Beverage container

Abstract

The invention comprises a beverage container. Self-skinning, high density foam is molded around and envelopes a deformable plastic bottle. The Self-skinning, high-density foam is molded into any desired shape, such as the shape of an athletic shoe. The skin of the beverage container bears indicia reminiscent of the object that the beverage container is intended to represent. The neck of the bottle extends through the foam envelope, allowing access to the interior volume of the bottle for filling or for consuming the beverage.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/511,265 filed Oct. 14, 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is a beverage container having integral molded foam insulation. The molded foam of the insulation may be formed into any pre-selected shape, such as the shape of a shoe.

2. Description of the Related Art

Beverage containers are well known in the art, including beverage containers formed of a plastic. Beverage containers having foam insulation also are known in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a beverage container featuring an integral molded layer of foam insulation. The molded layer of foam insulation has a pre-selected shape, such as the shape of an athletic shoe. The beverage container therefore assumes the external appearance of the shoe or other pre-selected shape.

The outer surface of the foam layer of the beverage container may bear indicia indicative of the shape represented by the molded foam layer, such as markings reminiscent of a shoe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the beverage container of the Invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the beverage container of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the beverage container.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the beverage container of the Invention.

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the cap of the beverage container.

FIG. 6 is a first alternative embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a second alternative embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a third alternative embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a fourth alternative embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a fifth alternative embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the beverage container 2 of the Invention. In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 1, the beverage container 2 is molded in the shape of a shoe 4, such as an athletic shoe. The shoe 4 features a heel 6, toe 8 and upper 10 similar in appearance to an actual shoe. Indicia 12 may appear on shoe 4 to identify a brand of athletic shoe, brand of beverage, to convey any other information, or to be purely decorative. A removable cap 14 allows access to the interior of the beverage container 2 for cleaning, filling, or for any other purpose. The cap 14 may be equipped with a conventional nipple closure 16 to allow the user to drink from the beverage container 2 without removing the cap 14.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the beverage container 2. The beverage container is in the shape of shoe 4, featuring heel 6, toe 8 and upper 10. Indicia 12 appear on beverage container 2, as does cap 14 with nipple closure 16.

FIG. 3 is a top view of beverage container 2 with the beverage container being in the shape of shoe 4. FIG. 3 shows the location of section line A-A.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of beverage container on section line A-A of FIG. 3. Bottle 18 appears in shoe 4. Bottle 18 may be a conventional cylindrical bottle composed of resilient molded plastic or may be of any other suitable material, such as aluminum. Bottle 18 defines an interior volume 20 and has an outside bottle surface 21. Beverage 22 is contained in the interior volume 20 of bottle 18.

Self-skinning high density molded foam 24 is molded around outside bottle surface 21. To produce beverage container 2, a suitable bottle 18 is placed in a mold prepared for the purpose. An interior volume of the mold defines a desired shape, such as the shoe 4 of FIG. 4. Self-skinning, high density foam 24 is injected into the mold using techniques well known in the art of forming foam 24. The foam 24 expands to conform to the space defined by the mold and the bottle 18, enveloping the outside surface 21 of bottle 18.

The self-skinning nature of the foam 24 causes the foam 24 to form an outer skin 26 that is relatively dense, strong and smooth, without significant pits or voids. The foam 24 of the beverage container 2 is nonetheless flexible and resilient to the touch.

Colorants may be added to the foam 24 prior to injection using techniques well known in the art to select a finished color of skin 26.

Bottle 18 has a neck 25 that extends from bottle 18 and communicates through the outer skin 26 of foam 24. In the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 1-4, neck extends through heel 6 of shoe 4. Neck 25 allows access to interior volume 20 of bottle 18 for filling or for consumption of beverage 22. Cap 14 may releasably connect to bottle 18 using any of the techniques known in the art to form a fluid-tight connection preventing escape of beverage 22. Examples of such releasable fluid-tight connections include a screw connection or a snap connection.

FIG. 5 is a detail of cap 14 and nipple closure 16. Slidable nipple closure 16 is of conventional design. When nipple closure 16 is in a first, or closed, position shown by solid lines on FIG. 5, flow of beverage 22 is blocked and the beverage container 2 is fluid-tight. When nipple closure 16 is in a second, or open, position shown by dashed lines on FIG. 5, fluid channel 28 is in fluid communication with interior volume 20 of beverage container, allowing beverage 22 to flow through fluid channel 28. As the user draws beverage 22 through fluid channel 28, a partial vacuum may occur within interior volume 20, impeding the flow of beverage 22. The resilient nature of bottle 18 and foam 24 allows the user to compress beverage container 2, continuing the flow of beverage 22 through fluid channel 28. Alternatively, user may place beverage container 2 in a position in which fluid channel 28 is elevated above the surface of beverage 22 and allow make-up air to enter bottle 18 through fluid channel 28.

