Sports-themed beverage can insulator and holder

Abstract

The invention is directed toward an insulated beverage container manufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themed shapes. The user's hand is inserted into the container and grips a rod which bridges the gap between the sides of the beverage container, thereby preventing the beverage container from being dropped and assisting the user in controlling the handling of the beverage container. The beverage container is designed to be manufactured in the colors of a specific sports team with that team's logo emblazoned on its side.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was not federally sponsored.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed toward an insulated beverage can holder which is manufactured in a wide variety of realistic or fanciful sports-themed shapes and styles, where the user's hand fits inside of the holder and grasps a rod extending from one side of the opening to the other to allow the user to retain the holder on his/her wrist and to control the location and angle of the beverage can for drinking.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The idea of storing a beverage in metal cans began in the late 1920's. By the 1940's beverage cans were being mass produced by soda and beer manufacturers across the world. As the use of metal cans became more popular, the industry of beverage can holders took life as people realized that it was advantageous to be able to safely store a beverage can while driving a car or engaged in other activities. Others began making insulated beverage can containers with the goal of maintaining the cold temperature of a beverage can just removed from a cooler or refrigerator, or of keeping a hot beverage warm over a period of time.

Over the same time period, the importance of advertising in the beverage industry skyrocketed. For example, Coca Cola started in 1892 with an advertising budget of $11,401, an astronomical amount in those days, and more recently spent around $2 billion on advertising in 2000. In addition to advertising a product on TV, radio, and in the print media, many beverage companies have begun placing their logos on beverage containers. Non-beverage companies have also picked up on the trend and today one can find everything from mortgage companies to professional baseball teams with their logo and identifying company information on a wide range of beverage containers.

There are numerous examples of beverage holders and insulated beverage holders in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,381 issued to Buist teaches a cup holder which has a cup retainer and a base which can be removed from the retainer. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,720 and 5,655,805 to Shaddy deal with cup holders which includes a ring of thermally insulating material designed to grip the cup. Another cup holder is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,652 to Welsh, which teaches a beverage holder designed to attach to a chair armrest. While these inventions deal with some combination of insulation and beverage container retention, none appear in sports-themed shapes nor do they lend themselves to promotional activities involving sports teams.

US published application No. 2002/0043076 A1 to Hodosh teaches a collapsible insulated beverage container that can be carried like a standard picnic basket. This invention, however, is not as easily used for drinking beverages and cannot be worn on a user's hand. Another example of an insulated beverage container is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,821 to Guridi, which illustrates a tubular foam container which has a series of internal clips which are designed to hold the beverage can inside of the container. Again, this invention does not facilitate the control of a beverage can that is accomplished by the current invention.

There area also a large number of inventions dealing with devices for insulating and holding beverage cans. U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,984 to Weston relates to an insert for a standard beverage container holder that assists a user in removing an empty beverage container. The prior art also has a lap mat for overlaying a person's lap which includes openings for holding a beverage container and food items, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,058 to Earnhart. U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,976 to Sonnabend teaches a sleeve for holding a container, the sleeve also having a sloped base to keep the sleeve upright. Another iteration of this idea is found in US publication No. U.S. 2003/0106895 A1 to Kalal, which deals with a collapsible insulated container. US published application U.S. 2004/0104320 A1 to Exler teaches a cup holder with a magnetically controlled support system. US published application U.S. 2003/0029876 A1 to Giraud deals with a cup assembly with multiple layers and a child safety apparatus. Again, these inventions relate to holding and insulating devices, but do not allow for a user to actually hold and control the beverage container, and none lend themselves readily to being made in team colors and having team logos emblazoned on realistic or fanciful replicas of sports-themed items.

There are also a number of inventions dealing with car-adapted cup holders and beverage container insulation devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,232 to Kitchens teaches a thermoelectric sleeve-type beverage insulator which plugs into the car's electrical system to provide heat. U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,232 to Aggeler deals with a similar idea, in this case a beverage can container with a sleeve of soft foam with a series of channels formed on the inside surface which convey warm or cold air to raise or lower the temperature of the beverage. U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,703 to Li deals with an insulated beverage container designed to fit into a car door pocket. While these inventions provide insulated beverage can holders for use in cars, they do not lend themselves to promoting sports teams and they cannot be held on a user's hand, as does the present invention.

The prior art also contains one example of a sports-themed beverage container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,979 to Servick is directed toward a football shaped throwing toy which combines the uses of a throwing toy and beverage-insulating devices. In Servick's invention, the beverage can fits inside a cavity inside a foam football in which the top one third is separated and can be removed to access the beverage. What this invention does not cover is the ability of a user to insert his/her hand into the container to control the movement of the beverage container.

What has been lacking, however, is a beverage container which insulates a cold beverage can and is shaped in either a realistic or fanciful mode with a sports theme, such that a sports team would have the beverage container manufactured in its team colors and with its logo displayed prominently on the container. The current invention meets just such a long-felt need.

