DISTINGUISHABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER

Abstract

A bottle includes a body portion for containing a liquid beverage. The body portion has a sidewall portion extending between a neck portion and a base portion. A plurality of depressable buttons is disposed about the body portion. The depressable buttons are operable for use by a user to identify the bottle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This divisional application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/257,375 filed Nov. 2, 2009, and US Non-Provisional Application Ser. No. 12/696,326 filed Jan. 29, 2010, both of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This application relates generally to beverage containers and more particularly to distinguishable beverage containers.

SUMMARY

At social functions, such as family gatherings, mistakes of beverage container identification causing one to imbibe from another's container were considered impolite or unsanitary. Usually, such a mistake would not create more than a fear of passing or receiving a common cold to or from another. However, the fear of acquiring more serious communicable diseases has provoked concerns among many. Without a means of easily identifying individual containers, social occasions may be dampened by a nagging fear of who a container belongs to and whether or not the container has been infected with a communicable disease. Therefore, there exists a significant need for the ability to easily identify the owner or user of a beverage container.

In particular, this application discloses a bottle comprising: a body portion for containing a liquid beverage, the body portion having a sidewall portion extending between a neck portion and a base portion; and a plurality of depressable buttons disposed about the body portion, the depressable buttons operable for use by a user to identify the bottle.

This application also discloses a bottle comprising: a body portion for containing a liquid beverage, the body portion having a sidewall portion extending between a neck portion and a base portion; and a label disposed about the body portion, the label including one or more selectively removable tabs whereby the bottle may be identified.

This application further discloses a bottle comprising: a body portion for containing a liquid beverage, the body portion having a sidewall portion extending between a neck portion and a base portion; and a label disposed about the body portion, the label including a pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion capable of marking the bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings, when considered in connection with the following description, are presented for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side-view of a distinguishable beverage container;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side-view of an alternative distinguishable beverage container; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic side-view of an alternative distinguishable beverage container;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, an illustrative bottle 100 is shown. The bottle 100 may be configured to contain a liquid beverage or any other suitable content(s). The bottle 100 may include a body portion 105 having a neck portion 110, a base portion 115, and a sidewall portion 120 extending therebetween. The bottle 100 may be formed from any suitable material, including, but not limited to, polymer, metal, composite, etc.

The bottle 100 may also include a plurality of depressable buttons 125 disposed about the body portion 105. The buttons 125 may be configured to identify the bottle 100. In one embodiment, the buttons 125 are configured to identify the user of the bottle. For example, and without limitation, the buttons 125 may include indicia, images, symbols, alphanumeric text, or the like, to identify the user of the bottle. In an alternative embodiment, the buttons 125 may be configured to identify the contents of the bottle 100. For example, and without limitation, the buttons 125 may include indicia, images, symbols, alphanumeric text, or the like, to identify the contents of the bottle. The buttons 125 may be formed into the body portion 105 of the bottle 100. Alternatively, the buttons 125 may be coupled, disposed or otherwise affixed about the body portion 105 of the bottle 100. For example, and without limitation the buttons 125 may be formed into or otherwise disposed about the neck portion 110, base portion 105, and/or sidewall portion 120.

In use, the user of the bottle 100 may selectively depresses any suitable button(s) 125 for identifying that the user is using the bottle and/or identifying the contents of the bottle 100. The depressed buttons 125 may identify the user and/or contents. Alternatively, the un-depressed buttons 125 may identify the user and/or contents.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an alternative bottle 200 is shown. The bottle 200 is analogous in most respects to the bottle 100 of FIGS. 1 and a correlation of parts is generally indicated in this embodiment by indexing the numerals in FIG. 1 by 100.

The bottle 200 may include a label 235 disposed about the body portion 205. The label 235 may include one or more selectively removable tabs 230 whereby the bottle may be identified. In one embodiment, the tabs 230 are configured to identify the user of the bottle 200. For example, and without limitation, the tabs 230 may include indicia, images, symbols, alphanumeric text, or the like, to identify the user of the bottle. In an alternative embodiment, the tabs 230 may be configured to identify the contents of the bottle 200. For example, and without limitation, the tabs 230 may include indicia, images, symbols, alphanumeric text, or the like, to identify the contents of the bottle. In one embodiment, the tabs 230 extend from the body 240 of the label 235. One or more perforated lines 245 may separate the tabs 230 from one another and/or the body 240 of the label 235 such that the tabs 230 may be easily removed from the label 235. The tabs 230 may extend over any suitable portion of the body portion 205 of the bottle 200, including, but not limited to, the neck 210, base 215 and/or sidewall 220.

In use, the user of the bottle 200 may selectively remove any suitable tab(s) 230 for identifying that the user is using the bottle 200 and/or identifying the contents of the bottle 200. The remaining tabs 230 may identify the user and/or contents of the bottle 200.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternative bottle 300 is shown. The bottle 300 is analogous in most respects to the bottle 100 of FIGS. 1 and a correlation of parts is generally indicated in this embodiment by indexing the numerals in FIG. 1 by 200.

The bottle 300 may include a label 335 disposed about the body portion 305. The label 335 may include a pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 capable of marking the bottle. The pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may be formed from carbon-paper or any other suitable material or configuration capable of marking the bottle 300 when pressure is applied thereto. The pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may be configured to identify a user of the bottle 300. For example, and without limitation, the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may include indicia, images, symbols, alphanumeric text, or the like, that may be traced or otherwise marked by the user to identify the user of the bottle. Alternatively, the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may be substantially blank until pressure is applied thereto by a user with, for example and without limitation, a writing instrument, fingernail, etc.

In an alternative embodiment, the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may be configured to identify the contents of the bottle 300. For example, and without limitation, the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may include indicia, images, symbols, alphanumeric text, or the like, that may be traced or otherwise marked by the user to identify the user of the bottle. Alternatively, the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may be substantially blank until pressure is applied thereto by a user with, for example and without limitation, a writing instrument, fingernail, etc.

One or more perforated lines 355 may separate the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 from the body 360 of the label 335 such that the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may be easily removed from the label 335 once the bottle has been marked via the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350. The pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may extend over any suitable portion of the body portion 305 of the bottle 300, including, but not limited to, the neck 310, base 315 and/or sidewall 320.

In use, the user of the bottle 300 may selectively apply pressure to pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 so as to mark the bottle 300 therewith. The user may identify the user of the bottle 300 and/or identify the contents of the bottle 300. In one embodiment, once the bottle 300 is marked, the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion 350 may be removed from the bottle 300 and discarded.

While the present disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A bottle comprising:

a body portion for containing a liquid beverage, the body portion having a sidewall portion extending between a neck portion and a base portion; and

a label disposed about the body portion, the label including a pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion capable of marking the bottle.

2. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion is configured to identify a user of the bottle.

3. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion is configured to identify the contents of the bottle

4. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the pressure-sensitive duplicating media includes carbon-paper.

5. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion extends over the neck portion.

6. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the pressure-sensitive duplicating media portion is selectively removable from the bottle once the bottle has been marked therewith.