FIG. 6 shows a first alternative embodiment. In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 6, neck 25 of bottle 18 extends through toe 8 of shoe 4, allowing access to the interior volume 20 of bottle 18 through toe 8. FIG. 7 shows a second alternative embodiment. In FIG. 7, neck 25 of bottle 18 extends through upper 10 of shoe 4, allowing access to interior volume 20 of bottle 18 through upper 10.

FIG. 8 shows a third alternative embodiment. In the third alternative embodiment, bottle 18 conforms in a predetermined manner to the desired shape of beverage container 2. If beverage container 2 is to be in the shape of a shoe 4, as shown by FIG. 8, then bottle 18 may be formed generally in the shape of a shoe 4. The bottle 18 formed in the shape of shoe 4 of FIG. 8 is of a size selected to accommodate a pre-selected thickness of foam 24 between bottle 18 and skin 26. The thickness of foam 24 is selected to provide a desired amount of insulation and to allow molding of desired shapes and surface details of the object that the beverage container 2 is intended to resemble. Bottle 18 may be formed in any shape or size provided that bottle 18 does not intrude upon the minimum space required in the mold during production to allow formation of skin 26 and to allow desired shapes and surface details to be formed.

FIG. 9 shows a fourth alternative beverage container 2. The alternative embodiment of FIG. 9 dispenses with bottle 18. Self-skinning, high density foam 24 forms both outer skin 26 and fluid-tight inner skin 30. Inner skin 30 defines interior volume 20 of beverage container 2 and holds beverage 22. Fitting 32 may be bonded to foam 24 during the molding process. Fitting 32 alternatively may be attached to foam 24 using any of the techniques known in the art, including adhesives and heat or solvent welding. Fitting 32 receives cap 14 to form a fluid tight connection between interior volume 20 of beverage container 2 and nipple closure 16.

As shown by FIG. 10, an integral molded fitting 34 may be molded from self-skinning, high density foam 24 during the molding process for foam 24. Any suitable means may be used to attach cap 14 to integral molded fitting 34, including means such as adhesives or heat welding or solvent welding that are not releasable.

In describing the above embodiments of the invention, specific terminology was selected for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

Claims

1. A beverage container, the beverage container comprising:

a. a bottle having an interior volume and an outside bottle surface;

b. foam molded to and enveloping said outside bottle surface, said foam defining an outer skin;

c. said bottle having a neck, said neck extending from said bottle through said outer skin of said foam, said neck being in fluid communication with said interior volume;

d. a cap, said cap sealably engaging said neck.

2. The beverage container of claim 1 wherein said foam is a self-skinning, high density foam.

3. The beverage container of claim 2 wherein said foam is molded to form a pre-selected shape.

4. The beverage container of claim 3 wherein said outer surface of said beverage container bears indicia corresponding to said pre-selected shape.

5. The beverage container of claim 4 wherein said pre-selected shape is of an athletic shoe, said athletic shoe having a heel, a toe and an upper.

6. The beverage container of claim 5 wherein said neck extends through said heel of said athletic shoe.

7. The beverage container of claim 5 wherein said neck extends through said toe of said athletic shoe.

8. The beverage container of claim 5 wherein said neck extends through said upper of said athletic shoe.

9. The beverage container of claim 5 wherein said bottle is generally cylindrical.

10. The beverage container of claim 5 wherein said bottle is formed in a pre-selected bottle shape corresponding to said pre-selected shape of the beverage container.

11. The beverage container of claim 10 wherein said pre-selected bottle shape corresponds to the shape of an athletic shoe.

12. The beverage container of claim 5 wherein said sealable engagement between said cap and said neck is a releasable engagement.

13. The beverage container of claim 12, further comprising:

a. a nipple closure, said nipple enclosure engaging said cap

b. a fluid channel defined by said nipple closure, said fluid channel in user-selectable fluid communication with said interior volume of said bottle.

14. The beverage container of claim 13, further comprising: said nipple closure having a first and a second position, said nipple closure when in said first position sealably engaging said cap and blocking fluid communication between said interior volume and said fluid channel, said nipple closure having a second position, said nipple closure when in said second position releasing said sealable engagement with said cap and allowing fluid communication between said interior volume and said fluid channel.

15. A beverage container, the beverage container comprising:

a. a molded self-skinning, high density foam having an outer skin and a fluid-tight inner skin, said foam being molded into a pre-selected shape;

b. said inner skin of said foam defining an interior volume of the beverage container;

c. a fitting, said fitting defining an opening, said opening communicating from said interior volume of the beverage container through said outer skin;

d. a cap, said cap sealably engaging said fitting.

16. The beverage container of claim 15 wherein said shape of said beverage container is pre-selected to resemble an athletic shoe.

17. A beverage container, the beverage container comprising:

a. a molded self-skinning, high density foam having an outer skin and a fluid-tight inner skin, said foam being molded into a pre-selected shape;

b. said inner skin of said foam defining an interior volume of the beverage container;

c. said foam defining an opening, said opening communicating from said interior volume to said outside surface

d. a cap, said cap sealably engaging said opening.

18. The beverage container of claim 18 wherein said shape of said beverage container is pre-selected to resemble an athletic shoe.