The invention is directed toward an insulated beverage container manufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themed shapes. The user's hand is inserted into the container and grips a rod which bridges the gap between the sides of the beverage container, thereby preventing the beverage container from being dropped and assisting the user in controlling the handling of the beverage container. The beverage container is designed to be manufactured in the colors of a specific sports team with that team's logo emblazoned on its side.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an insulated beverage container that can be manufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themed shapes.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a beverage container that has a cavity within it, thereby allowing a user to insert his/her hand into the container.

It is a further object of this invention that due to the sports-themed nature of this invention, a user can purchase and use this invention at his/her “home team” games, as the beverage container can be manufactured based upon that particular sport, the team colors, and the team logo.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a method of retaining and controlling the beverage container through the use of a rod extending from one side of the inside cavity of the beverage container to the other side, which a user can grip with his/her hand.

It is a final object of this invention to provide a method by which a sports team, whether professional or amateur, can promote itself through having a beverage container manufactured based upon that particular sport, its team colors, and its team logo.

Other and further objects and features of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art. It should be particularly noted that although the hockey glove is used to illustrate the invention, there are a wide number of other sports-themed shapes, both realistic and fanciful, that are contemplated by the inventor as being manufactured and promoted under the basic concepts contained in this patent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the invention showing an iteration of the invention in which the beverage holder is a hockey glove.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the invention, showing the underside of the beverage can cavity.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a left side view of the invention, showing the top of the beverage can cavity into which a beverage can is inserted.

FIG. 7 is a back end view of the invention, showing the interior of the hand cavity, paying particular attention to the rod by which a user can grasp and hold the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward an insulated beverage container manufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themed shapes. The user's hand is inserted into the container and grips a rod which bridges the gap between the sides of the beverage container, thereby preventing the beverage container from being dropped and assisting the user in controlling the handling of the beverage container. The beverage container is designed to be manufactured in the colors of a specific sports team with that team's logo emblazoned on its side.

Referring to the drawings, the invention consists of a piece of foam, plastic or some other lightweight, easily moldable material which has two cavities molded into it: one for a beverage can; the other for a user's hand. The material from which the beverage container is made is capable being molded such that the surface of the beverage container can be given a shiny sheen, upon which can be emblazoned a logo or other identifying writing which is related to a particular sports team which ordered the beverage holders and can either sell them or give them away as a promotion for their team.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the invention showing an iteration of the invention in which the beverage holder is a hockey glove. The invention is comprised of two basic units which have been molded into one device: a beverage can holder and a sports-themed foam member into which a user can insert his/her hand to control the beverage can holder. In this figure, the beverage holder has a bottom end (1) and a top end (2). The beverage holder portion of the invention is a cylindrical tube of foam, plastic or some other insulating, lightweight material which is closed at the bottom end (1) and has an opening (3) at the top end (2) into which a beverage can can be inserted. Curving around the beverage can holder are four fingers (4) of a hockey glove. Completing the mimicking of a hockey glove are protective hand ribs (5), a cuff (6) onto which a logo (8) can be emblazoned, and a collar (7) into which a user inserts his/her hand. The user controls the movement of the invention by grasping a rod (not shown in this figure) inside of a hand cavity (not shown in this figure) which is defined by a hollow cylinder which is defined on the outer surface by the collar (7) and the cuff (6).

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the invention, showing the underside of the beverage can cavity. The bottom end of the beverage can container (20) is a flat piece of foam, plastic or other suitable material. Although not of functional significance, surrounding the beverage can container are fingers (22), a thumb (21), and protective hand ribs (23) which simulate similar-shaped structures which are found in real hockey gloves. Also appearing on this iteration is a cuff (24) upon which a logo (26) of a specific sports team can be emblazoned. The invention terminates in a collar (25) into which a user's hand can be inserted.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention, showing the bottom end of the beverage container (30) and the top end (31), into which a beverage can is inserted. Appearing to hold the beverage container are fingers (32), with protective hand ribs (33), a cuff (34) upon which a logo (35) is emblazoned, and a collar (36). It should be noted that a sports team can order the invention to be made in the team colors along with the team's logo emblazoned on the cuff (34), and that there are different types of sports-themed shapes contemplated for different sports: some realistic like this hockey glove; others fanciful such as an abnormally short and wide bat into which a user fits his/her hand to grip a beverage can held in a holder the shape of an oversized baseball.

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the invention, showing the bottom end (40) and top end (41) of the beverage can holder, along with the fingers (42), protective hand ribs (43) and thumb (44) of the hockey glove, along with the cuff (45).

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the invention, showing the top end (50) and the bottom end (51) of the beverage can container, along with the fingers (52), thumb (53), cuff (54), and collar (55) of the hockey glove which appears to grip the beverage can container. There is a hand cavity (56) which is defined by the roughly circular collar (55), into which a user can insert his/her hand to pick up and control the beverage can as inserted into the beverage can container.

