second magnetic portions permits movement of the handle to control movement of the holder. The holder can take many forms such as a basket. Channels and/or tracks may be added to guide the holder and/or handle during movement. A retrofit kit is also claimed.
The present invention relates to a novelty beverage container such as a mug or cup for immersing food into a liquid contained in the mug.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONChildren and adults alike have been dipping cookies into a glass of milk for decades. Some cultures like to dip bread into a hot beverage such as coffee and milk. Others like immersing a hard cookie such as a biscotti into wine or coffee. Inevitably, the person dunking the cookie or bread into the beverage reaches a point where the piece is too small to dip without also dipping the person's finger tips into the beverage container. Other times, pieces of the cookie, bread or other food breaks off into the beverage. One solution to dipping the remnant piece into the glass or removing the broken cookie from the mug is to use a utensil such as a fork or spoon. The present invention provides an alternative solution which is fun for all.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a novel beverage container which allows food to be immersed in the beverage and then removed for consumption.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a beverage container with a simple mechanical means of dipping food such as cookies into a beverage container such as a mug or cup and then remove the dipped food for consumption.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel kit which can be retrofit onto an existing mug or cup which allows a person to place food within a food holder that slides down the inside of the mug, the movement of which is controlled by a handle that slides along the outside of the mug that is magnetically coupled through the wall of the mug to the holder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a beverage container for immersing food which includes an open container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base. The upper portion of the walls defines an opening to the container. The container of the present invention also includes a food holder which fits within the open end of the container. In one embodiment, the holder includes a first magnetic portion such that when the holder is in the container, the first magnetic portion is adjacent an interior part of the walls of the container. The embodiment also includes a handle having a second magnetic portion such that when the second magnetic portion of the handle is placed adjacent an exterior part of the walls of the container near the first magnetic portion of the holder, a magnetic bond formed between the two magnetic portions permits movement of the handle such as to control movement of the holder. The holder may include a basket with drainage holes to allow the liquid beverage contained in the container and basket to drain out after being immersed in the container. The holder may also include a lift member attached to the holder such that the user may remove the holder from the container when it is at or near the rim or edge of the mug.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a channel and track running along the inside of the container walls such that the holder and handle glide or slide up and down in a predetermined manner. The channels and tracks may be configured in many ways, including, but not limited to, a U-shape, a slot shape, a C-shape and a T-shape. Also, more than one channel/track or slot/key may be incorporated.
In another embodiment, the track and channel is located on the exterior of the mug or beverage container. In yet another embodiment, the beverage container includes tracks or channels on both the inside and outside of the container such that there can be no misalignment between the handle on the outside and the holder on the inside.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a beverage container for immersing food in which the walls define interior and exterior channels terminating at an upper edge of the walls. The holder, which fits within the container, includes a horizontal member for holding said atop the holder. A grip member engages the exterior channel. The grip member is coupled to the holder via a flexible member running within the interior and exterior channels such that movement of the grip member relative to the container causes the holder to move substantially up and down within the container.
Another embodiment includes a beverage container for immersing food having an open container and a container handle attached to an exterior part of the vertical walls near the brim of the container. The container handle includes an exterior axial channel permitting a flexible member to slide within the channel. A holder having a substantially horizontal member adapted to hold food is attached to the other end of the flexible member and fits within the container. A lever located atop the container handle allows the user to control the movement of the holder by sliding the lever along the length of the handle.
The present invention includes a further embodiment adapted to be retrofit onto an existing cup or mug. The track/channel components are attached to a preexisting mug to allow the handle and holder configuration to be retrofit onto an existing container. In all the claimed inventions of the present invention, it is contemplated that the arrangement of the channels/slides or keys/slots can be reversed without affecting the operation of the invention, and accordingly, it is contemplated that the appended claims cover embodiments having such structures reversed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFurther objects and advantages of the present invention can be found in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention generally relates to a novel beverage container such as a mug or cup which includes a food container or holder for immersing food into a liquid contained in the mug. It is important to note that the embodiments of the invention described below are only examples of some of the uses of the teachings described herein. In general, statements made in the specification do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. Unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in the plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. Similar reference numerals and letters represent similar components and system features throughout the drawings and the written description.
