DUAL CAVITY SPORTS BOTTLE WITH SOURCE SELECTING CLOSURE
A dual cavity sports bottle employs two complementary bottle elements which mate together to form a generally cylindrical assembled container with a neck portion for dispensing the contacts. A closure holds the two bottle elements together forming a substantially cylindrical container and allows a user to select between consuming the contents of the first or the second bottle elements through two caps, each cap communicating with one bottle element, the caps extending at an angle from the closure.
This application is continuation-in-part of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/942,332 filed on Sep. 15, 2004 entitled MULTIPLE CAVITY BOTTLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME the disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth, and is copending with U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/232,087 filed on Jun. 14, 2005 entitled DUAL OUTLET CLOSURE, and U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/269,230 filed on Nov. 24, 2006 entitled ANGLED DUAL OUTLET CLOSURE having a common inventor with the present application. This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/818,883 filed on Jul. 6, 2006 entitled DUAL CAVITY FITNESS BOTTLE WITH SOURCE SELECTING CLOSURE, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth.
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to liquids containers, and more specifically to a bottle having multiple separated elements for containing different commodities with a closure assembly having separate caps with associated orifices communicating with the separated elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid storage containers have been provided in numerous sizes and shapes for various liquid commodities. The most ubiquitous containers are presently plastic and provide multiple sizes and shapes with mass production capability and recyclable materials.
In many endeavors, individuals use multiple commodities in combination. Sports enthusiasts are typically becoming aware of the benefits of combining the use of electrolyte replacing sports drinks with water for ultimate performance enhancement and refreshment. Many athletes including bodybuilders desire to consume a carbohydrate-based beverage before and during exercise, followed by a protein-based beverage after exercise.
Connected bottles for containing common use or multipart commodities such as shampoo and conditioner, glue and hardener and similar products have been available. However, such connected bottles do not provide an integrated, visually pleasing container, which minimizes manufacturing complexity and is easy to use as a sports bottle during exercise. Sports bottles can be generally defined as those bottles intended for use during sporting activity such as running, cycling, aerobics and hiking. Many sports bottles are designed to fit into standard bicycle bottle mounting brackets for use during cycling. Man cyclists choose to equip their bicycles with two separate bottle mounting brackets in order to carry more than one type of beverage in two existing single cavity sports bottles. However, this adds cost, complexity and weight to a bicycle and many sports enthusiasts are desirous of reducing cost, weight and complexity.
It is therefore desirable to provide a single sports bottle having multiple elements for storage of different commodities and a means for selecting between them during consumption. It is further desirable that such a container function well during exercise and fit into standard bicycle bottle mounting brackets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a dual cavity sports bottle using two complementary bottle elements which mate together to form a generally cylindrical assembled container, each bottle element with a neck portion for dispensing the contents. A closure holds the two bottle elements together forming a substantially cylindrical container and allows a user to select between consuming the contents of the first or the second bottle elements through two caps, each cap communicating with one bottle element, the caps extending at an angle from the closure.
The present invention is advantageous when compared to other modalities of dual cavity bottles in that both bottle elements can be easily formed using blow molding techniques that are well known to those skilled in the art of manufacturing bottles such as beverage bottles and sports bottles. The bottle elements are separate parts and thus can be formed in different colors to allow a consumer to easily determine that the bottle has dual cavities at the point of purchase. During use, different colored bottle and closure elements allow a user to easily determine which beverage being selected on the basis of which color cavity it was stored in before exercise.
The cap arrangement has the unique function of fastenably arranging both bottles in the correct relationship to each other while sealably containing both beverage commodities and simultaneously allowing a user to select between either bottle cavity by adjusting either of two pop-up sports tops. An angled arrangement of the tops provides separation for ease of use while maintaining a profile circumscribed by the circumference of the container cylinder. Orientation of the tops angled in two planes provides maximum separation so that a user may easily consume the contents of one bottle element without having the opposing sports top interfering with their mouth.
In one embodiment, the bottle elements are identical parts that can be formed from the same mold. This reduces production costs and ensures a tight fit between the elements. Mating indexing features can be used on the adjoining surfaces of the elements and if placed in equally spaced relation to an axis of symmetry such as the centerline, a male and female feature on a first element will fit into the corresponding male and female feature on a second element when said second element is turned to face the first element during assembly.
In one embodiment, a cap or ring is used at the bottom of the bottle elements to hold them together by way of a snap, and the closure is threaded onto the neck portions of the bottle elements to hold them together at the top portion. A reduced diameter waist in the cylindrical container in certain embodiments further allows use of a rigid or elastic band to constrain the two bottle elements, the elastic band further providing a rubberized surface for enhanced grip during times when a user's hands may be wet during exercise.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThese and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
In this context, the ten double-start refers to the fact that the thread has two starts: thread start 26 on first bottle element 10, and a correspondingly identical thread start (not shown) on second bottle element 12. When first and second bottle elements are assembled together, the thread junctions 28 of each bottle element butt together, creating a continuous thread running across the plane where the bottle elements meet. Also in this embodiment as an additional or alternative engagement and alignment mechanism, a mate boss 22 and female boss 24 are shown. These male and female features are located equidistant from the vertical centerline of the bottle element providing mating symmetry. When first bottle element 10 and second bottle element 12 are assembled together, the male boss 22 of the first bottle element is received by the corresponding female boss 24 of second bottle element 12 and vice-versa. Such male and female indexing features help locate the bottle elements in the correct relationship to each other so that the thread junction 28 is properly aligned to enable a closure to be screwed into place by a user. Alternately, male and female indexing features may also be designed to interlock or dovetail and fastenably hold the bottle elements together, removing the need for any other interlocking mechanism such as bottom cap 20.
