Beverage container with thermally insulated handle and methods of making same

Abstract

A beverage container having a thermally insulated handle that reduces the heat transfer between the beverage container and the hand of the person holding the glass is provided. A thermally insulative material is secured to the handle of the beverage container but does not form a bond with the surface of the container. The insulating material is made of one or more layers of insulative material having a closed-cell structure such as closed-cell foam and the like. The beverage containers can include, but are not limited to, beer mugs, soda glasses, or pitchers.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/737,688, filed on Dec. 16, 2003, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/174,785, filed on Jun. 18, 2002, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,047, the entirety of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to beverage containers, in particular, to beverage containers with a thermally insulated exterior surface.

2. Description of the Related Art

Restaurants and drinking establishments such as pubs and taverns typically serve beer and other cold drinks in beverage containers made out of glass. These beverage containers include glass pitchers, beer and soft drink glasses of all sizes and shapes. Some of the more common glass beverage containers include pint glasses, pilsner glasses, goblets, and glass mugs. When cold drinks such as beer or soda are poured into a glass container, the temperature of the glass can drop to a point where it becomes uncomfortable for a person to hold the glass by hand. The person's discomfort is further exacerbated in some circumstances when the glass is chilled in the freezer before pouring beer or other beverage into the glass, which is a common practice in many drinking establishments. Similarly, when hot drinks such as hot chocolate or coffee are poured into a glass container, the heat can quickly transfer to the glass and make the glass uncomfortable to hold by hand.

While cylindrical foam holders have been developed for insulating drinking containers such as aluminum beverage cans, it is impractical to fit these holders over beer mugs, tall pilsner glasses, or beverage containers with handles. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a beverage container with a thermally insulated handle that effectively reduces the discomfort of the person holding the beverage container when the container is exposed to extreme cold or hot temperature conditions. To this end, this is a particular need for a glass mug having a thermally insulated handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a beverage container comprising a base member, a side wall extending from the outer perimeter of the base member in a manner such that a cavity is formed by the side wall and the base member. The container further comprises a handle attached to an exterior surface of the side wall in a manner so as to permit a person to hold the handle by hand and lift the beverage container. Preferably, a thermally insulative material is disposed about an exterior surface of the handle wherein the insulative material has a closed-cell structure that is substantially resistant to moisture absorption. In one embodiment, the thermally insulative material can comprise a closed-cell expanded vinyl acetate, closed-cell neoprene, and closed-cell foam. In some preferred embodiments, the thermally insulative material is less than or equal to 0.5 inch, or preferably less than or equal to 0.375 inch. The beverage container and handle attached thereto can be made of a variety of different material, including glass, acrylics or other composite materials.

In another aspect, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method of forming a beverage container having a thermally insulated handle. The method comprises wrapping a layer of closed-cell insulative material around a handle of the beverage container such that the insulative material forms overlapping seams. The method further includes bonding together the overlapping seams of the insulative material so as to secure the insulative material to the handle without forming a bond between the material and the handle. In one embodiment, the closed-cell insulative material is a closed-cell foam, preferably having a thickness less than about 0.375 inch.

In yet another aspect, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a drinking container comprising a base section and a sidewall section that is attached to the base section so as to define an interior volume that receives a drinking liquid. The drinking container further defines a surface at which the user grasps the drinking container and wherein a closed-cell foam is disposed about the surface so that the surface is resistant to moisture and condensate absorption. In one embodiment, the closed-cell foam is disposed about a handle portion of the drinking container. Preferably, the drinking container is made of glass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a glass beverage container of one preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

References will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. FIG. 1 shows a beverage container 100 of one preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage container 100 generally includes a base member 102 and a side wall 106 that extends from an outer perimeter 104 of the base member 102 in a manner such that a cavity 108 is formed by the base member 102 and the side wall 106. The cavity 108 is configured to hold liquids such as beer, juice, water, or various soft drinks. The size and shape of the cavity 108 can vary without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, an upper edge 110 of the side wall 106 defines an opening 112 that is sufficiently large for liquid to be poured to and from the cavity 108.

As also shown in FIG. 1, the beverage container 100 further includes a handle 114 that is attached to an exterior surface 115 of the side wall 106. In one embodiment, a first end 116 of the handle 114 is attached to an upper portion 120 of the exterior surface 115 of the side wall 106 and a second end 118 is attached to a lower portion 122 of the exterior surface 115 of the side wall 106. Preferably, the handle 114 is attached to the exterior surface 115 of the glass side wall 106 in a manner such that a person can pick up the beverage container 100 by grasping the handle 114. In certain preferred embodiments, the beverage container 100, including the handle portion 114, is made of glass. In other embodiments, the beverage container 100 can be made of ceramics, plastics, acrylics, and a variety of different composite materials.

As FIG. 1 further shows, a thermally insulative material 124 is positioned adjacent an outer surface 123 of the handle 114 and preferably extends across substantially the entire outer surface 123 of the handle 114. The thermally insulative material 124 can be fixedly attached or detachably attached to the handle 114. In one embodiment, the thermally insulative 124 can be attached to a rigid base which in turn can be snapped fitted onto the handle 114. Preferably, the thermally insulative material 124 is tightly wrapped around the handle 114 and is configured to fit the general contour of the handle 114. The thermally insulative material can include a wide variety of materials that provide thermal insulation. In one preferred embodiment, the thermally insulative material 124 comprises a material having a non-skid surface, such as a mesh-like reinforced rubber, rubberized latex, and/or neoprene. Preferably, the thermally insulative material 124 has a thermal conductivity that is less than that of glass. In another embodiment, the thermally insulative material 124 comprises a material with a closed-cell structure which is substantially resistant to moisture and condensate absorption. The closed-cell material can include, but is not limited to, closed-cell foams made from rubber or neoprene, closed-cell thermoplastic foams, closed-cell expanded vinyl acetate, and closed-cell Alveolux.