The present invention 10 includes a holder 40. The holder 40 serves to hold the food article as it is lowered and raised in and out of the mug. In
The beverage container 10 of the present invention also includes a handle 60 to control the movement of holder 40. In
The beverage container 10 functions as follows. The holder 40 is placed within container 12 with the magnetic portion against or adjacent an interior part of the walls 20 of the mug. The handle 60 is then placed adjacent the exterior part of the mug or cup 12 such that the magnetic portion of the handle is near the magnetic portion 50 of the holder 40. When the handle is placed near the ideal location, the magnetic fields of the corresponding magnets 50, 70 should interact forming a magnetic bond between the two magnets 50, 70 and causing the handle 60 and the holder 40 to align. The container 12 is then filled with the beverage of choice, for example, milk. Using the handle 60, a person grips the handle 60 and guides the handle generally in an upward direction as indicated by arrow 62 in
The beverage container embodiment 10 illustrated in
The embodiment of
The several components making up the beverage container 10 of the present invention may be made of plastic, metal, porcelain (ceramic), or other suitable material, or a combination thereof, as is known to those skilled in the art. For example, the side walls 20, base 24 and container handle 34 may be made of porcelain, and the other components of extruded plastic. The embodiments requiring magnets or magnetically attracted components requires that at least one of magnets 50 and 70 be an actual magnetic element and the other either a ferrous metal or another magnetic element. Thus, for example, in the embodiment illustrated in
The claims appended hereto are meant to cover modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
Claims
1. A beverage container for immersing food comprising:
- an open container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base;
- a holder defining an area adapted to hold said food, said holder fitting within said open container and having a first magnetic portion such that when said holder is in said container, said first magnetic portion is adjacent an interior part of said walls of said container; and
- a handle having a second magnetic portion such that when said second magnetic portion of said handle is placed adjacent an exterior part of said walls of said container near said first magnetic portion of said holder, a magnetic bond formed between said first and second magnetic portions permits movement of said handle to control movement of said holder.
2. A beverage container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said holder includes a basket defining drainage holes to allow liquid contained in said container to drain from said basket upon removal from said container.
3. A beverage container as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a lift member attached to said holder such that said holder may be removed from said container when said holder is at or near the opening of said open container.
4. A beverage container for immersing food comprising:
- an open container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base, said walls defining at least one interior channel running from an upper portion of said walls to a lower portion of said walls;
- a holder defining an area adapted to hold said food, said holder fitting within said open container and having at least one slide and a first magnetic portion, said at least one slide capable of engaging said at least one interior channel such that when said holder is in said container, said first magnetic portion is at or near said at least one interior channel; and
- a handle having a second magnetic portion such that when said second magnetic portion of said handle is placed adjacent an exterior part of said walls of said container near said first magnetic portion of said holder, a magnetic bond formed between said first and second magnetic portions permits movement of said handle to control movement of said holder along said at least one channel.
5. A beverage container as claimed in claim 4 wherein said at least one interior channel defined by said walls has one of a U-shape, a slot shape and a T-shape.
6. A beverage container as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one channel is substantially vertical.
7. A beverage container as claimed in claim 4 wherein said holder includes a basket defining drainage holes to allow liquid contained in said container to drain from said basket upon removal from said container.
8. A beverage container as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a lift member attached to said holder such that said holder may be removed from said container when said holder is at or near said upper portion of said walls.