A non-recessed waist is optionally employed when a person practicing the invention does not wish to use a rubber band or other such part to wrap around first and second bottle elements. The inward geometry of non-recessed waist is designed to receive a retaining portion of industry standard bicycle bottle cages, which capture and retain sports bottles during bicycling.
Having now described the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. A sports bottle comprising:
- a first bottle element;
- a second bottle element complementary to the first bottle element and matingly engaging the first bottle element to form a substantially cylindrical container;
- a closure engaging the first and second bottle elements and having two caps, each cap extending at an angle from the closure and communicating with an interior of one of said first and second bottle elements.
2. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 wherein a web extends intermediate the two caps.
3. The sports bottle defined in claim 2 wherein the web is substantially perpendicular to the closure.
4. The sports bottle defined in claim 2 wherein the web incorporates an aperture.
5. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 wherein the angles of extension of the two caps are coplanar.
6. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 wherein the angles of extension of the two caps are compound.
7. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 wherein the two caps are each rotatable to a desired angle.
8. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 wherein the closure incorporates a first boss communicating with the first bottle element and a second boss communicating with the second bottle elements, the two caps each including a dispensing tube mountable in the first and second boss, respectively.
9. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second bottle elements each incorporating a first diameter body portion when engaged and a reduced diameter bottom portion, said first diameter body portion sized to be received in a first retention apparatus and the reduced diameter bottom portion sized to be received in a second retention apparatus.
10. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second bottle elements are a first and second color and the two caps have a corresponding color for the element with which they communicate.
11. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 further comprising:
- symmetrical indexing features proximate a neck portion of each element.
12. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 further comprising:
- symmetrical indexing features proximate a bottom portion of each element.
13. The sports bottle defined in claim 11 wherein the neck portion of each element is threaded for engagement with the closure, said indexing features aligning said neck portions.
14. The sports bottle defined in claim 13 wherein the threaded neck portion incorporates a double start thread.
15. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 further comprising:
- a lanyard extending between a first engagement means proximate the closure and a second engagement means proximate the bottom of the mated matingly engaged elements.
16. The sports bottle defined in claim 15 wherein the first engagement means comprises a band having a tab with an aperture to receive a first end of the lanyard.
17. The sports bottle defined in claim 1 further comprising a bottom cap received over a bottom portion of the mated first and second elements.
18. The sports bottle defined in claim 17 wherein the bottom cap includes a tab with an aperture to receive a second end of a lanyard.
19. The sports bottle defined in claim 5 wherein in the angled caps extend within the circumferential profile of the cylindrical container formed by the mated first and second elements.
20. The sports bottle defined in claim 6 wherein in the angled caps extend within the circumferential profile of the cylindrical container formed by the mated first and second elements.
21. A sports bottle comprising:
- a first bottle element;
- a second bottle element complementary to the first bottle element and matingly engaging the first bottle element;
- the first and second bottle elements secured in mating engagement by a circumferential band.
22. The sports bottle defined in claim 21 wherein the first and second bottle elements each incorporate an indentation forming a reduced diameter waist in mated engagement and the circumferential band encircles the waist.
23. The sports bottle defined in claim 21 wherein the band is resilient and extendible over a nominal diameter section of the mated bottle elements.
24. The sports bottle defined in claim 22 wherein the band is resilient and extendible over a nominal diameter section of the mated bottle elements to be received in the waist.
25. A sports bottle comprising:
- a first bottle element;
- a second bottle element complementary to the first bottle element and matingly engaging the first bottle element;
- the first and second bottle elements each incorporating a first diameter body portion when engaged and a reduced diameter bottom portion, said first diameter body portion sized to be received in a first retention apparatus and the reduced diameter bottom portion sized to be received in a second retention apparatus.
26. A sports bottle comprising:
- a first bottle element of a first color having a pair of alignment features symmetrically displaced from a vertical centerline of the element and a double start threaded neck portion;
- a second bottle element of a second color symmetrical with the first bottle element and matingly engaging the first bottle element, the first and second bottle elements each incorporating an indentation forming a reduced diameter waist in mated engagement;
- a closure threadedly engaging the mated neck portions of the first and second elements, said closure having a first cap of the first color and a second cap of the second color, each cap extending at a compound angle from the closure and communicating within an interior of said first and second bottle elements having the corresponding color, the angled caps extending within the circumferential profile of the cylindrical container formed by the mated first and second elements; and,
- a resilient circumferential band encircling the waist of the mated bottle elements
27. A method for forming a closure for a sports bottle having a first bottle element; a second bottle element symmetrical with the first bottle element and matingly engaging the first bottle element comprising the steps of:
- molding a closure element to be received over a neck portion of the mated first and second elements, said molded closure element having two bosses, each boss having an aperture and each aperture surrounded by a securing means;
- molding two dispensing tubes, each tube having a mating securing means for engagement within the securing means surrounding one aperture.
28. A method as defined in claim 27 wherein the securing means surrounding each aperture comprises a snap ledge and the mating securing means comprises a snap groove.
29. A method as defined in claim 27 wherein the securing means surrounding each aperture comprises socket portion and the mating securing means comprises a ball portion for rotatable engagement.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 6, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 3, 2008
Inventor: William Yates (Aliso Viejo, CA)
Application Number: 11/774,482
International Classification: B65D 1/04 (20060101);