In one preferred embodiment, the thermally insulative material 124 comprises a layer of closed-cell foam that is less than or equal to about 0.375 inch thick. Preferably, the closed-cell foam is substantially resistant to moisture and also can resist degradation due repeated hot-cold-hot temperature cycling. Thus, in cases where the beverage container 100 is chilled in a cold environment such as freezer before serving, the insulative material around the handle is not likely to absorb the condensate and cause the surface to become cold and moist.

In one embodiment, a layer of thermally insulative material 124 is secured to the handle by wrapping the layer around the handle 114 and bonding overlapping longitudinal seams 125 together. As such, the insulative material 124 is secured to the container and yet does not form a bond with the surface of the container, which eliminates the difficulty of having to bond the insulative material to certain surfaces such as glass. In some embodiments, the insulating material 124 can be applied to the handle using an automated molding process in which the insulative material is placed around the handle and then heated to melting temperature and then cooled to form a bond at the seams. In other embodiments, an adhesive can be used to bond the overlapping seams together.

Advantageously, the thermally insulative material 124 reduces the heat transfer between the handle and the hand of the person holding the handle. As such, the person can enjoy a cold or hot beverage while experiencing less of the discomfort of having to contact a cold or hot surface. Furthermore, the closed-cell insulative material 124 of the preferred embodiments is selected to withstand the cold temperatures inside a freezer as well as the extreme hot temperatures in a dishwasher. Thus, the beverage container 100 can be chilled in the freezer prior to serving the beverage and then washed in high temperature wash cycles, all without substantially damaging the insulative material 124. It can be appreciated that the beverage container 100 shown in FIG. 1 can be a conventional beer mug, soda glass, pitcher, or any other beverage container.

In a preferred embodiment, the thermally insulative material 212 is applied to the container 200 by wrapping a layer of closed-cell foam around the sidewall 204 of the container 200 and then bonding overlapping longitudinal seams together so as to affix the insulative material 212 around the container 200 without forming any bonds between the insulative material and the container. The thermally insulative material 212 reduces the amount of heat transferred between the glass side wall 214 and the hand of the person holding the glass container 200 so as to protect the person's hand from the coldness of the glass. Furthermore, the preferred thermally insulating material 212 is substantially unaffected by repeated exposures to being chilled in a freezer or washed in high temperature water.

Advantageously, the beverage containers of the preferred embodiments incorporate a thermally insulative material that is attached to the exterior surface of the container in a manner so as to substantially protect a person's hands from the coldness or heat of the glass while holding the glass, which makes drinking from the container more enjoyable. Furthermore, unlike glass surfaces that can become slippery as a result of condensation, the closed-cell structure of the thermally insulative material allows the person to obtain a solid and stable hold of the glass even if the glass container is filled with a cold drink. Moreover, in some embodiments, the thermally insulative material can also provide a surface for displaying designs, trademarks or logos. Advantageously, advertising material such as logos of the drinking establishment or restaurant can be printed on the exterior surface of the insulating material, which is an additional benefit provided by the beverage container of the preferred embodiments.

Although the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has shown, described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the detail of the method as illustrated as well as the uses thereof, may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Consequently, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the foregoing discussions, but should be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A beverage container, comprising:

a base member;

a side wall extending from the outer perimeter of the base member in a manner such that a cavity is formed by the side wall and the base member;

a handle attached to an exterior surface of the side wall in a manner so as to permit a person to hold the handle by hand and lift the beverage container; and

a thermally insulative material disposed about an exterior surface of the handle, wherein the insulative material has a closed-cell structure that is substantially resistant to moisture absorption.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulative material comprises closed-cell expanded vinyl acetate.

3. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulative material comprises closed-cell neoprene.

4. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulative material comprises closed-cell foam.

5. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulative material does not form a bond with the exterior surface of the handle.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulative material has a thickness that is less than or equal to 0.375 inch.

7. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the container is a mug.

8. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the container is made of glass.

9. The beverage container of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulative material has an exterior surface that is adapted for placement of advertisement, logos, and trademarks.

10. A method of forming a beverage container having a thermally insulated handle, comprising:

wrapping a layer of closed-cell insulative material around a handle of said beverage container such that the insulative material forms overlapping seams; and

bonding the seams together so as to secure the insulative material to the handle without forming a bond between the material and the handle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the closed-cell insulative material comprises a closed-cell foam.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the closed-cell insulative material comprises a closed-cell expanded vinyl acetate.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the closed-cell insulative material is less than or equal to about 0.375 inch thick.

14. A drinking container, comprising:

a base section;

a sidewall section that is attached to the base section so as to define an interior volume that receives the drinking liquid;

wherein the drinking container defines a surface at which the user grasps the drinking container and wherein a closed-cell foam is disposed about the surface but not bonded to the surface, wherein the closed-cell foam is resistant to moisture and condensate absorption.

15. The drinking container of claim 14, wherein the closed-cell foam is disposed about a handle portion of the drinking container.

16. The drinking container of claim 15, wherein the container is made out of a composite material.

17. The drinking container of claim 16, wherein the drinking container is made of glass.