9. A beverage container for immersing food comprising:
- an open container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base, said walls defining at least one exterior channel running from an upper portion to a lower portion of said walls;
- a holder defining an area adapted to hold said food, said holder fitting within said open container and having a first magnetic portion capable of being positioned adjacent an interior of said walls near said at least one exterior channel; and
- a handle having a second magnetic portion and a slide capable of engaging said exterior channel such that when said holder is in said container with said first magnetic portion adjacent an interior of said walls near said exterior channel, said second magnetic portion of said handle and said first magnetic portion of said holder form a magnetic bond permitting said handle to control movement of said holder.
10. A beverage container as claimed in claim 9 wherein said at least one channel defined by said walls has one of a U-shape, a slot shape and a T-shape.
11. A beverage container as claimed in claim 10 wherein said at least one channel is substantially vertical.
12. A beverage container as claimed in claim 9 wherein said holder includes a basket defining drainage holes to allow liquid contained in said container to drain from said basket upon removal from said container.
13. A beverage container as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a lift member attached to said holder such that said holder may be removed from said container when said holder is at or near said upper portion of said walls.
14. A beverage container for immersing food comprising:
- an open container defined by walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base, said walls defining at least one interior and one exterior substantially aligned channels running from an upper portion to a lower portion of said walls;
- a holder defining an area adapted to hold said food, said holder fitting within said open container and having at least one track and a first magnetic portion, said at least one track capable of engaging said at least one interior channel; and
- a handle having a second magnetic portion and at least one slide capable of engaging said at least one exterior channel such that when said at least one track of said holder engages said at least one interior channel, said second magnetic portion of said handle and said first magnetic portion of said holder form a magnetic bond permitting said handle to control movement of said holder along said channels.
15. A beverage container as claimed in claim 14 wherein said channels defined by said walls have one of a U-shape, a slot shape and a T-shape.
16. A beverage container as claimed in claim 15 wherein said channels are substantially vertical.
17. A beverage container as claimed in claim 14 wherein said holder includes a basket defining drainage holes to allow liquid contained in said container to drain from said basket upon removal from said container.
18. A beverage container as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a lift member attached to said holder such that said holder may be removed from said container when said holder is at or near said upper portion of said walls.
19. A beverage container for immersing food comprising:
- an open container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base, said walls defining an exterior channel terminating at an upper edge of said walls;
- a holder having a substantially horizontal member adapted to hold said food, said holder fitting within said open container; and
- a grip member engaging said exterior channel, said grip member coupled to said holder via a flexible member running along said exterior channel to said upper edge of said walls and down into said open container to said holder, such that movement of said grip member relative to said container causes said holder to move substantially up and down within said container.
20. A beverage container as claimed in claim 19 wherein said walls define interior and exterior rails terminating at an upper edge of said walls and said grip member defines a channel for engaging said exterior rail, and said grip member is coupled to said holder via said flexible member running along said interior and exterior rails.
21. A beverage container for immersing food comprising:
- an open container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base;
- a container handle attached to an exterior, upper part of said walls, said container handle defining an exterior axial channel;
- a holder having a substantially horizontal member adapted to hold said food, said holder fitting within said open container; and
- a grip member engaging said exterior axial channel, said grip member coupled to said holder via a flexible member such that movement of said grip member relative to said container handle causes said holder to move substantially up and down within said container.
22. A food immersing apparatus adapted to be retrofit onto an open beverage container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base, the food immersing apparatus comprising:
- a holder member defining an area adapted to hold said food, said holder adapted to fit within said open container and having a first magnetic portion such that when said holder is in said container, said first magnetic portion is adjacent an interior part of said walls of said container; and
- a handle having a second magnetic portion such that when said second magnetic portion of said handle is placed adjacent an exterior part of said walls of said container near said first magnetic portion of said holder, a magnetic bond formed between said first and second magnetic portions permits movement of said handle to control movement of said holder.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 29, 2004
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2006
Inventor: David Friedman (Boca Raton, FL)
Application Number: 10/901,805
International Classification: A47G 19/22 (20060101);