FIG. 6 is a left side view of the invention, showing the top of the beverage can cavity into which a beverage can is inserted. Here, there is a beverage can cavity (60) defined by a cylindrical band of foam, plastic or another suitable material referred to as the top end (67) of the beverage can container. Although not of the same structural abilities that the fingers and thumbs of a real hockey glove has, the invention has fingers (61), protective hand ribs (62), and a thumb (63) which appear to wrap around the beverage can container and grip it. There is also a cuff (64) onto which a logo (65) can be emblazoned, and a collar (66) into which a user can insert his/her hand.

FIG. 7 is a back end view of the invention, showing the interior of the hand cavity, paying particular attention to the rod by which a user can grasp and hold the invention. Here, there is a hand cavity (73) defined by the inner side of the collar (75). Surrounding the collar (78) further down the invention away from the opening of the hand cavity (73) is a cuff (76), the inner surface of which defines the hand cavity (73) at end of the cavity closest to the beverage can container, shown here with a top end (71) and a bottom end (70), with a thumb (72) also visible. Inside of the hand cavity (73) is a rod (74), which is a hollow tube of plastic which extends from one side of the hand cavity (73) to the other. It is the rod (74) which a user grasps with his/her fingers to maintain control over the invention.

Claims

1. An insulated beverage container comprising:

a holder comprising a piece of insulating foam, rubber, or other suitable insulating and lightweight material, where,

the holder has manufactured into it a can cavity of a diameter approximately that of a standard beverage container, and a depth of approximately one half of the standard beverage container, designed such that a standard beverage can will fit in the can cavity snugly, and yet enough of the top of the beverage can will extend beyond the top of the beverage container such that a user can bring the can to his/her mouth without touching the beverage container with his/her lips and,

where the holder has manufactured into it a hand cavity of sufficient size to accommodate the hand of an average sized adult up to that adult's wrist, and,

where the foam, plastic, or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different colors, and,

where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different shapes, depending on what mold is used, and,

where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be manufactured with a shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container, thereby creating a “finished” look to the beverage container, and

where the shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container is suitable for emblazoning upon it a logo or other advertising symbol or writing, and,

a rod extending from one side of the hand cavity to the other side, said rod being made of plastic, hard foam, wood, metal, or another similarly hard substance, and said rod being attached to both sides of the hand cavity such that a user can grip said rod with his/her fingers to not only retain the beverage container on his/her hand, but also to control movement of the beverage container to facilitate drinking and avoiding spilling the beverage when not drinking it.

2. The beverage container of claim 1, where, the beverage container is manufactured in a realistic or fanciful sports-themed shape.

3. The beverage container of claim 2, where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, kite surfing, and volleyball.

4. The beverage container of claim 1, where, the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team.

5. The beverage container of claim 4, where, the specific colors are from a sports team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.

6. The beverage container of claim 1, where, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.

7. The beverage container of claim 6, where, the logo of a specific team is directed toward a team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.

8. The beverage container of claim 1, where the beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themed shape, and, the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team, and, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.

9. The beverage container of claim 8, where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.

10. A method of promoting a sports team, comprising, the manufacture of a beverage container for sale or as a give-away to promote the sports team, the beverage container comprising:

a holder comprising a piece of insulating foam, rubber, or other suitable insulating and lightweight material, where,

the holder has manufactured into it a can cavity of a diameter approximately that of a standard beverage container, and a depth of approximately one half of the standard beverage container, designed such that a standard beverage can will fit in the can cavity snugly, and yet enough of the top of the beverage can will extend beyond the top of the beverage container such that a user can bring the can to his/her mouth without touching the beverage container with his/her mouth and,

where the holder has manufactured into it a hand cavity of sufficient size to accommodate the hand of an average sized adult up to that adult's wrist, and,

where the foam, plastic, or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different colors, and,

where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be made in a number of different shapes, depending on what mold is used, and,

where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder is manufactured can be manufactured with a shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container, thereby creating a “finished” look to the beverage container, and

where the shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container is suitable for emblazoning upon it a logo or other advertising symbol or writing, and,

a rod extending from one side of the hand cavity to the other side, said rod being made of plastic, hard foam, wood, metal, or another similarly hard substance, and said rod being attached to both sides of the hand cavity such that a user can grip said rod with his/her fingers to not only retainer the beverage container on his/her hand, but also to control movement of the beverage container.

11. The beverage container of claim 10, where, the beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themed shape.

12. The beverage container of claim 11, where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.

13. The beverage container of claim 10, where, the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team.

14. The beverage container of claim 14, where, the specific colors are from a sports team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.

15. The beverage container of claim 10, where, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.

16. The beverage container of claim 15, where, the logo of a specific team is directed toward a team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.

17. The beverage container of claim 10, where the beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themed shape, and the beverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team, and, the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface.

18. The beverage container of claim 17, where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.